Superintendent's Message

May 20, 2025

Dear Kyrene Community,

The end of the school year is nearly here, and I am filled with pride and gratitude for all that our students, staff and families have accomplished together. This is a celebratory time in Kyrene, especially for our eighth-grade students as they prepare to take their next big step into high school. I want to recognize the hard work, growth and resilience our students have shown throughout the year. Their achievements, both in and out of the classroom, reflect the strength of our Kyrene community and the bright futures that lie ahead.

Celebrating Team Kyrene

During Teacher Appreciation Week, we celebrated our Kyrene educators for being All-Stars! Our teachers are the heart of Team Kyrene, and no scoreboard could ever measure their impact. Whether it’s helping a student find their footing or leading them to a personal best, teachers are the ultimate game changers.

We also had the privilege of celebrating excellence in Kyrene at the Tempe Diablos Excellence in Education awards ceremony. Finalists were nominated by staff, students and community members for their impact in our District. Congratulations to our District winners and to all who were nominated!

Purple background with text that says "Kyrene Teachers are All-Stars!"

Call for Election

The Kyrene Governing Board has called for a special election on November 4, 2025, as recommended by the Long Range Planning Committee. The measure calls for a Maintenance & Operations (M&O) Override. In Kyrene, M&O funding is equal to about 200 teaching positions throughout the District. Information about this initiative and its impact on Kyrene will be available in the coming weeks at www.kyrene.org/election.

Kyrene Super Students

Since my last message, we have celebrated Kyrene Super Students from four schools. Students are identified by their schools for exemplifying the traits in the Portrait of a Kyrene Kid. Please join me in congratulating these outstanding students!

A group of students and adults stand together in a big room.

Kyrene Aprende
Victoria Boshnakova
Eliana Hurmiz
Santiago Frausto

Kyrene de las Brisas
Millicent Goresky Caslor
Hilda Delci Benitez
Tylan Johnson

Kyrene Values

During the last week of April, the Superintendency team visited the fourth-quarter Kyrene Values Educators awardees. Congratulations to everyone who was nominated this year!

A collage of photos of people with certificates posing with colleagues.

Thanks to our sponsor, CORE, 48 members of Team Kyrene received a certificate and a $100 Amazon gift card as a token of appreciation for their dedication to Kyrene this school year.

Kyrene Foundation Seeking Board Members

The Kyrene Foundation is looking for volunteers to join their Board of Directors. The Kyrene Foundation works hand in hand with the District to ensure the needs of our community are met. All applicants are welcome, especially those with experience or interest in: fundraising, grant writing, event planning, social media marketing, communications or finance.

Learn More

A Thank You to Kyrene's Superintendent Councils

As the school year comes to a close, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to our community for staying actively engaged in Kyrene through groups like the Kyrene Business Alliance, Parent Organization Roundtable, Superintendent Advisory Council and Superintendent Student Senate. Your thoughtful feedback, collaboration, and commitment have helped us tackle challenges, embrace new opportunities and make meaningful progress that benefits all students and families.

I’d especially like to recognize the incredible students who served on our Student Senate—your voices have made a real impact. Your energy, ideas, and dedication to improving our schools continue to inspire and help guide our work:

Ella Keisling
Christopher Scott
Madeleine Hostetler
Jayden Tyus
Eva Wong

Jahmanii Wade
Amani Clark
Liam Tucker
Vincent Woodmansee
Joclyn Ramirez Chavoyo
Braelynn Small

Brody Trollop
Emmerich Lincoln
Yuqing “Yuki” Liu
Dalila Sahman
Xavier Conway

Adults and middle school students stand in front of an old truck parked inside a building.

As we wrap up another remarkable year in Kyrene, I want to thank each of you for the role you’ve played in making this school year a success. From the classroom to the community, your support, involvement, and encouragement have made a lasting difference for students. I wish all of our families a joyful and restful summer, and to our promoting students—congratulations and best wishes as you begin this exciting new chapter. I look forward to welcoming everyone back for another great year ahead!

Sincerely,

Laura Toenjes
Superintendent

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