Roosevelt district seeks permanent school chief
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 23, 2004 12:00 AM
Betty Reid

SOUTH PHOENIX - The Roosevelt Elementary School District is looking for a permanent superintendent - again.

If the south Phoenix school district hires a new superintendent soon, the individual will take over a district where a majority of the 12,000 students at 20 campuses are Hispanic.

At least four superintendents have left over two decades of controversy. The most recent was Frederick Warren, who was fired in October. The district named Grace Wright interim superintendent.

Ben Miranda, a member of Roosevelt's governing board, said the board seeks applicants with extensive experience in education administration. He wants candidates who have operated schools similar to those in the Roosevelt district.

Miranda identified bilingual education as an issue.

"We still have to finalize and agree on the final qualification," Miranda said.



Roosevelt has four schools that were identified by the Arizona Department of Education as underperforming two years in a row.

Wright, a Roosevelt assistant superintendent before taking the top job, was not available Friday to comment about whether she would be in the running for the position.

John Ramos, a father whose child attends Roosevelt's Valley View School, said he wants a superintendent with a vision.

"What's important is all children are learning at the level they are supposed to be at by the time they get to the eighth grade," Ramos said.