The Peoria Unified School District governing board unanimously voted at a public meeting, Dec. 16, to appoint Deputy Superintendent Jason Reynolds as its new superintendent.
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The Peoria Unified School District governing board unanimously voted at a public meeting, Dec. 16, to appoint Deputy Superintendent Jason Reynolds as its new superintendent.
He underwent an interview process that spanned more than a month and his first day will be July 1, 2020, filling the seat of long-time PUSD employee Linda Palles Thompson.
Now that a decision has been made, parents and others have responded to a new leader who will have a full plate of work ahead of him when he starts.
PUSD President Monica Ceja Martinez said the selection could not have been done without the high level of input from the entire community.
“I am very proud of the collective work and effort my governing board vested in this process. We learned a lot about our Peoria Unified family and each other,” she said. “On behalf of the governing board, we are so grateful for the level of interest from all the candidates who applied. The engagement from staff, parents and guardians, students and the community in supporting this important decision was incredible. Dr. Reynolds exuberated the integrity, vision and values to lead our district into the future. I am excited to welcome Dr. Reynolds as he transitions to his new role.”
PUSD parent Kelly Carbello said she was quite surprised the board approved Mr. Reynolds, even shocked, thinking the board would go in a different direction, maybe selecting a candidate with fresh perspectives, superintendent experience and success in working with state legislatures.
She said finalist Arsenio Romero, superintendent of the Deming Public Schools in New Mexico, filled all those qualifications.
But she took comfort that Ms. Pallas Thompson, who will retire June 30, 2020, spoke highly of Mr. Reynolds, and that the decision was unanimous.
Ms. Carbello is a mental and behavioral health advisor and advocate and sits on the district’s Parent Safety Task Force.
“Dr. Romero answered most questions from a systems perspective. He was able to describe what a larger issue, like student achievement, meant to the student, the teacher, the parent, the administrator, the community, the superintendent and the state legislature,” she said. “He was genuinely interested in what we, the community, had to say. This is a critical skill. In my opinion, Dr. Romero was the only candidate who could pick up where Linda Palles Thompson leaves off and continue moving the district forward. But the board had way more information than me.”
Mr. Reynolds will have his hands full as he steps into his new position as the district will likely be knee-deep in planning for an override and/or bond measure for the November election.
Measures such as these are often needed to provide funds to schools above what the state provides. Bonds fund capital projects and overrides fund programs and people.
A 15% maintenance and operations override failed by only 133 votes in the Nov. 5 general election. Officials say the loss will cost PUSD schools $26 million per year.
Mr. Reynolds will be expected to lead the task of providing awareness and understanding, as well as factual information about future possible measures.
Former school board candidate Michael Gard said Mr. Reynolds is the right choice for the district and has the experience to lead the community in convincing voters of the importance of possible future bonds and overrides.
“During the recent override election Dr. Reynold’s did his part to help educate the community on what the override means to the district. With that said, he will have to yet again make sure the community — which includes parents, staff, students and especially those without students enrolled in the district — know the importance of voter-approved school financial assistance,” Mr. Gard said. “It is yet unknown for sure if the school board will once again recommend a bond or override election for this coming fall, but the assumption of many is there will be one or both coming. Dr. Reynolds will be a clear voice and provide explanation for everyone on the importance of the approval of this funding.”
Money is about to run dry from the district’s last bond authorization, approved by voters in 2012.
The district has just under $25 million left from that $180 million bond.
As funds have tightened due to the failure of a $189 bond in 2018 and a $198 million bond in 2016, the district has launched a facility utilization and capacity study that will help district officials prioritize needs related to the remaining bond dollars as well as needs for future bond authorizations.
Mr. Reynolds is expected to provide guidance on where these funds may go, whether it be a new school in the north where schools are overcrowded or upgrades to older schools in the south.
“If Peoria Unified continues to have struggles during the election cycles, Dr. Reynolds will be facing a potential financial crisis in the Peoria Unified School District, which will require him to draw on his experiences in education to develop a plan to continue to move the district forward without making a negative impact on the students,” Mr. Gard said.
“Nobody knows what this could lead to and we can all make guesses, but when it comes down to it, Dr. Reynolds has the expertise and know-how to navigate our district through this current and potential difficult time in school finance and make sure our students don’t feel the impact in the classroom. He will continue to help the strength of the district grow and I expect to see many successes come from the time that Dr. Reynolds will spend as our superintendent.”
Mr. Reynolds was hired about six months ago as a deputy superintendent.
A national search was conducted on and off over the last couple years by third-party search firm McPherson & Jacobson LLC at a cost of nearly $40,000. Details are not yet available on the deputy superintendent position that Mr. Reynolds will vacate.
The hiring process included numerous interviews comprised of community members, teachers and administrators, as well as a streaming e-forum to introduce finalists to the community. Additionally, final interviews were conducted by governing board members leading up to the final decision, Dec. 16. Mr. Reynolds won the position over three other finalists.
Governing board member Cory Underhill said she voted for Mr. Reynolds based on a combination of his experience — classroom teacher, site-level administrator, district-level curriculum specialist, deputy superintendent — and her first-hand experience interacting with him and witnessing his interactions with others in PUSD during his time as deputy superintendent.
Ms. Underhill said his ability to build positive relationships across the district and community in such a short time is commendable.
Dr. Reynolds is highly knowledgeable in the areas of student achievement/curriculum, as well as finance and administration, and is dedicated to a students-first approach, demonstrating this through his past and present involvement in student initiatives, she said.
“Dr. Reynolds also has experience in the areas of social emotional learning, restorative practices, and leading efforts to enhance equity. In addition, his involvement with state and local associations and knowledge of Arizona’s political environment put him many steps ahead of any other candidate,” Ms. Underhill said.
“In short, Dr. Reynolds has made a significant positive impression in his short time as a leader in PUSD and I am confident that he will build on the solid foundation of our district while challenging our board, staff, and community to reach a new level of achievement in educating our students and preparing them for the future. Dr. Reynolds is the leader we need, and he has the energy, drive and motivation to bolster PUSD’s position as a top district in the state and beyond.”
Governing board member Judy Doane said her decision to choose Mr. Reynolds as Peoria’s next superintendent was based on many things.
“Majoring among those items is the fact that Dr. Reynolds understands our local culture, politics, laws, and resources,” she said. “He is a dedicated educator, and I feel he will work well to guide PUSD in the future. Dr. Reynolds has a genuine love of teaching, and helping our young people create a future for themselves.
Philip Haldiman can be reached at 623-876-3697, phaldiman@newszap.com, or on Twitter @philiphaldiman.
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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