Interim superintendent says anonymous post alleging illegal hire of ESS director is inaccurate

Interim Superintendent Terry Romo told the Sierra Vista Unified School District governing board that an anonymous social media post accusing the district of breaking state law in hiring Michelle Wambach as the district’s Exceptional Student Services director was inaccurate and harmful.

Romo said the post cited “ARS 15 dash 2 35,” and told the board the statute “applies specifically to the special education director of the Arizona Department of Education, not just local school districts. This has been confirmed in writing, by our legal counsel.” She said the position was advertised as job posting 6995 and that the hire followed district policy and the posted job description.

Romo laid out the qualifications the district relied on in hiring Wambach, saying she met the listed requirements for the role. According to Romo, the approved job description called for a current Arizona Department of Education administrative certification or eligibility to obtain one, a minimum of two years of building-level administrative experience and at least five years of classroom teaching experience; Romo said Wambach exceeds those minimums and has prior experience overseeing Title I at a school site. Romo also said Wambach has experience with grants management, positive behavior supports training or willingness to be trained, and other qualifications listed in the posting.

Romo said she “rarely respond[s] to anonymous posts” but added that this allegation was “not only inaccurate, it is harmful to individuals and to our district as a whole” and urged community members to verify information before posting. She said the original post had been removed but that “the damage was already done.”

The board did not take formal action on the hiring during the meeting. Romo told the board she had received written confirmation from district legal counsel about the statute’s scope and that the hiring process followed the publicly posted job posting and district procedures.

The superintendent’s remarks were made as part of her opening summary of current events and personnel updates, during which she also described back-to-school events and a school-zone safety campaign with the Sierra Vista Police Department.

The board did not hold a separate, formal hearing on the allegation during the meeting; Romo said legal counsel had confirmed the district’s interpretation in writing and described the hire as aligned with policy and job posting 6995.