Amphitheater Public Schools

Ms. Susan Zibrat is honored to continue to lead, serve and support the Amphi community, most notably its students. She was first elected to the Governing Board to serve from 2011 to 2014 and was appointed to finish the term of Ms. Jo Grant from September 2017 to December 2018. She was re-elected to a new term and took the public Oath of Office on January 15, 2019. 

Ms. Zibrat is an extremely proud mother of two daughters, both Amphitheater School District graduates.  Her Amphi involvement began in their classrooms and grew into leadership positions in the schools they attended.  Ms. Zibrat's District-wide community activism was sparked after reading Amphitheater was considering cuts to Art, Music ,and P.E. because of reduced funding by the Arizona State Legislature.  After disappointing trips to Phoenix to try to convince legislators that public schools needed more funding, she was convinced local control would make more of a difference.  She attended Amphitheater Governing Board meetings, where her real education about public school funding began.

Ready to jump in and make a difference, in 2004 Ms. Zibrat co-chaired a Blue Ribbon Budget Analysis Committee, collaborating with community members representing the District's diverse interests.  After months studying Amphitheater's financial needs, the committee recommended a Maintenance and Operations (M&O) Budget Override, which the Board placed on the May 5, 2005 ballot.

Ms. Zibrat then co-chaired the Political Action Committee "LEAP AHEAD for Amphi Schools" and launched a campaign advocating passage of the M&O Override in 2005, leading to the first budget override for Amphitheater in two decades.

Ms. Zibrat later co-chaired the Blue Ribbon Analysis and Facilities Needs Committee. To gain insight into the wide-ranging needs, committee members visited District sites and witnessed antiquated school facilities in need of repair or replacement, an aging bus fleet, and the need for enhancements across the District.  Again, the committee recommended a Special Bond Election to obtain voter approval for $180 million in bonds for capital needs.  The Governing Board put the Bond question to the District voters on the November 2007 ballot.

Ms. Zibrat again co-chaired "LEAP AHEAD for Amphi Schools" to advocate for the passage of the Bond, which was approved in November 2007.  Ms. Zibrat's final leadership involvement in "LEAP AHEAD for Amphi Schools" was in 2009 with the M&O Budget Override Renewal and Capital Outlay Override.  Voters approved renewal of the original intention of the 2005 M&O Override and added $2 million per year to cover much needed technology improvements.  

Ms. Zibrat looks forward to continuing her work as an advocate for the diverse Amphi community, as Amphitheater stands poised to become the premier school district in Arizona.

Ms. Susan Zibrat
Governing Board President
Amphitheater Public Schools Governing Board
701 W. Wetmore Road
Tucson, AZ 85705

(520) 696-5158

Ms. Deanna Day has made a difference in the lives of students and teachers throughout Arizona, especially in the Amphitheater School District. Ms. Day is a product of an Amphitheater education - starting at Prince and Wetmore Elementary, then attending Amphi Middle, and finally graduating as an Amphi Panther.

Armed with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from the University of Arizona, Ms. Day began her career teaching History and Mathematics in Australia. Her 15 years as a classroom teacher included several years teaching Reading and Language Arts in the Amphi District.  After receiving her Master of Education Degree in Reading, she mentored teachers and worked with students as a District Reading Specialist. 

That work eventually led to a 10-year stint managing the Pay for Performance/Career Ladder office.  In that role, Ms. Day spent countless hours in Phoenix as a lobbyist for the District, advocating for funding/support of student outcomes and a fair compensation plan to reward additional efforts by teachers. 

Meanwhile, Ms. Day began teaching for the University of Phoenix and Northern Arizona State University, focusing on Master's-level classes for teachers.  Her former university students live and work throughout Arizona, spreading her influence outside the boundaries of the District.  She has coached Odyssey of the Mind, allowing her to network with students, parents, teachers, and administrators in other districts. She has been the AZ State Director of Odyssey of the Mind for 20 years.

Ms. Day's involvement with the District did not stop as a former student or employee. Her three sons also grew up in Amphitheater Schools (Donaldson Elementary, Cross Middle, and Canyon del Oro High School), which furthered her commitment to excellence in our District.  She navigated the waters like all parents do...sometimes as a cheerleader, sometimes as a coach, other times as an advocate for a child's needs.  Her family's involvement continues now that her grandchildren are Ironwood Ridge High Schools graduates.

Ms. Day's commitment to the District has been unwavering over the years.  Running a close second is her love of tennis, reading, and traveling - all of which she enjoys more than ever as an Amphitheater School District retiree.

Ms. Deanna M. Day, M.Ed.
Governing Board Vice President
Amphitheater Public Schools Governing Board
701 W. Wetmore Road
Tucson, AZ 85705

(520) 696-5158

After losing both her parents by the age of 20, Vicki Cox Golder had the responsibility of raising her three sisters aged 9, 11, and 13.  She moved her family back to Tucson where there were more opportunities for them all, and knew she wanted to live in the Amphitheater School District to give her sisters the best public education possible.

Ms. Cox Golder is the owner of Vicki L. Cox & Associates, a real estate company that has been in business over 40 years.  She served as a member of the Amphitheater School Board for nine years between 1987 to 1996 while her two sons attended Amphitheater schools.  Now that two of her grandchildren are attending Amphitheater schools, she desired to serve once again on the Governing Board.  Her accomplishments on behalf of the school district were many - before, during, and after her initial service on the Board.

Before serving on the Board, Ms. Cox Golder was responsible for having the first Titan II Defense Missile located across the highway from Coronado Elementary School removed.  After viewing a 60 Minutes segment one evening that showed how dangerous the changing of the fuel on a Titan II site was, she began the movement to have that site removed.  As a result of her actions, that site was the first to be removed, and 17 other sites near metropolitan areas across the country were also removed.  

As a Realtor, Ms. Cox Golder has been instrumental in finding property for several school sites in the District including the Rio Vista Elementary site and Canyon del Oro Alternative School site.  She also secured the donation from a developer of the Painted Sky Elementary School site, as well as the site that is the District’s first STEM school, Innovation Academy.

Ms. Cox Golder chaired the group that founded the Amphitheater School Foundation and continued to chair the Foundation until she was appointed to the School Board in 1987.  She was the first lay member on the Amphitheater Extensions Program before the format of that Board was changed by the Governing Board and was a part of the Board that developed the popular PAL After School Program.

Because of legislation each year that greatly impacted every district in Pima County, Ms. Cox Golder, along with Brenda Even who was TUSD President at the time, helped formed the Pima County School Board/Superintendent Collaborative.  The Collaborative had a strong voice at the legislature for issues such as saving Career Ladder and other important programs and increasing funding to public education.

Ms. Cox Golder has been involved in Odyssey of the Mind for many years and saw her son compete in the World Finals competition in 1991. She continues to serve on the Board of Odyssey of the Mind and as Problem Captain and Head Judge at the regional and state competitions.  Ms. Cox Golder is the only person from Arizona to have served as a Head Judge and Assistant Problem Captain at World Finals competitions.

She has also served as a leader of many other organizations such as:  the Vice Chair of the Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, by appointment of the Governor to the Real Estate Advisory Board for six years, President of the Tucson and Arizona Association of REALTORS®, the 5th woman to serve as President of the National Association of REALTORS®, in leadership of NAR as a member of the Executive Committee until 2019, as Chairman in an elected position on the Golder Ranch Fire District Board for over 27 years, by appointment of the Governor to serve a 6-year term on the Judicial Conduct Commission, and was appointed by the Arizona Supreme Court to serve on the Foster Care Review Board.

Ms. Cox Golder is honored to continue serving Amphitheater students, parents, and teachers as a member of the Governing Board.

 
Ms. Vicki Cox Golder
Governing Board Member
Amphitheater Public Schools Governing Board
701 W. Wetmore Road
Tucson, AZ 85705

(520) 696-5158

It is with deep sadness that we share that Ms. Harris died on June 17, 2025. Ms. Harris was devoted to Amphitheater students, staff and families.

Her seat on the Governing Board will be filled by the Pima County Schools Superintendent in the near future.

More about Ms. Harris:

Ms. Patricia Harris grew up in the Amphitheater School District, beginning as a first-grader at Prince Elementary School and years later retiring as an administrator at Ironwood Ridge High School.

Ms. Harris attended Amphi schools throughout her youth, graduating from Amphi High, where she also began her professional journey with the District. She worked in the office while earning her teaching degree and stayed at Amphi High for her first teaching job. In fact, she taught in Room 201 for 12 years.

After earning a master’s degree in counseling, Ms. Harris helped open La Cima Middle School, working with a staff of selected teachers, and learning something new each day. Ms. Harris worked as a counselor at La Cima for four years and then began her long commitment to being an administrator in the District. She served as an administrator at Canyon del Oro High School and later moved to the principal position at Amphitheater High School, returning to CDO nine years later. In 2021, Ms. Harris took her final position as an employee of the Amphitheater District, working as an administrator at Ironwood Ridge High School for three years.

Ms. Harris credited her long career in the District to the encouragement and support of her family, hard-working staff, supportive parents, district administrators and superintendents.

Most of all, Ms. Harris was grateful for the opportunity to work with generations of students, and she maintained long-term relationships with many as they grew as individuals, became successful adults and brought their own children into the District.

Ms. Harris was honored to continue to serve the students, staff and families of the Amphitheater District as a Governing Board member.

Mr. Matthew A. Kopec is a native of Tucson and proud product of public schools. He holds a degree from the University of Arizona in Political Science & Sociology and currently works as the Public Heath Policy Manager at the Pima County Health Department.

He serves on the Board of Directors for the Southern Arizona Children’s Advocacy Center, a local nonprofit dedicated to helping children who have been victims of abuse and neglect. In that role, Mr. Kopec helps oversee an approximately $1 million budget. He is also a Board Member of La Paloma Family Services, the children’s foster care and group home provider of La Frontera. In addition, he is also a board member for local non-profit Literacy Connects.

From 2016 to 2017, Mr. Kopec represented Legislative District 9, which includes part of Amphitheater Public Schools in the 52nd Legislature. Two of his proudest accomplishments during his tenure were the restoration of state funding for Career and Technical Education Programs and expanding KidsCare, the medical insurance program for children from lower income families. In 2018, before his election to the Board, Mr. Kopec served on the district’s Strategic Planning Committee.

Mr. Matthew A. Kopec
Governing Board Member
Amphitheater Public Schools Governing Board
701 W. Wetmore Road
Tucson, AZ 85705

(520) 696-5158