One year ago, our community sent a strong message: Make our schools safer for every student. Prioritize strong academics. Ensure parents and families have a real voice in their children’s education.
Working alongside President Heather Rooks as the Board Clerk, the entire board got to work on day one. Here’s what your engagement and support have helped deliver for all our students:
Safer Schools
- Student locker rooms, showers, bathrooms, and overnight accommodations are now protected by a practical, biology-based privacy policy.
- Parents are notified about any medical or mental-health decisions involving their child—promoting transparency and partnership.
- Full disclosure of any criminal allegations for job applicants (previously only convictions were reviewed), raising the standard for everyone who works with our students.
- Required state licensure for all mental health professionals, ensuring professional oversight and accountability.
- Stopped the sale of highly caffeinated energy drinks on campus.
- Added two full-time School Resource Officers and partnered with Peoria and Glendale police real-time crime centers.
- Secured a $500,000 state safety grant.
Peoria Unified is aimed to be the safest district in Arizona. All our students are more secure because of our shared commitment.
Stronger Academics
- Adopted new social-studies textbooks to focus on facts, critical thinking, and balanced perspectives for all students.
- Ended behavioral labeling systems that unfairly followed students beyond graduation.
- Added new Advanced Placement courses to challenge students and help them earn college credits.
- Implemented a practical cell-phone policy that supports focused learning while respecting parental wishes.
- Created a new Early Literacy position specifically focused on Kindergarten through 3rd grade reading to elevate proficiencies.
- Deployed better assessment tools to tailor academic needs to each student, measuring ability and growth.
Better Governance
- Every board meeting now starts and ends with public comment—ensuring every family’s voice can be heard.
- Gave bus drivers a well-deserved raise.
- Updated our district vision and values to center on unlocking every student’s potential through hard work and individual merit.
- Ended district membership in a politically charged policy-making association to keep our focus squarely on education.
One major disappointment? The maintenance override did not pass, which means larger class sizes and delayed upgrades for now. As a dad with several kids in these schools, that affects my family too. But we remain committed to advocating for every resource and exploring every avenue to improving our student success.
One year in, our community has shown that when families come together—demanding safer schools, stronger academics, and governance that listens—positive change can happen quickly. This is just the beginning of building an even better future for every student in Peoria Unified. As we look to the next year, we know we will face difficult decisions, require outside the box solutions and continue to evaluate our systems of accountability. We must be self-assessing and self-correcting in order to meet the expectations of our stakeholders.
Join us at the next board meeting and see the progress being implemented firsthand. Together, we’re creating schools that serve Peoria families and the future generations.
Lastly – a big thank you. To the parents & families for trusting us with your children, to the educators and support staff that help shape our tomorrows, and to all those who are proud to call Peoria home. Thank you.
Jeff Tobey
Governing Board Clerk & Peoria Dad
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