PUEBLO PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT 70
During the August 16 Pueblo County District 70 School Board Meeting, Ethan Beeman, Rye High School’s Ag Advisor and Future Farmers of America sponsor was announced as a National Association of Agricultural Educators National Award winner.
In acknowledging the award, Beeman explained that he won it due to an Ideas Unlimited New Lesson, in which a treadmill was transformed to demonstrate trailer towing safety. The treadmill was painted like a road, a model truck and trailer were placed on the treadmill, and sway and proper loading were explained by shifting the load weight around on the trailer.
Beeman won the Colorado state and the Region 2 contest, which is made up of educators from Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas. He will be traveling to Las Vagas, NV, as one of six competitors in the national competition held December 1st-3rd.
Michael Gilbert, Willdan Group Superintendent, reported on progress in construction at the schools, including the local mountain schools. He advised that roofing projects at Rye High School, Craver Middle School, and Beulah School of Natural Science are advancing.
Gilbert also advised that they have people at Craver Middle School working daily to finish the installation of cooling units there. He considers that one of the top priority projects, and is making every effort to have two of the three cooling units installed by August 22.
Assistant Superintendent Rhonda Rein presented the changes to the open forum policy at the D70 school board meetings. She advised that the open forum will be limited to 30 minutes total for all speakers. Speakers will only be allowed one minute to speak if there are multiple speakers speaking on the same subject, but will still be allowed three minutes to speak if it is a separate subject. This measure would condense a topic that might have previously taken thirty minutes into ten minutes.
New speaker sign-up sheets that will be submitted in advance will ask what topic will be covered.
Changes to the policy would also require that speakers be residents of the district, parents of students enrolled in the district schools, or non-residents of the district who’ve previously requested permission to speak from the superintendent.
Responses to the open forum can be responded to by either the superintendent or by legal counsel.
Roxy Pignanelli, Government and Community Affairs Coordinator for D70 advised that there will be a bill on November’s ballot concerning school lunches. The bill would help D70 obtain funding to cover the cost of school meals for all students. It would also provide funding for more food service workers' training and wages, upgrade food service equipment, and allow D70 to purchase local food.
The next School District 70 School Board meeting will be held on September 6, at the Education Services Center at 24951 East Hwy 50, Pueblo,