As Peoria Unified School District looks to the seating of a new superintendent, the current one’s goals for this school year were recently approved by the governing board.
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As Peoria Unified School District looks to the seating of a new superintendent, the current one’s goals for this school year were recently approved by the governing board.
Linda Palles Thompson’s goals for the 2019-20 school year include a variety of evaluation components ranging from parent and teacher satisfaction to academic gains. A number of the categories are measured by successfully increasing proficiency over three consecutive years.
One of the four evaluation components of the performance goals denoted as “Other” covers several important initiatives, operations and goals to help serve stakeholders within the district and are aligned to the strategic plan.
The four evaluation components determine the superintendent’s performance pay that is determined at the end of the fiscal year.
Jason Reynolds, the newly approved superintendent will set his own goals at the start of his service after July 1, 2020.
PUSD President Monica Ceja Martinez said the evaluation components will be a solid foundation for the board to make future goals, and allow the board to maintain accountability in the future.
“Though we [voted] on this measure in December, I assure the community as well as staff and students that the board, our superintendent and staff have been working through this information well before this summer so that we can get to the point where we are at today,” Ms. Ceja Martinez said.
The achievement of these goals will be determined at the end of the school year.
Governing board member Cory Underhill said the goals set for Ms. Palles Thompson have put the district in a position to move forward in a very solid way.
“These goals speak to the amazing goals Ms. Palles Thompson and her team have accomplished just in the last year-and-a-half,” Ms. Underhill said. “We talk about having implemented a social emotional learning curriculum. We talk about adopting a phonics program and now a literacy program. Doing a safety audit. Getting a cyber-security program up and running. So much work has happened and so much work is underway as far as the facilities use study the compensation study.”
Her evaluation will include results from parent and teacher satisfaction surveys. Academic gains includes metrics regarding math and ELA scores on the AzMERIT test as well as ACT scores.
Governing board member David Sandoval said Ms. Palles Thompson has had an unwavering commitment to student success.
“I always say knowledge equals accountability. [Ms. Palles Thompson is] never afraid to take a look at the numbers and be held accountable for where we have opportunities and certainly celebrate where we are showing growth and wins, while staying in alignment with our mission and vision which is our mantra of every student every day,” he said. “I am certainly proud of the direction this district is going.”
The “Other” category covers a wide range of metrics ranging to implementing new programs to creating awareness and understanding regarding ballot measures such as bonds and overrides.
Governing board member Judy Doane Ms. Palles Thompson has the set bar for the district’s next superintendent.
“You look at the hard questions and make the hard decisions and that’s what we need in a new superintendent – to think outside the box. There’s new stuff going on so I like the looks of the goals you have set and I appreciate the hard work you do,” Ms. Doane said.
Philip Haldiman can be reached at 623-876-3697, phaldiman@newszap.com, or on Twitter @philiphaldiman.
Philip Haldiman is a third generation Arizona native with brief residencies on the east and west coasts.
He has bachelor’s degrees in Theater and Journalism at Arizona State University, and is an award winning journalist with more than 15 years worth of experience in reporting and editing.
Most recently, he took first place for investigative reporting and third place for best sustained coverage or series at the 2023 Arizona Newspapers Association awards.
In his free time, he produces an autobiographical comic book about his time spent in Hollywood and his life as a cult film star.
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