July 10, 2007
PRESCOTT UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 1
GOVERNING BOARD
BOARD BRIEFING ADDENDUM
NUMBER 319A
July 10, 2007
Item 6a
Date: 07/10/07
In Consideration of: Reviewing and approving the Utilities Plan for 2007-08.
Submitted by: Mrs. Renee Raskin, Chief Financial Officer
Relevant Information:
According to Arizona Revised Statute, districts are now required to submit a Utilities Plan to the Arizona Department of Education by July 18th. In November 2000, Arizona voters passed Proposition 301, which increased the statewide transaction privilege tax by .6% for public education funding purposes. As part of Proposition 301, the law that allows budgeting for excess
utilities is repealed after Fiscal Year 2008-09. Districts that participated in excess utilities were required to submit their Utilities Plan to demonstrate how they were planning to reduce their utility costs to be compliant with the law. Prescott Unified School District has never participated in excess utilities; therefore, we did not need to prepare the Utilities Plan last year. By statute we are required to submit the plan for 2007-08.
Exhibits:
Please refer to Enclosure #6a.
Item 6b
Date: 07/10/07
In Consideration of: Approving a 4-year lease/purchase of 100 Apple laptop computers through Apple Financial Services for Northpoint Expeditionary Learning Academy and directing the PUSD administration to finalize this lease/purchase contract.
Submitted by: Mr. Kevin Kapp, Superintendent
Relevant Information:
Once again approval is requested from the Governing Board for the lease/purchase of 100 Apple laptop computers for additional students at Northpoint Expeditionary Learning Academy for the 2007-08 school year. A 4-year lease/purchase is recommended and funding for this initial year is available from Soft Capital carryover funds from the 2006-07 school year.
Exhibits:
Basic information with regard to the lease/purchase has been attached for your review. Please refer to Enclosure # 6b.
Item 6c
Date: 07/10/07
In Consideration of: Approving a resolution to maintain two middle schools in Prescott Unified School District.
Submitted by: Mr. Kevin Kapp, Superintendent
Relevant Information:
This item has been added to the July 10, 2007 Voting Session agenda at the request of two Governing Board members and with the approval of the Board President. On March 8, 2007, the Governing Board unanimously approved the recommendations from the Prescott Unified School District’s Growth Committee. These recommendations included a recommendation, “To leave all
remaining schools at their present location.” This recommendation reflects the school district’s philosophy of maintaining smaller schools whenever possible and also supports the district’s philosophy of offering parents school choice whenever possible.
In addition, a recent parent survey resulted in 72% of parents returning the survey indicating that they support maintaining two middle schools in Prescott Unified School District as opposed to combining the two current middle schools into one middle school. Parents with students in 7th grade or lower were surveyed and approximately 32% of the total of nearly 2400 parents surveyed responded to the survey.
Exhibits:
Copies of the March 5, 2007 Governing Board meeting agenda, backup and minutes are included for your review. A copy of the summary page of the parent survey is also included. Please refer to Enclosure # 6c.