The Board of Education started its first meeting of the year by electing new officers. Here are the changes and members of the Audit and Finance committees.
President: Mr. Keith Corley
Vice President: Mrs. Krista Lee McWilliams
Secretary: Mrs. Andra Stradling
Deputy Secretary: Mrs. Lisa Lynn Maxwell
Board Member: Mrs. Stephanie Thompson
Audit Committee: Mrs. Lisa Lynn Maxwell and Mrs. Andra Stradling
Finance Committee: Mrs. Lisa Lynn Maxwell and Mrs. Krista Lee McWilliams
Foundation for Educational Excellence Update
Dave Dailey, President of the Foundation for Educational Excellence, shared important details about the closure of the non-profit organization. You can view the official announcement letter here.
The Foundation disbursed the remaining 331 thousand dollars in their investment portfolio to:
The Boys and Girls Club of San Juan County (100,000), House of St. Christopher (20,000), ChildHaven (20,000), Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Juan County (20,000), San Juan College Foundation (14,828), Family Crisis Center (10,000), Special Olympics of San Juan County (10,000), and Four Corners Home for Children (10,000).
Petroleum Engineering Mentorship Class
At today's meeting, the FMS Board of Education recognized the Merrion Oil & Gas Petroleum Engineering Mentorship Class. Investment Manager George Sharpe introduced the talented students and highlighted their impressive engineering recommendations, which led to the sale of property and a 10,000 gain for Merrion Oil & Gas.
This is a wonderful example of how local business leaders are helping students develop real-world problem-solving skills through mentorship.
The students recognized are:
Farmington High School: Noah Barton, Conner Clark, Brayden Davis, Cash Garrett, Diego Mercado, Isabel Pierantoni, Samuel Robinson, and Ioanna Ueanimatang.
Piedra Vista: Caden Barlow, Gracie Degner, Ethan Duckett, Jonathan Hunter, Bryce Johnson, and Natalie Vigil.
San Juan College High School: Naomi Granillo, Autumn Clitso, Antonio Graham, and Nathaniel Wood
Remote students: Meric Kuhn, Max Magee, Zoe Logan, and Ilyas Marquez.
Open Meetings Resolution
The Board approved Open Meetings Resolution 2025-R28, which outlines that regular meetings will be held on the second Tuesday of each month. If this date falls on a legal or school holiday, the meeting will be moved to the following Thursday. Meeting agendas will be available at least 72 hours in advance. For more details, please visit our Board Agenda page to view the full resolution.
Board Policies I-7450, J-3150, and J-3400
The Board read changes to Policy I-7450 regarding Graduation Exercises, including that:
Students must agree to follow behavior expectations and meet all dress and grooming standards to participate in commencement exercises.
Parents and students aged 18 or older will receive detailed information about the rules and expectations for commencement before the first rehearsal.
The Superintendent may establish regulations to ensure these policies are followed. This includes allowing students to express individuality on the top of their graduation caps, subject to the rules set forth by the Superintendent.
The Board also read changes to Policy J-3150 regarding Student Possession and Use of Personal Electronic Devices.
To maintain a safe, respectful, and focused learning environment, the use of personal electronic devices is regulated during school. These rules ensure that devices do not disrupt the educational process, interfere with school operations, or compromise the safety and privacy of students and staff.
Contacting Your Child
Parents or guardians needing to reach their child during the school day should contact the main office.
If a student needs to contact a parent or guardian, they may use a school phone.
Prohibited Uses of Personal Electronic Devices
Students may not use personal electronic devices in ways that:
Violate the Code of Student Conduct, school policies, or regulations.
Disrupt the educational environment, school activities, or school operations.
Break state or federal laws while on school property or during school-sponsored activities.
Violate the privacy or safety of others, including taking or sharing photos or recordings that could cause emotional distress, embarrassment, or invasion of privacy. Devices with cameras are not allowed in locker rooms, bathrooms, or other sensitive areas.
Interrupt instructional time.
Threaten, harass, or intimidate others.
Involve cheating, fraud, or academic dishonesty, including sending or receiving test answers or other restricted information.
For more information, visit our Board Agenda page here to review the full policy under consideration.
And finally, the Board approved Policy J-3400 regarding Student Interviews/Interrogations, Searches, and Arrests. The policy clarifies the following:
Parents/guardians shall be notified prior to students being interviewed or interrogated by Law Enforcement or School Administration involving an incident.
Interviews and interrogations are not the same thing.
An interview is an informal fact-finding conversation. Usually conducted with witnesses or victims of a crime. The person being interviewed is not suspected of committing a crime.
Interrogations are a more structured conversation conducted with individuals suspected of committing a crime. In most cases there is reasonable suspicion to detain the person. Students under interrogation will be afforded their Juvenile Miranda Rights when interrogated by Law Enforcement and allowed to have a parent or representative present before questioning. The exception to parental/guardian notification would be if a parent/guardian is the suspect of child abuse or any other crime against the child/student.
Notification of Interviews and Interrogations
Parents or guardians will be notified before students are interviewed or interrogated by law enforcement or school administration regarding an incident.
Understanding Interviews vs. Interrogations
Interviews are informal conversations aimed at gathering facts. They are typically conducted with witnesses or victims and do not involve suspicion of wrongdoing.
Interrogations are more formal and are conducted with individuals suspected of committing a crime. Reasonable suspicion is usually required to detain the person for questioning.
Student Rights During Interrogations
When students are interrogated by law enforcement, they will be informed of their Juvenile Miranda Rights.
Students will also have the opportunity to have a parent, guardian, or representative present before questioning begins.
Exceptions to Parental Notification
Parental or guardian notification may not occur if the parent or guardian is suspected of child abuse or another crime against the child/student.
This policy would ensure more transparency and the protection of students’ rights during these processes.
For more information, please visit our Board Agenda page here to read the policy in full.
The Board typically follows readings and reviews with a vote to approve or table a measure during the following meeting.
The next Board of Education meeting is on February 11, 2025.