The Holbrook Unified School District is looking for a number of certified staff members, as well as a principal. The resignation of Tim Newton-Pender, principal at Holbrook Junior High School, was announced during last week’s meeting of the district governing board.

According to Superintendent Dr. Robbie Koerperich, Newton-Pender resigned to take advantage of another employment opportunity, leaving the position to be filled. “Right now the position is open, so we’re looking for potential candidates,” he stated.

The district’s website also lists nine certified positions that need to be filled, along with seven support staff and a computer specialist position.

The district governing board is also seeking a new member after the resignation of Rick Nichols, who has served on the board for approximately four years. Navajo County Superintendent of Schools Linda Morrow will be making the appointment, and interested candidates may request an application from the Navajo County School Superintendent’s office by calling (928) 524-4204.

Also during that meeting the board approved a one percent hourly rate increase, plus a 24-cent flat rate hourly increase for all currently employed non-exempt support staff employees. Board members also voted in a 56-cent per hour wage increase for the accounts payable position and the buyer/bookkeeper position.

In other business April 14, the board:

* Approved the addition of a new Navajo language teacher position to be split between HJHS and Holbrook High School.

* Approved STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) as a mini-series class for sixth graders, and as an elective opportunity for seventh and eighth graders for the 2015-16 school year.

* Approved the Education Specialist Performance Evaluation System to evaluate K-12 speech staff members for the 2015-16 school year.

* Approved a facility use agreement with the Navajo Nation Investigations Department to use office space at Indian Wells Elementary School.

* Approved updated job descriptions for the fiscal year 2016 First Year Non-Exempt Support Staff Hourly Pay Rate Placement Schedule.

* Approved a fiscal year 2016 notice of appointments for non-exempt support staff for the 2015-16 school year.

* Approved the Navajo County Special Services Agreement for membership and acceptance of services.

* Approved the district’s gifted scope and sequence for Title I monitoring.

* Approved the IWES preschool calendar for the 2014-15 school year.

* Approved the fiscal year 2016 General Statement of Assurances.

* Approved the support staff employment of Reanna Chee as an HJHS special needs assistant; Lauryn Hall, cafeteria student worker; Valerie Denetso, substitute cafeteria worker; Jana Young, satellite cafeteria worker; Victor Paz, warehouse assistant; and Angelica Castillo, district office student worker.

* Approved the support staff resignations of Jenifer Diot, computer tech; and Jesus Ponce, grounds/custodial worker.

* Approved the retirement of Sarah Benally, Hulet Elementary School and HHS A-Team; and Anna Murray, cafeteria worker.

* Approved the certified staff employment of Shawn Goza, IWES teacher; Bernice Gover, IWES first grade teacher; and Gypsi Gover, IWES kindergarten teacher.

* Approved the certified staff resignations of Bailey Wilhelm, IWES fifth grade; Tim Newton-Pender, HJHS principal; Barton Bowen, HHS teacher; and Nancy Bowen, Park Elementary School teacher.

* Approved extra duty for Brian McMahon for HJHS Q3 tutorial; Margarita Newton-Pender, Park Elementary School English Language Learner tutoring; Kerry Perkins, Hulet Title I tutorial coordinator; and Nichole Livingston, Renee Alley and Margarita Newton-Pender, all for the Park Intervention Assistance Team.

* Approved volunteer Krista Smith as an HHS Choir chaperone.

* Approved gifts and donations from Flo Reynolds for HJHS in the amount of $100; Kiwanis Club Quiz Night proceeds totaling $2,917.75; book donations from the Navajo County School Superintendent’s Office in honor of Read Across America Day 2015, including Red is Best by Kathy Stinson, Locomotive by Brian Floca, Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo, Kids at Work by Russell Freedman, Code Talker, The first and only memoir by one of the original Navajo code talkers of WWII Chester Nez by Judith Schiess Avila; the Three River Education Foundation’s donation of 200 used books to K-2 students at Park Elementary School; and student Celeste Martin’s donation of 20 cents to the Park School Donor Account.

* Approved professional leave for Sylvia Jackson to attend Office of Standards, Curriculum and Assessment Development scheduled March 30 in Window Rock; Sylvia Jackson, Curriculum Mapping, March 7 and 8 in Flagstaff; Amanda Remos, Jennifer Ceccarelli and Julia Fairbanks, Arizona Department of Education training, Dramatic Play, April 8 in Winslow at an estimated cost of use of a district vehicle; Charles Haussman, Northern Arizona Vocational Institute of Technology administrators meeting, March 18 in Taylor at an estimated cost of use of a district vehicle; Cindy Percy, College and Career Planning, April 7 in Flagstaff at an estimated cost of use of a district vehicle; and Charles Haussman, Association for Career Technical Education of Arizona meeting, April 6 in Glendale at an estimated cost of $156 plus use of a district vehicle.

Jacob Boyle, Budgeting Workshop, April 27 in Phoenix at an estimated cost of $173 plus use of a district vehicle; Jeff Meeks, Karalyn Reidhead, Carey Kester, Donna Campbell, and Cheryl Carlson, College and Career Readiness Team Training, April 28 and 29 in Tempe at an estimated cost of $2,716.01 plus use of a district vehicle; Beth Baloo, STEM Arizona Public Service Conference, April 24 in Phoenix at an estimated cost of $81, plus use of a district vehicle; Julie Fields, Career and Technical Education Grants Training, April 16 in Flagstaff at an estimated cost of use of a district vehicle; and Jacob Baker, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Training, June 15 and 16 in Albuquerque, N.M., at an estimated cost of $1,240 plus use of a district vehicle.

* Approved expense and revolving fund vouchers totaling $409,436.44, and payroll and expense vouchers totaling $1,379,817.38; HJHS Title I Q3 Tutorial, $5,942.60; Indian Wells ELL Q3 Tutoring, $4,768.75; Indian Wells Title I Q3 Tutorial, $1,593.75; Hulet Title I Q3 Tutorial, $2,918.88; and Park Title I Q3, Tutorial, $918.75.

* Approved fundraisers including a youth wrestling tournament on April 18 for estimated earnings of $400; and an HHS boys’ basketball Zumba-Thon on May 9 for estimated earnings of $400.

* Held the final reading and adopted policies regarding community use of school facilities.

* Held the final reading and adopted revisions to a policy to include that students are required to be enrolled in from four to seven class periods, and parents may petition for early or late school day releases for individual students.