Governing Board
Board Meeting Dates & Times
Unless otherwise posted, the J. O. Combs Unified School District #44 conducts Regular Board meetings as listed:
- Meeting Date: Second Wednesday of each month (view scheduled dates >)
- Meeting Time: 5:30 pm*
- Meeting Place: District Office Governing Board Room, 43371 N. Kenworthy Road, San Tan Valley, AZ 85140
*Meetings start at 5:30 pm unless otherwise noted on the public notice.
You can view meeting minutes and agendas by clicking here.
We are in the process of transitioning to a new board agenda system. If you are unable to find past meeting information on the link above, please try this link as an option for past meeting information.
The doors will open to the public at 3:45 pm.
The Governing Board will hold special meetings as needed, with preference given to the fourth Wednesday of each month. In addition to this website, we will post all public notices for J.O. Combs Unified School District at the exterior District Office bulletin board.
To receive an e-mail copy of the Governing Board agenda, e-mail your request to Judy Wenger.
J.O. Combs Unified School District #44 endeavors to make all public meetings accessible to those with disabilities. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation, such as a sign language interpreter, by contacting Judy Wenger at J.O. Combs USD at 480-987-5300 or jwenger@jocombs.org. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow time to arrange the accommodation.
To receive an e-mail copy of the Governing Board agenda, e-mail your request to Judy Wenger.
J.O. Combs Unified School District #44 endeavors to make all public meetings accessible to those with disabilities. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation, such as a sign language interpreter, by contacting Judy Wenger at J.O. Combs USD at 480-987-5300 or jwenger@jocombs.org. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow time to arrange the accommodation.
Meet Our Governing Board
Shelly Hargis, Governing Board President
Board Term: January 9, 2025 to December 31, 2026
E-mail: shargis@jocombs.org
Mrs. Shelly Hargis began her service on the J.O. Combs Governing Board in 2008 and has since been re-elected multiple times, culminating in her appointment to a two-year term. She has served as Board President for over 10 years, demonstrating her dedication to the district and our community. Mrs. Hargis holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education with an endorsement in English as a Second language. She brings over 7 years of classroom experience and more than 20 years of active involvement in the community. Her extensive contributions include serving on various PTO's, booster organizations, Parent-Superintendent Councils, and numerous special committees dedicated to enhancing the educational experience for students and families. A resident of the J.O.Combs Unified School District since 2000, Shelly and her husband, Carl, have raised three children, all of whom started and completed their K-12 education within the district. Shelly's deep roots in the community and her dedication to its educational success have made her a trusted advocate for students and families alike.
Dr. Melissa Valenzuela, Governing Board Clerk
School site liaison: Combs High School and Ranch Elementary School
Dr. Melissa Valenzuela has deep roots in the San Tan Valley area. Her father was born and raised here and she continued the tradition by raising her two children in this community. Both of her children are Combs High School graduates. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education/Spanish, a Master of Arts in Educational Counseling and Administration and a Ph.D. in Career Counseling. Within her 30 years of service in education, Dr. Valenzuela has been a teacher, a counselor, and an administrator in three school districts. She was proud to work for the Combs School District for 6 1/2 years. She assisted in the opening of Ranch Elementary, Ellsworth Elementary and Combs High School. She has always believed and continues to believe that the J.O. Combs District is the heart of this community.
Lisa Horne, Governing Board Member
School site liaison: Combs Middle School
Mrs. Lisa Horne is serving her first term as a J.O. Combs Unified School District Governing Board member. She is married with five children that are sixth generation Arizonans. Her oldest children are students at Combs High School, where she sits on several Booster Clubs including StuCo, Golf, and Cheer. She has taught K-12 since 2012, as well as worked closely on school related legislation at the state level. Mrs. Horne has a Bachelor of Science in Business Marketing. She is a Certified Holistic Nutritionist, Registered Yoga Teacher, as well as licensed ham radio operator. She has over a decade working in radio and TV broadcasting, writing guest editorials for state and local publications, and is a published author for Simon and Schuster. Mrs. Horne has served on multiple municipal boards and councils including City of Show Low Board of Adjustments, Town of Gilbert Water Resources Municipal Property Corporation, the Pinal County Citizens Advisory Council, as well as the San Tan Valley Advisory Council. In 2023, Mrs. Horne was awarded the Civic Engagement Award by the Pinal County Board of Supervisors for District 2. She currently works as Director of Marketing for a national non-profit, and as a contributing writer for WebMD. While she enjoys serving in her church, and being active in the community, her most prized role is in the home as a wife and mother.
Steven Ray, Governing Board Member
Board Term: January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2026
E-mail: sray@jocombs.org
E-mail: sray@jocombs.org
School site liaison: Simonton Elementary School
Mr. Steven Ray began his first term as a J.O. Combs Unified School District Governing Board member in January 2019. Mr. Ray taught Special Education at the High School level for 11 years. He also taught the Japanese Language at the high school level for 7 years. He holds Master's degree in Bilingual and Multicultural Education and in Educational Leadership. Mr. Ray is currently employed as a school administrator in an east valley public school district. Mr. Ray has six children, four that have already graduated from Combs High School, and one that will graduate from Combs High School in May of 2023. His youngest has attended Combs High School since the Fall of 2019. Mr. Ray's oldest daughter graduated from High School before the Combs District had built and opened a high school. Mr. Ray is a native to Mesa, Arizona and moved to San Tan Valley 14 years ago.
Dianne Taylor, Governing Board Member
Board Term: August 13, 2025 to December 31, 2026
E-mail: dtaylor1@jocombs.org
E-mail: dtaylor1@jocombs.org
School site liaison: Ellsworth Elementary School and Harmon Elementary School
Mrs. Dianne Taylor chose to make Queen Creek her home in the spring of 2023 and is finding the welcoming community to far exceed her hopes and expectations. While her roots are in the Midwest, the friendly, hardworking people and traditional values she finds here in this community make her feel right at home. Mrs. Taylor received her BA in Elementary Education from Maryville University in St. Louis, MO, and later, her MA in Counseling from Stephens College in Columbia, MO. She spent her career in education, spanning 25 years, in the Ft. Zumwalt School District in O’Fallon, MO. Eleven of those years were as a classroom teacher (3rd, 4th & 5th grades) and fourteen years as a counselor at the elementary and middle school levels. She continued her education taking classes and workshops throughout her career to increase her knowledge base and enhance her skills and abilities. She retired in 2013. The next few years were spent enjoying her granddaughter and exploring the beauty of the Four Corners area through RV’ing and ATV riding in the mountains of CO, UT, NM and AZ. Mrs. Taylor currently volunteers in her church’s children’s ministry, and she is eager to be involved in local education once again. She has 3 sons, two wonderful daughters-in-law, an amazing granddaughter and some very sweet grand dogs! She is grateful for the opportunity to serve her community through the appointed seat on the governing board which begins in August, 2025 and ends December, 2026. She hopes to bring her experience, energy and enthusiasm to this new role and serve the staff, students, parents and community at large to the best of her ability.