APACHE JUNCTION, Ariz. — The Apache Junction School Board is scheduled to vote Wednesday morning to hire a new superintendent who was allegedly handpicked by three board members and who did not appear at a recent public forum of candidates.
Robert Pappalardo was a middle school principal in the district more than a decade ago and more recently was hired as a consultant in the district, said board member Bobby Bauders.
Bauders said he’s worried.
“I’m concerned the way we went about this is going to make it very difficult for the community to coalesce around him,” Bauders said. “I’ve had multiple teachers reach out me expressing concern, in fact I’ve had former students reach out to me. There are concerns about this leadership style, that he doesn’t believe kids deserve breaks. I’m told that the work environment that he fostered is not the healthiest, which is a great concern to me.”
Two other candidates for superintendent participated in a recent public forum.
“I guess all I can really say is I’m disappointed in the lack of transparency in this process. We presented two highly qualified candidates from the community,” Bauders said.
Pappalardo was not present at the forum. However, Pappalardo showed up last night where the board held an executive session and where the majority of members chose him to be considered for a board vote on Thursday at 11:05 a.m. to be the next superintendent.
Board President Dena Kimble did not respond to requests by 12News for comment as of late Wednesday. 12News also attempted to reach Pappalardo and has not received a response.
As 12News has previously reported, Kimble and two other board members forced out superintendent Heather Wallace last month through a severance agreement. Bauders said Wallace was not given a choice but to leave the district. Wallace’s ouster prompted a group of citizens to launch a recall campaign against two board members.
Kimble, Gil Cancio and Gail Ross represent a coalition majority of the 5-member Apache Junction Board that forced out Wallace. They were supported by volunteers of the local Republican Party during the November election.
Organizers of the recall campaign were planning to meet Wednesday evening to discuss their next steps.
One elementary school teacher in the district said she met Pappalardo this year.
“He does not believe in recess breaks. He does not believe kids need brain breaks. He does not believe in differentiated education for students. He believes all students should be able to do the work that’s put before them,” said Shannon Corbin. “People are worried and they don’t want to work with someone who doesn’t share the educational outlook that we do.”
Corbin said she already renewed her contract for next year and plans to stay in the district regardless because she wants to help students.
“I’m not going anywhere. They would have to fire me first,” Corbin said.
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