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AJUSD board approves employee benefit package amendment; authorizes executive session on student discipline
Summary
The Apache Junction Unified School District governing board unanimously approved the 2026–27 employee benefit package with clarified life-insurance language and discussed but did not finalize changes to an assistant-principal stipend; the board also voted 5–0 to enter an executive session under Arizona statutes to consider a long-term student suspension.
The Apache Junction Unified School District governing board voted unanimously to approve the district's employee benefits package for the 2026–27 school year, amending the district-paid life-insurance line to read "$5,000 for spouse/children." The board later voted 5–0 to move into an executive session to consider confidential student-discipline records and a possible long-term suspension.
Board member Kim asked several clarifying questions during the benefits discussion, including whether benefit amounts had changed (staff said they had not) and what changes to contract days and part-time classifications meant. The board also discussed a $3,000 stipend line for assistant principals: staff explained the stipend applied only to employees grandfathered in under prior hires, and recommended leaving the line for this year and removing it next year if needed.
On life insurance, Kim moved to amend the wording so the district-paid benefit read "$5,000 for spouse/children." Dr. Papalardo confirmed the change cleared up an error in the document and that the insurer confirmed the district covers spouse and children as previously intended. The motion to approve the benefits package with the amended life-insurance language was seconded by Missus Ross and passed 5–0.
Later in the meeting the board made and approved a motion to enter executive session pursuant to ARS 15-843(A) and ARS 38-431.03(A)(2) to discuss confidential student-discipline information and to consider a long-term suspension for student 25-26-1. The motion passed 5–0; the board then left the public meeting for the closed session.
The board returned to public session and adjourned. Because the executive session covers confidential student records, the district did not discuss or disclose the substance of that deliberation in public.
