[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6307098,"mediaKeyId","2435239-a361e4f2f28e34cd3ef70c07287d59b4","parentId",2435239,"title","Board approves Kyrene Employee Benefit Trust renewals with no premium increases; one abstention","audioSeconds",1635,"startMs",2844000,"endMs",4479000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2435239-a361e4f2f28e34cd3ef70c07287d59b4&start=2844&end=4479","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2435239-a361e4f2f28e34cd3ef70c07287d59b4/thumbnail_2844000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6307098/Arizona/Board-approves-Kyrene-Employee-Benefit-Trust-renewals-with-no-premium-increases-one-abstention","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6307098-fd23dcc37f9f37068980fd2722665d5e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770799140&Signature=du3ZCzwBLmM3VVt1aFk8OARYXadd6Anl7lr0nY~2mT6AK1aYi9aukm9NRzKMe6RKWzRbSxjtiGP7tRxF3YVCncx8BGVK04sxFe5oDZouGRdEZwU2CYdKZTh4bQixctUKbA3Djevbt12JyphMSKlDMe-YPWeZUX0jMLazH~NqQq3Zx12pqcGlIVhm1PHMni-vtCghhh2dA5BUGa-SjEPazUJmYhVko0bvtsgFpVIn1s9vAXWhRiisBUN30vBml08Qb0ZqZ3ACnRkUQf1gwpQO83rEVDQ5-~7flnidrdKtX4QnlZdFN4D8lRxIYZfnVIaSZfyejHODP~2sQb93XIMl5A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Kyrene Elementary District","date","2025-02-26T14:49:11Z","article","The Kyrene Governing Board on Feb. 25 approved the Kyrene Employee Benefit Trust's recommendations for health-plan renewals, employee contribution rates and administration fees for the 2025–26 plan year. The motion carried 4–0 with Board Member Amy Satri recorded as abstaining, citing her profession.

Deb Spurgeon, presenting on behalf of the trust, said the KEBT voted to approve no premium-rate increases for medical plans for the coming year — a continuation of a trend the trust has maintained since 2020. She said the district will continue to offer the high-deductible HSA medical plan with employee-only coverage at no premium and will maintain an employer HSA deposit of $600 for employee-only coverage. The only design change Spurgeon described for the HDHP was an IRS-driven adjustment of the embedded deductible to $3,300 for an individual and $6,600 for family coverage.

Spurgeon and CFO Chris Herman explained the trust's multi-year fund-balance history, the influence of high-cost specialty medications, and stop-loss protections; Spurgeon said the trust's stop-loss (specific) attachment is $275,000 per individual in a year. Chris Herman added that some prior one-time savings in the benefits fund were reinvested into employee compensation.

Board members asked several operational questions. President Kevin Walsh asked whether high-priced pharmaceuticals were pushing net costs; Spurgeon confirmed an uptick in high-cost claimants and explained how stop-loss insurance mitigates extreme individual costs. A board member asked about Lyra mental-health benefits: Spurgeon said Lyra provides seven coaching or therapy visits paid by the district on an annual basis, after which members would continue care through the medical plan subject to deductibles and coinsurance.

The board motion to approve the KEBT plan renewals was moved by Member Bunny Davis and seconded by Cedric Collins; Member Amy Satri abstained from the vote and said only that her abstention was \"due to my profession.\" The motion passed 4–0 with one abstention.

Implementation and next steps: Administration will proceed to open enrollment, scheduled April 14–May 2, 2025; staff will present stop-loss renewal in June and July 1 remains the plan-year start date.

Ending: The approvals preserve premium stability for employees for the upcoming plan year but include a required deductible adjustment to comply with federal rules; the district plans to monitor claims and fund balance going forward.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","02-25-2025 Governing Board Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Kyrene Governing Board approved Kyrene Employee Benefit Trust plan renewals for 2025–26 on Feb. 25, continuing a freeze on medical premium rates and keeping the employee-only HSA plan free; the vote was 4–0 with one abstention.","taxTitle","Kyrene Elementary District (4267), School Districts, Arizona","taxId",13625,"location","Arizona","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6307102,"Kyrene board adopts authorizing resolutions to issue about $43 million in bonds and refunding bonds",133,2681000,2814000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2435239-a361e4f2f28e34cd3ef70c07287d59b4&start=2681&end=2814","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2435239-a361e4f2f28e34cd3ef70c07287d59b4/thumbnail_2681000.jpg","/articles/6307102/Arizona/Kyrene-board-adopts-authorizing-resolutions-to-issue-about-43-million-in-bonds-and-refunding-bonds","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6307102-df09f3b8fe1226f0a5babd23b1cbb23b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770799140&Signature=YYxh6VsKnFOXRpaGgfe5zAjwoGeci74k~xi7-u1BQx2ZAnC00fES8tv9DLE-tuRySb~YJfKE9RG~l8O09n0-4HsesoWvSiKC5UABeZYDp7xCEjsBwxK3dtp0mvK1ORMtWCf-l15LwzdHqTMWJF7oko9yQ5jdVYrXQV4r5CHDoHh1hFTXiZ8ftWCm2vRIpVnIC3SnHMNZmZlWHt9VrLzqhuP5CmcPQpzVO6e~78rEcC3hGkfoOID57Oixpj9aKL80nYHZcVuNbwARba4RO0s826~MiGLSQBQ9xbAImwwK9JLOaQO9jsFb~rG3ZbwlF9zNM3EYBKnYtJWJe6mI2yKhdQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Kyrene Governing Board on Feb. 25 adopted authorizing resolutions to issue roughly $43 million in school-improvement bonds and to pursue a refunding (refinancing) of existing district debt. The board voted 5–0 to adopt the resolutions after a presentation from Associate Superintendent and Chief Financial Officer Chris Herman.

Herman told the board the $43 million figure is approximate and that the final sale amount will depend on market interest rates at the time of sale. He described the refunding as comparable to refinancing a home mortgage: the district does not receive proceeds from the refunding; instead the transaction is designed to lower the district's borrowing costs for the benefit of taxpayers. Herman estimated the refinancing would reduce costs to taxpayers by about $2.2 million.

Why this matters: Issuing bonds funds district capital projects; refunding existing debt can reduce long-term interest costs and taxpayer burden. The decisions set the district up to sell bonds when market conditions are appropriate and to pursue potential savings through refunding.

What the board voted: Vice President Katrina Nelson moved to adopt both authorizing resolutions; Member Amy Satri seconded the motion. The motion carried 5–0.

Details from the record: Herman said there are two separate resolutions in the board packet: one authorizing the issuance and sale of school improvement bonds and a second authorizing the issuance and sale of refunding bonds. He described the refunding volume as “around 40 to $43,000,000” and indicated the exact amounts will be determined at sale time.

Ending: With the resolutions adopted, administration and finance staff will proceed to time a sale and refunding consistent with market conditions and board policy; no sale date was set at the Feb. 25 meeting.","On Feb. 25 the Kyrene Governing Board unanimously adopted resolutions authorizing the sale of approximately $43 million in school improvement bonds and a refunding (refinancing) of existing debt; the refunding is projected to produce roughly $2.2 million in taxpayer savings, the district said.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6307107,"Kyrene teacher-librarian tells board district will remove certified librarians from elementary libraries",247,2373000,2620000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2435239-a361e4f2f28e34cd3ef70c07287d59b4&start=2373&end=2620","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2435239-a361e4f2f28e34cd3ef70c07287d59b4/thumbnail_2373000.jpg","/articles/6307107/Arizona/Kyrene-teacher-librarian-tells-board-district-will-remove-certified-librarians-from-elementary-libraries","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6307107-4d712a381507c52affbd63bf23f8507c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770799140&Signature=mKG8RVi5UjjbP~uvj5JayKYFlvflJ--zsPDn1m9vZTz4c~lqJNm0Q5C6g1a7XGaJUh2Lolqqg3NvKN5-q5aAIvDjTI-nMt8yf45i7gqLfB7nPd3wvqAkq6tZuLkD4zzVlXOf0GDQbUKG5i6ZzznhhseRvEcNb33wXx~J7zus~pgFN~mUBFXB0jcmNe-HeiV-VgpBUHL8evYBejKaAWoiz0LJxCB9MLMJgrokOxgQyvEg9wgMu9P2T3pGE689wfTYdooXQ8SyTQViFn7c2tU6youDDoESA3oXgA3KH9lGniagDJ7wyVBilSS0z4tL10CTQJL4FjfpLBCwOe-PQ8p5iA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the Feb. 25 Kyrene Governing Board meeting, teacher-librarian Katie (Catherine) Formisano told the board that, beginning in the 2025–26 school year, elementary libraries in the district will no longer be staffed by certified teaching librarians and that affected librarians had been offered full-time classroom positions.

Formisano, a teacher librarian at Kyrene Traditional Academy, said the staffing change had been communicated to librarians several weeks earlier and that she and other staff see the move as harmful to students. “I think this is a terrible decision. I believe this is not in the best interest of students, and I think Kyrene leadership should reconsider this,” she said during the public-comment period.

The public-comment rules the board cited at the start of the slot (board policy 1302) limit board responses to non-agenda items; President Kevin Walsh noted the board could not discuss non-agenda items in the meeting. Superintendent Laura Tenas agreed to follow up directly with Formisano after the meeting.

Why this matters: Library staffing affects instructional time, literacy supports and access to licensed information specialists across elementary schools. Formisano framed the change as a district staffing decision driven in part by broader funding pressures; she urged parents, teachers and community members to raise concerns publicly.

What was said and what’s next: Formisano said the staffing notice is public record but that she had trouble locating the document online. She asked the community to use its voice and emphasized the broader context of state-level school funding: “This is a state budget issue. Our vote and our voice matter,” she said. The board took no formal action on the comment during the meeting; Superintendent Tenas committed to follow up with Formisano directly after the meeting.

Context and limits: Board members reminded the public that under state law the board cannot deliberate on non-agendized matters during the meeting. The district’s public-comment procedure and the board’s pledge to forward concerns to staff were described on the record.

Ending note: The staffing change described by Formisano was raised only during public comment; no staffing vote or formal policy change was taken at the Feb. 25 meeting. The superintendent’s follow-up with the speaker was recorded on the meeting record.","At the Feb. 25 Kyrene Governing Board meeting a teacher-librarian said elementary libraries will no longer be staffed by certified teaching librarians for 2025–26 and that library staff were offered classroom positions; the board did not debate the change during the public comment period and the superintendent agreed to follow up.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6307096,"Kyrene presents detailed budget process, audits and high classroom-spending ratio to board",944,4602000,5546000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2435239-a361e4f2f28e34cd3ef70c07287d59b4&start=4602&end=5546","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2435239-a361e4f2f28e34cd3ef70c07287d59b4/thumbnail_4602000.jpg","/articles/6307096/Arizona/Kyrene-presents-detailed-budget-process-audits-and-high-classroom-spending-ratio-to-board","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6307096-5af88853de9d5e66bbcf04a8e6b3e2fd/orig.mp4?Expires=1770799140&Signature=CiZBbJHQqr6ArzILn~jqrCUgNWEwkEYE4TSkizMoaRD9z31GrvhAAXD21zsUQzu4R-CVl7sT9xYWL9BUwRx-9VSU4KCTPb-s9ToHDXprWKS-obYWgHlupxjBLrBNuY7ExQJUXjAXIJdcUYrjIB00IM5Qk~p20Nrm5N1r9c77uewYVyKZpLLtbt8NvEiPPiCmjKBCaqWgMYRdmMTy1u5MWH6TmdRnx-drwEB81MYH6Ikq-Y-XPcg-06v~bQkvrb1zsenwYdQc710ZD7FU7WgyK3htMtJUvfwHo9~6UpbBzBq3oscsKzrf7-XAT5Fe-AKNJ3wEep33L30TNjPQe2A9Tw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the Feb. 25 Kyrene Governing Board meeting, Director of Finance Brian Lockery presented the district's budget process, internal financial controls and external oversight mechanisms, describing a year-round approach to budgeting and multiple independent audits that together aim to ensure fiscal transparency.

Lockery reviewed district policy references (including district policy 3101c on budgeting), the district's use of 0-based budgeting, rolling five- and ten-year capital plans, and an annual capital master plan and facility-utilization analyses used to plan maintenance and capital work. He said the district aims to allocate roughly 75% of operational expenditures to classroom spending; Lockery noted Kyrene ranked seventh of 208 Arizona districts in classroom spending in the Auditor General's fiscal-year-2023 data.

Lockery described Kyrene's public reporting practices: quarterly budget updates to the board by fund, a voluntary Budget Annual Report, routine external audits (annual comprehensive financial report, single-audit reporting package, USFR compliance questionnaire, and an audit of the Kyrene Employee Benefits Trust) and public posting of budgets and audits on the district website. He noted the district has earned repeated awards for financial reporting from the Association of School Business Officials International and the Government Finance Officers Association.

The presentation also covered bond-credit ratings: Kyrene is rated AAA by Moody's and AA by Standard & Poor's, among the highest in the state, Lockery said, which lowers borrowing costs for taxpayers.

Why this matters: The district framed its budgeting and oversight practices as safeguards against financial mismanagement and as the basis for reliable planning of staffing, programs and capital projects.

Questions and context: Board members praised the transparency and asked whether charter or private schools have the same reporting duties; Lockery said charter schools and private institutions receiving public money do not follow the same reporting rules and the USFR applies to school districts.

Ending: Lockery's briefing concluded with board appreciation for the finance team and the district's controls; no board action was required.","Director of finance Brian Lockery briefed the Kyrene Governing Board on Feb. 25 about the district's year-round budget process, financial controls, independent audits and awards; he highlighted the district's long record of high classroom spending and top bond ratings.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves Kyrene Employee Benefit Trust renewals with no premium increases; one abstention

Kyrene board adopts authorizing resolutions to issue about $43 million in bonds and refunding bonds

Kyrene teacher-librarian tells board district will remove certified librarians from elementary libraries

Kyrene presents detailed budget process, audits and high classroom-spending ratio to board