GRANTS, N.M. - During the four-hour Grants Cibola County School Board Meeting taking place on June 2, the board discussed the collective bargaining agreement, the budget for NMSU Grants’upcoming school year was looked over, the district programs were reviewed, an executive session was held, and books donated to a nonprofit organization.
Collective Bargaining Agreement
Superintendent Lane Widner explained that each spring, the district, and the union meet to negotiate the collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which is approved every three years. The new agreement, effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029, includes changes such as paying employees for work instead of tracking compensatory time, adding the student safety security team to the bargaining unit, and adjusting the professional load date for safety and bus schedule reasons.
Deputy Superintendent Director of Human Resources Jacqueline Jones, as well as Tia Polk, proposed extending the workday to 7.4 hours plus a 30-minute lunch, totaling 8 hours. Salaries were adjusted with a state-mandated 1% average increase, a proposed $1,000 bonus for all employees, and new spacing between teacher salary steps, which raised district costs beyond the state mandate.
Jones and Polk explained that custodial staff can now work while earning a GED wishing one year with district support, aligning with efforts to help community members gain employment. The district also introduced bereavement and sick leave benefits.
The board reviewed and ratified both the CBAand the salary schedule.
NMSU Grants 2026-2027 Budget
The New Mexico State University Grants 2026-2027 budget as presented by Dr. Marlene Chavez-Toivanen, the Campus Executive & Academic Officer, showed that the operating budget is projected at approximately $12,000 for FY 20252026 and nearly $10,000 for FY 2026-2027.
In the presentation, it showed that the college students’ part-time workforce is predominately female, with 71.0% being women, and includes a substantial number of firstgeneration students (44.6%), Hispanics (48.0%), American Indians (28.3%), White students (14.1%), and others (9.6%).
The number of students for fiscal years (FY) are as follows: FY 2023 with 90, FY 2024 with 100, FY 2025 with 110, and FY 26 with 139.
Dr. Chavez-Toivanen explained that the campus offers comprehensive health services, including counseling, medical care, psychiatric care, and health coaching. Additionally, NMSU Grants provides free laptop loans to all reenrolled students, 24/7 on-demand tutoring, and, in collaboration with Roadrunner Foodbank, supplies food to any student or employee.
The minimum age for employment is 25 and above, with a pay rate of 37.0. Employee compensation has increased. 1% =The institution has secured various funding sources and projects to enhance its infrastructure and operations. A $100,000 tribal initiative supports education and counseling professions, while GRO funding provides $227,000 for noncredit workforce development. Capital outlay includes a $1,000,000 bond for electronic access control set for a 2026 vote.
Dr. Chavez-Toivanen showed in her presentation (from most to least) that revenues primarily come from state appropriations, capital outlay, tuition and fees, student aid, federal government grants and contracts, local appropriations, other sources, state government grants, and taxes, VRR, then private sources.
Also shown, were the recent projects, which include the completion of exterior and roof renovations, and the Martinez Hall Welding & Automotive Renovation, funded by $1,250,000 from the 23GOB, which will be completed by Spring 2026.
Additionally, $3,000,000 from the 24GOB is allocated for Martinez Hall Electrical Distributions & HVAC Upgrades, with the design phase underway. A $1,000,000 project for campus-wide electronic card access control is also underway, pending voter approval in November 2026. The institution has reportedly received grants totaling $2,000,000 for campus-wise sewer system upgrades and $2,500,000 for HVAC improvements. It was also explained that NMSU Grants operated independently from NMSU, currently generating $300,000 at one mill. It is considering pursuing an additional operating mill levy tax or bond cycle to secure more funding for competitive salaries, program expansion, improved security, and internships.
District Programs
” [This] item… comes from a request, I believe two weeks ago… or in our board meeting three weeks ago,” Superintendent Widner explained. “We were talking about our budget and board member Lorenzo had a question about programs and after school programming and dual credit opportunities and language courses… I wanted to kind of gather together a kind of comprehensive offering of the different programs that we have in the district.”
Career Technical Education Agriculture: Site(s): GHS Broadcasting: Site(s): GHS, LAMS, LAHS Business: Site(s): GHS, LAMS/ LAHS Construction Trades: Site(s): GHS, LA-MS/LAHS Culinary Arts: Site(s): GHS Health Occupations: Site(s): GHS, LA-MS/LAHS JOLT: Site(s): GHS/NMSUGrants Journalism: Site(s): ECHS, GHS, LAMS, LAHS Mechatronics: Site(s): LAHS Marketing: Site(s): LAMS/ LAHS STEM: Site(s): LA-MS/LAHS Public Service: Site(s): GHS Robotics: Site(s): CUB Science Fair: Site(s): All Schools Participate We “Build it Better”: Site(s): LAMS, LA-MS/LAHS Welding: Site(s): ECHS, GHS, LAMS, LAHS Career Technical Student Organizations Clubs Anchors Club: Site(s): GHS Angry Jack Productions: Site(s): GHS BPA: Site(s): GHS, LAMS, LAMS/ LAHS Archery Club: Site(s): All Elementary Sites DECA: Site(s): LA-MS/LAHS ECHS Ember Journalism: Site(s): ECHS FCCLA: Site(s): GHA FFA: Site(s): GHS, LAMS Hawk Broadcasting: Site(s): LAMS/ LAHS HOSA: Site(s): LA-MS/LAHS LAMS Media: Site(s): LAMS Native American Club: Site(s): GHS Roadrunner Star: Site(s): MTN Rowdy Club: Site(s): GHS SkillsUSA: Site(s): GHS, LAMS/ LAHS Student Government: Site(s): GHS Student Leadership: Site(s): ECHS Athletic Programs Football: Site(s): GHS, LAMS, LA-MS/LAHS Golf: Site(s): GHS Wrestling: Site(s): GHS Baseball: Site(s): GHS, LAMS, LA-MS/LAHS Track and Field: Site(s): GHS, LAMS, LA-MS/LAHS Cheer: Site(s): GHS, LAMS Cross Country: Site(s): GHS, LA-MS/LAHS Power Lifting: Site(s): GHS Basketball: Site(s): GHS, LAMS, LA-MS/LAHS Tennis: Site(s): GHS Volleyball: Site(s): GHS, LAMS, LA-MS/LAHS Language Courses Acoma Keres: Site(s): CUB, GHS, SEB Laguna Keres: Site(s): GHS, LA-MS/LAHS Navajo: Site(s): GHS, LAMS Spanish: Site(s): GHS, LAMS After School Programming Backpack Program Credit Recovery Literacy Programming Peer Tutoring Tutoring Summer School Programming Credit Recovery JOLT Literacy Programming Summer Lunch Program STEAM Camp Dual Credit Opportunities NMSU CNM UNM Navajo Technical ENMU GCCS Early College Honors Classes AP Courses Professional Development SOAR Rise Thrive Lead Marzano SIOP In District PD Leadership Summit Eclipse Executive Session & Donation of Books
The executive session lasted about an hour and was held to discuss the Superintendent’s updates to the Board regarding employee nonrenewals and other employee movements, both actual and contemplated.
Additionally, the board approved a donation of approximately 451 books from the Mesa View library to a nonprofit organization. The profit the organization generates from the sale of these books will be donated to Ronald McDonald House.