The Douglas Unified School District Governing Board met on Wednesday, and four hours and six executive sessions later it still isn’t over.

Eight-year-old Kiana Valenzuela thanks Catalina Decker, left for saving her life. Kiana started choking on some bread during the lunch hour in December, and Decker applied the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge the stuck food. Also recognized during the January 16 board meeting was Luis Greer who provides emergency training to staff.

The board recessed the meeting after meeting on the fate for former Huber Middle School Principal George Watkins in executive session for more than 50 minutes.

For more information on Watkins, see story this issue.

At the beginning of the meeting , the board re-elected Charles Hoyack as board president and agreed to set board meetings the first Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m.

The only change is moving the November meeting to Wednesday, November 5 due to the federal election.

The board also hired a new business manager after being without one for nearly two years.

Denise Evans was hired at a contract rate of $70,300 prorated for the year.

In other action, the board:

• Approved the second reading of policies Professional Staff Hiring and Support Staff Hiring.

• Approved spring semester fundraising activities for Stevenson, Joe Carlson, Faras, Early Learning Center and Douglas High Schools.

• Approved the hiring of Ray Borane Special Education teacher Heather Shake at a total prorated salary of $15,536; Ray Borane science teacher Deborah Girard at a prorated salary of $14,241; Huber Middle School science teacher Celena Estrella at a prorated salary of $14,241; physical education  teacher Cesar Gonzales at a base salary of $36,200; Douglas High School science teacher Eliza Novoa at a base salary of $28,400. and, Douglas High School Music teacher Emilio Gonzales at a prorated salary of $12,619.

• Approved health aide hire Marisela Flores, at a rate of $7.43 per hour; and  Mary Valdez and Elizabeth Gonzales  as food service workers at $6.90 per hour.

• Approved middle school coaches Rosella Arvayo, girls basketball coach, $1,104 stipend; and Melissa Laborin, assistant middle school coach, $883.

• Approved stipends for extra duty/ responsibilities to Bonnie Lopez, $400 for coordination of advanced placement activities/training at DHS; Judy Riddle, $552 for Computer Club sponsor at Ray Borane, and $1,875 for career development curriculum; Louie Tartaglia, $2,584 for teaching additional class; and Gilbert Rojas, 60 hours at $20 per hour for CTE certified teacher to teach job skills and job readiness to parents who qualify.

•  Approved ASU preparation program students to complete classroom observations with the district for spring 2008, fall 2008 and spring 2009.

• Approved volunteers Rosas Navarro and Ana Perez, volunteer at Faras; Diego Guerrero, DHS Soccer; and Ken Cormier, Oscar Romero and Eric Valenzuela, DHS baseball.

• Approved staff resignations from Maria Moreno, food service worker; Yadira Ajo, teachers aide at Clawson;  and Claudia Braun and Martha Salcido, Huber Middle School.

• Approved the termination of employment of Larry Tinsley, custodian, due to abandonment of duties.

• Approved of a certified resignation received from Sandra Mihalko, seventh grade Language Arts teacher at Huber, for the end of the 2007-08 school year.

• Approved the resignations of DHS Auto Shop teacher Michael Andrews and CTE counselor Sandra Vaughn and each paying liquidated damages of $1,500; and the resignation of DHS math teacher Tim Elliott with no liquidated damages.

• Approved the hiring of DHS Security Monitor Bruce Postles.

• Approved a leave of absence for school nurse Joan Melendez through the end of the school year.

• Approved the increase of milk at the school from 25 to 35 cents per carton, effective February 1.

• Approved a revision to the Support Staff Salary Schedule policy due to the increase of the minimum wage from $6.75 to $6.90 per hour.

• Approved a Statement of Assurance for teacher evaluation system status as required  by state law.

• Approved the 2007-08 Energy Project Implementation grant application to the Arizona School Facilities Board in the amount of $127,184.

• Approved Project Lead The Way as a curricular component of the new and emerging Career and Technical Ed program in Engineering, Math and Science, and Biotechnology and Science.

• Approved the Prentice Hall  Reading program as supplemental materials for Huber and Ray Borane middle schools.

• Approved an agreement between Cochise College and DUSD for Family Literacy Parent and Child Together Time program.

• Approved out-of-state travel for Leanne Marston, Martin Muecke, Tom Cox and Janice Gallagher to attend the Professional Learning Communities at Work Institute to be held in Las Vegas in June.

• Approved AHCCCS to conduct a KidsCare community outreach to inform families about health insurance.

• Approved a structured English Immersion model selection.

• Approved a memorandum of understanding between DUSD and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson on behalf of Loreto Catholic School to permit the use of district facilities in emergency situation.

The board also approved an agreement with the American Red Cross to permit use of facilities as emergency shelters.