Superintendent updates board on new elementary, sixth-grade move and youth marijuana marketing concerns

President Chris Mortensen and the Gallup-McKinley City Schools board heard a report from Superintendent Hyatt on construction, grade-configuration changes, extracurricular offerings and concerns about marijuana products marketed to children.

Hyatt said Red Rock Elementary is nearing completion and that the district expects to move in soon. “Red Rock Elementary School is almost complete. We expect move in shortly,” he told the board, and said he performed a walkthrough and provided a list of items to correct before occupancy.

The update also covered the board-approved plan to keep sixth grade at elementary schools. Hyatt said the district will create a fifth–sixth grade league across the district and add volleyball at the elementary level to expand athletic opportunities. “We made some decisions on athletics that we're going to have a fifth, sixth grade league across the district, and then offer volleyball also at the elementary level,” he said. Hyatt added sixth graders will begin having multiple teachers to ease transition to middle school and that a middle-school committee is working on broader middle-school improvements.

On staffing, Hyatt said letters of intent are being collected to identify openings for the recruiting season. He also reported that negotiations with “McPhee's” are open and ongoing; details of proposals were not provided during the meeting.

Hyatt raised a legislative issue the district is monitoring: lawmakers are again advocating for creation of a state school board. “I forgot to write down the bill number, but they are advocating for a state school board again this year,” he said, adding that proponents view it as a way to reduce turnover in the state education leadership.

The superintendent flagged a local public-health concern: candy-like marijuana products that students have consumed and that have required hospital visits. “We have put multiple students have gone to the hospital this last year due to eating things that they did not know what it was,” Hyatt said. He reported limited interest from the governor’s office in statewide action and suggested the district pursue local options such as presentations or coordination with the county, city or tribal governments to limit marketing to youths.

Hyatt also reminded the board about experiential site visits by high schools showcasing career-pathway programs. He gave times and locations: Theroux (site visit starts tomorrow at 8:30 a.m.), Gallup High School (Thursday at 11:30 a.m.), Navajo Pine High School (8 a.m. next Tuesday), Sagay (Thursday at 11:30 a.m.) and Tallahatchie (March 4 at 11:30 a.m.). He said students lead those visits and staff participate.

Hyatt closed by noting that the New Mexico Activities Association changed its ticketing process for the March basketball tournament and that district staff had sent instructions to board members.

Board members asked questions about cafeteria capacity and athletics. Board Member Priscilla Benally asked whether cafeterias could accommodate sixth graders' lunches; Hyatt replied the district had assessed space and would likely schedule multiple lunches where needed. Board Member Kevin Mitchell and others discussed interest in adding boys volleyball and powerlifting; Hyatt said new sports or clubs proceed when there is sufficient student interest, and that some sports have been tried and later discontinued if participation falls.

The superintendent’s report included operational and scheduling details but no formal board action was recorded on the substantive items during the meeting. The board did not adopt any new policy or ordinance during the superintendent report segment.

The board adjourned after routine business; no further action on the superintendent items was taken at this meeting.