Five candidates seek three open seats on Amphitheater school board

Five candidates are running for three open seats on the Amphitheater Public Schools governing board.

Newcomers Elizabeth Slater, John Fife and Nina Godlewski will face off for two open four-year seats, while Kimberly Ryan and Michael Gemma will face off for one open two-year seat.

Elizabeth Slater

Elizabeth Slater, the CEO of non-profit dropout prevention organization Youth On Their Own, told the Star she is running for the Amphi governing board because she believes in the “power of public education” and sees getting involved with the district as a way of supporting that.

“I've had such an honor to be involved as a volunteer, serving on the Amphi Foundation board for a couple terms, and I also volunteered with our bond and override measures (team),” she said. “We have a great district, we have really good outcomes, and it felt like there's a couple challenges coming up that we're going to be facing, and I just thought this might be the right time.”

She said some of the upcoming challenges for the district include declining enrollment and a growing disconnect from district families following school closures earlier this year. The new governing board will also vote on a new Superintendent, as current Superintendent Todd Jaeger is set to retire at the end of the current school year.

“I think there's some transparency stuff there that we can learn from and try to make sure that moving forward, as we're all adjusting to this new normal, that we're really engaging with students and their parents and with school staff,” Slater said. “We're about to hire a new superintendent, and not every board gets to do that. That's a huge responsibility with really long-term impacts … Navigating that process, understanding how to hire an executive, is something I've done. I've been on a lot of nonprofit boards where we've hired leaders, and of course I am a nonprofit leader.”

Slater said when it comes to AI in K-12 education, districts need to take innovative approaches to teach AI use responsibly while ensuring student learning.

“There is not a reality where we just pretend AI does not exist,” she said. “We can't just ask students or tell them we expect them not to use it, and then believe that they won't. They are using it, it's part of the air they're breathing.”

She said she’d like to see an openness in the district on how to implement AI where it’s appropriate and where it can actually enhance education.

Slater believes she’s a fit candidate for the board because she can bring a “zoomed out lens,” her non-profit work has introduced her to community partners that can benefit the district, and she has experience making strategic decisions on “how to allocate very limited resources to achieve the best outcomes for students,” she said.

John Fife

John Fife, a retired Amphi teacher of over thirty years, said after serving in different leadership roles for Amphitheater Education Association, the district teachers’ union, running for governing board seems like the “next logical step.”

Fife said if elected, his top three priorities would be to fight declining enrollment by better funding “people and programs as a way to attract new families to the district,” gain better trust from the district community following school closures earlier this year and protect all students’ rights to education.

“I want to make sure our immigrant students' rights are protected and that families feel safe,” he said. “There's a lot of chaos and corruption in our institutions right now, and I'm feeling less and less effective and powerful at controlling a lot of that. But I feel like I can protect this blue corner of my world, and that's a motivation too.”

Fife believes that AI is a “hindrance” to education, and said if elected, he would want to restrict AI use as much as possible.

“I think studies are starting to show that the introduction of technology as a whole has been a hindrance to education,” he said. “I think that's the big danger of AI (is) trying to to keep students from doing that.”

Fife believes his “experience in working with all levels of the district” is what makes him a qualified candidate for the Amphi governing board, he said.

“I had meetings with principals around the district, I did presentations and had meetings with staff at every school in the district, I worked and had regular meetings with the superintendents, I met with board members and I went on lobbying campaigns with the state legislature,” he said. “I'm the only candidate that has that kind of in-depth experience with the district … and I'm ready to hit the ground running in January when I'm sworn in.”

Nina Godlewski

Nina Godlewski, a recently retired Amphi teacher of 19 years, said she believes “in the quality of the district” and is running for governing board because she “isn’t done contributing to” her community.

She said if elected, her top three priorities would be investigating the best utilization practices for AI in the classroom, addressing the state-wide teacher retention shortage and looking into enrollment issues and addressing why students are leaving the district.

“We need to make sure we're prioritizing the environment that our teachers are working in, making sure they're being treated as professionals, and that they have the ability to do what's best for students inside their classroom,” she said. “And with the closing of schools and consolidating students, there's a whole financial aspect that definitely needs to be addressed.”

She said it’s important for students to “have pencil to paper and to actually do the processing” before students use AI as a learning tool.

“Once you have done the hard work, then it makes sense to use the tools that are available,” she said. “We have to make sure that you know all the cognitive skills are in place before we start using some of the assisting tools.”

She said her extensive and recent experience in the classroom is what will help her “be a voice for the classroom.”

“I think that a lot of times decisions are made at the district level, and policy is set, and they don't see the day-to-day effect of those policy decisions in the classroom,” Godlewski said. “I think I (can) bring that perspective and that voice up to the board level.”

Kimberly Ryan

Kimberly Ryan, the deputy general counsel of the Tucson Airport Authority, said her “strong commitment to the success of public school systems” is driving her candidacy for the Amphi governing board.

“My mom was a public school teacher for 35 years, so I was raised in that environment, I attended public schools my entire life,” she said. “I'm a product of the public school system for the state of Arizona.”

Ryan applied for the open seat last year after the death of former board member Patsy Harris; however, Michael Gemma, who’s also running for the seat, was chosen instead.

She said her top priorities if elected are investing in, attracting and retaining quality educators and staff to attract students as a way to fight enrollment issues and ensuring responsible management of the school budget.

“Both my kids went to Copper Creek … and they both moved over to Wilson, and that school closure really broke my heart,” she said. “I understand the plan is currently underway, but hopefully we can avoid having to do that in the future. Future school consolidation plans really come down to the success of the district as a whole.”

Ryan said she believes student voices should be included in governing board decisions regarding AI.

“AI is slowly being woven into what we do every day. I think that's going to be a part of their lives going forward, and so it really comes down to responsible use,” she said. “If you're a student or you're a parent that is concerned about the rules or lack of rules that are being created around this use of technology, tell (the board) what you think should be done.”

She said her experience working in legal counsel for a public entity and her time with Oro Valley's Planning and Zoning Commission make her a qualified Amphi governing board candidate, she said.

“My job on the governing board would be to listen to (community) concerns and requests, and make the best decision in the interest of the district,” she said.

Michael Gemma

Michael Gemma, former Canyon del Oro High School principal and current governing board member, is running to maintain his position after being appointed to the board last year. He said he’d like to help the two new four-year members adjust to being on the board.

If re-elected, Gemma said his priorities would be to focus on elementary-level learning so that high schools aren’t “playing catch-up,” choose a new Superintendent next year, and make sure campuses that received students from school closures are “getting the support that they need to make things work.”

“The big things are to continue with the improvements, and I want to keep that focus,” he said.

Gemma said students should be taught how to use AI ethically, and that the honors system still matters.

“You have to be very careful,” he said. “We're relying on teachers to use it responsibly (and) educate the students as to the issues that they need to be aware of.”

Gemma said his experience in education is what makes him qualified for the governing board.

“I'm a firm believer that if we can continue to improve the foundation that students get, not only will it help our own enrollment situation, kids and the parents feel that they are getting something out of the whole (experience),” he said. “I want to see good things continue and improvements to be made.”