YUHSD Board Meeting at a Glance

The Yuma Union High School District governing board convened earlier this month for its regular September meeting, livestreamed via YouTube to promote social distancing. The meeting is viewable at www.youtube.com/yuhsd. Here’s a look at some of the topics addressed at the meeting.

Strategies for Success program report

Vista High School Principal Brett Surguine provided a report on the Strategies for Success program, the district’s alternative to suspension. Surguine explained that the program focuses on supporting students as they build foundational skills such as being respectful, productive and following instruction. The program implements positive behavior reinforcement with tiered interventions and instructions. The program has also introduced levels where students can work their way up and earn more privileges and independence.

“We have seen a lot of improved focus, a lot of productivity,” said Surguine. “For example, 94 percent of our students are passing their classes right now. Two years ago, same time of the year, it was 64 percent … Right now, we’re seeing improved success, we’re seeing less referrals, we’re seeing more time in class, less time in the office, less time at home for suspension.”

The principal explained that a couple of the items proposed in board policy and exhibit would give the program the opportunity to have students work toward returning to their home campuses early. “They want that opportunity to earn something,” he said. “They want that reason to get better to improve their skills and they really want to go back to their home campus or Vista and reach towards graduation.”

Parent concerns over COVID policy

Hannah Whitson, a parent at Cibola High School, requested a consideration of her concerns during the call to the public about the district’s current COVID policy. Mentioning the number of students who get sent home when a student is diagnosed with COVID, Whitson said, “We need to quit sending healthy students home … those that are well need to remain in the classroom. They need the stability of it, they need it for their mental health to be able to function on a daily basis.”

Whitson did not elaborate on how students are deemed healthy, but did state a concern for vaccinated students being allowed to return to campus with negative tests while unvaccinated students are not. Whitson also expressed concern for vaccination clinics being held in schools.

The board did not comment on the parent’s concerns during the meeting. However, after the meeting, YUHSD clarified in a comment to the Sun that the district is not offering vaccine clinics on its campuses.

Donations

The George W. Bush Foundation granted $5,000 to Cibola High School’s library. The grant will go toward purchasing books to add to the circulating collection.

Fee OK’d for Somerton High project

The governing board members unanimously approved the architecture and engineering fee for the small learning community for Somerton High School.

“It was always our hope to build out the entire campus so that we didn’t have to have a phased approach,” explained YUHSD Superintendent Gina Thompson. “...due to the state funding that we received we are looking like we’re going to be able to complete the entire academic space as it says in the background. This could potentially look at 12 classrooms, two science labs as well as other support-related areas. We continue to work with DLR as our architect but this would allow us to pay that fee necessary so that we can get the full architecture and engineering done.”

Development agreement between YUHSD and Somerton

Consideration to approve the agreement was pulled from the meeting’s agenda.

Financial trends

According to Financial Services Facilitator Neil Brown, the district has expended eight percent of its maintenance and operations budget and seven percent of its budgeted capital funds for the 2021-2022 fiscal year.

The board’s next meeting will take place Wednesday, Oct. 13 at 5:15 p.m.