Ten Winslow Unified School District teachers were honored for their students’ 2025-26 test results at the governing board’s Sept. 30 meeting. The board also adopted four policy updates covering district credit cards and purchasing ethics.
All five board members attended the roughly half-hour meeting and every motion passed on a voice vote. No one spoke during the call to the public.
“What we have witnessed tonight is really a feat,” Board President Debbie Martinez said of the teachers. She said she could not recall the board holding a similar recognition before. The superintendent introduced the awards as recognition of exceptional state test scores from the 2025-26 school year. Principals presented them school by school.
At Winslow High School, math teacher Julie Thomas was recognized for her students’ scores, which reached the 62nd percentile. Her principal said she is among the first teachers to arrive and the last to leave and puts in long hours over the summer. Former students often credit her class with helping them in college, the principal said.
At Winslow Junior High, math teacher Carlos Guerrero’s students scored within 0.3% of the county average on the state math assessment. Guerrero is the school’s lead math teacher and eighth grade math scores have improved steadily since he arrived, his principal said.
Seventh grade English language arts teacher Irish Goopio was honored after every student in her accelerated class scored proficient or higher on the state reading assessment, beating county and state averages. She heads the school’s English language arts department.
Six Bonnie Brennan Elementary teachers were recognized for beating state and county averages. Fourth grade teachers Jana Jordan and Kimberly Setalla were honored for math, and third grade teachers Gabby Muse, Natasha Naha and Christie Bratt were honored for English language arts. The sixth teacher recognized, Billie Avalar, beat both averages in math and English language arts for the second year in a row.
At Jefferson Elementary, first grade teacher Kathleen Diaz ended last school year with no students scoring well below benchmark on DIBELS, an early reading assessment. Jefferson’s students are too young for the state test, which begins in third grade.
Board members echoed the praise during their closing comments. “It’s just an honor to be in their presence,” Board Vice President Isabel Britton said.
In policy action, the board adopted Arizona School Boards Association policy advisories 1065 through 1068 on second reading. Advisory 1065 revises the district’s rules for credit and procurement cards to reflect the state’s Uniform System of Financial Records.
Before the vote, a board member asked that Business Manager Casey Hancock review the card policy. Hancock told the board the district has two credit cards and a Walmart card, keeps a list of who checks them out and requires a purchase order to use them. The advisory contains nothing the district is not already doing, Hancock said.
Advisory 1066 covers purchasing ethics and asked the board to choose how per-person meal amounts are set: follow the State of Arizona Accounting Manual or set its own dollar figures. Hancock said the district already follows the state manual and board members agreed to keep doing so. The other two advisories carry matching language, one for board members and one for employees.
The superintendent presented this year’s strategic plan as an information item and no vote was taken. The plan is posted on the district website and is more specific than earlier versions, which the superintendent described as too broad.
Under the plan, the district will update its teacher evaluation tool this year after finding gaps in it. Professional development days will be added to the next two school calendars, which go to the board in the coming weeks.
The plan also sets a five-year goal of providing daycare for the children of district employees, which the superintendent said would help new families moving to a community with few daycare options. Each school lists projects it wants to complete this year. District leaders began work on the plan over the summer and finished it a couple of weeks before the meeting, the superintendent said.
In other action, the board approved the district’s list of qualified evaluators for the 2026-27 school year. It also renewed an annual agreement with the Navajo County Superintendent of Schools that lets the district bill the county for busing students who live in a small area of unorganized territory.
Martinez thanked AES Clean Energy, identified at the meeting as the wind farm company, for donating $5,345 to the Winslow Junior High School robotics program. She asked that the district send a thank you card.
Board member Todd Wilcox reported that about 140 Winslow High School students are taking Northland Pioneer College classes this semester and 39 are enrolled in Northern Arizona Vocational Institute of Technology, the regional career and technical education program. Those numbers grow a little each year, he said.
Martinez said wet fields have forced cancellations in junior high softball and football, and high school soccer. She said she hopes play can resume this month.
Board members also praised Reading Under the Stars, which was held Sept. 29, at Jefferson Elementary School and the staff who stayed late to run it. Board Clerk Josephine “Dodie” Montoya extended thanks to grounds, transportation, custodial and maintenance workers. “It takes a team,” Montoya said.
The board held a special meeting on Tuesday, in the district board room to approve the annual financial report. Hancock said the report must be turned in by Oct. 15.
It was noted that two board seats are up for election. The terms of Montoya and Wilcox end Dec. 31, according to the district’s website.
The next regular meeting is at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, at the performing arts center. It was moved there to make room for families as the board recognizes high-achieving students.
