The district governing board gave approval last week to hire former Indian Wells Elementary School Principal Jeri McKinnon as principal at Holbrook Junior High School. The move would fill the position left vacant by the resignation of Tim Newton-Pender. Dr. McKinnon resigned as principal of Indian Wells Elementary School last year, and will be paid a salary of $66,844 through the district’s post-retirement employment option.

Replacing Dr. McKinnon as principal at IWES will be Cheri Grau, with the contract contingent upon receiving her interim administrative certification. Grau’s salary as principal will be $67,056.

District Business Manager Jacob Boyle gave an overview of the district’s capital projects position.

“The cuts to capital do not go unfelt. We fund as we can, but inevitably there are projects of lower priority that go unfunded each and every year,” he said, adding that the district seeks additional resources through Schools Facilities Board grants and Impact Aid Capital Grants.

The information he presented showed that the district is only able to allocate $150,180 to the calculated $928,905 capital needs of the district, which covers about 16 percent of the need.

The board also gave approval to a proposed $23 million budget, which was relatively flat compared with last year’s budget. The capital improvement projects planned include a parking lot at IWES and a technology office at the district. Also included in the budget are pay increases of $1,000 plus one percent for teachers and $500 plus one percent for support staff.

In other action June 9, the board:

* Approved the attendance of the superintendent, executive secretary and all governing board members at all Arizona School Boards Association sponsored conferences during the 2015-16 school year.

* Approved continuing the governing board meeting schedule as the second Tuesday of each month for the 2015-16 school year.

* Approved all performance pay stipends for certified teachers and administrators to be paid from Proposition 301 funds, and Desegregation/Maintenance and Operations funding.

* Approved Superintendent Robbie Koerperich’s performance pay goals and awarded $2,500 in performance pay.

* Approved the utilization of three vendors for the 2015-16 school year for student psychological services, including Duane Gagnon, Eleutheria, LLC, and Arizona Psychology Services.

* Authorized the solicitation of employees to paint school facilities over the summer at a pay rate of $15 per hour.

* Authorized the renewal of the client service agreement with Educational Services Incorporated for the 2015-16 school year.

* Approved a 60-day review of the text They Say/I Say With Readings, Third Edition, by Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkstein and Russel Durst, which Northland Pioneer College has added to its English 101 curriculum.

* Approved a 60-day curriculum review of The Navajo Political Experience Fourth Edition, by David E. Wilkins. The text will be used in the Navajo Government courses.

* Authorized acceptance of a $7,000 grant from The Laura Bush Foundation Grant for Park Elementary School. The purpose of the grant is to establish literacy as a value in every home. The funds are to be used solely for the purchase of library books and magazines.

* Accepted the resignation of Rachel Kirkaldie as a Holbrook High School government teacher as of June 5, to include the assessment of $500 in liquidated damage charges.

* Approved the support staff employment of Sarah Chee as an IWES aide; LeAnn Turley, returning for part-time district employment for insurance; and Wendy Woodward, HHS science teacher.

* Approved the support staff resignation of Nita Taha as a Hulet Elementary School aide; Stephanie Braski, special needs assistant; Ann Andrews, special needs preschool aide; and Monica Fancher, Park School nurse’s aide.

* Approved the certified employment of Spencer Radzanowski as a Park School second grade teacher; Jerald Nez, HHS substitute teacher; Sara Runyan, Hulet School third grade teacher; Mary Whitten, Ann Darling, Lois Jeffers and Sue Wischmann, returning for part-time positions at the district for insurance; Tamara Lincoln, Hulet School special education low incidence teacher; Timmie Yazzie, HHS teacher; Jerald Nez, HHS math teacher; Zane Morgan, Park School physical education; Wendy Woodward, HHS chemistry teacher; and Renee Crooked Arm, Park School kindergarten teacher.

* Approved the certified staff resignations of Deborah Wehrman, IWES kindergarten teacher; Ruth Hansen, Park School kindergarten teacher; Ann Gardner, District Technology/Mentoring; Heidi Wiessner, IWES first grade teacher; and Jalene Harlan, IWES preschool teacher.

* Approved extra duty for Rebecca Madden and Deb Koerperich for Park School summer school; Amanda Remos, Hulet special education speech extended school year; Teri Tafoya and Debbie Warner, district School Master; Erik Carlson, HHS eighth hour English; Leroy Black, Crystal Dickson, Andrea Clark, Rachel Bennally, Lena Begay, Amelia Tsosie and Cory Hollins, summer paint crew; and Cheri Grau and Luis Alvarez, IWES Arizona Data Accountability Reading Training grant.

* Approved Gerard Jerry Barela as a volunteer with the HHS wrestling program.

* Authorized acceptance of an $1,100 donation from the Holbrook Fire Department to HHS for materials to build an arched sign for the gym and auditorium parking lot.

* Approved professional leave for Kim Edwards, Tobias Herndon and Janie Sandoval to attend Project Based Learning, scheduled June 23-25 in Flagstaff at an estimated cost of $120, plus use of a district vehicle; Beth Baloo, Taylor Lee and Lorie Jensen, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, Arizona Public Service Co. Conference, June 1-5 in Flagstaff at an estimated cost of $1,487.98, plus use of a district vehicle; Jacob Boyle, Client Conference, June 4 in Tempe at an estimated cost of $98, plus use of a district vehicle; and Jacob Boyle, Arizona Association of School Business Officials Conference, July 15-18 in Tucson at an estimated cost of $1,005, plus use of a district vehicle.

Also, Dawna Charley, I Teach K, July 6-10 in Las Vegas, Nev., at an estimated cost of $903; Susan Nafziger, Teaching Personal Finance in an Engaging Way, June 1-2 in Phoenix at an estimated cost of $368.42; Jeff Font, Transportation Administrators of Arizona Conference, June 22- 25 in Flagstaff at an estimated cost of $573, plus use of a district vehicle; and Dr. Robbie Koerperich, Northern Arizona University Trust Leadership, June 17-19 in Flagstaff at an estimated cost of $455, plus use of a district vehicle.

* Approved expense and revolving fund vouchers totaling $482,581.44, and payroll and expense vouchers totaling $2,610,592.61.

* Approved fundraisers including an alumni basketball game on July 25 for the HHS boys’ basketball team with estimated earnings of $1,000 for summer camps; a youth basketball tournament on June 12 and 13 for HHS boys’ basketball with estimated earnings of $1,500 for summer camps; a video game tournament in December 2015 for the HHS Class of 2018 with estimated earnings of $500; a car wash in June or July for the HHS Class of 2018 with estimated earnings to be determined by donations; and a Wild West Days booth for the HHS Class of 2018 with estimated earnings $125.