And not that we didn't have outside supports. We have folks now out in our our schools doing that work. But that was a position that we brought in knowing that our educators were searching for more consistent and timely support and that position has certainly paid off for us in lots of ways this year. Um so that social emotional learning piece that we've committed to at the district level, uh this is where you see evidence that it is in fact having real impact. So, I just want to thank the committee for supporting us with that position last year. And then as far as the school improvement plan, I mean, what what I'm so excited about is there's a plan. I mean, there is a plan and you can hear and I thank all of our school leaders and our school-based folks because um when when um Mrs.
Good evening. I'd just like to share a brief update on our district's facilities. Give that thing a shot. [Music] Congratulations everyone. We have to continue with our meeting so you kindly take it to the hallway so we can finish up our business here. Thank you so much, Mr. President. man. I'd like to share a brief update on our district's facilities. The maintenance department, Mrs. Vandazzo and her team continue to promptly address work orders and keep our buildings safe and functional. Graduation preparation. The custodial and maintenance staff are preparing the buildings and grounds to welcome the graduates and their families. The Frank M Dawson Jr. gymnasium. The project is in its final phase with crews completing the last touches. Security. We are reviewing and scheduling updates to our surveillance system to enhance safety. And lastly, we thank our custodial maintenance and security staff for their hard work and appreciate the community's ongoing support.
You know, I can't guarantee you that it's always going to be a priority that I'm going to be able to get every kid there, right? And and all transparency. Okay. No, I appreciate the honesty. Thank you. Thank you. Okay, moving on to item F3. Dr. Cto. Thank you, Madam President. Uh, tonight we're at uh the time of year for the superintendent's end of the year goals. Um, and if I can get this to work. There we go. Uh just a quick overview. Um you do have an executive session tonight. You do have all the data um at your disposal, but I'm going to give a quick overview of where we stand kind of like when we did the midyear um report in December. Uh just to let you know where we stand. So starting off our our goal a these are the district goals and the governing board goals.
I was looking at your architectural interviews and you went through six. So I thought this is actually my point of view. It's just a question because sometimes there's a short list, right? You may not necessarily interview everybody that you get a proposal from. You want in other words, you want to screen the paper first. I guess that it's a question. It's a question for everybody else. I mean, I'm okay with talking to everybody. I've just I thought I'd put it out for everybody else. I wasn't sure. Zero knowledge of So talking to several of them just kind of gain separate opinions. Yeah, I'm I'm comfortable with it. It was just a question for everybody else. Yeah, I'm good with DLA. Okay. Okay. We haven't interviewed a super, you know, had a search for decades. So, be worthwhile. This will be your first, right? Yeah. I don't even know who the last talk or was he, you know, referred to us by somebody.
So to my knowledge, we haven't looked at these numbers before and these are the last four years and in graphic form uh they're here as well, but you can see that it's actually fallen off this past year. So we're currently looking at strategies on how to increase that. We did inquire about next year's pre-alggebra and algebra 7th grade courses. The middle schools were not confident enough to give us a number yet, but they said the sections will be the same. So it'll be at least similar to this past year with elementary readiness for middle school pre-alggebra and algebra. Moving on to secondary, we are looking at advanced STEM credits and the measurement that we're coming up with is 20% and AP exam uh at least one or at least earning one passing score on advanced STEM AP exam and 17%. So what do we mean by advanced STEM course?
Any questions or comments? M as we customarily ask electronic uh strategies incorporated as a contractor we've done business with in the past. Correct. Correct. I know at least last year we purchased them on I believe the last two or three years we have. Thank you. Questions comments. Let's move to a vote. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Votes carries 5. Item 6.07 7 food to school purchasing cooperative awards for the 2025 2026. Mr. Reese, thank you, Mr. President. Uh, as we do every year, we're approving uh asking you to approve the uh bids and purchases for our food service program. This would include actual food purchases, milk and bread for the 2526 school year. Again, we join with other school corporations, 95 other school corporations to do this cooperative purching to get the pricing possible. Uh the primary go distributor contract would go to HPS or Gordon Food Service.
Um most schools now will be managing more to a levy as they see what changes take place the next five years with with AB. Um, so by doing so that should keep the the property tax liability control. Uh, we have a breakdown of project costs and we've been assuming a $2 million issue in 2026 and a $4 million issue in 2028. Um, so we'll be approving a total of 6 million. um cost of issuance assumed with those two bond issues we conservatively estimate would be about 275,000 which would be just over 5.7 million for hard and soft project costs again we can be funible with with the timing and amounts of those projects that's just what we've been assuming now we could split them into three projects one do a different time so once the approval is done we would just meet to to the needs that projects need to be done the last slide we just show the same debt service levy over time.
Korea talks about the school improvement leadership team. Those folks when you come to the table, whether you know it in that moment or not, what you're sharing and that work that you're doing together is in fact informing the work that we're doing at the district level through the schools because after all, we can have the best district strategic plan on paper. Um, and it can look pretty and it can sound good, but at the end of the day, it's how the schools are using that plan that I remind people was informed by the folks in this school district. Um, so I'm really excited to see it all come together. Um, and as I think u, Mr. Oliver or someone said, "We can't wait to see like really as we start to be able to report out to you the impact that these plans are having on teaching learning." And I laugh when teaching and learning is the longest part.
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Um community uh the personnel committee met last week on the 14th. All committee members were present to go over the superintendent's recommendations which are reflected in the agenda. Uh it's a fairly uh not a new committee but new members and we'll continue to work towards progress in the district. Thank you. Can I have a resol motion to approve 7.1 through 7.6 6 7.7 with the exception of items 71 and 304 and 7.8 through 720 Mr. Gaba Mr. Otto roll please Dr. Poor I Mr. Taylor abstain 7.7 number 798 I to the rest Mr. Otto stayain on 582 and I am arrested Mrs. Isan I Mr. Ramos I Mr. Gaba I with exception uh number 71 and 304 exclusion for so I Mr. Keles I Mrs. Peteri I Mr. I motion carries. A motion for finance resolutions 9.1 through 9.7. Make a motion.
We do have a study session coming up in June 2nd based on the district goals. Again, I align my goals to the district goals and the schools align their goals to my goals. So, it's important that we um take the time to align all these and make sure we're all rowing in the right direction. So, goal A, the governing board goal is academics. Every student in all schools will be prepared with the knowledge and skills to achieve college and career success. Uh goal one of that is design systems that promote academic achievement. Goal two, design systems that pro promote college and career readiness. So, where are we at on those? Um, goal one, um, we have elementary benchmark data that indicates the district's on track to meet or exceed the, uh, doubleASSA state averages in ELA and math proficiency. Uh, our high school benchmark data indicates the district's on track to meet or exceed state average in ACT, English, reading, and math.
So, it's been easy 10 years plus. How much time will I know with the architects we did? I would I would say no more than 45 minutes. Give them 20 minutes to a half hour presentation and give yourselves 15 20 minutes to ask questions. So 45 minutes per firm a couple different nights. I recommend two nights. I one night would be too long. And excuse me. Does anybody have any time early June on Monday nights that that doesn't work? two Mondays in a row before your June board meeting. Before the June board meeting before the June board meeting, right? So it' be June second Monday. So June 2nd and June 9th, correct? June 2nd and June 9th. I can make those first weekend second weekend. I'm free both for those evenings. right now. Okay, we have six people. All Chad is available. Yep. Okay, we got six people.
And this has taken a little bit of debate between several departments, but the math department decided that it would be anything above uh your core math classes. Science was very much similar, the biology, chemistry, and physics, any class above that and any STEM related C4 course. So there's actually a long list of these courses. It gets a little complicated with um the CVP courses with independent study courses. So, we had to look at quite a few courses that are offering for our students. If you do look at the last three-year trends on how many students have reached that mark, um we've been just at 20 or below it. And again, this past year was a little lower. And to my knowledge, again, we haven't looked at this before. And if you look at the 2B seniors, juniors, and sophomores, this is how it breaks down.
The secondary go distributor contract to commercial food systems. The dairy distributor contract to Dairy Farmers of America Shankles. And then the bread distributor contract to Alpha Baking Company. With that, we're recommending approval uh of the purchasing cooperative contract award for the 2526 school year. Thank you, Mr. Security. Recommendation administration for approval of the food to school purchasing cooperative contract award for the 2025 2026 year. May I have a motion by bas second by Mr. Basser.
Obviously, it's going down um after 2026 so that you're able to come back and issue bonds in 26 and beyond and structure them in a way that keeps that levy exactly where it is now. And even doing this 6 million, you'll have plenty of room to come back in 2030 and tackle additional projects if needed. So, that is all I have.
There's a reason it's the longest part. It's because that's actually the work that we do in our schools and everything else supports that most important work, which is teaching and learning. So, I just I thank you for the hard work that you've all done. Thank you. And I thank the committee again for your support because you when we want to be able to come back to you and say look this had impact and you just got to hear that. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. So moving along, we're on Madam Chair. Oh yes. Make a motion that we approve. Oh, we have to approve that. Sorry. The Joseph Dlo school uh school improvement plan. Second. A motion by Mr. afternoon. Second by Miss Beckwith. All in favor? I I opposed. Passes unanimously. And now we move on to old business. And I will turn it over to Dr.
Mr. Taylor, I'll second. Mr. President, Mr. Garo. Second. Please, Dr. Kavichek. I Mr. Taylor, I Mr. Otto, abstain on 9.1, 9.2 and yes on the rest. Mrs. Isan, abstain on 9.1 and 9.2. Eyes to the list. Mr. Ramos. Hi. Mr. Gaba. Hi. Mr. Kelesz. Hi. Mrs. Patiri. Abstain on 9.1. abstain on 9.2 I on the rest Mr. Pulino I motion carries have a motion for education resolutions 11.1 through 11.11 I'll make a motion board check second and Mr. Close. Roll call, please. Dr. Porche. Hi. Mr. Taylor. Hi. Mr. Otto. Hi. Hi, Mrs. Isan. I Mr. Ramos. Hi, Mr. Gaba. I Mr. Keles, I Mrs. Patiru, I Mr. Focarino, I Okay, motion carries. facilities. A motion for resolution 13.1. Make a move. I'll second. Mr. Taylor, Mr. Garvis, second it. Roll call, please. Dr. Kora. I. Mr. Taylor. I. Mr. Otto. I. Mrs. Isan. I Mr.
Um, we have benchmark results that indicate the district's on track to maintain or improve proficiency among ESS students in both ELA math and supporting growth goals. So, we are um meeting those goals and moving towards achieving that as uh and that we will report more as you know as uh the scores become available and the state starts to release those um in the next few months. Uh goal two is design systems that promote college and career readiness. Um we are on track to me or exceed that goal. Um for the past three school years the districts increased the number of students earning college credit. Uh it has increased the number of students earning seals or internships. Uh we are the leader in the seals for the state of Arizona and we continue for the second year in a row to be those leaders. Uh and we increase our CCRI points um which is a huge indicator um of our school labels at our high school levels.
Scott's the only one that has just one of the nights not available. Unless you want to pick another night. Sorry. Monday night works for you. Um, are there any other nights could make a Thursday work if Thursdays work. Brother and Randy said Thursdays Thursdays are good. Oh, good. I'll be back on the Tuesdays are usually bad. I don't know if you heard the discussion over here. Thursday would work for even and why do we want to do them before the board meeting and the 23rd? Yes, you could do that. Absolutely. If you come in here like 5 4:30 meeting. Sure. I can't. If Mondays are the best, maybe we just straddle the board meeting rather and that way Scott can be here rather than obviously. Excellent idea. So preferred and the 23rd. I won't make the 23rd. Sorry for the regular board meeting. Okay. No, I'll be here for the regular board meeting.
So we have already worked hard with counselors uh and giving them information of students who are close or who have already exceeded that uh to help with scheduling that occurred in January and February. So this is something that we will look at and continue to look at and encourage students to take which again will help them with their honor seal and potentially their honor seal. Plus the AP STEM course offerings um are a little bit more concise. So, these are just with math and science. Both high schools next year are offering for the first time an AP pre-calculus course. Uh, and there's a long list of science ones as well. And looking at passing rates there, we actually had 650 uh AP science and math tests taken this last year with about uh 396 of those being passed. So, those are the percentages of students taken versus students passed.
Are there any questions or comments? M I'll put you under the fire firing squad a little bit here. with the economic changes and changes in our economy. You know, food is one of those items that in the last year or two has really been impacted. Have the food costs gone up substantially for the corporation over the last year or two in general? They have gone up some and that's what you hear in the next agenda item. Oh, okay. I'm meeting you to it then. Excellent. All right. Any other questions or comments? All right. Move to a vote. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Vote carries. Uh item 6.08 2025 2026 school meal prices. Mr. Thank you, Mr. President. Uh this year we are asking for a across the board 10-centent increase elementary, middle, and high school lunches as well as elementary, middle, and high school breakfast uh prices for our uh students and parents.