The Holbrook Unified School District (HUSD) No. 3 Governing Board met last Tuesday, during which they approved two new courses to be provided at the Holbrook High School (HHS). The courses, which are Sports Medicine I and Stagecraft I, will begin during the 2024-25 school year. Sports Medicine I is a career and technical education (CTE) course and will be offered as a one-period dual enrollment course for HHS students. All curriculum materials will align with Northland Pioneer College (NPC) dual enrollment coursework. The course curriculum will be posted as a 60-day review.
Stagecraft I is also a CTE course, with a focus on set design, lighting, costume design, theater acoustics, scene painting, property management and technical direction for production and computer applications. It was explained that costs will be minimal due to HHS having most, if not all, required materials. Superintendent Dr. Robbie Koerperich stated that since they are CTE courses, the school will get additional funding CTE.
The board also received presentations on three action research projects done during the school year and their results. Lauren Maestas presented her research on improving operational efficiencies, Bernice Gover on best practices in English language learner classrooms and Anne Lang discussed her study in regards to recruitment using media platforms. “This is part of the performance pay for our administrators. The concept is to study an issue that’s going on in their particular field in our district,” explained Dr. Robbie Koerperich.
Also, in new business, the board:
* Approved the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Notice of Appointments for non-exempt support staff for the 2024-2025 school year and a 3.5% raise for all support staff hourly rates.
* Approved the 2024-2025 intergovernmental agreement (IGA) between NAVIT and HUSD. The IGA outlines HUSD’s agreement with Northern Arizona Vocational Institute of Technology (NAVIT) in relationship to the programs and courses taught at Holbrook High School.
* Approved the IGA between HUSD and the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office for school resource officer services through the Arizona School Safety Grant.
* Approved to continue an IGA with the Joseph City School District to share a Federal Projects Manager position. The IGA outlines the shared responsibilities, as well as the financial terms for each school district.
* Approved a revision to the Special Services Addendum to reduce occupational therapy assistant service for school year (SY) 2024-25. Occupational therapy assistant services will be provided by another provider for SY 24-25.
* Approved the 2024-2025 Inter-Agency Agreement to provide child nutrition programs with the Navajo County Instruction for Success School (NCIS).
* Approved adult paid meal prices for HUSD to be set at $6 for lunch and $3.25 for breakfast to align with Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) guidelines for SY 24-25. Per FNS Instruction 782-5 REV.1, SFAs (School Food Authorities) paid meal prices must be above the cost of a free meal plus donated food from USDA. The ala carte prices will continue to adjust with the cost of food prices.
* Approved CWDL Certified Public Accountants, formerly Dobridge & Company, CPA, to perform the annual audit for HUSD for Fiscal Year 2025.
* Approved the administrative procedure to administer online payment for daycare payment.
* Approved the SY 24-25 Open Enrollment plans for next school year. The changes relate to adding a higher deductible plan option and revising the flexible spending contribution rate due to federal requirements for employer matching guidelines.
* Approved the revision to the Recruitment and Retention Administrative Procedure.
* Approved the IT Systems/Software Change Administrative Procedure. The administrative procedure outlines guidelines for technology compliance with the Uniform System of Financial Records (USFR) as outlined in the FY 23 audit.
* Approved HUSD to pay any benefits associated with the Teacher of the Year stipends in relation to the Vince and Libby Budenholzer family donation of $200 for each teacher recognized as Teacher of the Year at HUSD.
* Approved summer activities. Summer activities will be grant funded or sponsored by clubs. District liability insurance will cover these events during the summer months.
* Approved the extension of the contracted mileage program for summer related school activities to ensure HUSD students have access to summer education programs effective May 31, 2024.
* Approved out of state travel for six students to attend the Close Up Washington DC trip sponsored by Governor Katie Hobbs and the Arizona Cardinals. All expenses will be paid by Close Up and the Arizona Cardinals.
* Approved a social worker job description and position opening. The position will be a district-wide social worker to assist with student development.
