Fountain Hills superintendent outlines hires, security push and strategic‑planning timeline

Dr. Jagadinsky, the superintendent, opened the meeting with a string of staffing and operational updates, saying the district recently hired Val Reichler as dean of students for the middle school and completed both high‑school counselor positions.

He said the district has posted four security positions — one each at McDowell and the middle school and two at the high school — and described this as an effort "to have someone patrolling the campus" and to give principals more capacity to act as instructional leaders. "I strongly believe that having someone patrolling the campus is very important," he said.

On technology staffing, Dr. Jagadinsky said the district is still seeking a tech director and is evaluating a semester‑by‑semester contract with an outside provider (named in the meeting) that could provide a help desk and an average 8‑minute ticket response time for teachers. He said a contract would likely be presented to the board in August for an initial semester trial.

The superintendent also described interim finance support, noting the district contracted short‑term finance consultants while it continues to recruit a permanent director of finance. He said the consultants are helping get spending and approvals in order until a hire is made.

Looking ahead, Dr. Jagadinsky said the district will center the coming year on a theme of "high expectations," and plans to launch a strategic‑planning process in September with committees and a target three‑year plan covering academics, social‑emotional learning, athletics and staff retention. He said the plan will tie into specific objectives and metrics that the board will review; "this would be the first time having principals align their goals to mine," he said.

The superintendent closed by stressing communication and celebration of successes — from updating the website front page to recognizing A+ and other awards — as part of rebuilding enrollment and community confidence.

The meeting included routine board housekeeping items but no final board action on these operational items; the superintendent said several items (technology contract, camera proposals) would return to the board as formal proposals.