Board approves nonrenewal notices for select teacher contracts for 2025–26

The Catalina Foothills Unified School District Governing Board authorized the superintendent or designee to deliver notices of nonrenewal to employees listed in the meeting packet for the 2025–26 school year, a motion approved 5–0.

Mindy Westover, Associate Superintendent, told the board the item is an annual administrative step the district uses for budgeting and enrollment flexibility. Staff said the list includes teachers and other employees in categories that commonly receive one-year contracts: first-year teachers, grant-funded positions, part-time staff, retirees, late hires (employees hired after Sept. 1), and staff who have not maintained required Arizona certification. Westover said there are eight categories of reasons for nonrenewal cited in the packet.

Westover told the board the employees on the list will receive hand-delivered notices the following day that advise them of the board’s action and the sample notice was included in the packet. She said principals often notify staff at the same time whether they intend to rehire the employee; "most of these people will be rehired," she said, describing the process as a tool to avoid being overstaffed if enrollment is lower than projected.

Board members asked clarifying questions about the process and Westover reiterated that the nonrenewals are performed with the expectation that many individuals will be rehired once enrollment and funding are certain. After a motion and a second the board voted unanimously to approve the recommendation and authorize delivery of notices.

The board recorded the motion on the public record but did not discuss individual employee names in open session. The notices become part of the meeting record and will be delivered according to the timeline described by district staff.