On Jan. 8, the Winslow Unified School District conducted a swearing-in ceremony for its newly appointed governing board members. The event was officiated by Todd Wilcox, the board clerk, who administered the oath of office to President Debbie Martinez, Janice Childers, and Isabel Britton. This ceremony marked the official commencement of their duties within the district’s governance structure.
During the regular meeting of the board last week, Martinez was reelected as the board president. Todd Wilcox was subsequently elected as vice president. Isabel Britton was appointed as clerk of the board, a position that entails managing the district’s official records and facilitating effective communication within the board. The elections proceeded smoothly, with all four board members present casting their votes in favor of the nominees.
Martinez expressed her gratitude for the support and reiterated her commitment to leading the board with dedication and integrity. Wilcox and Britton also conveyed their enthusiasm for their new roles, emphasizing their readiness to contribute to the district’s ongoing success.
In addition to the leadership elections, the board announced a change to its regular meeting schedule. Effective immediately, future board meetings will be held at 5:30 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. This adjustment from the previous start time of 6 p.m. was implemented to better accommodate the schedules of board members and to enhance participation from community stakeholders. The decision to revise the meeting time was unanimously approved by the present board members.
The meeting also featured a presentation by a group of sixth grade students, who showcased their recent projects emphasizing teamwork, cultural education and practical applications of their classroom learning. The students presented a collaborative marble experiment designed to teach design principles and problem-solving skills. They explained how the experiment required them to work together to meet specific design criteria, such as slowing the marble’s movement, which fostered teamwork and critical thinking. Additionally, they shared insights from a field trip to Walnut Canyon, where they explored aspects of cultural heritage, archaeology and water conservation efforts. During the field trip, the students learned about the daily life of the Ceniza group, the importance of water conservation in the canyon’s drought-prone environment, and the role of archaeologists in researching and preserving historical sites. These presentations highlighted the district’s commitment to providing students with hands-on learning opportunities that foster critical thinking and community awareness.
The student presentations were well-received by the board members and attendees, who acknowledged the students’ efforts and the educational value of their projects. Board members expressed their appreciation for the students’ hard work and creativity, noting how such projects enhance the learning experience and prepare students for future challenges.
In other business the board:
* Approved Connie Gover returning to work after one year on Educational Services Inc. (ESI).
* Approved hiring Monica Huerta as a media technician and Kee Powers as a paraprofessional.
* Approved the resignations of Betsy Pollard, reading specialist; Rosemary Ortiz, paraprofessional; Tracy Turley, high needs paraprofessional; Elizabeth Hard, health technician; and Monica Skaggs paraprofessional.
* Approved Lynne Sawyer’s request to retire in May and return to work on ESI.
* Approved transferring Carleen Walton from Jefferson Elementary School media technician to Winslow High School media technician.
* Approved extra duty pay for Denise Estudillo, chorus teacher; Carlos Quezada, track coach; Phillip Moncayo, baseball coach; Taylor Mills, track coach; Gary Roland, track coach; Christie Bratt, track coach; and Karla Curley, track coach.
* Approved student fundraisers for Indian Club concessions at the Shoe Game, FBLA online fundraiser and donations, student council spirit store, water at winter formal, and use of Petranovich Gym for pep assembly on Jan. 24, dance line girls dance camp and Egg Your Yard, cheer kettle corn, volleyball alumni game with concessions, cheer pickle sale and student council Valentine’s dance and concessions.
*Approved out-of-state travel for dance line to go to national in Anaheim, California, March 20-25.
The next meeting of the WUSD school board will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 5, in the meeting room, located at 800 N. Apache Ave.
