(Press File Photo by Geoffrey Plant)
Lt. Gov. Howie Morales, Silver City Mayor Ken Ladner and others are seen inside the N.M. Senate chamber as Darlene Chavez, president of the Associated Students of Western New Mexico University sings the national anthem during the opening ceremony for Grant County Day at the New Mexico Legislature last year. The 2021 version will take place via Zoom.
Wednesday is Grant County Day at the New Mexico Legislature, and despite pandemic rules that bar all but essential staff, credentialed media, and, of course, legislators themselves from the Roundhouse, local government officials and representatives from a range of organizations here will still be pitching the priority needs of the region to legislators virtually.
February 1, 2021
Despite misgivings, students, staff back return to classrooms Written by Dean Thompson on February 1, 2021
The Silver Schools Board of Education has already given the green light for its secondary schools to move into the hybrid model.
The district’s elementary schools have been in and out of hybrid instruction where 50 percent of the student population is in the classroom two days a week, alternating with the other half of students in online classes since before the holiday break.
The Cobre School District never went into a hybrid mode in its elementary schools, however.
Last week, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and the New Mexico Public Education Department announced that they will allow all districts to enter the hybrid mode in all grades Feb. 8, as long as all of the state’s guidelines are met.
Silver board votes to continue search Written by Dean Thompson on January 19, 2021
The special meeting of the Silver Schools Board of Education on Monday evening began immediately with an executive session.
After coming out of the closed-door meeting, the board decided not to immediately appoint a new superintendent, voting to continue the process of looking for a new leader with the help of Prather Consulting.
Superintendent Audie Brown announced last fall that he would retire at the end of June, and the board started the search process before winter break. But at last Monday’s regular meeting, board member Eddie Flores advocated for stopping the search and immediately appointing Associate Superintendent Curtis Clough to the position.
December 16, 2020
Economic development group looks to county for funding Written by Dean Thompson on December 16, 2020
The Grant County Commission heard a couple of presentations about public health and economic development during its work session Tuesday morning.
The first came from the Grant County Community Health Council’s Emerging Infectious Diseases Task Force, represented by Jeff Fell, the town of Silver City’s emergency manager, and Renee Despres.
Despres started with COVID-19 numbers for the county.
“This data is for November 17 to November 30, so I can’t tell you what our positivity rate is here right now,” she said. “We’re testing pretty well compared to other counties in the state, but we still haven’t met the gating criteria of 5 percent of tests being positive.
December 15, 2020
Silver board delays close of fall semester grading Written by Dean Thompson on December 15, 2020
Most of the discussion in the Silver Schools Board of Education meeting Monday night dealt with a New Mexico Public Education Department recommendation on grading during remote learning affecting school districts across the state.
Superintendent Audie Brown said the PED was asking districts to consider changing a zero grade to a 50 percent grade, which would still be an “F” on the grading scale.
“If a student has a zero, some students may feel it would be impossible to raise their grades, and disconnect,” Brown said.