SAN LUIS, Ariz. – Omar Duron, a product of this city’s school system, is now assistant superintendent of those schools.
The Gadsden Elementary School District’s governing board voted unanimously recently to name Duron to a one-year probationary period in the post that has been vacant since 2017.
The appointment of Duron, most recently principal of Southwest Junior High School in San Luis, represents the second change in the district’s top two administrative posts in less than a year.
In March, Lizette Esparza, then-principal of the district’s Arizona Desert Elementary School, was named by the board as acting superintendent following Ray Aguilera’s resignation. In August, the board appointed Esparza permanently to the post.
Duron joined the Gadsden district in 2003 as a teacher’s aide, became a teacher two years later and was named principal at Southwest Junior High in 2017. A year ago, the Milken Family Foundation in California presented him with its Milken Educator Award.
“I attended school in the district from the third through the eighth grade,” Duron said. “I have always been in San Luis and I know the educational needs of the community because I had the same ones.”
Duron holds master’s degrees in multicultural education and educational leadership and has earned certification to be a superintendent.
“I will put my knowledge and experience into practice to support the superintendent every way I can. I will also continue learning, because one never stops doing so,” he said.
Esparza recommended Duron to the board for appointment to the assistant superintendent’s position, which has been vacant since Olivia Zepeda stepped down.
“Omar has a long trajectory in the district,” Esparza said. “He has been a mentor and teacher of teachers. He worked in the (district’s) professional development department, and he has superintendent certification, Beside that, he is a person from the community who studied here and who knows our schools.”
Duron’s duties will include making sure the district is in compliance with all Arizona Department of Education guidelines and working with the professional development department to provide continuing training opportunities for teachers.
At the same session in which Duron was named to his new post, the board appointed Luis Reyes, principal of Arizona Desert Elementary School, to become principal of Southwest Junior High.
Lina Galvan, principal of San Luis Preschool, was named principal at Arizona Desert.
