Mancos School Board members had a brief discussion Monday night about fixing up the school campus.

Board members said they need a wrestling room, a new track, upgrades to the football field and the old gym needs some retrofits.

"There has always been a desire to bring the old historic gym back up," Mancos School District Superintendent Brian Hanson said.

Hanson added that the wrestling program is continuing to grow and that there is currently no spot for the wrestlers to practice.

"If you are going to have a solid wrestling program, you need a spot for them," Hanson said.

Board members also said that the football field and the track needs work.

The old gym needs to be made handicapped-accessible.

"There is enough people that have came to me that I felt I should bring it up to the board and check their temperature," Hanson said. "It's time we start having those conversations."

Board members seemed agreeable to continue the conversation.

"I think it is reasonable to ask for a bond," said board member Wesley A. Rivera.

Hanson said he will continue to meet with the community and see how they feel about asking for a bond in November. But lots of work needs to be done in the meantime, including meeting with community groups and getting cost estimates and designs.

"I would love to see something done on the track or football field. I was in the crow's nest, and our electronics up there are fairly antiquated," said School Board President Monty Guiles.

Hanson said that nearly everywhere he goes people tell him, "We gotta fix that gym."

"This a conversation we should have with the community," school board member Boe Hawkins said.

Budget talks

Board members also began to look at the preliminary budget, slated to be approved at the June meeting.

Hanson proposed adding a part-time position to the budget that would create a type of alternative high school on the Mancos High school campus.

"We have a high rate of at-risk kids," said Mancos Secondary Principal Adam Priestley. "We have 21 kids that have either dropped out or are using three or four resources to keep them on task. What we are providing is not working."

Priestley said he hopes to start a program that will address these students and get them caught up.

Priestley hopes the program will get students at risk of dropping out a GED at the very least.

The addition staff to run the program will cost about $18,000.

"If we keep two kids from dropping out we break even," Rivera said.

Board member Boe Hawkins agreed, saying, "Those kids need our help, and their lives are way more important than our budget."

Mancos Elementary Principal Cathy Epps said she continues to get new students.

"We have a lot of people moving in and a waiting list for kindergarten," Epps said.

Priestley reported that when PARCC testing was complete, 93 percent opted out of the state-mandated test at the high school level, and 83 opted out at the middle school level.

"I think we are moving in the right direction," Priestley said. "The kids that did take the test were frustrated when writing their essays."

"The kids were frustrated. Are they testing for computer skills or are they testing for knowledge?" Board Member Beverly Humiston-Scott said.

Dean of Students Heath Showalter asked the board to raise athletic participation fees to help pay for a trainer to attend games to assess injuries. The issue will be brought up again at the meeting in May.

Currently, athletic fees at the middle school are $20, and Showalter proposed bringing them up to $25. At the high school level, he proposed the cost be bumped up to $40.

Board members approved the retirement of Pearlie Mae Chadwick, the Early Learning Center director.

She was publicly thanked for her hard work.