The Fountain Hills Unified School District Governing Board met on Wednesday, Nov. 10 for their last public meeting of 2021. The Board started with a work study session and proceeded with a business meeting directly afterwards.

The Board had three items on the discussion list for the work study. Superintendent Kelly Glass started things off with reviewing the results of the Override election. The Maintenance & Operations (M&O) Override narrowly passed, allowing the Board to pay for things like full-day kindergarten, teacher salary increases, professional development, student programs, etc.

The District Additional Assistant (DAA) Override failed to pass by 287 votes. The DAA Override would have been used for capital improvements, such as technology upgrades, facility renovations, textbooks/online resources, student transportation, etc. The DAA Override provides the physical needs of the school district, and the DAA Override that took effect in 2014 still has one more year of use. The Board decided to run the Override in another election next year, and they will start their efforts for that in January or February.

Glass then reviewed the results of the ESSER III feedback for the Board. The survey asked 221 parents, 34 staff and 23 community members what they feel the district should spend money on. The top four areas of interest were science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), music enrichment, career technical education and clubs. The stakeholders also provided a wide variety of feedback, ranging from counseling and behavior to foreign languages and mentoring new hires.

Another area of interest was staffing. Outside of having qualified teachers, having support staff especially for K-5 education was asked for. The Board is also looking into the possibility of a residency program to increase the amount and quality of teachers in the district. Any support staff would be hired to one school and would not be a district employee.

The Board finished the work study by reviewing the Gordian report and discussing the proposed renovating priorities. The priorities included roofing, weatherization, replacing the HVAC, and improving perimeter security. The HVAC and roofing system upgrades can be considered energy savings. FHUSD would pay for the energy savings improvements up front, but the savings on the energy bills will pay back the loans.

The Gordian priorities did not mention Four Peaks or McDowell Mountain Elementary schools, because the repairs and renovations at those schools would cost more than the high school and middle school combined.

After the work study, the Board started the business meeting with its second required public hearing on sexual education. The Board approved the item and agreed with a suggestion to put a health care professional on the sexual curriculum committee.

The Board then heard reports from the superintendent, students, and staff from the high school. Glass started by listing the amount of COVID cases at each school from the beginning of the school year to Wednesday’s meeting. McDowell Mountain has had 11 total cases, Fountain Hills Middle has had 12 total cases, and the high school has had 28 total cases.

Four representatives of the high school student government updated the Board on a full year’s worth of activities. They students have planned a “buff puff,” co-ed volleyball tournament for Nov. 30, a candy gram fundraiser for Christmas, a percentage night fundraiser at Chipotle on Dec. 8. The seniors will have “senior sunrise,” this December, the sophomores are planning a Hoop coming dance around February and the prom theme has been set as “Legacy Ballroom.” The Board lauded the students for planning so far ahead.

The four students who qualified for state competition in the fall season were honored at the Board meeting. Cross Country coach Nick Goodman introduced the board to sophomore Erin Hooley and junior Tyler Irvine-Violette. Swimming coach Patti Schultz introduced the board to junior Gunnar Wise, and senior Grace Clark needed no introduction as she led the Student Government report earlier in the meeting as the student body president. All four students were given a certificate and congratulated.

The board approved the consent agenda items regarding account payable vouchers and payroll vouchers. The Board then read policy advisories 712-715 and regulation DD-R for the second time each as required and approved them under the action items. The Board also approved the student trip to Greece, given that there is now a written notice about nonrefundable tax credits and the possibility of a cancelation.

The Board ended the meeting with a discussion on the Superintendent Goals and how to measure the progress of those goals. The Board will meet again on Dec. 8, for an Executive Session. This meeting will be closed to the public.