During the Holbrook Unified School District No. 3 Governing Board meeting last Tuesday, April 12, the board approved the Holbrook School District Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Release (ESSER) III grant.
The grant is for $6.8 million for fiscal years 2022-2024 to be distributed throughout the school district. Eighty percent of these funds are to be designated for “Safe Return to School,” which involves improving the physical spaces within the school, with the remaining 20% for “Learning Loss,” to compensate for the disruption of schooling during the pandemic, which according to Superintendent Dr. Robbie Koerperich, is widespread. “This could really be categorized as all of our students to some degree because they were out of school for a longer period of time than we would have liked,” adding that the expenses can align to Impact Aid, Title I, and Maintenance and Operations types of expenditures.
Allocations available for the district were received in September and funds were set aside for things such as retention and positions, with funds also allocated to each school based on Per People Allocation (PPA) and the Average Daily Member (ADM) amounts. Koerperich explained that each school determined its needs and expenditures. After discerning the amount needed by each facet, a grant was written and final approval was given earlier this month, which allows usage of funds to begin.
Of the estimated $6.8 million granted, approximately $1.3 million went to Learning Loss and approximately $5.4 million to Safe Return to School, with .30% ($1.6 million) set aside for the district needs. Koerperich added that “This equated out to about $3,200 per pupil.”
The amount allocated to the district went to $1,500 teacher/admin retention stipends for two years, a 50-cent increase for support staff for two years, technology supplies, substitute teacher costs, mental health specialist, and bus driver attendance pay.
Each school received different amount based on PPA and ADM over the three fiscal years, with Hulet Elementary School getting about $460,000, Indian Wells Elementary School (IWES) $890,000, Holbrook Junior High School (HJHS) $990,000, and Holbrook High School (HHS) $1.7 million.
The goal will be to use ESSER III funds to address learning loss, staff retention and development, new program implementation, and creating healthy buildings at HUSD #3. “It’s going to target our students, our teachers, and our overall education,” stated Koerperich.
The board also accepted the Independent Auditor’s Report and the Uniform System of Financial Records Compliance Questionnaire findings for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021. The audit was conducted for the purpose of forming an opinion on the financial statement of activities and funds that collectively comprise the district’s basic financial operations.
There were 20 findings within the audit overall, none showing gross neglect or system-wide failure, according to the presentation. Items are being addressed by staff and are in the process of making the recommended changes to bring the district into full compliance. “These are simply findings that say, ‘You need to rectify these for next year’,” stated Koerperich, “If there was anything substantial, it would be reported to the auditor general and maybe to the attorney general if it was bad enough and none of these findings go to that level. This is just for the board’s awareness and the public’s awareness. There was not anything mismanaged or mishandling of funds or anything like that.”
Also, in new business, the board:
* Approved the School Year 2022-2023 Open Enrollment Insurance Program. The program outlines insurance options and the implementation of an Employee Wellness Plan.
* Approved the memorandum of understanding between the Navajo Nation Head Start Program and HUSD to provide Head Start services to students within district boundaries.
* Approved a new reading curriculum called “Great Minds Wit and Wisdom/Geodes” for a 60-day review.
* Approved the open enrollment administrative procedure that outlines guidelines for accepting both resident and non-resident students based on open enrollment capacities.
* Approved Policy GCCA Professional/Support Staff Sick Leave for first reading. The revision includes an update to leave buy-out for staff that voluntarily separate from district employment. The changes include a buy-out rate increase and beginning the buy-out the fourth year of service.
* Approved HUSD’s school nurse job description required by a grant received by IWES. The grant will provide funding for a school nurse at IWES for the 2022-2023 school year.
* Approved Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) as a sole source provider for the AVID programs at HJHS and HHS.
* Approved out of state travel for HJHS, HHS and administration to attend the AVID Institute in San Antonio, Texas, from July 5-8. The training will prep teachers for the implementation and continuation of AVID school-wide, AVID elective and AVID administration. Cost of travel is written into the Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief Funds (ESSER III) for both HJHS and HHS.
* Approved the Holbrook Grad Night Committee to use Hulet Elementary School for the 2022 Grad Night without a facility use charge; as well as for the district to provide liability insurance coverage.
* Approved support staff employment of Elena Martinez, transportation student monitor.
* Approved the support staff retirement of Debbie Font, HJHS special education (SPED) and the resignation of Casey Hancock, district business manager.
* Approved the certified employment of Kelsey Bartruff, Hulet second grade teacher; Vicky Craig, district ESI substitute and full time SPED math teacher for 22/23 School Year; Shawn Goza, IWES return to work through ESI; Melissa John, Park/SPED special education teacher; Ashley Pederson, district ESI substitute; Holly Perkins, Hulet/SPED special education teacher; Josh Raisor, HHS/SPED transferring to social studies; and Dawn Tomlinson, HHS math teacher.
* Approved the certified staff retirement of Shawn Goza, IWES and Kerry Perkins, Hulet.
* Approved the certified staff resignations of Angie DelCollo, Hulet; Madelynn Green, HHS; Kamron Reidhead, HHS; Steven Santos, Hulet/Park; Courtney Sher, Hulet; Chris Starkey, HHS; and Jolee Starkey, Park.
* Approved extra duty for Bernice Gover, IWES afterschool softball; Courtney King, IWES afterschool basketball; Josh Raisor, HHS tutoring; Hoby Wilhelm, IWES afterschool soccer; and Lori Williams, IWES afterschool soccer/softball.
* Approved volunteer Jose Quezada, HJHS soccer.
* Approved professional leave for Jeremy Madison, safety meeting; Karalyn Reidhead, Arizona Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Speech Professional Development, at a cost to the district of $718; Casey Hancock, Jesus Luna, Jacob Baker, Victor Padilla, Shawn Tow, Ray McLaws and Ryan Fraley, AASBO Spring Pre-Conference & Conference, at a cost to the district of $3,750; Janelle Chee, PEL Meeting, at a cost to the district of $85; Ray McLaws, SNAAZ Industry Conference, at a cost to the district of $675; Shawn Tow, TAA Training, at a cost to the district of $920; Lori Williams, Athletic Director’s Meeting; Tim Eddings, Catching Up Your Student’s with Disabilities PD, at a cost to the district of $453; and Jeff Meeks, Arizona Department of Education Leading Change Conference, at a cost to the district of $950.
* Approved expense and revolving fund vouchers totaling $884,666.
* Approved payroll and expense vouchers totaling nearly $1.5 million.
* Approved personnel pay for Prop 301 payment of $127,080; HHS deseg professional development Day 2 for $11,000; bus driver attraction and retention February 2022 for $3,907; bus driver attraction and retention March 2022 of $4,550; Sherra Dunsmore, Kyle Gardner and Heidi Hunsaker, each for professional development for $500; Monica Liddle, HHS Prop 301 for $1,000; Jeri McKinnon, non-contract professional development for $425; and Nichole Tow, Hulet/Park recruiter stipend for $500.
* Approved requests by the HHS student council for a Mr. Roadrunner Pageant fundraiser with anticipated earnings of approximately $500-$1,000; HHS student council Jeans for a Cause fundraiser with expected earnings of approximately $500-$1,000; National Honors Society for Family Feud/Penny Wars fundraiser with expected earnings of $200; Class of 2024 to sell flowers and candy for Teacher Appreciation Week with expected earnings of $200; the IWES Student Council for Candy Gram fundraiser with expected earnings of $200; baseball for car wash/walking tacos fundraiser with expected earnings of $1,200; wrestling for summer wrestling tournament with expected earnings of $2,400; HHS Spiritline for cornhole tournament fundraiser with expected earnings of $500; HHS Spiritline for three car wash fundraisers with expected earnings of $400 each; and HHS Fusion for selling concessions at Fusion concert with expected earnings of $175.
* Approved donations received from The Lions Club in the amount of $200 to HJHS, $320 each to Hulet and Park elementary schools for bicycles for the end of the year awards; and a donation of school supplies to Indian Wells Elementary for grades PreK-sixth by The Office of Dine Youth.
* Approved final adoption of policies pertaining to admission of resident students and tuition/admission of non-resident students.
