SE Valley Times

The Mesa Public Schools Governing Board has decided to enter contract negotiations with Dr. Matthew Strom for the position of Superintendent of Schools. The board voted unanimously in favor of Dr. Strom, who is expected to assume his new role on July 1, 2025, following the retirement of current superintendent Dr. Andi Fourlis on June 30.

Dr. Strom joined Mesa Public Schools in April 2023 and was elevated to Associate Superintendent in July 2024. Before his tenure at Mesa, he worked as Assistant Superintendent of K-12 Education in Chandler Unified, Arizona's second-largest district.

With a career spanning 27 years in public education, Dr. Strom has held various positions including teacher, department chair, director, executive director, COO, and CFO. His recent work has concentrated on enhancing efficiencies and strategic planning.

Dr. Strom earned his bachelor's degree from Arizona State University and both a Master's degree and Doctorate (Ed.D.) from Northern Arizona University. He is married to Marcia for 24 years and they have three sons: Zavian at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Quentin at Case Western Reserve University, and Elijah who is a high school senior.

In preparation for selecting the next superintendent, over 4,000 community members participated in a survey to express their preferences for qualifications in candidates. On November 25th, the Governing Board announced three finalists who underwent an extensive two-day interview process involving forums with community members and staff, student dinners, school tours, live Q&A sessions, written activities and interviews with the board itself.

Further details about the search process can be found at mpsaz.org/SupSearch.