Agua Fria Union High School District is searching for a new superintendent to replace Dr. Dennis Runyan when he retires in June.
“I’m currently serving in my 12th year as the Agua Fria Union District superintendent and will be retiring June 30, 2021,” Dr. Runyan said via email Tuesday, Oct. 13. “This year will complete my 32nd year in education, and I’m looking forward to helping the district with a smooth transition this coming summer.”
On Wednesday, the district’s Governing Board voted unanimously to seek quotes from qualified vendors to assist in the search for Dr. Runyan’s replacement at a cost of up to $100,000.
AFUHSD was founded in 1955 and operates Agua Fria, Canyon View, Desert Edge, Millennium and Verrado high schools, serving 8,300 students in Avondale, Buckeye, Goodyear, Litchfield Park, Waddell and parts of Glendale. It also operates two alternative programs, Coldwater and New Directions.
Based in Avondale, the district has 850 employees spread out at schools over a 96-square-miles territory, according to a staff report.
During the past decade, the number of students in the district has grown from 4,600 to more than 8,300.
During Dr. Runyan’s tenure, graduation rates and teacher retention have increased.
“We saw double-digit increases in graduation rates, from 79% to over 92%,” he said. “Over the past four years since we have been tracking teacher retention levels, our annual retention has increased from 77% to 92%.”
AFUHSD also has experienced strong growth in Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate program participation, from 1,129 students taking at least one advanced placement class in 2010 to to more 2,053 engaging in at least one advanced class in 2020.
“If you add students who took more than 1 AP or IB class it is over 3,000 classes or sections taught annually,” Dr. Runyan said.
Career and technical education program offerings grew from 15 available career pathways to 28 pathways for students.
Finally, the community has supported three district bonds and two overrides since 2011. The bonds were in 2011, 2015 and 2019, he said.
Bonds and overrides are voter-approved measures that generate additional tax revenue to fund projects and operations for local school districts and community colleges.
The call for bids for a search firm went out Thursday, with quotes due at noon Wednesday, Oct. 28. The board is expected interview search applicants and make a decision Thursday, Nov. 5. A timeline for the search will be set after the district signs a contract with the search firm.
Kelly O’Sullivan can be reached at kosullivan@newszap.com or 760-963-1697.
Kelly O’Sullivan News Editor | Litchfield Park& Goodyear @AzNewsmedia
Kelly O’Sullivan is a longtime journalist who joined Independent Newsmedia in January 2020, after returning to the Valley from Twentynine Palms, California, where she worked for eight years as a communications specialist for the U.S. Marine Corps. When she’s not covering stories of interest to Litchfield Park, Goodyear and other Southwest Valley residents, she stays busy rediscovering Arizona and photographing its spectacular landscapes and wildlife.
Agua Fria Union High School District,
AFUHSD,
Agua Fria,
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Dr. Dennis Runyan,
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