School board tables half-day kindergarten decision

As soon as governing board president Scott Bartle made the call to the public, a line of teachers followed Amanda Ball, a second grade teacher at Butterfield Elementary, to the podium.

Ball called upon the board “to be aware of the extra pressures being made on teachers.” She listed the achievements and responsibilities of the school, and said she was “deeply concerned with working morale.”

The concern was that additional cuts would be made to balance the budget, and that kindergarten classes would go to a half day schedule.  Potential consequences for cutting kindergarten hours could be that parents would send their children to charter schools or the Kyrene District to avoid additional child-care costs and the required transportation arrangements.

Tammi Dyer, a kindergarten teacher at Pima Butte, came to the board with her concerns and explained how she talked to the Kyrene District about their programs and asked how they were able to support them. She told the board, “Kyrene said, ‘Maricopa kids make it possible’.”

The board called on district administrators for a detailed curriculum plan for half-day kindergarten and other options that would include potential tuition fees for a full-day schedule.

Krista Roden, curriculum director, said the administration had researched and spent “many, many hours and days to get to this point.” She noted that tuition fees, changes in curriculum and other options were explored. She also said she had been in discussion with both parents and principals, but added, “We are at the point where we need to make a decision.”

“The data says this, and the data says that,” countered board vice president, Torri Anderson. “We need to know how many incoming kindergarteners have older siblings, and, if they both leave, we’re doing some backpedalling without having any research being done. I feel forced into this agenda, and I am not happy with it. We won’t get them back if we lose them, and we need to be given time.” 

Board member Carrie Vargas agreed, “I’m very despondent about this. We cannot afford to lose more students, and we can’t jump the gun on this.”

“We are dismayed ourselves,” said Superintendent Jeff Kleck. However, we need another $750,000 in budget reductions, and these are difficult decisions for all of us.”

“At what point though do we ask our community?” asked board member Geoff Goddard. “I think a poll needs to be taken to see how it’s going to affect us.”

Without any other formal options being presented, the board unanimously agreed to table the shortened kindergarten day, which led to tabling the reduction in force agenda item.

However, all the budget talks and reductions in force brought resident Kevin Treacy to the school board meeting. He offered to sit with MUSD and the school board on a potential relationship that could ease the strain on the budget. Treacy did not discuss in great detail what he would do but offered to lend his business as part of the solution as he claimed to have helped schools in Chandler and Gilbert with similar situations. The administration and board agreed that they would like to hear more, and that a preliminary meeting would be set up. Treacy is the general manager of USA’s Skateland in Chandler.

“As a business owner, I would like to step up to the plate, and I wish other businesses would, too. Our kids are our future, but I won’t get on that soapbox now,” said Treacy after the meeting. Essentially, Treacy’s proposed plan would be to offer “deep discounts” to students of MUSD on their scheduled days off with all the proceeds going back into a grant for the district.  He said he wouldn’t keep anything for operating costs on the scheduled days, and that he hopes a partnership could be forged. Treacy said he would provide more details after he meets with district representatives.

 

 

Other board actions and information

As mandated by the federal government, the district has to raise lunch prices and presented the board with various options. A 50 cent increase for school lunches will include a breakfast for students free of charge.

The board also approved a resolution and authorization for the district to re-fund bonds that are callable. This has no effect on the M & O budget, but taxpayers will pay lower rates for the next seven years. Essentially, this pushes the debt out over a longer period of time at a lower payment; however, as Maricopa grows again, there will be a broader population base to assist in paying back the debt. The bond money was used for the construction of schools.

In a somber public acknowledgement, Bartle took the time to send condolences to the family of Paige Lopez, an eighth grade student at Maricopa Wells Middle School who died on April 29 due to asthma-related complications. He also thanked the school for their efforts for her memorial service. Lopez’s drama club teacher, Zack Irvine, invited the board and the public to attend Maricopa Wells first musical, “The Wizard of Oz.”The performance was rescheduled due to Lopez’s death and will now be May 20-21, with a portion of the proceeds going to asthma research.