Rocky Ford School Board meeting, September 1, 2026

Norman L. Kincaide, Ph.D.

The Rocky Ford R2 School Board met Tuesday, September 1, 2026, the full board was in attendance. Under good things 45 little cheer leaders were on the field for the latest Meloneer game, they were also in the Arkansas Valley Fair Parade.

Under recognitions, Teresa Walz, Ag Teacher and FFA Sponsor, was honored during the Kids Rodeo in La Junta for her years of service to the Rodeo. Veronica Viescas, 3^rd Grade Teacher, went the extra mile to assist the substitute teacher while her 3^rd Grade teammate was out for several days. The board thanks the Knights of Columbus for donating $300 for back-to-school supplies. Also thanked was Valley Community Church for donating backpacks filled with school supplies. The Board thanks Craig Ortega for attending the annual registration and providing athletic physicals.

Student board members, Adriana Herrera and Elijah Encinias reported on issues with locked doors to the Ag building and on the junior high side prevented students getting to class on time. Superintendent Dr. Kermit Snyder said he would consult with teachers responsible for those doors to rectify that situation. Herrera and Encinias also discussed student reactions to the new cell phone rule. Some students were disappointed, while others thought it was a good restriction and forced students to pay closer attention in class. Herrera reported on interest in Chess Club for elementary, middle school and high school students. Encinias expressed a desire to have the Friday Afternoon Club (meets 1-3) advertised by the school and the district communication media.

Dr. Snyder suggested dates for quarterly walk throughs of the facility. These dates were settled on: 1^st Quarter: September 22 at 10:30 AM; 2^nd Quarter: December 9 at 10:30 AM; 3^rd Quarter: March 3 at 3 or 3:30; 4^th Quarter: May 5 at 3PM. Walk throughs would not encompass the entire building, but would be conducted in manageable segments of the facility.

Superintendent Snyder introduced a proposal from Schneider Electric through Santa Fe Trail BOCES: Operations Management as a Service & Facility Condition Assessment Service Agreement. These services assist in tracking the age, type, and conditions of buildings and system assets. This service provides a comprehensive overview of existing conditions and performance metrics at Santa Fe Trail BOCES facilities. An initial setup fee is: $14,678 with a yearly recurring fee of: $4,693, which could be renegotiated in the future. This could be placed on the October agenda.

The Superintendent recommended policies for deletion, suggesting video cameras on school buses were not necessary considering there are two adults on buses at all times. Policy adopted July 19, 1994, revised, October 3, 2017.

The Substance Abuse by Extracurricular Participants, Snyder suggested this penalty was redundant to the policy of substance abuse by any student and therefore should be deleted. The punishment for substance abuse should not be compounded if the student was engaged in extra curricular activities since the student is already under suspension.

Rocky Ford R2 enrollment was down by about 1% and had been hovering around a 2% decline for several years. It is hoped this long-term enrollment decline will level out in the coming years.

The 2026 Preliminary School Performance Framework documented where Rocky Ford schools were ranked. The performance framework evaluates district and school performance on academic achievement, academic growth and postsecondary and workforce readiness indicators. The percentage of points earned across all indicators determines the final accreditation rating for a district or the final plan type for a school. Rocky Ford Elementary earned 46.2/100 points and rated an improvement plan. Rocky Ford Junior Senior High School earned 54.1/100 points and rated a performance plan. Rocky Ford R-2 earned 55.9/100 points and was accredited with an improvement plan.

Superintendent Snyder presented an invoice for the replacement of the electrical conduit to the solar panel array from Steel City Electric for the sum of $79,600. Original quotes ranged as high as $154,000. Since this expense was not budgeted, it must come from the reserve fund. The buyout savings of the solar panel array will be achieved over five years. A maintenance, upgrade and replacement plan will have to be considered later. The board moved and voted to accept the Steel City Electric bid.

The board voted to move parent-teacher conferences from September 17-18 to September 24-25, 2026. The board also approved expenses for FFA out of state travel to Oklahoma. The board voted to hold a meeting for appointment of District Accountability Members, R2 on September 23, 2026 and charge the committee.

Legislative issues were noted that two ballot measures that affect schools, The Cap on individual and corporate income at 4% and sex requirement for school and college sports initiative.

From the audience, Brian Lovato, made the board aware of Colorado House Bill 25-1210, that reduces red tape and administrative burdens placed on school districts and charter schools by state, federal and grant reporting. The board then adjourned.

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