The Holbrook Unified School District (HUSD) No. 3 Governing Board met last Tuesday, during which the Board Member Claudia Jackson was absent.

The board approved the district’s school safety plans for School Year (SY) 24-25 after a review presented by Superintendent Dr. Robbie Koerperich. In his presentation, he highlighted key points in training for emergency situations, safety plans and evaluating campuses for potential weak spots in security. Also noted was engagement within the community and cross training with the city. “It will impact the community anytime there’s a safety issue.”

Emergency response technology was mentioned as well, with Koerperich demonstrating an emergency notification app from Mutualink that all employees have access to that enables quick emergency response and communication. Schools will be able to communicate in real-time using Mutualink’s integrated communication platform with push-to-talk technology.

With this technology, live video, pictures, files, emergency plans and floor plans can be shared with law enforcement, addressing the ever-changing nature of emergency situations, making real-time information critical.

The board also held a public hearing for the Fiscal Year (FY) 25 budget in the amount of over $21.9 million, to which there were no public comments. The budget is a 5.2% increase over last year’s budget. The budget was then adopted by the board.

Also, in new and old business, the board:

* Approved a Sports Medicine I course at HHS for dual enrollment SY 24-25 for final adoption. All curriculum materials will align with Northland Pioneer College (NPC) dual enrollment coursework. It had undergone a 60-day review.

* Approved FY 25 retention stipends for all salaried employees for SY 24-25. HUSD wrote retention stipends into the HUSD Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER III) grant for all salaried employees.

* Approved a list of specific vendors as sole source providers for their products and services for FY 25. Sole source vendors are designated on the basis that they are the sole provider for the required materials or services for our school district.

* Approved a lease agreement continuation for district property located at 165 W. Arizona St. with Northern Arizona Council of Governments (NACOG) Head Start Division for preschool services. The agreement will be through May 31, 2029. The lease is $6,000 yearly.

* Approved the SY 24-25 Employee Handbook and Student Activities Handbook. The handbook is a summation of basic policies and procedures that apply to district employees. The student activities handbook outlines the policies and procedures for coaches and club sponsors.

* Approved the Wellness Coordinator extra duty job description for HUSD. The extra duty position will manage the district’s employee wellness plan, providing opportunities for employees to complete the employee wellness plan as part of the district’s overall health and wellness program.

* Approved the request to hire paraprofessionals and/or health aides throughout the school year, as needed, when these positions are required by a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP). The district is required to provide services for special needs students ages three through five and grades K-12.

* Approved support staff resignation of Thomas Castillo, HHS/SPED high needs paraprofessional; Stephanie Charley, food services cafeteria worker; Brenda Mangum, hourly human resources assistant; and Patricia Moore, Park/SPED high needs paraprofessional.

* Approved the certified employment of Ashley Smith, HHS art teacher SY 24-25.

*Approved extra duty for Ciara Analla, Kelsey Bartruff, Kara Gardner, Jessica Hubbard, Jamie Hughey, Melissa John, Josh Meeks, Holly Perkins, Peggy Reid, Monica Sanchez, Merissa Sullivan and Katie Willis, all for summer school.

* Approved volunteer Toby Christensen, HHS sports.

* Approved professional leave for Jason Foutz, Technology Student Association (TSA), cost to the district is $165; and Lelia Demuth, Association for Career Technical Education Arizona (ACTEAZ), cost to the district is $1,425.

* Approved expense and revolving vouchers totaling nearly $1.9 million.

* Approved payroll and expense vouchers totaling nearly $1.4 million.

* Approved personnel pay for Cody Cline, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) certification, $7,500; Abrian Dickson, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) license and HVAC certification, $7,500; Bernice Gover, professional development, $1,000; HHS Prop 301 Power of 5, $15,600; HJHS professional development – professional learning/planning, $480; Leave Buy Out 2023-2024, Revised, $20,005; HHS ESSER III Power of 5, $29,700; HHS summer school, $17,285; HJHS summer school – Learning Loss, $4,320; HJHS summer camp, $1,480; HHS curriculum development. $32,470; and IWES summer school, $23,560.

* Approved request by HHS clubs and sports to run concessions during the sports season for SY 24/25, expected to earn $1,000-$3,000 per event.

* Approved a donation from Navajo County in the amount of $1,199 for the HHS cross country team’s summer camp.

* Approved final adoption of Policy GBEF Staff Use of Digital Communications and Electronic Devices.

* 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.