Dear Cartwright School District Families and Scholars,

As we prepare for new beginnings, I want to take a moment to express deep gratitude to Superintendent Dr. Aguilar Lawlor for her six years of exceptional leadership. Under her guidance, our district has seen improvements in facilities and buildings, the addition of impactful programming, new curriculum adoptions, increased social-emotional support staff to assist scholars, and enhanced safety measures. Her dedication ensured necessary upgrades to our schools and furniture, leaving a lasting impact on our community. We are profoundly thankful for her service and wish her the very best in her next endeavors.

It is with great honor and excitement that I introduce myself as your new Interim Superintendent. My journey in the Cartwright School District began as a middle school teacher at Estrella Middle School. I then served as an assistant principal for six years at Desert Sands and Justine Spitalny. Following that, I had the privilege of being the principal at John F. Long for six wonderful years, where I had the opportunity to meet and work with so many amazing families and scholars. To this day, it brings me joy to see former scholars from all the school communities I’ve been fortunate to serve now thriving as adults with their own families in our community.

Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to hold various roles, including Director of STEM, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services, and most recently, Deputy Superintendent of HR and Educational Services. These experiences have prepared me for the honor of serving as Superintendent in the district where I began as a classroom teacher.

On a personal note, my connection to this district runs deep. My daughter Alyana attended Spitalny and Tomahawk, where she experienced a robust art education and the care of many wonderful educators who inspired her to become an art teacher. Today, she is proud to be in her second year as an art teacher. My son, JohnPaul, attended Holiday Park and John F. Long, where he thrived academically, thanks to the dedicated support of our educators who ensured he was cared for and challenged. My own journey has been one of resilience, and I am committed to helping every scholar find their own path to success.

I firmly believe in public education and the importance of giving your children, regardless of their background, a fair chance to succeed. My goal is to ensure that all of our scholars receive an education that not only prepares them for the next grade level but also equips them for life in an ever-changing global world. Having experienced the transformative power of education myself, I am deeply committed to ensuring that we provide a high-quality education for every scholar.

I am filled with gratitude and excitement to serve you. As we embark on this journey together, I look forward to meeting many of you at our upcoming school lunch menu-tasting event in January (more information to come soon). This event will provide a wonderful opportunity for us to connect, and I am thrilled to introduce myself to you in this way.

It is truly an honor and a privilege to serve as your Interim Superintendent. I am humbled by this opportunity and look forward to 2025. Together, we will continue to build on our district’s strong foundation and create opportunities for every scholar to thrive.

Sincerely,

Ema Jáuregui

Interim Superintendent