The Montezuma-Cortez School Board Re-1 and Interim Superintendent Mary Rubadeau were urged by numerous parents and students Tuesday night to find the funding for an FFA and agriculture teacher for Montezuma-Cortez High School to replace Kevin McComb who is retiring at the end of the school year.
McComb and fellow FFA teacher Amanda Ramos were informed recently that Ramos would be the only teacher for the agriculture and the FFA program for the 2012-13 school year.
McComb said he was under the impression that the transition going on in the district for this year was to find replacements for retiring teachers. Not replacing McCombs position would leave Ramos as the only teacher in the program.
Its an awfully big job for one person, he said. I understand the economics. Dollars and cents drive everything. Sometimes we get what we pay for.
He added that an FFA or agriculture teacher is an instructor who teaches students future careers and it would be nearly impossible for one teacher to handle this workload.
Ramos said the elimination of one teacher in the program would end up costing students because there is only so much she can do because there are only 24 hours in a day.
The board was told by parents that the agriculture program is a Cadiallac program because it teaches students a career and a way to make money.
Brian Wilson, a Pleasant View farmer, said he went through the FFA and agriculture program as a high school student and added it teaches students a variety of career skills.
He said it is a huge time demand for teachers and implored the board to find the funds to hire a second teacher for this program.
The board was also told that an agriculture teachers maximum capacity is 60 students, and that there are now 85 students in the program.
FFA student Laura Heaton said the program is not a typical classroom.
Its an experience. You learn from that experience, Heaton said and mentioned the opportunities that are available for students in this program.
She said she visited Washington, D.C., which would have never happened if not for the FFA and agriculture program.
She said the students are going to be the ones who will be hurt because there is no possible way Ramos can handle the job of two teachers.
Kids are going to get denied, and it is not fair, added FFA student Chantz Koskie. Who is going to do that?
Lana Robbins, another FFA student, said Ramos even helps the students with their résumés when they begin to start looking for work.
Without these two teachers there will not be enough opportunities, Robbins said. They both push us.
Parent Marty Robbins said another advantage with the FFA program are the college scholarships students can receive through the program.
It would be foolish of the board to do this, he said. There is no way one teacher can handle this.
Re-1 Board President Tim Lanier, who is a rancher, said Rubadeau was given the task of creating the districts budget, and she used attrition as a way to save funds and decided not to hire some teachers to replace those who were resigning or retiring.
He said what students learn from this program will be things they will use throughout their lives, so he does not agree with what occurred. He added his two children were in the FFA and agriculture program, and to this day both are still using things they learned from the program.
I would like to see the administration work and come up with a better solution, Lanier said. Work something out to keep this program. We have an excellent program here that is recognized statewide.
Board member Beth Howell said the skills she learned through the FFA and agriculture program were invaluable.
It gives you confidence and public speaking skills, she said, and told the students to do their very best regardless of what the board decides.
She added she is hopeful funding can be found to hire a second agriculture teacher.
Rubadeau said her thought process in not hiring replacements for teachers leaving the Re-1 was to keep all the returning teachers employed and this was also a way to not implement a reduction in work force process for the district.
She said the Re-1 had to make some quick decisions, but added the district is looking at the numbers to see how many students are signing up for subjects and programs.
A lot of things are in play at the high school right now, she said. There is still a lot of work that needs to be done. Nothing is a done deal.
Later in the meeting the board rejected a $75,000 capital reserve resolution that had been approved three years ago for projects in the three-year plan after being told an FFA teacher could be hired with these funds.
The board discussed using some of the funds that were going to be used for repaving a parking lot for a second FFA and agriculture teacher.
Board member Pete Montaño mentioned there needed to be a way to maintain the agriculture teacher position for years to come and agreed that the three-year plan needed to be looked into.
The entire three-year plan will come before the board at its June 12 meeting.
Reach Michael Maresh at michaelm@cortezjournal.com
