Apache Junction teachers to receive 1% salary increase

By Richard Dyer
Mail | X: @RHDyer

Certified teachers employed by Apache Junction Unified School District in the 2025-26 school year will be given a 1% salary increase, the governing board decided recently.

The average salary for an AJUSD teacher in the 2025 budget year is $65,080. With a 1% increase, it would be $65,730.80.

The AJUSD governing board voted 4-0 Feb. 25 to approve the increase. Board member Judy Williamson was absent.

“I would love to give more at this time but I don’t think we can. But in order to retain our folks and show that we appreciate them, we have to give something. So I think this is the start,” Superintendent Robert Pappalardo said to the board.

“(W)e wish it was more at this time, but that’s where we are at financially,” Sue Paschal, AJUSD director of human resources, said.

The school board could take another look at the budget to find additional funding in the future, Board President Dena Kimble said.

“And we can give an increase if the budget allows. We are going to talk to Miss Salazar at the next meeting,” she said of Gina Salazar, director of business services.

AJUSD has three elementary schools, a junior high school and a high school. In 2025 it is slated to open The Classical Academy at Superstition Mountain, a K-5 school designed to provide students with a traditional, liberal arts education. The district boundaries run from Meridian Road on the west to the town of Queen Valley on the east and from the Goldfield Mountains to the north, south into the San Tan Corridor. Communities served include Apache Junction, Gold Canyon, Peralta Trail, Queen Valley and unincorporated Pinal County land in-between.

Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.

Richard Dyer
Managing Editor | East Valley

rdyer@iniusa.org

Meet Richard
Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.  

Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions. 

Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.

Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.

Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.