Governing board hears updates on Pima Butte, communication, new board members

The MUSD governing board on Wednesday heard information on the appointment of a fifth member of the board, an update on Pima Butte Elementary School and communication changes in the transportation department.

Several applicants for former board member Lori Glenn’s seat on the board were in the audience. Glenn resigned last month with two years left on her term of office.

Pinal County School Superintendent Orlenda Roberts hopes to name the newest board member, following interviews, by the end of December. The last day for the submission of applications is Dec. 3.

Given the time constraints (Dec. 14 is the board’s only meeting next month) and the need for a new board member training workshop, new additions to the board may not be sworn in at a meeting. According to Superintendent Jeff Kleck, “They must be sworn in at least 24 hours before their first meeting.” That can be done at any time or place as long as a notary is present.

Pima Butte Elementary Principal Korrin Ledbetter presented an overview of the school and its goals for this year. The school motto is “be kind, be safe, take care of this place.”

Currently the school’s enrollment is 387 students with 34 percent on free and reduced lunch; 7 percent are classified as ELL students, and 10.5 percent are special education students.

Improvement goals, to be met by May 2011, are in the focus areas of math, reading, parent involvement and a safe and drug free environment.

The math goal involves additional time and strategies to motivate and focus students in order to maintain or increase the 89 percent benchmark already achieved by students.

Reading goals include student logs for at home reading. For example, to become a Mustang reader, a fifth grader must read 400 minutes per month. However, a ‘mighty’ Mustang reader has to read double that amount. Each month 10 students’ names are drawn for pizza with the principal and a discussion of reading and books.

Instead of bells for passing periods, Pima Butte uses music and dance to three “walk to read” songs.

Parent involvement is based on volunteerism, and Pima Butte volunteers have logged over 1,000 hours through October. The school, which has a very active PTO, has several family events, including a book fair, a fall festival, family night movies and, most recently, the first PTO golf tournament.

In order to promote a safe, drug free environment Pima Butte uses Character Counts with a character trait each month, promotes the Locks of Love and Bald for Bucks programs and celebrates students of the month (two from each classroom).

“I need to commend our teachers, our staff,” said Ledbetter. “We truly are a team.”

Board members previously expressed their concern about communication issues when bus routes were inadvertently dropped by the new computerized routing system, Versatrans, earlier this year.

Additional staff members have been hired to handle phone lines, and cell phones as well as the department’s web page will be used to notify parents of any route changes. The department is currently running 128 routes plus special needs student runs.

Board member Carrie Vargas inquired about a recording to state that transportation was aware of a problem. “There is nothing worse for a parent than getting a busy signal when you’re not sure whether there is a problem,” she said. Transportation Director Fred Laguna assured her that issue was being addressed.

Transportation office hours are 4:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and someone is there until every bus returns.

“We are trying to hit all ways of communicating, more staff with more phones and new radios,” said Business Director Aron Rausch.

Photo by Joyce Hollis