An investigation by the Arizona Auditor General’s Office has found former Higley superintendent Dr. Angela Denise Birdwell, her close associate, Kay Hartwell Hunnicutt, and two Higley vendors, Gary Aller and Steven Nielsen may have violated State procurement laws.
The investigation requested by the Arizona Attorney General’s Office found that the violations stem from a $2,557,125 Project development services contract.
The Auditor General Office submitted its report to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, which on July 13, 2021, presented evidence to the State Grand Jury. The action resulted in the indictment of:
• Birdwell on 18 felony counts related to procurement fraud, fraudulent schemes and practices, fraudulent schemes and artifices, misuse of public monies, conflict of interest, filing a false return, and conspiracy.
Denise Birdwell left Scottsdale job in 2018 amid similar allegations. Author: Brahm Resnik Updated: 7:29 PM MST July 22, 2021
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. The former superintendent of the Scottsdale Unified School District has been charged with 18 felony counts connected to alleged fraud involving a $2.5 million procurement contract when she was superintendent of the Higley Unified School District.
The charges against Denise Marie Birdwell were disclosed Thursday in a report by the Arizona auditor general s office, which investigated financial transactions at the Higley school district from 2012 to 2016.
The investigation focused on the possible misuse of public money in building two new schools.
Among the charges against Birdwell:
Ex-Gilbert school superintendent faces 18 counts of fraud sfgate.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from sfgate.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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Amid an ongoing dispute over whether Arizona school districts can require unvaccinated students to quarantine, the state s second-largest school district will make quarantining optional for students without symptoms who are exposed to COVID-19 unless community spread or active cases in the school reach a specific threshold.
The policy allows students who have been exposed to COVID-19 the option to quarantine for up to 10 days but does not mandate it unless they are symptomatic or the county reaches high community spread at the same time as campus spread is above 1%-2%, depending on the grade level.
The approach comes after the Governor s Office told two districts to change their quarantine policies.
As Chandler students return to school, Arizona districts balance COVID-19 quarantine rules Yana Kunichoff, Arizona Republic
Amid an ongoing dispute over whether Arizona school districts can require unvaccinated students to quarantine, the state s second-largest school district will make quarantining optional for students without symptoms who are exposed to COVID-19 unless community spread or active cases in the school reach a specific threshold.
The policy allows students who have been exposed to COVID-19 the option to quarantine for up to 10 days but does not mandate it unless they are symptomatic or the county reaches high community spread at the same time as campus spread is above 1%-2%, depending on the grade level.