There has "always been a little bit of community schools happening within the schools" in Taos County, District 3 Commissioner Darlene Vigil said at Tuesday's (Dec. 3) commission meeting. But by adopting a joint powers agreement this week, the commission established a county-level coalition and additional funding avenues to implement the holistic educational model county-wide.
"Community Schools are a whole child, comprehensive strategy to transform schools into places where educators, local community members, families, and students work together to strengthen conditions for student learning and healthy development," according the the New Mexico Public Education Department web page that discusses the Community Schools model, which arrived in Taos nearly three years ago.
Peñasco Independent School District is among six entities who signed on to a joint powers agreement pledging to "implement a research-informed community schools strategy defined by the following practices: Student and family engagement; collaborative leadership; culturally enriched learning opportunities; community connected classroom instruction; culture of belonging, safety and caring and integrated systems of support."
In addition to Taos County and the Peñasco school district, Taos Pueblo, Picuris Pueblo, the Taos Municipal Schools District and the Town of Taos will be signatories, according to the unsigned document included in the commission's Dec. 3 meeting packet. The Questa Independent School District isn't participating.
District 4 Commissioner AnJanette Brush said the coalition grew out of the 100% Taos initiative, a subset of the 100% New Mexico effort to bring a higher quality of life to all New Mexicans. Implementing the community school model is one of the initiative's 10 objectives.
"It really is just like, you know, wrapping your arms around the kid when they go to school; making sure that they can learn because they're fed [and] they have clean clothes; their family has the supports that the family needs," Brush said, adding that co-facilitators Penny Holland and Bettina Sandoval, along with the "entire [Community Schools] Action Team," deserve credit for the coalition's formation.
"We're very excited that this is happening," Holland told the commission, explaining the coalition — and an as-yet unidentified paid director — has adequate funding for its first year. "We've not asked the school districts to fund for the first year at all. The conversation will happen among the coalition board once it's for moving whether districts will pay each year, sometimes they'll be in kind."
The state offers individual schools three-tier, three-year grants worth over $200,000 to launch a Community Schools initiative. The coalition is funded via two $50,000 appropriations from the town and county, $5,000 from Taos Pueblo, and $1,500 from Picuris Pueblo. A Taos Schools contribution isn't outlined in the agreement, but Holland said the district insisted on making a small contribution.
Historic County Courthouse
In other news, Project Manager Richard Sanchez told the commission there has been significant progress with the restoration of the Historic Taos County Courthouse. The long wait for three-phase electrical power to be made available for the building's ADA-compliant elevator is over. He estimated the project will be completed within 18 months.
Additionally, the county began accepting applications for the supervisor's position at the newly-completed Taos County Veterans Cemetery, where staff will receive training from the Santa Fe National Cemetery, according to County Manager Brent Jaramillo.
The county will provide porta potties at the Arroyo Hondo Community Center until work on the bathrooms there is complete, Sanchez said, adding that agreements with volunteer organizations to manage the Peñasco, Talpa and Arroyo Seco community centers are either in the works or signed. Renovations in Peñasco are set to begin. The community center in Amalia, which was moved to a former elementary school, will remain in the building, Deputy County Manager Chris Madrid said.
"I think we can have a really good center there," Madrid said. "And there's room to grow."
Special Projects Coordinator Anissa Arrimbide reported Santa Claus will make an appearance Friday (Dec. 6) at the county's first-ever Christmas tree lighting on Taos Plaza, which the county acknowledged it — not the town — owned earlier this year.
The public is invited to visit Santa, and enjoy hot chocolate and cookies, and help light what she called "luminitos" beginning at 6 p.m.
"Luminitos is what we're calling them, because I'm tired of arguing about 'farolitos' or 'luminarias,'" she said, adding Santa is expected to arrive at 5:30 p.m.
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