PED Turns Down Cloudcroft Request

I have heard that PED turned down Cloudcroft's request to have the Athletics course in the High School count as a PE credit. Since I was told by PED last year that other schools have requested that their Athletic's program count as a PE credit under the "alternative credit" system, I was wondering why PED would turn down Cloudcroft's request.

Imagine my surprise when I asked for the information via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request and was told that no records matched my request. I called PED to follow up and was also surprised that it seemed to make a difference to the PED Public Affairs person if I was asking for this information as a "reporter" or a "concerned citizen." What happens if I'm both?

Below is the FOIA request that I reworded and sent to PED. Hopefully I will get a response. Does anyone out there know of another school district that has Athletics counting towards a PE credit? If so, let me know!

Dear Ms. Friedman,

Yesterday, I spoke with Larry Behrens regarding this request. I asked him if I was phrasing my request incorrectly, as I had been told in the past by Dr. Blair (with PED) that other schools have structured their Athletic's period to count as the state required PE credit. Dr. Blair was the one who told me that other schools had used the "alternative credit" route and gave me the NMAC code. Based upon this information, I believe that other schools have had this approved by PED. I would like to see the wording that these schools used so that Cloudcroft schools can get it's wording correct and not have their next request rejected by PED.

I was concerned that Larry asked me several times if I was seeking this information as a reporter or as a concerned citizen. I happen to be both. When he asked me for the third time if I was requesting this information as a reporter I responded that I could be if I needed to. The tone of the conversation changed quite abruptly and he seemed to be in a hurry to hang up the phone. This makes me wonder if reporters get different information or treatment than concerned citizens. 

Since I believe that the information exists, and that other schools have done this, I am asking again, formally as a FOIA request, that PED provide me with ANY and ALL approved requests for waivers, alternative credits, or any other terminology by which ANY and ALL New Mexico schools have SUCCESSFULLY or UNSUCCESSFULLY requested that PED approve a course as an alternative credit. I would like this information for the past 15 years.

I would appreciate receiving this information in electronic format.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or need additional information.

Margo Whitt

Concerned Citizen and Reporter

Cloudcroft's Grades are In

The Public Education Department has released the "grades" for schools throughout New Mexico. The state was successful in getting a waiver from the Federal standards, thus enabling PED to make its own grading system. According to the news, a staggering 98% of the state's schools would have failed under the Federal standards. But when the state was allowed to do the grading, most of the state's schools passed. Am I the only one who isn't surprised by this?

Anyway, here are the grades for Cloudcroft, and how they compare to what Cloudcroft got last year:

Elementary school: 2011-2012 Grade: D. 2010-2011 Grade: C
Middle school: 2011-2012 Grade: A, 2010-2011 Grade: B
High school: 2011 - 2012 Grade: C, 2010-2011 Grade: B

I'm baffled as to how the middle school is so dazzling when it's fed by students from the elementary school. And what's happening to those dazzling middle school students when they get to the high school? Is the glass 1/3 full or 2/3 empty?

Updating Some Documents

A while back I asked for, and received, a copy of the new superintendent's contract and a copy of the invoice for the consultant that the school board hired to conduct the search for the new superintendent. Here they are:

Consultant's Invoice
Superintendent's Contract

School Board Workshop held Yesterday

The school board held it's meeting yesterday to discuss goals for the superintendent and evaluate and set board priorities. Sounds like pretty heavy stuff. It was attended by exactly ONE member of the public...my husband. Since I'm out of town, he took care of the recording of the meeting, which I will podcast when I return on Tuesday. The meeting went for about 4 hours, and I can already tell you there were some "technical difficulties" that will result in some of the meeting not being recorded.


Here is what school board member Arlan Ponder had to say:


REPOST from Arlan Ponder's School Board Member News Facebook account:


Just finished a VERY productive work session for the Cloudcroft School Board. I think people will be impressed with some of the changes coming in the next year.

Look for more community input and board meetings IN communities like Weed or Timberon. Plus possibly a newsletter with updates from the superintendent.

I won't lie though ... We will have a few situations that not everyone is going to understand, but we have ALL committed to ensuring EVERYONE in the community understands the situations.

I think the days of "shut up and take it" are over. The age of transparency, respect AND teamwork should be the norm going forward.

In case you've forgotten the Cloudcroft School Board meets the third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. Come by and meet the new superintendent and see what good things are going on at YOUR schools.

School Board to Hold Workshop to Set Goals & Priorities

Per the "sacred window" the school board and superintendent will be meeting this Saturday, July 7, at 9 am at the Co-Op to discuss goals for the superintendent and evaluate and set board priorities. I don't know if any public input is invited or welcomed, but it is a public meeting.

Here is the Agenda for the workshop.