Announcement of Selection

On March 28, the District One governing board held a special meeting to announce a selection in the superintendent search process. The board voted to offer Denis Ponder the opportunity to enter into contract negotiations for the position of District One superintendent.

“The governing board is excited to progress to the next phase with Denis Ponder,” stated Keith Ware, governing board president. “Mr. Ponder’s dedication to students, teachers, and the future of public education has been evident throughout the selection process. His experience and vision will drive innovation within District One, foster greater collaboration with parents and the community, and ensure students continue to thrive on their paths to excellence.”

“I am honored to be selected for this incredible opportunity and my commitment remains the same; to do what is best for kids,” stated Denis Ponder. “I look forward to building new relationships and bolstering existing relationships with internal and external stakeholders, as well as our governing board. I am excited about the amazing accomplishments and opportunities that are ahead of us.”

The announcement of the selection came after a comprehensive process. During the special meeting, the board took a moment to thank the community for sharing their valuable feedback, as well as Arizona School Administrators and Dr. Clement for facilitating this thorough search and review process. “We sincerely appreciate the participation of staff, parents, and community members in this important decision for the future of District One,” stated Mr. Ware. “The board would also like to thank both of our outstanding candidates, Mr. Ponder and Dr. Alka, for participating in this thorough process and for sharing their experience and vision for the future of District One.”

Next Steps:
Pending contract negotiations, Denis Ponder would begin in the role of superintendent with Yuma School District One on July 1, 2025.

A Message from Our Superintendent

Dear Parents, Students, Staff, and Community Members,

Welcome to Yuma Elementary School District #1, your first and best choice for innovative, engaging, and inclusive academic instruction in Yuma.

Yuma Elementary School District #1 is comprised of 13 elementary schools, five middle schools, and an Online Digital Learning Academy serving nearly 9,000 students in preschool through eighth grade.

At District ONE, students receive the education they need for academic success, partnered with enriching programs and activities for personal growth. All students explore art, music, and P.E., with consistent opportunities to engage in science, technology, engineering, and math (S.T.E.M.). Every District ONE school strives to support the whole child by building strong collaborative relationships, personalizing effective instruction, and fostering safe and innovative schools.

I invite you to explore our district further through our website, on social media, or by visiting your neighborhood school. You will see the great things happening at District ONE schools.

At Yuma Elementary School District #1, we are dedicated to our mission – ONE Community Pursuing Excellence.

Sincerely,

Jamie Sheldahl
Superintendent
Yuma School District #1

Announcement of Retirement

Dear Parents, Students, Staff, and Community Members,

After 38 years of service to the Yuma education community—34 of which have been directly connected to District One as a teacher, parent, and superintendent—I announce my retirement at the end of the 24–25 school year.

In 1987, I moved from Cedar Falls, Iowa, to Yuma, Arizona, for a teaching job at Fourth Avenue Jr. High School. When I arrived as a 22-year-old transplant, I was taken by the warmth and acceptance of the school district and the community as a whole. Over the next eight years, I taught English, coached multiple sports, officiated basketball and football, and started a family. During that time, I was able to develop as an educator, both technically and philosophically.

In 1995, I accepted an offer to move to the Yuma Union High School District (YUHSD). In my 21 years with YUHSD, I was fortunate to be presented with many opportunities for professional development. After four years of teaching English and coaching at Cibola High School, I was given the opportunity to enter administration, gaining experience in every aspect of building administration from discipline to activities and athletics to academics and scheduling. After a year and a half as co-principal at Kofa High School, I was honored to be selected as the founding principal at Gila Ridge High School, an opportunity few educators have. In 2011, I was promoted to associate superintendent where I was able to learn the school business at the district level.

In 2016, I returned to District One as superintendent, and I am proud to have been part of the team that has achieved many accomplishments:

  • We reprioritized budgets to overhaul our employee compensation model after many years of salary freezes, making compensation more equitable and competitive across all employee groups. We also established the Employee Compensation Committee, giving all employee groups a voice.
  • We transitioned from an insurance consortium to self-insured, resulting in considerable savings and the ability to improve benefits for years to come.
  • We established the Employee Milestone Recognition program to honor employees for their commitment to the district.
  • We expanded many curricular and extracurricular opportunities for students.
    • Expanded AVID district-wide, one of the leading districts nationally in implementation of AVID elementary.
    • Adopted a comprehensive ELA curriculum and are in the process of updating curricula for both math and ESS.
    • Expanded Career and Technical Education offerings through a valuable partnership with ABEC and CFA.
    • Removed barriers to participation for middle school athletics and reinstated elementary band and intramural athletics.
    • Developed a collaborative instructional vision to serve all students.
  • We have support for students district-wide.
    • Expanded our Unified Sports/Special Olympics program, providing more opportunities for students with special needs to participate with their typical peers.
    • Established Community Schools that include professional healthcare services on campus.
    • Nine schools have earned Purple Star status for supporting our military-connected students.
    • Expanded the district preschool program, which boasts five 5-star sites and one 4-star.
    • Enhanced the transition from elementary to sixth grade.
  • We have made significant capital improvements.
    • Built a beautiful new school, Dorothy Hall Elementary.
    • Built a state-of-the-art facility to serve students with autism at Alice Byrne Elementary and renovated an unusable space at Palmcroft into a flexible space for project-based learning.
    • Completed Ron Watson Middle School with a comprehensive electives facility and reinstated the woodshop at Fourth Avenue Junior High.
    • Established a long-overdue schedule for classroom furniture replacement.
    • Enhanced school safety technologies at key locations around the district.
  • Worked to enhance our district culture and promoted a positive culture and climate at the classroom and district level, which attracted experienced teachers and leaders to our district.
  • Developed the Community Engagement/Communications department that has been instrumental in communicating with our internal and external community during unprecedented challenges and told the story of the great things going on at our schools.

The past nine years at District One have been the highlight of my career, serving the amazing families and educators here in this great community. Looking ahead, I’m excited to witness how District One will continue to grow, innovate, and educate the next generation of the Yuma community.

Superintendent Search Process

The District One Governing Board has taken important steps to recruit highly qualified candidates for the position of District One Superintendent, including consulting with the Arizona School Administrators (ASA) for support in posting, recruiting, and hiring for the position. The board has sought out the community’s valuable input regarding the leadership qualities desired for the next superintendent and has invited all stakeholders to complete a short survey. The next step is to invite all staff, parents, students, and community members to attend a community forum to learn more about the candidates.

Sincerely,

Jamie Sheldahl
Superintendent
Yuma School District #1