On behalf of Hobbs Municipal Schools, we would like to say, THANK YOU!
The taxpayers of Hobbs Municipal Schools have long supported the 2 and 4 mill levy property taxes. That question was in front of the voters in late July and through the month of August. On August 24th the mail-in ballots closed. After an election that saw six times the participation on the same questions six years previous, the voters of Hobbs Municipal Schools voted to maintain the 2 and 4 mill levies that are currently assessed. The money generated from these levies are received by the district and go to fund a number of items which include safety and security initiatives across the district, maintenance and repair of all buildings, technology updates and cost-saving energy measures such as upgraded LED technology. With the passage of this mill levy election, HMS will convert most lighting in the district to LED. This will translate to an approximate savings of $140,000 annually. Thank you again for your support!
As the effects of the COVID pandemic continue to affect our community, there is additional federal money available to Hobbs Municipal Schools. Based on responses from more than 1,800 parents, students and staff, an initial expenditure budget has been prepared and submitted. The suggestions were grouped into categories with Career Technical Education singled out as a top priority. Hobbs Municipal Schools intends to invest nearly $6 million in equipment for the new Career Technical Education Center. Other areas of planned investments include: the purchase of activities and professional development to address student social-emotional needs; constructing a sensory room for supporting traumatized students; the hiring of additional staff to address attendance concerns (PALs); after-school program activities; summer-school opportunities; recruitment incentives for hard-to-fill positions; buying additional cleaning and sanitizing supplies for all HMS buildings to ensure students are safe; building an outdoor learning environment for each campus; purchase of educational technology for students; upgrades to parent-communication systems; Chromebook and hot spot replacements; and creating STEM labs for the nine elementary schools which currently do not have one. The expenditures will begin upon approval of our budget and will continue through September of 2023.
A recent announcement by the U.S. Department of Education designated Coronado Elementary as a 2021 National Blue Ribbon School. This award recognizes the exemplary efforts Coronado has made in reducing and closing the achievement gap for all students. The accomplishment could not have been attained without significant time investment from the staff of Coronado, the hard work of the students and the continued support of the parents. Coronado will host a community celebration later this fall after receiving the recognition at a ceremony in Washington D.C. Congratulations, Coronado Elementary!
Hobbs Schools continues to value the opportunity of in-person instruction. Thank you to the community for supporting the efforts to keep our schools open for our students to attend. You are welcome to monitor the conditions present within each campus on our COVID Updates Portal at www.hobbsschools.net. We will get through the difficulties of our current circumstances. Please remain vigilant in keeping yourself and others healthy.
Enjoy the change in weather as we move into Fall. The change in temperatures and visible changes to our landscape are a reminder that change is amongst us and quite honestly, change is a constant we all must manage and adjust to.
Have a Fantastic Fall!