In a closely contested vote on Jan. 14, the Higley Unified School District Governing Board elected Amanda Wade as its new president and Tiffany Schultz as vice president for the 2025 calendar year.
Wade and Schultz secured their positions over Anna Van Hoek, who had served as the board’s vice president in 2024 and received strong endorsements from three community members during public comment.
Wade said her schedule is conducive to the position.
“I care a lot about the things that take place here and how we continue to move forward and be a district that is recognized in our area," she said.
Schultz did not comment during the process. She served as president of the board in 2023.
Several speakers praised Van Hoek for her past contributions. One community member described her as "outstanding, a dedicated, well-informed individual," and another emphasized her extensive preparation and engagement, saying, "She has done her homework every time. ... She really loves this district."
Van Hoek highlighted her commitment to transparency and fiscal responsibility.
“My goal has always been to build trust between the district and our community and make sure resources are used effectively,” she said.
The board also deliberated a motion to move the start time of its meetings from 6 p.m. to 5 p.m. This proposal, however, was tabled following significant debate and public input.
Proponents of the change cited the benefits of earlier adjournments. Shultz said she put the item on the agenda because moving the time to 6 p.m. had not changed attendance at meetings and meant teachers and staff at the meeting were going home later.
However, opponents argued the earlier time would hinder participation.
“Extracurricular activities often run right after school, and 5 p.m. is a common time for families to have dinner and catch up during a busy week,” Board Member Sara Jarman said. “It limits participation, which reduces the community's involvement."
Added Van Hoek: "Keeping meetings at 6 ensures that people can attend, stay engaged and feel part of the process.”
The board ultimately voted unanimously to table the motion, with plans to revisit the issue after gathering further input from community members and staff.
We would like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments, pro or con, on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org. Tom Blodgett can be reached by email at tblodgett@iniusa.org or follow him @sp_blodgett on X.
Meet Tom Tom Blodgett joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2022, when the company acquired Community Impact Newspaper's Phoenix-area properties. Raised in Arizona, he has spent more than 35 years in journalism in the state.
Community: He has served as an instructional professional in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication since 2005, and is editorial adviser to The State Press, the university's independent student media outlet. He also is director of operations for an 18U girls fastpitch softball team from Gilbert.
Education: Arizona State University with a BS in Journalism.
Random Fact: He lived in Belgium during his freshman year of high school.
Hobbies: Tweeting enthusiastically about ASU softball (season-ticket holder) and grumpily about other local sports (pessimistic fan).
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