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Maricopa Unified School District board meeting, date not confirmed yet

1 h 44 min · 2 public speakers

This board doesn’t post agenda times. Click a board member to jump to where they first speak; we list only members whose voice our check named. Video length 1 h 44 min.

  1. Who spoke · first speaks at
What happened

What happened at this meeting

District reports new K-8 school opened on time and over $1 million under budget 1:03:54

  • The board heard a classroom spotlight on reading instruction at Santa Rosa Elementary and an annual report on bond and override spending. 42:37
  • A district staff member reported that the first new K-8 school opened in July and that the project was completed on time and over $1 million under budget. 1:03:54
  • Ben Owens made a motion to approve after discussion of the personnel schedule, and the motion was seconded. 1:19:19
Item by item (15)
  1. Opening and agenda adoption 3:40
    • Patti Coutré called the meeting to order at 6:31 on Wednesday, September 23rd. 3:40
    • A motion to accept the agenda as presented was made and seconded. 4:54
  2. Superintendent's report 5:07
    • The superintendent said Butterfield Elementary School was awarded the Sprouts Community Garden grant for the second year in a row and that the $5,000 grant will cover garden maintenance and tool storage. 5:10
    • The superintendent said more than 30 community leaders and parents attended the MUSD Community Leaders Luncheon, where Maricopa High School culinary students prepared lunch. 7:18
  3. Board member reports 8:23
    • Shawnté Rothschild said they represented the district at the Arizona School Board Association Law Conference and would share more feedback with the board. 8:30
    • Ben Owens and Lisa Garcia described attending school events, including a National Honor Society induction ceremony and a Constitution Day event at Desert Sunrise. 10:10
    • Patti Coutré said the Boys and Girls Club, which partners with MUSD, was hosting a fall break camp. 15:13
  4. Spotlight recognitions 15:13
    • A district staff member recognized spotlight recipients in 4 categories: community members, MUSD employees, students and student athletes. 16:23
    • Students recognized in partnership with the Maricopa Rotary Club received a certificate and a $50 gift card. 16:23
  5. Santa Rosa Elementary classroom spotlight 42:37
    • The Santa Rosa principal said the school launched a new reading curriculum, Emerge, paired with the Spalding Method, and that students track their own progress. 44:27
    • The principal said that after reteaching, an additional 14% of 5th grade students mastered a reassessed reading standard. 51:36
    • Ben Owens asked about teacher feedback on the rollout and asked for data at the end of the year. 54:56
  6. Bond and override spending report 1:03:40
    • The staff member said the district sold $42.75 million in bonds in April of '25 and kept its tax rate at 79 cents, with a bond sale planned for January or February of next year. 1:03:54
    • A district staff member said override spending last year included $6 million on teachers, $500,000 in RAM Academy, $500,000 to technology and $530,000 to counselors and teachers on assignment. 1:05:34
    • Shawnté Rothschild asked what contributed to the first project coming in under budget, and the staff member cited the team, market timing and the contractor. 1:11:01
  7. Call to the public 1:12:04
    • Patti Coutré said the board had 2 speaker cards. 1:12:04
    • One speaker at public comment raised concerns about direction to grade failing students as passing and about a lack of support, safety, staff training, accountability and transparency. 1:13:13
    • Another speaker at public comment gave an update on the Boys and Girls Club partnership with the district, saying it has 303 registered club members from MUSD this year. 1:14:27
  8. Consent agenda 1:17:32
    • A motion to approve the consent agenda as written was made and seconded. 1:17:36
  9. Personnel schedule 1:17:48
    • Ben Owens asked for an update on open positions. 1:18:17
    • In response to a question from Ben Owens about open positions, a speaker said 2 offers were out to certified candidates and that if those were accepted the district would be down to 4.5. 1:18:17
    • Ben Owens made a motion to approve, and it was seconded. 1:20:08
  10. Parent support organizations 1:20:22
    • A district staff member said parent support organizations file an annual application due September 15th and that only approved organizations may use district facilities. 1:20:32
    • Ben Owens asked whether the process is required by state law, and the staff member said it is not state law but a best practice. 1:23:37
    • A motion to approve the submitted list was made and seconded. 1:24:23
  11. Patriotic exercises policy revision 1:24:37
    • A district staff member said the revision to Policy 5⁠-⁠201 would permit building administrators to allow patriotic youth groups to address students and distribute materials during the first quarter of the school year. 1:24:45
    • Patti Coutré said board members received information showing there is a form and process for all speakers who come to district facilities. 1:25:12
    • Ben Owens made a motion to approve, and it was seconded. 1:25:41
  12. Financial records policy revisions 1:26:25
    • A district staff member said the revised conflict of interest policy, 1⁠-⁠105, applies to both board members and employees, and that every employee will sign the same conflict of interest form. 1:26:42
    • The staff member said revisions to Policy 3⁠-⁠103 address employee payments, payroll, warrants, travel and food and beverage at events. 1:30:35
    • The staff member said the USFR for fiscal year '27 specifies that governing boards shall approve the independent auditing firm and contract terms, and that the district was seeking clarification on what it needed to bring to the board. 1:33:04
  13. Open meeting, procurement and resolutions 1:34:58
    • A district staff member said the revision to Policy 1⁠-⁠302 bars placing tax rate items and actions following executive sessions on the consent agenda. 1:35:06
    • The staff member said Senate Bill 1497 stated that districts with at least 300 employees that operate self-insurance programs must obtain quotes for insurance coverages and services once every 4 years. 1:36:12
    • The staff member presented resolutions on interim submission of expenditure and salary vouchers and on food and beverage services, describing the food and beverage changes as very minor. 1:38:17
  14. Annual financial report 1:39:44
    • A district staff member reported ending fund balances of $782,000 for M&O, $115,000 for capital and $7.9 million for classroom site funds. 1:41:16
    • The staff member said the general ledger is clean and balanced and the district operated within budget limits. 1:41:41
    • Ben Owens made a motion to approve, and it was seconded. 1:42:48
  15. Adjournment 1:43:06
    • A motion to adjourn was made and seconded. 1:43:13
    • The meeting was adjourned at 8:10. 1:43:24

Written by software from the meeting's transcript and checked sentence by sentence against it.

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Video: posted by the district as “September 23, 2026 Governing Board Meeting”