The Kyrene district will welcome four new principals when the new school year starts Monday, Aug. 10.
Longtime Kyrene del Pueblo Middle School principal Tom Sieger retired this summer after many years of service to the district. Assistant Principal Jama Nacke will take over Sieger’s vacated spot.
Students at Kyrene de la Paloma Elementary School said farewell to Principal Beth Lang this year. Janet Tobias, most recently assistant principal at Kyrene de las Brisas, is now the principal at Paloma.
At C.I. Waggoner Elementary, Lisa Gibson, most recently assistant principal at Kyrene de las Manitas, will take the reins as principal.
At Kyrene del Cielo, veteran principal Mike Deignan takes over after being recruited from Madison School District in Madison, Wisc.
“We made a family decision to move to the Southwest so we could be closer to my wife’s family,” Deignan said. “We researched school districts, and Kyrene was one of the top ones in the state; I am lucky that I landed here.”
Deignan bring four years of administrative experience and 20 years of education experience with him from Madison.
“I am excited to be apart of a high-performing school district and a phenomenal community,” Deignan said.
“I am looking forward to meeting and working with a new group of great people.”
Having lived and grown up with a family of educators, Deignan said he was sure of his profession from a young age.
“Both of my parents were in education, so I knew that’s what I wanted to do when I was very little,” Deignan said. “I pretty much did not have a choice, but luckily it was the right choice for me.”
The public can meet and see the new principals and the rest of the staffs of all of the Kyrene schools at the annual meet the teacher night.
The middle schools will open their doors from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 5. Elementary schools will hold open houses from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6.
