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Santa Cruz Elementary Board adopts 2026–27 calendar, hires coaches and approves payroll and budget
Summary
On March 17, 2026 the Santa Cruz Elementary School District #28 Governing Board adopted the 2026–27 school calendar, approved two coach stipends and several personnel items, ratified payroll and expense warrants, and approved the budget balance summary.
On March 17, 2026 the Santa Cruz Elementary School District #28 Governing Board adopted the 2026–27 school calendar and approved a series of personnel and financial actions at a regular meeting in the district office in Nogales.
Board President Robert (R.) Noon opened the meeting at 5:30 p.m. and all five board members were present. The board voted to adopt the 2026–27 calendar following a motion by Mrs. Debbie Gonzales and a second from Dr. Dean Fish.
The board approved two athletic stipends: Sean Doyle as baseball coach for the fourth quarter of school year 2025–26 at $1,500 and Manny Romero as girls basketball coach for the same period at $1,500. The motions were put by Mr. R. Fish and seconded by Dr. Carrie Pottinger and Mrs. Gonzales respectively; the minutes record the actions as approved.
In personnel business the board approved the hire of Aneth Rodriguez for the special education self-contained program with a reported start date of February 16, 2026. The board also approved Rodriguez’s resignation effective February 25, 2026; motions for the hire and the resignation were moved and seconded as recorded in the minutes.
Financial items approved included ratification of payroll and expense warrants. The minutes list payroll items including PP00017 ($39,257.82), PP00018 ($40,243.85) and PP00018.1 ($897.38), and approvals for PP00024–PP00026 (each listed at $50,000). Expense warrants ratified or approved include E-2616 ($20,033.61), E-2617 ($47,342.26) and E-2624–E-2626 (each listed at $40,000). Mrs. Denisse Melendez presented the budget balance summary for FY 2025–2026; Dr. Fish moved to approve and the board recorded approval.
During superintendent and board reports, Superintendent Kathy Romero noted current district enrollment at 130 (with 122 kindergartners reported), upcoming Azella testing for English learners, an NHS counselor visit for 8th-grade high-school admissions and an 8th-grade visit to Rio Rico High School (RRHS), teacher professional development, and other school events. Board members also discussed outreach steps, including Mrs. Gonzales’s work to assemble a packet for National Historic Registry consideration for Little Red School and Dr. Dean Fish’s discussion with South32 about possible funding for a basketball-court shade or permanent roof.
The board listed future agenda items including approval for health/dental/vision plans, the certified salary schedule, certified contracts, and consideration of an ESI contract; the superintendent contract was scheduled for the June meeting. The board set its next meeting for April 14, 2026, at 5:30 p.m., and adjourned at 6:45 p.m.
(All motions and votes summarized here reflect the board’s minutes; where the minutes list approvals, outcomes are reported as recorded.)
