Las Cruces Public Schools board unanimously approves two-year superintendent contract

The Las Cruces Public Schools Board of Education voted unanimously May 7 to offer the superintendent a two-year contract running July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2027, with an annual salary of $235,000, a $10,000 annual increase to the supplemental retirement plan payable at the end of each contract year beginning after 2025–26, and five additional annual leave days under board policy.

President Preston Court moved to open the personnel discussion and said the board would meet in a closed executive session under the New Mexico Open Meetings Act. “I would like to entertain a motion to have the board go into closed executive session to discuss limited personnel matters as permitted under section 10-15-1(H)(2) of the New Mexico Open Meetings Act,” Court said during the public portion of the meeting, citing the board’s announced reason for closing to discuss the superintendent’s end-of-year evaluation and possible contract changes.

After the closed session, the board returned to public session and the board adopted the contract terms described above. Board Member Frank responded to the roll call by saying, “I vote yes.” Secretary Wofford, Board Member Tonorio, Vice President Nolan and President Court also voted in favor; the vote was recorded as 5-0.

The contract terms affirmed publicly by the board include the 24-month duration, the $235,000 annual salary, an increase of $10,000 to the supplemental retirement plan payable at the end of each full contract year beginning at the end of 2025–26, and the addition of five annual leave days while “all other provisions [remain] the same,” according to the board’s public statement at the meeting. The board also said leave will be administered “per board policy and regulation.” The superintendent was present for portions of the closed-session discussion but did not speak on the public record during the vote.

Other routine motions during the meeting included approval of the agenda (moved by Board Member Frank and seconded by Secretary Wofford; passed 3-0 at the time) and tabling approval of the prior meeting minutes until the next meeting on May 20 (moved by Secretary Wofford and seconded by Board Member Frank; passed 3-0). The meeting adjourned following the contract vote.

The board cited the New Mexico Open Meetings Act, Section 10-15-1(H)(2), as the statutory authority for the closed executive session in which the superintendent’s evaluation and contract terms were discussed.