[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6574027,"mediaKeyId","3120519-a2c05bf6c216d400468f5dc72af5fe4c","parentId",3120519,"title","Peoria Unified names two deputy superintendents — education and business — in unanimous votes","audioSeconds",351,"startMs",13279000,"endMs",13630000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3120519-a2c05bf6c216d400468f5dc72af5fe4c&start=13279&end=13630","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3120519-a2c05bf6c216d400468f5dc72af5fe4c/thumbnail_13279000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6574027/Arizona/Peoria-Unified-names-two-deputy-superintendents-education-and-business-in-unanimous-votes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6574027-efe5a73b3a0b74de28549b1b68759557/orig.mp4?Expires=1770931341&Signature=g-KgSD2esEatrxxUV-LdI9P73awnQSjDIdtd-QOzav5MaUoWiV6Da92YZsDNDiGyzw2c62yzua4c35G4gbZkLIeEpzZlrB01YYcbcqS~dsWsyojPJ0ZK6bYbqFHTFZ8W6VicnyBPPm6cYA~j~m8jukXymkTJcGFhJoVsFv9uvCoYdbj0LVNBdi0GXAfx9adPQEPJ8At7p-FbYcoT42TLEN0dUIW0LhEVWHM17vDMpquOg6VyxQwrAEBYqOOaNKXk6BzVzBFSagG5Yo0CxgXIhGcu8MGp7H1XfpRbiwmaaasu737BibgSu4SvmilvMrof~5DnsFnodF7~zXN4X5pKuw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Cave Creek Unified District","date","2025-04-25T06:01:56.96Z","article","The Peoria Unified School District governing board approved two senior administrative appointments Thursday, confirming Dr. Teresa Hernandez as deputy superintendent for educational services and Marcy Rodriguez as deputy superintendent for business support services, both effective July 1.

Superintendent Dr. Daniel Summers introduced the nominees and summarized each candidate’s experience. Dr. Hernandez, who has led academic services as the district’s chief academic support officer since 2022, was recommended after multi‑phase screening and stakeholder interviews. Summers credited Hernandez with work on the district’s data dashboard, improvements in early literacy and math, the lifeways Learner Academy and K–12 curriculum efforts. The board approved her appointment by voice vote (5–0).

Marcy Rodriguez, the superintendent said, brings more than 25 years of leadership across Arizona districts in school finance and operations and currently serves as assistant superintendent of business and operations at West MEC. Summers described Rodriguez’s experience managing multimillion‑dollar budgets, compliance with uniform system of financial records and operational improvements. The board confirmed the appointment 5–0.

Why it matters: The two appointments reflect the district’s organizational alignment ahead of the 2025–26 school year. Dr. Hernandez will lead instructional priorities, implementation of recently adopted curriculum, standards‑alignment work and teacher professional learning. Rodriguez will oversee finance, transportation, boundary planning and operational support.

Process and background: Summers said both appointments followed thorough, stakeholder‑inclusive selection processes that included field interviews, reference checks and executive‑level review. Board members praised the candidates’ experience and the district’s internal leadership pipeline. Dr. Hernandez, in brief remarks after the vote, said she is “honored to continue to serve Peoria Unified” and highlighted the district’s recent A rating from the Arizona Department of Education.

What’s next: Both appointees will begin transition work with current department leads and plan for summer implementation activities; the board noted they will review transition and onboarding timelines in future board reports.

Sources: Superintendent’s introductions and the board’s roll‑call votes during the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Peoria Unified Governing Board Meeting with Study Session (April 24, 2025)","oneSentenceSummary","The Peoria Unified School District governing board approved two senior administrative appointments Thursday, confirming Dr. Teresa Hernandez as deputy superintendent for educational services and Marcy Rodriguez as deputy superintendent for business support services, both effective July 1.","taxTitle","Peoria Unified School District (4237), School Districts, Arizona","taxId",13602,"location","Arizona","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6574030,"Peoria Unified board approves new K–12 social studies textbooks after yearlong selection process",17818,959000,18777000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3120519-a2c05bf6c216d400468f5dc72af5fe4c&start=959&end=18777","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3120519-a2c05bf6c216d400468f5dc72af5fe4c/thumbnail_959000.jpg","/articles/6574030/Arizona/Peoria-Unified-board-approves-new-K12-social-studies-textbooks-after-yearlong-selection-process","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6574030-ac7e3d9c559c29dcb4f5a4edb03c6e65/orig.mp4?Expires=1770931341&Signature=Q53YAyXm91T6uA7ALK1JrprMDr2Uac8g2WGobjuS1~KawG0wBvgHpJBj2igBu8Ziv2T7jd4ua5BIZ3oEHKkfACoEILsjh3~GlsKTUYMjAoRtN5PzMHNU4T0jF75zFdo9~6Mzlu5OIJW50BoruSZH2EYUWw0K8Hof1ZMBTN-s7cXD8Z8blN3kdBmLkEywreo-BdTIw~rnd35hggOwxhTZ6rAxg13eDAghQDTrI5kqItvE9S1DSjVwFRN-fKt9i-B4g~EXXf4kal9esAqKj4A4QpUn9V7HD8MjJszxNRJYvfhVC6W9o97fXQvHilLQDrv8oQ49MNaVud42hRwa8O~lIA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Peoria Unified School District’s governing board voted Thursday to adopt new history and social sciences textbooks for both K–8 and 9–12, following a multi‑month review by a 24‑member K–8 committee and a separate high‑school panel.

The board approved the K–8 recommendation — Savvas Learning’s My World Interactive Social Studies with the Savvas Realize platform (copyright 2026) — and approved high‑school adoptions that include Savvas (core Arizona and U.S. history, economics and government), Bedford, Freeman & Worth (AP courses) and Teachers’ Curriculum Institute (geography). The board’s roll calls for both items recorded unanimous ayes from members present.

Why it mattered: District leaders and the selection committees said the new materials align to the updated Arizona standards, offer more digital and teacher supports than the district’s 2003 resources and are designed to reduce platform training burdens by matching tools already used in math and science. Dr. Teresa Hernandez, chief academic support officer and the adoption presenter, told the board the committee’s work prioritized “consistency, continuity and capacity” so teachers and students would not need to learn another platform.

What the committees did: The textbook-selection process ran from December through April and used a staged “gateway” rubric that required vendors to demonstrate standards alignment, teacher supports, digital accessibility, scaffolding and engagement opportunities. Committee members evaluated submissions (Gateway 0), alignment (Gateway 1), scaffolding and teacher supports (Gateway 2) and digital features and engagement (Gateway 3). Vendors that met gateway benchmarks advanced to presentations; members reviewed public feedback collected during a 60‑day display window and vendor responses before making recommendations to the superintendent.

Vendor commitments and district follow‑up: Committee leaders said they requested attestation letters from vendors about how materials meet district expectations and state requirements. During the public board study session and in follow‑up letters provided to the board, publishers pledged to remove instructional elements not aligned with the district’s policy and Arizona law — for example, Savvas committed to remove references to social‑emotional learning from teacher editions for specified Arizona programs and BFW indicated it would remove contributors’ biographical material from student editions purchased by the district. Dr. Hernandez told the board that, for online materials, “it is changeable overnight” and that the district would work with vendors to toggle on or off elements during scope‑and‑sequence and implementation planning.

Implementation timeline and next steps: The district said business and procurement actions would begin immediately (pending final board approval) to obtain print materials and activate digital access. The “What Happens Next” documents handed to the board detail steps including the formation of a standards‑alignment implementation committee; creation of scope, sequence and pacing guides; selection of assessment items; and a multi‑year professional learning plan. Committee chairs and district staff emphasized that the materials adoption is the start of multi‑year work and that teachers will provide annual feedback to refine pacing and usage.

Public input at the meeting: Dozens of teachers and committee members who participated in the gateway reviews and vendor presentations addressed the board during public comment or study session testimony, praising the transparency of the process and the depth of review. Multiple committee members told the board the recommended resources showed stronger standards alignment and better teacher scaffolds than the district’s current texts.

What the board said: Board members repeatedly praised the scale of committee work and the transparency of the display period. Several trustees asked about safeguards if problems appear in print or digital materials; administrators said they would continue to escalate issues directly to vendor leadership and that the district has leverage to request corrections or temporary removal of problematic content.

Votes at a glance
- K–8 history and social science adoption (Savvas Learning My World Interactive): approved by voice/roll call (5–0). Motion to approve was moved and seconded by board members during the closing action portion of the meeting. (See provenance.)
- 9–12 history and social science adoption (Savvas, BFW, TCI for AP and core courses): approved by voice/roll call (5–0). (See provenance.)

What to watch: The district plans to begin vendor onboarding and professional learning in the months after approval; parents and community members will be able to review materials during school‑level curriculum nights and through district digital viewer access. The board asked for and administration agreed to documented follow‑up on vendor responsiveness and any requests to remove or revise non‑aligned content.

Sources: Presentation and Q&A by Dr. Teresa Hernandez, district documents in the board packet, public comments from selection‑committee members and the board’s roll‑call votes on both adoptions.","Peoria Unified School District’s governing board voted Thursday to adopt new history and social sciences textbooks for both K–8 and 9–12, following a multi‑month review by a 24‑member K–8 committee and a separate high‑school panel.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6574022,"Board ratifies one‑year MOU with Southwest Behavioral and Health Services; two trustees abstain",1642,12780000,14422000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3120519-a2c05bf6c216d400468f5dc72af5fe4c&start=12780&end=14422","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3120519-a2c05bf6c216d400468f5dc72af5fe4c/thumbnail_12780000.jpg","/articles/6574022/Arizona/Board-ratifies-oneyear-MOU-with-Southwest-Behavioral-and-Health-Services-two-trustees-abstain","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6574022-4ba0c4c7848e0175c8a0cfca4416526c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770931341&Signature=o-sOvaEUmRAUUoFi0A2OIapmZph8JHr70Ca0Aj~xEmbCkuw5FxHlo1gGOsokjpWOiWOzXtGY4f-jGYQRNZ~AAW~6B7QldBUS0WUAprlzvnFIyz4AnSTg5OHlY3nbj1CtczngP7pJ-Axamv-nIXkU8sdkpt-JlQn7dpjQpR6CGxVk2qIWfs8u5U7YvMZ7X-7H5RwX2LwXU2tOrRNl-g15ueiz2Rn49jRtOmlOkV2bBkXxgt~hmhshumbjM9XF0duX~TQjTdJMgoejq492dt2cVTVQQIutCnXPZ~tTZaPVKSy8oxhABjLb0KL61KMOmm3YE~3bk2jRN3qLaoGzkuqy-g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Peoria Unified’s governing board ratified a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Southwest Behavioral and Health Services Thursday to continue on‑campus counseling services through June 30, 2025.

Superintendent Daniel Summers said the MOU reflects a short‑term arrangement (August 1, 2024–June 30, 2025 as drafted for the meeting item) designed to provide clinical services on campus while the district explores longer‑term options. Board members asked whether the clinicians would meet district licensure expectations; Summers and district staff confirmed that the MOU was revised to include licensure language at the board’s prior direction.

Board action and vote: The motion to approve and ratify the MOU passed with three trustees voting yes and two trustees (President Rooks and Mrs. Bowles) abstaining. The abstentions were noted in the meeting record; trustees said they wanted additional clarity on certain terms and on the district’s broader approach to contracted school‑based behavioral health vendors.

Why it mattered: Trustees and public commenters said the district faces immediate student mental‑health needs — including increased caseloads flagged in public comment — and that contracted school‑based services can fill gaps when district social workers are not available. Public commenters at the meeting emphasized the need for continued services and the role of on‑campus access in reducing barriers such as transportation, scheduling and stigma.

Follow‑up and next steps: Board members asked administration to report back on options for competitive procurement (including issuing an RFP for on‑campus mental‑health providers), potential rental agreements for after‑school services and the process for ensuring contracted providers meet district licensing and policy requirements. The district will include licensure confirmation in the MOU language and said it will bring procurement options to the board in a future meeting.

Sources: Superintendent’s presentation and MOU on the agenda; public comment and board roll‑call vote in the official meeting record.","Peoria Unified ratified a memorandum of understanding with Southwest Behavioral and Health Services for district‑based counseling services through June 30, 2025. The board approved the MOU with a 3‑yea, 2‑abstain vote; trustees who abstained cited questions about contractual details and the district’s licensing policy for on‑campus providers.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Peoria Unified names two deputy superintendents — education and business — in unanimous votes

Peoria Unified board approves new K–12 social studies textbooks after yearlong selection process

Board ratifies one‑year MOU with Southwest Behavioral and Health Services; two trustees abstain