The Phoenix Union High School District (PXU) is excited to announce the expansion of its portfolio of schools. The announcement comes as the District accepted a $900,000 grant from the Pharos Foundation to begin developing an educator preparatory in Phoenix Union. Currently branded as Phoenix Educator Preparatory, the school will officially be named later and is set to launch in August of 2023. Serving as the first-of-its-kind in the country, it will become a hub for developing future educators – teachers, social workers, counselors, and other education support professionals. The Pharos grant will fund startup costs associated with the launch of Phoenix Educator Preparatory. This includes the purchase or lease of a facility, staffing needs, and program development costs. “This partnership stems from a shared belief that high quality educators produce high quality outcomes for both school systems and individual students,” PXU Superintendent Dr. Chad Gestson said. “This school will develop a highly skilled, passionate, and diverse workforce in Phoenix to support the growing demand for education professionals in Arizona.”
Dr. Alaina Adams has been selected as the inaugural principal for this new addition to the PXU portfolio. An alumna of Alhambra High School, Dr. Adams joined Phoenix Union in 2004 at Maryvale High School as an English Language Arts teacher, and later Instructional Leader. After eight years of service in PXU, she worked for Northern Arizona University supporting National Board Certification systems-development and engaged in doctoral studies on cultivating teacher leadership. During the last year of her doctoral studies, Dr. Adams returned to PXU to teach English Language Development classes at Alhambra. She then spent five years as a Leader In Full-time Training (LIFT), Assistant Principal for Instruction, and Assistant Principal in Residence at both Alhambra High and PXU’s Center for Educational Excellence.
Adams holds a Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education from Arizona State University (ASU), a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Phoenix, and a Doctoral degree for Leadership and Innovation from ASU. She earned National Board Certification in 2008, renewed in 2018, and holds additional certifications for new teacher mentoring, cognitive coaching, and instructional rounds facilitation.
“As an educator of over 30 years and a long-time PXU Board member, I could not be more proud of Phoenix Union, and more excited for the launch of this extremely innovative school,” said Arizona Senator and PXU Governing Board President Lela Alston. “Graduates from the Educator Preparatory will not only transform the teaching profession but the lives of the students that it will serve. I cannot imagine a more qualified educator to lead this school than Dr. Alaina Adams, fellow Phoenix Union alumna and accomplished National Board-Certified teacher, teacher mentor, and leader.”