Term: 4 year

Signatures Filed: 628

Board Candidate for Scottsdale Unified School District #48

Candidate Statement: Bonnie Sneed believes that every child deserves access to high quality, well-rounded educational opportunities that promote the needs of the individual child and foster a love of life-long learning. Scottsdale Unified School District is fortunate to have a supportive community and parents who are passionate about their schools. SUSD is also a district that has welcomed the participation of parents and community members in the decision making process.

Sneed has been one of the most visible, active, and passionate advocates for parents and students, volunteering extensively when opportunities arise. She is interested in maintaining a balanced budget that offers the most cost savings while maintaining equitable programs and educational options across the school district.

Prior to moving to Scottsdale in 1998, she worked as a K-8 technology coordinator in Ohio, teaching both students and teachers how to effectively integrate technology into the curriculum. She participated in district-wide strategic planning and action planning processes, wrote technology K-8 curriculum standards and objectives, and conducted teacher in-services for eight years. While there, she ran a distance learning Foreign Language program, initiated from Northern Arizona University, for the elementary students, and coordinated Continuing Education Credit opportunities for teachers via satellite.

Since moving to Scottsdale with her husband and two of her three children, Sneed became involved in several community and school causes as a volunteer dedicated to maximizing the opportunities for students. Some of these organizations include:

  • Parent Teacher Organizations, Executive Board
  • Art Masterpiece, Elementary School Coordinator
  • Arts in Education Council, Past President or Co-President - 4 years
  • Scottsdale Parent Council, Executive Board Member - 4 years
    • School Site Councils (also known as Site-Based Leadership Teams) Elementary (2 years)
    • Middle School (2 years)
    • High School (3 years)
  • International Baccalaureate Parents Association - Executive Board Member
  • International Baccalaureate Steering Committee - parent grade representative  
  • Superintendent’s Blue Ribbon Advisory Council - Founding and continuing member
  • Scottsdale Unified School District Education Foundation - Founding member
  • Several district-wide committees, task forces, and curriculum materials adoptions
  • Band Boosters (3 years)
  • Scottsdale Leadership, Class XXII

Most recently, Sneed left her position as the Executive Director for the Arizona Alliance for Arts Education to concentrate on volunteering in Scottsdale, bringing back her experiences in advocating for public education with the Arizona State Superintendent’s Office, Arizona State Legislature and in Washington, D. C. Sneed is informed about state and federal education mandates and has actively engaged in legislative support for Scottsdale Schools for many years.

Sneed’s children have now graduated, giving her time and energy to focus on district-wide issues without bias toward a single school or complex. Her children attended Saguaro, Arcadia, and Desert Mountain High Schools. Her extensive district-wide volunteer experience which connects her with many other education advocates, locally and state-wide, gives her a unique understanding of the diverse and complex educational issues in Scottsdale.

For several years, she has written grants to bring in outside dollars for all 1-8 grade students in the district.

Bonnie Sneed is a graduate of Arizona State University Barrett Honors College, ASU Herberger College of Fine Arts, and Scottsdale Leadership.

Bonnie Sneed was awarded Education Advocate of the Year in 2007 by AAEA.