Superintendent says student advisory team shaped data review, belonging work and next year’s menu

Dr. Deborah Gonzales, superintendent of Phoenix Elementary District (4256), told attendees in the Governing Boardroom that the district is prioritizing student feedback and outlined recent work by a superintendent’s advisory team.

Gonzales said the advisory team met at the Helios Decision Theater to examine performance data and benchmark schools that "look like ours" so the district can identify ways to improve. She then described a separate meeting in the Governing Boardroom focused on "what does belonging look like and how do we make sure that our students at every school in every classroom feel like they belong." Gonzales added that students also sampled food items and made selections about what would be on the menu for the next school year. "Their decisions and their voice matter," she said.

Gonzales framed the advisory team’s activities as practical and student-centered: data review to inform improvement efforts, structured conversation about school climate and belonging, and direct student input on school meals. She thanked the students for their perspectives and thanked parents "for everything that you're doing to support your children at Phoenix number 1." The remarks were an overview of ongoing engagement rather than a formal board action; no motions or votes were recorded in the transcript.