YUHSD Superintendent Badone announces retirement

The Yuma Union High School approved a proposal from Superintendent Toni Badone to allow her to retire effective Oct. 1, 2017 after a 5-0 vote Friday.

Associate Superintendents Lisa Anderson and Gina Thompson will handle the day-to-day responsibilities for YUHSD until an interim or replacement Superintendent is named by the Governing Board.

The Board voted to discuss the search for a permanent replacement until their next meeting on August 9th.

Badone has served as Superintendent since 2007 and has worked in the district for more than three decades, beginning as an English and speech teacher at Kofa High School in 1984.

“It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve as Yuma Union High School
District’s superintendent for ten years,” Badone said. “The students, staff and community of the District have been my family since 1984, and I am grateful for the many people with whom I’ve gotten to work.”

One of the key achievements of Badone’s tenure with YUHSD has been the
District’s partnership with Helios Education Foundation and
conceptualization of the Ready Now Yuma initiative, which focused primarily
on having every student college or career ready upon graduation.

As part of her retirement, Badone will take on a new challenge as Arizona Director for AdvancED, a non-profit, non-partisan organization that, according to their website, conducts rigorous, on-site external reviews of PreK-12 schools and school systems to ensure that all learners realize their potential.

YUHSD Governing Board President Phil Townsend, who has known Badone for more than a decade, echoed Luna’s sentiments.

“I think her legacy is the people she has mentored and brought up along with her,” Townsend said. “She’s done a great job of that and our district should be very pleased and proud of that. Her vision and heart has set our district on a very positive course, and she truly deeply cares about the success of each student.”