Dr. Casteel
Norm Noble
On Tuesday, September 1, Jim Bishop, a Southwest Airlines pilot who is working with the Chandler Unified School District as a parent, will bring an update on the District and talk about the bond election. He has a freshman and seventh grader in the school system and has worked as a volunteer in the classroom. He will talk about new schools, such as the Knox Gifted Academy, which is a back-to-basic grade school; and the Keith Hill Learning Academy, which helps troubled kids who may drop out and run the risk of being incarcerated or be involved with a teen pregnancy.
On Tuesday, September 8, Wesley Delbridge, a Registered Dietitian and Food and Nutrition Director for the Chandler Unified School District (CUSD), as well as a National Media Spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, will present a talk on the innovation of school meals and child nutrition.
On Tuesday, September 29, Dr. Camille Casteel, Superintendent of the Chandler Unified School District where she manages the day-to-day operations and the growth and development of a hyper-growth District, will be the speaker. Dr. Casteel has been with the Chandler Unified School District for 44 years and has served in a number of positions, including teacher, curriculum specialist, principal, assistant superintendent, associate superintendent and superintendent since 1996.
In February 2015, Dr. Casteel received the Extraordinary Superintendent of the Year from the Maricopa County Education Service Agency (MCESA) for being the most active and accomplished superintendent in Maricopa County. Prior to that, Dr. Casteel was the recipient of Arizona School Administrators Dr. Raymond Sterling Kellis Leadership Award, 2014.
In addition to serving as Chandler Schools’ CEO, Dr. Casteel is also active throughout the community. Most notable is her service as a member of the Dignity Health East Valley Hospital Board since 1988. She currently serves on the East Valley Think Tank, the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) Board of Directors, is a member of the ASU Polytech Community Board, inaugural Board Member for the Regional Health Record Banking Alliance, member of the Chandler Chamber of Commerce Foundation Board and Chairperson of the Board of Directors for The Alliance.
In January, the District’s newest secondary school was named in honor of Superintendent Dr. Camille Casteel; Casteel High School. The school mascot will be known as the Casteel Colts.
Camille began her career in CUSD as a first grade teacher at Erie. She was the first woman principal in the District when she opened Weinberg Elementary in 1983. Camille was Associate Superintendent prior to being named Superintendent in 1996.
The Rotary Club of Sun Lakes meets for breakfast every Tuesday morning at 6:30 a.m. in the Oakwood Country Club Ballroom. The meetings start at 7:00 a.m. and end promptly at 8:00 a.m. The cost of breakfast is $12. To make reservations for any meeting contact Rotarian Don Prestin at 480-802-0439.