Chandler district recognizes outgoing superintendent

By Jason W. Brooks
Mail | X: @JasonWBrooks2

Chandler Unified’s Governing Board gave Superintendent Frank Narducci a sendoff at a June 25 meeting. Narducci retired at the end of June after almost 40 years in public education.

Narducci, who announced his pending retirement publicly more than a year in advance, was made the interim superintendent by the CUSD board in 2021, when longtime Superintendent Camille Casteel retired, and was made the permanent boss a year later.

Narducci is being replaced this month by Dr. Anna Battle, whose hire was announced in January after an extensive nationwide search.

After leaving his native New York City for the University of Arizona in the early 1980s on a track and field scholarship, Narducci decided during his college years that he wanted to be a teacher.

His career with Chandler Unified included several roles, including being the first principal of Conley Elementary School.

One of the many board compliments for Narducci was from member Ryan Heap, who said “my kids went to a school district that was under your direction, and were better for it.”

Gifts have been bestowed upon Narducci at public events throughout the past school year as thanks for his years of service. Those gifts included playing the official music video for Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” at the end of the June 25 meeting.

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INDEPENDENT NEWSMEDIA

Jason W. Brooks
News Editor | Chandler Independent

Jason W. Brooks joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in July 2021 as an associate editor. After a year covering Buckeye, he has covered Chandler since the fall of 2022, in addition to assisting the Daily Independent throughout his time at INI.

Education: University of New Mexico, bachelor of arts in journalism and mass communication, print emphasis, English minor.

Random Fact: He and his siblings witnessed a Space Shuttle launch and landing in the same year in person, on opposite coasts.

Hobbies: Karaoke, bicycling and American Sign Language.

Community: He supports animal shelters.