{"id":42061,"date":"2022-02-19T02:51:05","date_gmt":"2022-02-19T09:51:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/update-finalists-for-interim-montezuma-cortez-superintendent-introduce-themselves\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T03:05:00","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T09:05:00","slug":"update-finalists-for-interim-montezuma-cortez-superintendent-introduce-themselves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/update-finalists-for-interim-montezuma-cortez-superintendent-introduce-themselves\/","title":{"rendered":"Update: Finalists for interim Montezuma-Cortez superintendent introduce themselves"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Sam
Sam Green\/The Journal<br><br>The Montezuma-Cortez School District budget is expected to rise next school year, but district officials say it still won\u2019t be enough to address staff salaries, transportation and other district needs.<\/span>du1-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

Harry Tom Burris and Ember Conley were named as the two finalists for interim superintendent by the Montezuma-Cortez School District RE-1 Board of Education in a special meeting Tuesday, Feb. 15.<\/p>\n

The interim superintendent will fulfill the duties of Superintendent Risha VanderWey, who resigned in January after receiving low marks on the board\u2019s evaluation after less than seven months on the job.<\/p>\n

Both candidates have experience as superintendents, and both have held roles in the Montezuma-Cortez district.<\/p>\n

There were four applicants, and the decision was \u201ctough,\u201d Board Director Sherri Wright said in Tuesday\u2019s meeting.<\/p>\n

After meeting in executive session to discuss the applications, the board narrowed its search to the two who had superintendent experience, Board of Education President Sheri Noyes said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were very pleased to see some of our own people in our district put themselves out there and show their passion for our district,\u201d she said at the meeting.<\/p>\n

Other board members followed suit with praise of the internal applicants.<\/p>\n

Ember Conley<\/div>\n

Conley views the opportunity to serve as interim superintendent an \u201cact of service\u201d to give back to the community where her roots lie, she told The Journal<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Returning to Cortez after college, she found her life\u2019s passion coaching the high school band flag team.<\/p>\n

She obtained her teaching certificate and eventually became principal of Montezuma-Cortez High School.<\/p>\n

Conley\u2019s adopted son, Delynger, was born in Cortez, but she left because it was \u201ctime to give him a fresh start.\u201d<\/p>\n

That decision paved the way for superintendent roles in Mesa Public School District in Arizona and Park City School District in Utah, as well as an interim superintendent position in Maricopa Unified School District.<\/p>\n

\"Ember
Ember Conley (Courtesy Ember Conley)<\/span>Courtesy Ember Conley<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

The role of interim superintendent differs greatly from that of the superintendent, Conley said.<\/p>\n

Interim superintendents \u201cboost moral,\u201d make any necessary change while in the midst of a budget, \u201ckeep calm in the district\u201d and support the school board and community \u2013 a role she\u2019s prepared to take on, she said.<\/p>\n

And, she said, she understands the culture of the area and \u201cmeeting every single individual student where they are.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was really intrigued with the relation we had with out Ute Mountain Ute students,\u201d she said of her time in Cortez schools.<\/p>\n

She hopes to serve as a role model for students who may be interested in gaining experience elsewhere to \u201ccome back and serve your community,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Conley resigned from her superintendent role in Mesa schools in 2019, after being placed on paid administrative leave, and addressed the circumstances of her departure in a 14-minute YouTube video <\/a>on March 6, 2020. She received substantial media coverage<\/a> in the Phoenix area and faced accusations of wrongful spending involving unauthorized pay raises to her executive team.<\/p>\n

The Mesa school district conducted an audit,<\/a> which reported the school board had not approved compensation for 10 members of the superintendent\u2019s executive team.<\/p>\n

In her YouTube statement, Conley denied wrongdoing and called reports claiming otherwise \u201cfalse and misleading.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the video, she said there was originally no salary schedule in place for senior administrators, and that among expansion of her team, budgets were brought before board members and kept neutral and compliant.<\/p>\n

She also discussed district achievements under her leadership, including improved academic performance, recruitment of 20 \u201cmuch-needed\u201d teachers and increase of the high school graduation rate from 76% to 82%.<\/p>\n

Addressing the allegations with The Journal<\/em>, Conley attributed much of the accusations to personal issues with a former board member who was not reelected and \u201cwent after me and my family,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter all of it that came out, the governing board had to come up with some reason of why things happened,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat whole thing about overpayment of administrators, there was no way as a superintendent that you can do that,\u201d she said. \u201cSo there had been a whole study around salary schedules for administrators during my tenure that I started. And at that point, to be really honest, I had had some health concerns and was the primary caretaker of my mom, my dad had died. I needed to come home. So we did.\u201d<\/p>\n

Afterward, she asked herself, \u201cWhat am I most passionate about?\u201d<\/p>\n

That question manifested into three websites:www.emberconley.net, www.emberconley.us, and www.emberconley.org, in which she has written about parenting, the opioid crisis and women in leadership, with some of her articles appearing in national magazines.<\/p>\n

Conley currently does educational consulting and is the host of show \u201cPolitical Peeks\u201d on Utah station Park City Television<\/a>, which has been \u201ca total blast,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Her family is \u201cover the top\u201d about her potential move, and she\u2019s excited to reconnect with Cortez family and friends. For instance, her son\u2019s half-brother lives here, and her daughter Smoki\u2019s family lives in Cortez.<\/p>\n

She has a close blended family with her husband, she said, featuring his children Katarina and Ally.<\/p>\n

Tom Burris<\/div>\n

Previously serving as the superintendent of two New Mexico school districts, Burris has spent the past two years in retirement.<\/p>\n

However, he said he\u2019s ready to serve the Montezuma-Cortez school district.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe best years of my career were spent in Cortez,\u201d Burris told The Journal.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Tom
Tom Burris and his two daughters, Avie and Ellie.<\/span>Courtesy Tom Burris<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

In Cortez, he was the assistant principal, and later principal, of Cortez Middle School, before becoming the business manager and human resources director for the district.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I\u2019d have a wonderful time at it,\u201d Burris said. \u201cIt\u2019s a great school district, it\u2019s a wonderful school district. It\u2019s in a wonderful part of the state.\u201d<\/p>\n

And, he said, he values the district\u2019s collaboration with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe.<\/p>\n

He fondly recalled developing relationships with Tribal Chairman Manuel Hart, Councilor Selwyn Whiteskunk, and Tina King Washington, education director for the tribe, during his time in the district.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s \u201canxious to reconnect,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He describes his educational style as \u201cold-school, brick and mortar.\u201d<\/p>\n

He\u2019s not a fan of online learning, instead favoring interactive, hands-on instruction.<\/p>\n

Burris is passionate about addressing disciplinary issues in positive and productive ways. One year in administration at Cortez Middle School, he said, about 3,000 discipline referrals crossed his desk.<\/p>\n

Middle school is a period of \u201cdramatic change\u201d for students, he said, and in his time in education he \u201ccame to understand the kids\u201d and connect with them.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never sent a kid back to class (after they were sent to the office),\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

They don\u2019t learn that way, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet your teachers do what they do best,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He said that \u201cthere\u2019s a lot of stuff happening\u201d in the district. In his letter of interest, he wrote that he would bring a \u201cteam collaborative approach\u201d and prioritize \u201cproviding a well-rounded, appropriate education for the students to allow them to become happy, productive citizens.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe focus of education ought to be on education,\u201d he said in his interview with The Journal.<\/em><\/p>\n

He noted that not all children are college-bound, and he wants to cater to them too, referencing his experience teaching at Career Prep Alternative School in Shiprock.<\/p>\n

Burris most recently served as superintendent of Roswell Independent School District<\/a> in New Mexico, which has about 10,500 students.<\/p>\n

He touched upon a few key accomplishments there, including balancing a budget that soared to over $100 million one year and reducing staff shortages from 65 openings by about 40 positions.<\/p>\n

\n

Brief candidate backgrounds <\/h4>\n

Tom Burris <\/strong>Career (from most recent to oldest): Roswell Independent School District superintendent, Truth or Consequences Municipal Schools superintendent, Montezuma-Cortez School District business manager and human resources director, Cortez Middle School principal, Cortez Middle School assistant principal, Koogler Middle School principal, Career Prep Alternative School principal, Kirtland Central High School assistant principal, Kirtland Central High School math teacher, San Juan College welding and math teacher, Western Company of North America field engineer, Farmington High School math teacher. Education: Continuing education, Adams State College; master\u2019s in educational management and development, New Mexico State University, bachelor\u2019s in math education.<\/p>\n

Ember Conley <\/strong>Career (from most recent to oldest): Learning Sciences International consultant, Mesa Public School District superintendent, Park City School District superintendent, Maricopa Unified School District deputy superintendent, Northern Arizona University adjunct faculty, Butterfield Elementary School principal, University of Phoenix faculty, Kemper Elementary School principal, Montezuma-Cortez High School principal, Cortez Middle School seventh grade math teacher. Education: Educational doctorate, Argosy University; master\u2019s in administrative leadership and policy studies, University of Colorado Denver; elementary teacher certificate, Fort Lewis College; bachelor\u2019s in agriculture business, Arizona State University; valedictorian at Dolores High School.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

He was superintendent when a Roswell Middle School student shot and injured two classmates in 2014, and as a result became well-versed in leadership through crises, he said.<\/p>\n

While his two daughters are students in Roswell, Burris lives part-time in Mancos \u2013 although that would change if he became interim superintendent, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m really excited about the prospect of getting back into it and making things work for kids,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He grew up on a ranch in Albuquerque and still holds those values.<\/p>\n

Burris was superintendent of Truth or Consequences Municipal Schools, and he discussed the district\u2019s proximity to the Virgin Galactic spaceport and collaboration with students.<\/p>\n

\u201cSomething we built went to space,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Current leadership is shared<\/div>\n

Last week, the board appointed executive directors Kyle Archibeque, Cynthia Eldredge and Jim Parr to fulfill VanderWey\u2019s duties until the interim superintendent was selected. Parr was chosen as the district\u2019s point of contact.<\/p>\n

The district accepted letters of intent for the interim superintendent position through Monday. The position was verbally announced in a Feb. 8 board work session.<\/p>\n

The board must wait 14 days after Tuesday\u2019s special meeting before offering a contract. An announcement will be made March 1 at the board\u2019s work session.<\/p>\n

While VanderWey has not publicly addressed her resignation, a letter from the school board cited \u201cphilosophical differences of short and long-term goals\u201d between the board and VanderWey.<\/p>\n

Former Assistant Superintendent Lis Richard resigned from her position Jan. 4 on disability leave. Her resignation, she said, has nothing do with the situation in the district, she told The Journal <\/em>on Jan. 24.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Replacement for Risha VanderWey expected March 1<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":28528,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[28,167,216,29,180,93],"naviga_topic":[],"class_list":["post-42061","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-headlines","tag-local-news-lead","tag-montezuma-cortez-school-district-re-1","tag-newsletter","tag-schools","tag-students"],"acf":[],"author_name":"dh_admin","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42061","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42061"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42061\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":85202,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42061\/revisions\/85202"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28528"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42061"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42061"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42061"},{"taxonomy":"naviga_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/naviga_topic?post=42061"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}