Outgoing board members recognized by school district; new high school graduation requirements and courses approved

Maricopa Unified School District’s governing board approved several projects at their final meeting of the year. Two of the board members, Delia Carlyle and Michael Muriett, received plaques in recognition of their service to the district.

Superintendent Dr. John Flores thanks Michael Muriett for his service as a governing board member while (from left) Delia Carlyle, board president Jim Chaston and Tim White applaud.

“It’s been a great eight years,” noted Carlyle. “There are a lot of challenges ahead, and I would like to extend my appreciation to the board members. This is the end of another chapter as I move on.”

Delia Carlyle also received a plaque for eight years of service as a governing board member. Presently the tribal chairman of the Ak-Chin Community, she was a 1974 graduate of Maricopa High School.

Carlyle advised incoming board members, Shannon Amos and Shannon Johns, who will be sworn in Saturday, “Listen with your heart and school personnel will know you care.”

Arizona School Board Association (ASBA) report
Board member Tracy Davis, local delegate to the ASBA, reported that the group is challenging two private schools’ voucher programs. The ACLU is handling the suit pro bono so no public funds are being expended in the litigation against public funds supporting private schools.

“Arizona school funding currently ranks 50th out of 51 states, including the District of Columbia,” noted Davis. She explained that Arizona has more charter schools than any other state in America, and, according to Education Week magazine, “Arizona is number one in providing school choice.”

Jim Chaston, president of the board, offered information regarding the passage of two propositions in the November election. Prop 103, English as the official language, exempts education, which, he said, “can use other languages to communicate.” However, Public Program Eligibility (Prop 300) states that public funding cannot be used in any fashion to educate illegal aliens.

Expansion contract for Maricopa High School
The district received three proposals for the completion of this project, and the selection committee chose the McCarthy firm for preconstruction services. According to Business Manager Mark Busch, “There will be some huge renovations and additions for the high school, as approved in the recent bond election. This is a complex project with all that has to be moved around.”

McCarthy has done 30 schools in the state, both new and renovations, and has been in business since 1979. The construction firm recently completed $50 million projects in Scottsdale and at Chandler High School as well as a nine-campus contract in Glendale.

High school graduation requirement changes; new courses and optional class period
Maricopa High School Principal Burnie Hibbard received board approval for the following changes in graduation requirements:

Effective with the class of 2008, one half credit of Economics will count toward the one credit American Government requirement, and the physical education credit requirement will include a half credit each of physical education and health. Due to the modification of state CTE standards, one credit in Keyboarding/Career Exploration will be required, as well as two additional CTE class credits.

An optional “A-hour” class will be added prior to the actual school starting time. According to Hibbard, “This will provide students with an opportunity to take a seventh class for enrichment or remediation.” However, students will have to provide their own transportation and pay tuition if it is their seventh class of the day. Seniors on early release for work could take the class without paying tuition fees.

New courses in the areas of business, culinary arts, law enforcement, fire science, sports medicine, jewelry and AIMS mathematics will be added next year. Several of these courses will impact future building requirements and are being added in preparation for the renovation project.