The Holbrook Unified School District (HUSD) No. 3 Governing Board met for a regular meeting Tuesday, Nov. 4, during which the board started the groundwork to begin the search for a new district superintendent to take over following the retirement of Superintendent Dr. Robbie Koerperich’s in 2027.

Prior to the regular meeting, the board held a work session, during which representative of the Arizona School Administrator’s (ASA) Association Dr. Mark Joraanstad provided the board with an overview of the process.

The board discussed the extent of stakeholder involvement to be included in the search process for a superintendent and directed the ASA, in conjunction with district administration, to develop specific plans. “We talked about cultural content and the survey, and then also a comment section, and then questions for the forum as part of the survey,” Dr. Koerperich explained during the meeting.

Later in the meeting the board adopted the document to approve ASA search team to conduct an online survey amongst HUSD stakeholders, along with forums for staff and the community for final candidates, with the addition of cultural content and survey along with a comment section during the regular meeting.

The components of a position advertising document were also reviewed during the work session, which followed with the board adopting the position advertising document to be published. The board also approved to direct ASA to construct and publish an advertising document related to the superintendent position.

Dr. Joraanstad was approved by the board to provide a brief overview of the next search meeting agenda. “The next meeting is the screening applications,” Joraanstad stated, with a reminder that the applications for the superintendent position will close Monday, Jan. 5. Joraanstad also walked through potential next steps and dates following the board’s screening and selection of applicants.

In other business, the board:

* Approved the book listings for book purchases for students through the Indian Wells Elementary School and Hulet Elementary School’s Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Book Program for final adoption.

* Approved Lunchtime Software as the sole provider for point-of-sale register devices for the district’s cafeterias. This vendor has been board-adopted and no comparable alternatives exist that provide full compatibility and integration with the current lunchtime operating system.

* Approved the School Year 2025-26 Business Continuity Plan, which outlines business continuity in the matter of a disruption to business operations. This is an audit requirement. A tabletop scenario has been designed and discussed with the HUSD leadership team.

* Approved a leave of absence for Meagan Newton-Pender beyond the Family Medical Leave Act due to family medical reasons. The leave will begin Jan. 9, 2026, and last through the end of the school year.

* Approved Sylvia Jackson for out-of-state travel to attend the National Johnson O’Malley (JOM) conference in Denver, Colo., Nov. 7-11. Jackson will be recognized as the JOM Teacher of the Year.

* Approved the classified resignation of Kassandra Grabowski, Holbrook High School (HHS) head coach Spirit Line; and Ellianne Lang, HHS cafeteria substitute.

* Approved the classified employment of Tammy Attakai, district custodian; Charlene Betts, high needs paraprofessional; Seth Browning, student facilities worker; Christina Castillo, transportation bus driver; Julian Chavez, district cafeteria delivery; Tara Espitia, Park Elementary, hourly rate change and retroactive to July 1; Hannah Gabaldon, Park Elementary, part-time high needs paraprofessional; Lillian Jones, Hulet Elementary, daycare assistant; Deldon Nez, IWES, custodial hours increase; Bryce Russell, IWES student cafeteria worker; and Teri Tafoya, district sub secretary.

* Approved the certified employment of Katy Brown, Holbrook Junior High School (HJHS) social worker; Ramona Joe, Kevin Self and Zachary Woody, all district ESI substitutes.

* Approved extra duty for Ashley Attakai and Steven Carbonneau, both HJHS non-AIA sports officials; Jacob Baker, project management facility extra duty; Davina Begay, IWES assistant coach boys basketball; Destany Begay, HJHS sports helper and volleyball volunteer; Mike Burks, district auditorium manager extra duty; Jesus Luna, project management environmental services extra duty; Lauren Masesta, project management fiscal services extra duty; Paige Murray, HHS Spirit Line head coach; Gabriel Nells, IWES boys basketball head coach; Sophia Nells, IWES assistant coach girls basketball; and Jasilyn Yazzie, IWES head coach girls basketball.

* Ryan Baldonado, HHS head baseball coach; Ronald Eisele, HHS assistant baseball coach; Nathan Johnson, HHS volunteer assistant basketball coach; Erlinda Murray, Park classroom help volunteer; Terryuna Nez, HHS volunteer assistant basketball coach; Victor Padilla, HJHS white fleet driver; and Marcos Serna, HHS head coach girls wrestling. * Approved professional leave for Phoebe Adrales-Torres, 2025 Arizona Health & Physical Education State convention, Mesa, Oct. 27-29, cost to the district is $277; Jacob Baker, 2025 loss control summit, Tempe, Nov. 19-20, cost to the district is use of a district vehicle; Kyle Gardner, Career and Technical Education advisory council, Holbrook, Oct. 22; Charles Haussman, Northern Arizona Vocational Institute of Technology (NAVIT) directors meeting, Taylor, Oct. 20; Charles Haussman, Arizona Department of Education meeting/Arizona Council of Occupational Vocational Administrators conference, Prescott, Nov. 5-7, cost to the district is $443 and use of a district vehicle; Laurie Jones, leadership in training mirror grid workshop, Flagstaff, Oct. 30; Lauren Maestas, Arizona Association of School Business Officials school finance workshop/The trust loss, Phoenix, Nov. 19-20, cost to the district is $406; Lauren Maestas, Impact Aid workshop, Las Vegas, Nev., Dec. 7, cost to the district is $1,466; Dr. Robbie Koerperich, Kyle Gardner, Jessica Paz, Clete Hargrave and Alicia Jiminez, Project RAISE training at Helios Center, Phoenix, Nov. 6-7, cost to the district is $2,500, grant funded; Anika Francis, Gabriel Nells and Sophia Nells, Navajo-Hopi Area Junior High League XC finals, Flagstaff, Oct. 23; Joel Daniels, Conner Prestwich NAVIT advisory committee meeting, Show Low, Oct. 23; and Lauren Maestas, Sally O’Dell and Michaela Saxton, procurement workshops, Show Low, Oct. 29-30.

* Approved expense and revolving vouchers totaling $577,857.

* Approved payroll and expense vouchers totaling nearly $1.8 million.

* Approved personnel pay for coaching, professional development, professional growth in the amount of $81,499; personnel pay for coaching in the amount of $3,719; classified notice of appointments, Nov. 2025; August 2025 white fleet driver’s stipend in the amount of $280; September 2025 white fleet driver’s stipend in the amount of $1,320; and October 2025 – white fleet driver’s stipend in the amount of $720.

* Approved the acceptance of donations from the Junior Golf Association of Arizona to the golf team in the amount of approximately $1,000 worth of equipment, including target rings, putting mats, hitting mats and golf balls; The Thunderbirds Foundation to the golf team in the amount of $1,500 for supplies and related travel; and Honyoutink LLC to HJHS athletics in the amount of $500.

* Approved consent agenda items and expense vouchers in items. Detailed information for all District expenditures may be obtained by contacting the School District business office located at 1000 N. 8th Ave., in Holbrook. Phone 1-928-524-6144.