The Holbrook Unified School District No. 3 Governing Board met last Tuesday, during which board member Debbie Shumway renewed her term for additional two years, while President Linda Yazzie and Vice President Claudia Jackson renewed their terms for four years. “We thank you for your service. We appreciate your stepping up to the plate and do good things for our kids,” stated Superintendent Dr. Rob Koerperich.

The board also received a presentation from Bernice Gover about the National Indian Education Association (NIEA), of which Gover is a student board member while also taking part in a leadership program at Northern Arizona University (NAU). “We’re looking to increase membership and I think it’d be really cool if we can get our Native educators here in our district to be members of NIEA,” Gover stated.

According to the NIEA website, the organization’s mission is to advance comprehensive, culture-based educational opportunities for American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians. To become a member, you must be part of a federally organized tribe and pay an annual fee. For more information, visit their website at niea.org.

Also, in new business and in the absence of board member Olivia Jaquez, the board:

* Approved the Fair Wages and Healthy Families Act minimum wage increase for minimum wage employees beginning Jan. 1, 2023, which will be at the rate of $13.85 per hour. The Fair Wages and Healthy Families Act established an annual increase in minimum wage based on inflation.

* Approved the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Revised Classified Staff Salary Placement Schedule with minimum wage effective Jan. 1, 2023 and the remainder of the placement schedule effective upon approval.

* Approved the revised FY 22 Annual Financial Report (AFR). The revised AFR includes a coding update for desegregation reporting that required revision. The revision does not impact the AFR outcome, rather, it ensures the expenditures are placed in the correct funding categories.

* Approved purchase of property located at 288 North 12th Ave in Holbrook to expand support services building capacity and authorized Dr. Koerperich to sign the purchase agreement and all documents related to acquisition of property. The amount of the purchase was not available as of press time.

* Approved the Behavior Support Aide job description as a new position at HUSD No. 3, which will allow assistance with behavior support for at-risk behaviors in both the areas of special education and regular education.

* Approved the Arizona School Board Association/Arizona School Administrator’s Association Superintendent Evaluation Tool.

* Approved the updated Holbrook Junior High School (HJHS) athletic handbook for SY 22-23. The handbook has updated procedures for HJHS athletics to be utilized in all HJHS athletic programs.

* Approved Brooke Saganisto to student teach at Indian Wells Elementary School (IWES) in the spring of 2023.

* Approved SOMOS supplemental curriculum for Spanish from The Comprehensible Classroom for a 60-day review.

* Approved Biology Curriculum Bundle Plus Interactive Notebook by Biology Roots as a supplemental curriculum for a 60-day review.

* Approved an update to the First Year Extra Duty Certified Faculty Stipend Placement Schedule FY 23. The schedule has been updated to include a Broadcasting Club stipend and a junior class sponsors stipend.

* Approved the first reading of Policies JLBC Immunizations and JLCC Communicable/Infectious Diseases. The policy updates include current vaccination requirements; as well as provisions that a school district or charter may not require a mask or face covering by persons under the age of 18.

* Approved Policy DIA Accounting Systems for first reading. The policy revision updates the policy to outline guidelines for districts to assume their own financial accounting responsibility after filing a proposal with the State Board of Education.

* Approved Policy EEAEA Bus Driver Requirements, Training and Responsibilities for first reading. The policy revision includes the provision for bus drivers that operate white fleet vehicles under A.R.S. 15-925.

* Approved Policy JF Student Admissions for first reading. The policy revision includes details pertaining to a Certificate of Educational Convenience Application for pupils that reside in unorganized territories that may apply for a certificate of educational convenience.

* Approved Policy JICFA and JICFA-EB Hazing for first reading. The policy revision defines hazing under the statute A.R.S. 13-1215 or 13-1216.

* Approved Policy JRR and JRR-R Student Surveys for first reading. The policy revision updates the provisions for administering student surveys to include parental permission prior to administering student surveys as outlined in the policy.

* Approved Policy JLDA School Counselors and Psychologists for first reading. The policy revision outlines that a school psychologist who is employed by or contracted to provide services in a public school must be certified by the Department of Education but is exempt from licensure.

* Approved Policy KB, KB-EB and KB-R Parental Involvement for first reading. The policy revision outlines updated parental rights aligned to A.R.S. 1-601 & 1-602 Parent Bill of Rights.

* Approved Policy JJIA Intramural Sports, JJIB and JJIB-R Interscholastic Sports. The new policy outlines that each intramural athletic team or sport that is sponsored by a public school shall be expressly designated as one of the following based on the biological sex of the students who participate on the team or in the sport: “males,” “men” or “boys”; “females,” “women” or “girls”; “coed” or “mixed.” Athletic teams or sports designated for “females,” “women” or “girls” may not be open to students of the male sex. Any student may participate in any intramural athletic team or sport designated as being for “males,” ‘men” or “boys” or designated as “coed” or “mixed.” as aligned to statute A.R.S. 15-120.02.

* Approved support staff employments of Kayla Bennett, Park A-team and health assistant; Thomas Castillo, computer services Tech I; Desi Ray Nez, food services substitute worker; Jesus Ponce, maintenance; and Danielle Robertson, transportation student monitor.

* Approved the support staff resignations of Felice Salazar, Park A-team and health assistant; and Chantel Taylor, IWES preschool para.

* Approved support staff retirement of Brenda Mangum, human resources director, returning for insurance beginning July 1, 2023.

* Approved the certified employment of Sierra Browning, special education teacher on assignment; Sue Hayden, district English language tester; and Natasha McLaws, district substitute.

* Approved extra duty for Ciara Analla, Tiana Begay, Laura Layden, Peggy Reid and Benita Smith, all Park Elementary School tutorial; Danelle Garner, Kelsey Bartruff, Jennifer Holley, Heidi Hunsaker, Andrea Luna, Cindy McDaniel, Jessica Paz and Nicole Moyte, all Hulet Elementary School tutorial; Ashley Attakai, LouAnn McLaws and Beth Plumb, all HJHS game help; Davina Begay, Lea Gishie, Mandi Chee, Courtney King and Roni Orton, all IWES basketball game help; Cheryl Carlson, Joel Daniels, Sylvia Jackson, Monica Liddle, Jeff Strong and Jeremy Madison, all Northland Pioneer College dual enrollment; Kara Gardner, Jessica Hubbard, Kim Jaster and Mari Smithson, all Hulet Elementary School grade level chair/ tutorial; Rasheed Hollins, Hulet tutorial coordinator and grade level chair/tutorial; Monica Sanchez and Erika Hunt, both Park Elementary School grade level chair/tutorial; Gypsi Gover, IWES head boys’ basketball coach and game help; Charlie Haussman, Holbrook High School (HHS) testing coordinator 2022-23; Lyndee McLaws, HHS bus monitor; Markos Serna, HJHS sports official; Lori Williams, IWES head girls basketball coach and game help.

* Approved volunteers Abrian Dickson, HHS boys basketball assistant coach; Catrina Garner, Park aide; Jamal Johnson, HHS basketball coach; Jorge Kinds, HHS athletic trainer; Kirk Koury, Park Elementary School non-parent volunteer; Trent Larson, HHS wrestling team assistant and driver; James Richins, basketball coach; Makenzi Ulibarri, HHS/HJHS volleyball; and Artie Yazzie, HHS basketball.

* Approved professional leave for Melicia Thompson and Cheryl Carlson, Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID) Path to Schoolwide, cost to the district is $758 each; Charlie Haussman, Northern Arizona Vocational Institute of Technology (NAVIT) director’s meeting, cost to the district is use of a school vehicle; Loren Silver, Dine Bi Olta School Board Association conference; Cindy Percy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy online training and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy depression online training; Shannon Knight, Ina Overson and Nicole Warner, Region 5 Critical Race Theory collaborative meeting, cost to the district is use of a school vehicle; Bernice Gover, National Indian Education Association (NIEA) Hill Week; Cheryl Carlson and Melicia Thompson, AVID school visit, cost to the district is $61 each; Melissa John, Public Fundations Level 1 virtual workshop; Cary Simpson, Aira Austria, Monica Liddle and Callie Jensen, American College Test (ACT) Conference, cost to the district is $149; Janelle Chee, National Johnson-O’Malley Association (NJOM) regional meeting, cost to the district is $310; and Erin Pugh, Navapache business manager meeting, cost to the district is use of a school vehicle.

* Approved expense and revolving vouchers totaling $752,083.

* Approved payroll and expense vouchers totaling nearly $1.5 million.

* Approved personnel pay for Ciarra Analla and Melissa John, both Park Elementary School Professional Development (PD), $40 each; Dawna Bitsoie, Bernice Gover, Debbie Koerperich and Ray Ann Terry, all IWES Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Training, $100 each; Paul Demuth, Clete Hargrave and Charlie Haussman, all HHS professional development, $500 each; Rasheed Hollins, Heidi Hunsaker, Andrea Luna, Josh Meeks and Holly Perkins, Hulet Elementary School professional development, $40 each; HHS teachers professional development, $17,000; 2022-23 insurance buy-out, $57,500; Bus Driver Attraction and Retention October 2022, $4,430; Support Staff Professional Growth, $7,760; Professional Staff Salary Advancement, $7,000.

* Approved donations received from Donor’s Choose in the amount of $22,226; Community Health Representative (CHR) program for winter coats, COVID tests and masks; Arizona Public Service Supply My Classroom Grant for a $500 visa card each for Beth Baloo and Aaren LaRose; and The Thunderbirds Foundation for $1,000 to the high school golf team.

* Approved requests by Beth Baloo for crowdsourcing donations expected to earn approximately $934 in donated items; HHS Spiritline for Itty Bitty Cheerleading Clinic expected to earn approximately $700; HHS Spiritline online T-shirt sales expected to earn approximately $500-$1,00; HHS Spiritline carwash expected to earn approximately $500-$1,00; and HHS volleyball frozen cookie dough sale estimated to earn approximately $4,000.