Northern Arizona Vocational Institute of Technology (NAVIT) Superintendent Matt Weber made a presentation to the Holbrook School District Governing Board Nov. 8 regarding the program’s offerings for students. The NAVIT program works in conjunction with Northland Pioneer College and the district to provide students with workforce skills while still enrolled in high school. With equalization funding being cut at the college level, introducing new courses and maintaining others has been difficult for the program, which is trying to provide optimal training for current workforce demands. NAVIT currently offers eight areas of study, with all but auto technician available to students in the Holbrook district. The other seven include welding, industrial maintenance, heavy equipment operation, cosmetology, fire science, nursing assistant and education professions. The heavy equipment operations course of study is currently being considered for discontinuation, not due to lack of attendance, but because of the costs associated with that course. “There’s an exorbitant cost that comes with that class. There’s equipment maintenance, purchasing equipment and then, of course, the cost of fuel,” explained Weber. The Navajo County Community College District Governing Board is currently considering that issue and is expected to make a determination in January. In some instances, the funding is not the issue so much as finding a time slot to hold a class that works with students’ schedules. “We’re hoping to bring back the medical assistant course. We had good attendance, but, unfortunately, the college could not arrange a time slot for it,” said Weber. He also mentioned that there has been interest in a pharmaceutical technician course, but courses such as that, as well as emergency medical technician classes, have a requirement that can make the course more of a challenge for students. In both instances, the student must be 18 in order to take the final test. As a result, many high school students have to wait to take the test and studies show that if a student has to wait more than 60 days to take the test, the failure rate is higher. Board President Linda Yazzie suggested a physical therapy course be added to the offerings, and Weber noted that he would present her suggestion to the NAVIT administration for consideration. He added that the difficulty in providing some of these courses is the availability of skilled instructors. Winslow High School currently has a sports therapy course, but scheduling issues prevent Holbrook students from being able to travel to Winslow to take part in the course. Weber stated that a mechatronics course is in the planning stages and if that should come to fruition, the program would include mechanical, electrical, computer and software engineering, skills that are in high demand in our rapidly advancing technological society. Board Vice President Olivia Jaquez asked Weber if the NAVIT program helps students with placement in internship positions, either paying or non-paying, in order to allow them to experience workforce training. Weber explained that in some instances they do with the power plants or through a local welding company, but not usually. “The reality is that once these students complete their education, they migrate to metropolitan areas and do not stay in our area,” he said. Yazzie asked what the limitations are on admission to the courses. “I have Holbrook High School graduates walking around my community without skills. Can they come back to take (NAVIT) courses once they graduate?” she asked. “Once students receive their diplomas, we can’t pay for their courses. But if they have not graduated and are not yet 22, then they can still have access to what we have to offer,” Weber replied. In other business, HHS Student Council President Elizabeth Perry addressed the board with a proposal that would allow Holbrook seniors to reap the benefits of community service. Perry stated that the council would like to provide a program to seniors that would include local service projects on a monthly basis that would allow students to accrue service hours. Students who participate 90 percent of the time would have an opportunity to take part in an out of state service project. “This would be a maximum of three nights away that would include 12 hours of service. This is an opportunity to show students that they can make a difference in the world, not just in their community,” explained Perry. There would be other requirements of students, such as good grades and no disciplinary issues, and fundraisers would be held to offset the cost of the trip. The location proposed by Perry was Southern California, where the students could spend two days of community service, visit Knott’s Berry Farm and take a trip to Catalina Island. The cost per student would be $500, with opportunities for fundraisers for families that may not be able to fund such a trip for their child. Perry also suggested ETC (Environmental Traveling Companions) as the group to arrange all aspects of the trip. “I appreciate the work you’ve done to arrange this, but I do have concerns with our diverse student body,” stated Superintendent Dr. Robbie Koerperich. “I believe there will be a lot of issues despite the best of intentions.” Perry stated that she believed that she understood the issues and that the senior class was an exceptional group that would pull together to make the project work. Yazzie asked that Perry make a trip to Indian Wells, with respect to the cultural differences, and address the parents regarding the matter. Perry agreed. The board approved her request as long as she works closely with Koerperich and HHS Principal Lance Phaturos as she pursues the project. In other action Nov. 8, the board: * Approved for final adoption Convergences: Themes, Texts and Images and The Everyday Writer with Exercises to be used for a dual-enrollment English course at HHS. * Approved a policy pertaining to Indian education as per annual review. * Authorized acceptance of an E-Rate grant in the amount of $349,639.01 to upgrade the Indian Wells Elementary School network to a gig backbone to better accommodate the increased number of students, and award a contract for the project to Network Infrastructure Corporation. * Approved Thomas Castillo to complete 280 hours of audio and technology internship in the Holbrook School District. * Approved the support staff employment of Josh Hatch as HHS assistant wrestling coach. * Approved the certified staff employment of Veronica Barba, Holbrook Junior High School sixth grade teacher; Aaron Barba, HJHS math teacher; and Cathy Luke, adult literacy instructor. * Approved the resignations of Frank Stacey, HHS assistant boys’ basketball coach; and Curtis Berger, HHS head football coach. * Approved extra duty for Frank Stacey, HHS assistant girls’ basketball; Melicia Thompson, HJHS game help; and Daisy Gohl, auditorium technician. * Approved volunteers Reuben Serna, HJHS wrestling; Elisa Alejandro, HJHS volleyball; and Allison Gardner, HHS Choir. * Approved gifts and donations in the amount of $816. * Approved professional leave for Adrian Tubbs, Snowflake, Lesson Plans That Change Teaching, Oct. 24-25 and Nov. 7-8 at an estimated cost of $525 plus use of a district vehicle; Teri White, Snowflake, Skills Leadership Conference, Oct. 24, at an estimated cost of use of a district vehicle; Perci Lee, Brenda Mangum, and Judy Jones, St. Johns, Apache and Navajo County User Group Meeting, Nov. 1, at an estimated cost of use of a district vehicle; Cale Allen and Stacey Wilt, Grand Canyon, Grand Canyon Teacher Training, Oct. 21-23, at an estimated cost of $296 plus use of a district vehicle; Marlena Day, Tucson, Mentor Training Academy, May 15-17, at an estimated cost of $686.57; Sunny Obren, Phoenix, A+ School Workshop, Nov. 2-4, estimated cost of $395 plus use of a district vehicle; and Sun Valley Indian School employees Mardell Knowles, David Embrey, Sandy Anderson, Steve Lesko, Delinda Stafford, Kelly Glisson, Richard Aunkst, Vanessa Yoder, Bethany Nupen, Bruce Johnson, Janna Matheny and Ray Kishen, Association of Christian Schools International Convention registration for private school per diem, Nov. 4, cost of $600 in joint grant funding. * Approved expense and revolving fund vouchers in the amount of $523,612.59; and payroll and expense vouchers in the amount of $1,219,102.60. * Approved HHS fundraisers, including the HHS Student Council’s Winter Formal Dance, Dec. 10, at a cost to students of $8 per person or $12 per couple; an HHS Band luncheon Nov. 16 at the Northeast Region Junior High Honor Band, Choir and Orchestra Festival; HHS wrestlers to serve dinner at the Elks Lodge at an undetermined date in November or December; IWES apparel sale for students, staff, teachers and their families; IWES Student Council to sell pie, coffee and hot cocoa for Native American Night; and HHS Spiritline to sell Gold Canyon candles.