Glen Stuart has been teaching for 32 years, with 22 years in Snowflake and his first 10 in Sanders. He has retired, and though he wasn’t present, his service was acknowledged at the Jan. 13 meeting of the Snowflake Unified School District Governing Board.
Stuart’s talents can be seen in his artwork throughout the district and the town.
Board member Charles Foote has been friends with Stuart for many years. He recalled that Stuart came to the district when Ron Squire was there and Dee Johnson was principal.
During the school year there was an accident that took the life of the art teacher. Foote called Squire and said that he knew a man who could fill the position. Squires interviewed Stuart and hired him.
Both coached for many years ago, with Foote coaching wrestling and Stuart, cross country, so they often traveled together on bus trips where they would play Trivial Pursuit. Stuart was so smart that “after the first trip or two it would be everybody on the bus against Glen, and I never saw him lose,” Foote recalled.
Foote further noted that Stuart is a very intelligent man, and a friend to everyone.
“He is truly a remarkable individual,” said Foote. “I love Glen Stuart, I know he’s a dedicated teacher.
“You talk to any of the staff that worked with him and they would say those same things,” said Snowflake High School Principal Larry Titus. “He is one of their best friends, and he could do anything.”
Superintendent Hollis Merrell said, “We really appreciate him and all he did.”
In other business, staff requested approval of changes to the recruitment and retention policy. Merrell explained that this policy, which goes along with grant funding, is a responsibility of Neil Westover.
Westover explained that each year as part of the annual Title II grant application process they are asked to submit a copy of this policy for new hires and/or current staff members. Previously, board policy allowed for retention incentives for principals, but that was based upon 100 percent staffing with “highly qualified” teachers. He explained that it is difficult to find highly qualified teachers in Arizona, and that Arizona law was amended to say that those with a bachelor’s degree can become qualified to teach. The only change to the policy was deleting the portion that referred to principals.
“We are recommending that this component of the retention policy be removed due to a prolonged and serious shortage of highly qualified teachers, and the inequity that would create for principals due to annual fluctuations in available HQ (highly qualified) teachers at various grade levels,” wrote Westover in the backup material.
“We’re looking at new legislation this year,” Merrell said.
The board unanimously approved the requested changes to the policy.
Business Manager Mark Ollerton explained that the district received requests from the public to be able to use credit and debit cards for purchases in the schools. He said that currently it is possible for a patron to go online and pay for student lunches, but they would like to expand that to include purchases for registration, fees and tax credit donations. In response to the recent performance audit completed by the Auditor General, they would also like to include this option in the school bookstore. “An accounting system in the bookstore would be beneficial in strengthening internal controls,” wrote Ollerton in the backup material.
He further noted that they have a committee of staff members that would be involved in the implementation and utilization of this type of program, and have evaluated two systems. There is a vendor that serves schools and, “That vendor is really shining,” said Ollerton.
Approval of a district credit and debit card system “would start the process for accommodation for these things,” he said.
The board unanimously approved implementation of a district credit and debit card system.
The board also unanimously approved an invitation to bid for transportation services.
Ollerton explained that the contract with First Student expires on June 30, and the district needs to start a procurement process to hire these services for next year. District officials are evaluating different options to determine what is most advantageous. “We would like to keep our options open,” he said.
