[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6106552,"mediaKeyId","2780376-c3cef5627d191be61817c07051527b55","parentId",2780376,"title","Board approves added meetings, 2025–26 schedule and six assistant‑principal appointments","audioSeconds",637,"startMs",5097000,"endMs",5734000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2780376-c3cef5627d191be61817c07051527b55&start=5097&end=5734","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2780376-c3cef5627d191be61817c07051527b55/thumbnail_5097000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6106552/Arizona/Board-approves-added-meetings-202526-schedule-and-six-assistantprincipal-appointments","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6106552-3ee92d01d539bf0c686872e6f76f0271/orig.mp4?Expires=1771023326&Signature=l39LacoBYgPNyvuQhB3xBOwaDyv0--kQcgf-HADJrFFncDsLo3uOZMcGms5w1648yt~ImDOxWRqAPpHy2bVMH3TgWsGckahmJujFkHGGVphZbccIqnFY1olWnVO~ReA~XXodAqNV3qFSI5fXEc3gtGq7qHeaOJPlUPEO2qRVvATGScX8vsV6Tk2hc~YaxDwZAWUGJG1ZX91dEy6Q52LiTBfF8uIXQv6p2O2ZY0ozQDs8AjHmEj9XpQeRnRYqnL5nmC8E8uzpud9Iao4UJoUTHo-tA5HcAAbSFkmQFaM5gbfmhq7Yl8NfwgwGcfj57TCq2~sK02Hbcf9OVzNa9-Coiw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Dysart Unified District","date","2025-03-26T21:05:17.637Z","article","The Dysart Unified District governing board approved procedural schedule changes and multiple personnel appointments during the meeting.

The board voted to add two governing‑board meetings — April 7 and May 5 — to the 2024–25 schedule to accommodate growing business in April and May. A motion to “approve the revisions to the 2024–25 governing board meeting schedule to reflect additional meetings as presented” passed; the transcript records the motion, a second and the chair saying “Motion carries” but does not provide a roll‑call tally.

The board also approved the 2025–26 governing board meeting schedule, which was presented as a calendar with two meetings pre‑planned in July, October and April of the next year to align with statutory timelines such as budget approvals. The motion to adopt the 2025–26 calendar was seconded and recorded as carried.

On personnel, the board approved six administrative appointments (assistant principals) after staff introductions and motions to approve. The approved candidates and recommended positions recorded in the transcript are:

- Matthew Clark — recommended and approved as high‑school assistant principal (Shadow Ridge High School)
- Kevin Ortiz — approved as high‑school assistant principal (Valley Vista High School)
- John Hastings — approved as elementary assistant principal (Cimarron Springs)
- Dana Thomas — approved as elementary assistant principal (Sunset Hills)
- Miranda Virgil — approved as elementary assistant principal (Marley Park)
- Rhonda Kuchaman (Kucherman in transcript) — approved as assistant principal (Dysart Middle School)

Each appointment was moved, seconded and captured in the transcript as “Motion carries” or “Congratulations,” but the meeting record in the transcript did not include a full vote count for each item.

The meeting concluded with a motion to convene an executive session; the motion was seconded and recorded as carried and the board convened into executive session.

The transcript records the procedural outcomes and approvals but does not include detailed roll‑call vote totals for these items; the board’s official minutes or vote register should be consulted for formal tallies.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Dysart Governing Board Meeting - March 24, 2024","oneSentenceSummary","The Dysart Unified District governing board voted to add meetings on April 7 and May 5, adopted the 2025–26 meeting calendar and approved six administrative appointments; motions carried with no detailed tallies recorded in the transcript.","taxTitle","Dysart Unified District (4243), School Districts, Arizona","taxId",13624,"location","Arizona","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6106557,"Bond‑override committee reviews capital needs, override timeline and tax impacts",597,4408000,5005000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2780376-c3cef5627d191be61817c07051527b55&start=4408&end=5005","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2780376-c3cef5627d191be61817c07051527b55/thumbnail_4408000.jpg","/articles/6106557/Arizona/Bondoverride-committee-reviews-capital-needs-override-timeline-and-tax-impacts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6106557-7728cdaf3cdeca7723cb042bd74e9b36/orig.mp4?Expires=1771023326&Signature=iWofNAf5eyI-qPmghDpdrhfDH3yesXD7QpHlhRf~Zp1jBUoCTU9845Kul-GMZ2okOxVSvON2i5tt2Z7ZGJonqCq6ngMiiE3buQHl3dv2067AnQLlP3WLq907tcPnql05LR-TGW50PeLvbS54sxYfwShFBS1bV7vsgPbgowsTmgCBG7KIxr~bI4at2NR5Ak2SY9Usq7yAabVoUexEp7pRBX9mIclto94xYtg6K-StO-1qXcTgTXt~cTSkqw3A5urlVVyozCW5LAk198MYbmK9Z8Hb8wwIOJCImJUhjtxMt38cVD6OiUYp0ryQqz2dyf~4u3McLEuAlcogLUyPkoaJWQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District staff updated trustees on the bond‑override committee’s recent meeting, summarizing prior work on capital needs, transportation, facilities maintenance and the district’s growth and providing a timeline for further public discussion.

Facilitator Mr. Musi told the board the committee — which included community volunteers who served on the group last year — reviewed both capital bonds and M&O overrides and examined historical election outcomes. “The last bond that passed, for example, was in 02/2006. I believe that expires in 'twenty 7, roughly, 'twenty 8,” Musi said, and he emphasized the group’s task to weigh safety, maintenance, transportation and growth when considering bond amounts.

District staff explained an M&O override funds programs and personnel rather than capital projects, that overrides are typically seven years, and that Dysart’s current override funding runs through fiscal year 2025–26 as the final full year unless voters approve continuation. Staff said override funding phases out in subsequent years if not renewed.

Ms. Bedell (spelled variously in the transcript) and other staff showed the committee comparative data across peer districts: most peer districts use overrides, and many operate at or near the 15% cap while a few use 13% or 10%. The committee asked staff to model tax‑rate impacts for multiple bond sizes and to revisit analysis of program impacts from the 2015 override failure (when the district phased out full‑day kindergarten) as part of its next meeting.

Staff gave a preliminary override‑funding estimate: the district’s current override amounts to roughly $25.5 million and, as presented, a first‑year phase‑out would reduce funding by about $8.5 million in the first year following a failed renewal; staff said final tax‑rate estimates will depend on assessed valuation and further modeling.

The committee will meet again before delivering any recommendation; staff said a spokesperson planned to present another update to the full board on April 7 and, if appropriate, a recommendation could follow at the April 28 meeting.","Staff briefed the board on recent bond‑override committee work: members reviewed facility needs, transportation, growth, past election history and options for bond sizes and override rates; committee will meet again before a recommendation is made to the board.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6106562,"Dysart presents revised cell-phone policy after committee survey of nearly 4,000",595,3423000,4018000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2780376-c3cef5627d191be61817c07051527b55&start=3423&end=4018","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2780376-c3cef5627d191be61817c07051527b55/thumbnail_3423000.jpg","/articles/6106562/Arizona/Dysart-presents-revised-cell-phone-policy-after-committee-survey-of-nearly-4000","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6106562-556d5ca5fdb9bd592bc9318477bb7e8e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771023326&Signature=GYFzaFHg0h3iKMU1Ctm47JxndvbkIPWiFM8kMci5UEAEBt0CH4nkXA-8~IdWedZc8bcKUU1bMHBMsuE~vZIFDinOxIbB308-OqDE7VvsfrPPb2gW1IjjUc4eQ9InO2kGWdnFj-na02hl192MecEQizBIvjGRHALLMTKl6vOLLTJl1hQ2gyIRvoBmx8rWLfFyeoehClJjQbUkQzvK7BZKYjilfH5Sgdlu7ZjSWRDcXGR8vknS1FyRvUN98TsAH5CKBQqS~Xeuy2b4ypX3rfGU2c6CNMSydqWlgaZ6~EsV-3dDiBoUjq6O4U3AmMXFSliCO0kAXACbgkdeXd~nqJazYg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dysart Unified District staff presented a proposed rewrite of the district’s cell‑phone and electronic‑device language to the governing board, telling trustees the draft reflects six months of committee work and a community survey of nearly 4,000 participants.

“What's exciting about this too is that 50% of those were parents and guardians, and we had 39% of those being from students,” Director of Student Services Kevin Cashat said during the presentation. He described the committee’s work as involving parents, teachers, principals and students and said the changes aim to balance classroom focus and student safety.

Key survey findings the committee used to shape the policy included: about 55% of respondents agreed phones were a disruption in learning; 83% supported different rules for high school vs. K–8; 81% said phones could be allowed at specific times such as before school, lunch and after school; 92% opposed a complete ban; and 89% of respondents said having a device made them feel safer in case of an emergency.

Under the proposed handbook language, K–8 students would keep devices turned off and stored in backpacks for the full school day. High‑school students could have devices on campus but would be restricted during instructional time — defined in the draft as class periods, including hallways and restroom breaks during class time. The draft also allows teachers to permit device use for specific instructional needs (for example, photographing an assignment or as a Chromebook alternative), and it proposes administrative training and campus‑level consistency for enforcement.

“...it is encompassing of cell phones and electronic devices,” Cashat said in response to a question about wearable devices; the committee’s language is intended to cover watches and similar devices that can perform phone functions.

Board members asked for additional breakdowns of the survey by respondent type (teachers, students, parents) before final adoption. The presentation also noted the district is watching related state legislation intended to limit device use during instruction; the number cited in the discussion was unclear, and district staff described the measure as “under discussion” at the legislature.

Administrators said exceptions would be handled administratively for students with documented medical needs and that principals and assistant principals would receive training to support consistent enforcement across schools.","District staff presented proposed revisions to the student handbook’s cell-phone and electronic-device language, shaped by a six‑month stakeholder committee and a survey of nearly 4,000 respondents; proposals distinguish K–8 rules from high‑school rules and emphasize consistent enforcement and limited classroom exceptions.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6106567,"Parents, students and caregivers urge Dysart board to keep Willow Canyon STC classroom in place",1399,1194000,2593000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2780376-c3cef5627d191be61817c07051527b55&start=1194&end=2593","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2780376-c3cef5627d191be61817c07051527b55/thumbnail_1194000.jpg","/articles/6106567/Arizona/Parents-students-and-caregivers-urge-Dysart-board-to-keep-Willow-Canyon-STC-classroom-in-place","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6106567-d9bd99ba75fa54f08ba77d9a1ed9cd0f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771023326&Signature=c9bMs0x2lLMqbLwET2G6uTnBV-6R8ETqtc-anZjPZY2vkm8NJZBS0HL2pDWROXAYc3EhC39zVniFaug8nZgv6oKC2bzJjLvE7KaO9Z3xgmHQfvVfV83rxZkL557pieJ5~VnfzzinV1Pa1s8Re1lsmzJmqt79dV7Vf-ehnHFBTUCpEgSTbBWVDkHAH1ndKhPwE0KlWyKZd8HuPziSs0A8EGGQvMEbodWV5nAFdnjj5y3T-3Sx5tnLfySIh2CRXGAXAHNc88ss5OF4CYdIHj3o~F3NcyS6HpWILk3PaCb2dvitpgpHw0a4mt0R35KL1~wOdwdwd7UWAAYbLhoeblXMXA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dozens of parents, students and care providers urged the Dysart Unified District governing board to reverse or reconsider a decision to relocate a special education (STC) classroom from Willow Canyon High School to Shadow Ridge, saying the change will disrupt students’ routines, increase anxiety and limit vocational training opportunities.

Parents and caregivers said they learned about the relocation only after it had been acted on at a prior meeting and that the district’s stated reasons — bringing students “back to their home schools,” creating permanent locations and improving transportation efficiency — did not match families’ experience of increased travel time and loss of consistency.

“Bringing students back to their home schools — you are literally taking an entire classroom of more than 20 students and forcing them out of their home school while separating them from their siblings,” parent Amy Burrell told the board. She said she has a master’s degree in special education and that the move appeared to be driven by cost-saving measures rather than student needs.

Several speakers described the change as especially damaging for older students approaching graduation. “This isn’t just about a school switch,” said Sarah Corrigan, who identified herself as the parent of a junior at Willow. “She’s autistic. Her school, her routine, her teachers, her familiar hallways has been her anchor.”

Caregivers and district employees also warned about longer bus rides and the practical effects of moving students away from school-based vocational programs. “Not all growth is gained just inside the confines of their SDC classroom,” Burrell said. Another speaker asked whether special education students would still be able to participate in West Neck vocational programming after the move; the transcript reflects the phrase “West Neck” as raised by a commenter.

Families proposed alternatives including starting a new STC class at Shadow Ridge for incoming students while allowing current Willow Canyon students to remain until they graduate. Several parents urged the district to engage with families before implementing changes they said had already been decided.

The board did not take formal action during the public-comment period on the relocation; speakers said the decision had been voted on at a previous meeting and that parents were not notified in advance.

The public-comment session is governed by Arizona open‑meeting law; the board read the board‑opening reminder citing the state statute used to limit immediate board action in response to public comments.

The board has not, during this meeting, announced any new vote or reversal on the Willow Canyon to Shadow Ridge move. Members of the public said they will continue to press the district for an explanation, documentation of the decision and potential alternatives.","Multiple parents, students and caregivers told the Dysart Unified District governing board the planned move of a special education STC classroom from Willow Canyon High School to Shadow Ridge will harm students’ routines, social ties and vocational opportunities and that families were not notified before the last vote.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves added meetings, 2025–26 schedule and six assistant‑principal appointments

Bond‑override committee reviews capital needs, override timeline and tax impacts

Dysart presents revised cell-phone policy after committee survey of nearly 4,000

Parents, students and caregivers urge Dysart board to keep Willow Canyon STC classroom in place