With last week’s recognition of the nation’s veterans and armed servicemen still fresh in mind, memories will turn next month to another pivotal moment in U.S. history: the anniversary of the Dec. 7, 1941, Japanese military attack on Pearl Harbor.
Seventy-four years has passed since that fateful day, and plans are already underway around the country to honor those whose lives were lost in the line of duty.
Bands and performing artists are aligning to participate in a concert to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 2016, both to learn from each other and to express their support through the gift of music.
The topic was an item of discussion for the Joseph City School District Governing Board during its regular meeting last week. Proposed to the board for consideration is a seven-day, six-night trip to Hawaii for the district’s region choir students for the event.
In addition to student tours and performances at several of the island’s public venues, including Waikiki and Pearl Harbor, the trip would include educational tours to Pearl Harbor, the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, Punchbowl Memorial of the Pacific, U.S. Army Museum, U.S.S. Bowfin Submarine, U.S.S. Missouri (The Mighty Mo) and the Polynesian Cultural Center.
Cultural activities would include tours of downtown historic Honolulu, China Town, a hike of Diamond Head, catamaran sailing, snorkeling, boogie boarding, a rainforest hike, tours of an Oriental Buddhist temple, and historic pineapple and sugar cane fields, as well as a private luau.
The cost of the trip is $1,200 per student and $1,600 per chaperone. Eighteen students and a minimum of six chaperones are proposed.
Superintendent Bryan Fields explained, “Mr. Brian Gardner, the audition choir class instructor, is presenting an offer to arrange for a trip for the students to perform in Hawaii. It would occur after the end of the school year.” However, the proposal is reviewed in light of a caveat.
Fields explained that all out-of-state travel requests are reviewed by the district governing board for approval, as well as for tax credit qualification.
“Mr. Gardner has done this trip for years, preceded by his father. Holbrook and Winslow residents have participated in the trip under his guidance, and he has connections to arrange accommodations for it,” said Fields.
“I don’t know whether it will be approved or not. There are some concerns with it. We typically were trying to eliminate all out-of-state travel for students; our high school seniors did not go out of state for their senior trip, but that was different. This is a performing trip, so they would be performing for the 75th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack. This would not be just a tourist trip or anything like that.”
According to Fields, an out-of-state trip to California, which was denied Joseph City High School students last fiscal year, was led under the direction of a different instructor as a recreational excursion, and did not serve an educational or performance function. Those students ultimately attended an in-state destination arranged as an alternative.
“A senior trip is required to have one educational component,” he said. Fields pointed out that once a decision is made, the hard part of the process would be raising the funds and requesting tax credit donations from people.
The governing board tabled discussion of the request for the 2016 choir trip pending further review.
In other action Nov. 10, the board:
* Approved the agenda as presented. Oct. 6 regular meeting and executive session minutes were also approved.
* Heard reports from the administrative team.
* Named Irene Yarrison as November Employee of the Month.
* Heard public comments from Tom Layden, Julie Layden, Larry Baldwin and Gayla Smith, all regarding the 2016 choir out-of-state travel request to Hawaii.
* Approved consent agenda items, including district vouchers for general funds encumbrance totaling $166,720.62; payroll, $360,551.68; revolving fund, $342.24; auxiliary, $3,094.56; and student activity encumbrance, $1,606.16.
* Approved financial summaries for district, auxiliary, student activity and food service for September.
* Approved fiscal year 2016 appointments, including Dayton Flake as seventh grade girls’ basketball coach; Jason Hendricks, seventh grade boys’ basketball coach; Darrel Mosier, Science Fair coordinator; Connor Neal, substitute technology worker; and Deo Diaz, substitute activity bus driver and substitute maintenance worker.
* Approved fiscal year 2016 volunteers, including Krista Edwards for JCHS girls’ basketball; Sierra Rogers, JCHS girls’ basketball manager/statistician; and Kellen Roberson, Joseph City Junior High School wrestling.
* Approved governing board travel to the Arizona School Boards Association Conference scheduled Dec. 9-11 in Phoenix.
* Approved the fiscal year 2016 emergency response plan.
* Approved the Northland Pioneer College work study agreement.
* Approved the resignation of Isaac Hutton as a technology specialist.
* Approved a duplicate warrant to Follet School Solutions, Inc. from fiscal year 2015 funds.
* Approved adding the new position of part-time behavior interventionist added to the fiscal year 2016 salary schedule and the appointment of Dan Bushman to the position.
* Approved the method of administration of the Arizona Civics Exam.
* Approved Jared Dickson’s change from temporary to regular maintenance/grounds worker.
The next regular meeting of the board will be held at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 8, at the district office in the boardroom at 8176 N. Westover St.
