Sahuarita Unified approves $1.8 million fire alarm overhaul at four schools; district covers share the state won't pay

Sahuarita Unified approves $1.8 million fire alarm overhaul at four schools; district covers share the state won't pay

SAHUARITA — The Sahuarita Unified School District Governing Board on Wednesday approved a $1,802,961 contract amendment to replace fire alarm systems at four schools. The state's School Facilities Division will cover $1,579,788.53, and the district will pay $223,172.47 for space built with local money that the state does not maintain.

The guaranteed maximum price amendment with Core Construction covers Sahuarita Primary School, Sahuarita Intermediate School, Sahuarita Middle School and Copper View Elementary School. No opposition was voiced in the voice vote. Superintendent Manuel O. Valenzuela said the district's share will come from its district additional assistance override, not bond money.

Clerk Tony Bruno presided because President John Sparks was absent. Board members Raul Rodriguez and Amy Petersmarck took part by phone, and Bruno and Denise Reis attended in person at Sopori Elementary School in Amado.

A board member asked staff to explain a note in the board packet. The note said the district owed a portion at three sites because of space excluded from the state's building inventory. Assistant Superintendent Scott Downs said the state does not maintain any space it did not originally pay for. "When we do projects, we have to come up with our own money to fix the stuff that we built," Downs said. He cited a curved wing and a fourplex at Sahuarita Intermediate School that were built with local bond dollars.

The board member said residents should understand that the district pays for essential systems such as fire alarms even when the state does not, and noted that Wrightson Ridge School was built entirely with bond dollars.

Bruno said the state facilities agency was created to make all schools equal and to improve buildings at schools that lacked money, "no matter who builds the space." He said he feels the agency continues "to go backwards" and does not provide the service it should.

Downs said building codes require the new alarms to be voice-activated. As a result, all four schools will also get new public address systems.

Bond, override spending detailed as renewal heads to ballot

The board voted to accept staff's required annual report on bond and override spending for fiscal 2026. The report showed that the district's maintenance and operation override paid for more than 100 staff positions last year. That override's renewal is on this year's ballot.

Chief Financial Officer Lizette Huie said the maintenance and operation override funded $6,398,795.01 in 2026. That money pays for salaries, including:

• teachers for class-size reduction
• campus security monitors
• counselors and registrars
• physical education for kindergarten through 12th grade
• fine arts, athletics, NJROTC and career and technical education programs
• club stipends

The override is capped at 14% of the district's revenue control limit. Voters renewed it in November 2022, and it took effect in fiscal 2024. It runs seven years, with funding phasing down in the last two. Huie said full funding continues through fiscal 2028, with the reduction beginning in 2029 or 2030 if the renewal does not pass.

Huie said the separate district additional assistance override, also approved in November 2022, provides exactly $1 million a year for seven years with no phase-down. The fiscal 2026 allocation went mainly to facility repairs. Those included a district auditorium renovation and a replacement heating and cooling unit at the Sahuarita Intermediate School gym that cost about $225,000. Other spending included about $103,000 for digital textbooks and instructional materials, $100,000 for fine arts and athletics, and new classroom furniture at Sahuarita High School. The district's total capital spending in fiscal 2026 was $5,651,906, Huie said.

Downs reported on the $50 million bond voters approved. The district has three years from the bond sale to spend the money. The bond includes $34 million for renovation and construction, $7 million for technology, furniture and equipment, and $9 million for safety. In fiscal 2026 the district spent:

• $7.1 million on construction
• $876,000 on technology, furniture and equipment
• $1.5 million on safety and security, including ballistic window lamination

Downs said every project so far has come in on time and under budget, with one possible exception. A warming kitchen and gym project at Sahuarita Primary School, due in March 2027, could slip because steel beams are hard to get. The Walden Grove High School fine arts center is scheduled for completion in July 2027.

Another bond-funded expansion was due to finish this week, with move-in expected in about a week and a half. Downs said an initial fire-flow test measured 1,300 gallons per minute, short of the required 1,500, because water company pumps had not turned on. A retest showed 2,000 gallons per minute.

Downs said leftover bond money will go to additional carpeting, painting and similar work within the scope voters approved. Those projects will be identified before April 15.

AI guidelines roll out to classrooms

Chief Information Officer Manny Villa and Assistant Superintendent Darlene Robinson presented the district's artificial intelligence framework at the board's request. The board did not vote on it.

Under the framework, teachers designate assignments with a traffic-light system:

• Red: no AI use
• Yellow: AI-assisted work, such as brainstorming or outlining
• Green: full AI use

Robinson said the choice remains at each teacher's discretion. Students and staff are barred from entering personally identifiable information into AI tools, including names, grades, health information and details from special education plans.

Teachers have the second quarter to practice with the MagicSchool platform before introducing it to students. They must complete a training session of about 20 minutes before winter break.

Bruno said he was concerned that the rollout places more work on teachers, whose computer skills vary. He said he wanted to make sure staff get enough time and support. Robinson said teachers have the full quarter to experiment and can keep any class AI-free.

Valenzuela said the district's team was one of six selected for the AI Coherence Academy, which he described as a Helios Education Foundation initiative. He said it is funded through a national consulting firm, Education First.

Calendar tabled for public comment

Following past practice, the board voted to table the proposed 2028-29 school calendar so the public can comment.

Robinson said the draft meets the 180-day requirement and splits the year into quarters of 10, nine, nine and 10 weeks. Winter break would begin for students Dec. 21, with classes resuming Jan. 8. The draft includes two rodeo days, which could change with the rodeo schedule. The three high schools would hold graduation on consecutive days, in this order: Sahuarita Digital Pathways Academy, Sahuarita High School and Walden Grove High School.

Also discussed:

• The board approved Sahuarita Digital Pathways Academy's pursuit of Cognia accreditation and authorized Valenzuela to write a letter of support. Valenzuela said the school is already fully certified by the Arizona Department of Education.
• Bruno said discussions are underway about outside funding for repairs to the Sopori school pool, though nothing has been decided.
• The board approved policy advisories on second reading and the consent agenda.
• No one spoke during the call to the public.
• The next meeting is set for Nov. 18 at the Sahuarita District Auditorium.

This report was drafted by Claude Opus 5.5 from a live transcript produced by Deepgram Nova-2, then reviewed and edited by Nicholas De Leon with Claude Opus 5.5, and published at 7:53 PM MST on October 28, 2026. Read more about how this is made.