Education Briefs

UNM Law Camp

A local middle school student with big dreams of becoming a U.S. Marine Corps officer and attorney landed a coveted opportunity to get his feet wet in the law field this summer.

Fidel Ortiz, a seventh grade student who will be attending Gattis Middle School in the fall, was selected for the University of New Mexico Summer Law Camp from June 14-19 at UNM Law School.

His mother Renee Ortiz said the 12-year-old has been interested in law and the military since he was little, and he plans on attending the New Mexico Military Institute as soon as he is eligible.

Renee Ortiz said when they asked his teacher for a reference she joked, “I thought he already was an attorney” because of his out-spoken nature.

“I am quite proud of him,” Renee Ortiz said. “Only 24 children in New Mexico were picked for this — to me I think that was a big honor.”

A release from the program notes the camp includes educational field trips to courthouses in Albuquerque, law preparation curriculum presented by a practicing attorney, and a mock trial in front of an official judge at the Albuquerque District Courthouse.

Principal picked

Clovis Municipal Schools announced Wednesday an interview committee has selected Matthew Vetterly for the position of principal at Sandia Elementary School.

Vetterly will be replacing Mike Read, who is transferring to the principal position at Cameo Elementary School.

Vetterly is currently an elementary principal in Sundown, Texas, and served at Clovis Municipal Schools from 2000-2013 as a principal, teacher, instructional coach, and 21st century grants coordinator.

Vetterly holds a master’s degree in education from Eastern New Mexico University and a doctorate in educational leadership from Texas Tech University.

Summer Improvements

Just as the school year ended for students, Clovis Municipal Schools hit the ground running for a season full of maintenance and construction.

They are prepared for a “busy, busy summer,” Deputy Superintendent of Operations Carrie Bunce said Tuesday at the Board of Education meeting.

This summer the district will clean more than 300,000 square feet of carpet; build playgrounds at Cameo, Sandia, and Mesa Elementary School; complete the demolition of James Bickley Elementary School and set up the new campus; set up Choices teachers classrooms at Clovis High School; redo the Clovis High School parking lot with six-inches of concrete with rebar; paint throughout the schools; put a new roof on the Marshall Middle School

Auditorium and on Cameo Elementary School; install secure entrances at Cameo Elementary School, Barry Elementary School, and Los Ninos Early Intervention School; and put up new stage curtains at Yucca Middle School and CHS.

“You don’t waste any time, do you?” joked board member Terry Martin at the meeting.

CMS Board

Clovis Municipal Schools Board of Education President Ken Urban announced his resignation at the regular meeting Tuesday. CMS Executive Assistant to the Superintendent Jelayne Curtis said it is at the board’s discretion on how to proceed from here, but the board has just 45 days to fill the position starting at 11:59 p.m. Sunday. Vice-President Kyle Snider will be acting president until the vacancy is filled, and then the board will re-organize to vote members for the three officer positions. The person appointed to fill Urban’s position will fill the rest of his term until 2017.

CCC Happenings

Clovis Community College is hosting a high school equivalency diploma completion ceremony at 6 p.m. Friday at CCC Town Hall, and a Summer Semester Kick-off for academic classes, the upward bound program, and kids college Monday at the school.