Unified School District Superintendent Dave Dirksen. Courtesy photo.
When it was announced in late February that Flagstaff Unified School District Superintendent Barbara Hickman would be leaving before the end of the school year to accept a post in the Colorado Department of Education, the FUSD governing board quickly stated it would “maintain its commitment to excellence and the continuity of the fine programs” at FUSD.
That was particularly reassuring to ECONA because the quality of education in Flagstaff directly impacts our future workforce and the region’s ability to attract and retain businesses here.
And the FUSD board backed up its statement with its first major decision in the post-Hickman era: naming Dave Dirksen as interim superintendent.
Dirksen’s long and distinguished career has been marked by great breadth and depth of experience. He has served at every level, from teacher to superintendent, and earned state and national accolades along the way (including being named National Principal of the Year by the U.S. Department of Education.)
He began his career as a high school English teacher and athletic coach in Des Moines, Iowa. He eventually moved into the administrative sphere, serving as an athletic director and as a principal at the elementary, middle and high school levels.
Upon leaving his home state of Iowa, he continued his career in Alaska with posts including Assistant Superintendent and Superintendent of Schools.
Over the past eight years at FUSD, he has served as Assistant Director of Educational Enrichment, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction and, most recently, as a Special Projects Assistant.
Dirksen, who has indicated he plans to be a highly visible and active superintendent, will serve as interim until the end of the 2016-2017 school year, by which time the FUSD board will have completed its search for a permanent replacement.
We wish Interim Superintendent Dirksen all the best in his latest role at FUSD.
Sincerely,
John Stigmon
ECONA Vice President
