Ray Chavez, principal of Apollo Middle School, is heading to Mesa to lead a junior high school that is targeted for restructuring after failing to meet U.S. Department of Education standards.
His challenge awaits at Carson Junior High School, an inner-city school with 783 students on the city's west side in the Mesa Unified School District.
The district conducted a national search, and Chavez was among three finalists. He officially begins July 1. His base salary will be $94,469, plus benefits.
"We were impressed with the progress that he made at his previous school, and we felt he would be an excellent match for the Carson community," said Katherine Bareiss, director of community relations for the Mesa district. She said the parents involved in the interview process expressed the same sentiments.
Chavez, a Harvard graduate who led his staff in transforming the failing Apollo into a performing-plus school in four years, will officially leave the Sunnyside Unified School District on June 30. His wife, Dina, a teacher at Mission Manor Elementary School, wants to complete 30 years there before joining her husband next year.
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The new Apollo principal will be Rosemary Rosas. The name brings a smile to Chavez's face. In the 1980s, Chavez was Rosas' social studies teacher at Apollo, and later her track coach at Desert View High School. He also taught José Gastelum, who was recently named principal at Desert View.
"It will be Rosie's turn to take Apollo on up and turn it into an excelling school under state standards," Chavez said. "It is time for new energy," he said, while packing up his office Thursday as staffers wished him well.
Among his mementos were letters from students, thanking him for his friendship, respect and inspiration.
"You can turn a school around," said Chavez, 52, with pride as he reflected on the 262 eighth-graders promoted to high school from Apollo, which ended the year with 825 students.
It was in 2007 that Chavez stepped onto the campus of the neighborhood school at 265 W. Nebraska St. as its principal. The son of a Bisbee miner met his challenge, and, with the support of Superintendent Manuel L. Isquierdo and the district's governing board, he went to work and cleaned up the school.
He hired 40 new teachers with fresh ideas and enthusiasm for teaching. Together, they raised expectations, showed students they cared and turned the school around with gardens and a sculpture fountain.
Vandalism, graffiti, ditching and fighting weren't tolerated. Numerous signs about laws regarding weapons and drugs were removed from the perimeter fence to help change the image, too.
Students and parents raised money for Student Council representatives to attend the inauguration of President Obama in 2009. The youth befriended officers and raised money and purchased three bulletproof vests for the Tucson Police Department.
The district initially pumped $1.8 million into the school for maintenance and technology upgrades. Money also was spent on educational consultants, who coached teachers in new methods of instruction. Last August, it opened as a community school - welcoming families in the evening for tutoring, computer classes and fitness programs.
As Chavez packed up his last box, he felt good knowing that he'll leave Apollo with a foundation of energized teachers, and his former student, Rosas, to lead and continue the work to improve students' lives.
Contact reporter Carmen Duarte at 573-4104 or cduarte@azstarnet.com
