What do you like about Thanksgiving? Definitely not the turkey. I think I like the mashed potatoes more. Mashed potatoes. Gravy on the mashed potatoes. No. No. Straight mashed potatoes. No gravy. Interesting choice. [Laughter] Cranberry. It's not cranberry something salty. Nobody says this. Next one. So you're telling me I'm out of date? Okay. This is like precoid time vernacular. It's already out of style. Understood the assignment. It's like you're picking up what somebody else is putting down. We are here at Ker McGee. We are 0.25 miles away from school. It's about a lap around the track, but on a day like today, it might feel a little colder. We're going to pick up a few more kids here, get them back over to school. Neil Diamond. Ever heard of Neil Diamond? No. No. Ask your parents. Maybe your grandparents actually Oh, what is that? H O R.
But now we're we're actually getting more. The taxpayers are getting more out of this referendum. We passed we passed the referendum for 20 million. I'm sorry. 20 million. I'm like ages. Yes. Uh so while these funds remember that was one of the reasons why we issued bonds when we did to try to maximize our earning potential uh on interest which ultimately is uh more purchasing power uh that our taxpaying base has. Thank you. Next up, we have the administrative non-union salary compensation 2025 2026. Dr. White. Yes, thank you. So, just to give some background to the community, um board policy 350 states, um that the board of education will consider the superintendent's recommendation when setting compensation for administrators and those other other employees who are not in a collective bargaining agreement or non-un employees. The district's goal for all employee groups is to make sure that we provide affordable, fair compensation packages that remain within the financial limits of the budget and future revenue projections while also remaining competitive within the local market to ensure that we are attracting and retaining a strong uh workforce.
Okay, next up we have public participation. Um, there were two people on here, but I think they were parents that didn't want to speak. Uh, they just thought they had to sign in. Um, so next up we have old business approval of the close session minutes from March 10th, 2025 committee the whole meeting. May I have a motion to approve the close session minutes from March 10th, 2025 committee the whole meeting as presented? So moved. Second. What was the second? Ann.
Uh and I will make that into a new slide uh to tack on after this. Uh especially as we start looking to the future. Uh we are looking at uh investing more more of the resources that we know that uh we don't necessarily need uh to try to continue to increase the amount of revenues that we receive uh in interest. Uh so what we've been doing over the last couple years is uh I've taken the opportunity to really look at our cash flow uh and determine how low our balances get every year because right now we're in the current low point uh and see how high our balances get at the the beginning of the fiscal year. Uh the hope is is that we can use some of those funds uh and invest them in a variety of investments, short, long-term investments, knowing that we're going to still have enough cash on hand uh to accommodate any unforeseen challenges.
So, congratulations. Amazing achievement for you. Uh Bren will continue on with his, you know, education while playing, uh baseball at Morton College, and we look forward to many fantastic things. So, congrats. Wow. To both coach Milbour and Coach Martin. Yes. And then last but not least, uh if I'd ask my two track coaches to come up here and so, you know, uh I everybody knows this. I I coach still and I coached outside uh and our wonderful facility that we had and I loved it and I loved everything that came along with it. I love the home field advantage that was attached to it. Um, it was a fantastic space to work at and we have a wonderful opportunity here in the school district to put in an amazing sportslex. Uh, we had a problem though. We were losing a track, right? So I in the in the winter, the fall, I went to both my track coaches, both coach Lee, Coach Franklin, I said, "It's going to be really tough.
Was running throw down the second base. Good throw a little bit little bit uh outside the bag. Second base did a good job of scooping it up, but Padulla makes it safely over to second base. Still second. That ball's high. Three balls, no strikes. That's a good pitch in there for a strike. Three and one. Philadelphia was taking all the way on that as well. Sharply hit ball right through the gap again. Right. Right by the shortstop. Ball bobbled in center field. Oh, Doula starts going and then coach puts the brakes on him. Looks like that would have been a very close play at home plate. Was a great throw by the center fielder. Colton Gorman about takes first pitch for a ball. That ball's high. Throw down the second base. It's a great throw. He's got the runner. Catra has a great arm. I didn't think he was going to make it down there, but he threw a bullet.
We started before that but obviously the market was not um as robust as it is today. But I just wanted to let the school committ me know. Thank you very much. Can I get a motion to accept the cash balance report as state? Make a motion to accept it. I get a second.
On Saturday, I walked across the stage at the high school graduation. And recently, I've caught myself reflecting over the last few years. There are a few things that jump out to me that I will share with you tonight. Things that I hope will help you as you begin high school in August. To do so, I'm going to share one of my favorite quotes. Don't let the pressure to fit in prevent you from standing out. I remember when I started my freshman year, I was worried about whether or not people would like me and if I would fit in. I think that's probably pretty normal for freshmen. But I'm going to really encourage you to focus more on growing as an individual and following your own passion instead of just trying to fit in. For me, it was discovering theater and forensics. Those were activities that many students didn't do.
Let's give it up for Miss Mercy. She's had a great year. [Applause] [Music] Miss I just said you're my favorite principal not just in Aaho but in all of Arizona. Keep up the great work this morning. Good evening students, staff, families, and our entire AO school district community. I am Dr. Sedto, the proud superintendent of Aaho Unified School District. Thank you for being with us tonight for this incredibly special celebration of our eighth grade students, our Red Raiders as you move on to high school teachers. You set the tone with your guidance and dedication. You you saw right now Miss uh Miss Delara, Miss Williams, Miss Maro, Mr. Maningo, families, your support and your caring was critical. Leadership team, you set the tone and expectations. Most importantly, and I believe you all will agree with me, Red Raider students, you did the hard work and brought the energy and enthusiasm every single day.
You have that energy, the positivity, perseverance, and strength to be the best you that you can be. And thank you for showing us that today. And congratulations. Your journey is only just beginning. Get ready. Buckle up. Hit the gas and let's go. Go right into the future. [Applause] Congratulations. I would like now to welcome Michelle Kelly to come to the stage. She is our student life supervisor here at PDSD. Thank you. Come on up. [Applause] Hello everyone. I'm thrilled to see another graduation. It's something I look forward to every single year. It could be monotonous, but it's not for me. I look forward to seeing who our seniors are and the unique traits that they bring. 2025 is an amazing group and each of you has different personalities, different life views, different approaches to life and I commend all of you. I wish you the best of luck in your future, whether it be down a career path or going into college.
So again, we are going to miss you very much, and we look forward to hearing all of the amazing accomplishments you're going to do in high school and far beyond. This is home for you. Remember, once a cult, always a cold. If you ever need any of us here, always remember where your home is. You know how to find us. And you know that we'll be right here waiting. Congratulations, class of 2025. We love you. [Applause] Good morning. Please welcome my fellow classmate giving the first speech, Vicky Freeland. [Applause] Good morning teachers, families, friends, and especially to my fellow classmates. Today feels a little surreal. After so many years, some of us starting all the way back in preschool. We're finally standing at the edge of a brand new chapter. High school is calling. And while that's exciting, it also means saying goodbye to a place that has been part of our lives as long as we can remember.
Curtis. That's for the siblings. For the siblings, if you're taking the siblings, please sign them out at the gate. If you are a relative and not a parent and you want to take the students out, please sign them out at the office. Okay. The siblings have to be signed out at the office. Okay. So, thank you. Round of applause for amazing people. We also have a smart and would you like to say a few words? Just a few words about what's happening outside in the foyer. Um there is one side that the graduates will go down. They have pizza, eeges, and a a graduation gift. And on the other side for all of our guests, we have uh muffins, croissants, and water. So please enjoy. And congratulations to all the graduates. Thank you. Have a great rest of your day. Thank you.
Um I'm trying um I'm trying to think back. It was not a district I've worked at, but it was a district that I did consulting with in the East Valley and they were like a 1.2 if I remember. Oh, fantastic. Um the challenge in Arizona is that we do have turnover and teaching um careers. Some teachers get in and just decide that's not for them. But we do have a high population of um newer staff when it comes to teaching positions. So we typically don't ever go over that 1.0. Uh but again, it's just a lot of data that has to be collected. It needs to be very accurate and then we report that data to the state. Then this is where the state does the fun stuff. Um, this part I feel is maybe a little more interesting. It's a five-page calculation that at the end of it, it tells you how many dollars are going to be allocated to this particular school district.
Um, I'm Eliza and I like Chasing Verir. Oh, nice. Macy and I like doll buns. A I say everybody. A Now you guys, congratulations. Twoerson team. Look at you. You can do anything. Just want to give a shout out to your grandma. Just kind of come out from behind the screen. This is Linda Rollins. She used to be a governing board member for several years for Gilbert Public Schools. And guess what? Her kids are still and grandkids in our system. Please give her a hand. Thank you for your service. Congratulations, Islands. If you shake hands, we'll take your [Applause] picture. Congratulations. Congratulations. Stand in the middle. Well done, guys. Thank you. Next, we have drum line camp. Mr. Kak and your squad, come on up. Look at that line. Look at that perfect formation. You taught them well, sir. He's like, "Yeah, put that banner out there.
At one point, it seemed as if all of the work I had done towards it would go to waste, and I would not be able to get my art. However, Miss Carol, Miss Kanzinger, Mr. Boyet, and Mr. Leonard worked extremely hard to find a solution to allow me to succeed, and I am immensely grateful to all of them. I ended up taking art as an extra class to get my final art still credit. I spent much of my time trying to save my effort because I'd come so far and didn't want my progress to end in failure. Many students in the class of 2025 have experienced difficulties that were tough to overcome. But we have risen above to claim our success and move forward to a new chapter of our lives. All of us standing here today have shown how capable and persistent we are no matter our academic level.
Congratulations on closing this latest chapter of our lives. As we look forward to the future, I'd like to share with you all a quote I recall at times. God helps those who help themselves. This quote motivates me by reminding me that while support of others is important, success is ultimately achieved through one's own initiative. Finally, thank you to Mario for lending me this sash and thank you to [Applause] ChatGpt. Good evening, Thunderbird. My name is Caleb Sturgeon and I have so many people to thank. My God, my family, my teachers, my classmates. I thank you all for a great four years. We've learned a lot together. But one thing that I have witnessed over my years here at Thunderbird is that stress can steal joy in a way that nothing else can. We live in a bustling world with endless possibilities and choices. Life can feel hectic, out of control, and just overwhelming.
On behalf of the board and BPS 101, thank you for always being an advocate for students and we wish you the best in your retirement. Thank you. Thank you. That's so nice. Well, it's been 11 years in Bavia, but 33 years total. So, as bittersweet as it is to retire, it is time. And I am very ready for what lies next. And of course, I appreciate all the support that the um the school district has given me, but most importantly, the support of my staff who have been wonderful. They've changed and evolved over these 11 years, and right now they're at their peak of greatness. So, I I feel like I I'm leaving um the next principal to come in with a fabulous staff. And of course, the students, those are the the hard part, you know, to get to miss your students that you see on a daily basis.
H O R. Okay, there it is. Nope. That a way too far. Why would anybody shoot for me? We've had a long winter. It's gloomy, cold, rainy. How you guys doing? We're checking in on our students today. Just doing a well-being check, seeing how you guys are doing this part of the school year. I'm doing good, but I'm a little tired. Who reigns supreme for you? Is it Wildcat athletics activities or dead? Um, done. Done. The 4C Cinderella story. You called it, professor. You said we're going to see a Cinderella story. We have How many shoulders? How many times have you provide Oh, her crown is blowing away into the That's okay. We're going to We're just going to continue on. We'll get it out of the trees later. Wildcats, thanks for the memories. It's been so good getting to share some of your thoughts throughout the year on Friday Funday.
This year's recommendation um that I bring forth this evening is that all nine union employees who which includes our principles, assistant principles, district coordinators, accounting payroll manager, district maintenance technician, district executive administrative assistants, district office support assistant, district um sorry, office support assistant, technology specialist, um service support specialist, communications and fiscal specialist, occupational therapist, physical therapists, also known as OT's and PTs, transportation staff, and lunchroom supervisors. My recommendation is for each of these um employee groups to receive 3.55% for the 2526 um school year. It has been our approach to use um the guide of our um certified staff which is our largest collective bargaining agreement group um to use that as kind of the ruler to um keep our salaries in align. So again, we're achieving not only that um financial responsibility, but also that we can remain competitive in these non-union positions. Um health benefits, sick time aotment, and vacation um aotments for though all employees, I am recommending no changes to those benefits.
Any discussion? Hearing none. We can take a vote, please. Julie Jetty, yes. Jason Jansik, yes. Ann Sanucci, yes. Darling, yes. Mindy Hartman, yes. Katherine Potter, yes. Stacy Salt, yes. Okay. Next up, we have the approval of the minutes from the March 27th, 2025 regular board of education meeting. We have a motion to approve the minutes from the regular board of education meeting from March 27th, 2025. March 17. March 17. March 17th. Yes, we were definitely on spring break. Okay. Yep. March. Let me read it again. May I have a motion to approve the minutes from the regular board of education meeting for March 17, 2025? Move to Second.