The Fountain Hills Unified School District Governing Board offered a one-year contract for the role of superintendent to Kelly Glass during its regular meeting on Wednesday, March 18. According to Glass, she’s had her eye on Fountain Hills for a long time.

When Glass lived in Buckeye, she and friends would come up to visit the town to enjoy Fountain Park, festivals and local restaurants. Being an educator, Glass couldn’t help but ask locals what they thought of the local school system.

“Everyone I talked to was very positive about all the schools,” Glass said.

The town and all the great things she heard about FHUSD convinced Glass that she would love the opportunity to be a part of the Falcon community. She first took a shot at joining the flock when Dr. Patrick Sweeny retired from the superintendent role in 2018.

Glass wasn’t hired then but, when the position became available again this year, she reapplied and found herself at the March 18 Governing Board meeting where she was extended a one-year contract for the 2020-21 academic year.

Glass hasn’t always been in the education field, however. Born in Indiana but raised in Boise, Idaho, Glass originally pursued a career as a nurse. But destiny had other plans.

“My children went to a private religious school and they were in need of a religious studies teacher,” Glass explained. “I was in nursing school at the time, but I volunteered and found that I have an innate ability working with kids.”

After her experience at her children’s school Glass decided to switch majors and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in elementary education form Great Falls University in Montana. Glass went on to earn two Master’s, one in curriculum and the other in education leadership. If that wasn’t enough education, Glass is close to completing her doctorate.

Glass’s first job in the education was as a teacher, but she quickly moved up the ranks to administration.

“I started as a kindergarten teacher, then I moved to teaching special education,” Glass said. “From there I went on to be a director of curriculum, Principal and eventually a superintendent.”

Even though she has worked mostly in administration, Glass never saw herself leaving the classroom.

“I loved being a teacher. Loved it,” she said. “Being with kids, seeing kids learn, I loved it. But I received encouragement from the superintendent who hired me. He said that I showed a lot of great leadership and when he moved jobs, he asked me to join him in the move as a principal.”

Now that her journey has brought her to Fountain Hills, Glass said she is excited to start meeting members of the community.

“My first priority is to do relationship building,” Glass said. “As soon as I can, I want to meet with community leadership and figure out what we can do to help each other.”