Dear Kyrene Community,

Next month, the Kyrene Long-Range Planning Committee will present a recommendation to the Kyrene Governing Board to address Kyrene enrollment trends and maximize the use of school facilities. The committee reached consensus on the recommendation during their final meeting last night.

That recommendation is outlined on our webpage, www.kyrene.org/longrangeplan, but I strongly recommend you watch the governing board presentation on September 16 for a full picture, with context. No decisions will be made until December at the earliest, to provide ample time for community input.

This is one of the most difficult and deeply emotional things a school district can go through, and the impact will be felt in every one of our school communities. I want to stress that every school in Kyrene is special, and the recommendation that will go before the board is in no way a reflection of any school’s offerings or achievements. Just as every school in Kyrene is important, every school is also impacted by resources that are stretched too thin.

Kyrene’s goal is to have better-resourced schools, to maintain the level of excellence our students, staff and families deserve.

I cannot even begin to thank the committee for their work over the last seven months. Nearly 60 parents, employees and community partners volunteered their time, immersed themselves in difficult discussions, and identified a path forward that could benefit Kyrene students and schools for many years to come. All committee meetings have been streamed live for the public, and videos are available online at www.kyrene.org/longrangeplan.

I also want to thank our community for your patience with this process. As difficult as this is, Kyrene is one community, and we will navigate this together. Our schools and our district are exceptional, and they will continue to be exceptional, because it is not the building that makes the school—it’s the people inside.

With gratitude,

Laura Toenjes
Superintendent