The Holbrook Unified School District (HUSD) No. 3 Governing Board met last Tuesday in Indian Wells, during which newly appointed Indian Education Director Bernice Gover provided a presentation on Johnson-O’Malley (JOM)/Title VI. Gover is the district’s coordinator of JOM, a federal program which ensures Native American students receive educational opportunities in school.

“Back in July, we had the Navajo Nation JOM come in for a physical monitoring.” Gover explained the monitoring came back with two findings, which were an issue with closing out contracts and the Indian Education Committee needed to attend more regional and national conferences.

Gover also went over some expenditures since last August, which included purchasing instruments, providing money for students to purchase books at the Scholastic Book Fair, and funding activities for Native American Heritage Month and Navajo cultural materials. The organization was also able to send 10 students to the Sparks of Possibilities Conference, which was a two-day conference in Phoenix aimed toward equipping and inspiring students and educators in regards to Indian education.

“We have about 1,300 students in our school district who have identified themselves as American Indian anywhere on their online registration,” stated Gover, adding that 73% of last year’s Holbrook High School (HHS) graduates identified as American Indian. Gover also presented data on the different tribal affiliations in the school as well as the number of Native students in Career and Technical Education (CTE), AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) and dual enrollment programs.

The board also received a presentation on impact aid from the district’s Business Manager Lauren Maestas.

Impact Aid is an annual federal grant that helps make up the financial difference after district generated revenue through local taxes is collected. Students that qualify for Impact Aid are those that reside on Indian lands, military families, those living in low-rent housing and civilians who live and or work on federal land.

As of Aug. 16, 2022, 44% of the district’s students were noted as eligible for impact aid. “We have 1,829 students, of that we were able to claim 800 students.”

According to Maestas’ presentation, in fiscal year 2023 Impact Aid funded $1.6 billion to 1,100 school districts nationwide.

Impact aid revenue for Fiscal Year 2023 for HUSD was approximately $4.6 million, which was close to Fiscal Year 2022 as well. “In previous years, we received a little over $5 million and that has to do with the decline in enrollment,” explained Maestas.

“Impact Aid is locally controlled funding and it’s flexible to use for any maintenance and operation expenses. We may use these funds to benefit all students throughout the districts not just federally impacted,” which can include instructional materials, salaries, transportation, utilities and capital needs.

Funds from impact aid have been used towards things such as purchasing new buses, modernizing campuses, creating learning environments and to supplement Diné language and English Language Learner (ELL).

Navajo Nation Council delegate Cherilyn Yazzie attended the meeting and spoke during the Indian community participation segment of the meeting, thanking for the invitation to attend and adding that she attended Holbrook High School as well.

During the call to the public, Alfred Clark thanked the board for the new sound system at Indian Wells Elementary for the board meetings, stating it makes easier for audience members to hear what is being said.

Linda Kascoli spoke on behalf of Makenzie Kascoli, who was unable to attend due to a sporting event. Kascoli stated that Makenzie is enjoying junior high but reports that the after-school activity bus is chaotic, crowded and she is often unable to find seating. “The kids are not listening to the bus driver. The high schoolers take up all the seats and there’s nowhere to sit.”

Boardmember Olivia Jaquez was absent from the meeting.

In other business, the board:

* Approved policies pertaining to providing adequate levels of Indian community participation throughout HUSD with no changes made.

* Reviewed and approved of the Impact Aid Program Indian Policies and Procedures (IPP) that are a required measure for compact aid compliance.

* Approved the Fiscal Year 2023 Annual Financial Report (FR 23 AFP). The AFR contains budgeted and actual expenditures for the preceding fiscal year. Additionally, HUSD will provide a link to the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) website from the district budget website page where this information can be obtained.

* Approved for first reading Policy DKC Expense Authorization/Reimbursement revision. The revision only requires receipt for reimbursement if requested. This will allow business operations to reimburse up to the allowable rates and if there are questions about itemized expenses, receipts must be provided.

* Approved the support staff employment of Kayla Hagar, transportation bus monitor; Timothy Begay, transportation bus driver; Hannah Gabaldon, HHS in-school suspension monitor; Star Gonnie and Letitia Lee, both food service and IWES substitutes; Marissa Richards and Justine Scott, both food service substitutes; Teri Tafoya, substitute secretary; and Cody Wilson, transportation driver trainee.

* Approved extra duty for Byron Bateman, Estefana Chavez, John McDaniel, LouAnn McLaws and Beth Plumb, all for HJHS tutoring; Elizabeth Baloo, HJHS afterschool robotics and white-bus driver; Michael Burks, HHS auditorium tech, Broadcasting Club sponsor and tech cadre; Cheryl Carlson, HHS junior class sponsor; Cody Cline, transportation white-fleet driver; Joel Daniels, HHS AISES (American Indian Science and Engineering Society) sponsor; Victoria Dawson, HHS math; DeVell Dunaway, Hulet Elementary tutorial; Kyle Gardner, HHS auditorium manager, Drama Club sponsor and Swing Thing sponsor; Arviso Gishie, HHS game help; Ramie Hatch, HHS math department head; Callie Jensen, HHS senior class sponsor; Shannon Knight, HHS freshman class sponsor; Jessica Lano, white-bus driver; Monica Liddle, HHS English department head; Jeremy Madison, HHS CTE (Career and Technical Education) department head and Roadrunner Nest; Heather Manygoats, IWES substitute secretary; Sarah Meeks, HHS electives department head, Fusion sponsor and band sponsor; Ashley Mitchell, science department head; Daniel Mitchell, HHS National Honor Society sponsor and social studies department head; Jerald Nez, HHS sophomore class sponsor and AISES sponsor; Rochelle Nez, IWES game help and game official; Michael Nilsson, HHS yearbook sponsor; Cary Simpson, HHS SPED department head; and Melicia Thompson, HHS student council sponsor.

* Approved volunteers Kendall Bakurza and Alex Baldonado, both HJHS football; Connor Hager, HHS assistant basketball coach; Colleen Hubbard, HJHS assistant volleyball coach; Trent Larson, HHS wrestling assistant coach; April Tsosie, HHS volleyball; and Farrel Yazzie, HJHS wrestling coach.

* Approved professional leave for Lori Williams, Athletic Director’s meeting; Jeremy Madison, ACOVA fall conference, cost to the district is $591; Kevin Fosburgh, Holly Perkins, Kelsey Bartruff, Jessica Paz, Rasheed Hollins, Nichole Tow, Ciara Analla and Melissa John, all BET-C, cost to the district is $3,816 and use of a district vehicle; Shannon Knight, College Knowing and Going Statewide Collaborative, cost to the district is $45 and use of a district vehicle; Galen Knight, qualified evaluator training, cost to the district is use of the district vehicle; Lauren Maestas, business officials workshop-impact aid application, cost to the district is $375; Britney Burgan, payroll workshop, cost to the district is $95 and use of a district vehicle; Andrea Tomlin, Suzanne Powell, Shawn Goza and Terr Dehaan, all for BT Data Dig, cost to the district is use of a district vehicle.

* Approved expense and revolving vouchers totaling nearly $1.7 million.

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

* Approved personnel pay for Patsy Etsitty, transportation driver incentive, $250; Prop 301 pay, $130,660; Seventh grade social studies prep buy out, $10,463; 2023/2024 insurance buy out, $54,000; and white-bus driver stipend Aug./Sept., $880.

* Approved fundraising requests for Spirit Line, cheer clinic, with anticipated earnings of $1,500; Spirit Line, online T-shirt sales, with anticipated earnings of $500-$1,000; Spirit Line, car wash, with anticipated earnings of $500; Spirit Line, cinnamon roll fundraiser, with anticipated earnings of $500; and Swing Thing, ice cream social, with anticipated earnings of $2,000.

* Approved a donation from the Arizona Public Service (APS) “Supply My Classroom” for $500 VISA gift card Beth Baloo, Kristin Manning and Julie Berry each; and Thunderbirds Foundation for $1,000 to the golf team.

* Approved Policy GDBA Support Staff Salary final adoption Policy IGA Curriculum Development, IJJ Textbook/Supplementary Materials Selection and Adoption and IGD Curriculum final adoption.

* Approved consent agenda items and expense vouchers. Detailed information for all District expenditures may be obtained by contacting the School District business office located at 1000 N. 8th Ave., P.O. Box 640, Holbrook, Ariz., 86025.