Chestnut: MUSD superintendent lays out Top 5s

This past July 2 I went to work as the new superintendent of the Maricopa Unified School District. Since then I have greatly enjoyed meeting staff, parents, community members and students.  Everyone has been very friendly and welcoming, which I greatly appreciate. 

Since I am new, I thought you might be interested to know some of my beliefs about K-12 public education. This is not a complete list, but it is my Top Five.

1.    I believe K-12 public education is the foundation of our country’s democratic republic.
2.    I believe K-12 public education is a communitywide responsibility.
3.    I believe we need to provide a quality K-12 public education to all students, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, income level or disability. 
4.    I believe all children can learn at high levels, and all children are born with unique gifts and abilities.
5.    I believe our ultimate goal is not to educate students only to pass state tests but for them to become life-long learners.