The Casa Grande Elementary School District is comprised of 9 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 1 early childhood learning center serving 6,500 students. With approximately 900 employees, the Casa Grande Elementary School District is presently the second-largest school district in Pinal County and is one of the largest employers in the county.  The annual operating budget is over $50 million.

We have been supported in our community by local tax payers, having passed a Bond election in 2016 to support the construction of a replacement K-8 school, the purchase of many new buses, and security upgrades to all other schools that are being completed this summer. We also had a 10% Override election that passed during the Fall of 2018. Our boundaries encompass over 400 square miles, and lie within the municipal boundaries of the cities of Casa Grande, Maricopa, and Eloy. Our District also lies within the growth boundaries of the City of Coolidge.

In March of 2018, our District put out an open invitation for staff and community members to come together in an effort to re-establish our District’s vision, strategy, and brand. We started a process called ReVISION, and prominent members of our community participated in several facilitated conversations about our vision and purpose; understanding that this will unify our work and provide clarity, inspiration, and alignment for everything we do.

We asked our community to ‘dream big’, and to let us know the best they would want for our schools 10 years from now. We had many amazing responses indicating our community wants our schools to be:

• leaders in innovation;
• A+ schools of excellence;
• places where students are in charge of their learning; and
• drivers of excellence and change.

They also indicated they want our district to be:

• a place with robust resources and compensation;
• considered the best place to work and learn; and
• an award winning district where teachers line up for future employment.

Finally, our community told us they want our students to be exceptional communicators, problem solvers, good neighbors, and ready members of our future workforce. 

In over a year and a half, our community went through a process of developing a new Vision statement that encompassed the sentiments heard throughout the meetings, re-committed to our existing Mission, and re-designed our logo and brand to portray an image that more closely aligned with our new direction and purpose.

We also redefined our Core Values, and this summer, the Learning Leadership Team operationalized the values so there would be no mistake about what they mean to our workplace culture and what we want for our learners.

Finally, CGESD and CGUHSD have the unique opportunity to collaborate and provide a seamless set of learning opportunities for our students in grades PK-12. There is an enthusiasm, desire, and plan for increasing the articulation between the two districts, and having alignment between our strategic plans might be the bridge that brings the districts together substantively. Follow this link to view the CGUHSD Strategic Plan about how they are embedding their strategy for improvement, and there are many parallels to be drawn.

GOVERNING BOARD

President David Snider
President Pro Tem Gilberto Mendez
Judee Jackson
Rachel Hernandez
Jerry Stabley

ADMINISTRATION

Dr. Jo Etta Gonzales, Superintendent
Tom Wohlleber, Chief Financial Officer
Brenda Tijerina, Director of Talent Acquisition & Employee Services
Jennifer McClintic, Director of Learning Support
Cassandra Goldberg, Assistant Director of Learning Support
Andrea Munoz, Director of Teaching & Learning
Jan Draper, Assistant Director of Teaching & Learning
Lisa Dempsey, Director of the Early Childhood Learning Center
Lisa Bradshaw, Director of Digital Learning & Strategy
Robert Quinones, Director of Leadership & Engagement
Darla Johnson, Director of Transportation Services
Alysia Ruelas, Director of Food Services
Dennis York, Director of Purchasing, Contracts & Warehouse Services
Joseph Leon, Director of Finance
Michael Cruz, Communications & Marketing Specialist

SCHOOLS

Cactus Middle School 
Rebecca Romo, Principal
Mary Slaydon, Assistant Principal
Peter Quinn, Assistant Principal

Casa Grande Middle School
Christopher Laughland, Principal
Malcolm Young, Assistant Principal
Samantha Sarnowski, Assistant Principal

Cholla Elementary School
Azure Sullivan, Principal
Taryn Tijerina, TOA

Cottonwood Elementary School
Dr. Barbara Wright, Principal
Rachel McCoy, TOA

Early Childhood Learning Center 
Lisa Dempsey, Director

Desert Willow Elementary School
Melissa Pieper, Principal
Jeffrey Groh, TOA

Evergreen Elementary School
Scott Raymond, Principal
Denia Welch, TOA

Ironwood Elementary School
Robin Rosales, Principal
Mandy Curry, TOA

McCartney Ranch Elementary School
Jessica Quiñones, Principal
Gabriel Wong, TOA

Mesquite Elementary School
Julie Holdsworth, Principal
Stephanie Rice, TOA

Palo Verde Elementary School
Joanne Kramer, Principal
Gabriel Cheavers, TOA

Saguaro Elementary School
Celie Downey-Foye, Principal
Marcy McCue, TOA

Villago Middle School
Jeff Lavender, Principal
Stephanie Sander, Assistant Principal
Donald Nusbaum, Assistant Principal