The Yuma School District-1 Board of Education met for the first time in nearly two months, Monday night at the District Office on the Yuma High School campus.
The board did not have a July meeting due to there not being much business to consider.
All five members were in attendance Monday — Duane Brown, Terri Cooper, John Deering, Lindsey Galles and Thomas Holtorf.
The new effort to select a mascot was explained by Superintendent Dianna Chrisman. (See accompanying article for more.)
In a related issue, the board voted to move forward seeking as much reimbursement as the district could get from the State of Colorado. Yuma-1 spent approximately $300,000 in eliminating all “Indians” imagery and verbiage.
State Rep. Byron Pelton (R-Logan County) worked hard during the 2023 Legislative Session to get that figure included in the education bill for reimbursement. The legislature did eventually include it, but for it to be shared among all school districts impacted by the American Indian mascot legislation, which is approximately 40.
In order for Yuma-1 to move forward with submitting a reimbursement request, the board first had to approve a “Mascot Reimbursement Program Assurances” form. It did so Monday night, paving the way for the district to submit its request in the hope of receiving at least some money back.
More meeting
• An agreement with the City of Yuma to have a School Resource Officer in the Yuma schools for the 2023-24 school year was approved. Officer DJ Hass will continue in the role. The document is the same as last year, except for the hourly salary figure increasing per the city’s pay rate. Chrisman told the board the district has applied for a Stronger Connection grant, which will pay for two years of the SRO, as well as other programs and events, such as Sources of Strength.
• As part of the consent agenda, the board approved the fuel bid from CRVS for 2023-24. It is 20 cents per gallon off the pump price.
• An intergovernmental agreement with Yuma County for the November board election was approved.
• List of returning returning coaches, as well as extra-duty/club stipends were approved.
• Recommended hirings were approved for Jamie Devlin, Yuma Preschool para; Rachelle Saxton, YPS para; Julissa Armenta, seasonal custodian; Ty Thurston, YHS cross country assistant coach; Cayden Lynch, YMS volunteer football coach; Callie Colden, YMS volleyball assistant coach; Brandon Newton, Lucas Lubbers, Tina Lebsock and Amy Melby as Junior Class sponsors, and; Ixsel Sotelo, Morris Elementary para. Separations/resignations were approved for Laura Brandner, cook; Becky Hendrick, MES para, and; Clarissa Renteria, YMS para.
• Donations were accepted from Reck Agri Realty, $200 for FFA; K12 Licensing, $124.97 revenue from licensed apparel sold at Dollar General, and; BECAUSE (Highline Electric), $200 for FFA.
• Policy parameters and special policy updates were approved by the board.