Arizonan Is New Head of Schools in Hawthorne

An Arizona educator who has experience managing a school district with a culturally diverse student population was named superintendent of the Hawthorne School District last week.

Christa Metzger, superintendent of the Tolleson Elementary School District near Phoenix, will replace Roger Bly, who retired in June after six years as superintendent.

Bly, who oversaw the district’s transition to a year-round calendar during the last two school years, was hired back as interim superintendent until a permanent replacement could be found.

Metzger is scheduled to begin work Sept. 3. As superintendent of the 6,364-student district, she will receive an annual salary of $82,256. Her contract expires June 30, 1994.

Hawthorne trustees unanimously approved Metzger’s contract at a special meeting Wednesday night. It was the first time in the district’s history that a superintendent was hired from outside the district.

Board President Buddy Takata said Metzger’s background at Tolleson, which is 60% Latino, has prepared her well for the demographics of the Hawthorne district, whose student population is about 42% Latino, 30% African-American and 12% Asian-Pacific.

He said the trustees agreed that Metzger, who speaks Spanish and German in addition to English, was the top candidate among 56 who applied for the job.

“I believe she is a very strong leader,” Takata said. “She has an excellent vision of what an elementary school district ought to be. She is very articulate . . . well-read, well-published and very active in the community.”

Metzger, who received a doctorate in educational administration from Arizona State University in 1975, was superintendent of the Tolleson district for six years. Previously, she was assistant superintendent of the Glendale Elementary School District in Arizona.