AJO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 15

Governing Board Members: Administration:
Mr. John Byrnes President Dr. Robert Dooley Superintendent
Mrs. Lisa Rossi Clerk Mr. Frederick Fout Principal
Mrs. Rose Cameron Member Ms. Patricia Spencer Director of Finance
Mr. Hollister David Member  
Mrs. Amy Runge Member  

MINUTES
REGULAR SESSION BOARD MEETING

Ajo Unified School District Board Room #23, 5:30 p.m.
March 13, 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
      • P - 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 Senior Class is $1,400 dollars away from their goal for the trip to the nation’s capital
      • Next year will be the second year of JTED. The District will plan on adding three more programs, Auto Shop, Fire Science, & First Responder. One of the challenges is Mr. Sedillo having dual rolls as JTED teacher and Director.
      • Server was down for a few days, hit by a major virus. The server should be operational when everyone returns after spring break.
      • Parent teacher conferences and early release will be Wednesday and Thursday. Half day on Friday. Spring Break will be from Monday 17 to Friday the 21.
      • Central Arizona Community College, Representative Jill Dingman, has contacted the District about Distance Learning. Pollycom manufactures the hardware to do Distance Learning. Pollycom is putting together a 500 million dollar grant for Distance Learning. The Ajo School District qualifies for this grant. If approved the district would be responsible for 15% of the matching monies. The grant is still pending, more information to come.
      • To answer Mr. Byrnes question about games from Wednesday’s Study Session meeting, the games were purchase by Mrs. Lyons for her class. Mrs. Lyons is no longer with us.
      • No Weekly Board Letter Friday, March 14, 2008.
    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. Mrs. Runge seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-0.

  5. Personnel

    1. Certified Contract Renewal

      Note: Dr. Dooley would like to remove J. Armendariz from the list below.

      L. WALKER G. GREENWOOD M.H. YANEZ
      A. HENNING L. WILIAMS T. STIDHAM
      J. ARMENDARIZ L. LOPEZ J. TIELL
      O. GARCIA D. EMMERS A. DECINAL
      M. FOBER A. YANEZ K. FARMER (part time)
      D. COBB (part time) L. SEDILLO T. MCGOLDRICK
      M. SEMILLA M. BELTRAN S. POWELL
      T. SEPULVEDA J. SEPULVEDA S. SPITZER

      Mrs. Rossi made the motion to approve the individuals for contract renewal for the 2008/2009 school year, with one removal J. Armendariz. Mrs. Cameron seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-0.

    2. Classified Resignation

      Ruth Rocha has been interviewed and reference checks completed for the position of ELL aide. She is filling a vacancy left open in December by Juanita Murray.

      Mrs. Rossi made the motion to accept Ms. Rocha’s employment. Mrs. Runge seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-0.

  6. Business

    1. Working Relationship between, AUSD, Ajo Council for the Fine Arts, and Ajo Community Players

      The Ajo Council for the Fine Arts and the Ajo Community Players are seeking a permanent venue for their productions. They have asked to form a working relationship with the district that will allow them to use Dicus Auditorium per policy KF (Community Use of Facilities), provide volunteers to be trained to operate sound and lighting “clean up” the back stage area, and store supplies.

      Mrs. Cameron made the motion to endorse the described working relationship. Mrs. Rossi seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-0.

    2. First Reading IHB – Special Instructional Programs

      IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Act) was reauthorized by Congress in December 2004. The Federal regulations defining the implementation of IDSA were developed for states in October 2006. These requirements mandated to states that districts readopt a 42 page set of regulations to implement the law and extend FARE (Free Appropriate Public Education) be extended to Special Ed students through the end of the school year in which they turn 22. (Advisory 300)

      There is no Board action necessary. This is a review on the first reading only.

    3. First Reading GCCC – Professional Support Staff Leaves of Absence without Pay

      H.R. 4986, signed into law in January 2008 as the National Defensive Authorization Act amended the Family Medical Leave Act to take up to 26 workweeks of leave to care for a “member of the Armed Forces including a member of the National Guard or Reserves, who is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy, or who is otherwise in out patient treatment or is otherwise on the temporary disability/retired list for serious injury or illness.”

      There is no Board action necessary. This is a review on the first reading only.

    4. First Reading JR – Student Records

      With the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in 2004 there came a modified set of rules in the code of Federal Regulations part 300 in July 2007. This caused no change in intent or working of the law. This reauthorization did result in the renumbering of citations within the law. This policy revision simply updates those citation number changes.

      There is no Board action necessary. This is a review on the first reading only

    5. Voucher Approval – Ajo Copper News
      Voucher No: 7828    
      Full Amount of Voucher   25,450.40
      Consent Agenda Amount   25,415.40
      Ajo Copper News Amount 35.00  
           
      Voucher No: 7830    
      Full Amount of Voucher   25,023.54
      Consent Agenda Amount   25,004.04
      Ajo Copper News Amount 19.50  
           
      Voucher No: 7834    
      Full Amount of Voucher   58,156.55
      Consent Agenda Amount   58,137.05
      Ajo Copper News Amount 19.50  

      Mrs. Cameron made the motion to approve the amount of $74.00 from Vouchers #7828, #7830, & #7834. Mrs. Rossi seconded the motion. The motion passed 4-0, with Mr. David abstaining.

    6. Second Reading/Adoption – GCQC – Resignation of Professional Staff members (Certified)

      Policy addresses persons who choose to break contract during that contract year. The policy addressed liquidated damages up to $2500 dollars or the cost of the district to locate and hire a replacement teacher. This policy, if approved would go into effect in the 2008/2009 school year.

      I would like to have a hearing on this policy on March 12, 2008 – Study Session and vote to adopt the policy on March 13, 2008 – Regular Session.

      Mrs. Cameron made the motion to adopt policy GCQC. Mrs. Runge seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-0.

  7. Student Activity
    1. Rescind Student Travel to Bismarck, North Dakota

      On February 21, 2008, the Board voted to permit members of the Ajo Knowledge Bowl to travel to Bismarck, N.D. to participate in a Native American youth conference. Staff had been approved by tribal officials who stated that all expenses, including airline are, would be paid by the tribe. On March 11, 2008, tribal staff contacted Ms. Fober and informed her that the students would be traveling by van from Ajo to Bismarck to contain cost. Because students are still registered members of the tribe, they can choose to travel on their own.

      Mrs. Runge made the motion to rescind action taken on the 21st of February, and not allow students to travel to Bismarck, ND. Mrs. Rossi 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 6:04 p.m.

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