by Mark Craddock
WALSENBURG — Huerfano RE-1 School Board member Kayla Andreatta seemed to sum up the consensus of the board on one issue raised during Monday’s special meeting.
“If we’re going to break in the new stage,” she said, “why not do it for Ben?”
Joe Camacho, local musician, audio engineer, DJ and IT businessman had come before the board to offer his services to help get the Walsenburg Jr./Sr. High’s high school music program back off the ground – and to advocate for the use of the new school’s stage to hold a memorial service for Ben Pollack, a beloved music instructor at John Mall High School who died in December.
Pollack was hired by the district in 2015 to build up a long-dormant music program.
Pollack’s obituary states that “he started teaching K-12 music and then concentrated his efforts on Middle and High School band and High School Choir at John Mall High School. He was honored by the Colorado Music Education Association as their Outstanding Young Educator for 2019, a recognition he treasured. He stayed in Walsenburg until spring of 2021.
“Of his time in Walsenburg, it was written, ‘We will always remember Mr. Pollack as the remarkable band teacher who brought new life to the JMHS band program.’ The band showcased its skill and dedication through marching band contests, parades, and solo contests.
“He also served as a mentor to students in the choir, helping them to achieve great success in a variety of competitions. Ben worked diligently to expose the students with performance activities beyond Walsenburg in statewide performance events, like the district’s Spanish Peaks Jazz Band traveling and to Greeley for the UNC/Greeley Jazz Festival. He even put together a trip to San Diego to have wider performance experiences visit the San Diego Opera.”
Camacho said the community group spearheading the effort, which will involve a far-flung roster of past and current students, as well as musicians from the community, needs access to the stage for rehearsals and the venue for the actual memorial service.
The date has been tentatively set for March 25.
The board was receptive to the idea, citing one goal of the new school as a community hub.
They directed Camacho to work with staff and to bring details back to the board at its Feb.12 meeting.
The board, which has been struggling to find a secondary-music teacher this year, also encouraged Camacho to work with staff to see what sort of credentialing would be required for him to possibly take the reins of the school’s music program.
Amended Budget
The motivation for the board’s Monday special meeting was to beat a Jan. 30 deadline to submit an amended 2023-2024 budget to the state.
Each year, school districts across the state prepare preliminary budgets in June, long before enrollment and state-funding figures are known.
The amended budget allows districts to replace some of its guesswork with more-firm numbers.
The amended budget reflects a downturn in total revenues, from $674,939 projected last June to $5,400,137 now. Added to its beginning fund balance, that gives RE-1 some $7,280,544 in the bank.
Expenditures also went up, from an estimated $5,727,339 to $6,904,084.
The district dipped into its reserves to the tune of about a half-million dollars to end the year with a reserve of $376,459.
The board unanimously passed the budget and enabling resolution in its consent agenda.
