Kyrene School District recently released a wrap of the governing board’s first two months of the second semester, highlighting the addition of three new board members, a board vote to save taxpayers millions of dollars and critical action taken to maintain schools. 

New board members Cedric Collins, Ruth “Bunny” Davis and Amy Satre joined Triné Nelson and Kevin Walsh at the Jan. 14 board meeting, and the new board immediately got to work, according to a district release.

Their first action of the year was to elect board leadership and standing Board President Walsh accepted a nomination by Member Collins to continue serving as president. Collins also nominated Member Nelson to serve as vice president, and the board unanimously approved both nominations.

The board also selected members for representation on official board committees: 

• Member Davis will serve on the Kyrene Employee Benefit Trust, which oversees benefits planning for the district;
• Members Nelson and Satre will be non-voting participants of Kyrene’s Long Range Planning Committee.

This governing board consists of Kyrene parents, current and former educators, legal experts and individuals with a deep passion for public education. Kyrene is grateful to them all for their service, the release stated. 

So far in 2025, the governing board has considered and approved several significant projects to maintain or improve Kyrene school facilities. 

School projects approved by the board include: 

• A new mechanical yard at Kyrene Monte Vista Elementary to maintain campus heating, cooling, electrical and other operations;
• Playground improvements, restroom renovations and weatherization at Kyrene de la Paloma;
• New playgrounds and play courts at C.I. Waggoner Elementary, following the construction of a new secure perimeter fence;
• Improvements to track facilities (high jump and long jump) at both Kyrene Middle School and Kyrene Aprende Middle School.

All of these projects are part of a 10-year capital master plan that takes into consideration the age and condition of facilities at every single campus across the district, the release explained. Every one of these projects will be paid for with bond dollars and would not be possible without continued voter support of Kyrene bonds and capital overrides.

The governing board takes its responsibility to those voters seriously, and that commitment was evident at the Feb. 25 board meeting, the release stated.

That’s when the board voted to refinance approximately $40 million of outstanding bonds to save taxpayers roughly $2 million. The funds will be used to refinance old bonds at a better interest rate, which will mean lower tax rates in the future for the Kyrene community, the release detailed.

The board also voted to approve its first bond sale from the $161 million bond approved by voters in the November 2023 election during the Feb. 25 meeting.

The bond sale will provide the district with approximately $43 million to cover capital projects for the next three years, including:

• Safety and security upgrades;
• Replacement of aging school buses;
• Maintenance of playgrounds, fields, parking lots and other facilities;
• Technological improvements, ranging from computers to fire alarm systems;
• Building maintenance, such as roofing and HVAC system repairs or replacements.

Kyrene allocates the vast majority of bond dollars to schools. On average, 96% of bond funds directly support students and maintain schools, while a very small percentage is used to maintain office facilities and other work environments, the release stated.

Board members also voted in February to approve an employee benefit plan for 2025-26 that continues to offer staff the same health benefits with zero premium increases. This is the fifth consecutive year Kyrene has negotiated a plan without premium increases. 

In addition to medical, dental, vision and disability benefits, the plan approved by the board also includes free wellness benefits such as mental health support, free onsite health coaching and a Calm app subscription — all paid for through Kyrene’s medical plan provider, at no cost to Kyrene.