By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
Raton Intermediate School Principal Kristi Medina takes the reins of the Raton Public Schools as Interim Superintendent for the 2021-2022 school year and is excited to get kids back in school as students return on August 16.
However, the first thing on the agenda is to fill seven teacher position one at Longfellow and three at RIS and three core curriculum positions at RHS. Currently the school is recruiting from Colorado as Medina noted Raton is paying about $10k more than Colorado is.
Medina has been a principal at Raton Intermediate for several years and brings some financial and budget experience related to the budgets of RIS with her and she will be attending the superintendent’s academy put on by the state to learn more about school finances.
As school begins Raton will offer online learning for those students who do not want to attend school in person but Medina noted this will not be done by the classroom teachers as it was too much of a burden on teachers last year to produce both in class work and online content.
Medina noted that technology continues to be a problem and they are working with the state to determine the needs for broadband service for students which became a big issue during the time students were online learning. She will have a meeting with their current IT people and try to develop a five-year plan to address the schools needs and not simply go from year to year addressing issues. She will try to upgrade software as well to keep students up to date with what Corporate America is using.
Raton Schools will offer a vaccination clinic for all students over the age of 12 who have not been vaccinated on July 19 with the second dose to be given in August. Medina noted that all students who have not been vaccinated will be required to wear a mask in school. When asked how they will police this she added that all vaccinated students will be required to show their vaccination card and be registered in the school they attend. All students under the age of 12 will have to wear masks when in school.
Medina is hoping to be able to offer more classes, especially technology type classes to allow students to enter the workforce with some skills other than the three “Rs”. She will be writing grants and mentioned Jolene Starr being involved in the federal programs where they can also look for grant monies for programs. She noted the three students who were involved with a stem program that helped the students learn to fly drones and get their commercial drone license. With the commercial license students can then earn money for their drone work.
