Meetings watch: School board

The Portales Municipal Schools Board of Education met Monday in the Portales Municipal Schools Administration Building. The board:

• approved a joint use agreement with the city of Portales for the Portales High School Baseball Field, Wheeler Park Girls Softball Field and Bill Wahlman Tennis Courts. The board approves such an agreement each year to specify maintenance responsibilities, Superintendent Randy Fowler said.

• approved policy revisions for staff conduct and student withdrawal from school. Staff conduct policy now forbids such actions as using school equipment to access pornography, using illegal drugs, using favoritism in the hiring process and striking or restraining a student without valid reason. The drop-out policy now allows students who have reached age 18 to request withdrawal from school.

• approved the 2010-2011 school calendar, which Fowler said was similar to this year’s.

• declared certain property, including furniture at Lindsey Middle School, obsolete and authorized disposal of it. Fowler said the district has until June 14 to remove the furniture, and then asbestos removal starts, followed by demolition. The district is building a new school to house fifth- and sixth-graders.

• heard that longtime district employees Alvonna Arnold and Margie Tarango are retiring after this school year.