Nancy Pifer
Superintendent of Schools

  npifer@cguhs.org

Nancy M. Pifer has been the Superintendent of the Casa Grande Union High School district since May of 04.  In the year prior she served as Interim Superintendent.  

Mrs. Pifer has been an educator for 38 years and has served the District continuously since 1971 and before that for three years beginning in 1967.  She was first a teacher of Vocational Home Economics, then a Guidance Counselor and Director of Guidance before becoming an Assistant Principal in 1998.  After doing a brief stint as interim Principal, Mrs. Pifer moved to the District Office in 2003.

Mrs. Pifer holds a B.S. in Home Economics Education from the University of Arizona and an M. A. in Education from Northern Arizona University.

Edna Morris

  emorris@cguhs.org

Edna Morris has 22 years experience in education.  She earned her Bachelors in Science from the University of Arizona, Masters in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University and is currently working on her Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction at Argosy University.  She is currently the Assistant Superintendent for Academic Affairs and will work with all educational programs to include:  Exceptional Student Services, English Acquisition Services, Testing, Curriculum & Instruction, Professional Development and Grants. 

Shannon Hilyer
Director of Support Services

  shilyer@cguhs.org

Shannon Hilyer has 26 years experience in School Finance and related support departments. Shannon earned her BA degree from the University of Phoenix in Business Management. She has 81 hours over her BA, 36 hours in Educational Leadership at NAU and 45 hours in the MBA program at University of Phoenix. Prior to her coming to Casa Grande she worked for the Kingman Elementary district as their Business Manager and Camp Verde Unified as their Business Manager/Personnel Director. Shannon oversees the following support departments:

• Business and Finance
• Facilities
• Transportation
• Food Service
• Human Resources
• Security
• Information Technology
• Print Shop

Shannon is active in a variety of organizations. She has been a member of ASBO (Arizona School Business Officials) since 1979; a member of ASBOI (Association of School Business Officials International); and ASPAA (Arizona School Personnel Administrators Association). She is an active member of Casa Grande Kiwanis Club and Casa Grande Chamber of Commerce.

In her spare time she is an avid reader and gardener and enjoys her time with her children and grandchildren.

Lorie Gerkey, M.Ed.
Exceptional Student Services Director

  lgerkey@cguhs.org

Lorie Gerkey has 22 years experience in Special Education which includes a Bachelors degree from the University of Northern Colorado in Special Education with an endorsement in Mental Handicapped and Learning Disabilities.  She earned her Masters in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University.  Prior to her position with Casa Grande Union High School District, Lorie has worked with Mesa Public Schools as an Area Director for Special Education and Amphitheater Public Schools as the Assistant Director of Special Education.  Between the years 1983 and 1997, Mrs. Gerkey was a classroom teacher, job coach/developer and transition facilitator for students with a variety of disabilities.  

She is active in Arizona’s Council for Exceptional Children and is current on the Executive board for AZ-CASE, Arizona’s Council for Administrators of Special Education.

Linda Hughes,

  lhughes@cguhs.org

Linda C. Hughes is in her second year as the District Career & Technical Education Director for the Casa Grande Union High School District.  She has been with the district full time since 1988.

Ms. Hughes has been an educator for 18 years.  She opened the first computer lab for the high school in 1988.  Between 1989 and 1993, she was a classroom teacher in the Business Department before becoming an Assistant Principal.  During her eleven years as an Assistant Principal, she had many duties, including responsibility for attendance, writing grants for the district, working with student discipline, and the Guidance Department.  In 2001 Casa Grande Union High School began working in Smaller Learning Communities.  The school was divided in half (Blue Team and Gold Team).  Ms. Hughes was the Blue Team Principal until 2004 when she accepted her current district position.  She is also the Hearing Officer for the district.

Ms. Hughes holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education degree from Arizona State University, and a Master of Education degree from Northern Arizona University.