Cave Creek schools leader takes leave; acting head named
“Mrs. Rodriguez is keenly aware of the needs and issues currently facing our staff and students.”
Janet Busbee
Cave Creek Unified School District board president, on acting Superintendent Marcie Rodriguez
The Cave Creek Unified School District governing board voted unanimously on Monday to name Marcie Rodriguez as acting superintendent while Cort Monroe, who has served in the role since 2021, takes a personal leave of absence.
Rodriguez is the district’s chief financial officer.
Frank Hendricsen, a spokesperson for the district, declined to answer whether Monroe is being paid while on leave, adding that no additional information about his absence would be made public.
Hendricsen also didn’t answer when Monroe went on leave, although the superintendent was present for a board meeting on Jan. 23.
The board president, Janet Busbee, read a statement Monday night, thanking Rodriguez for her service and praising her financial expertise.
“Mrs. Rodriguez is keenly aware of the needs and issues currently facing our staff and students. She is committed to working diligently to reestablishing a cohesive environment in which all will thrive,” Busbee said.
Recent superintendent departures, board conflict
Several central Arizona school districts have seen superintendent turnover recently or conflict between the top district employee and elected board. The November election brought new faces to many Arizona school boards.
Last week, the Liberty Elementary School District board accepted Superintendent Lori Shough’s resignation after going into a closed-door session for more than two hours to discuss her severance agreement.
Shough has served the West Valley district as superintendent since 2018 and her resignation is effective March 4.
Kourtney Balsan, a spokesperson for Liberty Elementary, released a statement thanking Shough for her service and wishing her future success.
“During her tenure, Dr. Shough helped staff, students and the community navigate through COVID-19 challenges and facilitated many important changes to promote student success,” Balsan’s statement said. “We have valued her leadership, dedication, hard work and focus on improving outcomes for our students.”
Balsan also said the board is taking immediate steps to retain the services of an outside firm to assist the district in securing an interim superintendent.
In early February, Republican lawmakers Rep. Joseph Chaplik, Rep. Alexander Kolodin and Sen. John Kavanagh wrote an open letter calling for the resignation of Scottsdale Unified School District Superintendent Scott Menzel for comments he made in 2019 about systemic racism. At least one Scottsdale Unified board member spoke out against Menzel in response.
The letter led parents, students and educators to show up at a board meeting last week to rally in support of Menzel.
In late January, the Casa Grande Union High School District board voted 3-2 to terminate Anna Battle as superintendent without cause.
The three board members who voted for Battle’s termination did not explain why they made their decision, which will ultimately cost the district more than $300,000.
In May, in the northwest Valley, the Dysart Unified School District board negotiated an early exit with former Superintendent Quinn Kellis, costing the district $312,532. There had been disagreements over district operations, curriculum, teacher training and student support services.