MESA, Ariz. — Superintendent Andi Fourlis has announced her intention to retire from Mesa Public Schools by the end of this school year.
"It has been one of the greatest honors of my life to serve this community as superintendent," Fourlis said in a statement. "Throughout my tenure, I have remained unwavering in my commitment to our promise—to serve each student in a way that best supports their individual needs and strengths, so they leave our schools ready to succeed in their futures."
Fourlis assumed the superintendent position during a difficult period of transition for Arizona's largest school district.
In 2019, the school district abruptly parted ways with then-Superintendent Ember Conley, who had only been on the job for about 16 months. Fourlis had been a deputy superintendent under Conley and was appointed to take over her duties after Conley left.
During her tenure, Fourlis had to navigate the complexities of educating students during the COVID-19 pandemic, a drop in enrollment and a rise in disciplinary actions.
"The Board is grateful to Dr. Fourlis for her years of service to Mesa Public Schools. Her visionary leadership has had a positive impact on our students, families and community," MPS Board President Marcie Hutchinson said in a statement.
Mesa's school board will soon announce the next steps in the search for a new superintendent.
How big is Maricopa County?
Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.
The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).
One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.
The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.
The county was named after the Maricopa, or Piipaash, Native American Tribe.
