Marcie Hutchinson
When you talk with Marcie Hutchinson about her hopes for students in Mesa Public Schools (MPS), you quickly understand that she is passionate about public education, which explains her reason for seeking election to the Mesa Public Schools Governing Board.
Marcie has 31 years of experience teaching in public high schools in New York and Arizona. During her 28-year career with Mesa Public Schools, she taught American and European history and advised extra-curricular activities at Mesa, Dobson and Red Mountain high schools. While a classroom teacher, Marcie advocated for public education as a leader in the Mesa Education Association.
She recently retired from the position of director for K-12 Initiatives for the School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies (SHPRS) at Arizona State University (ASU). As director, she helped create Jazz from A to Z, a collaborative effort of Mesa Arts Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center (NYC) and SHPRS.
Her eyes light up when she describes this seven-year project, which aimed to enrich students’ and teachers’ knowledge of jazz and American music in historical context, and helped students formulate their own scholarly conclusions by analyzing literary and artistic creations of the past.
Marcie also is proud to have been instrumental in training future history teachers, and she worked with those who wanted to provide innovative learning experiences like National History Day for students in their classrooms. She helped found the Arizona Council for History Education, which promotes meaningful partnerships in support of history education throughout Arizona.
Currently, Marcie is a curriculum consultant for SHPRS, and she maintains leadership positions on the boards of the Arizona Council for History Education, ASU’s Melikian Center Advisory Board and Arizona Academic Decathlon Association. She advises Salt River Project on curriculum matters and the annual Social Studies Classroom Grant Proposals.
Marcie is married to former Mesa City Manager Mike Hutchinson, and they are the proud parents of two daughters, Erin and Mary Beth. Both daughters were educated in Mesa Public Schools, graduating from Red Mountain High School and ASU. Both have pursued careers in history education.
Like other parents, Marcie believes Mesa schools provide the mortar that supports strong families, the foundation of a strong community. “In Mesa, public education is not a cost,” she stated. “It’s an investment in families, our economy, our democracy and in each other.”
She believes that when examining the challenges facing our schools, each member of the Mesa Public Schools Governing Board must work diligently and collaboratively to uphold Mesa’s strong legacy of public education.
“I believe that our future depends on strong public schools,” she said. “I care that every student in Mesa gets a shot at a great education, and believe that every student should be taught in a safe and healthy school.” She went on to say students should be taught by professional educators and served by dedicated support staff in fully funded schools.
While describing her beliefs further, she said she is committed to seeking the best ideas to ensure a quality education at every school, through open dialogue with parents, students, members of the community and employees. “In a district as big as Mesa, it is easy to come up with one-size-fits-all solutions, but our schools and their communities are not all one size,” Marcie noted. She believes schools should be the centers that bring neighbors together in the best interest of our kids.
As a member of the MPS Governing Board, Marcie will work tirelessly to secure long-term and sustainable funding to ensure an excellent education that every Mesa student deserves. Marcie can be counted on to listen to the concerns and ideas of all who work in our schools, saying, “District employees must feel valued and respected.”
Dr. Jim Zaharis, a long-time MPS superintendent, is one of many educators and community members who have endorsed Marcie for the governing board. “Marcie was a master teacher who taught innovative curriculum, engaged kids, listened to parents, trained principals, and worked with amazing staffs to create learning environments where kids would thrive,” he said.
Jim went on to say, “I respected, valued and sought Marcie’s perspective on issues facing Mesa Public Schools in the past. She has the experience to be an innovative and effective board member, and I’ll be voting for her.”
Marcie concluded by saying, “Mesa schools will continue to graduate confident, informed, productive and engaged young women and men who will contribute their skills and talents to our community, our state and our nation. Our strong legacy will lead us to a bright future.”
You can learn more about Marcie and her views at hutchinsonformesaschools.com, twitter.com/Marcie_hutch and at facebook.com/hutchinsonformesaschools.