Maria Becerra

The session began with the presentation and acknowledgement of the traditional custom regarding indigenous communities served by the district. The primary discussion focused on the design progress for High School Number Eight, specifically presenting a revised site auction that relocated the gymnasium to the west side of the site to mitigate an order easement related to a water treatment facility expansion. The presenters detailed changes including moving the PE building, designating the fieldhouse as a regular turf competition field, and optimizing traffic and pedestrian circulation. Further discussion covered the architectural program arrangements of the academic building, including the stacking of floors containing administration, student services, classrooms, science labs, CTE spaces, and dining facilities. Visualizations were shared illustrating interior learning environments emphasizing flexible furniture, acoustic considerations, and vibrant color schemes. The session also reviewed concepts for campus life areas, including outdoor dining adjacent to the performing arts center, a performance plaza for the automotive program, a marketing lab, and broadcast/podcast facilities located near the dining common.

The work study session focused primarily on facility needs and a proposed solution for the district office expansion. Discussions included recapping district history and growth, noting that the current district office, built in 2006 for 7,347 students, is now significantly undersized for the projected 14,000+ students by 2027 across seven campuses. Key issues detailed were insufficient space at the district office, overcrowding and poor working conditions at the CA, Lighthouse Academy (in an outdated portable), and DLA (in temporary portables). The proposed solution involves building a new facility at the acquired Glendale land to house the District Office, Family Resource Center, and Distance Learning Academy, which would allow CA to expand into Building B and Lighthouse Academy to move into better facilities, enabling the demolition of the aging Lighthouse portable. The team also presented results from a community and staff survey regarding the preferred location for the new district office, where Tolleson received 71% of the vote, and highlighted strong positive support for concepts related to the Family Resource Center, particularly clothing and food closets.

The meeting included acknowledgments of the traditional custodians of the land. Key discussions focused on recent accomplishments, including Copper High School's letter grade performance, which achieved an 81.15 score, the highest in school history, with a focus on improving BCT and student growth metrics for the next grading period. Celebrations included recognizing Mrs. Monica G. as the Classified Staff Member of the Year and Christian Lopez and Melanie Ron Leon as Male and Female Students of the Year, respectively. Enrollment data was presented, noting 985 students on variance and an increase in DLA enrollment. Athletic achievements were highlighted, such as the girls' basketball region championship and the boys' golf team winning their fourth consecutive district championship, alongside receiving the AIA Sportsmanship Award. The session also covered progress in unified sports, including a unified ukulele class and a successful third annual Pinkathon raising over $5,000 for breast cancer research. Other spotlights included media coverage from Channel 12 and student participation in the dedication of the Al McCoy Memorial Park and Shazam Court. The board reviewed progress on student seals, noting record-breaking numbers for the Seal of Civics Literacy and the Seal of Biliteracy, and the expansion of dual enrollment course offerings.

The meeting commenced with a land acknowledgement statement recognizing the Akam Atam Pima and Posh Maricopa peoples. The agenda included the proclamation of January 2026 as School Board Recognition Month. Celebrations featured recognitions for La Hoya Community High School, including their staff leadership, the Classified Employee of the Year (Miss Brenda Castanada), the Certified Employee of the Year (Paula Michelle Oxford), and the Female Student of the Year (Embriel Gyos). Principal Dr. Bill Sorenson provided updates on key performance metrics, noting a three-year consecutive increase in ACT proficiency and positive outcomes in CCRI scores. Discussions also covered the implementation and data analysis of the PLC process, teacher leadership impact, and the new Lobo Flex Time program, which showed high student engagement levels for remediation and intervention. High stakes assessment goals and data protocol reviews were also highlighted as ongoing focus areas.

The board meeting focused on several key updates and recognitions. The meeting began with a land acknowledgement statement. The agenda approval passed unanimously. The principal of Talison High School provided updates on the remarkable progress at the school, highlighting staff commitment, stable enrollment, and gains toward an 'A' school rating, including improved instructional systems, expanded dual enrollment, and increased student involvement in clubs and athletics. Key data points reviewed included ACT performance and a commitment to mastery prep tutoring for juniors. Significant discussion centered on high graduation rates (consistently around 90%) and substantial progress in FAFSA completion, leading the district's comprehensive high schools. Student success stories were highlighted, recognizing senior Esme Spiritu for her leadership in academics and FAFSA coaching, and senior Emiliano Deanda Guera for his rigorous academic performance and community involvement. The board also recognized classified staff member of the year, Marita Madrial, and certified staff member of the year, Rayanne Southern. Professional development efforts were detailed, including content-specific training for staff focusing on instructional strategies, data analysis, and the use of AI. Furthermore, updates were provided on the Student Intervention Team (SIT) activities, including 41 student referrals for targeted support and over 2,000 student support encounters in the first semester, alongside efforts to build positive leadership through campus activities. Finally, the meeting covered athletics, noting the offering of 22 different sports.