Trailblazer: Perry Berry is Queen Creek Hometown Hero for October

Queen Creek Unified School District Superintendent Perry Berry presides over one of the fastest-growing school districts in the state with more than 14,000 preschool-12th grade students.

A former professional baseball player, Berry has been a coach, teacher, principal and educational administrator.

“One of the most notable accomplishments in the past few years has been managing our rapid growth effectively while maintaining high educational standards,” he said.

He feels a strong responsibility to make sure his students are prepared and succeed in their lives after they graduate.

In 2023, Berry received a statewide award for his work in connecting district leaders and initiatives with community organizers and stakeholders. The award was from School Connect, an organization that connects schools to communities across Arizona. Berry was honored with the Changemaker Award.

Name: Perry Berry

Age: 55

Business Name: Queen Creek Unified School District

Town/neighborhood: Queen Creek

When and why I moved here: I moved from Page, Arizona, to the Valley over 10 years ago to give my kids more opportunities in sports.

What I like most about living here: I love the small town feel that Queen Creek still has and how family oriented it is.

What I do: I’m the superintendent of Queen Creek Unified School District.

Personal background highlights: Raising my family and watching my children grow and find success.

Professional background highlights: I’ve played professional baseball (Astros organization), been a coach, teacher, principal, educational administrator. One of the most notable accomplishments in the past few years has been managing our rapid growth effectively while maintaining high educational standards.

What I like most about what I do: Preparing students for the lives they will lead outside of high school. Some of the most influential people in my life were coaches and teachers. Therefore, I pursued a teaching/coaching career out of college and professional baseball.

What does being nominated for this category mean to you? I’m very honored to be nominated. Educators partner with parents and pass on a legacy of knowledge, skills and character to young people and I hope that I have done this and continue to do so.

What does it mean to be a Queen Creek resident? I love that although Queen Creek has grown tremendously, it still feels like a small town where people genuinely are good neighbors and look out for one another.

What do you think you bring to the local community that makes it better? Tremendous partnership and workforce preparation opportunities among K-12 schools, post-secondary institutions and business and industry partners.

What are the biggest challenges you see in Queen Creek? QCUSD is the fastest-growing district in the state and the town of Queen Creek is one of the fastest-growing communities in the country. Managing the fast-paced demands of infrastructure, facilities, educational resources, etc., is a unique challenge to our community.

Favorite community cause & why: As a superintendent, I am driven by a deep sense of purpose around student success and preparing students for lives/careers they will lead after graduation.

My family: I have been married to my wife, Lana, for 25 years. We have four children — Jacob, Jade, Jenae and Jet. Jacob plays baseball for the Florida Marlins organization. Jade is a sophomore at Stanford. Jenae is a freshman at Indiana University. Jet is a junior at Queen Creek High School.

My interests and hobbies: Hunting and fishing, watching my kids play baseball/softball, cooking on my green egg and driving around in my old ‘66 Chevy C10.

The trait(s) I admire in others: Honesty, determination, integrity

People who inspired me (and how): My inspiration stems from my parents. My parents have demonstrated sacrifice, unconditional support and patience for me in my personal and professional life. My parents modeled integrity, grit and compassion that I strive to replicate in my personal and professional roles.

My guiding philosophy:

Work ethic, grit and determination typically determine one’s success more than mere talent and skill. My advice to today’s youth:

• Be very careful with social media. If you feel good about yourself when people write positive things about you on social media, you will probably believe the negative things as well. Don’t let others’ perceptions of you define who you are.
• The way you live becomes your identity — serve others and make a positive difference in others’ lives.
• Learn from mistakes, make adjustments and move forward

The Queen Creek Independent is pleased to announce Perry Berry as the October 2024 Hometown Hero bestowed in the category of Trailblazer.  The Queen Creek Independent along with East Valley Institute of Technology and the Queen Creek Olive Mill salute Dr. Berry as this month's Queen Creek Hometown Heroes Awards recipient.