Agua Fria board approves Arts Academy GMP, adopts policy 5-105 and clears consent items

The Agua Fria Union High School District governing board on Dec. 11, 2024 approved a set of routine and project-specific actions, including an early guaranteed maximum price (GMP) for the district27s Arts Academy, adoption on second reading of revisions to policy 5-105, and approval of the consent agenda, which included a discussed job description for a new program administrator role.

The most substantive single procurement vote authorized an early GMP for the Arts Academy with McCarthy Building Company to permit purchase of an elevator and electrical equipment. A district representative told the board the items are needed to move construction forward. The motion passed on an affirmative vote recorded as: Terry (yes); Colton (yes); Landis (yes); Santon (yes); DeCoast/DeCoste (yes). The board recorded the motion as: "Be it resolved. The governing board approves the early guaranteed maximum price for the Arts Academy with McCarthy Building." The district staff introduced the request and no documented amendments were proposed.

On policy, the board adopted revisions to policy 5-105 on second reading. The revisions add a fast-track process and a formal hearing procedure for reviewing certain student-discipline and enrollment actions. Board member questioning focused on what documentation would be created and how appeals would be handled; a staff member described a formal appeal form, parent meetings and records produced before and after a hearing. The motion to adopt the revisions passed with votes recorded as: Terry (yes); "Quilting"/Colton (yes); Acting (yes); DeCoast/DeCoste (yes). The motion recorded in the minutes was: "Be resolved. The governing board approves and adopts the revisions of policy 5-105 as presented."

The consent agenda was approved after a board member pulled item 7.11 for questions. That pulled item was a proposed job description for a "program administrator" position intended to run independent, smaller programs and academies (examples discussed by staff included the Coal Bar Learning Center, New Directions and the Trades Academy). Board members pressed staff on overlap with existing positions (assistant principals, teachers on assignment and certified coordinators), the authority the new role would carry and when compensation details would be presented. Staff said the board was being asked to approve the job description now for planning purposes; compensation and any hires would be considered later. The motion to approve the full consent agenda carried with recorded votes: Terry (yes); Colton (yes); Landis (yes); Atkins (yes); DeCoast/DeCoste (yes).

Other routine minutes and meeting-approval motions also passed earlier in the meeting. The board approved the minutes of the Nov. 13 study session and regular meeting and executive session, and separately approved the minutes of the Dec. 3 special meeting and public hearing. Recorded votes on those motions are reflected in the meeting minutes. No formal motions failed or were tabled during the items the board voted on during the Dec. 11 meeting.

Votes at a glance - Approval of minutes (Nov. 13 study session and regular meeting/executive session): Motion carried (votes recorded). - Approval of minutes (Dec. 3 special meeting and public hearing): Motion carried (one abstention noted in the record). - Early GMP for Arts Academy with McCarthy Building Company: Motion carried. - Adoption (second reading) of policy 5-105 (student rights/responsibilities; fast-track hearing language): Motion carried. - Approval of consent agenda (including job description for program administrator, item pulled for Q&A): Motion carried.

The board made no final decisions at this meeting to hire a program administrator or to set compensation; staff said compensation guidance will be returned to the board later. The Arts Academy GMP vote authorizes procurement of specific equipment and allows the project to proceed to the work identified in the early GMP authorization.