Nina Buckely says her family taught her how to love unconditionally, and this comes through in her role as lead instructional coach for the Peoria Unified School District, where she works in recruiting and retaining educators for the district.
Student learning begins with teachers, and Buckley believes every student can learn and should be provided the opportunity to learn.
Leading a team of over 30 as part of the district’s administration, she has been instrumental in developing professional learning plans for teachers that support their growth, and has been a key contributor to Peoria Unified in supporting new teachers as they begin their careers.
Through partnerships with Arizona’s major universities, Buckley has developed professional learning opportunities for staff that contributes to Peoria Unified’s retention rate, her colleagues say.
Teresa Hernandez, chief academic support officer at Peoria Unified, said Buckley has made outstanding contributions to student success in the district.
Hernandez added that Buckley is highly regarded by principals, teachers, and staff as someone who is not only exceptionally knowledgeable about learning and teaching, but is also genuinely a kind and wonderful person.
“Nina is an invaluable resource to new teachers in the Peoria Unified School District,” she said. “What sets our district apart from others is how we support new teachers to ensure they are going to be successful in their role. Nina pours into new teachers with her years of knowledge, skills, and expertise from the classroom and that level of support is unparalleled.”
For her service to the Peoria Unified community, Buckley has been named a Peoria Independent Hometown Hero in the Coach/Mentor category.
The Hometown Heroes Awards are a celebration of individuals who live or teach in the city, and Peoria businesses for their achievements and distinguished contributions to the community and beyond.
She will be honored at an awards luncheon Feb. 18. The fourth annual Hometown Heroes luncheon will honor those nominated in 2024.
Buckley has a Bachelor of Arts from ASU and master of arts from NAU, and has been a Peoria Unified educator for 30 years. She was a classroom teacher for 17 years, teaching 8th grade math, then became an instructional coach and has been the lead instructional coach for the past five years.
Buckely says she starts every task and every day with the focus on improving teaching practices and student success.
Her colleagues say her experience as a classroom teacher, instructional coach, and leader has allowed her to impact all stakeholders with meaningful information and guidance, as well as grow the district’s educators with the hope that they become a lasting part of the Peoria Unified family.
“What I like most about working in the Peoria Unified School District is the true commitment to putting students first,” she said. “Every decision and action is based on what is best for every student. I also appreciate the sense of family that this district brings to the day-to-day working environment. I have always felt a sense of belonging and that my work was valued.”
To continue her learning, Buckley participated in the Beat the Odds School Leadership Academy with the goal of empowering school leaders to help all students achieve.
Additionally, she leads the district’s Summer Learning Initiatives. Under her leadership, the goal of summer school in Peoria Unified has transitioned from remediating students and addressing learning loss to accelerating learning and helping students get ahead. District officials say this change has directly impacted student, school and district achievement and contributed to the academic recovery post-pandemic.
Buckley said being a part of Peoria Unified means being part of something that has an exponential impact on kids, families and the community.
Contributing to the education system not only makes for a better Peoria community, but a better society as a whole, she said.
“Preparing every student to shape tomorrow is very rewarding. I know that I am contributing to something that matters,” Buckley said.
Philip Haldiman can be reached at phaldiman@iniusa.org, or on X @philiphaldiman. We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments, pro or con, on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org.
Philip Haldiman
News Editor | Peoria
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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