Scottsdale Unified School District Arizona’s Most Excelling Schools!

Kim Clark, General Counsel, presented the Governing Board with a discussion on the use of drug-sniffing canines. The procedures for canine locker searches are as follows: searches will not disrupt the educational process and searches will be limited to lockers, and will not extend to people or personal belongings. The Scottsdale Police Department has agreed to provide the district with the necessary canine search teams at no cost to the district. The item will be brought back at the May 10 Board meeting as an Action Item.

Also, Ildi Laczko-Kerr, director of Student Information Management and Accountability Reporting, presented the Board with an Arizona's Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) update. The update included Scottsdale Unified School District’s goal for student achievement, action plan, student support programs, essential standards and assessment plan review, Arizona Department of Education AIMS Tutoring programs, AIMS testing practices update on testing requirements for students and AIMS graduation requirements. The presentation is available on the district’s Web site at: http://www.susd.org/district/govboard/meetings.htm.

Katy Cavanagh, executive director for Middle Schools & Excelling Teaching & Learning, presented the Governing Board with an update on changing the area known as the “triangle” back to Anasazi Elementary School for the 2005-2006 school year. Extensive research and analysis was conducted. The data will be used to survey parents. In addition, the administration is working on an aggressive marketing plan, including advertisements in newspapers, magazines, newsletters, Web sites and bulk mailings. The item will be brought back at the May 10 Board meeting as an Action Item.

In addition, Ernie Nicely, executive director of Technology & Information Systems, presented the Board with information regarding the adoption of eLearning courseware. For the past several years, NovaNet has been offered in the high schools as an online learning opportunity primarily for credit recovery purposes. Students are able to complete these courses in the designated NovaNet lab and receive a pass/fail grade. An adoption committee was formed for the purpose of reviewing NovaNet and other equivalent offerings. In addition, the committee was expanded to review Online Learning software and content suitable for the other high school courses; and to meet the needs of elementary and middle school curriculum as well. After considerable review and analysis, the adoption committee brought forth the following proposal software and content for the high school credit recovery, expansion of eLearning coursework for high schools, recommendation for letter grades to be given for completion of of eLearning courses at the high school level and recommendation for eLearning courseware for K-8 grade level. The item will be brought back at the May 10 Board meeting as an Action Item. The presentation is available on the SUSD Web site at: http://www.susd.org/district/govboard/meetings.htm

In other action, the Board:

• Voted 5-0 to approve to add sixth grade to Aztec Elementary School. Aztec Elementary School, which opened in 1993 as a K-6 elementary school, was founded around Susan Kovalik and Associates’ Integrated Thematic Instruction philosophy with multiage classes. In addition, parents in the community desired at least one more year in the elementary setting for their children to mature, and to be exposed to the ITI philosophy of delivering education that they support strongly. Aztec Elementary School is different from other elementary schools because of the multiage classrooms, students remain with the same teacher for two years, curriculum is taught through specifically designed Integrated Themes based around either a greater Science concept, Social Studies concept or major historical events, teachers team teach, as well as collaborate multi-grade Learning Clubs, Language Arts and Math standards are taught both as they occur naturally in the course of research, writing and as independent subjects. The presentation is available on the district’s Web site at: http://www.susd.org/district/govboard/meetings.htm.
   
• Voted 5-0 to approve additional architectural/engineering services for the Arcadia Bond Project to Orcutt/Winslow Partnership in the amount of $89,400. The additional money will pay for underground utility locating services, review title report and special systems planning and design.
   
• Voted 5-0 to approve additional architectural/engineering services for the Coronado Bond Project to DLR Group in the amount of $82,000. The additional money will pay for the update districtwide high school facilities and special systems planning and design.
   
• Approved an RFP for Internet-based collaborative construction management software and support services to Constructware for an amount not to exceed $142,680 for the fiscal year 2004-2005, and for an amount not to exceed $71,763 for the fiscal year 2005-2006.
   
• Approved the annual renewal of intergovernmental agreements with the exception of the IGA between EVIT and SUSD to all participating EVIT school districts to conduct satellite technical education programs with EVIT.
   
• Accepted gifts valued at $16,014. The gifts were received from Desert Mountain PTO, Friends of ANLC, Laguna parents, American Express, Arizona/Scottsdale Republic, Caring Club, Echo Foundation, Target and Wells Fargo.

A Special Governing Board meeting to vote on the Job Description for Internal Auditor and Auditor General’s Report Re: Percentage of Funds in Classroom, and to discuss Procurement Procedures is scheduled for Thursday, April 21, which will immediately follow an Executive Session 9:30 a.m. at the Education Center, 3811 N. 44th St., Phoenix. The next regular Governing Board meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m., Tuesday, May 10, at the Education Center.

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