There's a lot of kids working hard. Uh tomorrow is one of our biggest days with I think 90 students around 90 students taking the AP computer science exam. Um but those that is starting to wrap up uh and that's going to be ending Friday. Um as well as junior prom on Friday. Um so that's an exciting day as always. Um early release on that day as two. Um but this week or this month since our last meeting has also been um uh as Mr. Kyra was talking about it's been um including with MCCAST um and I think some of our sophomores and freshmen have been taking MCCAST. Um really now it's more of a transition from this period of AP exams ending to the beginning of finals and wrapping up all of our coursework. Um as well as the departure of the seniors and senior trips um is about to be coming up.
Um interestingly Kota also is now competing with the ACE Joe Pepin day and also the clean Danberry initiative. So there's a lot of things happening on Saturday. So I'm curious to see where people end up. Um but there's a lot of good things to do in Danberry on on Saturday. So hopefully people can uh spread their time out and attend a couple of those. So and that is it. Um do we have a date for the DHS dress open? Not yet. The target is around the first week of August for that super staff to be able to come into the building. So it's a little bit TBD. Um I do believe we're going to be going on a tour at some point um at the end of May. that's sort of targetish, but it's all I look I'm looking around because the the things change very quickly.
um the counseling referrals are made right in the moment and so by the time a student the student has already been working with us when they go through the expulsion process um but the SAR student is one of those that okay now you're with us tomorrow. Um so those hearings provide wonderful insight into what the family dynamics possibly are and what the families possibly need. Um and with AFC being 6 through 12 again getting back to a comprehensive comprehensive site when they work through those terms and conditions on their contracts. Great. We want to get them back to their comprehensive sites and again whether it's high school going to high school on time or back to a comprehensive site to reconnect. Um our high school students that have gone through um the expulsion and SAR process typically end up over at Fairview. So they have a little little quicker transition and making their way um out of AFC with successful completion of the program get connected over at Fairview more to a traditional type high school experience and then away they go with that.
Curriculum concerns are currently making national headlines and affect all types of schools, public, charter, and private. this is not something that is just um the public schools are are dealing with. And I think that that's an important um message. And these challenges are not isolated. They're rooted in widespread influences from publishers who often push ideological content into educational materials. After personally reviewing multiple curriculum, observing both local and national trends, um I can confirm that these influences are real and pervasive. Now more than ever, we must remain focused, protect the integrity of education, respect parental rights, which um Dr. Fountain mentioned, support our teachers, and prioritize student success. The good news in all of this is that I do firmly believe that we at JO Combmes Unified School District are aware. We know where concerning content exists, going back to the in the yard, beyond the fence, and beyond the brick wall.
So, uh, good evening everyone. Uh, my name is Makia Dubberry and I I stand before you today to share the distressing and ongoing ordeal my son Jamir Deubberry Milton has endured at Maricopa High School due to harassment, discrimination, and systemic failures of this administration. Since February 2025, Jir's teacher, Miss Zoya Beckett, has repeatedly accused him of cheating, leading to unwarranted disciplinary referrals, seat reassignments, and a drastic drop in his grade from a B to no failure. Both referrals were thrown out. Unfortunately, the issues continued. In March of this year, we sought help from the dean of students, Mr. Miller. uh upon several calls, several emails um that were not answered, I had to go in to be able to meet with him to discuss my concerns that I had with Mrs. Becket. Every meeting that I had with Mr. Miller, he would tell me that he would get Mrs.
And I think that is the first opportunity to think about large case de large scarcale development um and thinking about how we can develop housing through those places um as a way to protect our open spaces and as a way to protect the smaller scale uh character that we have in other parts of the town. um the 40 visa right now in the zoning board of appeals sort of out of the hands of the planning board. But I do think there are ways to have these conversations prior to getting to that level of of intensity and where it's out of the hands of the planning board. I think there's ways to have conversations on how this type of development can be complimentary to the scale that we uh have right now. I think the biggest exercise will be balancing out the need for affordable housing and and preserving that smaller scale that people are used to and the smaller scale that we have in our downtown and how to how to negotiate and and measure the trade-offs.
So graduation, class day, all of those things are on the horizon. And um it's really an exciting time at Ash. I know it's this time of year goes by so fast, doesn't it? It is. Yeah. Blink of an eye. Yeah. Just got to get through those last few exams. Awesome, Marcy. Um, so I unfortunately missed uh the middle school site council, but I guess the update I'd offer is that Erin sent a survey out to all the parents of the middle school students um to inquire about grading practices and um it basically asked, you know, do you do you understand how your student's grade is comprised and do you think students should be able to um you know, get credit back for to for learning objectives if they don't do well in something and want to retake something and should that count for full credit or partial credit or so just a survey to like I guess understand the landscape and then um her the faculty and herself and the site council are going to use that as part of um developing a plan for 26 and 27.
So, but we'll follow up on a on a date so that the board can um go in and see, but also um we'll get a little bit more of a solid date on the actual opening. It all depends on that everything's ready, but the we've been told the first week of August is a target. Is there no question? We're going to move to our board standing committees. We have not had a meeting since our last word policy. I don't know if Kate can emphasize to me, but we had a policy committee meeting on Tuesday. So, we made finance. We have a meeting scheduled for May 21st at 6 p.m. at Brook. Thank you. [Music] We don't really have any plan relations. That's uh if things changes as far as our committee chairpersons and u person we have to set up something let me know action item action item A superintendent contract motion that the board of education accept the Superintendent's contract and salary for 202526 as recommended.
So there is a revolving door of sorts. Um some students who struggle to program over at AFC, we are fortunate to have Oakdale independent study. So just holding meeting after meeting after ESBID process and everything related to it. We do use Oakdale. Hey, we want to keep you connected to us. Maybe independent study shortterm or for the long term is is is a better fit and if they're successful then they could stay in the program. I'd like to take a moment. I don't want to do this too often, but um the comment you made about enjoying the expulsion hearings um I love that because so many districts are expulsion hearings are really adversarial and for students are always scary. Um and the amount of work that our staff does and I see many of those faces in this room right now um to really make those student focused how can we continue to serve and support you conversations.
Um, and we're prepared to work together to address it to better align with our district values. I think it's important to note that families must stay engaged, asking what their children are learning, reading, and experiencing both in school and beyond. School boards and curriculum committees must lead with courage, questioning materials, blocking inappropriate content, and customizing curriculum to reflect local standards and balance. Most important is the ability to bring forward concerns and conversations in a positive manner and work together to overcome these hurdles for the ultimate betterment of the final product for our students and their families which after this review process I do have full confidence in JOM's Unified School District that we are in fact doing just that. So thank you. Um passive oversight is no longer enough. We have to have active, responsible leadership um on the school board all the way down.
Becket and my son together for a meeting. We only had one meeting scheduled where my son came to school early and Mrs. Becket did not show for the meeting. Unfortunately, we were gas lit every time I met with Mr. Miller to believe that he was helping us and that we would be able to get this problem under control. Unfortunately, we never met. Um, and the problems persisted. Um, even when Jir would go to Mr. Miller himself, um, Mr. Miller at one time mistaken him for a student that was suspended. Um, meanwhile, this left Jir feeling very anxious and demoralized. Unfortunately, the situation escalated in May. May May 6, Mrs. Becket physically snatched a packet from my son's hands after denying him the appropriate amount of time he was entitled to finish the packet after an excused absence that Monday. On May 8th, in a meeting with the principal, Mrs.
And in those trade-offs is which we'll find the gains for both sides. There will be opportunities for affordable housing, but maybe there will there will be opportunities for better open space, uh for mitigating traffic, for mitigating uh parking, for mitigating uh the infrastructure that will be needed uh for serving this additional development, but at the same time see it as an opportunity to maybe uh spread the fiscal load, right? It's an opportunity to have different people now helping us with our tax base or our residential tax base. But also, it's an opportunity for the business community to have more people go into their businesses because it will be hard to think about businesses if there's no people uh going into them or if there's no traffic for them. And so that's the balance that we would have to play out. Um, and we have already some zoning stipulations that would uh that we would have to abide for, but also serve the for the foundation for how we have these conversations and and do what's best for Ashland.
So not this upcoming year but the year after how grading practices may change as part of the site improvement plan. So she's just in a fact gathering stage but sending out the survey was definitely a uh first first interesting buzz I guess is the word. So um and then I guess I'll make a a plug too for the play that's coming up at the middle school. It's tonight so I'm missing it I'm missing it tonight but there's two shows on Saturday. So, Oh, good. Is this the choose your own adventure one? It's Oz. Yeah. Yeah. So, anyway, they always do a great job. So, excellent. Thank you. Um, so since I'm I unfortunately missed the Ashpack meeting because it was last Wednesday when we were at town meeting. Um, but I was going to mention I had the opportunity to speak with one of the co-chairs um today actually to to fill me in.
Motion made by Wanita. Could I hear a second? Second. Motion second by Louisa. Are there any question concerning? Seeing none, all in favor could I hear I oppose? Motion carry. Okay. Thank you. policy action. I make a motion that the board of education accept for first reading policy 5144.12 restorative practice response as recommended by the policy committee and in accordance with 25-84. Motion made by Lauren. Did I hear a second? Second. Seconded by Al and policy. Seeing none, all in favor could I hear I? I motion motion so carried. Thank you. C motion that the board of education accept for first reading policy 5141.21 student health services as school district medical advisor as recommended by the policy committee and accordance with 25-85. Motion made by Dr. Reese. Can I get a second? Second. Seconded by Al and a question concerning policy. Seeing none all those in favor can I hear I I oppose.
Um it's one of my very favorite things about the way we do things at Chico Unified. So thank you for that. Yeah, I'm super proud to be a part of it for a long time. Oh yeah. And then Fair View um continuation school. I'm not a big fan of the word continuation school because our wonderful staff have worked very hard to um over the years do go away from a traditional I hate the P word packet type model and really looked at closing the achievement gap for students have been referred to us through whether it's pure credit recovery, SAR or expulsion. Um, so kudos to our staff over their past 15 years and really looking to support students from a literacy perspective. Um, and not just a credit recovery, get you graduated and away you go. Um, yes, Fairview is our the hub, if you will, uh, serving our 9th through 12th graders to get them graduated, not just from credits, but also, you know, workforce ready, be college ready, or try and connect them to a vocational, uh, school of any type.
I'm proud that our district setting the standard for transparency, excellence, and student- centered education. Our students are not a captive audience for political or ideological agendas. They must be taught how to think, not what to think. It is our duty to ensure we are doing just that. Um, I do have a couple of action items moving forward that I just wanted to make note of. Um, I would like to publicly request that all board members receive online access to curriculum materials with username and passwords, um, such as was printed and available with a laptop in the public viewing area during that 60-day period on day one of the review process from each publisher as presented to the committee. Um, additionally, under Arizona law, ARS15-721, curriculum committees provide valuable input, but the authority to select, purchase, and adopt instructional materials does rest solely with the governing board.
Becket and my son. Miss uh the principal um later found out that she was violating policy. Due to his absence on Monday, he should have been allotted an additional day to finish the packet rather than having to finish the packet during the class. After much going back and forth, Mrs. Becket agreed to allow him to finish the packet and that he would pick it up that day. My son went in to pick it up after the end of his class. She was not there. He called me at 2:33. A teacher who was on the phone with Mrs. Becket attempted to help my son find the packet. Um, he was not given the right packet. It was wrong. He explained that, but he was dismissed. The next day, May 9th, I met with Miss Pastor to let her know of the issues. Is that my time?
Great, Scott. Yeah. Some of the things I think that make like downtown area so vibrant is the businesses that are there. And if all a sudden you put an extra 250 families in that walking distance to it and you know, think of how popular Subzero Ice Cream is going to be, right? Like, you know, you're going to have a line, right? Maybe she's going to need a bigger place. That'd be awesome. Right. Next is going to be slammed. That'd be awesome. Like I would love there to be uh the line at the food truck at Clover Road, right? Those are really kind of where I'm thinking. So, when we bring in um housing and we do it correctly and we work with the developers well ahead, right? The the second they're coming and talking to us, we're trying to be out there, be in front of it.
One of the things they talked about it was their preparation for Special Olympics. So, they were all um you know really excited and had a wonderful day on Monday. Um and uh I had the opportunity a few weeks ago, it was just before April Vacation to be a community reader at the Warren School and it was so much fun. It was really wonderful. I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to do it. The kids were just adorable. Um, and I don't have littles in my house anymore, so it was really fun to just sit and read and be silly and talk to the kids and um, they were great. It and the teachers were wonderful and welcoming and it was just a really fun morning. So, I'm I'm glad I had the opportunity to do it. I want to encourage all of you to to uh to join in next year when they do it again.
Motion is okay. Action item D. I make a motion that the board of education accept the first reading policy uh 5141.21 student health service policy 5141.22 22 communicable and infectious disease as recommended by the policy committee and in accordance with 25- motion made by M. Second by Judith.