The Winslow School District listened to a presentation that informed the board of a reported 50% cut to its crucial school improvement grant, originally valued at $90,000. During her presentation to the board Leanne Bowley, the director of federal programs for the district, told board members, “The State Department made a hot mess of their allocations and they notified us this week that they’re cutting that by 50%.” Bowley did not go into the specifics of how the district’s strategy with these funds will have to change but she also had good news for the board about the situation saying, ‘Luckily our team is super resilient and they’re going to be able to meet the goals that we have set forth by doing something just a little bit different.”
Bowley also outlined the district’s management strategy for over $1.4 million in federal grants, which include funds for helping low-income students, Native-American students through the Johnson O’Malley funds, and addressing school safety. Bowley started her new role with the district about a month ago and told the board that she looks forward to being more of an expert about the district’s federal programs in order to better address the needs of the district.
The board also spoke with another new hire, Ricky Greer, who has worked for the district before as a biology teacher and baseball coach, but left for several years and has returned as the athletic director for both Winslow Junior High and High School. Greer addressed the board to discuss extra duty pay for cheerleading coaches. He explained that the cheer team, which is one of Winslow’s most competitive activities, is split into two groups: dance and cheer. Although competitions are held for cheerleading, Winslow High School’s cheer team does not compete but continues to be the heartbeat of school spirit for events and sports at the school.
However, dance competitions are where Winslow goes to fill their trophy room, having taken home multiple state championships in recent years. This means that although the teams are under one sport that act like two different activities and, according to Greer, they have the longest season of any activity on campus, the way the coaches are compensated less than ideal.
He told the board that there were supposed to be coaches getting extra duty pay that weren’t last year, also the coaches that were paid extra duty pay are getting the same bonus as a coach of an activity with a season that is half as long as cheer. This was originally left on the consent agenda which is the part of the meeting where multiple things get passed with a single vote, but the board chose to single out this issue to discuss it further.
Board Vice President Joey Hartnett commented that originally the two groups were separated but at one point or another they did get combined and their coaches consolidated into one. Greer had asked the board to have an agenda item to authorize two additional coaches to be paid extra duty pay for the cheer a dance team. The board discussed it and ultimately approved the two new paid coaches.
Also discussed were rules guiding booster clubs for sports and clubs at the junior high and high school. Board President Debbie Martinez began the discussion with her belief that booster clubs are separate from the schools and the schools should not be dictating in what manner they can fundraise for their children.
Martinez then asked Greer if it were normal for schools to get involved in the parent created and run booster clubs which Greer answered by saying, “Yes because these clubs are using the schools name in their fundraising.” He continued by telling the board that some of these booster clubs hold events like golf tournaments and if someone were to get injured not only would the club be liable but parents working for the club could be individually liable.
The new guidelines presented to the board for consideration would require the clubs to be an organized nonprofit. The steps these clubs would have to take is, receiving preliminary approval from the district, filing articles of incorporation with the Arizona Corporation Commission, drafting and adopting bylaws, applying for a tax identification number and registering and be approved as a 501ce federally tax-exempt organization, open a bank account, obtain liability and property insurance and when all of that is completed the organization would be able to apply and receive final approval status from the district. This would also theoretically make it easier for the organizations to fundraise because they would be able to offer tax deductions for donators.
Board member Allen Leonard asked Greer if the district would then be liable for the mistakes of these booster clubs if they were to officially sign off on them. There were no lawyers in the room to officially say but Martinez reiterated that she thinks the board shouldn’t step in the way of booster clubs. Leonard said he thinks that the heart of this is making sure that the club is protected but the board seemed to agree that this issue needs to be looked at more and they ultimately tabled the item for now.
In other business, the board:
* Accepted a grant in the amount of $2,005.87 from the girls basketball booster club.
* Approved the hiring of Jacob Otterblad and Jonathan Nells as substitutes.
* Approved transferring Deanna Wilcox from WHS Inclusion Paraprofessional at the high school to High Needs Professional at Jefferson Elementary School and transfer High Needs Professional Tracy Turley from Jefferson Elementary to Washington Elementary School.
* Approved the following Winslow High School fundraisers: Student Council’s Howdy dance and Homecoming dance bottled water sale; Spiritline’s Youth Cheer Clinic, Homecoming programs, and Homecoming dance; Dance Line’s Snap fundraiser and Ramsey Classic HS Spiritline Competition; football’s concession stand sales, Bulldog card sales, and E-Team sponsor fundraiser; baseball’s Headwear sale and E-Team sponsor fundraiser; Honor Society’s Krispy Kreme doughnut sale and snack cart; Popcorn Club’s popcorn and pickle sales; First Priority’s birthday and greeting grams; S-Club’s Valentine grams.
* Approved tax credits and donations for Washington Elementary School as well as fundraisers including snack sales, Gatorade sales, Walk-a-Thon, candy grams, pens/pencils sales; and Orchestra’s gel pens sale.
* Approved minor budget revision to adjust the allocation of funds for the transportation of special education students, this results in no increase costs for the district.
* Approved canceling the Sept. 4 regular meeting.
* Approved Greg Schalow as the district’s disciplinary hearing officer.
* Approved the following qualified evaluators: Superintendent Connie Gover, Principal Sal Hernandez, Vice Principal Kourtney Hendricks, Career and Technical Education Director Penny Brimhall, Principal Debra Lopez, Vice Principal Travis Dooley, Principal Amanda Leonard, Academic Coach Marie Putnam, Principal Larissa Richards, Principal Amber Martinez, Special Education Director Nathan Lindaman, Federal Programs Director Leanne Bowley, IT Director Steve Henline, Business Manager Casey Hancock, Transportation Supervisor Tony Mora and Director of Maintenance Paul Sheats.
The next meeting of the WUSD school board will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 21, in the meeting room, located at 800 N. Apache Ave.
