KINGMAN, Ariz. – Kingman Unified School District 20 met Tuesday evening, July 14, to discuss and adopt the FY27 proposed budget, math curriculum, and employee requests to be released from contracts.
In the call to public, a former school bus driver who had been fired after six years of driving for KUSD following an alleged accident scratching a bus, pleaded for her job. Tammy Van Dyke said she didn’t do what she was accused of, that she did not hit the car and she needs her job.
“I’m 54. I don’t want to be homeless,” Van Dyke said.
On a lighter note, Superintendent Dr. Gretchen Dorner reported that the administration team met for a full-day summit and talked about what they wanted for the stakeholders, the community, the students and families.
They have adopted as the theme this fiscal year, “United in Purpose, Inspired by Possibilities.”
She said the district goal for FY27 is for academic growth of 85% of students and an increase of 20% in community engagement.
Dorner said there are also many opportunities for volunteerism this year.
Statistically, she said more than 67,000 students are enrolled so far in District 20 with almost 11,000 at Lee Williams High School, and only five unfilled teaching positions.
“We are school ready,” she stated, “the buses, cafeterias, classrooms and campus grounds,” Dormer said and gave a shout out to those who worked hard to make it all happen.
“When we are united in purpose, we become inspired by the possibilities,” Dr. Dorner concluded.
Item 6 A-R of the consent agenda items for routine orders of business were all approved with the exception of 6 C, which was pulled for discussion. One board member abstaine d from voting due to personal reasons. Item 6 C to approve personnel hiring list, was then approved with one abstaining.
Item 7 for additional representatives for special education was approved.
Item 8 was also approved for Math IXL, a math curriculum used in alternative schools.
Item 9 for salary placement schedule for teachers increasing from $13K to $13.5K was also approved.
Item 10 updating school board policy to match the Uniform System of Financial Records’ (USFRs) new guidelines to allow purchases up to $15K to less than $100K without additional competitive bidding was approved. Previously, the guidelines were from $10K to $100K.
The school board also approved purchasing a fleet of 33 white vehicles they had been leasing from Enterprise. Last year, the lease and required maintenance from Enterprise cost the district $186K. To purchase the 33 low-mileage vehicles outright was only $102K.
The proposed FY27 budget was approved of $75,783,712 or estimated budget without grants of $70,527,472 was approved.
Also approved was the list of donations with a special thanks to the community for supporting the schools.
After an executive session to discuss four employees requesting release from their contracts, all were approved with a contingency for only one of the employees.
Dr. Gretchen said they were all super excited to be entering into the new fiscal year, which started Wednesday, July 15.
