Madison Elementary School District 38

The meeting commenced with the adoption of the agenda and the Pledge of Allegiance. The Superintendent reported on School Board Recognition Month in January, highlighting the dedication of board members and detailing upcoming school goal discussions. The Superintendent also shared positive anecdotes regarding student engagement, including a science lesson on hibernation and positive feedback from community programming like the Neil Diamond Experience. Board members congratulated Mitra Kazi on her election as president of the Arizona School Board Association (ASBA) and Bianca Bird (Coach Bird) for receiving the National Afterschool Educator of the Year award. Board members also reported on attending ASBA events and training, noting Madison's recognition with an All Board Award. The board acknowledged the ancestral lands of the Akimel O'odham, OnÕodham, and Hohokam peoples. Action items included the election of governing board officers, resulting in Mitra Kazi being elected President and Mr. Hunt being elected Vice President. Public comment included a request to extend the school day by 15 minutes to allow elementary students more time for lunch, citing health and digestion concerns, and a request to consider restructuring the district to K through 8 for all schools to improve academic performance and reduce transitional disruptions in middle school years.

The meeting commenced with a quorum being established. Key discussions included the approval of the agenda. The meeting featured presentations of the "You Make the Difference Award" recipients, Kate Harrington and Rachel Alexander, and the "Shining Star Award" recipients, Gage Huddleston and Leslie Mundo. The Superintendent's Report highlighted the Rose Lane staff's achievement of an A label and noted significant improvement in reducing chronic absenteeism. Leadership transitions were announced, including the retirement of Director of Finance Ella Conroy, with Kesha Bryan recommended as her successor, and the retirement of Madison Traditional Academy (MTA) Principal Chris Merrill, with Brooke Sech recommended as the new MTA Principal. The Superintendent also announced her intention to continue working after reaching 33 years in the retirement system. Governing Board Members congratulated the awardees and acknowledged the retiring staff members. The meeting concluded with wishes for a restful spring break.

The meeting commenced with roll call, confirming all governing board members were present, followed by the approval of the agenda. Key discussions involved the superintendent's report addressing community questions and concerns following recent national and local events related to Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations, emphasizing the district's safety protocols including preventative and responsive measures. Staff provided updates on award recognitions, specifically the 'You Make the Difference' and 'Shining Star' awards, presented to Luella Sullivan, Janelle Connor, Adelene Quas, and John Tavcar for their dedication to students and operations. Other updates included the grand opening of the Madison Meadows gym, the superintendent's advocacy day at the state capital, the district spelling bee results, and reminders regarding upcoming parent-teacher conferences and foundation events. The board also recognized the service of past president Christine Thompson.

The meeting commenced with the call to order, roll call confirming all members were present, and adoption of the agenda, followed by the pledge of allegiance led by students from Camel View. Key agenda items included presentations and recognitions for staff members receiving the "You Make a Difference Award" and "Shining Star Award" from Madison Camel View and Madison Park. Recipients included James Thomas ("Jake"), Megan Taylor, Carrie Smiley, and Jess McFaden, recognized for their exceptional contributions to staff morale, student achievement, implementation of new models, and program coordination. Superintendent Dr. Garin provided a report highlighting the success of the recent "Fall in Love with Madison" employee recruitment event, noting interest from the Arizona Department of Education, and praised the recent "Night at the Museum" event for its high family engagement. Board members also shared positive reports on the award winners, the "Night at the Museum" event, and planning for the fourth-grade day camp at Camp Wachuk scheduled for May 15th. Announcements included an upcoming Elton John tribute concert.

The meeting focused on establishing a recommendation for the 3-8 Science Curriculum Resource Adoption for the governing board. Key discussion points included the review of pilot data through poster walks, thematic grouping of visible data, and generating discussion questions. The committee engaged in group discussion to identify patterns in feedback regarding Kits, Student Workbooks, the Online Platform (both student and teacher interfaces), and Teacher Manuals. The session concluded with individual voting to determine which resource to put forward to the board, sharing the results of a virtual platform vote, and planning for the presentation of the committee's recommendation at the board meeting scheduled for March 24, 2026.