So our earliest uh closing day if there was no weather related cancellations would be uh June 11th. on the uh calendar you'll see in front of you. The last day is noted as June 18th again for that five snow day uh embedded um portion of the calendar. Um we also needed to make an update in September to Rashashana. The correct uh holiday for that is September 23rd and that's reflected. Um and then uh lastly, we made a decision with our pre-opening day. We've always called it the day before school started. Um that it was pre-opening. Um it is the day that all staff, both certified and non-certified staff are here. Um and uh last school year we were lucky and fortunate enough to do a staff convocation and we want to continue that. So we will be doing that this coming school year and hopefully in years to come.
Where do we go from here? What what are the next opportunities for public input? And then finally, we'll get to the questions and answers. Okay. So, the first slide here uh talks about uh qualifications. Who qualifies? So this the first thing I really want to talk about is when we say low and moderate income households, what what does that really mean? The Fair Housing Act, which is legislation that um really guides uh affordable housing and how municipalities comply with their obligation, defines housing that's affordable to low and moderate income households as being 80% of the median income. And it's important to know that that 80% of the median income is of the region. Um you are Braille's in region four which includes Mercer, Mammoth and Ocean counties. So the state of New Jersey is broken up into six regions. You're in in one of those regions.
uh Desert Sunrise uh did really well there. So this weekend I want to wish um MHS Winter Gems and the Desert Sunrise Winter Guard uh best of luck on Saturday. Uh they'll be performing at Millennium High School in Glendale. Uh it's a long long drive. It's a long long day. Um and both of them are competing in state. So, uh, so hopefully, uh, we'll bring home some hardware from one of the two teams. So, uh, I think that's all I have this evening. Thank you, Member Lopez. [Applause] Um, I don't have much to report other than right before uh, spring break, I went and read Green Eggs and Ham during Dr. Week and read across America. And that was fun. I absolutely love reading. We all need to read more. Um, and that's it. Hope everybody had a great spring break and our last quarter to go.
Um and so we've renamed that to be the uh staff convocation and pre-opening. And it's important to us that that's typically the first day that a lot of your non-certified staff return to work. and we want them to be part of uh you know our district vision mission and really launch the school year in a very positive uh productive manner. Um we've also noted on here for clarity uh the th I'm sorry the Wednesday before Thanksgiving um that the offices will be open that day but school will be closed so it's not an official school day. Um but for those staff that work a full year um or 52- week uh secretaries uh administrators that is considered a workday and certainly uh people because school are closed um you know if they would like to take that as a holiday or vacation day can do so.
And um the median income is based upon those counties. So it's not just Mammoth. It it encompasses Mercer, Mammoth, and and Ocean. I gave an example here of what a t a twoerson family would be earning um if they were to be considered moderate income. Uh in this particular case uh they two per a median income earns $104,000. So 80% of that is approximately $83,000. That's what a twoperson household is that would qualify for what's known as a moderate income household or moderate income unit. Um, as you'll see here, there are different um, subsections of what low and moderate income housing is. It also includes low income and then very low income. And you'll see what the ratios are with uh, with regards to low-inccome, it's 50% of the median income and with very low, it's 30% of median income. So when we talk about low and moderate income families or I say affordable housing um these are the that this realm this cohort of people that's that's who can afford affordable housing as it relates to okay so fine that's how much everybody makes.
So, thank you. Um, well, welcome back from spring break. I hope everybody had a nice couple weeks off. Um, before the break, I was able to attend Mr. Golden Hawk, which was always a lot of fun. Um, and then I was asked to referee a fifth grade soccer game at Santa Cruz Elementary. Um, thankfully I had a whistle and didn't have to run around too much. So, this past weekend, um, I have, uh, in my full-time job, I work for the Boys and Girls Club, and we had our major event, um, Dancing for Our Stars on Saturday, and it was an amazing night and I can't say enough thank yous to all who supported the event by attending it, voting it, dancing in it. Um, and Dr. Dr. Lopeman, who is one of our uh esteemed judges um and also a past winner. Uh so that was uh an incredible evening.
Um but otherwise our offices will be opened. Um and then the last and final adjustment uh was uh to conferences. We tried to make the conference dates in November. So those are our fall conferences across all levels. We tried to make them contiguous dates so that they were um not kind of spread on a Tuesday and then Thursday, Friday and really make it um you know through the end of the week so that people could plan accordingly. Um so there's one week in um in November for each level dedicated to conferences, one week for elementary, one for middle and then concluding with the high school right before the Thanksgiving break.
What does that mean as far as what what a purchasing power has or the ability to afford a rent? Um, with affordability on a twoerson household, uh, and this is, uh, looking at low to moderate income, uh, you're probably looking about $130 to $230,000. That would be the worth of a house that somebody, uh, and these these are general. These are very general, but that that'd be the worth of the house that somebody could purchase. On a rental side, somebody that makes a twoerson household in that very low to moderate income is anywhere from $1,000 a month to $2,000 a month. Um, so that's really when we're talking about who can afford affordable housing, that's the um that's the range that we're dealing with. It changes uh every year as uh federal government uh comes out with new HUD numbers, new income uh limits or new levels.
We raised 150,000 dollars. We had over 600 attendees and over 200 people watch it online. So, um an incredible night. I'm still exhausted and I finally just decluttered my house of all mirror balls. Uh thank you. At this time of the year, it's also scholarship time. Um a lot of scholarship deadlines have passed. I am uh aware of some scholarships that are still open. The due date is April 1st for the Maricopa Community Foundation scholarships. I encourage all seniors who are planning to go to either a trade school or universities or colleges to please apply. The application is simple and it's online at mcfaz.org. So, please do that. Uh yesterday and today I was able to attend the rocket launches at Maricopa Wells Middle School and Desert Wind Middle Schools. This is the 10th anniversary of it and uh it was an amazing event. Weather was perfect.
I don't know if there's any questions, but that was a lot of information regarding we had to make a few changes and then while we had the opportunity, we threw a few additional things in there. So, thank you. Any question for me? [Music] Do do we need to [Music] Yes. Are other districts in our area starting that early like that August 21st? I know we usually I mean I know it's how the dates fall, but that just sounds really early. It is a little early because of the way that it falls. I will say that when we're building the calendar, we do we do research other surrounding towns. Um and I think we are in alignment with some and starting a little bit earlier than others. So um it runs the gamut. I know a few years back at Advance had tried to do a regional calendar and that did not materialize meaning all the local districts would follow a similar pattern.
There's a new calculation um completed and typically for the most part um those incomes go up slightly as far as who can who can afford affordable housing. um the qualification process for folks that go through this uh or are able to to qualify uh first they must show pro proof of income. So it's like you and me going for a mortgage. It's no it's really isn't any different. Um we have to go through the mortgage process. We have to prove prove income. Uh they are then put on a once they're income certified they're put on a waiting list. uh and that waiting list is uh pretty much stays in in in effect for a period of a couple of years. As units become available, the people from that waiting list um are contacted and they are let they let they're they're told that there's something available if they're interested, they can go on kind of what I would call a second waiting list.
Um I don't think we lost any rockets into anybody's backyards which was good this year. Some days it's been some years it's been windy and they've gone. Um but it was a lot of fun. I really appreciate um Adam Leech and his team who have worked with the future cities uh students to put this on. Um, and then, uh, next year I got a rocket and I'm going to be able to make my own rocket and launch and be part of the rocket launch. So, I'm excited for that. Huh? Okay. You'd be on my team. Um, and then, uh, the life skills had a U petting zoo from Gudark at Maricopa Wells Middle School today. So, I did have, uh, I did get a chance to walk over and see some of the animals and watch the kids interact. And it's really kind of fun.
Um, but I think that this is in line with many of our counterpart or surrounding districts, but not all. And I know we're different from them. I'm just Okay. Yes, it does. The data is a little question. Thank you. Thank you so much for explaining all that, Kelly. Appreciate it. Okay. Um, DHS West update. So, um, it looks as if, so we're trying to get some target date information as to when we can expect to for staff to move in and this is a fluid date. So, you know, we're not going to I'm looking at you, Mike, get me. This is fluid. This is not permanent. So, August 4th is right now our target date, but that's subject to change. So, I want to make sure that um you know, we we know that this is something that's going to be um you know, be influenced by all the construction being ready at a certain time and when we can do all the testing.
The way that the the uh initial uh um I guess way that you would get into an affordable housing uh unit is actually through what's known as a lottery system. It's a random lottery system. There's no preference uh necessarily to speak people who live in Bel. There is a preference however to folks that live in the region. So the qualification process is very strenuous. It is it is by New Jersey law um as to how the process moves forward, how people get income qualified and then the lottery system as to how people get go actually go in to those units in Ma. So, so going to move on to the need. Um most of you have heard there are these numbers obligations. There's a need of affordable housing in the state of New Jersey. Where that came from was way back in 1975 when um the Supreme Court uh ruled on something known as the Mount Laurel uh case and they had a Mount Laurel decision.
um they get to learn about the animals and they get to if they want to pet them and it was just a really nice break and really something different for the kids to do. So, and I do know that Gudark is actually looking to, you know, to provide these services and to come out to all of our other schools. Um just reach out to Elise and if you need her contact information, Mr. Miller has it. And then lastly, um we did have to say goodbye to Alma Ferrell. She actually uh she was the driving force be be for me becoming a board member. Um she supported the district. She was a champion for the district. Um and she just loved watching all of the improvements and the challenges that we faced and how we how we overcame all of them. And she will be missed.
So, um we're aiming for August 4th. Um though during that week, during that time still, they'll be cleaning. They'll still be continuing to finish up some building projects, working on air balancing, um testing our tech systems. Um we're looking to tour the building. I know that that's a a desire of the board to get into the building. Um, and it looks like the last Wednesday in May will be a good clear day where most of the equipment, the things that we would uh would want out of the way so that we can do a tour that's safe and uh, you know, appropriate would be in May. Um, but again, those dates are fluid and based on um, as the the projects within the building are are completed and are ready um, for us to to take a look at, but then also to begin moving our supplies over.
Uh basically that decision said that towns in the state of New Jersey um they are not allowed to exclusionary zone and basically what that means is you can't just zone for single family housing. You must allow from for different varieties of housing typically multif family apartments. think of apartments as when I talk about multif family housing. Um, that's one piece of it. The other piece of it was you can't not only can you not do exclusionary zoning, but you must provide a realistic opportunity for affordable housing within your municipality. And we're going to talk about what that means. Realistic opportunity um means a very specific definition and we'll go through that in a second. But one of the things that affordable housing planners such as myself throughout the state of New Jersey, we are trying to balance. We are trying to balance the need for affordable housing that we know is coming from the state that they've given us a particular number, but it's also then looking at how do we do that in such a way that it respects the community character.
So that is all I have to report. We're going to move on now to our spotlight recognition. Michelle Terry All right. Well, good evening everyone and thank you for being here tonight. Tonight, the Maricopa Unified School District is excited to honor Spotlight recipients across three categories: community members, MUSD employees, and students. Before we begin, I'd like to thank our sponsors at Freddy's Steak Burgers and Frozen Custard, Culver's Frozen Custard and Butterburgers, and Ochin Circle for making tonight special for our honores. Our first honores are community members whose time and support make a real difference in our students and families we serve. Congratulations, community members. As I call your name, please come forward to receive your certificate and give a quick fist bump to governing board members and Dr. Lopeman and then head to room 123 for a group photo. Mr. Harmon is standing by the hallway to point you in the right direction.
We've begun a lot of relocation meetings internally. Um, so it's not just the Danbury High School staff that are moving over. As I mentioned in some previous meetings, we have a fifth floor renovation going on and the science labs. We'll be moving many teachers from here over to the DHS West site along with a lot of equipment. Not all equipment, but a lot of equipment. Um and uh we'll also be moving 43 Beaverbrook, 63 Beaverbrook, what else is it? XCRC, the building across the street. So, uh there's going to be a lot of house cleaning, a lot of housekeeping, a lot of um purging, if you will, of old equipment, supplies that have been sitting there for 20 years plus. Um, as we look to move into the new building and occupy that space, um, we are working through one of the challenges that we have with with relocation is moving all these materials that we need to order to open up the school.
Um, it does it with sound planning principles. We look at locations of potential projects and zoning to fit into the community character, but also take advantage of existing infrastructure, sewer and water, existing sidewalks, existing park locations near parks and schools, retail services. Um, you know, that's really what our job is is to lead the folks that you see up here and say, "Okay, yes, you have this obligation. here's how we start to kind of think about the best way to to divvy up that obligation but in a way that doesn't we hope that balances with the need with the community character and that's what we're here tonight to talk about. You know, this is a proposed plan. Um and of course we want your feedback. Uh but but it is it is it is something that needs to be done because it is a constitutional obligation as decided by the the Mount Laurel um Mount Laurel sup the Mount Mural decision by the Supreme Court.