Hello, Desert Willow Families and Community!

My name is Kendra Forgacs and I am honored to be the principal of this special school! I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and invite you to reach out to me at Desert Willow.

I am proud to be a native Tucsonan! My local schooling included me being a Collier Cougar (K-6th), then a Magee Roadrunner (7th-8th), and a Salpointe Lancer for all four years of high school. I went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing from the University of Arizona followed by two Master’s Degrees from Northern Arizona University. Those degrees are in Elementary Education and Educational Leadership.

My younger years were spent on the softball field and volleyball court, and I am proud to say I was part of Pima Community College’s 1st NJCAA National Championship in softball in 2004. I’ve completed 10 half-marathons and enjoy hiking everywhere we can!

I’ve been married to another native Tucsonan since 2007 and we are blessed with two beautiful and active daughters. We are a busy family who spends a lot of time rushing between school, events, and all sorts of different sports. We also try to make time for things like watching movies together, family meals, and hiking when the weather is nice.

My entire career has been spent within the Vail School District. I began in 2006 with my student-teaching experience at Desert Sky Middle School and that same year was hired to take over a 6th grade math and science classroom. I continued teaching at DSMS until I moved to Rincon Vista Middle School for its opening in 2009, where I stayed until I was afforded the opportunity to join the leadership team at Desert Willow in 2014. I’ve been in the role of Principal here since the 2015/16 school year. I’ve had the best experiences and mentors within the Vail School District and I am proud to say that this is my home away from home!

Ultimately, being a Desert Willow Diamondback is where my journey has led and it’s where I feel I was meant to be.

It is my belief that one of the most important tasks of an elementary school faculty is to help instill in students a love of learning. We take that task seriously and try our best daily to meet that goal.

It is a blessing and an honor to serve the Desert Willow community. I try to be visible on campus to our students and families, and I try to be available to parents. Please reach out to me using my contact information below and I will connect with you in a reasonable amount of time.

With kindness,
Kendra Forgacs, M.Ed.
forgacsk@vailschooldistrict.org
520-879-2304

Desert Willow Elementary School