During the recent Winslow Unified School District (WUSD) Governing Board meeting, the district’s commitment to enhancing student opportunities and ensuring effective policies was at the forefront of discussions. The meeting addressed several key initiatives and policy recommendations aimed at enriching the educational experience for students in the district.
One of the major proposals put forward was the establishment of the “School-to-Work” program, suggested by David Coolidge from the City of Winslow and Winslow City Councilmember Jim MacLean. This program would aim to provide students with summer employment opportunities while allowing them to earn elective credits. The students would engage in various tasks such as weed removal, landscaping, graffiti removal, mowing, trimming and trash removal across different locations in the city alongside the city’s street crews.
These students would be considered seasonal employees of the city and in addition to earning income, they would receive elective credits from WUSD upon fulfilling the necessary requirements and maintaining regular attendance. The program would offer flexibility, allowing students to choose between completing the first four weeks or the second four weeks for a half elective credit, or participating in the full eight-week schedule for a full elective credit. This initiative aimed to provide students with valuable skills, knowledge, and practical experience that would benefit them in their future employment endeavors.
The city used to have a similar program several years ago but it did not provide students with credit. It is believed through a collaboration with the district they would be able to provide students a win-win opportunity to earn money and credit simultaneously.
Another significant topic discussed during the board meeting was the need for a certified de-escalation/restraint trainer, aligning with the requirements of the recently passed Senate Bill 1459. The responsibilities of the trainer would include maintaining annual certification with the Handle with Care de-escalation program followed by the district, conducting back-to-school restraint training for high-needs staff, organizing three verbal de-escalation trainings and three physical restraint trainings for district-wide staff throughout the school year, and ensuring accurate documentation of physical restraints through incident reports. Additionally, the trainer would be available to address any questions or concerns related to de-escalation and restraint training from school staff. The presence of a certified de-escalation/restraint trainer would play a vital role in creating a safe and supportive learning environment for all students.
The board passed four policies that were recommendations from the Arizona School Board Association (ASBA) that were introduced.
Firstly, there was recognition of the need for a systematic and ongoing program of curriculum development and evaluation involving students, parents, teachers, and administrators. The superintendent was authorized to develop the curriculum for the school system and establish committees to review and modify it as needed. All proposed changes to the curriculum would require the approval of the governing board, ensuring that the district continually adapts its curriculum to meet the evolving needs of students.
Another important policy recommendation that the board passed emphasized the approval and adoption of all new textbooks and supplementary books. The superintendent would establish textbook selection procedures that involved the appropriate engagement of staff members, students, and community members, in compliance with statutory requirements. These procedures could include the formation of textbook selection committees to review and recommend materials. By involving a diverse range of stakeholders, the district aimed to ensure that the selected textbooks aligned with the educational goals and needs of the students.
The third policy passed from the ASBA is recommended guidelines for the administration of medication during school hours. To ensure the safety and proper management of medications, the district would collaborate with healthcare practitioners, family physicians and parents. The guidelines specified that there must be a written order from a physician prescribing the medication, along with written permission from parents (or students, if 18 years old) authorizing the school or student to administer the medication.
Medications should be brought to the school office in the original prescription or over-the-counter container, complete with all necessary warnings and instructions. The guidelines also highlighted specific circumstances in which students with certain medical conditions, such as anaphylaxis, breathing disorders, or diabetes, were entitled to possess and self-administer emergency medications, provided they met the prescribed criteria.
In other business the board:
* Approved ratification list for $880,318.
* Approved a $200 donation to Winslow Junior High School from the Institute of Education Sciences for participation in trends in international mathematics and science study.
* Approved the hiring of Noemi Hernandez, fourth grade teacher; Reanna Walton, emergency substitute teacher; Chad Sullivan, Winslow High School (WHS) paraprofessional; Lorey Thomas, parent liaison; and Rosemary Ortiz, paraprofessional.
* Approved the staff transfers for Kimberlee Henling, from fourth grade teacher to WHS physical education teacher and Corri Havlicek, Washington paraprofessional to Washington media technician.
* Approved the resignations of Betty Clark, Navajo language teacher; and Chad Gooch, art teacher and Sylvia Apodaca, driver.
* Approved out-of-state travel for Christopher Garrett to attend Handle with Care training, Aug. 1-5 in Albuquerque, N.M. Travel will be funded through the American Rescue Plan grant.
* Adopted a policy so staff rehired within one year will be placed back on the pay scale where they previously were, if it’s been longer than one year they begin again on the pay scale.
* Adopted a policy for fees associated with breaking the contract early. Date of signed through June 9 is $500, June 10-15 is $1,000 and after June 15 is $1,500.
* Approved Edilo, LLC for the quote was $31,000 for five years of services that include webinar training, one website redesign, and five years of website service.
The next meeting of the WUSD school board will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 26, in the meeting room, located at 800 N. Apache Ave.
