School board members were exceptionally complimentary during the 36-minute in-person meeting of the Rio Rancho Public Schools Board of Education on Monday.
First, the board commended the district’s executive directors and directors, with grateful board President Amanda Galbraith recalling the “restrictions and the regulations that were placed upon our schools became an enormous undertaking. … Thanks to your leadership and dedication, combined with your staffs’ teamwork and energy, we made it through.”
Retiring Student Services Executive Director Tonna Burgos, succeeded in 2021-22 by former Rio Rancho High School Principal Sherri Carver, was commended by the board and Superintendent Sue Cleveland, who said Burgos leaves Student Services “in very, very good shape” and “she will definitely be missed.”
Burgos, who confirmed it was her last appearance at a board meeting, said leaving the district was bittersweet and surreal.
Before the meeting ended, Cleveland was commended, as the board’s evaluation of her resulted in another year’s extension on her contract, and she thanked the board for its feedback on her performance.
Board member Noreen Scott made the motion to approve Cleveland’s annual evaluation, “with a grateful heart,” adding that Cleveland “has done an exemplary job over the years.”
The negotiated agreement between the Rio Rancho School Employees Union and RRPS was also a complimentary time, with Cleveland noting it’s “a really good thing to have a contract before the new (school) year starts.”
And nothing bad was said about the district’s 2021-22 fiscal year budget, which still needs some tweaking.
Cleveland noted there were still uncertainties, “but this is still the best data that we have at this point in time.”
The board’s next meeting is set for 5:30 p.m. July 12, when the board will convene in its meeting room and the meeting will again be live-streamed.