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Dr. Maria
Menconi, the likable superintendent
whose effectiveness has been widely
acclaimed since she took office in 2002,
has announced plans to leave the Kyrene
School District at the end of June, a
year before her contract expires.
A
surprised Governing Board accepted the
resignation, which Menconi said is
necessary because her husband “most
likely” will be taking a job outside the
area.
She had
made the announcement earlier the same
day at a meeting of the district’s
leadership team.
Governing
Board members are due to meet sometime
after Dec. 19 to determine how they will
recruit candidates for the current
$125,000-a-year job.
The board
offered to increase Menconi’s salary at
its last budget session, which she
declined.
Although
Menconi brought acknowledged new
direction to the job when she was hired,
the board’s decision earlier this year
to alter the way in which elective
classes are offered in the district’s
middle schools resulted in a public
outcry.
This led
to an announced recall election against
Board President Rae Waters, which is
scheduled for March.
During her
tenure, Menconi has been recognized for
guiding the district to achievement-test
scores that are above state and national
averages. She also is credited with
developing resources to help improve
class size and leading the effort to
develop alternative ways to improve
employee salaries and benefits.
Observers
acknowledge the success of a marketing
program implemented during Menconi’s
tenure that helped offset a decline in
enrollment. She also has been given
credit for her role in the passage of
four successful override and bond
elections.
A recent
communications audit gave the district
high marks for its efforts to engender
community support. |
