MOMS Social Club hears Santa Rosa principal

The Maricopa MOMS (Moms Offering Moms Support) Social Club is now an official chapter of the international MOMS organization. With approximately 50 members, the club is growing every week.

MOMS Social Club members meet monthly.

Meetings are held on the third Friday of each month at 10 a.m. at the First Baptist Church in Maricopa. One a month a mom’s night out is scheduled just for the moms. All other activities include children. Eight playgroups have been organized according to the ages of the children.

Kids love MOMS activities, too!

The group has taken field trips to the Bank of America, Fat Daddy’s Pizza, and Bashas’, which is often the site of coffee meetings. Today was a create a sundae event at Water and Ice, which is partly owned by member Tonya Thompson.

Water and Ice hosted a create a sundae event courtesy of owner Tonya Thompson (left).

Last Friday the members heard from Stephanie Sharp, principal of Santa Rosa Elementary School. She answered several questions about the school as well as the district’s plans for the future.

Principal Stephanie Sharp of Santa Rosa Elementary School.

According to Sharp, the new elementary school on north Rancho El Dorado Parkway is tentatively named Pima Butte. It will be finished on July 1, 2005, just in time for the district’s opening day of July 25. Parents may register their children for Pima Butte at the Santa Rosa site.

Santa Rosa, Maricopa and Pima Butte Elementary Schools will all be K-6. Preschool will be held at Santa Rosa although most of the 35 openings have been filled. On the drawing board for next year is a fourth elementary school in The Villages.

Special needs children in the self-contained program will still be attending Santa Rosa. Currently the school is working with the P.T.O. to fund a fully adapted playground for special needs students who might never be able to play on a slide or swing otherwise. All equipment would be wheelchair accessible.

Addressing funding issues, Sharp explained, “Santa Rosa was funded this year on the basis of 372 students. Our current enrollment is now topping 800 with 100 new students since December. State funding is behind growth.”

Full day kindergarten, which would be funded by the school district’s override if it passes on May 17, presently has 50 families who pay $50 per week for their children to attend. If the override does not pass, half-day kindergarten, which is mandated by the state, will be offered with a daycare option rather than enrichment for the rest of the day.

Sharp also mentioned plans to address the needs of gifted children by implementing a full gifted program. In addition, she talked about speeders and parking lot problems. “Your children’s safety is my most important concern,” she explained.

Interested in joining the MOMS Social Club? Contact Lisa Cannon at 568-4567 or Gretta Roberts at 568-9889.