Dionne Leonard appointed to Baboquivari school board

Dionne Leonard was sworn in to the Baboquivari Unified School District Governing Board, officials said Friday, filing a position after the previous board member stopped attending meetings.

Dustin Williams, the Pima County school superintendent, appointed Leonard to the board and on Monday, she was sworn in and participated in her first meeting this week, officials said.

Leonard will take over the term of Jessica Miguel, who was elected in November 2024. Miguel stopped attended governing board meetings in June, and by December, Williams declared the seat vacant, and began seeking candidates for her replacement.

Under Arizona state law, if a school board member doesn’t perform the duties of their office for three consecutive months, their position is considered vacant. 

Leonard will serve through Dec. 31, 2026, with an election to be held in November for the final two years of the term, officials said.

The Baboquivari district is located in Sells, Ariz., about 60 miles southwest of Tucson on the Tohono O’odham Nation. Its schools serve about 1,000 students, district officials said.