March School Boards Recap

Here’s your quick March wrap-up for Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Paradise Valley, Scottsdale, Peoria, and Tucson school districts: 

School Board Members: Courtney Davis, Lacy Chaffee, Sharon Benson, Marcie Hutchinson, and Rachel Walden  

• Mesa School Board members voted to renew the architectural and engineering services contract for up to $3,500,000 to ensure uninterrupted access to licensed firms and maintain continuity for facility assessments, design work, and capital improvement projects beginning April 1, 2026. 

• They also voted to increase the asphalt, concrete, and related services contract by $3,000,000 to fully utilize newly approved Adjacent Ways Levy funds and support expanded repair and replacement projects across district facilities. 

School Board Members: Patti Serrano, Barb Mozdzen, Claudia Mendoza, Kurt Rhors, and Ryan Heap 

• Chandler School Board members voted to approve the hiring of Dr. Anna Battle as the district’s next Superintendent and to authorize her employment contract for July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029. 

• They also voted to approve the purchase of fifteen Blue Bird All‑American 84‑passenger buses for $3,999,413.06 funded by 2019 and 2025 bond dollars. 

• Lastly, they voted to approve an education affiliation agreement with Empire Southwest to provide CTE automotive students with industry‑aligned training, internships, and workforce pathways in diesel and heavy‑equipment technologies. 

School Board Members: Jessie Brainard, Chad Thompson, Dr. Blake Robison, Jill Humpherys, Shana Murray 

• Gilbert School Board members voted to approve a new Superintendent Employment Agreement for Dr. Jared Ryan for the term of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029. 

• They also voted to approve the appointment of two new principals to lead Mesquite High School and Gilbert Classical Academy. 

School Board Members: Sandra Christensen, Anne Greenberg, Dr. Amanda Lim, Jessica Wani, and Tony Pantera 

• PVUSD Governing Board members voted to approve flooring replacements at Desert Shadows Middle School, Larkspur Elementary, Quail Run Elementary, Pinnacle High School, and Horizon High School, as well as lighting upgrades for the Horizon High School Performing Arts Center. 
• Board members also voted to approve a Memorandum of Understanding with the Phoenix Children’s Chorus to expand advanced choral opportunities for students, provide professional learning for music educators, and support district arts programming through the 2026–27 school year. 

School Board Members: Carine Werner, Mike Sharkey, Dr. Matt Pittinsky, Dr. Donna Lewis, and Amy Carney 

• Scottsdale School Board members voted to approve a National Center for Construction Education and Research grant for Saguaro High School’s CTE program to fund products, curriculum, professional development, and industry certifications totaling an estimated $13,250. 

• The Board also voted to approve offering half‑day Pre‑School and Pre‑Kindergarten tuition at $500 per block as part of a pilot program at Anasazi for the 2026–27 school year. 

• Scottsdale School Board members voted to approve renaming Laguna Elementary to Laguna Prep after a naming committee review and a parent survey in which 73% of families participated and 93% supported the change. 

School Board Members: Melissa Ewing, Becky Proudfit, Heather Rooks, Jeff Tobey, Janelle Bowles 

• Peoria School Board members voted to approve the closure of Kachina Elementary School with students reassigned to Canyon Elementary beginning in the 2026–27 school year; they also approved the closure of Pioneer Elementary School with students reassigned to Foothills Elementary for 2026–27; they further approved reconfiguring Cactus High School to a 7–12 grade model to include incoming 7th and 8th grade students starting in 2026–27; and they additionally approved designating the new Cactus High School 7–12 program as a voluntary choice option for Oakwood Elementary’s 7th and 8th grade students while keeping Oakwood as a K–8 campus. 

School Board Members: Jennifer Eckstrom, Dr. Ravi Shah, Natalie Luna Rose, Val Romero, and Sadie Shaw 

• Tucson Unified School Board members voted to approve an Intergovernmental Agreement and addendum with Pima County JTED to continue offering joint technical education courses retroactive to July 2025. 

• They also voted to approve a $131,849 grant from the Tohono O’odham Nation to renovate student restrooms at Pueblo High School. 

• They further voted to approve a $75,000 increase to the Occupational and Physical Therapy Services contract to support additional special education staffing needs. 

Thanks for reading this month’s update! 

If you missed February’s update, you can read it here.

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