The Holbrook Unified School District (HUSD) No. 3 Governing Board met last Tuesday, during which Northern Arizona Vocational Institute of Technology (NAVIT) Superintendent Matt Weber presented to the board on Holbrook High School’s current NAVIT program. NAVIT is a career and technical education (CTE) program offered to the district’s high school students.

“There are two primary reasons that NAVIT exists for public schools,” stated Weber. The first reason is additional funding from the program, “Secondly, to provide additional CTE programs at the community college for those students that have the time and flexibility in their schedule to do so.”

HHS received just under $325,000 based on NAVIT attendance currently this year. Weber added that the school broke the $7 million threshold in cumulative funding since joining the program in 2002. Students have access to seven programs between Winslow and Holbrook, with an additional fire science course in Snowflake.

Superintendent Dr. Robbie Koerperich also touched on the significance of NAVIT, stating “This is such an important part of what we do as an educational organization. To be able to offer not only college readiness, but also career and post-secondary readiness.”

It was also noted by Koerperich the importance of serving the local community. “Are we preparing our students for jobs that they can stay in Holbrook or rural areas and be successful and establish a lifestyle and career. Also prepare them for jobs outside of our area as well,” he explained, adding that they want students to have opportunities for whatever they want to do.

Board member Debbie Shumway was absent from the meeting and the Holbrook Junior High School Advancement Via Individual Determination (HJHS AVID) presentation was tabled until the next meeting.

Also, in other business, the board:

* Approved the Character Counts Curriculum as a character-building program at Indian Wells Elementary (IWES). It has undergone a 60-day review.

* Approved the Fair Wages and Healthy Families Act minimum wage increase for minimum wage employees. The Fair Wages and Healthy Families Act established an annual increase in minimum wage based on inflation. The increase, beginning Jan. 1, 2024, will be at the rate of $14.35 per hour.

* Approved a Request for Proposal (RFP) for medical, prescription, dental, vision and health services for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025. The RFP will be evaluated by staff and a final proposal will be provided to the board in March.

* Approved Galen Knight, HHS Student Services, to be a qualified evaluator at HUSD. Knight has completed the qualified evaluator training through the Arizona Department of Education (ADE).

* Approved Dr. Jeri McKinnon’s resignation effective Oct. 26, and waived liquidated damages as per Policy GCQC Resignation of Professional Staff Members.

* Approved the HUSD extra duty bike club sponsor job description.

* Approved the extra duty bicycle maintenance job description.

* Approved IWES roof repair terms and conditions as presented.

* Approved a policy revision to Policy BCB Board Member Conflict of Interest. The policy revision includes the district is allowed to employ, including through a third-party contractor that provides services to the district, any person who served as a member of the school district governing board during the preceding two years only in a position in which the person will provide services directly to students. The district is authorized to increase the time period for this restriction to be more than two years.

* Approved a policy revision to Policy BDA Board Organizational Meeting. The policy revision changes the guidelines for electing a new president of the board to any organizational meeting in January rather than between Jan. 1-15.

* Approved a policy revision to Policy BE School Board Meetings and BEDA Notification of Board Meetings. The policy revision includes the provision that the school board meetings must provide sufficient seating to accommodate a reasonable number of attendees and that a notice must include an agenda of matters to be discussed and how the public may obtain a copy of the agenda.

* Approved a policy revision to Policy EBC Emergencies. The policy revision updates the policy to include emergency response plans developed by the governing board are required to address how the school and emergency responders will communicate with and provide assistance to students with disabilities and emergency plans developed by the superintendent will be presented annually to the board.

* Approved a policy revision to Policy IHA Basic Instructional Program. The policy revision updates the policy to include literacy coaches and literacy specialists to be eligible for the requirement to be trained in dyslexia.

* Approved a policy revision to Policy JFABDA Admission of Students in Foster Care. The policy revision outlines enrollment status for students in foster care.

* Approved a policy revision to Policy JRCA-R Request for Transfer of Records and JLH Missing Students. The policy revision changes the policies from five days to 10 days to transfer student records from a private school to a public school.

* Approved a policy revision to Policy JK, JKD and JKE, which all pertain to student discipline. The policy changes update the policy to include the allowance of suspension for K-4th grade students of up to two days but not to exceed 10 cumulative days per year. The policy change is in response to statutory changes from the 2023 legislative session.

* Approved support staff employments of Bronson Begay, transportation bus driver trainee; Mary Candelaria, transportation bus monitor; Annie Dickson, transportation drive increase to 29 hours; Tyson Lester, food service substitute worker; Shane Morgan, food service student worker; Parker Moss, facility services facility worker; Deion Nez, district substitute custodian; Jonathan Sample, transportation bus monitor and white fleet driver; Chantell Slade, HSS/SPED special needs assistant; and Anthony Wilson, transportation driver trainee.

* Approved support staff resignations of Dillon Ohlson, food service; Amanda Tsosie, HHS attendance clerk; and Ruth Walker, Park/Hulet resident substitute.

* Approved certified employment of Ryan Simpson, HHS substitute teacher.

* Approved extra duty for Brianna Allison, SPED crisis prevention institute trainer; Ashley Attakai, sixth and seventh grade volleyball coach and HHS game official; Charlotte Begay, IWES SPED bus aide; Davina Begay, IWES assistant boys basketball coach; Rachel Benally, Annie Dickson, Jimmie Lano, Theresa Fewell and Mary Tsosie, all sports drivers; Steven Carbonneau, HHS head wrestling coach; Sandy Carlisle, Hulet spelling bee; Victoria Dawson, HHS curriculum and planning; Abrian Dickson, IWES head boys basketball coach; Karen Estridge, HJHS year one mentor; Lea Gishie, IWES assistant girls basketball coach; Ramie Hatch and Sarah Meeks, both HHS white fleet driver; Kim Jaster, Hulet art club; Alicia Jimenez, HJHS robotics club; Delmar Johnson, HHS head boys basketball coach; Laurie Jones, Earlene Lano, Derek Bitsilly and Tommy McLaws, all NAVIT drivers; Jeremy Madison and Victor Paz, both HHS assistant boys basketball coaches; Jessica Paz, HHS assistant girls basketball coach; Greg Perkins, HHS head girls basketball coach; Monica Sanchez, Park Lego and art club; Wayne Silvers, NAVIT driver and sports driver; Lori Williams, IWES head girls basketball coach; fall break workers Jesus Luna, Ryan Fraley, Shawn Tow, Victor Padilla, Abrian Dickson, Benjamin Meeks, Cordell Yazzie, Derek Bitsilly, Evan Mondragon, Florence Dinetso, Hunter Love, Ryden Livingston, Jimmy Lano, Judy Spencer, Kathy Yazzie, Marcellino Montoya, Pete Tracas, Ron Attakai, Theresa Luna, Tommy McLaws, Victor Paz, Davina Begay, Delden Nez, Earlene Lano, Laura Tsosie, Kim Yazzie, Cody Cline, Debbie Salabye, Sarah Gishie, Amelia Tsosie, Carolyn Begay, Jeanette Yazzie, Jasper Tunney, AJ Larsen, Jace Allison, Michaela Saxton, Mike Burks, Slade Allison, TC Castillo, Frank Apodaca, Jerry Joe, Kaylene Bitsilly, Mark O’Dell, Melissa Olson, Wayne Silvers, Cory Iashie, Gishie Arviso and Stanley Chester.

* Approved volunteers Connor Hager, HHS white fleet driver; Elisha John and Artie Yazzie, both for HHS girls basketball; Jorge Kinds, HHS athletics trainer; and Markos Serna, HJHS wrestling.

* Approved professional leave for Loren Silver, Native Language Summit, cost to the district is use of a district vehicle; Charles Haussman and Jeremy Madison, Arizona Council of Occupational/Vocational Administrators (ACOVA) Fall Career Technical Education (CTE) Leadership conference/ADE meeting, cost to the district of $635 and use of a district vehicle; Lori Williams, athletic director’s meeting; Lauren Maestas, Federally Impacted Schools Educational Foundation (FISEF) impact aid workshop, cost to the district is $1,060; Andrea Tomlin, principal leadership academy, cost to the district is $300, plus use of a district vehicle; Anne Lang, Arizona School Personnel Administrators Association (ASPAA) annual conference, cost to the district is $1,100 and use of a school vehicle; Anne Lang, Arizona State University career fair, cost to the district is $46; Anne Lang, ADE recruitment and retention task force, cost to the district is use of a school vehicle; Bernice Gover, Tiana Begay, Melissa John, Nora John, Donna Bizadi-Tallsalt and Desirae Silvers, Jason O’Malley (JOM) leadership and program training, cost to the district of $5,882; Jesus Luna-Almendariz, loss control summit, cost to the district is $305; Meghan Carbonneau, NAVIT Information and Communication Technologies for Education (ICTE) workshop, cost to the district is use of a district vehicle; Jason Foutz, Leadership, Know-how, and Quality (LKQ) Corporation donation pickup; and Chantel Taylor, Northern Arizona regional music festival, cost to the district is use of a bus.

* Approved expense and revolving vouchers totaling nearly $960,000.

* Approved payroll and expense vouchers totaling nearly $1.6 million.

* Approved personnel pay for Terri DeHaan, Shawn Goza and Suzanne Powell, all IWES Beyond Textbooks PD, $160; Clete Hargrave and Galen Knight, both Professional Development, $500; Bus Driver Attraction and Retention for August and September, $9,420; Bus Driver Attraction and Retention October, $4,680; HHS Desegregation Professional Development Sept. 23, $18,425; Park/Hulet Teach Like a Champion Professional Development, $640; Hulet/Park Teach Like a Champion Professional Development, $520; October White Fleet Driver Stipends, $1,120; Support Staff Professional Growth, $6,704; Certified Staff Professional Growth, $7,590; Northland Pioneer College (NPC) Dual/Concurrent Enrollment $5,952; Park/Hulet Teach Like a Champion Professional Development $480; and Insurance Buyout For Staff Not Accepting HUSD Insurance $6,875.

* Approved requests for IWES student council, boo grams, expected earnings of $150; Fusion, See’s candy, expected earnings of $800; Band and Fusion, Pampered Chef, expected earnings of $1,000; IWES student council, movie nights and concessions, both with expected earnings of $500 each; Spirit Line, cornhole tournament, expected earnings of $450; and HJHS student council, concessions, expected earnings of $1,000.

* Approved donations from All Points Media for $250 for HHS; Peter R. Marsh Foundation Music Grant for $1,000 for HJHS for the 2023-2024 school year; and LKQ Corporation for auto parts for HHS autos class valued at $7,004.

* Approved Policy DKC Expense Authorization/Reimbursement for final adoption.