E2 Sunday, September 13, 2020
Back to School
Roswell Daily Record
RISD teachers go with the flow remotely
By Juno Ogle Roswell Daily Record Nicole Gibson stood at the front of her Pecos Elementary School classroom, giving instructions to her students on filling out a worksheet that could be seen behind her on a large monitor. “Finish this page for yourself. And if you need help from parents, go ahead and do so because nobody needs to do this all by themselves,” she said. But Gibson was by herself, standing before the empty desks of her secondgrade classroom. Her students were not even online with her. She was recording the next day’s lesson to post to Seesaw, one of the online learning platforms used by Roswell Independent School District. Not all of her students had yet redeveloped the discipline to wake up in time for morning classes or do their homework every day. All Pecos students receive takehome packets whether or not they have internet access, so she records a video going over the worksheets they can watch at home. Down the hall, first grade teacher Kimberly Perez sat in front of a laptop working with her students through Zoom meeting software on counting by twos and reading skills. “Ready? Say 10, 12. I want to hear your voices. Fourteen, 16, 18. Awesome. Give yourselves a whoop, whoop!” In another part of the building, Pecos Elementary’s “Kinderworld,” kindergarten teachers Veronica Lara and Chantil Martinez also met virtually with their students on reading and language skills. Lara stood up and backed away from her computer’s camera to lead the children in a song and dance about the word “his” to get them up and moving. Next door, Martinez was using “Fox in Socks” — the school’s theme for the year is Dr. Seuss — to teach rhyming words, holding the book so her laptop’s camera could see it. Across the hall, pre-kindergarten teacher Janell Archibeque watched her students on her large monitor as she had them look in their houses for objects of a certain color. For the color
black, they brought back to their screens items like a phone charger, a Barbie doll and a walkie-talkie. Across RISD’s 20 schools, the examples of teaching are much the same. This is education during a viral pandemic. “There’s no perfect time, there’s no perfect way. Every school, every teacher has to figure out what works for them,” Pecos Elementary Principal Barbara Ryan said. In the spring, when Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s health order closed school buildings in response to the then-new coronavirus pandemic, RISD and other districts scrambled to put together an online learning system to finish out the year. But even with more time over the summer to research and prepare, they were still entering the 2020-21 school year with much unknown. Administrators and staff worked over the summer, some of them off-contract, to put together plans for COVID-safe education, not knowing exactly what would be required when the school year started up again. “Nothing’s been consistent with this virus. It’s been continually changing and modifying itself, and the approaches that we were doing so did as well,” RISD Superintendent Mike Gottlieb said. A small committee Gottlieb formed in June soon swelled to nearly 100 people including district staff, teachers and parents. They looked at different aspects of starting the school year such as curriculum, safety, food service and transportation. The subcommittee on curriculum had to prepare for the three possible learning models over the summer — a hybrid of in-person and online, 100% in-person and 100% online. Even Katie McClain, in her first year as RISD nursing supervisor, had to make safety plans for an all-online learning option. “Even virtual, we’re still having stuff in buildings here and there. We’re here to take care of not only the health of the kids, but the health of the staff, and ultimately those impact the community,” she said. Districts didn’t know in which manner they would start the year until June,
Juno Ogle Photo Nicole Gibson records a lesson using a worksheet for her second-grade students Thursday, Aug. 27 in her classroom at Pecos Elementary School, 600 Hobbs St. Gibson uploads the videos to Seesaw, one of the online educational platforms used by Roswell Independent School District, in the mornings for her students to watch later when they do their homework.
when the governor and the Public Education Department announced the hybrid model. Just one month later, districts had to switch plans when the governor put a hold on in-person classes until after Labor Day. RISD found itself scrambling again as students tried to log in for their first day of classes on Aug. 19. A technical problem with the software that links student data from Powerschool to learning management software Canvas meant thousands of students were unable to get into the program. It took nearly a week for the district’s technology staff, working with tech support from the PED and Canvas, to get it working properly. Principals said their teachers rolled with the rocky start, though. “If you cannot go with the flow, you’re in the wrong field because every day is go with the flow day,” El Capitan Elementary School Principal Amanda Smith said. With Canvas, students have direct access to their teacher’s Zoom “room,” said Roswell High School Principal Pilar Carrasco. Teachers worked around the problem by having students create accounts on Zoom and emailing links to their virtual room. It required some help from the school’s administrative staff to get everyone set up, Carrasco said. “We’ve been calling them
our superheroes because they’ve had to take these calls from parents. From handing out computers to how to log on to how to get into Zoom, they’ve been doing everything,” he said. Teachers have also gone above and beyond, using their own time in addition to training from the district on how to use Canvas, Smith said. They’ve also worked to give students the appearance of a classroom on their screens as well, she said. Most teachers in the district are teaching from their classrooms, where they have their materials easily at hand and more reliable internet access, the principals said. “When you walk into the classrooms, it’s sad because you don’t see the kids, but you see teachers in an area of the room that they’ve created a personal space. It’s like a mini-classroom,” Smith said. At Pecos, some of the teachers are more mobile. “The teachers actually had little stands they created and they can move around the classroom,” she said. At RHS, teachers built remote courses from scratch, Carrasco said. “They’ve built those courses from the ground up and shared and collaborated to make sure that that material is what we want them to do, and when they get a diploma from RHS, it actually still means something,” he said.
As much work as they’ve put into their virtual classrooms, there’s one thing the teachers and school staff would like to have, principals said: the kids back in school. At El Capitan, it wasn’t the issues with Canvas that caused stress for the teachers, Smith said. “I speak for my staff. Canvas is not the thing that’s stressing us out. What’s stressing us out is not being able to reach our students in the way that we’ve known how to do,” she said. “We have learned that they really, truly do need to be in the classroom,” Ryan said. “There are probably those two or three kids per class who probably will do OK online, but the rest of them won’t. That’s not the way we’re built,” she said. Online learning in some form will likely stay even after the world has learned to live with the coronavirus, however. “For the first time ever, we’ll be able to offer our own online education. So if you have children that are very ill and can’t come to school, they’ll be able to take their classes online,” Gottlieb said. “When you have other issues that come up like your school is canceled because the water line broke, guess what — we don’t have to stop teaching anymore,” Gottlieb said. In addition, RISD started a virtual academy to give stu-
dents and parents the choice of 100% virtual classes year-round using the Apex digital curriculum. Students from sixth to 12th grade can enroll in the virtual academy and receive required credits for graduation at the high school level. High school seniors in the academy will earn a diploma from their RISD school. The system also allows students to progress at their own pace, redoing lessons as needed. “We’ve already started working with some of these kids that didn’t graduate last year or the year before that needed to make up a few credits,” Carrasco said. Either online learning system will help prepare students for their futures, Carrasco added. Many colleges and universities have been using Canvas for years, he said, so those students will be better prepared. In addition, the work world is evolving with new technology. “We know that our future is going to include jobs that don’t exist right now that are totally technology-based, so I’m hoping that experience of these students is going to better prepare them for the job world,” Carrasco said. City/RISD reporter Juno Ogle can be reached at 575622-7710, ext. 205, or reporter04@rdrnews.com.
The Newspapers in Education program
By Barbara Beck Publisher Roswell Daily Record The Roswell Daily Record and the Roswell Independent School District collaborate on Newspapers in Education to use the newspaper as a tool for instruction. Even during this unusual school year, and all the changes due to the pandemic, we offer the newspaper for use as a learning tool. The newspaper provides copies to
the schools, free of charge. The program is mostly funded through the “Roswell Daily Record” and we are always looking for sponsors for the program. Students use our newspaper as a meaningful resource for learning. The NIE program varies according to the needs of our educational community. It is a very flexible program. A middle school class might use the newspaper in a math class calculating percentages while an elementary class might use NIE newspapers for a social studies project, exploring the history of Roswell and Chaves County through one of our articles on the topic. Our newspaper is used as an instructional tool in many subjects and grade levels around town with both public and private education. Typically, most teachers use NIE with a focus on language arts, reading, social studies, math and science. NIE pro-
grams are used throughout grade levels in elementary, middle or high school settings. The goal of our NIE program is to use the newspaper to help teachers with the subjects they are already teaching. It is not intended to simply teach about the newspaper, although it can be used for that also. A good NIE program helps teachers learn to develop their own activities using the newspaper. NIE programs offer many benefits. NIE builds readership and reading skills. Several studies have shown that children and/ or adults who regularly read a newspaper demonstrate significant gains in reading skills. A study conducted by the NAA Foundation showed that students who use newspapers might score significantly higher on standardized tests than students who do not read the newspaper.
Newspaper advertisers also love it when a shopper tells them they saw their product in a newspaper advertisement. Our community appreciates those who show an interest in the education, health and safety of their children. NIE can help children in all of those areas. There is no substitute for a newspaper. Television, radio and the internet can give the news quickly. Understanding the news usually comes, however, with the longer, more thoughtful appraisal of facts and details found only in newspapers. Younger readers quickly learn that a newspaper is more than news. It is feature articles that tell them of interesting people and activities in the community as well. NIE builds community goodwill and helps improve local education. By providing copies of the newspaper, we are giving teachers the
opportunity to use the most up-to-date textbook on the market. The closer to home a story is, the more motivation there is to read that story. A student in Roswell is more apt to find his or her name in the Roswell Daily Record than in a larger regional daily newspaper. Our newspaper covers our students’ community. Community news is important to the functioning of our democracy because most citizen involvement occurs at the local level. The community newspaper is geographically closer to its reading audience and it is also easily accessible — under normal circumstances — for tours by students because we have our own printing facility and always have, since before the turn of the century. Not many newspapers have their own press anymore, as they are now much harder to find. Many of our students
also enjoy NIE newspapers because they can relate to local sports coverage or might know someone who writes for our Millennial Voices teen column or for the “Juniors and Seniors” pages. Teachers, please send in photos of your children’s school events or photos of their volunteer efforts throughout the year to be spotlighted. There are also writing opportunities available for teen writers. For more information, contact Misty Choy at m.editor@ rdrnews.com. NIE is a benefit to schools and the community. Please take the time to consider reading a newspaper and supporting NIE. Barbara Beck is publisher of the Roswell Daily. She has a Master’s degree in Education, graduating with honors, and taught for 11 years in elementary, middle school and community college.
Back to School RISD moving forward with Mesa, Nancy Lopez projects
Roswell Daily Record
By Juno Ogle Roswell Daily Record With another new building completed, Roswell Independent School District has its eye on breaking ground on its next construction project before the end of 2020. On Sept. 3, RISD conducted a ribbon cutting for Del Norte Elementary, its public participation curtailed due to the state’s pandemic health orders. Already, however, the district was well into plans for Mesa Middle School with Nancy Lopez Elementary not far behind. Mountain View Middle School and Washington Elementary are next in line. “Since I started the bond 15 years ago, we’ve either remodeled or rebuilt all the schools except the two big high schools,” said Superintendent Mike Gottlieb, who returned to that position this year after retiring in 2012. Initially, he was called back as interim superintendent in January after the resignation of Dr. Ann McIlroy. The board of education then approved a contract for him through June 2021. By then, construction on Mesa Middle School’s renovation and additions will be underway, and the design of Nancy Lopez Elementary will have begun. Groundbreaking for Mesa is planned for November or December, Gottlieb said. The
Sunday, September 13, 2020
E3
Food banks, churches serve Chaves County residents Roswell Daily Record The Chaves County Health Council has compiled a list of organizations, in addition to the Salvation Army, that are providing food to those in need. • Christ’s Church (door-todoor grocery distribution), 2200 N. Sycamore Ave., 575-623-4110. • Community Kitchen, Corner of Bland Street and South Virginia Avenue, 575-623-1926. • Harvest Ministries, 601 N. Main St., 575-624-2415. • Neighborhood Church, 1019 S. Lea Ave., 575-6230201.
Juno Ogle Photo Jayden Vega, center left, and her brother, Kaelon Vega, center right, cut the ribbon at Del Norte Elementary School, 2701 N. Garden Ave., with the help of Roswell Independent School District Superintendent Mike Gottlieb. Watching are RISD board members, from left, Hilda Sanchez, James Edwards, Hope Morales, Milburn Dolan and Mona Kirk. Jayden is a second-grader and Kaelon a kindergartner at Del Norte.
• Roadrunner Food Bank (Unity Center), 108 E. Bland St., 575-840-0929.
district has not yet solicited bids for the project. When completed, Mesa will be about 50% renovation and 50% new construction, Mac Rogers, RISD construction coordinator, told the board of education at its August meeting. That new construction will include a two-story wing of classrooms and a second gymnasium with bleacher seating for 600. Mesa is the only one of RISD’s four middle schools with only one gym. Other new aspects of the
• Loaves and Fishes, 210 S. Cambridge Ave., Hagerman, 575-626-1778, Hotline: 800-432-2080.
Mesa project include a pickup and drop-off plaza and new track and field. Construction on Mesa is planned to be completed in July or August of 2022. Work on Nancy Lopez will immediately follow. “We’re just now starting the design work with the community on Nancy Lopez on what it will look like. It takes two years to get to a groundbreaking session,” Gottlieb said. The beginning phase of the design takes into account factors including
the state’s current standards for classroom sizes, the demographics of the community the school serves and the district’s taxation revenue. Whether or not Nancy Lopez Elementary will be rebuilt or renovated has not yet been determined, but if the New Mexico Public School Capital Outlay Council approves RISD’s plan, the project could be easier than others, at least for students and staff. RISD has proposed moving Nancy Lopez Elemen-
tary to the west wing of Mesa during the elementary school’s construction, rather than trying to work around class schedules and using portable classrooms. “The nice thing about that is you’re not having the edu-
• Waymaker Church is a distribution site for food on the fourth Saturday of the month at 8 a.m., 202 S. Sunset Ave., 575-627-9190.
cation process disturbed,” Gottlieb said. “It’s nice they don’t have to be there on that site and we use district money more wisely.” Nancy Lopez Elementary would move into the west wing at the beginning of the 2022-23 school year. The schools would likely share gym space and the cafeteria for the duration of the Nancy Lopez construction, but areas for separate parking and a playground would be fenced off. Once the Nancy Lopez project is completed, that wing of Mesa will be demolished. Looking beyond Mountain View and Washington, Gottlieb said the district will pursue putting a new bond on the ballot for Roswell and Goddard high schools. City/RISD reporter Juno
Submitted An artist’s rendering shows how Mesa Middle School will look when construction and renovation is complete about two years from now. Plans include a new track and field, pick-up and drop-off plaza and a two-story wing for classrooms.
Ogle can be reached at 575622-7710, ext. 205, or reporter04@rdrnews.com.
Anjali Suri, BA, BS FINANCIAL ADVISOR
110 W. Country Club Rd. Suite 2 Roswell, NM 88201
PHONE: 575.625.9282 FAX: 575.625.8620 CELL: 575.317.6462
suria@ceteranetworks.com
www.surifosteradvisors.com
Securities and advisory services are offered through Cetera Advisor Networks LLC, member FINRA/SIPC, a broker/dealer and Registered Investment Adviser
E4 Sunday, September 13, 2020
Back to School
Roswell Daily Record
RISD to begin school year without school resource officers
By Alex Ross Roswell Daily Record When in-person classes resume in Roswell public schools, it will be without the regular presence of police officers on the property. The two officers and one sergeant who were school resource officers (SROs) for the Roswell Independent School District (RISD) have been reassigned to fill needs of the department, which has had to cope with a high number of vacancies. Phil Smith, chief of the Roswell Police Department, said one of the two officers had been a detective and has been returned to the Department’s Criminal Investigations Division, while the other officer and the sergeant have been placed in the Patrol Division. The department has 10 vacant positions, but those vacancies cannot be filled
because of a hiring freeze imposed by the city earlier this year as a cost-cutting measure taken amid expected revenue shortfalls. The officers had to be shifted so the department has enough people to adequately respond to calls and perform other needed department functions. “It’s a manning issue,” he said. Smith added that with so much unclear about how school will function and with so much instruction provided online, it was unknown what SROs will actually do. In all, with salary, benefits, training and equipment, the cost of a police officer would be about $100,000, Smith said. “And I am not going to commit that to something that they haven’t got tapped down yet and they are still working on,” he said. The department, Smith stated, has had a positive
partnership with RISD, and the decision was not one arrived at easily. “It pained me terribly to pull them out,” he said. According to the National Association of School Resource Officers, an SRO is a career law enforcement officer with sworn authority deployed by an employing police department or agency in a community-oriented policing assignment to work with one or more schools in creating a safer school environment. The officers, Smith said, provide security in the schools and at school events. Their schedules would parallel that of a school day. Candidates to be school resource officers must attend a week or two weeks of specialized training, where among other things they become familiar with how to address active shooter situations. Having an officer on the
campus, he said, can deter possible shooters from carrying out an act of violence. “Just the idea that you are going to go rip through a school and there is an armed police officer in there, may be the type of thing that makes you think twice and not do it,” Smith said. SROs, he added, do not so much provide police enforcement, but are a combination of security guard, coach and counselor to the students and mentor. “And honestly, that is what they are designed to do because we are trying to redirect our younger population at an early age, to try and get them before they are embedded or before they have lost their footing so-tospeak,” Smith said. The consistency of having a police officer there, he said, can help students establish a relationship with an adult they can confide in and informally interact
with — one of the SROs has even done some basketball coaching. “Once that school resource officer is in the school and they develop a trust with the student body, the students feel more comfortable relaying information to the school resource officer,” Smith said. The arrangement is also one that can be beneficial to the police department and is a core element of its outreach to the community. It presents a rare change for young people to have a positive interaction with law enforcement and lets them get to know the person behind the badge. “A lot of people in our community — in any community nationwide — they have one or two interactions with law enforcement in their entire life. So you want it to be positive,” he said. Such a relationship can beat back negative perceptions of police and
help reinforce the positive aspects in the minds of the public. Michael Gottlieb, RISD superintendent, said with so many unknowns about when or how students will be allowed to return to the traditional classroom, it is not known what impact not having school resource officers will have. Smith said once the department is able to fill its vacancies, the city’s financial situation comes into clearer focus and the school district produces a plan, he wants to bring back the school resource officer positions. “The end result is that I want to catch students when they are younger and I want to show them that there are good role models out there,” Smith said. Breaking news reporter Alex Ross can be reached at 575-622-7710, ext, 301, or breakingnews@rdrnews. com.
Roswell’s private schools adjust to new rules
Lisa Dunlap Photo Immanuel Lutheran School on North Sycamore Avenue has added ninth grade, as well as a 3-year-old preschool class this year.
By Lisa Dunlap Roswell Daily Record In-person classroom instruction started in August for Roswell’s private elementary and secondary schools, and the heads of those schools say students are happy to be back and adjusting to the health and safety requirements of the pandemic era. In addition to the public schools in Roswell, Dexter, Hagerman and Lake Arthur and to homeschooling options, Roswell has four private elementary and secondary schools, all of which are affiliated with religious organizations. They are All Saints Catholic Sc hool, Gateway Christian School, Immanuel Lutheran School and Lighthouse Academy. By late August, New Mexico public health regulations allowed private schools to operate at 25% of their building capacities. Lighthouse Academy did not return phone messages by press time, but officials with other schools say they are following COVID-19-safe practices and the guidelines of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
such as daily health screenings, social distancing and the use of face coverings. All Saints Catholic School on North Kentucky Avenue has a new principal this year. Charles Simon retired from the Roswell Independent School District after 26 years and joined the school after fall classes already had begun in August. He said about 67 students have enrolled in kindergarten through eighth grade, and that the school has quite a number of people on a waiting list because of the state orders concerning building capacity. While students are attending classes in person now, the school has implemented a plan for remote learning if needed. Athletics are not planned for this time, due to the pandemic, he said. The school, which is accredited, bases its curriculum on the Seton Hall model, Simon said, and also offers weekly religious Mass. It opened in fall 2003, having been founded by members of the Assumption Catholic Church of Roswell. Gateway Christian School on North Sycamore
Avenue, associated with Gateway Church International, remains the city’s largest private school, with 374 students and about 30 teachers. It offers a preschool program, as well as accredited instruction for kindergarten through 12th grade, with a college preparatory curriculum in the high school grades. Classes began the week of Aug. 10, and pastor and Superintendent Rick Rapp said enrollment is up. “With the public schools not being able to open up, we have gained a few there,” he said. He explained that the school was using three additional buildings on the Gateway church and school campus this year so that it would not exceed the 25% building capacity limit. “We are excited to be here. Our distinctive is that we provide Christian education, and everything is taught from a Biblical and Christian perspective, and we are thankful that we can continue that,” he said. He said students and parents have adapted well to the new pandemic-related requirements.
“It is going well,” said Rapp. “Things are a little bit different, with the mitigations we need to take, but kids are excited to be back and certainly their parents are excited for them to be here.” In accordance with state and New Mexico Athletic Association guidelines, the school will not be participating in competitive sports events right now, although Rapp said some athletic practices can occur if student pods are limited to five or fewer people. (By press time, state health orders had changed to allow gatherings of up to 10 people.) New this year, Rapp said, is that high school seniors have been provided laptops, not only for current use, but also to prepare students for college. He added that teachers all have been trained in computer-aided distancelearning so that instruction can transfer to online teaching if necessary at some point in the academic year. Immanuel Lutheran School on North Sycamore Avenue, affiliated with Immanuel Lutheran Church,
is serving two new age groups this year, according to Rev. Steven Cholak, who serves as pastor and school headmaster. It has introduced a 3-yearold preschool class and a ninth grade class, which is in addition to the 4-year-old junior kindergarten and K-8 classes offered in previous years. Cholak said that classes started Aug. 13, with classes meeting all day, each weekday. Enrollment is at 78 so far this year, Cholak said. He said the school has seen steady enrollment growth in the five years he has been with the organization. When the school first started about eight years ago, it was a home-school cooperative with students coming together for classroom instruction only three days of the week. He said students are meeting at staggered times this year to limit class sizes, and the school has prepared a distance-learning educational alternative that offers both synchronous and asynchronous instruction should the state health orders ban classroom instruction in the
future or should a COVID case occur among students. “We definitely think of ourselves as a family and safety is at the top of our concerns,” he said. “Everyone should know that we are taking the governor’s precautions that she has given us seriously.” The school provides instruction in literature, writing, languages, art, science and mathematics, and physical education, as well as in Christian religion. It uses a “western classical” educational model that focuses on grammar (or knowledge acquisition, mastery and memorization) in K-5, logic (or principle comprehension and reasoning) in grades 6-8, and rhetoric (or expression and application) in ninth grade and higher. Lighthouse Academy on South Mississippi Avenue is affiliated with the Hope Center First United Pentecostal Church. According to various education-related websites, it has offered elementary and secondary instruction to up to 23 students. Senior Writer Lisa Dunlap can be reached at 575-6227710, ext. 351, or at reporter02@rdrnews.com.
File Photo Gateway Christian School students sing at an event at the Chaves County Courthouse in 2019.
2205 N. Atkinson Roswell NM 88201 ph 575-623-2757 fax 575-623-2758 tadpoles_daycare@yahoo.com 5 STAR CENTER
Providing care for children 6 weeks to 5 years old. Featuring NM Early Pre-K (3 yrs old) & NM Pre-K (4 yrs old) Pre-K programs are free to all families.
Roswell Daily Record
Back to School
Sunday, September 13, 2020
Local higher ed asking for $4.8 million for projects By Lisa Dunlap Roswell Daily Record The two higher education institutions based in Roswell are asking voters this fall to approve $4.8 million in general obligation bonds for campus improvements. Bond C, to be repaid by statewide property taxes, will be on the ballot for the general elections. Absentee voting starts Oct. 6, and early voting begins Oct. 17. Election Day is Nov. 3. Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell is seeking $1.8 million to $1.85 million for exterior lighting improvements and new security cameras. The New Mexico Military Institute has asked for $3 million that could be used to supplement other funds for three different upgrade projects. “As a retired president of the Eastern New Mexico University system, I always felt that anything that benefited ENMU-Roswell or New Mexico Military Institute also benefited the city of Roswell and Chaves County,” said Steve Gamble, cochair of the 2020 GO Bond C for Higher Education
Campaign. “Every project is a much-needed renovation or repair.” The bond issue is considered “tax neutral.” Because the new bonds would replace existing general obligation bonds, voter approval will not increase property taxes. Rejecting the bond issue also would not lower taxes by much, if at all, according to bond campaign materials. The only time the higher education bond failed in recent years, in 2010, statewide property taxes did not decrease. The statewide Bond C issue would raise more than $136.8 million, which will fund projects at 33 public colleges, universities and specialty schools in 23 cities and 21 counties in New Mexico. Specialty schools include those serving Native Americans, people with disabilities or students in specialized fields of study. If the bond measure is approved, funds would be available in spring 2021. The projects to be funded are expected to create 1,500 jobs statewide and benefit about 122,000 students. ENMU-R wants to replace and add exterior lighting
and install up to 250 security cameras across campus. It also would purchase related servers, monitors and hardware to provide surveillance of buildings and exterior space. “It is designed to increase campus safety and security,” said Shawn Powell, president of ENMU-Roswell. “These exterior lights that we have are antiquated. Last year, when the high winds came, a few of the light poles blew over, and we couldn’t even get parts for them.” He said the welding instructor and his students had to fabricate pieces for the broken fixtures. Powell added that the other benefit of replacing the lighting is that more energy-efficient LED fixtures can be used instead. Voters previously approved the project in 2014, he explained, but the need to install fire safety systems in an instructional building used by Early College High School students took precedence for the funding. For the New Mexico Military Institute, the $3 million would provide partial fund-
E5
Lisa Dunlap Photo The general obligation bond project for ENMU-Roswell would improve exterior lighting and add security cameras for the campus.
ing for several possible projects. Those include replacing leaking roofs, creating a locker room and showers for women’s softball teams, and upgrading 45 dormitory bathrooms, or barrack sink rooms, as the Institute calls them. That sink room project is a top priority, said Jeremy Leaton, a marketing and communications representative with NMMI. The first phase of the project already has started. Phase 2 of the project is expected to cost about $8 million. Each of the 45 sink rooms contains
three bathrooms and three showers and serves about 20 cadets. “The renovation of the barracks’ sink rooms will have a positive impact on safety and cadet health,” the Institute indicates in documents about the project. Safety and sanitation issues exist with the older bathrooms, and outdated plumbing does not meet current water pressure standards. The leaking roofs to be replaced were installed 19 to 22 years ago. The roofs are part of Wilson Hall, the Godfrey Athletic Center and
the Toles Learning Center, all of which are instructional buildings. The third project that could use the funds would be the construction of locker rooms and showers for the high school and junior college women’s softball teams inside Cahoon Hall, also known as Cahoon Armory. That gymnasium and physical education building is undergoing a complete renovation now. Senior Writer Lisa Dunlap can be reached at 575-6227710, ext. 351, or at reporter02@rdrnews.com.
Higher education instruction plans well underway
Submitted Photo ENMU-R is surveying students this fall to determine what needs they have concerning such items as food, child care and instructional materials. Federal relief funding is available to assist eligible students, a campus official says.
By Lisa Dunlap Roswell Daily Record Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell and the New Mexico Military Institute are well into their 2020-21 academic year, having spent the summer developing in-depth plans for academic instruction and, in the case of the Institute, the traditional corps training model. NMMI saw its first cadets return to campus July 19, when those enrolled in military academy preparation training arrived on campus, or on Post. High school and junior college students matriculated in early August and classes began Aug. 17. The Institute was in phase five of its reopening plan by late August. All buildings were open, faculty and most staff had returned to Post, in-class instruction was occurring, and cadets were living in the barracks. Remote learning was allowed
only if a student had compelling reasons for being unable to participate in face-toface instruction and training, according to Maj. Gen. Jerry Grizzle, NMMI president and superintendent. To make classroom instruction and barracks living possible, the Institute has implemented mandatory testing of all cadets and faculty, screens daily for COVID symptoms and installed remote sensors to scan temperatures of cadets at a distance in high traffic areas. ENMU-Roswell started its fall session Aug. 17. By late August, it was continuing to offer most of its academic programs only online or via remote instruction. However, the school starting in late spring had permission from the state to provide some inperson instruction for health science programs as well as technical disciplines, such as welding, commercial driving and automotive technol-
ogy, that required hands-on practice and demonstration of skills. In addition, ENMU-R President Shawn Powell said 27 students with learning or physical challenges enrolled in special services pro grams had returned to the campus residence halls by the start of the fall semester. They are participating in certificate and life skills programs in preparation for careers or college degree programs. He said enrollment in the program was down by about half, due to COVID class size limitations. He added that pandemic-related regulations also have meant that New Mexico Youth ChallezNGe Academy students and Early College High School students were not able to enroll in courses by late August. ENMU-R is one of about 100 higher institutions to participate in the “real life” surveys sponsored by the
Gates Foundation. The purpose is to determine student needs regarding housing, transportation, instructional materials, food, child care or other factors related to their ability to succeed at school. “We are going to be administering the survey for a month,” he said, with the starting date for surveys expected to be sometime in late August or early September. “Then, after we get the results back, we can determine how to allocate funding to help meet the needs that students identify.” He said the ENMU system, which includes the main campus in Portales and the branch schools in Ruidoso and Roswell, received $185,000 from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which designated some money for Hispanic-serving institutions. ENMU-Roswell plans to spend its allocation to assist students in need, Powell said. NMMI also has received CARES funding, about $415,634 so far. Half of that was awarded to 222 students to help them meet financial obligations. Cadets either received a maximum of $515 if they were not eligible for Pell Grants, which are awarded based on financial need, or $1,200 if eligible for the grants. Senior Writer Lisa Dunlap can be reached at 575-6227710, ext. 351, or at reporter02@rdrnews.com.
Submitted Photo New Mexico Military Institute cadets have been attending classes since Aug. 17.
My Kiddos Child Care Center
1111 S. Union Ave. 575-627-6312
My Kiddos Too 2708 N. Main St. 575-625-8422
FREE Pre-K! CYFD Funded Now enrolling 3 & 4 year olds for 2020-2021 Pre-K Services
Face to face & virtual learning available!
Classes are Monday to Friday From 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and early release on Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m.
For more information call the office at
625-8422
627-6312
1703 N. GARDEN AVE. ROSWELL, NM 88201 2601 W. BERRENDO RD. ROSWELL, NM PHONE: (575) 622-2242 FAX (575) 622-2008
Open 7am-6pm M-F email: generationsoflearning@yahoo.com
We are now open from 8am-1pm Monday - Friday Closed on Saturday and Sunday
WebCams are now in stock
For Best Results call us at
575-625-9141
Or leave us a message
E6 Sunday, September 13, 2020
Back to School
Roswell Daily Record
Roswell Daily Record
Back to School
Sunday, September 13, 2020
E7
E8 Sunday, September 13, 2020
Back to School
Roswell Daily Record
Roswell Daily Record
Back to School
Sunday, September 13, 2020
E9
E10 Sunday, September 13, 2020
Back to School
Roswell Daily Record
Roswell Daily Record
Back to School
Sunday, September 13, 2020
E11
E12 Sunday, September 13, 2020
Back to School
Roswell Daily Record
Roswell Daily Record
2020 RISD Back to School Editor
Publisher
Barbara Beck
John Dilmore
SaraLei Fajard
Misty Choy
General Mana ger
Managing Editor
o
Ad Des
Sandra Maign rtinez
riters Contributing W
Layout and Cover Desig n
Alex Ross Lisa Dunlap Juno Ogle
Composing
Aric Loomis
Advertising Dire ctor
Manny Gonzale Advertising Sale s
Director
Melanie Page Melissa Page
Aric Loomis
Circulation
z
Director
n
Jim Dishma
I make insurance simple®
Ray Albarez
Call today to see how I make it simple to protect your family, home, car and business.
1113 W. 2nd Street, Roswell, NM 88201 Cell: 575-910-0282 Fax: 575-208-2101 email: rayalbarez@yahoo.com
Auto l Home | Life l Farm/Ranch Business l College l Retirement
ray.hasyourcar.com
Darren Kuhn, LUTCF
701 S Atkinson Ave Roswell, NM 88203 575-622-6860
Farm Bureau Property & Casualty Insurance Company,* Western Agricultural Insurance Company, * Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company*/West Des Moines, IA. *Company providers of Farm Bureau Financial Services MC035C‐ML‐1
2601 W. Second Roswell, NM 88201
BRADY DEARING
3 locations to serve you
SALES CONSULTANT Office: (575) 625-1000 Cell: (575) 910-6817 Email: bradydearing01@gmail.com
FUNERAL HOME & CREMATORY 575.622.5888
“RIDE FOR THE BRAND”
Reineke
MEDIC AL & CHIR OPR AC TIC CENTER 602 E. COLLEGE • ROSWELL, NM 88201
KRASIMIR HRISTOV DC, MSN, FNP-C
• FAMILY MEDICAL CARE
• NECK AND BACK PAIN
• PERSONAL INJURIES / AUTO ACCIDENTS
• MEDICAL WEIGHT LOSS
p 575.623.3155
f 575.623.3677
TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR HEALTH
2609 South Main Roswell, NM 88203 www.andersonbethany.com
2800 N Main St. (575)623-4552
600 E 2nd St. (575)624-1177
MEDIC AL & CHIR OPR AC TIC CENTER
602 E. COLLEGE • ROSWELL, NM 88201
LISA R. REINEKE CD, MSN, FNP-C • FAMILY MEDICAL CARE • PERSONAL INJURIES / AUTO ACCIDENTS
p 575.623.3155
• NECK AND BACK PAIN • MEDICAL WEIGHT LOSS
f 575.623.3677
TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR HEALTH
John Lujan
New & Used Sales Specialist
richlandcdjr.com gumbi7097@yahoo.com
FAX: 575-622-2008 | Open 7AM-6PM M-F www.generationsoflearning.com
(575)623-3412
575-623-0830 Come meet our PharmaCist Weston Bradley
Reineke
1309 SE Main St. Roswell, NM 88203
2601 W. BERRENDO RD. | ROSWELL, NM | PHONE: (575) 622-2242
800 W. Hobbs St.
PHARMACY Fast, Friendly, Convenient, & no long lines
(575)622-3180 Cell (575) 578-9542 Fax (575) 624-2492
A Better Healthcare Experience! Cancer Treatment Lab Primary Care Cardiology Radiology Endocrinology Schedule your appointment today!
www.kymeramedical.com
Custom Built Mattresses and Renovations
Darel Devenport
Owner 201 North Main Street RV and Truck Mattresses Roswell, NM 88201 Englander Sealy Memory Foam
Beds (575) 624-1000 Custom Waterbeds
dareldevenport@gmail.com
Air Beds Adjustable Beds Bunk-Beds Day Bed
Sew Easy Sewing
More agent.
Nothing can really replace a human At our office, we sit down with you to get to know you and your needs. Together, we create a plan that’s right for you– not anyone else. After all, it’s your future. Let’s protect it.
AUTHORIZED RETAILER
200 E. College Blvd. Roswell, NM 88201
575.623.3774
Sergers, Sewing, Embroidery, & Quilting Machine Sales; Service & Repair; Fabric; Notions; Thread; Sewing Lessons, Classes, & Events
www.SewEasySewing.com
Caleb Grant
Jeff Weathers
Roswell MediCo 1621 N. Washington Ave. Roswell, NM 88201
Chad Holloway IV
3114 N Main St | Roswell | 575-755-3237 2205 N. Atkinson Roswell NM 88201 ph 575-623-2757 fax 575-623-2758 Leslie Robertson & Yvonne Luna 5 STAR CENTER
AUTO • HOME • LIFE • ANNUITIES • FARM & RANCH • BUSINESS Farm Bureau Property & Casualty Insurance Company,* Western Agricultural Insurance Company,* Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company*/West Des Moines, IA. *Company providers of Farm Bureau Financial Services M193 (1-18)
Providing care for children 6 weeks to 5 years old. Featuring NM Early Pre-K (3 yrs old) & NM Pre-K (4 yrs old) Pre-K programs are free to all families.
tadpoles_daycare@yahoo.com
Siavash Karimian, MD Gabriele Stiller, MD Staci M. West, ACNP-DNP Aiste Chamblin, FNP Phone (575) 625-8430
IN-PERSON & TELEMEDICINE APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS