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Tempe mayor named headmaster of charter school by William Hermann - Feb. 3, 2009 11:37 AM The Arizona Republic Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman will also be Headmaster Hugh Hallman when he takes over as the educational leader of Tempe Preparatory Academy in July. Hallman was named to the post Monday night by the school's board of directors. "I'm elated," Hallman said. "I knew it was the right thing to do when I submitted my application. Education is the highest calling any of us can answer. My mother was a grade school teacher and my father was a high school math teacher and I'm proud to be following in their footsteps." Board member Elizabeth Ortiz, who is also a prosecutor in the Maricopa County Attorney's office, says Hallman, "brings something in every area we were looking for." "Tempe Preparatory Academy is a liberal arts, Great Books school, and Hugh Hallman has a liberal arts education and a law degree from the University of Chicago, so his educational background is excellent," Ortiz said. "He also has taught at the university level and has lectured at the academy and we know he is an excellent teacher. But what is most apparent is that he has a real passion for education and for our school specifically." Hallman said that he will shut down his longtime Tempe law practice so that he can devote full time to being, "a good mayor and a good headmaster." He says he knows he can be both. "Tempe has a long tradition of educators in the mayor's office," Hallman said. "Harry Mitchell was a teacher at Tempe High School while he was mayor and he balanced both jobs very well. Neil Giuliano worked at ASU while he was mayor, and he did both well." Tempe Preparatory Academy is at 1251 East Southern Avenue and is a charter school. There are 371 students in grades 6 through 12. Hallman and his wife, Susan, have three sons, all of whom attend the school. Susan was a member of the school board but did not take part in the headmaster selection process and when her husband was named to the job she resigned her position on the board. "But I told her she still has to take part in all the things that parents do at the school,'' Hallman said, and laughed. |