HUSD Override Review Shows Funding Is Well Spent For Student Development

“This is very important to our schools. We are so appreciative of the people in our community who have supported this. I travel to other districts and I always come back knowing that Holbrook is a very special, special place,” Dr. Koerperich noted after the meeting.

He explained how the $1.2 million broke down to an investment of 42 cents per hour for every student in the district. “This is an unbelievable investment. I don’t know how to express our gratitude aside from producing a good return on the investments. Despite our socio-economic challenges, we have a graduation rate of 85 percent this year and pushing toward 90 percent would be excellent. It’s because of those funds that we are able to obtain and retain quality staff,” said Koerperich.

He went on to state that without the override, the district would be subjected to state cuts that could impact its ability to offer the level of services and opportunities currently being provided to the students.

In other business Dec. 8, the board:

* Approved the expenditures for the 2016 Dean McNamee Academic Awards Banquet scheduled on May 16.

* Approved Governing Board President Ferral Knight to sign the Teacher Evaluation System Verification to be submitted to the State Board of Education.

* Approved acceptance of federal and state grants totaling $1.9 million.

* Approved travel by the Holbrook High School Concert Band and Winter Guard to Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., during the week of March 14-18, with a consideration to be made as to whether to rent a charter bus rather than utilize school transportation. The group competed for the privilege to perform, and the trip will be funded by student and booster club fundraisers, as well as tax credits.

* Reappointed Knight as board president and Linda Yazzie as vice president for 2016.

* Approved the support staff employment of Jennifer Boring as a Holbrook Junior High School special needs assistant; Louthella Lee, Indian Wells Elementary School bus monitor; Debbie McKee, auditorium ticket taker; Larry Hayes, HHS athletics weight room; and Victoria Cooley, substitute cafeteria worker.

* Approved the support staff resignation of Shaunee Sullivan, cafeteria satellite kitchen worker.

* Approved the certified employment of Traci Pate and Margaret McClellan as substitute teachers; and Maria Boyle, Park Elementary School and HJHS school nurse.

* Approved extra duty for Adrian Tubbs as a substitute bus driver; Keith Wheeler, HJHS head girls’ basketball coach; John Bokker, Julie Fields and LouAnn McLaws, HJHS officials; Lorial Beck and Virginia White, HJHS game help; David Tremonti, HJHS head boys’ basketball coach; Gretchen Madison, Brenda Mangum, Teri Tafoya, Peggy Redmon, Tim Gurczynski, John McDaniel, Janna Matheny, Joy Burroughs and Dale Larson, HJHS Project Skilz mentors; Beth Baloo, HJHS Project Skilz coordinator; Doug Hansen, Hulet Elementary School professional development; and Kristin Taylor, IWES game help.

* Approved volunteers Anna Murray, Gloria Hatton, Janice Lucero and Yullis Thomas for the Park and Hulet schools’ Backpack Food Programs.

* Approved professional leave for DeDe Dunaway and Deb Koerperich to attend Mentors Turning Vision into Reality Training scheduled Jan. 12 and 13 in Phoenix at an estimated cost of $1,700, plus use of a district vehicle; Paul Demuth, Arizona Interscholastic Association state meeting in Phoenix at an estimated cost of use of a district vehicle; Marlena Day, 21st Century Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Integrate to Innovate, Jan. 22 and 23 in Phoenix at an estimated cost of $636, plus use of a district vehicle; and Daniel Orton, Athletic Directors meeting Dec. 4 in Winslow at an estimated cost of use of a district vehicle.

Also, Jeff Meeks, 2016 Arizona Council for Administrators in Special Education, Feb. 19 in Phoenix at an estimated cost of $262, plus use of a district vehicle; Jeff Meeks, Cary Simpson, Carey Kester, Donna Campbell and Cheryl Carlson, Secondary Transition Mentoring Project/College and Career Readiness Team Training Grant, Jan. 1-26 in Phoenix at an estimated cost of $2,867.50, plus use of a district vehicle; Keith Wheeler, Athletic Directors meeting Dec. 7 in Show Low; Beth Baloo, STEM Focus, Dec. 4 in Phoenix at an estimated cost of use of a district vehicle; and Jeff Meeks, Melody Myers, Donna Charley, Tamara Lincoln, Cindy McDaniel, Carrie Cook, Karalyn Reidhead, Tim Eddings, Catrina Garner, Stacy Nowell, Jennifer Ceccarelli, Julia Fairbanks, Jeanette Maxwell and Amanda Remos, Autism Puzzle, Dec. 11 in Snowflake at an estimated cost of use of a district vehicle.

* Approved expense and revolving fund vouchers totaling $437,435.82.

* Approved payroll and expense vouchers totaling $1,341,171.32 for items including IWES Indian Wells Professional Development Day, $12,500; Park Elementary School Professional Development Day, $9,000; Preschool Early Childhood Fair Professional Development, $2,000; Examining Data to Improve Student Achievement grant professional development, $2,350, Barry Lambson, professional development, $250; and Intervention Assistant Team members, $556.25.

Also, IWES English Language Learners tutoring second quarter, $122.50; IWES STEM Club tutoring second quarter, $787.50; Hulet School tutorial coordinator, $200; Hulet School second quarter tutorial, $1,750; Park School second quarter tutoring, $600; HJHS second quarter tutoring, $2,850; Park STEM Club, $150; HHS eighth hour English, $687.50; HHS math tutorial, $1,656.25; Park School A+ Application professional development, $12,250; and Hulet School professional development, $500.

* Approved an HHS wrestling fundraiser to sell T-shirts in December for estimated earnings of $50.