The Dysart Unified School District annually names staff members as Heroes to recognize outstanding service to the district and the community.

This year, 55 staff members received the honor of being named a Dysart Hero, after being selected through a peer nomination process. The number of nominations received doubled this year, demonstrating the hard work and dedication of district staff.

Heroes were surprised with the awards by the Dysart Hero Prize Patrol, made up of district administrators and governing board members, in the course of several days in March.
In lieu of the usual ceremony and dinner, Dysart Heroes were honored during a ceremony on April 20 at The Vista Center for the Arts.

Jim Dean, assistant superintendent of support services, was the master of ceremonies and read excerpts from the nomination letters. A commemorative hero plaque, sponsored by the Dysart Education Foundation, was presented by Superintendent Quinn Kellis and members of the governing board.

The Shadow Ridge High School choir provided a brief performance onstage. A take home meal was provided for each hero from Sharkos Catering.

The 2022 Dysart Heroes include:

Certified / Classified:
Asante Preparatory Academy — Marissa Grahlman, Debra Jones
Ashton Ranch Middle School — Allison Mooney, Michael King
Canyon Ridge School — Jennifer Klein, Kristin Binazeski
Cimarron Springs Middle School — Virginia Trujillo, Coleen Welborn
Countryside Elementary School — Natasha Fallon, Natalie Cole
Dysart Middle School — Hillary Bond, Holly Morris
Dysart High School — Ashley Mette, Robert Romero
El Mirage Elementary School — Allison Carnes, Guillermina Munoz
Freedom Traditional Academy — Katrina McCloud, Traci Henderson
Kingswood Elementary School — Jaime Payne, Britny Kraft
Luke Elementary School — Megan Harshman, Amber McKendrick
Marley Park Elementary School — Renee Best, Nichole Courcey
Mountain View School — Laurie Swanson Puddicombe, Tricia Schooler
Rancho Gabriela Elementary School — Carrie Jasinski, Carina Gonzalez Bravo

Riverview School — Kacee Bock, Sarah Hernandez
Shadow Ridge High School — Amanda Norton, Linda Martinez
Sonoran Heights Elementary School — Laura Lundy, Kelly Davidson
Sundown Mountain Alternative Education Program — Cathi Miller, Heidi Lindemann
Sunset Hills Elementary School — Jackie Older, Kimberly Baker
Surprise Elementary School — Monica Puentes, Lisa Sikorski
Thompson Ranch Elementary School — Aida Chacon, Leticia Vigilant
Valley Vista High School — Holly Bejarano, Tracy Sargent
West Point Elementary School — Keri Crowther, Bryce Flink
Western Peaks Elementary School — Erin Ireland, Kaitlyn Knize
Willow Canyon High School — Al Titkemeyer Lisa Hounsell

• District Departments — Christina Bergeron, iSchool & Rogelio Hipolito, Maintenance

• Volunteer: Annette Ahlemeyer — Luke Elementary School

• Administrators:
Kathy Hill, Director of Federal Projects
Hannah Pacheco, Dysart High School

The Dysart Hero Awards were sponsored this year by community partners including:

Diamond Sponsors: MP BAS, Valley Schools.
Platinum Sponsors: 1GPA, CHASSE Building Team.
Gold Sponsors: AG Parts World Wide, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Arizona, Cox Communications and Wholesale Floors.
Silver Sponsors: Bel-Aire Mechanical, Biddle and Brown Fence Co., Blumm.
Bronze Sponsors: Delta Dental, Sun Life and Teledoc.