Superintendent Watson Appoints Two Members to Liberty Elementary School District Board

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, December 20, 2017

CONTACT: Shane Wikfors, (602) 885-0499

 

(Phoenix, AZ) – On Wednesday, Maricopa County School Superintendent Steve Watson appointed two members to the Liberty Elementary School District Governing Board. Mark Aguire replaces Thad McCloud, who resigned on Nov. 10, and Connie Krogulecki-Crowley fills the vacancy of Regina Simmons, who resigned on Nov. 13.

 

In accordance with A.R.S. § 15-302, county school superintendents have statutory authority to appoint qualified individuals to fill vacancies on a school governing boards or, if appropriate, call for a special election in the district.

 

Superintendent Watson applies three criteria in making an appointment to a governing board. First, candidates must be fully committed to the success of their local traditional public school district; second, they must be even-tempered, reasonable and respectful; and, third, appointees must be fiscally responsible with a focus on getting dollars to teachers and into the classroom.

 

Mark Aguire joins the Liberty governing board as an eight-year resident of the district. He is a local businessman who, along with his wife, resides in the Rainbow Valley area where they are raising their daughter.

 

“I am honored to be appointed to this important community role. I hope to bring a steady and objective business perspective to the board as Liberty takes on new challenges in the year ahead,” Aguire stated.

 

Connie Krogulecki-Crowley also joins the board as a longtime teacher in the Liberty community. Connie and her husband have owned a construction business in the district while she has served as a gifted education teacher at Liberty schools for the last 14 years.

 

“I am thrilled to serve in another capacity for the district that is near and dear to my heart,” she said. “My focus on the board will be to give teachers a voice so they can be their most effective in the classroom.”

 

In making the appointments, Superintendent Watson remarked on each of the candidates.

 

“The Liberty board has seen significant turnover in recent months and really needs stability in its governance, but it also needs the passionate perspective of a teacher. Both Mark and Connie bring these elements to the board and to the Liberty education community,” he said.

 

Liberty Elementary School District was founded in 1908 and is located in the far southwest valley and includes parts of Buckeye, Goodyear and Avondale. The district covers 285 square miles and is comprised of both rural agriculture and suburban settings. There are six elementary schools in the district.

 

Maricopa County contains 58 public school districts with a total of 276 governing board positions. These will be the eighth and ninth governing board appointments by Superintendent Watson in 2017.

 

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For more information on the governing board appointment process, contact Shane Wikfors at (602) 885-0499.