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16 | CANYON CORRIDOR CONNECTION 2016
Educat ion
The Phoenix Union Governing Board
unanimously named Dr. Chad E. Gestson the
permanent superintendent at its board meeting
on Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016. The motion to accept
and approve a superintendent search process
timeline was amended by board member
Stephanie Parra, following a leadership profile
report by an executive search team that included
input from almost 1,000 stakeholders.
“I am honored and excited to serve this
community for many years to come. Phoenix
Union is poised for great success in the future
with an excellent governing board, exceptional
leadership at all employee levels, a supportive
community and the best students,” Dr. Chad
Gestson said.
Gestson had been serving as the interim superintendent since August,when
Dr. Kent Scribner was hired to lead the Fort Worth, TX Independent
School District. Gestson’s interim contract was to run through June 30
while a superintendent search began in November. The Governing Board
will begin work on Gestson’s new contract.
“When the search team made the report tonight publicly, it was not
as effusive as we heard it privately,” Governing Board President Lela
Alston said. “They said they had never been in a district like this that
was so together. Every single aspect - staff, parents, students, community
members were all together with a singular purpose... It’s so good to have
that validation from the community.”
“Dr. Scribner was the right man for a season. He did a great job, restoring
trust and spirit in the district, and was perfect for that season. But this is
a new era, and you are the perfect guy, Dr. Gestson. I am confident that
the Gestson era will be the most exciting era for Phoenix Union in a long,
longtime,” Board Clerk Ian Danley said.
Gestson, 38, who has been with Phoenix Union for seven years and is the
18th permanent superintendent in the 121-year history of the district.
After serving as principal of Camelback High School for five years, he
became a member of the Superintendent’s Leadership team last year as the
Director of School Leadership, overseeing principals and developing future
principals and assistant principals in an Aspiring Leaders program.
The 2013 District Administrator of the Year, Gestson was also a 2013-
14 Rodel Exemplary Principal - one of only seven in the state that year.
In that role, he mentored aspiring teachers, particularly those who will
lead schools of lower income students. Among his accomplishments at
Camelback, he instituted an Advisory period where students meet daily
for four years with the same advisor, started an evening credit-recovery
Virtual School, opened the first Montessori High School program in
the state, founded the Food and Clothing Bank that serves the entire
community, reinvigorated the Camelback Alumni Association and
partnered with many local businesses and groups, including Social
Venture Partners, which has invested time, talent and funding in the
school. Camelback’s student achievement improved, college scholarships
for students increased, and student participation in sports, the arts,clubs,
community service and campus event attendance or other activities was
mandatory.
Gestson won the 2010-11 Lead and Inspire Award, Urban High School
Division, presented by the Arizona State University (ASU) Office of
Education partnerships. He also won the award as a middle school
principal at Carl T. Smith Middle School in the Isaac School District in
2008. In addition, Gestson spent five years as an administrator in the Isaac
School District, and taught for three years in the Roosevelt Elementary
District. A Teach for America product, prior to his public education career,
he was a commercial construction superintendent in Seattle. He has a B.A.
in English from the University of Washington, two master’s degrees from
ASU and Northern Arizona University (NAU), and an Ed.D. in Educational
Leadership from NAU.
Phoenix Union High School District is one of the largest high school
districts in the country with 16 schools, more than 27,000 students,and
nearly 3,000 employees. Phoenix Union covers 220-square miles of
Arizona’s capital city. If the K-8 students within its 13 elementary partner
schools were included, Phoenix Union would be among the 25 largest
school districts in the United States with over 110,000 students.
New Superintendent Dr. Chad
Gestson leads Phoenix Union
High School District
Phoenix Union High School District
Dr. Chad Gestson
Superintendent
Phoenix Union High
School District
4502 N. Central Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85012
Phone: 602-764-1100