The board approved a sequence of business items Aug. 11, including grants, donations, a property-transaction revision and two policy second readings.
Contracts and grants: The board approved a 2025–26 instructional contract with the New Mexico GrADS program for $16,000 to fund a GrADS teacher and related services serving student parents at Independence High School. Trustees also accepted a $4,000 donation from the Rio Rancho Education Foundation to support a Building Thinking Classrooms materials program at the district’s four comprehensive middle schools. Sandoval County awarded $40,000 to the district for the UFO Historic Records Partnership; Chief Operations Officer Mike Baker said the funds will be used for planning a permanent facility and for shelving and three replacement computers.
Property transaction: The board approved revisions to the purchase-sale agreement related to Vista Grande Elementary’s north-side parcel. Baker said the district is not selling the school building; the planned sale covers about 6.6 acres on the north side and the expected purchase price discussed in the meeting was approximately $800,000 (final acreage and price contingent on replat and final appraisal). The State Board of Finance requested minor contract language changes, including striking the word “warranty,” and the district’s counsel reviewed the redline changes.
Policies and administrative items: Trustees adopted second readings of Policy 406 (student trips) and Policy 744 (travel per diem and mileage payments). District staff said the change will allow the superintendent to approve out-of-state travel for staff and students and that budget documents will show a consolidated travel/training line for transparency.
Votes: Motions for these business items were recorded individually; approvals were unanimous on each item as taken from the record.