A picture of girl on a black background with the words "Inside MPS"

Happy Valentine’s Day and Happy Birthday, Arizona!

Here are some of the things I love about Mesa Public Schools:

Dedicated staff - who care about students and our community
Engaged students – seeing students grow, learn, and succeed in the classroom, athletic fields and in the arts
Supportive community – partnerships with parents, businesses, and local organizations
Innovation - commitment to new ideas and choices for families in how their children learn
Collaborative leadership – working together to increase opportunities for students to graduate college and career ready

What this looks like in action:

Join us on Feb. 26 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Mountain View High School for our first School Choice Fair! We will have over 40 of our schools and programs represented for you to find out what’s inside Mesa Public Schools.

If you cannot make it and want to see what’s inside our many options at Mesa Public Schools, schedule a tour!

I'd like to share some information and updates in our three focus areas - Academic and Instructional Development, Community Engagement and Safety, and Organizational and Operational Efficiency.

Academic and Instructional Development

What this looks like in action:

We are pleased to share the appointment of four new principals for the 2025-26 school year. Please join me in welcoming and congratulating the following:

Alison Bruening-Hamati, Porter Elementary
Jacob Davis, Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies (interim principal)
Maddilyn McCoy, Hughes Elementary
Mandalyn Radakovich, Crismon Elementary

Congratulations to our seven incredible Mesa Public Schools teachers who have earned or renewed their National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) certification! Your dedication and excellence make a lasting impact on our students and schools. We are proud to have you in our district!

New National Board Certified Teachers

Rebekah Buckland – Dobson High School
Michelle Startzman – Mesa High School
Teresa Rednour – Edison Elementary
Rebecca Trejo-Dunham – Edison Elementary

NBCT Maintenance of Certification

Chelsea Cloonan – Guerrero Elementary
Lori Jordan – Westwood High School
Kelda Kastner Lewis – Shepherd Junior High

Last month, I mentioned a possible redesign to our elementary specials schedule. Due to the overwhelming request of staff, parents and students, our Governing Board has invested $1.3 million to maintain the current elementary specials schedule (art, music, media center, and physical education) for one year (2025-26 school year). A committee, composed of teachers and leaders, with input from parents and students, will design sustainable solutions for the 2026-27 school year.

On Feb. 4, the Governing Board had a special study session to discuss high school programming. Watch the study session that focused on curriculum, budget, and policy related to College and Career Academies and block scheduling.

The Arizona Music Educators Association has been committed to promoting excellence in music education since 1939. I am honored to share several prestigious awards that recognize the dedication and hard work of our students and educators. Congratulations to the following individuals for their outstanding achievements:

Cicely Brazier, orchestra director at Stapley Junior High, recipient of the AMEA O.H. Hartsell Excellence in Teaching Music Award
Gabbi Buckley, principal at Dobson High School, honored with the AMEA Outstanding Administrator Award
Gavin Rittenhouse, general music/choir teacher at Franklin Accelerated Academy at Brimhall, named Arizona Choral Educators Association Elementary Choral Educator of the Year
Scott Burgener, music department specialist, named Music Educator of the Year

Community Engagement and Safety

We want to hear from you about school calendars. Today, you should have received an email regarding a survey on the proposed school year calendars for school years 2026-27 and 2027-28. Your feedback is crucial in helping the district make informed decisions that best support our students, staff, and community.

I want to give a shout out to the Mesa Police Department for their amazing partnership with us. Earlier this week, they received the Civic/Community Contributions Partnership to Public Education award from the Arizona School Public Relations Association. I am deeply proud of the relationship we have with Mesa PD. From programs like SPARC (Sports, Programs, and Activities Reuniting Community) to our coordination in crisis and safety communication, and school resource officers, we are grateful for all Mesa PD does for our schools and students.

Organizational and Operational Efficiency

What this looks like in action:

We began working on the 2025-26 budget in October which includes determining staffing across the district. At the Feb. 11 board meeting, the Governing Board approved a reduction in force for the 2025-26 school year for approximately 40 certified staff members, which equates to approximately 1.1% of our certified staff. These are in addition to the 147 district department level positions, which include 3 administrators, that will also be eliminated for the 2025-26 school year. We made it a priority to inform our valued staff as early as possible. Impacted staff members are able to apply for other vacant positions within the district or they have time to find a position outside the district at the end of the year.

A few other notes regarding our budget and staffing for 2025-26:

Staffing ratios for classrooms will remain the same for the 2025-26 school year.
Our school counselor allocation formula will return to the pre-pandemic level.
Human Resources will provide resources and tools such as resume writing and mock interviews.

Question of the Month

In honor of Valentine's Day, I want to know what you love about your school!

Whether it’s the sense of community, a favorite program, the hardworking staff, or the positive environment—whatever it may be, I would love to hear your thoughts! Your feedback helps us continue to nurture an atmosphere that reflects what’s most meaningful to all of us.

Please take a moment to complete the short survey.