Dr. Laura Metcalfe, candidate for Maricopa County School Superintendent at DGT

by Carolyn Classen, blogger

“Join us to meet and discuss education policy and her agenda with Dr. Laura Metcalfe, Democratic candidate for Maricopa Co. School Supervisor (sic). The office is statutorily responsible for providing services supporting school governing board elections, bond and override elections, appointments, school finance, and maintaining homeschool and private school records. The Superintendent leverages the office to strengthen parent and teacher voices, increase respect for the education profession, and create resources that expand the capacity of teachers, administrators, and support staff. The superintendent also oversees the Maricopa County Accommodation District.

Please Register in Advance for this Event:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUqdeGuqzouHdflXh6RNLSA45GIzBhlBzxN

Dr. Laura Metcalfe is an educator who came from industry to make a significant difference in education. She is passionate about supporting learning and achievement for all kids, families, the public school system, and communities.

Laura holds 27 years of responsible education experience, starting as a high school teacher to a district-level administrator. She has also worked in the Maricopa County School Superintendent’s Office as a leader supporting all levels of schools within Maricopa County. Laura earned a Doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University, and she is certified in Arizona as a school superintendent.

Dr. Metcalfe say about herself:

I was born in Tucson, AZ, and I grew up in Mesa, where I have lived ever since. I attended Mesa Public Schools and I graduated from Westwood High School, where I was taught the values of kindness, critical thinking, and hard work.

In high school, I was discouraged from attending college by my guidance counselor, who told me that I “would not amount to much because my math scores were too low.” That day, I told my parents that I wasn’t going to go to college––the beginning of an opportunity of success that I didn’t see coming. Just a few days later, my parents dropped me off at Mesa Community College and told me not to come home until I had a fall 1985 schedule of classes (they were so serious that they even gave me a quarter to call home on a pay phone to let them know I was ready for pick up!). Since then, I have earned three degrees (bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate), three administrative public school certificates, and seven teaching certificates, all from Arizona’s great public college system. I studied at Mesa Community College, Arizona State University, and Northern Arizona University.

I started my career in education as a training coordinator for VISA right after I graduated from Arizona State University. I was responsible for training people who were not job-ready, as they could not read, write, or utilize basic math skills. I felt there was something I should do to help people be more prepared for the workplace, so I returned to ASU to complete my teaching credentials, and my first job was teaching adult English classes for Mesa Public Schools. I was then hired as a high school business teacher a year later. Several years later, I was hired as a career and technical education director, a high school principal, special education director, grant writer, public information officer, and state and federal programs director. Later on, I was fortunate to be hired as the small schools administrator for the Maricopa County School Superintendent’s office, where I provided small, rural schools on the western part of Maricopa County with direct services to ensure that these schools would be able to meet their goals for the students and families in their communities.

In other words, my career has been a lifelong passion of learning and service to public education in Arizona.”