Message from Our Superintendent
Superintendent’s Message
Your Voice Matters: Share your Input on Our Principal Search, ELA Curriculum Selection & in Providing your Thoughts on our Schools
Dear Altar Valley Families,
Happy Spring! This season is a great time to reset and refresh as we prepare for the final quarter of the school year.
This spring, we have the important task of selecting a new principal for Altar Valley Middle School. I want to sincerely thank those of you who provided input on the survey I sent last month regarding what you are looking for in the next AVMS principal.
Some of the key qualities and areas of focus that families identified as important in a new principal include:
- A commitment to a safe school and a positive school culture
- A commitment to academic success
- A leader who is a positive role model who is kind and patient with students and staff
- A leader who is transparent and communicates frequently
With your input, as well as feedback from AVSD staff, we are moving forward in the interview process. If you would like to be considered for the interview committee or submit a question for candidates, please email or call me at ddumon@avsd.org or 520-822-1133.
Upcoming Events in March
AVSD K-8 English Language Arts
The Altar Valley School District is in the process of adopting a new K-8 English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum. The Review Committee has identified two vendors to move forward in the selection process.
The curriculum materials are available for in-person review at the Robles Elementary Library and Altar Valley Middle School or can be accessed online using this link https://forms.gle/tkMwg4jr4nXQaAKf8 or on our website at www.altarvalleyschools.org.
After reviewing the curriculum, we appreciate your feedback in selecting the English Language Arts curriculum that best meets the needs of AVSD students and staff.
https://forms.gle/tkMwg4jr4nXQaAKf8
Family Survey
Your opinions about your child’s school experience are very important to us. Please take a few minutes to complete our anonymous online survey. The survey will be open through March 24, 2025.
You can access your school’s survey below or on our website at www.altarvalleyschools.org.
Robles Family Survey: https://forms.gle/bgbNgTZr3993pMPi6
Altar Valley Middle School Family Survey: https://forms.gle/hsZcD7tevpVNFJN2A
Parent Teacher Conferences
We will have early release days on Thursday and Friday, March 13-14 for parent teacher conference. *Please contact your child’s teacher to schedule a time to meet to get an update on your child’s success.
- AVMS: 12:30 pm
- Robles: 1:45 pm
PK / Kinder Round-Up
Thursday March 13, 8:00 am – 5:30 pm
Friday March 14, 8:00 – 2:00 pm
Registration for the 2025-2026 School Year Opens on March 3, 2025
Open Enrollment for ALL students including returning students is online at: https://www.altarvalleyschools.org/Registration.
Spring Break
No School March 17-21
Sincerely,
Dr. Dave Dumon
Superintendent
Altar Valley School District
ddumon@avsd.org
520-822-1484
DR. DAVID DUMON COMPLETES AASA NATIONAL SUPERINTENDENT CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
The American Association of School Administrators (AASA) selected 30 superintendents from across Arizona to participate in the National Board Certification Program, a 20-month professional experience designed to bolster the effectiveness of superintendents across the nation. The program followed a cohort model and supported leaders with the knowledge, skills, and practices to advance, guide and support superintendents to be future-ready as they enhance learning opportunities for students. The AASA National Superintendent Certification Program provided a real-time focus on key issues that superintendents are facing today. Congratulations, Dr. Dumon!
CONGRATULATIONS, DR. DUMON!
Congratulations to Dr. David Dumon for being selected to receive ASA’s All Arizona Superintendent Award for the Small Size School Districts.
Dr. Dumon is superintendent of the Altar Valley School District in Tucson, Arizona. Dr. Dumon and the Governing Board have developed a strong rapport that centers on common goals around students achievement and an understanding that the schools are social and cultural anchors in the small community of Three Points. Within the first year, he and his board created a strategic plan that focused on students achieving both personal and academic excellence. The strategic plan has guided the district toward their goals and is revisited frequently with stakeholders.
Dr. Dumon identified, adopted, and implemented a comprehensive core reading program during the beginning of his tenure. He led the restructuring of the K–8 literacy instruction to include rigorous Tier I instruction and targeted Tier II and Tier III interventions.
He is involved with professional development, instructional coaching, and implementation of DIBELS benchmark screening for teachers and administrators. He believes data should be used to guide teaching, learning, and professional development.
The district is a key partner in the annual Three Points Community Festival where Dr. Dumon serves on the planning committee. At this annual event, the Three Points community, a rural, unincorporated area 25 miles west of Tucson come together. Board members, staff, and community partners come together each Thanksgiving to cook, serve, and enjoy Thanksgiving dinner for families in need. During the pandemic Altar Valley School District partnered with Pima County and provided fresh food boxes to more than 30 families each month.
He is guided by the word of Lewis Carroll, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.” Dr. Dumon cares deeply about teaching and learning. He appreciates school isn’t easy for everyone (him included) and that each child has a right to quality instruction. He visits classrooms, playgrounds, and attends extra-curricular events and enjoys taking on the role of motivator-in-chief. You may see him as Professor “Dumon”-dore from Harry Potter, reminding Altar Valley School District students that they have the magic within them to succeed, the Last Jedi inspiring students to find the force within themselves to achieve, or putting the “Super” in Superintendent as Altar Valley Man.
Altar Valley School District is a social and cultural anchor in the Three Points community. It serves nearly 600 students, encompassing nearly 700 square miles of high Sonoran Desert and mountains situated between metro Tucson and the Tohono O’odham Nation.
Meet Our Superintendent
Dr. David Dumon serves as the superintendent of Altar Valley School District. He began his career in 1995 as a social studies teacher at Alhambra School District in Phoenix. In 2000, Dr. Dumon started his administrative career at Surprise Elementary, a K–8 school, in Dysart Unified School District. He spent the next 14 years in Dysart, most of which was as the principal at Surprise Elementary. His school’s achievements were recognized in 2012 when he was selected for the Arizona School Administrator, Distinguished Administrator Award – Elementary Division and honored as a finalist for the Rodel Exemplary Principal Award.
As superintendent of Altar Valley, Dr. Dumon has focused on ensuring schools run efficiently and allocating resources appropriately, while always considering what is best for kids. Dr. Dumon is committed to maintaining small class sizes and offering free, full-day pre-school and kindergarten. In 2022, Dr. Dumon was awarded the All Arizona Superintendent Award for Small Districts and completed his certification for American Association for School Administrators (AASA) National Superintendent Certification.
Dr. Dumon is a three-time graduate of Arizona State University where he received his bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees. He lives in Tucson with his wife, daughter, and two dogs.