The Fountain Hills Unified School District governing board approved a package of routine and administrative items during its March 8 meeting, including the new 2023–24 school calendar, a slate of high school course proposals, salary-schedule adjustments, an overnight football trip and revised job descriptions.
Calendar: The board approved the second reading of the 2023–24 school calendar. The start date moves to Aug. 3, and Mondays following major breaks will be student-free teacher workdays intended to give teachers planning time; one board member recorded a nay but the motion carried.
Curriculum and courses: The board approved new high-school course proposals including Financial Algebra and Statistics, Creative Writing I & II, AP Human Geography, Art History, wrestling and additional girls athletics (basketball, volleyball, football) and a yoga/mindfulness offering. District leaders said curriculum materials and textbook adoptions will follow established adoption processes.
Salaries and contracts: The board approved a 2% raise for district administration and certified staff (the certified schedule also reflected a $3,500 Prop 301 addition to base salary), a certified service-worker schedule adjustment, and issuance of certificated contracts for 2023–24. The superintendent corrected an initial figure and stated the district administration raise increased total cost to $21,657.37.
Student travel and activities: The board approved an overnight football camp trip to Thousand Oaks, California (July 13–17) contingent on a certified district staff member serving as a chaperone. The board also approved naming the before/after-school program 'Club Falcon' and set fees for daily and late registration.
Other approvals: The board approved updated extracurricular fee schedules, a new childcare specialist job description clarifying the role 'supports teachers' rather than taking full instructional responsibility, and several policy advisories in a second reading.
What to expect next: Administrative steps include textbook adoption for new courses, the superintendent issuing teacher contracts, coordination of the overnight trip with certified chaperone assignment, and implementation planning for the new calendar and salary schedules.