Superintendent Web Message June 21 2022
June 21, 2022
Dear GUSD Families and Friends,
It’s so hard to believe that we are almost a month past graduation. The Globe High School commencement exercises on May 26, 2022 were a wonderful celebration of the accomplishments of about 120 graduating students. Looking back on their accomplishments, I was so impressed with their perseverance and grit. They faced unprecedented challenges with online learning, hybrid school attendance, and all of the other complications produced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Looking back over the past few years has brought me to a place of considerable reflection. I am completing my 10th year as superintendent here at Globe Unified School District and there have been many challenges as well as many significant accomplishments. I just want to reflect on some of the achievements and challenges GUSD has faced and is facing. I will just list a few of the district accomplishments over the past decade followed by a few of the challenges>
District Accomplishments 2012 – 2022
- Increased teacher and staff pay every year beginning 2013-2014.
- Implemented “Beyond Textbooks” program providing vertically aligned K-12 curriculum resources.
- Adopted “Capturing Kids’ Hearts” processes and trained all district employees in CKH principles.
- Participated in Arizona Department of Education “Project Elevate” for teachers, principals, and district administrators and began to better utilize student achievement data.
- Participated in a national program “Talent for Turnaround Leadership Academy” focused on teacher recruitment and retention which lead to a new teacher mentoring program.
- Initiated student activities FIRST Robotics and E-Sports which help students to prepare for 21st century workforce opportunities.
Challenges 2012 – 2022
- Continued challenges recruiting and retaining professional staff exacerbated during and after COVID-19.
- Addressing learning loss as a result of COVID-19 educational stoppages and interruptions.
- Managing financial resources in a fiscally wise manner with aging buildings and infrastructure while dealing with residual budgetary reductions from the great recession of 2008-2012.
- Staying committed to district board goals. (Excelling Schools through community involvement, customer service, curriculum, staff retention, and student success programs; and Fiscal Responsibility through present and future planning; conservative approach to live within the district’s means; maintaining physical and financial resources; and solvency by not borrowing for operational expenses.