Scottsdale Unified School District Arizona’s Most Excelling Schools!

Dan Shearer, director of Transportation, presented the Governing Board with the district’s first advertisement for school buses. Fifty buses will display Martin Buick/Pontiac/GMC of Scottsdale ads, which will be installed on Feb. 12-13, and will run until Aug. 22. The ads will be mounted on the cargo doors. The district will receive 60 percent or approximately $48,000 of the revenue generated from the ads.

In addition, Dr. Althe Allen, executive director of Student Services, presented the Board with the High School Task Force Recommendation. The Task Force included parents, community members and SUSD administrators and staff. The Task Force recommended that the district should not move forward with the development of a transitional high school, and a bond be placed on the November 2005 ballot in order to build a high school on DMB land. The next steps for the Task Force is further analysis, demographics, future growth, enrollment patterns and open enrollment trends. The Task Force will report the findings to the Governing Board in late spring. The High School Task Force presentation is available on SUSD’s Web site at: http://www.susd.org/district/govboard/meetings.htm

Also, Ernest Nicely, Information Technology director, presented the Governing Board with the basic framework of a new Technology Plan for the district. Thirteen initiatives outlined in the plan included Web-based systems, data storage environment, online learning, distance learning and teleconferencing, technology in the classroom, enhance communication with the community, technology refresh, paperwork reduction, collaboration, security, staffing, training and exploring technology-based opportunities. The Technology Plan will be brought back to the Board later this spring. The Technology Plan 2005 presentation is available on the district’s Web site at: http://www.susd.org/district/govboard/meetings.htm

In other action, the Board:

• Approved the redesign of the SUSD Organizational Chart.
   
• Approved the Elementary (K-5) Science Adoption.
   
• Approved the sale of $1 million of School Improvement Bonds.
   
• Approved a modification of Section GCRD of the SUSD Policy Manual to allow district employees to tutor their students for purpose of complying with State and Federal programs, i.e., AIMS Tutoring, as identified by the Arizona Department of Education.
  
  The State Superintendent of Public Instruction has allocated $10 million for assistance to school districts for students who are not meeting AIMS requirements. The student is eligible for up to nine hours of tutoring. The Teaching and Learning Team has developed procedures to implement this tutoring. In addition, the funds are based on a reimbursement grant format.
   
• Awarded an RPF for 64 buses, 84-passengers, to Auto Safety House, for an amount not to exceed $2,136,382 for the 2004-2005 school year.
   
• Awarded an RFP for graduation diplomas, diploma covers and related products to Jostens Inc. for an amount not to exceed $32,000 for the 2004-2005 fiscal year, and not to exceed $50,000 for the 2005-2006 fiscal year.
   
• Awarded an RFP for submarine sandwiches to SubGallagher, LLC for an amount not to exceed $150,000 for the 2004-2005 fiscal year, and $300,000 for the 2005-2006 fiscal year.
   
• Accepted gifts valued at $207,844. The gifts were received from Cheyenne Student Government, D.M.T.V. Club, DMHS Softball Boosters, C.H.A.P.T.S., Friends of ANLC, Ingleside PTO, Sequoya APT, Arcadia Pride, Arcadia Water District, Carol Arnold, Don Chiapetti, City of Scottsdale, Dayton Foundation, FM Group, Inc., Honeywell Hometown Solutions, Insight Bowl, Teresa Lewis, Greg Stikeleather, Thornwood Furniture, W.D. Tratnack, DBM and Wells Fargo.

The next Governing Board meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m., Tuesday, March 8, at the Education Center.

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