All of those computers are in. Um prices continue to go up but we were able to maintain our prices um this year with what we had last year. But they are going up across the board everywhere. But all of our computers have been ordered and are in on site so we can start getting those ready again for the new year. Um we spent spring break uh flipping our phone system to a new company. Um every hour of spring break we spent doing that. And [clears throat] it's done. So um thank you to everybody for their patience as we did that. It was a big project. Um [clears throat] but we're in a comfortable spot right now. The phone system's operating and functioning as expected and there was a few bumps along the way but for the most part it's all done. And that's what I have for you.
That's that's part of the >> we have an understanding, I'm good. And you know, seriously, I you know, thank [clears throat] you and Dr. Saver Maguire and you know, uh Gary and Cody and everyone for uh all their help and collaboration getting this thing hammered out and and put together, you know, as well as it can be, Mhm. type of deal. So, I mean, I kind of still stand by my previous comments, but that's you know, I'm ready I'm let it go. So, I'm good. Ms. Amaral? I stand by your previous comments, too, John, and I'm not ready to let it go. Um I just if I may, um if we could just speak to I I get this was sort of the I appreciate the town. I appreciate the collaboration. Um and I appreciate your efforts, and I don't have a metaphor story as good as one of our public speakers with the squirrels in the oven.
Second. Motion second. Any more discussion? Looks like we still pay the $2,000 uh What's it called here? The annual fee of $2,000 per section. What's that? If less than 10 students enrolled in the course, if we have less than 10, then So, we still pay This is We we know we're paying the 2,000. We're just making the motion to pay the 450. Possibly. It depends on other school districts. If we if we can pool together and get 10 total I got you. then if let's say three other schools have three other kids each and then you throw us with three, that's 12. They won't charge us that fee. Okay. Good question. Make your vote. Motion carried 6-0. Negotiation. You have some information that I don't believe we really need to go into executive session right now. We have our first meeting on Thursday set up and uh maybe next month we'll be talking.
Any opposed, same sign. just >> [laughter] >> So, the two options that we were presented last week, I'm going to present option one. I don't really feel like option one is going to be a good choice. It both of these options are in their budget for building it. So, it's not something like we're going to have to give extra money for. Both of these are in their budget and just we need some input from you guys on this. So, option number one is where those sewer lines come in, that daycare sewer line comes out on the west side. So, option number one is putting a grinder and a lift station in there to pump suit the sewage out, then it's going to run into the school through the school sewer system and then out that direction. Okay, so that's option number one. Okay? Option number two is to trench down this back road.
Great cause and you can see uh you're coming around the lobby, you can see the great press box, pretty builds a community uh spirit. Um the concession stands is is real is beautiful uh everything else looks very very good. Alhambra Unified Jack Kiersci Stadium in September 2023. AUSD worked in collaboration. This shows that we have worked in collaboration since we took the court. Uh with local artist H.A. David. The alumni of Red Raider Booster Club paid for the mural of the Alief Comets. Um you can see the picture. So, talking about bringing up school spirit, this community spirit. Uh for many years that Red Raider wasn't present on that stadium. Now it is. And so, that this shows how we work in collaboration together. Stadium lighting, October of 2023, AUSD purchased 50 new stadium lights from Sturdys Electrical. Installed at a total cost of $5,000 during the 2023 season.
Any questions on for anybody? >> This is an action item. So, >> I move to approve the updated HR documentation for the college success specialist as presented. >> I'll second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Okay. I know the high school appreciates that very much. >> Thank you. Uh my last item is that we need to go ahead and approve the new position at Heritage um a dean of students position um for the upcoming school year with the change following um the assistant um principal position moving into my position and then also a decrease enrollment due to the sixth grade um remaining at Del Rio. Um, we feel that that new role will effectively meet the school's um, need for administrative um, the administrative needs to support Caitlyn and the rest of the staff. >> It's not new to the district. We have den of students at um, Del Rio and Territorial already.
Follow-up to your questions or concerns may be addressed by administration through the contact information provided on the comment card. Thank you. Mike Litman Hello, everybody. I know I've spoken to you before. Um wanted to share some concerns that I've been hearing in the community, and the reason why I want to share them is to give you an opportunity to address them in a future meeting. Um the last board meeting very long board meeting, as you all know. Um towards the end, the discussion of finances came up. And obviously, there's some We're in a dire situation as far as finances go. There's a lot of very tough decisions that are going to have to be made in the coming months, that we know. The concern is a lot of people are looking at myself included look at that and how do we sync that with the $500 million project was presented a few months ago.
It's not something that that happened in my previous district. Um I think this came from the high school and and they decided that a lot of times attendance wasn't great for the Saturday school, but if they have the students at school and they can do the Friday school and have the consequence and and keep that as part of of already having them there with us rather than worrying about transportation on Saturday, they decided to go ahead and move forward with that. And as part of this process, we also had middle school students who were sometimes and it was a very small um portion of the population that were typically middle middle school students, but who were also coming on Saturday to the high school. So now they're going to be coming to a Saturday school at their particular school, but it's a very small portion of the the population.
Comfortably mean people have a phone? As long as they can make calls in and out. As far as I know. That's the terminology here. I'll just refer to our technology specialist for any questions. No, I know how to use phones. >> [laughter] >> On my landline anyway. [laughter] You don't dial it, Mel. It's on the It's [clears throat] on his wall. Mrs. Rose, start with you. Um just a few things. So the ILEARN window opens this week. Um preschool registration starts tomorrow so that's that's a big day for them. Um and then in thinking about next year, next year we will have um three residents from IUK. If you remember remember that's our year-long program where they student teach essentially for a full year. Um we're hoping two of those will be two of our paraprofessionals who are in the Pathways for Paraprofessionals program with IUK.
Um But I've had nightmares about it since I heard it. It was great. Um at any rate, this represents the student like the student-facing um positions is the is sort of the effort. If you if you wouldn't mind just reminding me uh the positions that were not you know, the funding that were not supporting with this modified Sure. So, E um as you know, our original budget proposal was 6.85%. So, i- included in that uh original budget proposal were several things that are not here today. Um so, the sort of the key factors that we cut in terms of the 487,000 were additional support for the athletics program, the music program, and the maintenance program, right? So, those were the 487,000 dollars that we removed. We also removed the human resources director, the maintenance position, the technology positions uh from the budget that we had originally proposed.
They they do I did talk with Kathy Freeman. I asked her and the view to represent representation if they would prefer to do negotiations sooner with me or later and start July 1 with Donnamond. They preferred to go with me and want to get it done sooner and with the board which is they're not with me but with the board. They want to try to get this done sooner because they would like to have their summer and I think uh that's a good good plan. So and I have stayed stayed in touch with Donnamond about this and she would prefer not to have to jump right into negotiations so right out of the shoot. So I will keep her informed and uh you know any discussions of what we're looking at doing all every step of the way. When is your first meeting? Next this this Thursday.
Okay? Come to the not the corner, but kind of the corner of Tim Shedd and then dredge underneath and then come out here to where the our sewer empties straight out of the main entryway. Okay? Straight out to the street. So, to dredge underneath to come and hook into what would be one of those cement pads would be taken out. They would put it there. The good part about this is we have no cleanout already down that whole area. So, they're going to they put a cleanout in there with a cap over the top of it and then they'd repour the concrete put it in there. Then it bypasses everything, no lift station needed. Just goes out there. The good part about that is then if we ever wanted to do anything at the tennis courts with a bathroom, it's an easy hook in to that and then go out that way.
That helped address the the challenging the challenges as far as with the lighting. October of 2023, and the facilities team worked for a week every day all day and cleared out all of the metal debris that was located at the north end zone, last end zone, to move this stuff right now. Uh for that whole week, uh all the facilities team that cost was about $3,700 for the salary. That's what I was looking for. And if Angela can show how it looks right now, I took the picture today around after about 2:30, 3:00. Um She has the picture to pull up today. I know she has it. We're having some challenges getting to There's a picture of it now. And so, you know, yes, I'll be the first to agree that it's not the old Texas stadium or Soldier Field, but from where it was to where it is now and in a few years, I believe it's come a long way.
So, this is just firming up. So, it's not a new position of the district, but it's new to Heritage. >> Yeah. And do we already have somebody before this issue? >> Yeah, we actually issued a contract last month. So, we kind of carton horsed it. Yeah, I kind of went I went backwards. Sorry. We're just gonna ignore that. [laughter] >> Okay, I'm just making sure. >> So, this might be a crazy question. Is a dean a students kind of like assistant principal? Is that or is it different? >> Well, it's it's usually um with not the full responsibility like an assistant principal has at a high school level. Um or or else um up to how many kids you have that has something to do with it. Also, there's a variety of um things that go into um and then um Abby will be doing also will be the um athletic director for the school too.
So now you're looking at facility improvements. I understand there's maintenance. That's a whole different story and that has to be done. No argument there. The problem is when you're looking at facility improvements and taking on a debt load that's the largest in the history of the school district. How do you justify that when you're also going to be looking at the next few months at layoffs of staff teachers, potentially a school closing, who knows. You guys have to figure all that out. But it seems like there's a little bit of a disconnect from a public perception when you look at we're in dire straits, we're within I think it was a few years of running out of money is where we're at on the current track. I understand changes need to be made and I I hope you make some very wise decisions in doing that.
Um Saturday school, I think, has served a purpose for the high school for a long time. This came from them and they wanted to try to see if they could have um a better turnout for the Friday school. They already have the students with them and can just keep them for a little bit longer and still be a deterrent of some sort. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions for Dr. Finley? >> Board members, I will entertain a motion. >> I move that the board of school trustees approve the 2026 27 school handbooks as presented. Second >> motion by Mike, seconded by Josh. Is there any more discussion? All those in favor? That motion passes 5-0. Thank you, Dr. Finley. Next, we have an amendment to support staff pay matrix. You're up again, Dr. Finley.
And speaking of that, um we have a final number. We will actually have six of our paraprofessionals that will student teach next school year for one semester. So if you remember January of 2023 and actually their classes started in March of 2023, our paraprofessionals who started attending IUK um taking coursework toward their degree in education. We have six of them now finishing up next year. So that's really exciting. Is there a placement process? I forget. We are not required to hire them once they graduate but I'm sure we will find a place for some of them. Okay. That's a deal. I just wanted to mention a couple things that we've been working on and one is high ability training. And this work is so important because I think as teachers we naturally want to help everybody and if we see people struggling, that's where we put a lot of our time and effort.
So, a significant amount, obviously, to get to remove 1.85% of the budget is a is a significant amount. So, um it did, you know, certainly diminish our request, um but you know, in order to in order to move forward in attempts to um compromise and collaborate, it was necessary to do that. The other the other thing that I failed to mention was the special ed team facilitator and the athletic coordinator stipends. Um so, those those also were removed. Thank you. Um Ms. Coughlin? Um so, I would say we've come a long way, and um clearly we're not getting if if we go with a 5% budget increase, we're not getting everything that we wanted, and what we wanted would help us progress, help our students progress. What? You said want. I would I would just interject need. Need. Well, need. So, what I'm saying is definitely, if we had stuck with our original budget, we would move forward faster.
This Thursday. Uh Can we yeah, I would like to go into executive session? On Negotiation. On for negotiation? Yeah. How long do you 5 minutes. Uh motion to recess into executive session for 5 minutes to discuss certified contracts pursuant to the exception for employee or employee negotiations and to return to the open session Thank you. Motion second.
So, will be a little more work, it will cost a little more, but both of those when I talked to Chris are in the budget that they have. Guys, I really feel that option two, they wanted your guys's input, but overall that's the best choice and then we don't have to mess with any of the piping in the school wall already. So, we don't have to worry about a lift station there or anything else like that. So, I just wanted to visit with you guys and have your guys's input on that moving forward. So, and then I wanted to visit with you guys about the administrative review. So, the state representative did get a petition for the review of the Wilson Elementary School closure. They're working when I talked to them at the end of last week, and when I say them, Scott Gordon, they're going through the verification of the signatures at that point.