It was a valuable opportunity to connect with future students and highlight our programs. Over the past two weeks, our students have also been actively participating in competitions. Our academic decathlon team competed in interviews, 4-minute prepared speeches, impromptu speeches, and ended the day with a super quiz. Their dedication throughout the year has been impressive and they look forward to recognizing their work at their banquet aboard the Queen Mary later this month. Our Isuza Robotics completed its inner league tournament on February 1st. One team placed 10th overall and another earned second place for the reach award. Their achievement reflect both technical skills and a strong commitment to community outreach. We would like to thank the city of Isuza all in for Isuza and Murray Elementary for their partnerships in allowing us to provide these outreach workshops. Last Friday, our medical academy students visited the California Science Center with explored real world applications of science and gained insights as they prepare for upcoming HOSA competitions.
So, what this shows here, and it's a little bit tough to see in the right hand uh picture, you can see that's one of the mechanical units that has the um sides taken off. Yeah, thank you very much. And then on the right hand side, you you can see Yeah, you're doing wonderful. Up in the top where you see those duct work sections, if you go down just a little bit right there, those round parts, those are not connected to units. you're you're actually missing uh components up in that ceiling there. And if you go on to the next one, I think I have one that's even clearer. So, here you can see it's even clearer. You have you see that duct work where it's supposed to connect. You have a full missing uh piece of equipment up there. Um you can see the controls that are laying there on the picture on the left.
We have six high-risk categories. How many other schools in the state of Arizona are in that same six? >> It says that too. So the district doesn't get extra money, it gets nice steep. >> So Serena's got nothing. >> But Serita also, if you want to take a look at their student count, >> they're down 200 kids over five years. Then you can see that they also within their M budget carried over almost $20 million within their M budget. >> When I'm thinking the whole state look at all the school districts in the state, >> how many are with six high risk categories? >> So So remember the overview. >> So these are the current districts that are already listed. >> We're not in this one and we're not on the one below it where we're approaching. Okay. >> So if you wanted to look at say Fountain Hills >> uh because they are down 300 kids over the last five years.
So we are providing some incredible opportunities that are rigorous and advanced to all of our students. You heard us talk about the growth that our special education students are having and we are growing these opportunities and success opportunities for our students as well all the way up into AP. So in summary, this data tells a a pretty clear story that we're seeing some consistent academic growth across all grade levels and subjects, early indicators aligning with summitive outcomes and increasing access to more rigorous and advanced opportunities. Um, our next steps do focus on strengthening math outcomes, uh, sustaining literacy gains and continuing to expand access to rigorous instruction. Even though, uh, we have nerded out all day and have loved celebrating, all of us left today's 7-hour meeting like ready to put in another 7 hours right now, uh, cuz we're, we're really excited about what our next list of action steps needs to be.
Uh this evening we are going to review our fiscal year 25 audit. That is the year that ended June 30th, 2025. Although it took us till about early mid January to get everything actually completed and printed. Um it is work from not only the finance department who does a phenomenal job but also many depart uh many departments in the district provide information. So tonight um from Heinfeld Meech that's our audit firm Josh Jumper. He's been with the firm 17 years. He's been all six years I've been here auditing. I have been with Josh as well. So Can you hear me? Okay, great. Uh, good evening, uh, President Wade, board members. Uh, it's good to be here this evening to present, uh, the audit results for the year ended June 30th, 2025. I do have a few prepared slides just to keep me on track.
So the base plan that what we're approving here that 1.5 that's just for new hires. >> That is correct. >> Okay. And then when we send out the contracts for the existing employees it would have the 3% raise not just the 1.5. Correct. >> Exactly. Great. Thank you. >> Finally after 14 years I get it. >> Okay. Um, so I don't know where exactly this question fits. This is a cross between section B and section C. Okay. Typically, when someone signs a contract, that contract has all the language in there that is pertinent to that contract, including pay rates, all that stuff. Why isn't C part of B? >> B is simply the language itself. C will reflect the actual schedule of of starting maximum minimum maximum wages that we offer. being respectful here really two separate uh ideas and how that again they integrate closely together but there's really a separation between both of those functions in HR is that make a sense >> no >> all right so when you write a contract >> yes >> this person once you figure out what their pay will be gets put into that empty space of that contract just like their name, date, things like that.
Two, attend school on a flexible holiday to avoid extending the school year with at least 30 days notice. Or three, they could check um I don't have a preference. >> And Dr. Perkins, yes, if you don't mind. I >> I get a little confused with the emergency days as opposed to the e-learning days and how they're taken. How many emergency days we have? There's 510. I get a little confused on that. And what constitute using the e-learning day? Because we use e-learning days because of inclement weather over the last several weeks, right? I think we used a couple, didn't we not? >> So, we have used a total of three e-learning days this year when we got hit with that snow, unexpected snow in November. >> And why were they why weren't they not considered emergency days? Because in lie of using an emergency day, an emergency day is by all calendars in the state of Illinois, you have to have put in five days at the end of your school year.
It was nice to be able to discuss stuff and have a back and forth. >> Anybody else got anything? I would just like to have Levi give us an update on the sound acoustics um >> stuff. I know you told us, but I think it's important >> because we get questions about that all the time and >> I'm in gyms a lot and I've been taking pictures of their acoustic boards or I noticed that a lot of the gyms have a slit in their masonary blocks which is like what we have in gym 2. which may be why our acoustics are better in gym two than gym one. Not that we can do that, >> but if we ever do have to modify those ends, you know, maybe that's a possibility, but >> Levi had given us an option of putting some acoustic boards up, but it is very, very expensive and we're trying to cut costs right now.
>> Yes. Um, so when I joined the school committee, relationships were sometimes thought to be a weakness, but sometimes a strength. Um, how are your relationships within the district um going to benefit you or challenge you when you're put in a position where you have to make decisions about the >> Yeah. Um, that one tough one. It's a tough one. And I had thought about that a little bit. Um, you know, I think in my professional experience, and I won't go into it because I guess it's seen my resume. Um, I have to have different types of relationships with clients. They have all different kinds of personalities and all different kinds of priorities and things and, um, you know, there's confidentiality and all those kinds of things. And I think that, you know, 15 years in consulting has sort of prepared me to be a great mediator.
Um we've also replaced phone switches across all 15 network closets to try to modernize that phone infrastructure. Uh we've provided support for rentals and after dark programs and district committee meetings um past the hours of normal school operations. uh we were able to secure a more cost-effective lease agreement for our copers as well. Uh we sat down, we looked at the data, um we worked with the manufacturer to make sure we were sizing the machines appropriately for each department. Um and we were able to save some money and also get brand new um you know faster um copers for each department. Um, and we're supporting the ongoing efforts to ensure student data privacy and ADA title 2 compliance for digital accessibility. Um, which is very important, keeping student information safe and also ensuring students with disabilities are able to access and have fair access to all the curriculum.
So, let's talk about Cherry Brook Primary School. In 2024, Cherry Brook Primary School was honored and recognized as a school of distinction as being a school that scored in the top 10% on the Next Generation Accountability Index. In 22, Cherry Brook was recognized by the United States News and World Report. For the 15th year in a row, the Canton community was recognized by NAM, the best communities for music. Students at Cherrybrook Primary School continue meaningful growth in their literacy with Dibbles. Students at Cherrybrook are shing foundation numeracy through intentional targeted instruction. For the past three years, 140 second and third grade students have participated in Cherry Brook Steam event, I wonder. In 2024, a third grader won an award for their invention in the Connecticut Invention Convention and was a finalist. For the past four years, over 50 Cherry Brook second and third grade students have joined Cherry Brook Primary School singers led by the music department.
Looking ahead next week, our peer mediators mediators and student union members will attend a peer mediation invitational where they'll participate in workshops focused on leadership development. I would also like to acknowledge that on February 3rd, a student organized walkout took place at Isuza High School. A portion of students participated in a demonstration related to current social and political issues. School administration followed procedures and ensured student safety throughout the event. This moment reflects student engagement and awareness within our school community. As a reminder, February 11th will be a minimum day and there will be no school on February 16 in observance of President's Day and Washington's birthday. We would also like to invite all fifth through 8th grade students and their families to attend the Aztec Expo on February 25th. 5 at 5:30 p.m. in the Isuza gym. This event offers an opportunity to learn more about the programs and opportunities available at Isuza High School.
You can see those red wires that are are meant to to be connected and control the unit. Um, and what it is is, um, in in working with your staff, it's doing the best they can with the materials that they have. These units, like I said, are well beyond useful life. Uh, it's tough to get components to repair them. It's tough to find components to repair them. It's tough to get up there and make maintenance because once one thing goes bad, uh, more things go bad. If you go ahead and go to the next slide, please. So, this is an example and it leads into the picture after this unit was put together in the best case scenario. You can tell that there was some work that was done on it. You can kind of see if I can use your pointer real quick just to point this out.
They only carried over $980,000 capital budget carried over. >> Well, they've got Yeah, they're not >> district hills. >> And this is one of the districts that are actually showing up as high risk or moving into high risk. So they're >> they're read in four categories. >> So how are we how are we in five and we're not approaching what they are? >> I know. >> No, really. >> Honestly, I think it's because we are close enough to where we need to be that we are not considered a hybrid. So I have a quick question and I don't know a lot about any of this stuff honestly but you said that you get this every year. >> Yes. >> So how does this year's compared to last year's last January? Were we in the same amount of high-risisk areas >> or is that a trend last year?
So, thank you. Um, we'll open it up for any questions that you all might have. Well, I I did have a question about AP um and students taking AP because probably back when I first got on the board, I attended an ASBA session with uh Yuma High School District and they were talking about increasing the um the diversity of their AP student taking the classes because in Yuma they had at before they started doing that they had, you know, the rich white kids in the AP classes and they were working to broaden that and she discussed that. So, I want to know what we're doing to increase the diversity and giving all of students this opportunity. Obviously, we have a lot more students. So, can we address the diversity of our classes? >> Well, I would just say that we're addressing access for all students and by nature of that, the diversity is is growing, right?
Uh, but they will be brief and then I'm happy to answer any questions that you may have as well for me. Uh so just a summary of the audit. So we are I'm with Heinfeld Meech. We are uh an independent accounting firm in Arizona. Uh we are the external auditors for the district and the audit contract is procured through competitive proposal process following district and state rules and regulations over procurement. Uh fiscal 25 the year uh I'm presenting on was the fourth year of the audit contract. Uh this uh slide summarizes the timeline for the audit. So the audit began last May. Uh we came on site performed audit procedures. Then we come back on site after the fiscal year end has ended in October. Uh additionally from there we uh prepare the audit reports uh and they were issued in December of this past year.
That's correct. >> Then the next person might have a different amount based on this schedule, >> right? >> That's correct. >> And then that's what they sign. >> That is correct. >> Okay. So the contract language that we approved is just like the like the rest of the part, the terms the but the only thing that changes is the top part. Have What's been the vetting on the compensation? Have has it been through like uh some kind of committees or something or is this strictly a cabinet level? >> This was a cabinet level decision for this year. Um we have had obviously meet and confer committee meets every year and we discuss things like pay, working conditions. Uh this year we got a recommendation from meet and confer for a higher percentage rate than than what we're offering for employees. We always like to have our compensation plans continue to be more competitive though in terms of u how we're competing with the valley schools in particular.
And so right now, instead of um coming in kind of like when we used to have snow days um kind of back in the day when you used to have snow days, you would have to make up those days. >> Yes. E-learning day allows us to say our students are learning at home with their teachers and we do not have to make up that day because they have a device at home. They are logged in and working with their teachers. So instead of that um it's in lie of making that day up. >> So so for all practical purposes you can probably never use emergency days. >> You you will but we're only allowed five. >> Only five. Got it. But here's I think we're I think you're not getting I think the premise of your question. >> Mhm. >> The reason this has come up is because I think we're taking Chromebooks away from K through two.
So, but we have to have a gym that works and you can hear in. So I just wondered if you could share that with us. >> Yeah. So yeah, I the the uh the slit masonary box or acoustical block um actually cuz in gym 2 I never knew what they were. Um there is an old um if you go out to the the um at the end of the hallway, there's an old vested on the very end of the hallway, right? That that that new hallway now connects. If you went outside and looked above it, there's an old set of louvers up there. I don't know if you guys remember that when I told you it was raining on my head one day in there and I was like, "How are we getting rain here?" If you come in on the inside of gym 2, there is just a big sheet piece of sheet metal up there.
Um, I can take my parent hat off at any time and I can be very objective. Um, I've been told that I'm I'm very good at looking through the lens um of other different perspectives and and really great at trying to bring everybody to the table and having conversations about um, you know, what do we have in common? What do we need to work through? Those kinds of things. So I think um you know just a combination of my professional experience and knowing um I I'm not I'm not going to have any less of a relationship with my sense teacher but I I am very clear. I've done a lot of research as to the role of school committee so I know what we can do what we can't do. So I think I'm pretty prepared for that. >> Thanks. Uh so my question regards budget uh so regarding budget decisions what's your process for analy analyzing budget spending and determining whether it's a worthy program or not and I know you you told us in your letter that you're uh the co-reasurer of the education collaborative the PTO group >> uh PTO and BBC >> yeah BC yep uh so if you could explain a little bit about your role there and what the processes that the BEC follows when deciding to spend on one program over another.