Focus on TUSD - March 2008

Welcoming Our New Superintendent
Elizabeth Celania-Fagen, 34, the new Tucson Unified School District superintendent, has spent her educational career implementing change, forging relationships and collaborating with school and community members to build stronger schools and better prepare students for their futures.

Celania-Fagen will leave her post as an associate superintendent of the Des Moines (Iowa) Independent School district to take over as superintendent here on July 1. Contract negotiations with the TUSD Governing Board will determine her salary and compensation package.

Celania-Fagen earned her doctorate degree in education leadership in May 2004 from Drake University in Des Moines, where she researched the implementation of education policies and developed components needed to adopt changes. In September 2000, she also earned an education specialist degree, a terminal U.S. academic degree designed for students who want to develop additional skills or increase their knowledge beyond the master's degree level, but do not want to pursue a degree at the doctoral level. While she pursued this degree, Celania-Fagen researched the effect money has on education.

Celania-Fagen earned a master's degree in education leadership, also from Drake University, in August 1997. Her 1996 bachelor's degree is in science education from William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

In 1992-93, Celania-Fagen was a pre-medicine major at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. She has teaching endorsements in biology, chemistry, physical science and general science.

She joined the Des Moines Independent School District in July 2005, holding the post of executive director of high school programs and academic achievement for a year before being named associate superintendent in July 2007. She was charged with analyzing programs at all levels and developing plans for 21st century schools. The Des Moines district has 13 elementary schools, three middle schools, two high schools and three alternative schools.

Celania-Fagen also served as:

• Associate principal at Valley High School in West Des Moines from 2002-2005
• Principal at PCM High School (Prairie City and Monroe) in Monroe, Iowa
• Junior and Senior High School administrator at Mormon Trail Jr./Sr. High School in Humeston, Iowa, from 1999-2000
• Substitute administrator at Centerville High School in Centerville, Iowa, from 1998-1999
• High school science teacher at Centerville High School from 1996-1999
• Biology lab instructor for elementary teachers at William Penn University at Oskaloosa, Iowa in the spring of 1995.

She and her husband, Matt, have a daughter, Meredith.

-- By Sharon Dunham
Communications & Media Relations

Photos in the March issue by Jes Ruvalcaba of Communications & Media Relations, unless otherwise noted.

The deadline to submit material for the April Focus is Friday, April 11. The Focus will be published Monday, April 21. Email submissions to Chyrl Hill Lander or Sharon Dunham in the Communications & Media Relations Department or use the online Tip Sheet.