By Scott Turner
Sun Editor
The Wickenburg Unified School District will grow in size during the summer.
But it won’t mean an increase in students – at least for now.
The district will be receiving the southern portion of the Walnut Grove Elementary School District in Yavapai County. Because of low enrollment, the Walnut Grove district will cease to exist on June 30. Kirkland Elementary School District will receive the northern portion of the school district, WUSD Superintendent Barbara Remondini told the governing board at its meeting last week.
There are currently no students in the area WUSD will be receiving. The portion the school district will receive includes Castle Hot Springs Resort.
“WUSD was willing to accept the portion of Walnut Grove because we are one of the districts that is adjacent to them, which is one of the requirements for the land assignment,” Remondini told the Sun. “ … WUSD is the most logical for the southern section and any future students.”
The school district could receive a small amount of property tax revenue from the area, but Remondini said the area is largely uninhabited, and mostly BLM or state land.
District changing insurance carriers
The governing board voted to change health insurance carriers for employees. The district has been with ASBAIT (Arizona School Boards Association Insurance Trust) for 13 years, but will switch to KAIROS Health Arizona.
Executive Director of Business Services Erin Johnson gave a presentation comparing the insurance carriers’ plans. Employee premiums had been increasing almost yearly with ASBAIT, she said during the presentation.
A committee made up of district staff began looking at options in January 2020. The committee voted in favor of making the switch to KAIROS.
The district will save money on how much it spends per employee with the change. Most of the plans available for employees will also be cheaper with the exception of areas such as dental coverage.
The district has 131 benefit eligible staff members.
Pipeline revenue recalculation
The board is seeking a recalculation of state aid received from then Transwestern Pipeline. Transwestern successfully sued to recoup some of the money it paid in state taxes. As it stands, school districts such as WUSD will have to pay back revenue it received from the project if they do not receive help from the State Legislature.
The district may have to repay $118,000 it received from 2016 forward, Remondini told the board.
WHS student recognized
Remondini recognized Wickenburg High School senior Eric Mason during the meeting. Remondini said Mason had been selected by the Arizona Music Educators Association to perform at the Northwest Region Festival.
“That’s a huge honor because he’s been selected by other music instructors,” she said.
Remondini also recognized staff and student volunteers who helped out the second COVID-19 vaccine distribution for school staff and faculty late last month.
“Everyone who wanted to be vaccinated has been vaccinated,” she said.
School reports
Festival Foothills Elementary School Principal Julie Case, Hassayampa Elementary School Principal Carissa Hershkowitz and Vulture Peak Middle School principal Jennifer Moran answered questions from the board about their school reports, which included enrollment numbers, safety and academic reports.
Hassayampa Elementary School has an enrollment of 275 students, Festival Foothills has 234 students and Vulture Peak Middle School has an enrollment of 207.
The principal reports can be found under board docs on the school district’s website.