Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Board Meeting topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Magdalena board elects new officers, approves Indian Education policies and tables leave-policy updates
Summary
At its Jan. 12 meeting, the Magdalena Municipal Schools Board reorganized officers (naming Rachel Montoya president), approved the 2025–26 Indian Education Policies and Procedures, passed routine financial items, and tabled proposed updates to leave policies for further review.
The Magdalena Municipal Schools Board met Jan. 12 in the school library and reorganized its leadership, approved Indian Education policies for 2025–26, certified routine financial reports and transfers, and postponed consideration of updated leave policies until February.
During opening business, the board confirmed attendance and unanimously approved the meeting agenda and minutes from Dec. 15, 2025. Judge Simon Armijo administered the oath of office to Lynn Major and Sandra Montoya; the board also publicly recognized retiring special education teacher Jackilyn Dixon and departing board member Kelby Stephens for their service.
In officer elections, members nominated and voted to reorganize the board’s leadership. Following the votes, the board’s officers were recorded as President Rachel Montoya, Vice President Lynn Major and Secretary Sandra Montoya.
Administrators provided routine written reports. Elementary Principal and Athletic Director Jory Mirabal and Middle/High Principal Christopher Backstrom briefed the board and were asked to bring student testing data to the Feb. 15 meeting. Fed/State grants coordinator Micheon Shellhorn reported the district will participate in a math curriculum adoption process this year and said staff will attend an adoption event in January. Technology Coordinator Sheena Trujillo said the district launched a redesigned website and plans to install additional security cameras Jan. 19–22 to cover remaining blind spots on campus.
On financial business, the board approved the consent agenda, which included the activity account report, bill list and investments, and monthly financial reports, and noted intraclass transfers for Carl Perkins, Title I and IDEA-B funds.
On policy matters, the board reviewed updates to staff conduct policies (G-0861 and G-0882) that were incorporated into the district policy manual with assistance from Policy Services. The board considered proposed revisions to leave policies G-2550, G-2600 and G-3200 but agreed after discussion to table those items and hold a work session before acting; the leave-policy items are scheduled for the Feb. 15 meeting agenda.
As an action item, the board voted unanimously to approve the 2025–2026 Indian Education Policies and Procedures and an additional feeder route application. The board then convened an executive session at 7:20 p.m. under New Mexico’s executive-session statute for personnel and legal matters involving threatened or impending litigation (10-15-1(H8) NMSA 1978). The board returned to open session at 8:38 p.m. and signed an assurance statement confirming the topics discussed in executive session.
Superintendent Kimberly Ortiz reported a new Human Resources/Payroll Specialist hire, confirmed staff are preparing the Safe School Report, and said she is assembling a calendar committee for the 2026–27 school year. The board set Feb. 15, 2026 agenda items to include the updated leave policies, the 2024–25 audit presentation and approval, a bond update from Bosque Advisors, the superintendent evaluation, governance calendar updates and the principals’ testing data.
The meeting adjourned at 8:38 p.m.
