Students and staff urge board to retain Maryville dance teacher after surplus placement; teacher cites medical accommodations
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Summary
Multiple students, parents and the dance teacher at Maryville High School urged the Phoenix Union board to reconsider moving teacher Stacy Williams after her position was affected by a surplus process. Williams said she had documented ADA accommodations pending and cited 37 students who requested dance this past year.
Several Maryville High School students, parents and a long-time dance teacher told the Phoenix Union governing board on June 5 that transferring the school’s performing-arts dance teacher would harm students and the program.
Students Danette Rivera Robles, Stephanie Valdez, Yaelene Lopez Garcia and Valerie Dawn Bridal described the dance program as transformational and urged the board to keep “Miss Williams” at Maryville. They said the program fosters confidence, teamwork and opportunities; one student said the program is the reason she will compete in Las Vegas in two weeks.
Stacy Williams, who said she has taught dance at Maryville for 22 years, told the board she has narcolepsy and had submitted ADA accommodation paperwork in January after being told she needed to formalize medical documentation following a surplus decision earlier in the school year. Williams said one accommodation is a short commute; she lives close to Maryville to limit driving time and said she would not be able to accept a transfer to Camelback High School because the commute would be too difficult given her medical needs.
Williams said the surplus designation stemmed in part from class-assignment issues: 37 students who requested dance were redirected to other electives earlier in the year, which reduced the dance class enrollment and triggered the surplus review. She said she complied with the district’s request to file documentation from her sleep specialist and that she had not received final ADA confirmation by March or April when staffing changes were being processed.
What the presenters asked: Commenters asked the board to reconsider removing Williams from Maryville, to revisit surplus and placement decisions that rely on class-assignment counts, and to ensure ADA accommodation requests are handled in a timely manner.
What the record shows and does not show: The transcript records these public comments and Williams’s description of her medical condition and timeline for accommodation paperwork. The board did not take an immediate action on the speaker requests during the meeting; Clerk Oliver later asked the superintendent to look into a separate ELD teacher matter and to report back, but no comparable formal direction about the dance position was recorded on the transcript.
Clarifying details from speakers - Williams said 37 students had requested dance this past year but were assigned to other electives, which contributed to a surplus determination at Maryville. - Williams described an ADA accommodation that includes a short commute; she submitted documentation from a sleep specialist in January and said she had not received a final ADA determination by March/April.
Next steps: Public commenters asked the board to intervene or direct staff to review placement and surplus determinations; the transcript does not record an explicit board direction on the dance staffing question at this meeting.
