Welcome to the Dysart Unified School District, a district dedicated to preparing students for excellence and success throughout their journey in life.  The district’s mission is to create a safe, diversified and engaging learning environment where every student attains academic excellence and is empowered to achieve life-long success.

For the 2011-12 school year, Dysart has made some changes that will help us accomplish our mission. The Dysart Governing Board adopted both a revised Strategic Plan and new vision and mission statements.  To accomplish the rigorous goals and objectives established, the collaborative spirit and shared leadership approach that defines Dysart will be even more critical.  Dysart’s goals are set high, but this district will be successful in providing an education that enables all students to graduate ready for college, career, and life in a globally competitive economy.  To learn more about our revised Strategic Plan and how we will accomplish our goals, please visit the Dysart.org website.

Thanks to the hard work of our dedicated Dysart team, this district experienced another successful school year in 2010-11.  Once again, Dysart recorded higher test scores in state and national assessments; increased the number of students earning national and state recognitions; had additional awards earned by Dysart’s outstanding administrators, teachers, and staff; and expanded programs and learning options for students.  The list of accomplishments in the Dysart District grows each year, but it is the educational benefits that our students and thus our community reap from our district’s ever increasing excellence that is most important.  Dysart is fortunate to have highly qualified teachers, dedicated administrators, hard working support staff, committed Governing Board members and devoted volunteers who support success in our schools for all students.

The Dysart Governing Board adopted a new vision statement that sums up our focus very succinctly:

Power in preparation . . . Excellence in the journey . . . Success for a lifetime …

Power in preparation for Dysart includes the work being done to revise curriculum, instruction and assessments to support the new more rigorous core standards adopted in Arizona that are aligned to the standards used nationally and internationally.  Dysart continues to add relevant programs and course offerings that extend learning opportunities, such as our online program, iSchool.  The district continues to raise the bar academically with programs like the new middle level Cambridge Academy that is designed to increase student academic achievement to national and international levels.  Dysart is prepared to raise the bar in educational offerings and is preparing students for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. 

This district is dedicated to excellence in the educational journey of all students. In the K-3 grade levels students are taught utilizing an award winning literacy program that focuses on all students being successful reading at or above grade level.  Last year graduates of Dysart high schools were awarded scholarships amounting to more than 11.1 million dollars.  Dysart had graduates appointed to West Point Academy, had a student offered an internship with the U.S. Surgeon General and had another student offered a culinary arts internship in Hyde Park, New York.   Those are just a few examples of the excellence that defines the Dysart District students and the education they are provided. 

Dysart is preparing students for success now and throughout their lifetime. Dysart’s graduation rate has been ever increasing over the last few years with the current rate being reported as 88% of all students entering our high schools successfully graduating.  Students who participated in the district offered dental assisting, EMT, fire sciences, phlebotomy and cosmetology programs left our schools certified and ready for work in those job areas.  In the Lab Assisting and Professional Sales and Marketing programs, Dysart had students performing top in the state on state career and technical education assessments.   Our Thompson Ranch School earned an A+ School of Excellence Award for offering an outstanding education to all students. 

We are Dysart-preparing students for excellence and success throughout their journey in life. 

Gail Pletnick, Ed. D.
Superintendent