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New PUSD superintendent brings experience, enthusiasm

BYERIN BRASSEY Peoria Times Staff Writer

Though he started overseeing a district with over 37,000 students and more than 4,000 staff in the middle of a pandemic, Dr. Jason Reynolds is confident in the work he and his team plan for the district.

He said as the new Peoria Unified School District superintendent, he wants to use his leadership to keep the students’ best interests at heart with every decision.

“It’s about making sure that we are focused on students,” he said. “Making sure that we are focused on learning and that the decisions we make keep that at the forefront.”

He has had six months to prepare for the job. In January, the PUSD governing board named Reynolds as the replacement for Linda Palles Thompson, who retired July 1.

According to records provided to The Glendale Star, Reynolds’ base salary will be $205,000. He is eligible for performance-based incentives of up to 5% and $600 per month for car expenses.

The district has elementary and high schools in Glendale and Peoria.

Thompson’s retirement announcement led to a national search. Reynolds was selected over superintendents from Michigan, New Mexico and Utah school districts. He said the appreciation and support he garnered from the district staff and community has been “overwhelming.”

Reynolds is originally from Newton, Iowa, and now lives in Phoenix with his wife and two kids.

He said he is very excited to take on this new role in the district and feels like his past work has prepared him for the superintendent job.

Reynolds has been in education for 23 years after receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Central College and master’s and doctorfacilities, operations, curriculum or

trict’s first additional goal is to successfully reopen the schools either with remote learning or in person. He said a pandemic is not the ideal way he thought about beginning his new job as superintendent, but that has not shaded his high hopes for the district. “I am comDr. Jason Reynolds is the new superintendent of the Peoria Unified School pletely confident District, which serves more than 30,000 students in Glendale and Peoria. in the leadership (Peoria Times file photo) that we have in ate degrees in education from Northin our district,” ern Arizona University. Reynolds said. “The leadership that

He said his past leadership in we have at the teacher level, at our schools and classrooms has allowed support staff level and bringing evhim to “think globally” and consideryone together to make sure that we er the community and district as a put the very best plan in place to adwhole whether they are dealing with dress this challenge.” our schools and classroom instruction. Busy first year

Before joining PUSD in 2019, he Reynolds has a busy plate for his worked in the Paradise Valley Unifirst year as superintendent. fied School District since the start of First, he must watch over an unprechis career in 1997. There, he served edented fall semester, which will see in many roles including assistant suthe district return to school online, as perintendent of leadership and secGov. Doug Ducey has ordered classondary instruction, director of currooms may not reopen until Aug. 17. riculum and instruction, principal, There will be a PUSD bond and assistant principal and teacher. maintenance and operations override

“I’ve had those experiences that alon the ballot in the fall, he noted. low me to have those conversations The district is also focusing on and provide leadership and guidance “providing and engaging in rigorous and work with the team in a way that learning environments” as well as will provide outstanding learning honoring the diversity in the comexperiences for the students,” Reynmunity. olds said. “We do all of that by making sure

With that as a main goal, Reynolds that when we make decisions we do explained he and the rest of the disso in a process where our entire com

munity feels as though they have a voice whether you are a student, a parent, a teacher, a staff member, administrator, community member,” he said.

Reynolds explained he does not see a need for changes in the district. But with his newfound leadership, he wants to continue Peoria’s “long tradition” of focusing on the children in the district before anything else.

The district is “a really special place with a unique feeling of family,” he said. This atmosphere is created by the employees, families, students and community members.

He has learned a lot in the past year working under Thompson, he said.

He said his predecessor always worked with “a perspective of what is best for children”—an ideal that he shares.

“Having an opportunity to work with her this past year really reinforces that and creates that foundation for leadership,” Reynolds said.

He said he cherishes the opportunity to be the next superintendent and looks forward to all of the work he and his team will do.

“This team is incredible. The community is incredible,” Reynolds said. “I’m really excited about the future of Peoria Unified School District.”

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