DUSD Board awards salary increase to employees

The Douglas School Board awarded a three percent one-time salary increase to all DUSD employees at its regular meeting June 5.

The increase was just one of many items acted upon during the four hour plus meeting.

DUSD Superintendent Sheila Rogers said the three percent is basically a bonus for right now and it could become permanent if the economy improves and the budget will support it.

Rogers said it’s been a while since the DUSD employees had any kind of increase in their salary.

For teachers, administrators, counselors and classified personnel operating out of the M&O budget the increase will cost an estimated $373,376.27.

In other action that night Rogers was awarded a new three year contract that will carry her through 2015.

Gloria “Bonnie” Lopez, Cesar Soto, Beverly Enriquez, Dara Logan, Albert Young and Beverly Jackson all had their employment contracts renewed for fiscal year 2012-13.

The board also approved the principals and their assistants for new contracts for the upcoming year.

At Douglas High School Randy Walker is the principal and Melissa Rodriguez his assistant. At Paul Huber Andrea Overman is the principal; Fernando Morales the assistant. At Ray Borane Ana Samaniego is the principal; Rudy Cota the assistant. Mary Good is the principal at Clawson; Claudia Leon the principal at Sarah Marley; George Montano at Stevenson; Cynthia Ortega at Joe Carlson and Jasper Lusby at Faras.

The board also approved Ray Borane’s appointment as a Special Assistant to the Superintendent at a fee of $1.50.

In other action the board approved a request from the Cochise County Superintendents Office to submit a letter of request for funds from the U.S. Forest Service which will be used for instructional aides and land lab/science supplies for advanced science classes at DHS. The amount requested was $9,377.87.

The board also approved the list of 12 sole source providers for fiscal year 2012-13.

A resolution with the Cochise County Treasurer’s Office that authorizes them to keep and invest funds that districts may have from time in excess of any anticipated authorized requirement was also approved by the board.

The board made some amendments to renew the Intergovernmental Agreement with Cochise College for Dual Enrollment courses for 2012/13.

The board also approved the new bell schedule for Douglas High School which has classes starting at 7:30 a.m.; a 20 minute lunch break, classes ending at 1:50 followed by tutorial from 1:55-2:40 p.m.

The board approved the proposed teacher salary adjustment which gives back to teachers when the salary schedule was adjusted in 2006.

Donations from Ernesto Suarez Sole Prop DBA Pastos & Sons in the amount of $1,612.50 to the DHS Land Lab Development was accepted along with a $125 donation from Elzy Estrella to the DHS baseball team. A donation of $100 from Brown Page Mortuary to the DHS Library was accepted. Other donations were: $98.35 for garden supplies from B&D Lumber to DHS Land Lab; $1000 from Wal-Mart to Joe Carlson School for school/party supplies and $3,584.74 from the Class of 1956 for a new student bench and plaque.

The board also approved the following hires: Maria Sexton, DHS Librarian; Cherlyn Fernandez, math teacher at Huber; Jordan Fernandez, science teacher at Ray Borane, Patricia Ferree middle school teacher at Ray Borane; Dr. Dante Reazo, biology teacher at DHS; Myrna Hernandez elementary teacher at Joe Carlson; Jessamyn Snider, elementary teacher at Sarah Marley; Pat Kehl art teacher at Ray Borane; Jacqueline Durazo, teacher at Joe Carlson and Jennifer Spencer, teacher at Faras.

David Rose was approved as a volunteer football coach.

Resignations were approved for Vanessa Monge, Rory Baumgartner, Michelle Hurtado, Sheila Chase and Ron Ellsworth.

The board will meet again June 19 for another meeting/work study session.

July’s meeting dates have been changed to July 9 and 24.