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Board accepts $3,000 donation to RioTech, awards Maggie Cordova cabling contract and adopts four personnel policies
Summary
The board accepted a $3,000 donation from Chalmers Ford to support RioTech's automotive program, awarded RFP 2025-006 (E-Rate CAT 2) to Cypress Communication Systems for Maggie Cordova Elementary cabling and unanimously adopted four personnel policies (7.11, 7.22, 7.37, 7.38). The RFP is expected to save the district significant E‑Rate and PSFA reimbursements.
The Rio Rancho Public Schools board accepted a $3,000 donation from Chalmers Ford to RioTech and publicly thanked the company for ongoing support of the district’s career and technical education program.
Dr. Christopher Johnson, principal of RioTech, called Chalmers Ford a "remarkable industry partner" and noted the donation will help provide shirts, polos and jackets for the automotive program. A Chalmers Ford representative told the board the company was pleased to support student needs and hands-on learning opportunities.
In business items, the board approved RFP 2025-006 (IT E-Rate Category 2) to Cypress Communication Systems for cabling at Maggie Cordova Elementary School after procurement staff described the competitive evaluation. Procurement staff said five proposals were received and Cypress had the highest rank and the lowest price; staff noted similar past work on comparable scopes. When asked about cable standards, staff said CAT6 is appropriate and expected to meet needs for roughly 20 years. The presenter also said using E‑Rate and PSFA reimbursements reduced district exposure: "The total cost was something like, I think, $119,000. We're only on the hook for $35,000 of that between the E‑Rate and the PSFA reimbursements by the end of the whole project." The board approved the award by voice vote, 5–0.
Later the board completed second readings and approved four personnel policies: 7.11 (drug-free workplace), 7.22 (termination/discharge of employees), 7.37 (medical leave) and 7.38 (nonmedical leave). Legal counsel and staff said most edits were clarifications or typo fixes; notable substantive edits included examples of related medical conditions in the medical-leave policy and a five-working-day evidence window for domestic abuse leave in the nonmedical-leave policy. Board member Jessica Tyler moved approval and Vice President Morgan seconded; the roll-call vote was unanimous.
No fiscal motion to appropriate new funds occurred during the meeting; the district asked staff to return with cost estimates where refurbishment or capital would be required.
