[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-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",[32,76,87,99],{"_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",6570981,"mediaKeyId","3154559-5634f4158fadae66349e2393a1a45903","parentId",3154559,"title","District reports $25.6M projected carryforward, shifts $11M to unrestricted capital; Math and Focus in second year of elementary rollout","audioSeconds",2652,"startMs",4898000,"endMs",7550000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3154559-5634f4158fadae66349e2393a1a45903&start=4898&end=7550","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3154559-5634f4158fadae66349e2393a1a45903/thumbnail_4898000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6570981/Arizona/District-reports-256M-projected-carryforward-shifts-11M-to-unrestricted-capital-Math-and-Focus-in-second-year-of-elementary-rollout","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6570981-6044038784748fc4dd940eddeee53335/orig.mp4?Expires=1770898223&Signature=GB~8aO2naPFilS7cnlFrn6rdSI8etzowyOt~drWi3291hzzx-9fLeXVGZySZY9kkBi~lHg4iaGtGuD8K6c4klU8E60i8XoIankjCpGiqLaSYPPBRpCTqHdfGBi9LzTwcjdV935Am4ZEZyVE8YdTz9Wz-mzDGIdB8ABin9flO15b5hVat3O7MfvwjP8VUSu2ai2Yd2Xxk05ABmrPPSRG7a-CSaAjZcLZHsJOZPXkKTgZZ70JqVqreLuJJ25e6Md8fiP1jxBbIr2EwTyBupn-3bcclPa30MdKNHqHFH3FQ~OKnzH8FqHvRmmlmZjqfiwWlJei70OgGrnJualJo15DWMg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Gilbert Unified District (4239)","date","2025-04-30T03:57:36.137Z","article","Ms. Betts, speaking for district finance staff, told the board the district's available balance in maintenance and operations is about $8.7 million as of the third quarter and that an unrestricted-capital available balance is roughly $25.6 million, which district staff expect to propose as a carryforward in the June budget presentation.

Betts said the district moved $11 million from maintenance and operations into unrestricted capital earlier this year as a strategy to maximize interest earnings while preserving operating capacity; she said additional encumbrances may appear before fiscal year end. She highlighted that auxiliary/cash funds (fees, tax credit and technology fees) hold roughly $9.3 million in available balances and that 70–80% of that balance is held on behalf of schools or students.

The finance presentation also reviewed year-to-date revenues and expenditures through March 31. Betts said state aid timing and a long-standing state rollover practice mean the district had received approximately 64% of expected state revenues by third quarter rather than the 75% a simple pro-rata expectation would suggest. She noted a reduction in the state college-credit exam incentive payments for AP teachers this year and said the district distributed the full state allocation to teachers rather than retaining any for district-level uses.

On capital needs, board members asked for specifics. Finance staff and the superintendent identified priorities including high-school track replacements (safety concerns), recent $2.3 million in parking-lot work, roofing and HVAC equipment, and other repairs. Staff said Asset Planner has been updated to reflect work through late February and that the district will present detailed capital priorities and proposed unrestricted-capital spending in the May budget revision and the June budget proposal. The district also plans a future work study on capital needs after further clean-up of the Asset Planner data.

In an academic update, Robert Bircher (elementary director of curriculum, instruction and assessment) and Crystal Udall (elementary coordinator of mathematics) reported on Math and Focus, the district's adopted math curriculum used in the traditional elementary sites (Canyon Rim, Neely and Spectrum). Udall said Math and Focus is in year two of implementation and cited midyear diagnostic growth: the proportion of students in the \"above level\" category doubled between the beginning and middle of the year for the measures presented (data reported through February). She noted students use the online component (ED) an average of 1.6 times weekly and that WAGL, a supplemental component for intervention and enrichment, is used for targeted support.

Curriculum staff emphasized supports purchased alongside the core program — fact-fluency materials and extra practice resources — and that campuses schedule intervention/enrichment blocks (\"win time\") to deliver supplemental practice and digital assignments. Staff said they will continue to collect end-of-year data (May) and that year-3 professional development is being planned for veteran teachers.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Gilbert Public Schools Board Meeting 4/29/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Finance staff reported $8.7M available in maintenance and operations and an expected unrestricted-capital carryforward of about $25.6M after moving $11M earlier; curriculum staff updated the board on year two implementation of Math and Focus in traditional elementary sites with early positive usage and midyear growth signals.","taxTitle","Gilbert Unified District (4239), School Districts, Arizona","taxId",12981,"location","Arizona","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6570986,"Governing board approves principal appointments, consent agenda and first reads of trust and accounting policies",0,7203000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3154559-5634f4158fadae66349e2393a1a45903&start=7203&end=7203","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3154559-5634f4158fadae66349e2393a1a45903/thumbnail_7203000.jpg","/articles/6570986/Arizona/Governing-board-approves-principal-appointments-consent-agenda-and-first-reads-of-trust-and-accounting-policies","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6570986-c16845a90e9465cf9a25abcf3eb01f17/orig.mp4?Expires=1770898223&Signature=cyOJm3DMVtKLCVJbSn6ywN79G2nlElDmZPI~yNi16BDIQXl4XpxJ-Npcgs4ynpxnoGcS6uXOaz8X7CsUJK-GE~RS6N2GIYIVh4djD-E3ic8YK3GskJvQoHr5cR6fMg3xJyHCIWAWQcSI~F3PQi0QMqU8oXPTVOymEWgcFbTqpOOB2ErZ3F1eK4dME-MI-yFl8kiJveVnigNHBwg9QRtbhkQlwQq7rCEUpBTYqvHYZBT3jexR3cmbRLuvziejj-EI0uYv6BJTnfXsETpiIgwA3Ia-18ACYjivgmczfRgWjLjS5jfB2Ky-zNIoVwRX2xKFNQBr6ikmdmuFhQCqWarQYw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Gilbert Public Schools governing board approved a number of personnel and policy items during its April 29 meeting, including two principal appointments and first readings of three trust and accounting policies.

Appointments
- Eric Cruz: The board approved the appointment of Eric Cruz as principal of Desert Ridge Junior High for the 2025–26 school year. Motion to approve was made and seconded; the board recorded the vote as unanimous. After the vote, Cruz thanked the board and said he had met staff earlier in the day and looked forward to the assignment.
- Kristen Fleming: The board approved the appointment of Kristen Fleming as principal of Augusta Ranch Elementary for the 2025–26 school year. The motion passed unanimously; Fleming spoke to thank the board and referenced mentors and her leadership experience.

Consent agenda and other procedural votes
- Agenda approval: The board approved the meeting agenda as presented at the start of the meeting.
- Consent agenda: The board approved the consent agenda during the meeting without recorded opposition.

Policy first reads (approved for first reading)
- Policy 3-102, Banking and Accounting (first read approved). The first-read vote authorizes continued policy review and a second read will return to the board (the item was characterized in the meeting as a first read; final adoption requires subsequent board action).
- Policy 3-110, Employee Benefit Trust Reserving Policy (first read approved). The policy clarifies that trust reserves are not to be transferred for other district needs and outlines trust purposes and protections.
- Policy 3-111, Employee Benefit Trust Investment Policy (first read approved). The policy establishes an investment framework and exhibits that govern allowable instruments and maturities.

Votes recorded in the meeting transcript did not include detailed roll-call tallies for each item; the board chair and members indicated approval for each item and several items were explicitly described as unanimous at the time they were adopted. Where speakers were identified in the record, motions and seconds were attributed by name in the meeting dialogue.","At its April 29 meeting the Gilbert Public Schools governing board unanimously approved two principal appointments, passed the consent agenda and approved first reads of banking/accounting and employee-benefit trust policies.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6570990,"Teachers, students and parents urge Gilbert schools to retain certified librarians and broaden gifted services",1629,3727000,5356000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3154559-5634f4158fadae66349e2393a1a45903&start=3727&end=5356","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3154559-5634f4158fadae66349e2393a1a45903/thumbnail_3727000.jpg","/articles/6570990/Arizona/Teachers-students-and-parents-urge-Gilbert-schools-to-retain-certified-librarians-and-broaden-gifted-services","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6570990-27d04c2e65da12ead9d1d652de252706/orig.mp4?Expires=1770898223&Signature=Al0ZexxxyxWTtm1znkDJD1r5klyoPKQD85FFxE6ly2uLDrpGtqwwP3wl3u9aPONuKeZTM4bOLy8hMGnFL4gxJfsQFgZ2V1SVIaUGAhHt24c0tt8kANvq0m8SyoISxwLE4-fnG5QGkQfU-Amfpl-RYPGbLAsrlk3RMpfuJMaEuEv~wlBQgAivr~dJOWq5Do8mujGgy-DnkCTtmLUpX2xL2IODUIgjarbT6AiM6oI0-f65wFdPIAL3qX6Gt3lgrsqOzW~nXH09~rG7A7bwJF6Xphq4MtfgaMpQoqv~10MN1oaJU14Tk~cbMCE37i7DCBYvz8wfrYNSHb1tX2n2scFzMw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Teachers, students and parents used the public-comment period at the April 29 Gilbert Public Schools governing-board meeting to press the district to preserve certified school librarians at the secondary level and to expand gifted services beyond an emphasis on \"high achieving\" students.

Lauren Eaton, a teacher at Campo Verde High School, told the board she was “devastated” at the news that Campo Verde’s librarian, Sarah Flaherty, would not return because the position is being eliminated. \"A walk through the library space she has created would spark joy and enthusiasm in even the most reluctant readers,\" Eaton said, and she cited research linking certified librarians to improved reading and math performance.

Student speakers, including Lizzie Stone (book-club president at Campo Verde), described school libraries as everyday learning centers that provide study space, printing and curated collections, and asked the board to reconsider cuts that would reduce those services. Parents and community members repeated that preserving librarians supports literacy, equity and student engagement; one parent, Kristen Stone, a choir-booster treasurer and former elementary-education student, said libraries help students who lack home resources and warned of downstream effects on test scores.

Separately, a parent identified in the record as Mike M. urged the board to treat giftedness as a spectrum and to expand support for twice-exceptional students (\"2e\") who may be gifted but not high achieving. He said gifted services in the district historically focus on high-achieving students and often do not provide supports early enough; he asked the board to consider offerings before fourth grade for children identified as gifted in kindergarten.

Speakers repeatedly requested greater transparency about district data and budget rationales behind staffing decisions. Several speakers said they recognized budget constraints but asked the board to explore alternatives to cutting certified librarians, arguing those positions have a measurable impact on student outcomes and build school culture.

Board members did not respond with new policy decisions during the public-comment period; the meeting proceeded to reports and action items.

Facts from the comments: Campo Verde High's librarian Sarah Flaherty was named by speakers as the position scheduled for elimination at the secondary level; witnesses described a broader pattern in which some secondary librarian positions were not refilled after retirements. Speakers cited state-level literacy statistics and research linking certified librarians to improved outcomes (the district did not present new research at the meeting).","Multiple speakers during public comment told the governing board they are concerned about the district's elimination of certified librarian positions and asked the district to expand gifted services earlier than fourth grade, citing student outcomes and equity concerns.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6570994,"Gilbert schools to roll out weapons detectors after recent campus threats; superintendent cites student suicide, teacher death",1185,3223000,4408000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3154559-5634f4158fadae66349e2393a1a45903&start=3223&end=4408","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3154559-5634f4158fadae66349e2393a1a45903/thumbnail_3223000.jpg","/articles/6570994/Arizona/Gilbert-schools-to-roll-out-weapons-detectors-after-recent-campus-threats-superintendent-cites-student-suicide-teacher-death","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6570994-5893463c42778644316ed97fea588ff0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770898223&Signature=B6Pj7Rr0Fw44WUlm1AyQLjA8zQtPOW32u9QLvXlcdxo3VlQxILQqhvQ2TF~QlyouiPWtGfduhLg0sXL-hxuqnn-diJ2NYEOP~eKmzHGXwCjymCmwiI4ZN3lXQyjryFkP-Y~LVmJu5cJY3R-avz4R0QuOp~fex0a46eKo7zvKI51K2FziwvNr3MwaZEsFJNkqubSaEdFTQb7It8ORGB~zeDyHfL5yX3niWRDYxl6seegQq~Wpq3Y2f~6v8ZJDYBApvY4wVhzejaPBvwJ0qbY89RG0KjrhCqhSmMArKsXrp~tjoGWt67abSPXCy5~lKETcF8cFlEswh24iKR~E8naR6g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dr. McCord, superintendent of Gilbert Public Schools, told the governing board on April 29 that the district will expedite installation of weapons detectors at all seven high schools after recent tip-led discoveries of firearms on campuses.

McCord said the district had planned a phased rollout but moved the timeline after recent incidents and in coordination with the vendor and Mesa Public Schools, which previously implemented detectors. \"We have already rolled them out at Canyon Valley High on April 25,\" McCord said, adding that Desert Ridge, Highland and Mesquite high schools will have detectors in place on May 5 and Campo Verde, Gilbert Classical Academy and Gilbert High on May 7.

The superintendent framed the detectors as part of a broader safety response that also acknowledged two other recent, traumatic events in the district: the death of Highland High student Jude Flores and the April death of Town Meadows sixth-grade teacher Andrea Young. \"These tragic and alarming events shake a school, a school district, and a community to the core,\" McCord said, and described existing suicide-prevention programming and staff training the district provides.

McCord told the board the district began studying detector options in November 2024 and that the governing board approved implementation in March 2025. He said the first days of rollouts will slow campus entry while students and staff adjust, and asked families to practice secure firearm storage at home: \"If you own a firearm, please do all you can to lock up your weapons,\" he said.

The superintendent said GPS worked with its vendor and with Mesa Public Schools to identify implementation best practices and that training and communications to families will accompany the rollouts. He described the procurement and deployment as complex, thanking high-school administrators, security personnel, teachers, support staff and the vendor for the expedited timeline.

The board did not take a new vote during the April 29 meeting on detectors; McCord said the board previously approved the implementation in March 2025 and described the current remarks as an update to the community.

Looking ahead, McCord said the district will continue to implement the signs-of-suicide curriculum for grades 5–12 and to coordinate behavioral health team responses for students and families. He asked the community to keep the families affected by the recent deaths in their thoughts.

Details provided at the meeting included the detector rollout schedule and that Canyon Valley was already operating detectors as of April 25. School officials said the initial entry process will take longer before staff and students become familiar with the procedures.","Superintendent Dr. McCord told the governing board the district will accelerate installation of weapons detectors at all seven high schools before the end of the school year after anonymous tips revealed guns on campuses; the report also reviewed recent tragedies including a student suicide and the death of a longtime teacher.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

District reports $25.6M projected carryforward, shifts $11M to unrestricted capital; Math and Focus in second year of elementary rollout

Governing board approves principal appointments, consent agenda and first reads of trust and accounting policies

Teachers, students and parents urge Gilbert schools to retain certified librarians and broaden gifted services

Gilbert schools to roll out weapons detectors after recent campus threats; superintendent cites student suicide, teacher death