001I'm going to call this meeting to order. It is 6 06 p.m. Um, can I get please have a roll call? >> Rosie Varela de la >> present. >> Mark, >> present. >> Liliana Royo >> present. >> Thank you, Rosio. Can we all please stand for the pledge of allegiance? Miss Alvan, will you please stand for Thank you. You may be seated. We're going to go to the approval of agenda item number one, approval of the current meeting agenda. Is there a motion? >> I make a motion. >> Moved by for member Kona. Is there a second? Seconded by board member Oos. Are there any questions, comments, concerns on the current meeting agenda? If not, all those in favor, please say I. >> If anyone opposes, please say so by saying. >> Motion carries unanimously.
002Item number two, approval of the governing board meeting minutes of December 8, um, 2025. Are there any questions, um, comments, concerns, or revisions to the meeting minutes presented? If none do I have a motion to approve the minutes as presented? >> I make a motion. >> Moved by for member Koncha. Do I have a second? >> Second by for member Oos. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> If anyone opposes, uh, please say so by saying nay. Motion carries uns. Amen. Item number three, reorganization of the governing board as per Arizona revised statute 15-321 and Gazin Elementary School District number 32 governing board policy VDA board organization meeting. The governing board shall call a meeting to order between January 1st and January 15th and let the governing board then elect the governing board
003president and clerk for the 2026 um calendar year. The meeting shall be called to order by the preceding president of the board. With that being said, I'm going to open nominations for president of the board. >> I make a motion to appoint Adoa to become the president. Okay. Um there's a motion by seconded by by board member um OOS. All those in favor um to appoint me as president for the 2026 um year, please say I. >> I. If anyone opposes, please say so by stating a. Motion carries unanimously. Thank you everyone. Now we need to go. I'm going to open motion motions to approve. make a motion to appoint myself to be the new clerk. There's a motion. Um there's Okay, there's a motion for Mr. Kona to be the clerk for the 2026
004year. Seconded by board member OOS. Um all those in favor signify by saying I. >> If anyone opposes, please say so by saying. Motion carries un congratulations Mr. Punch. Thank you everyone. >> Thank you. We're now going to go to the district report. >> Hello everybody and happy new year. Welcome back to what's going to be a great 2026 school year. I'd like to first start off by thanking our board members. As you all know, um this month is board recognition month. So, thank you board members for all you do. We know is the highest paying position there exists. Thank you board members for um being being willing to support the school district and the community. I also like to congratulate um ASVA. Uh we went and our band performed, our Sinai band performed and
005we had our Southwest color guard also at the ASVA. Everybody was very impressed, very happy with the performances and um de la our board president um ended his presidency at the ASBA. So he is now what was the title? Past president >> past president at the ASBA. So congratulations on that. And then um I'd like to call Mrs. Maria Kamacho for employee recognition. Test test test. Good afternoon. My name is Maria Kamacho and I'm going to call both my um Yolanda Garcia and Maria Ortiz to come up front, please. [cheering] Nana Yoli as we call her. [crying] And I [applause] I'm gonna um start by talking a little bit about Nana Yoli, as we call her at school. Um she's been there 29 years. 29 years at Cesad Chavez. So she's worked with uh multiple
006principles. Um and it's really nice to see her family behind um here supporting her. um know that at school we are also a family. Both both of of of our nominees today have their families here and at school they work hard and they have another family. We love them a lot for both of them. Uh Nana Yoli um she's worked at school for 29 but I think I've known her for probably 40 35 years. um meos deikita um at the baseball fields. She knows my parents and it's a pleasure to to go to school and work with someone that works well with different capacities, parents, teachers, students. Um it's it's always when you go in and to be greeted and to be helped and it's one of our pillars at school because if we have
007our teachers happy and we have our parents happy then the students are happy and that makes a happy school a happy principal. So Yoli is behind all that because she doesn't say no. Whatever we need to be working on. Is it for students? If it's for teachers, if it's for parents, um she's always helping and supporting us. She has an amazing support with the parent group and we have even parents here that came to support her because they the appreciation that they have and the team that they've built together. So Cesa Chavez and for those of you that have worked there and and left know that Yoli is has made those connections with different people with the community and it's a pleasure to be working with you and hopeful to continue working many more years
008um because she keeps saying once her little oneito but she has a lot of she's she's a grandma every year nana yoli nana yoli as they start coming and kinder so I I think we have many more many more years to come. Congratulations, Yoli. Bethany, parents. Soonch. [applause] satisfied. Gracias. [applause] Now, a little bit about Miss Ortiz. Miss Ortiz. Um, what year did you serve? Miss Ortiz? she when she first started to do her practicum and and coming into the classrooms, I remember a summer school um and grown into different group grade level capacities, first grade teacher, third grade teacher, mentor um and just learning and learning and then now becoming that pillar like that behind the scenes master teacher and um I don't know if you guys know but our other master teacher is
009on maternity leave. So, it's it's Miss Ortiz that's running the school, that's helping me run the school. Um, the late nights, the planning, the checking in classrooms, checking with students, and doing all the work behind the scenes. It's a lot of work to be a master teacher. Um, because they plan all the PD, they plan, they look at data, they they're in the classrooms, they're coaching teachers, um, and always looking at what's ahead. And she has a family of her own. She just came back from maternity as well. and balancing that um my my respects. I am blessed, honored, and I hope that for many many years to come, you are by my side because um sometimes master teachers go and it's very hard, but it's it's a challenge um because we're the whole school
010and we are um the highest population in the district, 770 students. So, it's it's we're always on the go and Miss Ortiz is always there to help and support and in making those everything that our school h um does happen. So, thank you so much for all your support and thank you Sam and family for allowing me to have work with her because it it is it is a work and and I really appreciate it. Thank you. [applause and cheering] Just I want to say something with Mrs. Para. So, thank you for your hard work. It's a really really hard and you say something. much. Gracias. >> [applause] >> Thank you and and congratulations to both of our employees. It's always great to see um our employees grow and get awards especially careers and and
01129 years of more than 15 years of people that have worked for for our district. So that goes to people and our community something. Um, moving on, we have a call to the public. Any person wishing to speak concerning an item not on the agenda may present the information at this time. All presentations are limited to a maximum of three minutes. Anyone on call to the public? If not, moving on. We have the consent agenda. Um item number five, the student activity report and item number six, donations. All items are to be considered in one motion unless one of the members wishes to discuss an item separately. Do I have a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented? >> Moved by more member OS. Uh do I have a second? >> Second by um
012cler koncha. Any questions, comments, concerns? Seeing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. >> If anyone opposes, please say so by stating nay. Motion carries unanimously. Item number seven, expenditure report summary. Mr. Barhart. Good evening members of the governing board. Good evening members of the public and the staff. This is report for mostly it's all through December. A little bit of January is included. Uh we have a budget in maintenance and operations of 40.7 million. We've expended to date 17.7 million. We've got incumbrances of another 17.7 million. Uh and we uh that's a total of 35.4 million overall and 5.3 million left over uh for the rest of the year hasn't been encumbered and our budget balance is 13%. That's for maintenance and operations. For capital outlay, we have a budget of
01314 million. We've expended 1.4 million and we've got 600,000 encumbered. Uh total of 2 million. We have 11 9 million unencumbered and that's 85% of that budget. That's the end of that report. Thank you, Mr. Burnhard. Are there any questions from any of the board members? >> Okay, moving along. Action item. Item number eight, approval of stipen for development of SEI curriculum and classes. Most >> Yes. Good evening everyone. Um the Arizona Department education requires that certified teachers have a structured English immersion and SEI endorsement when teaching ELLL kids. In order to obtain this endorsement, teachers would need to complete um complete college core work coursework or select a state approved provider at an out-of-pocket cost. So if the teacher would like needs to um get their endorsement, they can either take these classes with
014AWC at a university level or you can get approved through the state um following some uh requirements. Miss Vanessa Gonzalez worked with Arizona Department of Education to develop the curriculum in order to offer the SEI classes free of charge to our district teachers. The district is now a state approved provider and Mrs. Gonzalez will be teaching the SEI course for teachers in the district that need this endorsement. Each cohort has a minimum requirement of 45 hours of instruction. We are recommending an uh a stipen approval for a one time for 2500 for Mrs. Gonzalez for developing uh the curriculum and get it approved through the state and a $2,500 stipen upon the completion of each cohort. The administrative recommendation is to approve a onetime stipen of $2,500 for the curriculum development and the approval with
015the state and a $2,500 stipen after the completion of the cohort for Mrs. Vanessa Gonzalez as presented. >> Thank you, Missos. Are there any questions or comments on this item? >> I have a question. Um, how is the amount um calculated? >> So, Vanessa Gonzalez kept uh she did it during the winter break, so she kept the log of her hours and we looked at her hourly rate. Um so that's how we came up with the $2,500 for the curriculum. And then we did we did the $2,500 for the courses and this way the teachers would be able to do it here instead of paying at free of charge instead of going to AWC or other state approved to to get the endorsement. >> Thank you. Um seeing no more questions or comments. Do I
016have a motion? >> Make a motion. >> I second. Moved by board me Royo, seconded by board cler koncha. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. >> If anyone opposes, please say so by stating nay. Motion passes unanimously. >> She does do a lot of good work for us. It's a lot of work. I know. I I get that. Just the question was just Random, you know, it's a random question, not a negative one. >> Um, thank you. With that, item number nine, district uh white on call subs to teachers daily rate increase, Miss Vestto. >> Yes. So, as a result of the um upcoming minimum wage uh increase uh effective January 1st from $14.70 to$,515, the district-wide call um on call substitute teachers were fall below the minimum wage currently at 118.
017We are recommending the following increase in their daily rate. So, uh their daily rate would go from 118 to 122 and after they're in the same classroom on the fifth day from 120 uh currently 128 to 132 and that is to um because of the minimum wage uh effective January 1st. The administrative recommendation is to approve the new daily rate of on call substitute teachers at stated above effective January 1, 2026 as presented. Thank you. Are there any questions or comments on this item? Is that the standard rate as in like countywide, statewide or >> so? We are the only district in Yuma County that hire our own subs. The rest of the school districts, Summerton, Crane, Yuma Elementary, and the high school contract them out through ESI. So, we're the only ones that do
018the in-house. Okay. Um, anyone else any questions or comments? If not, do I have a motion? >> Make a move. >> Move by me Royo. Do I have a second? Second by member Os. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> If anyone opposes, please say so by stating nay. Motion carries unanimously. Um, item number 10, approval of memorandum of understanding between Gassen Elementary School District number 32 and teachers of tomorrow, Miss Vestto. The memorandum of understanding with teachers of tomorrow will allow us to hire and work alongside teachers of tomorrow to support teachers in obtaining appropriate certification. This agreement will also provide potential candidates with two a $200 discount on their program fees. The agreement has been reviewed and approved by our district attorney. So, we use Teachers of Tomorrow is a state
019approved um it's not a university, it's a program. So, what would happen is that if a teacher has a bachelor's degree in anything other than education, I'm going to say um social work, uh instead of then going to a university and getting a master's in elementary aid that could cost them about 50 55,000 in tuition, they can go through teachers of tomorrow. and teachers of tomorrow is certified through the state were the UYU units and as soon as you complete the units at your own pace uh once you're done um that that uh information is submitted to the state and then they're now uh considered appropriately certified teachers. Um and that's the role of teachers of tomorrow. So the cost um for teachers of tomorrow we're looking at about $3 to $5,000 for those units
020while while a teacher decides to do their masters it takes them it takes about $50,000. So this is an option uh for teachers um to get appropriately certified if they can't afford the masters then they can go through these units and become an appropriately certified teacher. So the administrative recommendation is to approve the memorandum of understanding between Gatston and teachers of tomorrow as presented. >> Thank you. Are there any questions or comments on the agreement or the program? >> Is this a first for us? So they didn't require it before because everything was done on their side and we didn't they didn't they don't complete student teaching. So we usually have an agreement with the universities in order to for the um teacher long-term sub to be able to complete their student teaching. They wanted
021this agreement um more more than anything so that they can they would be able to give them a discount in the program by doing a partnership with them. >> So just creating the partnership something that we've been doing. >> Yes. Correct. >> Okay. Thank you. Um, with that, do I have a motion to approve? Moved by board member OS. Is there a second? >> Seconded by for cler koncha. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> If anyone opposes, please say nay. Motion carries unanimously. Item number 11, approval of agreement between Gaz Elementary School District number 32 and Western Governor's University. Miss Betto. >> Yes. So this is a university. So this one looks a little bit different than the teachers of tomorrow. And basically the agreement uh states the responsibilities of the university
022and the responsibilities of the school district. So when somebody does their student teaching, we sign off to make sure that they have a mentor. If they're on their own classroom, they're also going to be supervised. Um and this is the agreement that we have to have with the universities in order for student teaching to count for them and in order for also uh for us to be able to provide and for them to uh complete their student teaching in the district. So um the agreement and addendum have been reviewed and approved by the district attorney. The administrative recommendation is to approve the agreement with Western Ger University as presented. >> Are there any questions or comments on this item? >> Seeing none, do I have a motion? >> Make a motion. >> Moved by Cler
023Koncha. Do I have a second? >> Second by member Royo. All those in favor signify by saying I. I >> if anyone opposes please say nay. Motion carries your channel. And number number 12 approval of transportation services agreement between Gazan Elementary School District number 32 and portable practical education preparation inc. Mrs. Spa >> in partnership in collaboration with Pepe High School and in support of the students center recommend approval of the attached agreement. This agreement will allow the district to provide transportation services to Pepe High School with costs outlined in the attached addendum. The transportation services agreement was developed by the district attorney. The administrative recommendation is to approve the transportation services agreement and addendum between GSD 32 and Pepte High School as presented. Yeah, I I have a question because I was uh looking
024at the numbers there and um uh what about the liability in in case of an accident and that that they do happen and and besides that um it's like why do our buses you know uh they're very expensive and uh we're getting new ones which is wonderful but I I think about the wear and tear. Is it worth our time? And and the other thing was the liability. >> Is there a section for limited liability? >> Can I answer that question? Yes. So in the agreement it states if um this IGA is approved between Pepteek and the Gas Elementary School District after the agreement is approved then um it states in the the terms that they would need to submit their insurance and the insurance would have to be the ones that we asked for.
025For example, it would cover up to a million dollars per incident and it states it right here in the contract. And in regards to the wear and tear, that's something that was stipulated in the cost. that would be a monthly charge to PEP tech. A lot of those kids that do go to PEP is because um it is the best educational setting for the students and those a lot of those students um are Gatson students. So this is a partnership that would benefit the community and the students that did attend to Gadston. Uh are there other resources for you know they could provide that transportation for their students? >> I don't know if they have other resources. Um, I know that they did contact Gas Elementary School District. Um, not during my time as a
026superintendent, but I know that um, a couple years back they did ha they did have a partnership with the Gassin district and Gasson did provide transportation uh, for the pepte. But in regards to your question, if they have other means, other resources, I can't answer that question >> about insurance. You explained in the number nine. >> Yes. Yes. is stipulated in the contract that they would need to provide um the insurance. >> If May I sure >> um actually I would like to see the policy if is if is possible because I I read the uh the agreement and I see the uh the portion that say well um you say Mrs. But I mean um sometimes the agreement can say a lot of things but I want to see an insurance make sure our
027liability is getting um lower because I mean it's a lot of things that can happen between St. Louis and Summerton hopefully never happen anything um but um before uh we move on um I would like personally to make sure we cover because is we we get them getting out of our way to transport a kid from St. to Summerton and I want to make sure we we are 100% well cannot be 100% covered but I mean as much as as much as we can another thing that I would like to point out the numbers uh to be honest I strongly suggest if we can revise those pia numbers to me looks really really low um doing my math and the research um that's one of the things that I mean pop ups to me and
028I'm pretty sure the numbers are too low to be honest. >> Okay. Well, it's up to the board of um to determine if they want this um agreement with Pepte look at the route, look at the mileage, look at the wear and tear. Um as you can see, that is also attached. And I know you're saying that you think the numbers are low. This is the numbers that we got uh with using the the miles that would be used for the route from um San Louis Pept to Summerton Pepteek. Um and then your other question I I didn't understand the contract stipulates that we would be asking for the their insurance. Um so once the contract if it is approved by the board then that's when we go ahead and ask them for their insurance.
029This is just for you guys to approve the contract as is, but you can modify and and word it in a way to first you want to see the insurance or I don't know what um our board president wants to >> I I believe we can approve um contingent upon them presenting their insurance certificate insurance if that's okay. However, on the numbers, I'm not an expert, but um it's a flat on the flat rate. There's no stipulation as to >> if I can jump in a little bit. I actually was part of not 100% but on the development of this agreement and having the conversation with um the transportation director um I was I was looking into well what about the benefits? What about the overtime? What about So right now we do um this
030this portion of the transportation would happen in the middle of the day where it wouldn't interrupt. Um so therefore there was no way to justify that a bus driver would be working overtime for doing this route because right now they that's the time they're at the transportation department either cleaning the area or doing other things. So he said um I can't justify overtime um because have the time with our personnel that we have right now to do this route with our interrupting uh pickup or afternoon. So, um that's you know we questioned it when we saw it at the beginning and he did take into account you know the maintenance that has to be done on the buses every so often by policy the wear and tear um and that was his honest you know
031um report as far as the costs. So that's what we submitted to the attorney and then the attorney our district attorney developed all this information >> with the addendum of the mayian I suggest what you pretty much say that approve the agreement uh but before it's full approved obtain the certificate of insurance and as well revise the number make sure we I mean we're okay we're not putting more money than what we getting. >> So may I suggest something um Mr. Um, if the board does approve the agreement, we really won't know the cost until we started. So, unless we start it and look at the mileage, look at how much gas we're spending, um, I think that that's when we're going to have accurate numbers, I would feel very uncomfortable if we, um, you
032know, go up $200 and then at the end of the month it's not $200, it would be $500. So, because this is something new, I suggest that we can we can always come back and revise the numbers. And that's something we did talk to um the superintendent for Pepteek that these were numbers that we got um by our transportation director in using the mileage from Summerton to San Louis and from San Louis to Summerton. Um but if there is a difference um we could go back and revise the monetary the the contract. And in regards to the insurance that's already stipulated in the contract that we can't enforce the contract until we have that liability insurance. >> Can we modify to have the insurance before we sign the the agreement to make sure everything is
033there? >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So with that, I'm going to propose to approve the agreement with the U stipulation that we're going to move forward with it up on the upon them furnishing their certificate of insurance. >> However, on since it's a not a pilot program, but since we don't know the numbers, rather than doing it for one year, I rather do it for six months to start with so we can see the numbers and then >> Bring it back. that way. We I'm not against that partnership. I'm all for it. I know I know there's anything in our community, but um yeah, that flat rate since we haven't had it before. I don't like you said, I don't want it to be that it will end up costing the district and I'm
034not trying to make money off of PEP neither, but I think it should be for six months. Yes. >> To start with. >> Any opposition from any other members on that motion? Proposed motion. >> Okay. If none um is there a motion to approve as I just stipulated >> I make a motion like us you suggest >> move by board. Do I have a second? >> Second by board member Os. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> If anyone opposes please say so please say so by stating a. >> Motion carries. Was that >> clear? >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. Moving along. personnel. Masteros. >> Yes, we have a total of um 12 uh new hires. Uh the ones that say new positions are those uh special education classrooms that were open
035and therefore we're hiring part-time spas for those classrooms. The rest of them are replacements. Number 12, this would be a new certified music teacher and that is um looking at the students that we have in the music program. This position is justified. The administrator recommendation is to approve the personnel action as presented pending proper certification and clearance. >> Thank you. Are there any questions on the proposed employees once withdrawal? >> Hearing none. Do I have a motion to approve the motion as presented? >> Make a motion. >> Moved by board member Aoyo. Do I have a second? >> Second by member Os. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. If anyone opposes, please say so by state nay. Motion carries unanimously. Uh 13B resignations. Mertos. >> We have a total of six
036and other resignations are attached. Uh number five did pay the liquidation fee. The administrative recommendation is to approve the resignations as presented. >> Thank you. Are there any questions on the resignations? Okay, seeing none, do I have a motion to approve the resignations as presented? >> Motion. >> Moved by Bmer O. Do I have a second? >> Second by board clerk Koncha. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> If anyone opposes, please say so by stating nay. Motion carries the items. Um 13C transfer and salary changes. >> Yes, we have a total of eight. So some of them are transfers. The salary changes is either because they became appropriately certified or they went into a education program or they received their masters. The administrative recommendation is to approve the transfers and salary changes
037as presented. >> Thank you. Um, when is it that we review that they're actually enrolling? Um, how often are we doing it? >> We we usually do it at the end of January because sometimes that's when the next semester starts and they won't give them the letter like right at the beginning and they enroll. So, we're in the process. We have the list ready, but we're waiting for another maybe week to send that out. >> Thank you. Any other questions? If not, I'm going to approve I'm going to move to approve the transfers as presented. Uh, do I have a second? >> Second. >> Moved by me, seconded by board clona. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> If anyone postes, please say so by stating nay. Motion carries. I have a motion
038to adjurnn the meeting. Moved by member O. Do I have a second? >> Second by member Royo. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. If anyone opposes, please say nay. Motion carried. Thank you everyone and congratulations and have a great evening. Thank you. >> Thank you.