Maricopa Schools’ Superintendent Alma Farrell retiring at end of June

At the end of June next year Alma Farrell will leave her desk at the Maricopa Unified School District’s office for the last time. She will be officially joining the retirement ranks; however, for a person who has been so active in this community for such a long time, she will be doing what she likes best–being part of Maricopa.

At the recent Founder’s Day celebration, the Farrell family was honored with a Key to the City plaque denoting the family’s contributions to the small, pioneer community that is now experiencing such tremendous growth.

Alma Farrell holds the Key to the City plaque recognizing the Farrells as one of Maricopa’s founding families

Alma Gastelum Farrell was born in an Army camp in Florence. Her parents divorced when she was a baby. Her mother remarried a schoolteacher, Billy Mitchell, whom Alma considers her father. The family lived in Poston, Globe, and the Mesa-Tempe area, where Alma completed sixth through eighth grades.

Her dad signed a contract to teach math in Maricopa and to coach six-man football in 1955. He even received a $500 stipend to build here, so the family, which included Alma’s younger sisters Belinda and Barbara, moved to Maricopa in 1958.

The younger girls were very happy here, but, as Farrell puts it, “I thought it was the end of the world.” She missed her former school friends right up until the first day of her freshman year. “Everybody was so friendly,” she recalls, “I fell in love with it from the beginning. I fit right in. We were very culturally diverse even then.”

Her graduating class of 16 students in 1962 was the largest Maricopa High School class ever. They were also the first class to be part of a four-year school. Previously, students had taken the long drive to attend Casa Grande High School until Maricopa added one class each year.

High school was filled with hayrides, dances, carport parties, and even a slumber party at the Honey cup Café. Loyd Caulkins let his daughter and her friends eat whatever they wanted and fixed the jukebox so that it played all night.

The former cheerleader married her high school sweetheart and future local farmer, Eddie Jay Farrell, in 1965. Their son Edward was born the following year. Edward, the first mayor of Maricopa, spearheaded the incorporation movement for the city. A local businessman, he currently serves on the Maricopa City Council.

The Farrells’ daughter, Jocelyn, was born in 1970. The manager of Headquarters Restaurant, she is married to Darwin Parks and the mother of six young children, including triplets.

Dora Mitchell, Alma’s mother, lives next door to her and is still famous for her cooking.

Sadly and unexpectedly, Eddie Jay died in 1982 at the age of 36. Alma devoted her time to raising her two children, overseeing the family’s business interests and teaching.

Graduating with an elementary education degree from ASU in 1972, she began her career in education as the high school’s Title 1 Reading teacher. She spent 11 years as the reading specialist for grades 2 – 12 in Maricopa, teaching many of Maricopa’s present civic leaders. During that time period, she also received a master’s degree in educational administration from Nova University.

In July 1987, she was named Special Projects Director for the district. She was responsible for assessment, federal programs and grants. After six years Farrell became Director of Curriculum and Instruction; she was named Superintendent of Schools in 1999. This is her seventh year in that position.

Superintendent Farrell recently welcomed Governor Janet Napolitano to Maricopa while Maricopa Mayor Kelly Anderson (left) listened.

Farrell is a member of many educational and civic organizations and the recipient of awards too numerous to mention, but she does have several hobbies. She likes arts and crafts, enjoys sewing, cooking and sports, and she is particularly interested in youth and community activities.

Asked what she plans for July 1, 2006, the first day of her retirement, she replied, ” I’m probably going to sleep in a little bit since I don’t have to get up early.”

Farrell has always wanted to see Vatican City, and she had that opportunity last year on a Central Arizona College tour. She would also like to visit Ireland, but she added, ” I like my house; I like my family. I’m really looking forward to spending more time with my grandchildren.”

Alma Farrell has served as Maricopa’s Superintendent of Schools for the past seven years.

When Alma Farrell leaves her desk at the end of the day on June 30, 2006, she won’t be going far. She will be staying right here in the place she “fell in love with right from the beginning.” She “fit right in” then, and she still does today.