I am honored to serve as Superintendent of the Flagstaff Unified School District and look forward to carrying out our district’s mission and vision. We have much to be proud of in FUSD - strong academic and extracurricular programs, committed and caring staff, engaged parents and strong community support.
It is a great privilege to have the opportunity each day as an educator to positively impact students’ lives, and instill the skills and inspiration each student needs to be on a path of success.
Michael A. Penca, Superintendent
District Mission
The Flagstaff Unified School District fosters safe communities where learners of all backgrounds and abilities are supported to gain the confidence and skills needed to pursue their chosen paths.
District Vision
Our learners are empowered with the skills and creativity necessary to contribute in a rapidly changing and complex world.
a. Increase the percentage of K-8 students meeting grade level proficiency targets from the Fall 2024 to Spring 2025 for reading and mathematics as measured by the AIMSWeb benchmark assessments.
b. Increase the growth rate of students proficient on state assessments in Reading/English Language Arts and Mathematics at a higher rate than the state average as calculated by the Project Momentum collaborative.
c. Increase the percentage of students scoring proficient compared to the previous year as measured by end-of-year state assessments in Reading/English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science with a specific focus on Reading/English Language Arts.
d. Report about the year-to-year changes in A-F Letter Grades for schools and the district as designated by the State Board of Education, with a focus on improvement efforts of D-rated schools.
e. Report about College and Career Readiness Indicators (CCRI) points earned by FUSD’s high schools as measured by the A-F Letter Grades accountability system, with a focus on student recruitment to those programs.
a. Increase community engagement as measured by increased responses on parent and student surveys.
b. Report about new and current partnerships to support FUSD throughout the school year, and add or enhance 2-3 new partnerships for FUSD.
c. Provide clear and consistent two-way communication with all FUSD stakeholders, including staff, students, parents, the Governing Board, and community members.
a. Review and possibly revise the strategic plan with the new Governing Board.
b. Monitor the district budget and work to rebuild cash and carryover reserves.
c. Analyze and understand issues related to the Transportation Department services, staffing, and budget to inform recommendations for improvement in department communication, culture, and engagement.
a. Monitor and implement strategies to improve discipline outcomes (restorative practices, alternative to suspension, etc.).
b. Increase students feeling safe and supported in their social and emotional growth and feeling empowered in their educational journey as measured by the Panorama survey administered in the Fall and Spring.
c. Support students and families during transition years (5 th to 6 th grade, 8 th to 9 th grade, and post-secondary opportunities).
d. Review and refine school safety plans, procedures, and resources to ensure the physical safety of all staff and students. Engage families with information and opportunities to partner and understand school safety issues.
e. Monitor and implement strategies to address chronic absenteeism.
a. Ensure FUSD team members are heard, valued, supported, and inspired in their work. Identify two topics from the Opportunities identified in the June 2024 NBRI Employee Behavior Report to focus on for improvement.
b. Continue to explore opportunities to support staff recruitment and retention (workforce housing, professional learning, and working conditions). Conduct a Housing Feasibility Study and advance workforce housing partnerships
c. Analyze teacher retention data. Report about the new mentor program for first-year teachers in January and June 2024.
d. Engage strategies to recruit and diversify the workforce to better match the demographics of students.