J O Combs Unified School District board approves multiple contracts, pay schedules and appointments; hears public comment on girls soccer

The J O Combs Unified School District governing board met June 10, 2026, and unanimously approved a package of budget and personnel items while hearing public comment in support of the district’s girls soccer program.

At the start of the 5:30 p.m. session the board adopted the meeting agenda and approved both the regular and executive minutes from May. The board then approved two salary documents for 2026–27 — the certified teacher salary schedule and the extra‑duty stipend schedule — a move that staff said preserves extracurricular coaching assignments, including soccer, for the coming year.

The board also approved a five‑year (annual renewal) contract with South East Service Corporation (SSC) to provide custodial and facilities maintenance after staff reported persistent recruitment challenges for those positions; administrators said no current employees would lose jobs and some long‑service employees would remain on the district payroll to protect retirement benefits. The motion referenced GPA‑25‑10B07 and passed 4–0.

Other actions approved by voice votes (each 4–0) included final payments under the Proposition 301 performance pay plan for the 2025–26 school year, the spring 2026 substitute stipend, final administrative performance pay, continuation of ASBA policy services within membership dues for FY2027, and the 2026–27 board meeting calendar.

Personnel approvals included: Dustin Hastings as transportation supervisor (effective July 1, 2026); Daniel Fox as CTE coordinator; Deanna Herrera as coordinator of teaching and learning; and Jennifer Neans as dean of students at Combs Middle School. Board members asked for more background documentation on some hires in future packets; all appointments were approved unanimously.

Board members spent substantial time on two informational briefings. Communications staff reported campaign and enrollment metrics drawn from the district enrollment CRM and ad platforms: staff said recent campaigns produced hundreds of thousands of ad impressions, 1,233 inquiry forms over the past year and 864 enrollments attributed to advertising. Board members pressed staff to show how impressions and clicks translate into sustained enrollment and retention.

Separately, staff presented athletic participation and finance details: the district reported 499 athletes (327 high school, 172 middle school), roughly $60,000 in athletic fees collected, coaching stipends of about $288,512 (salaries and benefits) and additional event and operations costs that together were described in staff materials; staff also presented a hypothetical analysis that the loss of all athletes would create a roughly $525,000 gap (presented as a hypothetical, not a recommended budget action).

Public comment featured a parent, Mary Barrett, and her daughter, Kendall Barrett, who urged the board to keep the girls soccer program, describing the sport’s academic and social benefits for students. Board members noted that the approved stipend schedule and personnel decisions preserve many extracurricular programs for the coming year.

The board concluded the public portion of the meeting and voted unanimously to enter executive session under Arizona Revised Statutes §38‑431.03(A)(1) to discuss the superintendent evaluation.

Votes at a glance (motions listed on the record): - Adopt agenda — approved, 4–0. - Approve May 13 regular and executive minutes — approved, 4–0. - Approve 2026–27 certified salary and extra‑duty stipend schedules — approved, 4–0. - Approve item 7.15 (out‑of‑state trip) — approved, 4–0. - Approve SSC custodial/facilities contract (per GPA‑25‑10B07) — approved, 4–0. - Approve Prop 301 final payments (2025–26) — approved, 4–0. - Approve substitute stipend (spring 2026) — approved, 4–0. - Approve administrative performance pay final payments — approved, 4–0. - Appoint Dustin Hastings, transportation supervisor (effective July 1, 2026) — approved, 4–0. - Appoint Daniel Fox, CTE coordinator (effective July 1, 2026) — approved, 4–0. - Appoint Deanna Herrera, coordinator of teaching and learning (effective July 1, 2026) — approved, 4–0. - Appoint Jennifer Neans, dean of students at Combs Middle School (effective July 1, 2026) — approved, 4–0. - Continue ASBA policy services/membership for FY2027 — approved, 4–0. - Approve 2026–27 board meeting dates — approved, 4–0. - Motion to move into executive session under ARS 38‑431.03(A)(1) — approved, 4–0.

What’s next: staff will return with the annual list of qualified teacher evaluators and hearing officers for formal approval, and with follow‑up details on a proposed partnership with American InterContinental University to explore subsidized master’s programs for staff (staff presented the possible model and asked for direction).