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Catalina Foothills board approves budget, wage increases and multiple consent items; superintendent granted $5,000 performance pay
Summary
The Catalina Foothills Unified School District Governing Board on June 10 approved a slate of financial and personnel measures, including the district's proposed fiscal year 2025-26 budget, a 2% increase in classified wages and a $5,000 performance payment for the superintendent.
The Catalina Foothills Unified School District Governing Board on June 10 approved a set of motions including the district's proposed fiscal year 2025-26 budget, a 2% wage increase for classified staff and a series of consent-agenda contracts and awards, and set $5,000 in performance pay for Superintendent Denise Bartlett.
The board voted unanimously on each item during the meeting that began at 4:30 p.m. and reconvened after an executive session. The board recorded 5-0 votes on the proposed budget, the classified wage schedule and associated step movement and pay increase for salaried classified-exempt staff; the approvals of academic standards for K-12 world languages; and the consent agenda, which included two construction awards to Concord General Contracting.
Why it matters: the approved proposed budget establishes the district's spending framework and carry-forward assumptions ahead of the formal adoption vote later in June. The classified wage actions change the district's wage schedule for 2025-26 and authorize a horizontal step movement and a 2% increase for classified exempt employees. The consent-agenda awards authorize capital work on playground turf and outdoor courts costing roughly $103,635 and $106,996 respectively. The superintendent's $5,000 performance payment represents the district's long-standing discretionary performance-pay set-aside.
Key outcomes and context - Fiscal year 2025-26 proposed budget: board approved the proposed maintenance & operations (M&O) budget limit of $42,100,000 and related straw-budget assumptions, including an assumed DAA (unrestricted capital) level of roughly $10,000,000 and a projected M&O carry-forward. The vote to approve the proposed budget passed 5-0.
- Classified wages and steps: the board approved the proposed classified wage schedule for 2025-26 (motion carried 5-0), approved one horizontal step movement for all classified employees (5-0), and approved a 2% increase for classified exempt employees (5-0). District staff reported the change would increase M&O costs by about $119,505 for the classifed steps and by about $18,281 for classified exempt employees.
- Notices of appointment: the board approved notices of appointment for returning classified employees for 2025-26 (motion carried 5-0).
- Academic standards for K-12 world languages: the board approved the refreshed world-language standards aligned to Arizona's standards and using performance-based "I can" statements for student learning outcomes (vote 5-0).
- Consent agenda (vote 5-0): the board approved routine items including minutes, vouchered expenses, field-trip and fundraising requests, personnel items, gifts and donations, an addendum to an intergovernmental agreement with Pima County Joint Technical Education District (JTED) #16 for 2025-26, and two construction awards to Concord General Contracting: - Replacement of the artificial playground turf at Valley View Early Learning Center, award amount $103,635. - Repair and resurfacing of the basketball and tennis court at Sunrise Drive Elementary School, award amount $106,996.
- Facilities rental rates: the board approved a 7% increase to the district's facility rental rate schedule for 2025-26 (policy KF) on second reading; vote recorded 5-0.
- Superintendent performance pay: following completion of the superintendent's performance evaluation the board approved $5,000 in performance pay for Superintendent Denise Bartlett (motion carried 5-0). Board members who spoke in support highlighted listening sessions, security improvements, community-accessibility efforts and expansion of college-counseling resources.
What the votes did not do - Several policy revisions were discussed at first/second readings but were not adopted tonight; those items were scheduled for further revision or an additional reading (for example, graduation policy IKF was set for a third reading June 24).
The board indicated the proposed budget must be adopted at a subsequent meeting before the fiscal year ends; the June 10 approvals move the proposals through the required two-reading process ahead of final adoption.
