Superintendent's Message
February 13, 2025
Dear Kyrene Community,
The new year is in full swing in Kyrene and we have so much to celebrate. From student and teacher successes to special events, these next few months will be filled with moments that inspire our community and showcase the incredible things happening throughout the District. With spring break on the horizon, I encourage everyone to take time to reflect, recharge, and return ready to embrace new opportunities. Together, we are creating a learning environment where every student can thrive.
Congratulations, NBC Teachers!
At the end of January, Associate Superintendent Carrie Furedy joined Dr. Jo Shurman, Kyrene's Director of Professional Growth and Development, to surprise new and newly renewed National Board Certified Teachers in our District. This is the highest certification an educator can achieve in the United States and requires teachers to undergo a rigorous and reflective process. It is truly a testament to a teacher's dedication and passion for education. Please join us in congratulating the following teachers:
Newly Certified Teachers:
Jenna Aguinaga, Physical Education Teacher, Kyrene Monte Vista
Rochelle Cotela, Grade 5 Teacher, Kyrene de la Esperanza
Raquel Ellis, District Teacher Facilitator (PreK-3) Literacy
Suzanne Maki, District Teacher Facilitator (PreK-3) Math
Sarah Manchester, Grade 5 Teacher, Kyrene de la Esperanza
Jessica Van Oostrom, Music Teacher, Kyrene del Milenio
Renewing Certification:
Michelle Ang, Resource Teacher, Kyrene Traditional Academy
Federal Landscape
One of Kyrene’s greatest strengths is that we are part of a community that is diverse and highly engaged. Many families and employees follow the news closely and may be wondering how executive orders from the new administration might impact Kyrene students and schools. At this time, there has been no impact on Kyrene from any executive order or action. Executive orders do not create new laws, change existing ones, or provide legally binding rules for schools. Instead, they direct federal agencies on how to enforce current laws. Those agencies then provide direction for school districts. Sometimes this requires congressional action or court rulings before changes (if any) can take effect.
We have received a few questions regarding immigration enforcement, so I want to share the statement Kyrene released last month:
Kyrene is committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment. The district will always comply with state and federal laws, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which prohibits schools from sharing personally identifiable information about students without express parental consent. Kyrene has policies and procedures for complying with requests from law enforcement agencies, such as requiring specific documentation from agencies wishing to interview students.
As with any new law, Kyrene will review the executive orders and consult with the district’s legal team to determine what, if any, impact they may have on our practices. Kyrene will continue to act in the best interest of all students, staff and families within the bounds of the law. The U.S. Supreme Court has established that all students, regardless of immigration status, have a constitutional right to education, and Kyrene does not ask families to provide documentation related to immigration status. Our district celebrates our community’s rich diversity and stands by the Kyrene Promise to provide welcoming, inclusive learning environments.
While we always monitor developments that impact education, we remain focused on what matters most: the education of our Kyrene kids and the fulfillment of the Kyrene Promise.
Tax Credits
Tax season is here, and there’s still time to make a difference for Kyrene students. Tax credit donations directly fund arts, music, field trips, guest speakers, and other enriching programs that help shape students into well-rounded learners and future leaders. You can claim up to $400 per couple or $200 per individual, reducing your tax liability while supporting Kyrene schools.
District Spelling Bee Winners
I am excited to share that for the second year in a row, Isabelle Garcia, an 8th grade student at Kyrene del Pueblo Middle School is the District Spelling Bee Champion. Top spellers from across Kyrene competed at the Kyrene School District Spelling Bee on Thursday, January 16, at Kyrene Altadeña Middle School. After 108 words spelled during seven rounds of intense competition, Isabelle correctly spelled the championship word saeta to clinch the title. Kyrene’s top four spellers will advance to the Maricopa County Regional Bee this weekend:
- Isabelle Garcia (grade 8), Kyrene del Pueblo Middle School
- Kateri Peterson (grade 7), Kyrene Altadeña Middle School
- Bree Crusoe (grade 6), Kyrene de las Manitas Innovation Academy
- Alejandro Santhanam (grade 5), Kyrene de los Lagos Dual Language Academy
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!
Kyrene del Norte
Lucia Brenes-Tana
Reid Abbitt
Maggie Popish
Kyrene de los Lagos
Blaire Munoz
Cole Rogers
Lucy Sordo
Kyrene Traditional Academy
Matthew Vasquez
Bernardo Rivas
Grace Schmucker-Ontiveros
Kyrene de la Mirada
Norah Marshall
Taryn Condoll
Let's Talk!
In my January message, I introduced the launch of Let’s Talk, a new customer service platform designed to ensure families, staff and community members receive timely, accurate responses to any questions or concerns you may have.
As a reminder, Kyrene is testing this new tool with a select number of district teams, including the Superintendency! I encourage you to use this tool to share your feedback. In all of my monthly messages moving forward, there will be a button directing you to this platform.
Sincerely,
Laura Toenjes
Superintendent