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| Affiliation | Republican |
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| Name | Gary Nine |
| Address |
Gilbert, Arizona , United States |
| Email | None |
| Website | None |
| Born |
Unknown
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| Contributor | Thomas Walker |
| Last Modifed | Thomas Walker
Jun 08, 2009 12:19pm |
| Tags |
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| Info | Nine, 60, is running for public office for the first time. He is seeking the position that will be vacated when Tom Horne, the current state superintendent, concludes his second term. Horne has an exploratory committee to research a run for state attorney general.
"I'm running as a commonsense Republican," Nine said. "I say that to distinguish myself from those we seem to read about every day. My Republican Party is the party of Barry Goldwater - a party that prides itself on common sense and family values, that advocates for public education and fiscal responsibility, and where leaders know they have a responsibility to do the right thing for all the folks of Arizona, regardless of political consequences."
Nine joins three other GOP candidates on the 2010 primary ballot: Margaret Dugan, deputy state superintendent; State Sen. John Huppenthal; and Mary Lou Taylor, Tempe Union High School District board president.
Horne said he is already endorsing Dugan as his successor, saying, "She has 30 years of experience in education; and she was one of the featured principals in the book, 'Ten Traits of Highly Effective Principals: From Good to Great Performance (2003, Corwin Press).'"
Democrats who have announced their candidacy so far are Penny Kotterman, former president and vice president of the Arizona Education Association; and Jason Williams, managing partner of BlueDynamic (public relations/communications).
"It is time for a change in leadership at the top education position in Arizona," Nine said. "I am a school superintendent and a businessman. I am not a professional politician. I see that as a strength.
"Unlike some others we've seen, I don't view the position of state superintendent as a stepping stone to another elected office or as a path to becoming a high-priced consultant," he continued. "I'm an educator who wants to make things better for the kids of Arizona. And I can do it."
Prior to taking over as FUSD superintendent in March 2007, Nine served as an associate superintendent for the Apache Junction Unified School District from 1998 until his retirement in 2005. Before that, he was principal at Desert Shadows Middle School in Apache Junction from 1985 through 1998. Nine also served as principal at Wickenburg High School from 1979 through 1980 before going into family-operated business interests.
In 2005, Nine won the Everyday Hero Cox Technology in Education Award for creating the "TRIAGE" program, in which underperforming students are placed in intensive, two-hour block sessions employing advanced teaching methods and a variety of computer software programs.
Nine has also been recognized as outstanding principal by the Tribune Leadership Awards Committee in 1991, and while serving as principal at Apache Junction Junior High, the school was recognized as an Arizona School of Distinction.
Decision to run
"Over the last couple of months, some people have been talking to me about it," Nine said. "At first, I said, 'Are you kidding me?' But then, in the middle of May, I just decided to run.
"And, when I found out about funding through the Arizona fair elections law, my wife (Debra) said it was OK!" he continued. "Around mid-May, we were sitting around talking and I asked her what she thought, and she said, 'I'm ready. Let's do it.'"
Marie Nine-Cupiss of Mesa, Nine's mother, was on hand for the big announcement, along with his wife Debra and daughter Jodi.
"Gary is a very people-oriented individual," Nine-Cupiss said. "What he says, he stands behind. I wish him luck.
"I'm ready for the campaign, to do as much as I can."
Debra Nine said that when Gary brought up the subject of running for public office, "I said, 'You're kidding, right?'" She then added, "He's definitely the right man for the job. His vision and his passion for bettering the education process in Arizona is undying. He's so fulfilled here in Florence since he took over here, he is extremely pleased with the changes that have come about, and the position the district is in right now. He feels he can do the same thing for the state."
Craig Emanuel of Gilbert, a retired law enforcement officer, is Nine's campaign manager. They attended high school together in Sierra Vista.
"Gary was a leader in high school in sports and activities," Emanuel said. "He's been a leader in education through the years I've known him. I've followed his career progression, and that's why I think he'll make a wonderful state superintendent."
Emanuel said that as Nine's campaign manager, he'll do "anything that I can do to help him. I plan to work hard for him every day.
"Gary brings something that no other state superintendent in recent history has ever brought to this position - education experience," Emanuel said. "Gary is a practicing education administrator, he's experienced in the classroom, the administrative areas, and years of being a superintendent.
"He brings that experience of budgets and the realities of administration and making a school system work. That, and accountability for results of that system."
Challenges
Horne said one of the big challenges for his successor is "to remember you're the superintendent for the state; it's not the kingdom of Maricopa.
"For example, in 2006, my wife and I drove the equivalent of halfway around the world at the equator, just going to different districts in Arizona," Horne said.
As a state superintendent, Horne said the job involves "setting the tone.
"And the tone I've set is one of rigor," he said. "There are a lot of attacks on that. A lot of people want to attack the AIMS test and those things. So you have to be ready to defend the idea that we are insisting on upgrading our schools and we're not going to give way to easing up on that."
Noting that Arizona is 49th out of the 50 states in education funding per pupil ($7,112), Horne said, "Part of the job is being an advocate at the Legislature for more public education resources. But part of the job also includes demonstrating to the Legislature that you are doing a good job of holding everybody accountable, so they can feel confident that if they do put more resources toward education, we'll show academic results for those resources."
Making the sacrifice
Along with the necessities of campaigning, Nine will stay on the job as FUSD superintendent for at least the next year. He won't say if or when he would resign to focus on his campaign, stating simply, "the board and I have agreed to discuss that sometime next summer."
Though a political novice, Nine said he is going into the race with his "eyes wide open," adding, "I know it's going to be a long, hard battle, and I know I'm an underdog. But I truly believe with the support of the regular folks of Arizona and the people who truly care about kids in public schools all over the state, we can win this thing."
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