AJO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 15

MINUTES
REGULAR SESSION BOARD MEETING

Ajo Unified School District Board Room #23, 5:30 p.m.
October 8, 2009

1. Call to Order at 5:30 p.m.

2. Opening Exercises

   1. Roll Call:
      • P - Lisa Rossi, President
      • A - Amy Runge, Clerk
      • A - John Byrnes, Member
      • P - Rose Cameron, Member
      • P - Hollister David, Member
      • P - Robert Dooley, Superintendent
      • P - Joen Painter, Principal
      • P - Patricia Spencer, Financial Director
   2. Pledge of Allegiance
   3. Statement of Welcome
   4. Appointment of Acting Clerk - Mrs. Cameron
   5. Superintendent's Report - No Superintendent's Report
   6. Adoption of Agenda

      Mrs. Cameron made the motion to adopt the agenda as presented. Mr. David seconded the motion. The motion passed 3-0.

3. Visitor Comments

   Visitors are welcome to speak on non-agenda items. Comments are limited to 3 minutes. Please state your name and address prior to making your comments. The Board will not take any legal action on issues raised during this position of the meeting.

4. Consent Agenda

   1. Financial Report
   2. Voucher Approval
   3. Board Minutes

      Mrs. Cameron made the motion to approve the Consent Agenda. Mr. David seconded the motion. The motion passed 3-0.

5. Personnel

   1. Classified Employment - Teacher's Aide - Cindy Peterson

      Cindy Peterson, who is a certified teacher in Uruguay, has been a successful substitute teacher's aide since August 19, 2009. The position for which she is substituting for was declared vacant at the September Board Meeting.

      Mrs. Cameron made the motion to approve the employment of Cindy Peterson as a teacher's aide. Mr. David seconded the motion. The motion passed 3-0.

   2. Classified Employment - Cafeteria Worker - Toni Carrera

      Toni Carrera was originally hired by the District as a Substitute Teacher's Aide on September 3, 2009. During the same meeting a position opened up in the cafeteria for a food service worker. Antonia "Toni" Carrera is being recommended to fill this position.

      Mrs. Cameron made the motion to approve the employment of Ms. Carrera as a food service worker. Mr. David seconded the motion. The motion passed 3-0.

   3. Classified Employment - Substitute Teacher's Aide - Henry Robles

      Henry Robles, a certified teacher from the Philippines, has been interviewed for the position of substitute teacher's aide.

      Mrs. Cameron made the motion to employ Mr. Robles as a substitute teacher's aide. Mr. David seconded the motion. The motion passed 3-0.

   4. Extra Pay Position Resignation - Olivia Garcia

      Olivia Garcia has submitted a letter of resignation for the positions of Junior High Student Council Sponsor and 8th grade class advisor.

      Mrs. Cameron made the motion to approve the Extra Pay Position Resignation. Mr. David seconded the motion. The motion passed 3-0.

6. Curriculum & Instruction

   1. Adoption of New Vocational Education Course Titles

      To align our vocational courses titles with the CTE (career and technical education) department at ADE, we are asking the Board to approve the new course titles. This does not change our offerings of classes or our schedule. The current and proposed course titles are Fundamentals of Emergency medical Services (First Responder), Emergency Medical Services - Advanced (EMT), Web Page Development, and Electronic Journalism.

      Mrs. Cameron made the motion to approve the course titles. Mr. David seconded the motion. The motion passed 3-0.

   2. Annual Adoption of Certified Evaluation Plan

      The Administration is required to review the certified evaluation plan with the certified staff and to have the plan approved by the Board. The Administration will review the certified evaluation plan for the 09/10 school year.

      Mrs. Cameron made the motion to approve the 09/10 certified evaluation plan. Mr. David seconded the motion. The motion passed 3-0.

   3. Certified Community Wildlife Project

      The Ajo School District has been requested by local citizens and staff at Organ Pipe National Monument to declare the school as a community wildlife habitat. This can supplement our science curriculum while supporting small wildlife. The cost to the district is approximately $50. Staff from Organ Pipe National Monument will be present to respond to questions from the Board.

      Mrs. Cameron made the motion to declare the school a community wildlife habitat. Mr. David seconded the motion. The motion passed 3-0.

   4. Declaration of Curricular & Instructional Alignment

      Annually the Arizona Department of Education requires that districts declare their curriculum is aligned with the state standards.

      Mrs. Cameron made the motion to declare the AUSD is aligned with state standards. Mr. David seconded the motion. The motion passed 3-0.

7. Business

   1. Approval of 2009/2010 Proposition 301 Plan

      Representatives of the EAA have "signed off" on the Proposition 301 plan for the 09/10 school year.

      Mrs. Cameron made the motion to ratify the proposed 301 Plan for the 09/10 school year. Mr. David seconded the motion. The motion passed 3-0.

   2. Approval of the Annual Financial Report

      The Administration will review the Annual Financial Report with the Board.

      Mrs. Cameron made the motion to approve the AUSD AFR for the 2009 Fiscal Year. Mr. David seconded the motion. The motion passed 3-0.

   3. Awarding of Campus Lighting Bid

      Bids for exterior campus lighting were advertised the week of September 7, 2009, with submission of sealed bids stipulated to be in on October 2, 2009. The Administration will review the submitted bids and make a recommendation for an award.

      The Administration is recommending the exterior site lighting bid to go to Low Mountain Construction. Because the differences are so great between the low bid, Low Mountain Construction, and the next viable bid, Sellers and Sons, the Administration is recommending the Board approve Low Mountain Construction as the successful bidder for the site lighting and include in the motion awarding the bid to Sellers and Sons, in the event that Low Mountain Construction comes back after a visit to Ajo and increases their bid.

      Mrs. Cameron made the motion to grant the exterior lighting bid to Low Mountain Construction, and approved adding to the motion awarding the bid to Sellers and Sons, in the event that Low Mountain Construction comes back after a visit to Ajo and increases their bid. Mr. David seconded the motion and the addition to the motion. The motion passed 3-0.

   4. Revision of the Fiscal Year 2010 Ajo Unified School District Budget

      The administration will review the 2010 Budget revisions for the Board. Budget revisions are necessary doe to the fact that the state budget was adopted after the Board's initial adoption of the district's budget.

      Mrs. Cameron made the motion to approve the 2010 proposed budget revision. Mr. David seconded the motion. The motion passed 3-0.

   5. Adoption of ASBA Political Agenda

      The Arizona School Board Association is asking local boards to submit their top 10 priorities for ASBA's political agenda. A list of Political Agenda Priorities is attached. The AUSD Governing Board has agreed upon the following items for approval at the October 8th meeting:

      • I-1 Seek and support legislation that adequately encourages assists and financially supports the curriculum and instruction needs to AZ's public schools to ensure college and career readiness of all students.
      • II-2 Oppose unfunded and burdensome legislative mandates.
      • IV-12 Oppose efforts to undercut voter-approved measures
      • IV-17 Seek and support legislation required the AZ State Legislature to pass a state budget for the ensuring fiscal year no later than April 1 of the previous fiscal year.
      • V-3 Seek and support full funding for preschool
      • V-5 Seek and support legislation to adequately fund English Language Learners
      • VI-1 Seek and support legislation that provides increased funding for school personnel salaries
      • VI-10 Encourage legislation to provide additional finding for signing bonuses to help low income and small rural/isolated schools, as well as for high-need subject areas, to attract and retain highly qualified teachers.
      • VII-2 Advocate for the following changes in the new reauthorization of the federal NCLB
        • Increase the flexibility for states to use additional types of assessments for measuring AYP including growth models.
        • Grant states more flexibility in assessing students with disabilities and students not proficient in English for AYP purposes
        • Create a student testing participation range, providing flexibility for uncontrollable variations in student attendance
        • Allow schools to target resources to those students populations who need the most attention by applying sanctions only when the same student group fails to make AYP in the same subject for two consecutive years.
        • Ensure that students are counted properly in assessments and reporting systems
        • Allow supplemental services to be offered in the first year of "improvement," seek a greater role for LEAs in approving supplemental education service providers, and for LEAs to be able to provider such services even if identified as in need of improvements
        • Strengthen federal responsibility for funding
        • Require NCLB testing and reporting for non-public schools for students receiving Title I services
        • Flexibility and expanded authority for states and LEAs
        • Seek changes this year, or temporary relief, to LEAs from the restructuring sanctions until sch time as it is reauthorized
      • VII-9 Defeat all federal voucher and tuition tax subsidy proposals that result in public funds supporting private K-12 institutions

      Mrs. Cameron made the motion to approve the above items as the AUSD top ten political agenda list, to send to the ASBA. Mr. David seconded the motion. The motion passed 3-0.

8. Voucher Approval - Ajo Copper News

   Voucher No: 1008
   Full Amount of Voucher	44,894.47
   Consent Agenda Amount	44,894.47
   Ajo Copper News Amount	35.00

   Mrs. Cameron made the motion to table the voucher approval to the Ajo Copper News. Mrs. Rossi seconded the motion. The motion passed 3-0.

Noting no other business before the Board, Mrs. Rossi, President of the Board, adjourned the meeting at 6:24 p.m.

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