AJO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 15

MINUTES
REGULAR SESSION BOARD MEETING

Ajo Unified School District Board Room #23, 5:30 p.m.
January 17, 2008

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

2. Opening Exercises

   1. Roll Call:
      • P - John Byrnes, President
      • P - Lisa Rossi, Clerk
      • P - Rose Cameron, Member
      • P - Hollister David, Member
      • Tardy - Amy Runge, Member
      • P - Robert Dooley, Superintendent
      • P - Frederick Fout, Principal
      • Ab - Patricia Spencer, Financial Director
   2. Pledge of Allegiance
   3. Statement of Welcome
   4. Appointment of Acting Clerk, if necessary
   5. Superintendent's Report
      • The Board has a copy of the Tax Credit Review on their table, showing who donated money and to what activity or sport. Mr. Byrnes offered to write thank you notes to the individuals for donating to the District. The Board is also given a copy of the receipts that donors receive. The District received $11,800 this year.
      • The Financial Audit is complete. Verbally there is no issue that would be a significant breech of accounting procedures or the USFR. A more formal report will be given in a few months.
      • The District sent out a Student Internet Survey to 4-12 graders. The synopsis of the survey was that 71% of those students have a computer at home. 60% of those students have internet access. (11% have computers but no internet access) 51% of students have internet access, off campus.
      • This time of year is busy around campus. This is Student Retention Notification time. Teachers meet with parents and students who are in danger of not passing on to the next grade level. Final decisions about student retention will not be made until March. This gives the student and parent time to correct certain problems that might be occurring.
      • Dr. Dooley, Mike Morales, and a surveyor from ACE Asphalt Company reviewed the campus this week to get estimates and quotes for the upcoming asphalt Bid. The three main areas to be working on are the gymnasium parking lot, the parking lot around the auditorium, and the front of school along Well Road. The Administration will use ACE’s quote as a base for soliciting quotes for the Bid.
      • The Gym Lights are complete. The quality is better and the lights are move energy efficient.
      • Legislation last year and Governors task force that came out with ELL mandates to all the schools in the state. The mandates are unfunded and almost impossible to implement. To implement the basic mandates the District would have to add two ELL teachers and a Spanish Teacher, because our current ELL teacher would not be able to teach any Spanish classes. Not to mention the lack of classrooms for the three extra teachers. Only 40% of our costs were mandated by the state in 2006. Next week around 100 superintendents across the state will meet with their representatives and senators to discuss this issue. When the Administration has more on this issue, we will present it to the Board. If the Board is interested, the Administration will forward Senator’s and Representative’s numbers to you.
   6. Adoption of Agenda

      Mrs. Runge made the motion to adopt the agenda. Mrs. Rossi seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-0 to adopt the agenda.

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. Rossi made the motion to approve the Consent Agenda. Mr. Byrnes seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-0.

5. Personnel

   1. Classified Resignation

      Juanita Murray, an ELL Aide, has submitted her resignation effective January 7, 2008. Her family is moving out of state.

      Mrs. Rossi made the motion to approve Mrs. Murray’s resignation. Mrs. Runge seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-0.

6. Business

   1. Board Meeting Dates

      Each year the Board formally adopts a calendar for regular (action) meetings. If there are later calendar conflicts, the Board president and superintendent can mutually adjust dates. The dates for the 2008 regular meetings are as follows:
      Jan. 17, Feb. 14, March 13, April 10, May 15, June 12, July 10, Aug. 7, Sept. 9, Oct. 16, Nov. 13, Dec. 11.

      Mrs. Rossi made the motion to approve the above dates as Board meeting dates. Mr. Byrnes seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-0.

   2. Contracting with Taylor Therapy for Speech Services.

      The District has solicited & received references for Speech Services from 3 vendors. Those vendors were EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, TAYLOR THERAPY SERVICES, INC., and CUMBERLAND THERAPY SERVICES. The administration is recommending Taylor Therapy Services. Rational for this decision can be found as back-up in the January 17, 2008 Agenda.

      Mrs. Rossi made the motion to approve contracting Taylor Therapy Services to provide speech therapy services to Ajo Unified Schools. Mrs. Runge seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-0.

   3. Policy Adoption – 2^nd Reading – GDF

      The AZ School Boards Association, policy development division, is recommending the adoption of the following policy:
      GDF Support Staff Hiring

      House Bill 2079 newly enacted A.R.S. 23-211 & 23-212 requires all employees in Arizona to use the government E-Verify system to confirm the documentation of Homeland Security I-9 form for newly hired employees.

      Mrs. Runge made the motion to adopt the above policy. Mrs. Rossi seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-0.

   4. Policy Adoption – 2nd Reading – GCF

      The AZ School Boards Association, policy development division, is recommending the adoption of the following policy:
      GCF Professional Staff Hiring

      House Bill 2079 newly enacted A.R.S. 23-211 & 23-212 requires all employees in Arizona to use the government E-Verify system to confirm the documentation of Homeland Security I-9 form for newly hired employees.

      Mr. Byrnes made the motion to adopt the above policy. Mrs. Runge seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-0.

   5. Voucher Approval – Ajo Copper News

      Approve the amount of $213.54 from expense voucher # 7820 & #7823 as presented.

      Voucher No: 7820
      Full Amount of Voucher		63,024.23
      Consent Agenda Amount		62,854.73
      Ajo Copper News Amount		169.50
      Voucher No: 7823
      Full Amount of Voucher		32,341.26
      Consent Agenda Amount		32,297.22
      Ajo Copper News Amount		44.04

      Mrs. Rossi made the motion to approve the amount of $231.54 from expense vouchers 7820 & 7823 payable to the Ajo Copper News. Mrs. Runge seconded the motion. The motion passed 4-0, with Mr. David abstaining.

   6. Community Survey Report

      In December 2007 the Board distributed a survey via the Table Top Telephone Co. monthly billing. Surveys were submitted to the Board President Mr. Byrnes and the Board Clerk Mrs. Rossi. The Board will be given the opportunity to review the results of this survey.

      This is a discussion item only. There is no action required.

7. Recess to Executive Session

   Mrs. Runge made the motion to recess from the Regular session as 6:30 and move into the Executive Session. Mrs. Rossi seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-0.

8. Executive Session
   1. Personnel
   2. Reconvene the Regular Session

      In order to go into Regular session, the Board must vote to do so.

      Mrs. Rossi made the motion to approve reconvening the regular session at 6:49 p.m. Mrs. Runge seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-0.

Noting no other business before the Board, Mr. Byrnes, President of the Board, adjourned the meeting at 6:50 p.m.

Return to School Board Page