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Kyrene launches 'Kyrene Forward' guiding coalition to lead outreach on planned consolidations
Summary
The Kyrene Forward Guiding Coalition, a diverse group of district employees selected through a blind application, will lead outreach and community engagement on school consolidations. Leaders said the group will focus first on employee communication, family connection and staff connection and will use student interviews and targeted outreach.
The Kyrene Governing Board heard a presentation on the Kyrene Forward Guiding Coalition, a district‑led outreach group formed to steer community engagement around planned school consolidations.
"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them," said Eric Bailey, a coalition co‑lead and consultant, framing the coalition's work in change‑management terms. He told the board the coalition was formed via a blind application process that prioritized passion and alignment over demographics.
Superintendent Tenez said the coalition will be a primary vehicle for outreach this year and stressed the district’s intent to center the voices of staff, families and students rather than relying solely on top‑down direction. "Our job as district leaders is to remove as many barriers as we can for them to get this work done," she said.
Coalition leaders described a three‑part structure: Inspire & Invite (pulling people in), Engage & Empower (placing members where their strengths fit) and Organize & Opportunities (tracking milestones and tangible outcomes). They identified six initiative teams and said they will concentrate on three through the end of the school year: employee communication, family connection and staff connection.
Leaders cited early engagement metrics: one school (Akima) had nearly a 50% response rate on an interest list, and coalition members recently sent handwritten thank‑you notes to volunteers to signal responsiveness. Bailey said the coalition will also use research partnerships; Hanover Research will provide interview protocols and the coalition plans to conduct student interviews after April 6 to gather direct student input about transitions.
Board members asked how the district defined "passion" during the selection process and requested copies of the coalition's guiding statement (the "rose" or North Star). Bailey said applications were reviewed blind by multiple scorers for signs of commitment and alignment, and the coalition crafted a short statement at its launch to guide priorities.
Next steps: the coalition will focus the first months on the three priority initiatives, expand outreach across campuses, complete student interviews with Hanover Research and provide progress reports to the board.
