mulls superintendent’s performance and contract
by Ruth Stodghill
TRINIDAD — It was a marathon session for the newly-seated Trinidad School District #1 board on Dec. 13 at its first regular meeting, as the lengthy agenda included a laundry-list of action items.
And by the end of the meeting, it was clear–the status quo was headed for a shake-up regarding the district’s administration.
The quiet before the storm
Before diving into the meatier items on the agenda for the night, TSD1 attorney Jesse Manzaneres opened the session with an orientation for the board, as Selina Vallejos, Brett Duran, and Claudia Trujillo join veteran board members Deb Hartman and Jim Casias on the dais. During the orientation, Manzanares stated that, per a policy approved by the previous board, current board members will each be paid a stipend of $80 per meeting. He also gave advice aimed at facilitating a productive, healthy board, including avoiding micromanaging and interpersonal conflicts with one another and district staff.
Next up, consultant George Welsh outlined recent strategic planning efforts with the new board as well as upcoming steps in the planning process. He encouraged board members to meet with him individually and then collectively to build a common vision and process for working together and with the superintendent.
Hints of discord
The first indications that trouble might be brewing for TSD1 Superintendent Bonnie Aaron, Ph.D. were during public comments, with former board member Paul Montera speaking regarding the importance of the board working together as a unit with the superintendent. After encouraging the newly-seated board to schedule a retreat with Aaron and Manzaneres in order to begin the process, he reminded the board that they only have one employee–the superintendent–and that it is the superintendent’s task to manage the rest of the TSD1 staff.
“Please take the time to work together with your superintendent, and base your decisions on the facts, not personal opinions or rumors that you have heard,” said Montera.
Former board member James Sanchez also spoke, saying he was addressing the current board in order to clear up rumors. First, he pushed back against a claim that district enrollment dropped by 200 students in the past six years. He also explained that a controversial addendum to Aaron’s contract, which was approved at the last regular meeting of Sanchez’s board in November, was passed in order to reinstate a clause that was originally in the contract but which was removed by a prior board.
The addendum stated that the board irrevocably pledged district cash reserves sufficient to fund the district’s obligation under the second year of Aaron’s term, or upon unilateral termination by the board. The district would also continuously hold sufficient funds in reserve for payment of the district’s compensation obligations under the existing agreement.
Financial questions
During Chief Financial Officer Kristen Armijo’s report, the board discussed the governor’s request that school districts reduce their mill levies in order to lower property taxes for area residents. Superintendent Aaron said that the Colorado Association of School Boards (CASB) and the Colorado Association of Superintendents (CASE) oppose the idea as it would reduce the available funding for schools. “Speaking for myself, when we make these decisions, students are our first priority, teachers are our priority,” said board secretary Selina Vallejos. Vallejos expressed deep concern about the mill levy in particular, as well as the financial position of TSD1 as a whole.
During action items, Vallejos posed a lengthy list of questions about various line items up for payment out of the district’s coffers prior to the board approving the bills, payroll, and revenues for November, 2023.
Hartman resigns, board vows to fill vacancy in 36 hours
Also during action items, the board voted to accept Hartman’s resignation. Prior to the official vote, Hartman thanked the community for the outpouring of phone calls, emails, and notes of support she received during the last week. She also outlined the work she did during her time on the board, including passionately advocating for mental health services for the district’s students, teachers, and families. When speaking about the previous board, Hartman said, “We made a lot of progress in earning staff and parents’ trust. I beg of you to keep that ball rolling in a positive direction.” She then lauded Aaron’s work at TSD1, saying, “I cannot tell you guys how above and beyond the superintendent and secretary go for our district. There’s nobody who believes in this district like the superintendent does. I beg you to work as a team. But those with nefarious intentions will go for the weakest link.”
When asked by Duran why she was making the choice to resign, Hartman replied that when she was appointed to the board, she only agreed to do the job for two years. She then added, “I’m looking for peace. I don’t want to be a part of any drama. I don’t deal with that conflict very well, and so I think it’s my time.”
After accepting Hartman’s resignation, the board tackled the task of passing a resolution to declare a Board of Education vacancy. According to state statutes, the board has 60 days to make an appointment for the vacant seat; customarily, those wishing to be appointed submit a letter of interest, the board holds interviews or considers the applications of the interested candidates, and an appointment is made. Before voting to pass the declaration of vacancy, the TSD1 board amended the resolution, slashing the clause to solicit letters of interest. Vallejos and Trujillo stated that they’ve spoken with numerous individuals interested in the position, and were confident they could appoint a qualified new board member without any applications. With Hartman unable to vote on the measure, the resolution passed with Vallejos and Trujillo in favor, Duran against, and Casias absent. A special meeting was then scheduled to appoint a new board member on Dec. 15, a mere 36 hours later.
Superintendent in the hot seat
Superintendent Aaron quickly debriefed the new board on a host of ongoing or upcoming projects the district is tackling, including a Fisher’s Peak Elementary BEST grant application, the ongoing efforts to bring an Emergent Campus to TSD1, the creation of a Sports Complex Master Plan, strategic planning efforts, and work of the district’s accountability committee.
This left one weighty discussion item on the night’s agenda: the superintendent’s contract.
The opening volley in the tense conversation was fired by Vallejos, who said that when she requested a number of documents relating to the superintendent’s contract and work with the district, she was given an outdated contract that was effective 2018-2021. When asked the length of her current contract with TSD1, Aaron stated that she has a three-year contract that is good through 2026.
Vallejos also stated that she asked for all of the addendums to Aaron’s contract, but was only given the most recent one. She addressed board secretary Diane Montoya, requesting a copy of all addendums, immediately. “I’d like to have it right now, if I could,” said Vallejos, with Montoya briefly leaving the meeting and returning with the requested documents.
Vallejos then turned her attention to the superintendent’s evaluations–or lack thereof. The most recent evaluation was completed several years ago, with Vallejos stating that the copy she was given was incomplete, lacking signatures and dates.
Vallejos expressed her displeasure with the lack of evaluations, stating, “It’s all about equity for me. I don’t understand how the highest-paid employees of TSD1 aren’t held to the same standards as the rest of the employees at TSD1. When you have the top of the pyramid not being held to the same standard, that’s inequitable in my eyes.”
Vallejos stated that she also requested copies of the district’s evaluations of its principals: “Not to see what was on them, but to see what was done,” she said, stating that these evaluations, which are part of the superintendent’s duties, were also incomplete, missing signatures and dates.
The recent addendum to the superintendent’s contract in light of the district’s financial status was then called into question by Vallejos, who referenced the district’s pulling of $554,473.90 in reserves in September to balance its budget.
“We have not been spending money the way we should have been,” said Vallejos. “It is irresponsible to put aside money for multi-year contracts.”
“Everyone other than the superintendent is on a one-year contract,” Vallejos said. “Why is the top of the pyramid different?”
Board president Trujillo then took up the discussion of the superintendent’s contract, noting that it included certain conditions to be met, such as student achievement goals, and asking if these conditions were measured before extensions to Aaron’s contract were offered.
Aaron and Manzaneres defended the superintendent’s performance, stating that the Covid-19 pandemic impacted student achievement in all school districts, and it will take years to make up the lost ground.
“Aaron was here before Covid, and even then achievement was not where it should have been in my opinion,” said Vallejos. “We all know student achievement, especially in math, is not where it should be.”
Trujillo ended the discussion by adding a discussion of the district’s financials, the superintendent’s contract, and legal counsel to the Dec. 15 special meeting agenda.
In action items
The board approved the following items:
•. Invoice for Concrete & More ($9,663.00)
•. Invoice for Concrete & More ($18,509.00)
•. Approval for A.K. Welding LLC to build an ADA required handrail around the new ADA parking spots in front of Building A at Trinidad High School
•. 1st Payment Colorado Education Initiative Invoice for Year 1 Counselor Grant Planning Services
•. Creative Learning Systems Invoice
•. Colorado State University Fall Invoice 2023
•. Trinidad State College Fall Invoice 2023
•. Generation Schools Network Invoice
•. Health Solutions Memorandum of Understanding
•. Engagement Letter with D.A. Davidson
•. Signature Modifications for Accounts Payable Checks: Remove James Sanchez-Board President Add: Claudia Trujillo-Board President
•. Modifications to Bank Accounts for First National Bank, Century Savings and Loan and In Bank Accounts: Remove James Sanchez-Board President, Ed Romero-Board Vice President, Karen Montera-Board Secretary. Add Claudia Trujillo-Board President, Brett Duran-Board Vice-President, Selina Vallejos-Board Secretary
•. Appointment of BOCES Board Representative – Brett Duran
•. Approval to hire Bobby Warren (Special Education Teacher) Fisher’s Peak Elementary
•. Approval to hire Kassy Coleman (Administrative Assistant) Trinidad High School
The board tabled the following item:
•. EASI grant – Vallejos and Trujillo stated they want more information about the grant prior to voting to approve the application. The school district may potentially miss out on receiving the grant funding, depending on the grant’s timelines.
