MUSD has some familiar faces in new positions

Maricopa Unified School District began its new school year Monday with some familiar faces in new administrative positions throughout the district.

Rick Abel, principal at Santa Rosa Elementary School for the past five years, is the new principal of Maricopa Wells Middle School. Abel was given a two-year contract by the governing board to help put in place school improvement plans and to develop a new culture for that site. Plans are already underway to redo the campus to provide more shade, better functionality and a more pleasing landscape for students and staff. In addition, Abel has added about 17 new staff members.

The only administrator new to the district, Kevin Ames is Abel’s assistant at Maricopa Wells. Originally from Idaho, Ames comes from the Mesa Public School District where he was assistant principal at Powell Junior High for six years. He also spent ten years in New Mexico as a high school teacher and assistant principal before moving to Arizona.

One familiar face in the district, Danielle Record, is the new Santa Rosa Elementary Principal. In her three years with the district, she has been an assistant principal at Santa Rosa, Pima Butte and Butterfield Elementary Schools, as well as at Desert Wind Middle School.

Korrin Ledbetter now sits in the principal’s chair at Pima Butte Elementary School. “I am excited to take on the role as principal, transitioning from Pima Butte’s Academic Achievement Coach for the past three years. This should be a smooth transition for parents and students, as I am already a familiar face,” said Ledbetter in the district’s recent newsletter.

Rachele Reese, formerly the assistant principal at Maricopa Wells and Saddleback Elementary, is assisting Bonnie Gibson at Maricopa Elementary School. In line with the district budget cuts, Reese is the only elementary assistant principal in the district for this year.

Manuel Barajas, a seventh grade language arts and social studies teacher at Desert Wind Middle School, gave up the classroom this year for administrative duties as assistant to Desert Wind Principal Joe Veres.

Formerly assistant principal at Maricopa Elementary School, Aaron Harris is a new assistant principal at Maricopa High School. Harris has been with MUSD for three years.

Contact numbers and websites for the various MUSD schools, as well as the district office, are as follows:

District Office
Main Line-520-568-5100
Website- www.maricopausd.org

Maricopa High School
Main Line-520-568-8100
Website- www.mhs.maricopausd.org

Maricopa Wells Middle School
Main Line-520-568-7100
Website- www.mwms.maricopausd.org

Desert Wind Middle School
Main Line 520- 568-7110
Website- www.desertwind.maricopausd.org

Maricopa Elementary School
Main Line- 520-568-5160
Website- www.mes.maricopausd.org

Butterfield Elementary School
Main Line- 520-568-6100
Website- www.butterfield.maricopausd.org

Saddleback Elementary School
Main Line-520-568-6110
Website- www.saddleback.maricopausd.org

Santa Rosa Elementary School
Main Line-520-568-6150
Website- www.santarosa.maricopausd.org

Pima Butte Elementary School
Main Line-520-568-7150
Website- www.pimabutte.maricopausd.org

Santa Cruz Elementary
Main Line-520-568-5170
Website- www.santacruz.maricopausd.org

Photo (left to right:) Danielle Record, Rochelle Reese, Korrin Ledbetter, Manuel Barajas and Kevin Ames

Photo by Joyce Hollis