[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6656165,"mediaKeyId","5338949-0be53b761b231043fe5116a7066db847","parentId",5338949,"title","Board begins two-reading process to align student wireless-device policy with new state law","audioSeconds",1220,"startMs",4896000,"endMs",6116000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5338949-0be53b761b231043fe5116a7066db847&start=4896&end=6116","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5338949-0be53b761b231043fe5116a7066db847/thumbnail_4896000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6656165/New-Mexico/Board-begins-two-reading-process-to-align-student-wireless-device-policy-with-new-state-law","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6656165-16ccd1116d5f8cf67eae02db2423c7a7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440174&Signature=osWOqNZ6VAXEVhSWPQSskFLWDXTxPf97bRP2F7ANDIXM2qNqgYXcJEMdJugrXVeHBK2BGWIvIqadG0ElQzgDLjbZFZpA1uoiR~9cErxVfIMEypjTDkEAqtBXabKuEmW80N7kpxWKz~yyA8czaLm1ARm2RMqNBKDYHH2R9wSoaaEVKRcJILMhY43wQsU8m~TZFUQayMj0xzKwA16bAMRtEV1~LK585jtRXIHX9cfZTOoB7DwMwJOWeRHVtTHjwDo7lwEB~8AHvXTCI0A~WdHBwRZDYY1SAGyu46C02ZJoBI799j603Jhf1oEM2RR3cm2l4Kq0r09~~FFpDfTwZFp-nQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Las Cruces Public Schools","date","2025-07-08T17:30:00Z","article","Board staff introduced revisions to policy JICJ (student wireless communication devices) to align district policy with Senate Bill 11, which the presenter characterized as an “anti-distraction” law that requires districts to adopt a compliant policy by the end of August.

Doctor Miller Tomlinson and district leaders said the policy changes are largely a transfer of existing regulation language into policy so the district meets statutory requirements. Key points discussed:

- Title and definition: The policy will change from “electronic communication devices” to “wireless communication devices” and include a statutory-aligned definition of covered devices.

- Elementary school approach: district principals recommended no wireless-device use during the school day; devices must remain stored bell-to-bell, with after-school exceptions for pickup or bus contact.

- Middle school approach: principals recommended a bell-to-bell prohibition, including passing periods and lunch, with a limited process for principal-approved instructional exceptions (treated like showing a video or movie with principal approval).

- High school approach: guidance will rely more on teacher discretion during instructional time; midday lunch is treated differently due to off-campus movement by students. Students retain access to district-provided devices (laptops) for instructional needs.

- Implementation and supports: district staff said media-literacy and digital-citizenship curriculum components are already in place (K–12) and that an existing media literacy course at the high-school level had been piloted in summer session. Board members and staff discussed enforcement, consistency across sites and parent education; staff committed to placing implementation details in the accompanying regulation and monitoring the rollout. Dr. Tomlinson said the board would be asked to waive a third reading to adopt the policy in two readings (final action anticipated at the August meeting) so the district meets the statutory deadline.

Board members raised practical questions about calculator use in higher-level math (staff said district-provided calculators and laptops are available) and about enforcement; staff said regular principal check-ins and a discipline matrix will guide consistency.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Las Cruces Public Schools - Board of Education - Jul 08, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","District staff previewed a policy update to rename and align JICJ with Senate Bill 11 and outlined a bell-to-bell prohibition at elementary and middle schools, with high-school instructional use left mostly to teacher discretion.","taxTitle","LAS CRUCES PUBLIC SCHOOLS, School Districts, New Mexico","taxId",13252,"location","New Mexico","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6656167,"LCPS transportation: 121 drivers, new routing tech and parent app; district approves STS contract",3425,3930000,7355000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5338949-0be53b761b231043fe5116a7066db847&start=3930&end=7355","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5338949-0be53b761b231043fe5116a7066db847/thumbnail_3930000.jpg","/articles/6656167/New-Mexico/LCPS-transportation-121-drivers-new-routing-tech-and-parent-app-district-approves-STS-contract","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6656167-b998fc1e58f154cec1f9c06794b3ea4d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440174&Signature=A6tiEAZBz~CHdYzHFiYNtHq2HlgBdDUY9Au~F~3Lm3qU5cJNQzbMtT8d6aTsCd8w-okgA17kro1w-2R4eG4gu59jw5PUZHd9TvuXt8tSF~WfBre9ruSuzGZxNbAS7TmqRH9sqcJ9OqWjgx~8D7jfdHMwy14R0zSY3cJVBKa972f1WdT7qdZosTrqywCO3mEO9u3C3JrL-aXQuIGbPYJ2JqzMRHHYD-v9HjhFPOu~-vNJgCjb1ydg0cXsAc64meh3LEJ3yfpntRhFtgkASqzwsJbPFY-9GH2tsh4vP0agQ95AHJ37ic2cnknWAYbTbWzRECtRitZiM3B0WgJ9ZOJ18Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District transportation staff told the board the department had 121 bus drivers, 44 bus attendants (for special-education routes) and six drivers in training. Officials reported 67 general-education bus routes, 38 special-education routes and five routes still listed as open but covered by substitute or standby drivers; the district said all requested eligible students had been routed and families would receive route information by July 15.

Staff said the three-tier bell schedule (elementary–high–middle) improved route efficiency by allowing buses to run multiple routes during staggered start times rather than running nearly empty duplicate buses. Officials noted the schedule reduces single-school-only buses and increases coverage for general and special-education runs.

Technology and safety upgrades include Beacon Connect tablets and a plan for a Beacon parent app, which staff said will provide GPS-based arrival alerts and incident reporting. Case managers and dispatch will get automatic emails when drivers submit incident reports through the tablet; the district also said it equipped buses with Lytics DriveCam front-facing and in-cab cameras to share live video with dispatch during an incident. Staff said they plan a pilot rollout of the parent app in the fall with districtwide availability planned by September.

Transportation leaders said maintenance and office staffing are fully operational and that bus drivers will begin dry runs of routes before school starts. The department said substitute drivers (10–15 available) will cover open routes until permanent hires finish certification; staff said they expected all routes to be staffed before the start of school.

Contract and finances: At the meeting the board approved the fiscal year 2025–26 student transportation services contract with STS for $9,843,873.06. District staff said the contract follows the New Mexico Public Education Department template and includes bus lease, route services and per-hour rates for activity and ancillary bus use. Board members discussed recruitment and retention and noted recent compensation adjustments and other measures that the district said helped boost driver counts.

","Las Cruces Public Schools and its contractor outlined bus staffing, a three-tier bell schedule and new bus technology (Beacon Connect, Lytics DriveCam) to improve routing and safety. The board later approved the fiscal-year student transportation services contract for $9,843,873.06.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6656170,"Las Cruces district confirms phased reopening dates for Columbia Elementary, schedules July open house",987,2927000,3914000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5338949-0be53b761b231043fe5116a7066db847&start=2927&end=3914","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5338949-0be53b761b231043fe5116a7066db847/thumbnail_2927000.jpg","/articles/6656170/New-Mexico/Las-Cruces-district-confirms-phased-reopening-dates-for-Columbia-Elementary-schedules-July-open-house","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6656170-50d135d1c99412a9ba97e89ea638af74/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440174&Signature=hHPdh8zE5IL8CHjCHc9h6A1jja63lKz4xFDe03XqkcwtLjI2oyqaAyTl4ealN11mY18nphK6AEpvpSygL87WzdEHjBp6h7DZ-x1CE8U91KtjOLOqBWG68DbwheyJbi7uq57aa8XPxCtsu6LpTqnO6Xt2s1mWiFGky6DiRIpaUTqx15HZr7gP2wB4E1IOyZNK4W5DPGQsUJIqBmEBejxhmAY1wlRSNQEH3O7X22bVBADQYoOHEQ0iSGLHahuOK3aaXCDPv6omuzaTNjDgSR8kuk-rlCxMasLWeYl-0ef06yScWnvZ0FlACrWkGbNeDGmEydYoAhA-K2wSnERVCKpWPQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Las Cruces Public Schools announced July 16 as the district’s Phase 1 move-in date for the newly modernized Columbia Elementary School, with Phase 2 access to the full building scheduled for Aug. 26 and a Phase 3 off-site completion anticipated in late December (Dec. 25, per contractor target). Superintendent Ruiz and district staff told the board the schedule remains on track and that crews are finishing landscaping, playgrounds and interior work.

District project staff showed drone and interior images and described the Phase 1 footprint as the main classroom wings, security vestibule, front entry and bus loop. Staff said furniture assembly is underway and that key systems — restrooms, media center, kitchen walk-in coolers and the performing-arts area — will be ready for Phase 1 or Phase 2 as noted. The fifth-grade playground remained under construction in the most recent drone footage, while other playgrounds and exterior paving were reported complete.

Why this matters: the phased opening affects when students, teachers and families will access different parts of the campus and when after-school and extracurricular spaces open. The district said it has scheduled teacher move-in supports and physical-plant checks so rooms and restrooms are stocked and ready when staff arrive.

On staffing, the district reported it retained five formerly assigned Columbia staff members and one part-time employee from the original campus; district recruitment and lateral-transfer processes filled most vacancies with certified and support hires. District leaders said one certified vacancy remained at the time of the meeting and that weekly communication with HR would track kindergarten enrollment and additional staffing needs.

The district invited families to a “Liftoff to Learning” open house from 5–7 p.m. on Thursday, July 24, where community members can tour the building ahead of the school year; a fuller community event is planned for October. School leaders said they will display historical memorabilia — plaques and NASA-donated autographed items — related to the Columbia space shuttle in a secure location on campus.

District staff also thanked community partners and contractors for completing paving and protecting interior finishes during final work. Superintendent Ruiz and board members noted the work aims to limit disruption from recent monsoons and complete landscaping before the July move-in.

Looking ahead, staff said they will continue to monitor deferred items (fifth-grade playground, off-site retention work) and will report back if dates shift.

","Las Cruces Public Schools officials said Columbia Elementary’s phased reopening remains on schedule: phase 1 move-in on July 16, full building access on Aug. 26 and a final off-site portion expected by late December. The district announced a family open house for July 24 and described staffing and site preparations.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6656158,"Board approves NSBA CUBE conference attendance for September",218,6293000,6511000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5338949-0be53b761b231043fe5116a7066db847&start=6293&end=6511","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5338949-0be53b761b231043fe5116a7066db847/thumbnail_6293000.jpg","/articles/6656158/New-Mexico/Board-approves-NSBA-CUBE-conference-attendance-for-September","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6656158-5afce36a95e70ceb55edf9abbf0e58c5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440174&Signature=ESeff~Tb-jPrN4QbR1CUC0JPC44qUwhGKn0iBJvh9-j3hf7~9VUo25T16AzqbJt-UJENLYbVGPM7UbCF-iaUT4ubcSFCUJLpniq-NVJMEFoIYjxwf6QsSRNxWIqw4RWhYtjQwL94G3-pAmIFS~rW2hE2OE8roeR4qlmZKdn9zBFBsvohpsaQUrxrdVi9SI1h6kUvEDw7D8ZYtRRa~DOYapR8jFCGU-pLsTIDc~LpwpVWCHhbFtG-EE0r4taVD1idlC0NAUvSc3y08bbJ22yFaiILLiWvRENEmfsSXu9YfgtvIdcQ7h0cm-JJBYeL3YCvv-wDfhnPM2ksU-mS2CGFGw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The board approved attendance at the National School Boards Association’s CUBE (Council of Urban Boards of Education) annual conference, scheduled in September in Los Angeles. A district staff member summarized the conference purpose — national exchange on equity, governance and supports for urban districts — and board members expressed support for board participation and sharing takeaways with the district.

No fiscal details were discussed at length in the meeting; staff said the central office would follow up with logistics and registration information for board members who wish to attend.

Motion details and outcome: the board approved the request 4–0; staff will coordinate travel arrangements and report back.

","The board approved attendance at the National School Boards Association Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE) conference in September; staff will follow up with travel details and registration.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6656162,"Board approves SRO service agreement with City of Las Cruces; MOU adds substitute-officer, policy-review provisions",680,6563000,7243000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5338949-0be53b761b231043fe5116a7066db847&start=6563&end=7243","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5338949-0be53b761b231043fe5116a7066db847/thumbnail_6563000.jpg","/articles/6656162/New-Mexico/Board-approves-SRO-service-agreement-with-City-of-Las-Cruces-MOU-adds-substitute-officer-policy-review-provisions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6656162-2fc29de59f929aca22c407a4f1b59a83/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440174&Signature=nadGxP93PcQjnrDHikL320Ey3rSFRZXxqC1CSfsJ9RDadWjJVHpJnBli6VPStSHY~vVuF2l668MhElrr7PJoJhKcDzeaRlGMEAizv5Rb7aMnukhmiGsAEkj7I4va4sTfCgu-dlLltt4i2PXiZYYYHGMEi~9Sl9V6ikIVoZCGJs9x5l5eHNDN4~~OF6VsDFu-qAG-sgqpVdj4aZMRF206Z2c-tI8BpQjPzaAfwE2qge1kYpBUTpxgVNSlNv1cDbXztPhdawq8~poIHwaMJ0dRfeE7WLV2nQ4K7YLP1AVqdky7pG4NvfBhGfy-aihVSvQaykSNThzzsdYINW78YO7hpw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Las Cruces Public Schools Board approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the City of Las Cruces on behalf of the Las Cruces Police Department governing school-resource-officer (SRO) duties, coverage and coordination. The board voted 4–0 to approve the agreement after district staff reviewed changes proposed by the city.

District presenters said the updated MOU includes several clarifications from the previous year’s agreement:

- Substitute coverage: the city added language that, when available, the department will assign another SRO or a qualified officer to substitute when an assigned SRO is absent.

- Training and role limits: the MOU clarifies that SROs will act within their training and experience and are not to be represented as subject-matter experts beyond their law-enforcement training (for example, in clinical or specialized intervention roles); it also notes exceptions related to substance-abuse education and intervention and how those services will be handled.

- Policy review and acknowledgments: assigned SROs will be provided the district’s relevant policies and procedures (including restraint and seclusion protocols) and the department’s policies; SROs will sign an acknowledgement showing they received and had an opportunity to review the district and department policies that apply to their campus duties.

- Incident reporting: the MOU states that crimes occurring on campus must be reported to the Las Cruces Police Department.

District and city staff described ongoing collaboration between SROs, school counselors and site-based health centers to ensure appropriate responses and referrals for students who need support beyond law-enforcement responses.

The motion to approve the MOU was moved by Secretary Wofford, seconded by Mr. Frank; the board voted unanimously (4–0). District staff said cost and funding arrangements remained unchanged from the prior agreement.

","The board approved a memorandum of understanding with the City of Las Cruces on behalf of the Las Cruces Police Department that clarifies substitute SRO coverage, training and limits on SRO duties, and requires review of district policies (including restraint and seclusion) and a signed acknowledgment by assigned officers.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board begins two-reading process to align student wireless-device policy with new state law

LCPS transportation: 121 drivers, new routing tech and parent app; district approves STS contract

Las Cruces district confirms phased reopening dates for Columbia Elementary, schedules July open house

Board approves NSBA CUBE conference attendance for September

Board approves SRO service agreement with City of Las Cruces; MOU adds substitute-officer, policy-review provisions