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SIERRA VISTA — Certainly the faces and perhaps the style of managing the Sierra Vista public schools will undergo a visible change if Tuesday night’s governing board meeting is any indication of things to come.
With the board’s approval of superintendent Renae Humburg’s retirement on July 1, 2008, and the subsequent announcement by assistant superintendent Bill Roach of his own intent to retire on that date, the school district will, in one fell swoop, be absent the combined 30 years’ experience and institutional knowledge these two top school officials will take with them.
In the wake of that reality, governing board members and administrators alike extended themselves at this week’s meeting to demonstrate their grasp of educational and statutory issues, their financial monitoring efforts, and their desire to write the final chapters in what former school board president Tom Hoskins termed “the tax fiasco.”
It was a meeting unique for its length, degree of detail and pointed attempts to address public anger, questions and reactions that have appeared in the media and been voiced personally or in writing to board members.
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Approximately 50 people attended the meeting, a larger-than-normal turnout.
In a call to the public timed to coincide with the board’s acceptance of Humburg’s retirement, Hoskins presented his analysis of the mistake that resulted in this year’s leap in the school property tax rate that took the town by surprise.
“If there had been no mistake last year, all of the taxpayers would have been screaming at the re-assessed property values,” he said. “Because of the large growth of new homes and inflated values of our real estate, the assessor had revalued our property, which in turn caused an increase in our taxes. My opinion is that the increase (in valuations) caused the homeowner not to recognize the decrease (in tax rate) caused by Michelle’s mistake.”
Hoskins’ reference was to Michelle Quiroz, district business manager who admits an error in reporting district property valuations to the Arizona Department of Education for fiscal year 2006-2007. That figure was then used to calculate revenues the state sends to the district and upon which the school property tax rate is based.
It resulted in a shortfall of approximately $4.3 million that is being recovered by this year’s significantly higher taxes.
Quiroz herself was on the agenda to provide a detailed update on the current year’s school budget. She remained on the carpet at some length to explain allocations, current balances, various funds and their purposes, future anticipated repayments from state and federal sources, upcoming spending intentions and their rationales.
For anyone paying attention, it was an education in Arizona school financing, its vagaries and constrictions.
Board members used the opportunity to question the employment of aides and paraprofessionals for special education students (it’s a legal obligation), and to highlight extra expenses the district is incurring due to a shortage of regular bus drivers, custodial staff and higher fuel costs for school buses.
Administrators and board members alike expressed a concern for economy and prudence in spending, as they reviewed water and energy conservation efforts and the disappointing half-million dollars dispensed from the state School Facilities Board for building renewal purposes.
Sierra Vista schools had requested $1.2 million for building renewal and will now need to re-prioritize just where the available funds will be utilized.
In other business, Crisis Response Team leaders Susan Willig and Marty Bangle — counselors at Buena High and Sierra Vista Middle School — reported on the training their 20-member team has received and the levels of “crisis identification” under which they operate.
The group exists to implement Critical Incident Stress Management and most recently went into action following the deaths this summer of four teenagers with connections to the high school.
The District Emergency Response Team, represented by Sierra Vista Middle School principal Jim Sprigg, reported on its activities to update the district-wide booklet for safety procedures in the event of an accidental or natural disaster or need to lockdown schools.
District curriculum director Penny Morris spoke to the public release last week of the Arizona Learns school report cards, the “ranking” by Arizona’s Department of Education of all schools in the state.
Of Sierra Vista’s nine schools, two were rated “Performing,” four were rated “Performing Plus,” two are “Highly Performing” and Pueblo del Sol Elementary achieved the highest category of “Excelling.”
Morris briefed the board and the public on how those scores are assembled and the “factoring in” of requirements by the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
The board approved a number of action items, including asking the Arizona School Boards Association for a proposal to search for a new superintendent, and a renewal of the agreement with Cochise College to award dual credit for certain courses toward both high school graduation and a college certificate or associate of arts degree.
Prior to adjournment, governing board members had the opportunity to remark once more on Humburg’s departure from the district and Roach’s announcement to do the same.
“You have been a mentor to my daughter, who is also an educator, through her doctoral degree. All out of the goodness of your heart,” said board member Nancy Richardson directly to Humburg, as tears welled in her eyes. “We are personal friends, and I have enjoyed every minute working with you.”
Clerk of the board Debra Scott offered, “The two of you have done phenomenal things for this district. I know you won’t stop the good work.”
The current superintendent assured, “It’s not over yet.”
Herald/Review reporter Cindy Skalsky can be reached at 515-4611 or by e-mail at cindy.skalsky@svherald.com.
Give me a break! wrote on Nov 2, 2007 11:03 PM: