Board approves hiring of middle‑school special‑education teacher pending J‑1 sponsorship

The Coastal Public Schools Board of Trustees approved the hiring of Arvin Regis as a middle‑school special‑education certified teacher for the 2024–25 school year, contingent on J‑1 visa sponsorship and payment of a $2,000 sponsor fee.

A staff member recommended Regis for the position, saying he holds a J‑1 visa and is completing a special‑education degree. “I’m making the recommendation for middle school special ed certified teacher, Arvin Regis, for the 2425 school year,” the staff member said. The staff member added that Regis will renew his visa over the summer and is expected to return in time for the start of classes.

Board members confirmed the district had received the interview checklist and completed background checks and other hiring documents. When a trustee asked what would happen if the J‑1 visa were not approved, the staff member replied that the district would hire Regis directly and that he holds a teaching license and is completing an internship through the University of Montana Western under an annual internship license arrangement.

A board member moved to approve the hire “pending J‑1 visa sponsorship”; another trustee seconded the motion. A committee member noted the district’s only cost would be the sponsor fee, not tuition or degree costs. The committee member stated the sponsorship fee for this case is $2,000 and that some sponsorships can be higher if family members accompany the employee. The trustees recorded votes of “Aye” from Wade, Tiff, and the meeting’s chair, carrying the motion 3–0.

The staff member said the sponsor would transfer Regis’s paperwork to Colstrip (the district site noted in the record) and that the district’s responsibility is to verify employment for licensure purposes. The meeting was adjourned after the vote.