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Superintendent Maria Menconi may be
leaving the Kyrene School District at
the end of June, but she won't soon
depart from the hearts and minds of many
of Kyrene’s teachers and administrators.
Dozens of district personnel turned out
for a reception held for the retiring
superintendent at the district’s Tempe
headquarters.
“She’s been a good friend to education,”
said Kelvin Inouye, assistant principal
at two Kyrene elementary schools. “We’re
going to miss her leadership here. She’s
really a dynamic leader.”
Administrator after administrator,
teacher after teacher, Kyrene’s
employees showed no lack of praise for
their boss at the May 9 reception.
“I think it’s a sad day for Kyrene
because she’s brought so much to our
district,” said Mary Jane Rincon,
another district assistant principal.
“But I respect her need to retire. She’s
brought a passion for education and for
children. She’s well respected and will
be missed.”
Governing Board Member Rae Waters said
she is sad to see Menconi go, adding
that the superintendent placed a strong
focus on looking at data and improving
performance of students as a whole.
But she added that a transition in
leadership “always provides
opportunities for the district.”
Waters said she intends to stay in touch
with Menconi to discuss issues that come
up in education around the state.
Anna Montalbo, president of Kyrene
Education Association, said Menconi’s
departure caught her by surprise.
“I needed to come and thank Maria for
being the superintendent of our
district,” she said. “She’s always been
good at looking at the issues and
resolving them, and I respect her
contribution to the Kyrene School
District and to education. Anyone who
spends that much time in education is to
be respected just for the contribution.”
Menconi has been in education—as a
teacher, administrator and
superintendent—for 33 years.
Candy Blakemore, a district kindergarten
teacher, said she stopped by the
reception to “wish her well.” She said
she met with Menconi when the
superintendent took over the helm at
Kyrene in 2002.
“I thought it would be nice to come out
and see her at the end of her career as
well.”
Menconi announced in December that she
would leave the post she has held for
the past four years. She will move to
Tucson where her husband has accepted a
job.
She called her departure “bitter sweet.”
“A lot of happiness because I know I’ve
made the right decision,” she said. “But
also a lot of sadness because this is
the best professional team I’ve ever
seen. I think it was the most satisfying
challenge I’ve ever faced.”
She said the most difficult part of that
“satisfying challenge” has been
communicating a consistent message
across the expansive district.
“It’s just big enough that you can mess
it up,” she said, noting how important
accurate information is in a district
with so many parents and community
members who deeply care about what’s
going on.
Menconi and her husband have already
purchased a home in Tucson and are
spending weekends there unpacking and
getting ready to move in. She wouldn’t
speculate on what she may do
professionally after she leaves Kyrene,
but did leave some clues.
“I can’t imagine not being associated
with education in some way,” she said.
“I just can’t imagine what (that way)
will be.”
The Governing Board will release the
names of finalists to succeed Menconi
May 25.
“There’s big shoes to fill,” Rincon
said. “It’s going to be interesting to
see how someone comes in and does that.” |
