By Linda Kor –
The Holbrook School District Governing Board met June 12 and approved a proposed $22.5 million budget for the 2012-13 fiscal year, $1.5 million over the previous year’s budget.
The budget includes a projected increase of 6.4 percent to the district’s maintenance and operations budget that will include $200,000 in budget limit contingencies, which will be revised in December once the Arizona Department of Education confirms the data used in the funding formula. The district is projecting an increase in salaries and benefits for regular and special education instructional services. Increases are also projected for fuel and utility costs.
According to Business Manager Garry McDowell, the primary tax rate is expected to not increase, nor is the secondary tax rate, which funds the voter approved 10 percent maintenance and operations override, and the bond/mortgage payments for the George Gardner Performing Arts Center. The actual tax rate will be set in August by the Navajo County School Superintendent’s Office with input from the Holbrook School District. McDowell said anticipates Impact Aid payments to ensure that the local school property tax burden on homeowners and local businesses does not increase.
The economy is beginning to recover, special sales tax collections have increased and past Classroom Site Funds deficits have been largely repaid over the past two years. As a result, classroom spending is slated to increase from $120 per student to $220 per student, a projected increase of 83 percent.
The unrestricted capital outlay budget includes $272,000 for Office of Civil Rights funded classroom technology. Title I and Impact Aid represent the district’s largest sources of federal funding, and the district plans to continue to rely heavily on Impact Aid to purchase textbooks and busses, and to make essential building repairs and improvements. There is some concern regarding the federal funding, because without a budget compromise, the government is set up to automatically take eight percent to 10 percent of that funding in January.
A public hearing is scheduled at the district office at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 10, regarding the budget, with the final approval anticipated by the board following that meeting.
In other action June 12, the board:
* Approved for final adoption the enVision math program for K-6 classrooms for the 2012-13 school year.
* Approved for final adoption IXL supplemental math materials for instruction at Park Elementary School, Hulet Elementary School, Indian Wells Elementary School and Holbrook Junior High School.
* Approved a request to start the Holbrook High School Welding Club, which will allow the club to be eligible to collect tax credits for the 2012-13 school year.
* Approved the 2013-14 school calendars for the Holbrook School District.
* Authorized board members, the superintendent and executive secretary to attend all Arizona School Boards Association sponsored conferences during the 2012-13 academic year.
* Approved a renewal of the client service agreement with Educational Services Incorporated for the 2012-13 school year.
* Approved the 2012-2013 governing board meeting dates.
* Approved the Hulet School, Park School, IWES, HJHS and HHS student handbooks and planners for the 2012-13 school year.
* Approved a resolution for participation in the Arizona School Alliance for Workers Compensation.
* Approved the Advanced Drama course as an addition to the HHS curriculum for the 2012-13 school year.
* Approved performance pay for all certified teachers and administrators who are eligible.
* Awarded a contract to Sky Construction for the construction of basketball courts at IWES, contingent upon receiving the proper performance and payment bids from the contractor.
* Authorized out-of-state travel for Superintendent Dr. Robbie Koerperich to attend the GEAR UP Orientation Conference scheduled July 22-25 in Washington, D.C., with all costs of travel to be reimbursed by the GEAR UP grant.
* Approved a 60-day review of the text Earth Science by American Guidance Service, for the transition Earth Science class at Holbrook High School.
* Approved the attendance of Kelly Buckwalter and five Drama Club officers at the Arizona Thespians Summer Leadership Camp scheduled July 10-13 in Heber. The club will pay the registration costs, which include lodging and meals. The only cost to the district will be the use of one vehicle.
* Approved the support staff hiring of Jeffery Strong, Joy Briceland, Zachary Smithson and Tyler Foree as student technicians; Ryan Attakai, substitute custodian; Chantell Nelson, student worker; Krista Smith, HHS library assistant; Amanda Martinez, cafeteria worker; Ilacian Johnson, student grounds worker; and Arletta Nez, IWES Rosetta Stone lab aide.
* Approved the certified staff hiring of Gregory Ethridge, HJHS Social Studies teacher; Melissa Daniels and Sarah Moran, HHS English teachers; Rachael Kirkaldie, HHS Social Studies teacher; Brady Pond, HHS Spanish teacher; and Lorie Whittemore, HJHS Science teacher.
* Authorized the certified resignations of Andrea McDonald, HJHS sixth grade teacher; Kristin Stevens, IWES resident substitute; Monty Flack, HHS Spanish teacher; Aaron Barba, HJHS math teacher; and Leland Billie, Park School teacher.
* Approved extra duty for Sarah Meeks, HJHS Band stipend; Sunny Obren, four additional contract days; Dan Mitchell, HHS Summer School history teacher; Erik Carlson, HHS Summer School English teacher; Jeff Strong, HHS Summer School math teacher; Dave Wright, Eldon Ferguson, John Bokker, Mari Smithson, Mary Jane Lionberger, Patty Hansen and Kerry Perkins, Hulet Summer School teachers; Joy Burroughs, HJHS presenter for Skilz Boot Camp; Deb Koerperich, Lisa Little, Becky Madden, Margarita Newton-Pender, Stephanie Peters and Annette Rothman, Park Summer School teachers; Renee Smith, IWES Summer Reading Program; John Bokker, HHS summer weights and head football coach; Annie Heathman, LouAnn McLaws and Beth Baloo, HJHS Summer School teachers; Alfred Clark, summer outreach; Melissa Teller, Karen Frank, Cory Hollins and Dorraine Lester, IWES Summer School Title III aides.
* Authorized the receipt of gifts and donations totaling $310.86.
* Authorized professional leave for Connie McPherson, Tanya Phaturos, Faith Caffey and Nichole Livingston, Phoenix, Arizona Department of Education/English Language Arts Common Core Training, June 10-12, at an estimated cost of $1,616, plus use of a district vehicle; Robbie Koerperich, Tolleson, Committee of Practitioners Title I, May 11, at an estimated cost of $182; and Donna Campbell, Lance Phaturos, Dan Nielson, Paul Demuth, Cindy Percy, JoAnne DeWitt, Cheryl Carlson and Justin Madden, Scottsdale, Leadership Core Team Retreat, June 12 and 13, estimated cost of $1,492.80, plus use of a district vehicle.
Robbie Koerperich, Flagstaff, A-F Profiles AZ LEARNS, May 14, at an estimated cost of use of a district vehicle; Cindy Percy, Albuquerque, N.M., transport of a teacher candidate to airport, May 17, at an estimated cost of $37, plus use of a district vehicle; Cindy Percy, JoAnn DeWitt, Donna Campbell, Cheryl Carlson and Raul Mendoza, Tucson, Student Assistance Program training, July 9-11, at an estimated cost of $1,606.80, plus use of a district vehicle; Connie Gover, Flagstaff, American Indian Teacher Education Conference, July 13 and 14, at an estimated cost of $22; and Connie Gover, Tammy Miles and Stacy Nowell, Flagstaff, Facilitated Individual Education Plan Training, Aug. 1-3, at an estimated cost of $900, plus use of a district vehicle.
Dale Larsen, Phoenix, Arizona Department of Education Assessment Test, June 25 and 26, at an estimated cost of $225, plus use of a district vehicle; Kara Gardner, Tanya Phaturos, Faith Caffey, Nichole Livingston, and Connie McPherson, Phoenix, English Language Arts Leadership Institute, June 25-27, at an estimated cost of $2,890, plus use of a district vehicle; Cindy Percy, Window Rock, transcript dispersal, June 11, at an estimated cost of use of a district vehicle; Ann Gardner, Jerry Fischer, Teri Tafoya and Jeffery Strong, Flagstaff, iPad point of sale information, June 22, at an estimated cost of $96, plus use of a district vehicle; Connie Gover, Litchfield Park, Directors Institute, Aug. 27-29, at an estimated cost of $656.80, plus use of a district vehicle; Robbie Koerperich, Phoenix, Explore (American College Testing Conference), June 19, at an estimated cost of $168, plus use of a district vehicle.
* Approved payroll and expenses totaling $2,324,809.55.
* Authorized the IWES Student Council to host a co-ed basketball tournament June 8 and 9 at the White Cone Multi-Purpose Building, with earnings estimated at $1,000.
