Phoenix Union board forwards three Ward 1 candidates to Maricopa County superintendent

The Phoenix Union High School District Governing Board on Monday interviewed candidates for the Ward 1 vacancy and voted to forward its top three preferred candidates to the Maricopa County Superintendent.

The board’s preferred slate, reported at the end of a special meeting, ranked Gurminder Singh Gill first, Fern Ward second and Efrain Filiero third. A motion to forward those names in that order passed after board members indicated their support by voice; the meeting record shows all members voting in favor.

Board procedures for the special meeting set equal time for each applicant: a three-minute opening statement followed by up to 15 minutes of questions and answers, for a maximum of 18 minutes per candidate. The board recessed after the interviews to review notes and then reconvened for a roll-call ranking in which each member listed a first, second and third choice.

Candidates used their opening statements and answers to emphasize priorities they said they would pursue if appointed. Evelyn Thilario, who identified herself as having been a teacher in the district, said she would focus on “equitable access to education” and on expanding career and technical education pathways while prioritizing mental-health and restorative practices. “Students deserve the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their background and circumstances,” Thilario said.

Gurminder Singh Gill, who said he works for the Maricopa County Department of Public Health and is a district alumnus, said he would promote academic rigor, student well-being and a wider range of college and career options. “I want to be a representative for people of my background,” Gill said, adding that he planned one-on-one meetings with board members and Superintendent Andrade to align on goals.

Fern Ward, who described founding the Living Baseball League, a 501(c)(3) youth program, said she would collaborate with community groups and professional organizations to expand extracurricular opportunities and strengthen school-community ties. “Communities thrive when everyone is involved,” Ward said.

Susan Godinho, another applicant, said she would emphasize communication, trust-building and hands-on learning approaches to reengage students and address barriers to achievement.

After the interviews, the board conducted a roll-call ranking. Individual board members’ ranked preferences were recorded in the meeting: board member Meyer and others placed Gill at or near the top; several members placed Ward among their top choices; Filiero appeared in multiple members’ listings as well. The chair announced the results by rank order and the board moved to forward the three names to the county office.

The board’s motion to forward the slate was made from the floor and seconded; the clerk called for those in favor, board members said “aye,” and the motion carried. The meeting record states the motion “carries” with no recorded oppositions or abstentions.

Next steps: the board’s top three names will be transmitted to the Maricopa County Superintendent as Phoenix Union’s preferred candidates for the Ward 1 vacancy, as described earlier in the meeting. The district did not provide a timetable in the meeting record for when the county office would announce or act on the forwarded names.