Random drug testing of athletes was briefly discussed at the Mancos school board meeting on Monday, March 16.<\/p>\n
Heath Showalter, K-12 dean of students, told the board that the Ignacio schools is testing athletes and that he wasn\u2019t opposed to a similar action in Mancos.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a good deterrent,\u201d he said. \u201cIt also gives kids a good out to say \u2018no.'\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHeroine is making a tremendous comeback in 18-to- 20-year-olds,\u201d said Wesley A. Rivera, board vice president.<\/p>\n
Board member Blake Mitchell expressed support for testing performance-enhancing drugs, and president Monty Guiles said the board may discuss the legality of testing at a later date.<\/p>\n
Update on testing opt-outs<\/p>\n
Secondary school Principal Adam Priestley reported that the middle and high schools have received 30-plus parental requests to opt their children out of the PARCC test \u2013 the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers. Mancos students begin testing on Monday, March 23.<\/p>\n
School board president Monty Guiles, unclear about state law regarding testing, said officials should have decided the issue on their own.<\/p>\n
Superintendent Brian Hanson explained that state law obligates schools to give the test, but that he\u2019s working on an alternative, Innovative Status that would allow the school to opt out of the tests next year.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would support schoolwide not giving the tests. I like that we have taught right through and not stopped for TCAP or CSAP or PARCC or whatever the acronym of the day is,\u201d Guiles said.<\/p>\n
Other points of discussion<\/p>\n
The board got its first look at next year\u2019s school calendar. It will be posted on the district website this week for public comment, Hanson said. The board is expected to approve the calendar on April 20.<\/p>\n
Some details:<\/p>\n
The first day of the year would be Aug. 25.<\/p>\n
About two staff days a month are planned, mostly on Fridays.<\/p>\n
Thanksgiving break is a week long and Christmas break is two weeks long. Spring break is a week long and starts earlier, on March 21.<\/p>\n
Board members discussed at length the San Juan Board of Cooperative Educational Services.<\/p>\n
BOCES is asking local districts to pay an additional $8,000 for a special-education coordinator that would be shared among schools in Montezuma and Dolores counties. Hanson told the board he had a hard time paying that money when the BOCES director is still part-time and getting paid over $100,000.<\/p>\n
Elementary Principal Cathy Epps defended BOCES, saying it \u201cis the most exceptional team I\u2019ve worked with.\u201d<\/p>\n
Epps also reported that an Oct. 1 count revealed 30 new students.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s exciting we have continuous growth,\u201d she said, adding that the elementary now has a waiting list for transfer students.<\/p>\n
Priestley announced that four Destination Imagination teams qualified for state competition.<\/p>\n
Priestley also said he hopes to add three minutes to each class next year. Classes currently are 57 minutes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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