Chandler Unified previews digital hall passes, unified start times and celebrates NBA alumnus

Superintendent Frank Narducci told the Chandler Unified School District Governing Board on June 11 that the district was named the state’s top public school district and outlined several operational changes for the 2025–26 school year, including a digital hall pass, unified elementary start and end times, and a redesigned district website.

Narducci said the district “has been honored as the number 1 public school district in Arizona by Ranking Arizona,” and described multiple changes aimed at improving student safety, attendance tracking and family communication ahead of the new school year.

Among the operational changes he described, the district will introduce a digital hall pass for secondary schools. “Digital hall pass will be accessed through the parent portal on Infinite Campus,” Narducci said. He also said a new feature in the parent portal will allow guardians to digitally report student absences.

Narducci said elementary school start and end times will be unified across the district and that junior high start and end times will be more closely aligned with one another to support transportation logistics and consistency across campuses. He reminded families that bus transportation registration must be completed each year through the Infinite Campus parent portal so students are prepared to ride on the first day of school.

The superintendent said the district website, listed at cusd80.com, will have a “fresh new look” ahead of the school year and described an increased emphasis on lessons in kindness, civility and bullying prevention for all kindergarten through grade students.

Narducci also highlighted recent athletics news. He noted that Perry High School alumnus Jalen Williams, now an NBA player for the Oklahoma City Thunder, was honored with a temporary renaming of Puma Way to “Jalen Williams Way” in coordination with the town of Gilbert. The superintendent referenced multiple athletic recognitions for district teams and individuals.

These remarks were delivered during the superintendent’s current events portion of the June 11 governing board meeting. The transcript did not record any formal board votes or motions tied to the operational items Narducci presented; the items were described as planned changes and information for families.