Interim Superintendent Connie Garcia Blanchard has been given the opportunity to fill the Mancos School District RE-6 position permanently.

Members of the Mancos school board agreed unanimously at their scheduled meeting on Feb. 20 to offer Blanchard the superintendency of District RE-6 for two years at $75,000 per year, beginning this June. As President Tanya Young described the action, "We felt she was the kind of person we wanted to have lead our district."

The same board voted unanimously last July 25 to hire Blanchard as interim superintendent after considering five candidates. The goal at that time was for her to take the reins of the district and focus on team-building, the budget and accountability during the 2000-2001 school year, giving the board time to consider long-range needs and decide on the qualifications needed in the next superintendent. It was understood at the time that the person holding the interim post could apply for the superintendency when it was advertised.

As the school year commenced, directors began to express doubts that there was a need to spend several thousand dollars to conduct a search for a new superintendent when they were satisfied with the Blanchard’s performance. After an open house on Feb. 8, at which teachers, staff and parents expressed support for her work, the board apparently was convinced they could bypass the search process and offer the contract to Blanchard.

Asked last week about her goals, Blanchard said she wants to:

• "Continue to do things we’re doing well." She noted Mancos students have outperformed their area counterparts in CSAP scores.

• "Make some real impact in technology." The district needs to put more resources into equipment and support staff, training and integration of technology into the routine operations of the school. The school’s technology committee has been tasked with coming up with a new technology plan for the schools.

• "Bring in money from other sources." Continuing her entrepreneurial approach to funding as interim superintendent, Blanchard will encourage and support teachers in applying for grants to meet technology and other needs. She cautioned that Amendment 23, passed by the voters last election to provide more money for schools, will only add about $23,000 to the Mancos schools’ budget, only a few drops in a $4 million bucket.

Faced with rising costs (heating costs are up 40 percent already, she said, and expected to increase another 20 percent in the next month), Blanchard is looking widely for funding sources. One possibility is a "Century 21 Communities" federal grant, which would require a joint application with the Town of Mancos.

• "Continue the goal of team-building." The superintendent sees this as a key ingredient in solving budget problems and building school spirit.

• Emphasize accountability. CSAP results are one form of accountability, according to Blanchard. Combining the three accountability committees into one may simplify school/community review of school performance. In addition to fostering reading at grade level, Blanchard stressed the importance of graduating students who are prepared to be good citizens.

• Have graduates with "good memories of their experience here." One measure would be students returning for homecoming and other school events.

• "Our future’s about our children," Blanchard declares, adding that she is "encouraged by the president’s talk about education — it’s on the front burner."

"I want to commend the (Mancos schools) faculty on the job they’re doing ... I’m glad to be a part of that."

On the other hand, Superintendent Blanchard emphasized that she won’t act on rumor or hearsay about the schools. "I can’t address or fix something unless I know about it," she said. She welcomes speaking opportunities from clubs and groups in the community, such as her scheduled appearance April 24 at the Mancos Valley Lions Club. She said, however, that she will not undercut her staff by ignoring the chain of command.