Douglas Unified board approves hires, renewals and budgets; takes no action on requested staff-contract release

The Douglas Unified School District Governing Board approved a slate of staffing hires, contract renewals and district personnel actions and accepted a donation and a sole-source purchase during its regular meeting.

The board unanimously approved the consent agenda, payroll and expense vouchers, certified and classified hires and resignations, classified transfers, volunteers and a $250 donation to Paul Huber Middle School volleyball from American Southwest Credit Union. The board also approved a five-year, advance-payment sole-source agreement for an AI-supported instructional platform described in the meeting materials as "Magic School," to be paid from new high school construction funds.

In executive-session follow-up items the board approved Superintendent Ana C. Samaniego’s annual evaluation. A motion to release a behavior specialist, Andrea Mora, from her 2024–25 contract without liquidated damages and with rehireable status ended in a 2–2 tie and no formal action; the board deferred further decision and indicated staff will contact the employee.

Why it matters: the hires and rehires set staffing for the 2025–26 school year and the sole-source purchase will fund a districtwide instructional tool for the high school funded from construction funds. The tie on the contract-release request leaves the employee’s status unresolved and could affect staffing or legal follow-up.

The motions were routine in form but covered a range of personnel and procurement choices, including approvals of wage notices and contracts for principals, assistant principals, and directors with no change in salary, and certified and classified contract renewals for 2025–26.

Votes at a glance - Approval of consent agenda (payroll/expense vouchers): motion by Mister Lindeman; second by Mister Smith; vote: Smith—Yes; Lindeman—Yes; Ramos—Yes; Breen—Yes; outcome: approved. - Certified hires for 2025–26 (including Andrea Estrada and Sua Pineda): motion by Mister Lindeman; second by Mister Ramos; vote: Smith—Yes; Lindeman—Yes; Ramos—Yes; Breen—Yes; outcome: approved. - Certified resignations (accepted): motion by Mister Lindeman; second by Mister Ramos; vote: Smith—Yes; Lindeman—Yes; Ramos—Yes; Breen—Yes; outcome: approved. - Classified resignations and a retirement (accepted): motion by Mister Lindeman; second by Mister Smith; vote: Smith—Yes; Lindeman—Yes; Ramos—Yes; Breen—Yes; outcome: approved. - Classified transfers and volunteer approvals: approved by unanimous roll calls; outcome: approved. - Change in hours for two instructional aides (effective July 2025): motion by Mister Lindeman; second by Mister Ramos; vote: Smith—Yes; Lindeman—Yes; Ramos—Yes; Breen—Yes; outcome: approved. - Donation of $250 to Paul Huber MS volleyball: motion by Mister Lindeman; second by Mister Smith; vote: Smith—Yes; Lindeman—Yes; Ramos—Yes; Breen—Yes; outcome: approved. - Classified staff rehires (wage notices for 2025–26): motion by Mister Lindeman; second by Mister Ramos; vote: Smith—Yes; Lindeman—Yes; Ramos—Yes; Breen—Yes; outcome: approved. - Employment contracts for principals, assistant principals and directors for 2025–26 (no salary increase in presented contracts): motion by Mister Lindeman; second by Mister Smith; vote: Smith—Yes; Lindeman—Yes; Ramos—Yes; Breen—Yes; outcome: approved. - Sole-source provider approval ("Magic School") and five-year prepayment from high-school construction funds: motion by Mister Lindeman; second by Mister Ramos; vote: Smith—Yes; Lindeman—Yes; Ramos—Yes; Breen—Yes; outcome: approved. - Superintendent Ana C. Samaniego annual evaluation: motion by Mister Lindeman; second by Mister Ramos; vote: Smith—Yes; Lindeman—Yes; Ramos—Yes; Breen—Yes; outcome: approved. - Request from Andrea Mora (behavioral specialist) to be released from her 2024–25 contract and to be granted a one-year leave (board decision about liquidated damages): motion by Mister Lindeman to release with no liquidated damages and make employee rehireable; second by Mister Ramos; roll call: Smith—No; Lindeman—Yes; Ramos—Yes; Breen—No; result: 2–2 tie, no action taken.

What’s next: board members said staff will follow up with the employee whose release request produced the tie. Administrators will issue wage notices and finalize hires for the coming school year.

Sources: district meeting materials and roll-call votes recorded in the board’s meeting transcript. No outside facts or assumptions were added.