Scottsdale Unified School District No Dream Too Big . . . No Challenge Too Great

The Governing Board, parents and community members heard Mary Ellen Simonson’s presentation on the history of the district’s policy for distributing flyers and other promotional items, including background information about the Hills vs. Scottsdale Unified School District lawsuit.

Public Information Officer Tom Herrmann presented the Board with several options for distributing flyers, including sending all flyers home, sending no flyers home, sending a standardized form with only basic information home and leaving flyers in the front offices to be picked up by parents.

The Board asked Mr. Herrmann to create a survey that will be sent home with students on Friday, Feb. 13.

Since September, the district has been under a flyer moratorium that prohibits the distribution of flyers except for those directly related to SUSD schools and school sponsored events, activities and functions. In September, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, ruled that if SUSD allows distribution of any non-school flyers, it must allow distribution of all non-school flyers except those containing religious and political proselytizing.
The Board requested that the SUSD Literature Distribution Policy be brought back as an action item at the March 16 meeting.

In other action, the Board:

• Heard Chief Financial Officer Bob Flach’s Review of the Fiscal Year 2004-2005 M&O Budget. At the Jan. 27 Board Meeting, President Sandra Zapien-Ferrero requested Mr. Flach bring the budget again for further direction from the Board concerning aligning proposed revenues and proposed expenditures.
   
  The Board asked Mr. Flach to prepare a straw budget and bring it back at a Special Meeting to be held on Feb. 24.
   
• Approved the specifications for the Request for Proposal for District Staff Law Firm. At the request Governing Board, SUSD is seeking proposals for the contracting of the single legal firm function as the District’s staff attorney and handle most legal matters for the district.
   
• Approved the resolution for the issuance and sale of Refunding Bonds series 2004, in amount not to exceed $40,000,000, and not to exceed $2,000,000 aggregate payment amount of Supplemental Interest Certificates.
  
  The Federal Reserve continues to lower interest rates. This means that school districts can borrow money at rates which are lower than they have been in many years.
   
• Approved the adoption of the Title V Preschool Academy Program from Sopris West Educational Services for an amount not to succeed $10,000 for the fiscal year 2004-2005. The goal of this program is to prepare the children as they progress to kindergarten. The district vision for this preschool academy is to provide a learning environment to children who reside throughout the district and who lack the opportunity to attend a school program. The program sites will be located at Hohokam, Tavan, Tonalea and Yavapai Elementary Schools. Each school will receive $2,446 for the program.
  
  At the Dec. 9 meeting, the Board approved the NCLB plan which included a preschool program funded from Tile V funds, which is the “We Can” curriculum.
   
• Accepted gifts valued at $60,218. The gifts were received from Aztec Community Team, Desert Mountain Dance Council, Saguaro Yearbook, Anasazi PTO, Arcadia PTO, Cherokee APT, Cheyenne PTO, Cochise APT, Desert Canyon Elementary PTO, Desert Mountain PTO, Friends of ANLC, Hohokam PTA, Ingleside PTO, Navajo PTA, Sequoya APT, Laguna Parents, Don Chiapetti, City of Scottsdale, Mr. Tino Ferrulli, Oasis Institutes, Salt River Project and Target.

A Special Governing Board meeting to discuss the Fiscal Year 2004-2005 M&O Budget is scheduled for 7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 24, at the Education Center. The next regular Governing Board meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m., Tuesday, March 16, at the Education Center.

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