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Votes at a glance: superintendent contract, consolidation, architects, salaries and student trip approved
Summary
At its meeting, the Fountain Hills Unified School District board approved a three-year superintendent contract extension, consolidation of grade spans (K–5/6–8), an Orcutt Winslow architectural authorization, revised salary schedules, a student Washington trip and several procurement and personnel items by voice vote.
The Fountain Hills Unified School District governing board approved multiple agenda items by voice vote during the meeting.
Key votes and outcomes
- Superintendent contract extension: The board voted to offer Superintendent Doctor Jay a three-year contract after several board members and community speakers urged a multi-year term to retain the incumbent. The motion passed by voice vote.
- Consolidation: The board approved administration's recommendation to consolidate grade spans (K–5 to the middle school; 6–8 to the high school) and keep preschool at McDowell Mountain in a single wing, effective for the 2023–24 school year.
- Orcutt Winslow purchase authorization: The board approved authorizing Orcutt Winslow to exceed the $100,000 threshold for architectural services related to the consolidation and planning; administration noted an estimated total construction cost of $2,500,000 and an architect fee of roughly 7% of construction cost as a planning metric.
- Salary schedules: The board adopted revised salary schedules, allocating roughly $400,000 of recently available funding toward salary adjustments (administration said about 67% of that allocation will benefit classified staff and certified staff schedules will move toward a 15-year longevity model).
- Other approved actions: approval of minutes, consent agenda (payroll, accounts payable, donations, sole-source independent study), purchase of a Time Clock Plus Subsearch Module for substitute management, reclassification to Director of Special Education and Early Childhood (administration cited that ~87% of the reclassification funding is grant-funded), approval of a seventh/eighth grade trip to Washington, D.C. (March 9–12) at $1,868.37 per student with an initial $1,500 deposit, and approval of a certified staff resignation waiver for Mr. Buckley.
Votes were taken by voice; the transcript records the motion, second and unanimous or voice approval in each case but does not provide roll-call tallies.
What happens next
Administration was directed to return with consultant scopes, invoices and project budgets for board approval as work on the consolidation and related capital projects proceeds. The board set future meeting dates (Jan. 11, 2023 business meeting and Jan. 25 work study) and adjourned.
