In anticipation of the new MHS school year

Being a parent and resident of Maricopa has been an interesting and challenging situation. My family has had many new and unique experiences since relocating to Maricopa from California. We are somewhat ambivalent about our new lives here; however, we are still thrilled with the growth, yet small town feel that we have experienced.

For those who aren’t familiar with me or my daughter, my family, including husband, Peter, teenage daughter, Chelsea, toddler son, Maximilian and me, Tamera, a wife and mother, moved here two years ago August.

My husband owned a business in California and commuted weekly up until January 2008 when he had an accident that left him legally blind.

Upon relocating, our major concern was for our children’s welfare, especially our teenage daughter’s adjustment to a new school. We thought it should be somewhat easier for her as this would be her freshman year. Understandably, initially it was a little “bumpy.” The high school itself was antiquated and substandard compared to what we were accustomed to in California.

It didn’t take long for us to figure out that the MUSD was not prepared for the great influx of students. Needless to say, our first year with the high school was a bust. We actually learned a lot about the system and our community and were very encouraged by the expansion of the high school.

During my daughter’s sophomore year, she hit the ground running. She took a very proactive stance. My husband and I wanted to send her to Ahwatukee or Gilbert for the remainder of high school. She was having no part of it. She could see the school’s potential; also she’d developed an undying loyalty for her fellow students and administration, a self-prescribed “Maricopa High School advocate.”

Chelsea was appointed a member of the LINK crew by then assistant principal, Valerie Whitchurch. The link crew is a leadership and school orientation team made up of staff-appointed students and administration. She would come home every day speaking of the injustices done and how improvements could be made. I have always been very vocal and active with her schooling. So I started inquiring about a parent teacher organization, to no avail.
There wasn’t one.

Almost by default, I was made interim PTO president late last school year. Since then, I have been working with Whitchurch, who had been a major player in getting parent participation. She was an advocate for the students amongst her many duties.

I have been very fortunate to meet a handful of devoted parents. We don’t have a lot of parental participation. Our major goal as the Parent Teacher Organization is to establish strong communication lines with parents and school administration. Initially we hope to have quarterly newsletters as a way of overcoming the lack of communication.

In dealing with school administration, as well as the MUSD Governing Board, I have learned that they are all putting forth their best effort to improve and sustain a high school in which the student population quadrupled within a year or so. Budgetary cutbacks in a recessed economy makes maintaining this school a challenging job, but not impossible.

MUSD Superintendent John Flores has been instrumental in instituting change and giving parents a voice. Overall I see a bright future for Maricopa High School. More parents have to get involved with the school and their children. I subscribe to the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Our students are our future. We have to support and nurture them. With the community growth slowing due to the economy, I am hoping that we can utilize this time to take stock and invest in our children and community.

We have a community full of intellectual and culturally diverse people from everywhere. There is a wealth of knowledge and information we need to impart to our youth. I look forward to a year of networking and sharing and making our high school and community the best it can be. Please consider this an open invitation to come and participate whether you are a parent or retiree. We need you.

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