Trinidad Schools Add Student Voice, Expand Meals, Move Forward on Stadium

Trinidad School District No. 1 moved on several fronts in mid November, announcing new student representation, expanding food assistance, approving facility work and tightening board governance. The board met on Nov. 12 and followed up with the first meeting of the newly formed Student Advisory Council on Nov. 19, as administrators seek direct input from students in grades 3 through 12 on school policies and daily life.

Superintendent Olivia Bachicha introduced the Student Advisory Council at the Nov. 12 meeting with the first session set for Nov. 19. The new council gives younger students and high schoolers a formal channel to report concerns and ideas to district leadership, a step district officials say should inform decisions on programming and student services. That change arrives alongside practical investments in extracurricular infrastructure. Phase I of the Trinidad High School football stadium renovation, which included an upgraded sound system, is complete and the district is now planning a Phase II with possible fundraising to cover costs.

Food insecurity was a central topic. Bachicha outlined current efforts to provide sack dinners to 30 families each night as part of after school support, and the district is exploring distribution of food boxes during Thanksgiving week. For a rural county with limited social services, these measures may help stabilize students so they can better attend to schoolwork and extracurriculars. Expanding after school nutrition also has fiscal implications. Providing 30 family dinners nightly represents an ongoing operational cost and may prompt the district to seek grants, donations or reallocate budget priorities.

Board organization and governance received extensive attention. Following cancellation of the September election, Yvette Dominguez and James Sanchez were sworn in after election by acclamation. Claudia Trujillo was reappointed board president and Selina Vallejos remains vice president, while Yvette Dominguez assumed combined secretary and treasurer duties. Committee assignments were finalized, including BOCES and CASB liaison roles. The board also adopted a set of governance norms aimed at improving transparency and consistent procedures. New rules require that information requests go through the board president and superintendent and that responses be shared with the full board. Board members agreed to avoid contacting staff directly about operational matters unless directed otherwise and to provide 24 hour notice for meeting absences with a valid reason except in true emergencies. Some members raised concerns about strictness, but the norms were adopted.

Financial housekeeping items were reported as well. Chief Financial Officer Kristen Armijo said the annual audit is complete and awaiting the final report. The district received a transportation reimbursement of $66,397 from the Colorado Department of Education, which reduces net transportation costs for the current fiscal year. The board approved invoices for educational programs including Edmentum and Leader in Me, and authorized a $6,000 payment to Colorado Hazard Control to dispose of outdated materials from the old high school science lab. Personnel moves included hiring James Stewart as a bus driver and Ashley Gonzales as an administrative assistant, and acceptance of resignations from Haley Gansz, the head volleyball coach, and Jayme Maez, an administrative assistant at the middle school.

Taken together, the actions reflect a district balancing immediate student needs with longer term investments and tighter governance. For Las Animas County residents the choices signal where local priorities and resources will be focused in the months ahead, from meal support and student engagement to fundraising for facilities and oversight of district operations.