Trio of SUSD Schools Named A+ Schools of Excellence®

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (Feb. 21, 2025) – Hohokam, Navajo and Pueblo Elementary schools are the latest Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) schools to be named Arizona Educational Foundation (AEF®) A+ Schools of Excellence®. SUSD schools have a long tradition of pursuing the Phoenix-based educational organization’s prestigious A+ certification that annually recognizes the state’s very best public schools. The AEF® announced its 2025 A+ list of 53 schools yesterday.

For Hohokam, located at 8451 E. Oak Street, Scottsdale, in SUSD’s Coronado Learning Community, it is the school’s second A+ award – the first came in 2016. Principal Chuck Rantala, who retires at the end of the school year, said it was important to his staff and him that the school he has led for the past dozen years is recognized as the excelling, special place that it is and will continue to be.

“This is a testament to the collective efforts of a dedicated committee and the unwavering support of the entire Hohokam community,” Rantala explained. “This recognition reflects our shared commitment to fostering academic excellence, innovation, and a nurturing learning environment for every student.”

“It’s going to foster a sense of pride among students, staff, and parents, reinforcing the shared commitment to continuous improvement and excellence,” he added.

A little more than two miles to the north, at 4525 N. Granite Reef Rd., Navajo Elementary is also celebrating its second A+ designation. Principal Matt Patzlaff said that until last year, some things had been in the way of undertaking the intense and rigorous application process.

“We have considered applying for this for the last couple of years but with the August 2018 fire, our resulting re-build and our Cognia STEM accreditation, the timing was not right,” said Patzlaff. “If we were going to do it, we wanted to do it right.”

There is little doubt that Navajo got it right. A school dedicated to a growth mindset and continuous improvement is a winning combination.

“The A+ School of Excellence award helps validate all of the amazing things occurring on our campus and within our community,” Patzlaff clarified. “Everyone involved in the Navajo Learning Community puts kids first every single day, and our application showcased just how exceptional all of our stakeholders truly are and our determination to be even better.”

Another two miles north, at Pueblo Elementary School, located at 6320 N. 82nd St., Principal Shelley Hummon and her staff and students are celebrating their school’s A+ renewal. There was never any doubt that Pueblo would try to renew its A+ certification.

“Our school earned this distinction for the first time in 2020, and our team was super excited and on-board to go for it again,” Hummon shared, involving teachers, staff, and parents volunteering their time last summer to complete the application, which was due in August.

“It is a lot of work, and it takes a full-team effort, but we’ve gotten so much out of it,” continued Hummon. “Back in 2020, during the A+ process, we uncovered some areas of refinement where we could improve our programs. This time around, we were proud to be able to show the results of our having successfully implemented those enhancements.”

SUSD’s highly acclaimed Spanish Dual Language Immersion program begins at Pueblo.

“The work of these schools, with their strong staff and leadership teams and the support they receive from their students’ families and communities, is simply outstanding,” said SUSD’s superintendent, Dr. Scott Menzel. “This is what SUSD is all about, and to see this trio of schools recognized by such a distinguished organization as the Arizona Educational Foundation is such a great credit to their ongoing, consistent commitment to excellence. We couldn’t be more proud.”

AEF® judges toured the three SUSD schools last month and earlier this month. Campus celebrations are pending. Hohokam, Navajo and Pueblo join Cherokee and Desert Canyon Elementary schools as SUSD A+ Schools of Excellence®.

# # #

About the Arizona Educational Foundation The Arizona Educational Foundation (AEF®) was founded in 1983 by then-Arizona State Superintendent of Public Instruction Carolyn Warner, with the support of longtime local business leaders Eddie Basha, President and CEO of the Bashas’ grocery store chain, and Bill Shover of the Arizona Republic. Their goal was to bolster the reputation of public schools, celebrate their excellence and provide programs to support them on their paths to excellence. Other notable AEF® programs include Arizona Teacher of the Year®, the Arizona State Spelling Bee® and the Principals Leadership Academy of Arizona.

About the Scottsdale Unified School District With more than 20,000 students in 30 schools, the Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) has been a premier choice for pre-kindergarten through grade 12 public education for 128 years. Located northeast of metropolitan Phoenix, the District serves the educational needs of students and families in Phoenix, Paradise Valley, Fountain Hills, Tempe and Scottsdale. A highly experienced, professionally certified teaching staff fosters a diverse and rigorous educational environment that engages all students in world-class, future-focused learning. Offering gifted learning, special education, career and technical education, and a variety of athletics, arts and enrichment programs and clubs, SUSD provides the rich environment today’s students need to explore their interests, develop important social skills and grow into tomorrow’s leaders. For more information, visit www.susd.org and follow along on social media: Facebook: @ScottsdaleUSD, Instagram: @ScottsdaleUnifiedSD, LinkedIn and YouTube.