Santa Cruz principal on leave to pursue dream

Santa Cruz Elementary School principal Gina Chaffin has been granted a one-year leave of absence to pursue her life-long dream of becoming a writer.

Chaffin hopes to complete her novel. She struggled with her choice to step away from teaching, but she simply saw the opportunity to pursue her dream, and she knew she had to take it.

“Although a writing career has always been a vision of mine, it will be difficult to be away from the students,” she said. “Kids carry so much positive energy.  They are the reason educators return to their profession year after year.”

Chaffin was brought to Santa Cruz Elementary in 2013, and in her short time as principal, she raised the school’s test scores and expectations. The leave of absence guarantees her a position if she decides to return, but it won’t be the position she is leaving. The district has found a permanent replacement to take over the position of Santa Cruz principal for the future.

However, due to her body of work, the Maricopa Unified School District would love to see Chaffin come back.

“We hope that she returns in 2016-17 as a principal or teacher,” MUSD superintendent Steve Chestnut said. “Gina has done an excellent job and she will be missed. Thanks to her excellent leadership, Santa Cruz was able to increase their letter grade from ‘C’ to a ‘B.’ The staff is making excellent progress on their goal of becoming an ‘A’ district.”

A Phoenix native, Chaffin earned her degrees from Northern Arizona University and Arizona State University. She has listed some of her favorite people as Harriet Tubman, Anne Frank and Helen Keller. Even when she was hired, she already had the goal of becoming a published author.

Despite the decision to leave for the year, Chaffin does not expect to leave the world of teaching forever. In fact, she still plans to return to MUSD.

***ADVERTISEMENT***“The intent is to return,” Chaffin said. “I am very pleased that Dr. Chestnut and the MUSD Governing Board have been supportive in granting me a one-year leave of absence.  This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

The governing board made the decision to find a permanent replacement for Chaffin at Santa Cruz instead of just finding a temporary fix. Loraine Conley will come over from Dunbar Elementary School in Phoenix to take over the position.

 “Gina has done an excellent job as the principal at Santa Cruz. She will be missed,” Chestnut said.