Scottsdale Unified School District Arizona’s Most Excelling Schools!

Mike Duff, principal at Cheyenne Traditional School, presented to the Governing Board a proposal for a gymnasium to be constructed on the school’s grounds. Possible usage for the gymnasium includes physical education, athletics, band and strings, assemblies, Community Schools programs and community partnership. The cost of the “Sprung” Gymnasium is approximately $1,363,000. Cheyenne will look at corporate contributions, corporate sponsorship, grants, fundraising and individual donations for funding. Support for maintaining the gym will be provided by the City of Scottsdale Partnership and rental fees. The item will be brought back to the Board as an Action Item at a future meeting. The presentation is available on the district’s Web site at: http://www.susd.org/district/govboard/meetings.htm.

Cathy Rivera, executive director of elementary schools and excelling teaching & learning and Dr. Ildi Laczko-Kerr, director of student information management and accountability reporting, presented the Board with 2004-2005 results for all No Child Left Behind (NCLB) determinations. The Title III AMAO (English Learners) and Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) determinations were reviewed with all traditional schools, Sierra Vista Academy and the district making AYP. Disaggregated data by student subgroup, school and district were shared with the Board. Additionally, Katy Cavanagh, executive director of middle schools and excelling teaching & learning, shared related professional development activities that were developed in 2004-2005 to address needs identified with NCLB. These professional development initiatives highlighted programs used to identify and address the needs of students and student subgroups across the district. The presentation is available on the district’s Web site at: http://www.susd.org/district/govboard/meetings.htm.

In other action, the Board:

• Voted 5-0 to approve the guaranteed maximum price in the amount of $47,836,097 for the Coronado High School Bond Project to Adolfson and Peterson Construction. The presentation is available on the district’s Web site at: http://www.susd.org/district/govboard/meetings.htm.
   
• Voted 5-0 to approve the District Goals as amended for the 2005-2006 school year.
   
• Voted 4-1approve the Legislative Agenda as amended for the 2006 Legislature. The members proposed a list of topics they would like to present to the 2006 Legislature for consideration. Those items include agenda proposed by Arizona School Boards Association, Career Ladder funding, deseg funding, Fund 625, increase in funding for special needs groups, state land trust reform, transportation issue, fuel escalator and alternate certification for teachers.
   
• Voted 5-0 to approve the change in procedure for the method to contact Governing Board members by listing their names, e-mail addresses, district office numbers and alternative phone numbers and the district address as the only way to contact individual members.
   
• Voted 5-0 to approve the increase to prior Board award for Construction/Technical Reprographic Services to Fast Print for an amount not to exceed $60,000, bringing the award from $40,000 to $100,000.
   
• Approved the award of construction of Coronado softball fields to Adolfson and Peterson Construction for an amount not to exceed $598,000 for the fiscal year 2005-2006.
   
• Accepted gifts valued at $37,779. The gifts were received from Anasazi PTO, Arcadia PTO, Copper Ridge Middle School PTO, Desert Mountain PTO, Navajo PTO, Mountainside Band Boosters, Captain Planet Foundation, Exxon Mobil Corp, Evelyn Haberer, Pride of Scottsdale Lions Club, Safeway Inc., Wells Fargo Foundation, and Wells Fargo.

A Governing Board Retreat is scheduled for 10 a.m., Tuesday, October 3, at the Education Center. The next Governing Board meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m., Tuesday, October 11, at the Education Center.

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