001Uh, oh, that's very loud. I'm so sorry. It is now 4:01 p.m. on July 10th, and we're going to call on the meeting of the ASDB board of directors. Uh, for you those those of you that don't know, I'm Britney Buchanan, and I will be acting president for this meeting. And next to me is Katie Senko, and she will be the acting secretary for this meeting. Uh, we're going to first call, I'm sorry, call to the public for agenda items. I had nothing given to me in advance. So, we have no comments on agendized items. Next, we're going to do attendance. Go ahead and do roll call. Britney Buchanan, I'm present. Myself, Katherine Sinko, Katie, I'm here. Linda both present. Mike Gordon I'm present. Earl Terry. Okay. Not present. Colette Chapman so we have quum.
002Thank you. Okay, moving on. We have no as discussed public comments. So, we'll go to 1.3 superintendent's report. Superintendent Regman. Good afternoon, board president Brittney Buchanan, members of the board, Assistant Superintendent Cooper, Deputy Assistant Superintendent Katchov, and ASDB community. Welcome to our July 10th, 2025 board meeting here in Tucson. Tucson likes to say that it's cooler than Phoenix, but I'm feeling pretty warm. So, feels like it's just as warm here, perhaps. It's been a hot day. I want to go back to the last two board meetings. If you recall, I used a metaphor to represent ASDB. That metaphor was that of a ship. We talked about the ASDB ship. We must have four things in order to be successful in getting where we're going. The first is we have to have a clear sense of
003direction. We need to know whether we're going north, south, east, or west. We have to have a compass to make sure that we stay on course. Second, we have to have a destination in mind. We have to have a port, our goals, where we want to arrive to and our direction will guide us to that port to achieve our goals. Third, we need a map or a chart or maybe a GPS that lets us know how to navigate so that we're able to reach our destination. And fourth, we need a team. We have to work together because that ship has to go through the waves, through those constant changes, through the sun, the rain, and the wind. Our ship has to adjust its sails. We have to adjust our rudder. We have to be able
004to steer and stay on course to get through whatever is happening out in our environment. Sometimes we may have winds that attempt to upend us. If we have a good team, we can work together and collaborate to ensure that our ship can navigate through that storm and safely arrive to our port. But the new part that I'm adding today is that you, the board of directors, are the pilots. You are the front of the ship. You decide the course. You determine the destination. Actually, the Constitution of Arizona says that you have the authority to govern ASDB. With that authority, you have three components and those are written in our policy. First, you have legislative authority. That means that you were able to review and approve our policies. You get to to decide those policies for
005the agency and you also decide the course in our strategic plan. You also have the executive authority. In our policy, it states that you confer executive authority to the superintendent. I, as the superintendent, have responsibility to ensure that we are implementing policy and that we are following the course set for us by the board. The third responsibility that you as the board have is evaluation. You evaluate ASDB's programming and you evaluate the superintendent. Those are three components that are critical to ASDB's success and to keep our ship upright. Right now, the ASDB board is during a period of transition. That transition started with the recent resignation of Suk Kifel. She had been on the board for more than 10 years, about nine or 10 years. She was on the board when I became superintendent in
0062016. She faithfully served on this board for that for the duration and has supported ASDB's efforts tirelessly. The last two years she served as board president. It is truly unfortunate that she had to leave so quickly because I did look to her for guidance and advice and feedback. I will miss her and I wish her well. Fortunately for us, our policy says that the board secretary becomes the acting board president while the president is no longer available. And Britney Buchanan agreed to step up and become acting president for today's meeting. And then Katie Senko also agreed to be acting secretary for today's meeting as well. So we were able to continue with our meeting as planned and you as board members can continue your roles and responsibilities in piloting ASDB's ship. So it is wonderful
007and I'm very happy that you're both here. Also, what has happened is that we currently have three applications that are pending the governor's approval. They are on her desk and waiting for appointment in order to join the ASDB board. I hope that that happens prior to the September board meeting. Those three applicants will replace the former um board member Susan Singler, former board member Lynn Davidson, and uh current board member Katie Senko. We do have three applicants we are hoping that are appointed in a timely manner. And then with Suk's recent resignation, her position on the board is now open. And that is a public position. So, anyone is eligible to apply for that position. And I'm hoping if you know anyone who may be interested, um, please encourage them to do so. We do
008need a full board of nine board members. Currently, we have six. That means that some changes are going to be uh continuing to happen with the board. Another component that we need to be mindful of is that anytime we bring in a new board member, we have to provide them with training. New board members will receive an open meeting law training. They also receive a conflict of interest training. And by the way, you all will soon be required to take your annual conflict of interest training again as well. And you will have to complete the requisite form indicating any conflict of interest you may have. But that's easy enough. I am a little more concerned with half of the board being new replaced members. There is a lot of information that they will need to
009catch up on. If you recall over the last six months, you have had three three board work study sessions. The first one was in February regarding the AY's budget. The second was in April on our capital budget. And the third was recently on June 12th in which we looked at strategic plan 2.0. It was a lot of information that you now have and we need to figure out how the new board members can be caught up on all of that information so that they are on the same page. That is what I am thinking about as I look at our current board members because it is critical that you are capable of piloting the agency meaning that you have all of the information possible. So speaking of the strategic plan, you recently had a board
010work study session and there was a great deal of conversation about strategic plan 2.0. You provided feedback to us which we were able to incorporate. That strategic plan is currently on the agenda for your approval. I want to say that back in 2021, for the first time, I think ever in the history of the agency, the board and agency leadership collaborated to develop a strategic plan. And that was a five-year strategic plan. And with that strategic plan, we did not just develop it, read it here and there, and put it on a shelf to collect dust. We did not do that. We used that strategic plan. That strategic plan became embedded in our daily decision-making and it gave us direction to follow. It was wonderful. Last year, when we realized that we were coming up
011on the final year of that strategic plan, we wanted to develop our next five-year strategic plan. So we agreed with Courtney Fritz that she would take on the leadership role in development with the plan and she met with our staff with leaders collected a great deal of feedback and ideas and compiled a draft strategic plan 2.0 and that is what we were able to present to you for your feedback. So again, we have the opportunity to collaborate between the agency staff leadership and our board to plan for the next five years and we will be using that strategic plan. We will follow that plan and in that way you will have set the course for us. So again I think that's a wonderful collaboration. My last comment that I'd like to share is that back
012on June 19th, ASB's leadership team came together for an allday retreat. The purpose of that retreat was to give us an opportunity to look at all of our data and all of the information available to us. We had about an hour and a half of presentations with an extensive slide deck that allowed us to look at student count look at our performance met performance metrics and our standard assessment scores. We also looked at our budget, our facilities, our capital budget, cost per student and so on. We had a great deal of data points available to us. Much of that information had already been presented to you back in February and again in April during our two board work study sessions. I just wanted to make sure that the leadership team heard that information as well
013and had the opportunity to look over everything, think about what was in front of us and brainstorm um ideas for the future of the agency in terms of what the future of our agency will look like. The leadership team engaged in very thoughtful, very difficult conversations. They did not make any decisions. That was not the intention of that retreat. It really was to brainstorm and get creative with ideas in how we can set the framework to make further decisions moving forward into the future. My takeaway is that we have a framework. There are two things. We will maintain campus-based programming, campus presence, but it will be smaller and it will look different. We don't know yet exactly what it will look like, but we will maintain a campus presence. The second is that we need
014to expand our outreach to school districts and charter schools and provide a more of a spectrum of services to better support their students who are deaf and blind. So that is the framework we are starting with that will guide our decisions as we move forward. Bear in mind that we have to make sure that we continue that continuing of services to accommodate the students that we have now. We have a responsibility to all of them and we have to ensure that we comply with all the relevant laws. that includes the idea. We also have to include our stakeholder feedback and have conversations with those individuals. And our decisions must align with the strategic plan 2.0 that you will be um reviewing and hopefully approving this evening. And again, I just want to say that I
015am very appreciative of all of the staff, the teachers, professional staff, leadership, and everyone's commitment to the work that we do. We are all here because we want to provide the best education and support possible to all of the students that we serve who are deaf and or blind or deafb blind. So I am happy to take any questions at this time. Anyone superintendent? Uh, this is board member both. Could you mind uh moving? Yeah, thank you. I've got a black ball right in the space. I can't see quite what I need to. So, um, would you mind moving it? Um, Britney, would you mind moving the mic? Um, unless you plan on using it fairly consistent, better the other way. Yeah, there you go. Thank you so much. Thank you. That's all. Does anyone
016on the phone have comments for Superintendent Reichman? No, thank you. No, thank you for that, Superintendent Regman. I just want to say like I'm happy to hear about all the collaboration that's been happening in the agency. And I think that I personally value collaboration, especially between leadership, um, and the, you know, the cascade down our agency. I wouldn't be here if we didn't have an agency. I wouldn't be here if we didn't have the teachers, the therapists, and everybody, all the support staff that does what they do on the daily. So, I just I appreciate that we listen to them and that we're open to listening to them further and collaborating further. Thank you. And with that, we can move on to 1.4 with Assistant Superintendent Cooper. Good afternoon, acting board president Buchanan, superintendent Reichman,
017Deputy Assistant Superintendent Catchoff, members of the board, ASDB community, and staff members. As noted in each of the reports the directors of the agency operations and support services team have given, they continue to make efforts to optimize resources, improve operational efficiency, and address the AY's fiscal needs to support our staff and students. The information technology department has been working on enhancing our online registration workflows and preparing systems for the new school year deployment to staff and students before they begin in the next few weeks. The operations department has been updating the capital improvement plan submission to the Arizona Department of Administration and they have been completing various repairs and improvements on the campuses. The human resources and business services departments have been working on addressing some of the challenges with the state's transition of an
018all-in-one personnel and financial data management system which we call a 360. And at this time I do want to give a brief update on the performance and forensic audits. As you are aware, both audits began in April. And over the last few months, staff have responded to questions the auditors have had based on the information provided from their reports and their request. Thus far, no concerns have been made, and leadership will have an update meeting with both audit firms next week. Now that the budget legislation has been finalized, the budget team is continuing to work on developing the 2026 budget as our new fiscal year began on July 1st and the AY's budget submission package is due on or before September 1st to the Office of Strategic Planning and Budgeting. Within the next few weeks,
019the budget team will be sharing the preliminary fiscal year 2026 budget with each of their departments. And the team will continue to finalize the budget as the agency's submission will possibly include funding issues, but that has not yet been decided on whether or not we will request any items for the school year. We continue to be challenged by revenues resulting from declining student counts and increasing expenses with our agency fleet, personnel costs, general operating cost, and inflation. And as we all know, state funding is not keeping pace with the rising costs for special education. And we must continue to operate within our means. And as you've heard before, over the last two years, we've had to continue using our ending fund balance to address the shortfalls that we had in 2024 and 2025. But at
020the same time, we try to m to ensure we're maintaining current service levels and we're trying to fill in the gap that we're not receiving funding from other resources. We will assume as we're building the budget that enrollment will continue to decline and that we will have less funding with the general fund. We'll look at our institutional voucher revenues as well as grants. We will also continue to ensure we are identifying cost reduction strategies, seeking new funding opportunities wherever possible, and we're also going to be making sure through every effort to avoid a reduction in force. We'll continue to address that through attrition, looking at temporary positions and looking at how we can possibly reassign staff. Additionally, we'll continue to look at staff and student ratios, looking at their service minutes, case loads, and we
021will continue to look at programs and services within each of the departments and determining what's required. Increasing our student literacy and math proficiency will also continue to be an area of focus, as well as making sure that we're looking at the social and emotional learning. And despite some of the financial challenges we continue to have, we will try to ensure the best possible education and positive work environment for our staff. At the same time, we will continue to ensure we're using data decisionmaking tools based on the information provided and ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local legal requirements. And I do want to mention again that throughout the state and the nation, schools are facing similar budget challenges. It's not just ASDB. We are fortunate to be more stable than most of the other
022places, but we are not immune and the cost of goods and services are expected to continue rising. Student counts are expected to continue to decline and we are not sure what the financial support we will receive when it comes to federal funding for education. Uh finding a balance between both our immediate needs as well as ensuring um that we continue to operate is imperative and we'll make sure that we're implementing those financial practices to ensure long-term financial sta stability as well as operational. So we will try to make sure that we look at recruiting and retaining the best teachers, looking at how we can ensure we have a good working environment for our classified and administrative staff as well. And I do acknowledge that the emotional toll of those reductions when it comes to cost
023strategies have been made over the last two years has not been easy, but it is needed to ensure we don't make any further deeper cuts this year. Um, I do want to go ahead and put in a plug for another board member to participate on the finance committee meeting as a result of Sue Kay's resignation. So, right now, the only board member left on the finance committee meeting is uh, excuse me, finance committee is Mike Gordon. Um, I do also want to ensure and hope that our staff are enjoying their summer break and I look forward to meeting the new staff that start at the induction in two weeks. And at this time, there's no other information that I have to prepare or present. Thank you, Assistant Superintendent Cooper. Does anyone have any questions? Uh,
024Assistant Superintendent Cooper, I will fill suitcase role on the finance committee for you guys until November at least. Okay, Britney, this is Mike. Just before we move on, just real quickly, just as a kind of a parlay to what Shaina just said, um, on the finance committee, each month or each each meeting, each every other month, we usually have a presentation, programmatic presentation by one of the service areas. And this last one was around the interpreters. And uh, it really gave us some good insight. I've been on this board quite a while, but that was the first I've ever directly heard that much information about um the the scheduling, the rates, uh the requirements, the availability uh of uh of both uh children and adult interpreters. Uh it was just a a real uh literally
025a plethora of information and it was very very worthwhile. So, uh, if I just want to encourage folks who are currently on the board and maybe for their future members, and I know some are coming off too, um, that the finance committee is not just a meeting where you just go over the current reports and, uh, what the, uh, year-to- date and what are the projections of, uh, of from the budget and the reality of where you are. It's it's a lot more than that. and uh these presentations that we've we've gone over a whole variety of different areas and it's uh so I'd recommend anybody who who wants to be um basically a more complete board member to think about joining that um the finance committee. It's doesn't take that much time. Uh there's
026reports to review ahead of time, but we go over them thoroughly during the meeting themselves. So uh it's not like uh you have to do endless amount of prep time uh and review before the meeting to to understand what what's going to be uh discussed because it's literally it's it's literally done in real time during each meeting. So I just want to make that kind of plug for the finance committee because it's not just uh a lot of folks are kind of intimidated by numbers. They think they don't understand budgets and finances. Well, a lot more than that. So uh so please consider that as uh if as as uh net talked about our role as uh as leader and and governance uh individual governing u members for the agency. Uh the finance committee is
027a good way to really feel that you're maybe being a little more complete in your area than just the uh the meetings every other month. That's all. Thank you Shaya. I this board member both I do have a question. I'm wondering this could be for Mike or for anyone else who could potentially answer this question as we talk about asking a person to sit on the finance committee. Mike, I would agree with what you had mentioned. Um, but we are very short on the board. Um, I'm wondering if we can wait until we have a full board. Um, and then everyone can have this type of discussion and maybe, um, appoint individuals to that committee. Um, for me, um, I'm the oldest now member of this board. Um, and I know that my time is
028limited on this board, but you're correct as far as we need more individuals on the board. Um, and we need more well-rounded board members. Um, I would agree with you, Mike, when you're talking about interpreters, and I'm very familiar with that type of situation. And I've had a lot of years in the industry and many folks don't understand how interpreters are used or um how to have an interpreter in in person versus remote and all of those intricacies that come with interpreting services. Um and they are a critical part of this agency's operations and access. Um, and that is part of our responsibility as board members to make sure that we are accessible to all of our constituents, whether they be this, the children that we serve who are deaf andor blind or deaf blind
029or the adults in the community that we are responsible to. Um, and to go to what Superintendent Reichman said, this is something that we have to ensure that we are doing and that is sustainable. Um, and it's not just a financial component, but this could potentially be a work study session, um, or part of that orientation process for new board members. Um, I think that that would be something to consider as we, um, plan for the future and work study sessions. Um, I had another question that I wanted to ask, but it slips my mind. I'm sure it'll arise and I'll ask it, but I had to I lost my train of thought. But thank you, Mike, for that. Sure. Uh, I think I do have an answer to that. They do have to have
030two board members on the finance committee in order to hold their meetings. So, this isn't like a can wait. They do have to have two. So, I have no problem stepping up in that role to make sure that we can continue operations and meetings as needed. Um, but yeah, I do agree that it seems like there's a lot of very helpful information that is in those meetings and in the future maybe we can evaluate looking at pitching it a little better for all to get more board recruitment. I guess this is Mike again. I guess a little bit of what I was just saying too is is that it as it's turned out the way the agenda is being developed is that the um the finance committee meetings are really kind of kind of um
031they're like work study meetings also. Okay, we have nothing else on that topic. You hear me on that or not? I missed that. I'm so sorry. I'm feeling the connection might have going on. Yeah, I heard you. Okay. Okay. All right. Uh if we have nothing else on that topic, we can move on to 1.5. Um assistant superintendent curriculum um ch assistant deputy assistant superintendent off. Good afternoon, acting board president Buchanan, Superintendent Reichman, Assistant Superintendent Cooper, members of the board, and members of the community. As we step into a new academic year, we're presented with both opportunity and responsibility. We have a chance to reflect on where we've been, what we've done, what we can do better, and to boldly shape where we're headed. The world our students are entering in is evolving rapidly and
032it's essential that ASDB evolves with it. Traditional models of education in the United States are being tested and challenged not just for schools for the deaf and blind, but for schools all across our nation. Now is the time for us, including this board, to ensure that ASDB is created in a manner to withstand the challenges of today so we can continue to adequately prepare our students for the challenges of tomorrow. Change can be uncomfortable, but it can be achieved when we're anchored with a purpose. And I think our purpose is pretty clear in our vision. We are committed to excellence and innovation in education for all children throughout Arizona who are heart of hearing, deaf, and have vision loss. We're committed to excellent excellence and innovation and leadership and service. We're committed to excellence and
033innovation in collaborations with families, school districts, communities, and others. And we're committed to excellence and innovation in partnerships with other agencies that will enable children who are hard of hearing, deaf, or have vision loss to succeed now and in the future. Tonight, you have in front of you the new strategic plan which has been created to help us meet ASDB's vision. If you approve this plan, it provides us with three simple priorities for outstanding student development. The first is to capitalize on the first five years of a child's life when brain development is at its peak. The second is to expect high academic achievement. And the third is to graduate students ready for life. If the new strategic plan is approved tonight, the plan will further anchor our purpose and vision and provide us with
034that path on how we collaborate with families, school districts, communities, and other agencies in the future. It also helps provide us a path on where we need to prioritize our limited resources. So, as we begin this new school year, let us approach this not with apprehension, but with a real sense of urgency. As I mentioned back in May, we are not here to preserve tradition for its own sake or to resist change out of habit. We are here to serve students throughout Arizona who are heart of hearing, deaf, or have vision loss. In conclusion, we are entering this new school year with a pretty consistent group of leaders. Uh that includes across the ELP, our itinerant services, and the two campuses. But as mentioned at the last board meeting, former PDSD principal Jill Boy has
035decided to run return to the classroom for this academic year. On the board agenda tonight is the approval of the contract of our new PDSD principal, Sabre Taylor. and we welcome her to the team and I look forward to supporting her as she leads PDSD into the future. You have my report. Please let me know if you have any questions. I have no questions but thank you for your time and your report. Uh we can go ahead and move on then to item 2.1. This is an action item approval of the consent agenda consistent with board policy and this is going to include items 3.1 3.2 4.1 5.1 6.1 6.2 7.2 7.3 7.4 and 7.5. I'll need a motion to approve this or if one needs taken off for discussion. This is I will move
036I would like to pull the teacher uh 6.2 the teacher contract for discussion. I would like to pull that out. Okay, Colette, I would move that 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 5.1, 6.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, and 7.5. Um, be passed. I have a movement. Uh, I need a second. This is board member Bo. I pardon me. Uh, Linda speaking. I keep forgetting to announce myself. Um, I don't know that we have a Do we have a second yet? No, we don't have a second. Was there a Okay. Okay. I second. Just checking in, making sure. Thank you. No problem. Um, all in favor to pass say I. I. All opposed? Hearing none opposed. 3.1 3.2 4.1 5.1 6.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 and 7.5 pass with 6.2 being taken out. Just that one. That one. That one. Next
037up, we will have um looks like 4.1 finance report with Kim Bitrich. Good afternoon, acting board president Buchanan, Superintendent Reman, Assistant Superintendent Cooper, Deputy Assistant Superintendent Katchchoff, members of the board and ASDB community. You've been provided with our most recent board report that covers the financial data for May 2024 and 2025. This data was covered in more detail at our most recent finance committee meeting held on Thursday, July 3rd with board member Gordon. Also in attendance was superintendent Reichman, assistant superintendent Cooper and the deaf director of deaf programs, Jennifer Scarboro. Jennifer presented an overview of the deaf programs offered for students, families, and staff. The total student count provided in the board report for June 1st, 2025 shows 1,928 compared to 2027 as of June 1st, 2024. A total decrease of 99 students. When comparing
038June 1st 2025 student count to May 1st of 2025 count of 19 thou 194 students there was an increase of 24. All areas have an increase while preschool decreased by three in the campus and FBC programs offset by an increase in the itinerant programs. As of June 1st, we had 484 full-time equivalent positions which included 8.5 FTE at FBC. At that time, we employed 673 staff. There were 69 vacancies across the agency which included 24 teachers, seven instructional assistants, three interpreters, 11 drivers, and 22 support staff. The positions are open. The positions that are open are required by student IEPs and those needed to reduce contracted staff or to maintain continuity of operations. The highlights of the May 2025 financial report show the total revenue of 57.2 million which was 2.1 million higher than the
039May 2024 revenue of 55.1 million. The major difference is the decrease in the general fund spend offset by an increase in the institutional voucher revenue, the classroom site fund revenue and the fee for service revenue. The increase in the classroom site fund is mostly due to the increase in the per pupil allocation allocation. The budget fiscal year 2024 obligated expenses of 62.2 2 million were 3.1 million less than the budget fiscal year 2025 obligated expenses of 65.3 million. The increases are in payroll and employer related expenditures of 5.3 million. This is partially due to salary increases given to staff as well as step increases for teachers and related services staff to match their years of services. This is offset by a decrease in all other areas of expenditures. Professional and outside services have decreased with
040a decrease in contracted transportation and a reduction in students at FBC. Travel and equipment are decreased as part of the budget cuts. This concludes my report of the agency's financial status and I'm available to answer any questions. I have no questions and I hear no questions. Thank you so much. Thank you. Moving on to our next action item. It's going to be 5.2 approval of use of land trusts. Assistant Superintendent Cooper. When it comes to acquisition of land from our land endowment fund, our standard practice is for the board to approve the request. The Arizona State Land Department on behalf of the Tucson Electric Power Company in Panol County has submitted a request for approval for a recreational trail easement which requires us to sell a portion of land under our land endowment fund. The
041right of way impacts sections 28 and 33, Township 9 south, range 10 east, and contains about 3.69 69 acres of our state trust land which would total approximately $5523. At this time we are requesting approval from the board. We taking a vote on this. Okay. Um, I'm going to need a movement to go ahead and approve the state land trust. This is Colette. I will move to approve state land trust. Seno second. Perfect. I have a movement and a second. All in favor say I. I. I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Um, I will need board member uh signatures on the paper after the meeting. Uh, moving on to we're going to have to move on to 6.2 since that was pulled off of our consent agenda item. Um, I believe that was board member
042Sino that pulled that off. Indeed. Yes. Yes. Um, I would like to move that we go into executive session to discuss this item. Uh, I have a movement. Do I have a second to go into executive session to discuss 6.2 teacher contracts? Linda, I second. All in favor? I I. All opposed. Linda, Mike, and Colette, did you I need a vote from you guys. Um, I Mike. Oh, yeah. I'm sorry. I said it before, but yeah, I I I agree. Okay. Uh Caris will go into executive session. Katie, you're gonna read this part and then that's going to be in the session. Oh yes. And it's this one now. Yeah. So I need this one read now. We'll wait for this. We'll wait for this. But you need to read this. Yeah. So, you're going
043to you're going to read you're going to read that when we go there. So, this now Okay. Say it again. Can you say that again? You want me to read which portion? paragraph right here that needs to be read to the meeting. Okay. So, board can move to go into executive session for the consent agenda item to offer teacher contracts for state school year or for the school year 2526. The purpose of going into executive session is for the discussion and consideration of employment matters. Pursuant Pursuant to Arizona Resides Statutes 38-43 431.03. We may do that. We're good. Yes. Okay. Okay. the phone. Yeah, this is Colette and Mike's here. Fantastic. Um, we're back from our executive session. Um, we're going to need a motion to for I'm sorry, consent agenda item 6.2 for the
044teacher contracts. to I'm sorry. We're going to need a motion to go ahead and pass the teacher contracts. This is Colette. So moved. This is board member. I'd second that. All in favor? Say I. All uh all against hearing none. The motion's going to carry. We'll move on. We're going to go move on to 6.3 information and discussion item um of the lawsuit filed by George Martin. I'll need a motion to go into executive session if the board feels they need to go into executive session. This is board member Sinoko. So moved. I moved that we go to executive session. I'll need a second. This is board member B. I'd second that. All in favor say I. I. Okay. So moved. What was that? Oh yeah. I'm so sorry. I'm going to go ahead and
045need you to read this paragraph again. Um, I'm getting at that age where I need reading glasses. I got to make this bigger before I read this into the record. The board may vote. I need to read this entire passage. Oh, okay. Pursuant to ARS 38-431.03 A3 and 38.431.03A4. [Music] The board may vote to go into executive session, which will not be open to the public for discussion and or consultation for legal advice with the board's attorneys to consider its position and instruct its attorneys regarding the public body's position in pending or contemplated contemplated litigation. as it relates to this item. That is a mouthful. Thank you. Do we all? Yes. I can have a little bit of a break. I'm going to need everybody back at 5:45, please. Tell me when Maria Murphy's back.
046Let me know when she's on there. All right, it's 5:45. We're going to resume our meeting after our little break here. Um, we're at 7.1, but I believe we're waiting for Maria Murphy to join us back on the phone. Okay, Maria's on the phone. I am here. I am here. President Buchanan. Fantastic. Um, so we're at 7.1. Um discussion of the policies. Uh I know we did Yes. Yep. Um so uh acting president Buchanan, members of the board, superintendent Reichman, assistant superintendent, members of the ASDB community, you have before you the red lines of the policies. All of those red lines are in response to legislative changes from the most recent session. Um this is a first read. Uh I have not received any comment um except for policy JNDB um which I received comments
047from uh IT director CI and I will be making some revisions in response to uh his suggestions. So that will be looking a little bit different but other than that I'm not anticipating anything um anything changing. And if you have any questions for me, I'd like to make myself available. Does anyone have questions for Maria? I don't think we have any questions. Maria, thank you so much. Thank you. And then 7.4 7.05. These were all approved. Um, so we arrive at looks like 7.6. 6. Um, this is a discussion and possible action item. Um, it's listed under the election of new board officers. Um, generally we've uh we have a board have gone through this before where we have had a president leave midterm. Um the secretary was Sue at the time and she took
048on the responsibility of acting president um until November when we typically hold our elections for office. Um and at that time we did have to elect a interim secretary or acting secretary. I at that time was elected acting secretary and then November that year we ended up going forward with SUK as president and myself as secretary. Um it is July. We have one more board me meeting in September before elections in o November. Um I I'm open to discussion with the rest of the board. I'm personally okay staying as interm president. Um but obviously we're we're here to vote on any of that or have discussion about any of that. So, I'll open it up to the board what you guys would like to see happen with a continuity of this board at least until
049November. This is uh Linda B speaking. I do have a question for you. Our next meeting will be in September. Is that correct? That's correct. Okay. Will we have do we know if we will have new members joining by that time? Is that that's something to consider? Um I know I've talked to Superintendent Reichman about this. Uh we do have three possible new members on the governor's desk that we are waiting to be appointed, but of course we all know how the the timeline goes with that. It could be next week or it could be a little while after that. So there's no promise that it'll be September, but we're hopeful. This is Linda speaking again. So just um planning our future sessions. That's that's my mindset right now. There are six of us currently
050on the board. If we move ahead with elections, like for example, if we have um Katie who is our representative um from ACDH and then we have someone else moving in. What's So if that term expires, then we're going to have someone else moving into a certain position. So I'm thinking about the composition of the board. it might be best for us to postpone those decisions until we have a fuller board. Um because terms are expiring March 2026. Um there's going to be three new members. I'm going to be gone. So that's the bigger picture and it's unclear really. We have to ensure that the the agency keeps going and that we have stability on the board. So those are my thoughts on this topic. I don't know if anyone else has other thoughts. Um,
051this is acting president Buchanan. I totally agree with you. Right now, the board is looking at a lot of changes um well starting since we lost 2K last week um to when boards and commissions goes through and our terms are up in March. So, as as stated, I I want to see the board have continuity. I want to be able to, you know, we're starting a new school year for everybody. This is a big turmoil of change, I guess. So, I'm okay with whatever is going to move forward, the board and the agency with the least amount of disruption. And if that is taking interimm positions and we're just going to wait until November, I I am personally in favor of that. This is Linda Bob again. Um so can I make a motion then
052um moving that we wait until November to to for those elections to decide who's the president and the secretary. Uh we can do that. We just need to make sure that we have an interimm acting an acting board president. Um, and that acting board president can also assign since we're going through maybe some changes between now and next meeting a temporary secretary per meeting up until November when we decide to elect a secretary. So, um, this is maybe I need to redo my motion. I maybe I need to clean up my motion a bit. Yeah. So, the motion will be for uh if you were I'm not going to put words in your mouth or anything, but if you were to retain um me as an acting president, I would need a motion to retain
053acting president with the ability to appoint uh secretary for the next few meetings until we can have a vote in November. Okay, this is Linda again. Thank you for cleaning up my motion for me. I move that we keep our interim president as Britney Buchanan and that our interim secretary be Katie Sienko until November. I second. That's the motion. Perfect. Colette has seconded that. If we're all in favor, um say I I I. Any opposed? Um hearing none opposed. The motion carries. Um and here we are at 8.1. Call to the public on non-aggenda items. I have not received any of those. We have not received any of those. Um 8.2 will do the discussion and action item agendas for the or agenda items. My my apologies for the next board meeting September 11th in
054Phoenix. Is there anything that uh is on the top of your heads right now that we'd like to put on the agenda? This is board member Seno. When is the next meeting in Phoenix? The next meeting is September 11th in Phoenix. Okay. And what's the next work study session? We have no scheduled work studies. Okay. Members on the phone, anything you would like to add to the agenda for next meeting? No. Fantastic. I Colette, go ahead. No. Okay. Um, I can be emailed and that can be reached for adding those on. And if there is nothing further, we are at 9.1 adjournment. Need a motion to adjourn the meeting. This is board member Sienko. I move that we adjourn. Seconded. All in favor? I I I. Fantastic. Meeting adjourned. Thank you so much and thank
055you everybody for sticking with me on my first run of the board. I appreciate you all. Okay, good job. Well, thank you. Thank you.