Plans being made to give high school campus a new look

Maricopa High School potentially could get a face-lift and, in time, a whole new look. Maricopa Unified School District’s Governing Board learned at their recent meeting that the state’s School Facilities Board (SFB) might soon release funds to allow the high school to accommodate 200 more students.

According to architect Don Brubaker of Gilleland Brubaker, “We don’t want to delay with SFB funds; if they offer, we’ll take it.” Those funds would be in the neighborhood of $3.8 million less administrative costs, leaving about $3.2 million for the actual construction of eight classrooms plus equipment for them.

Don Brubaker updated the board on possible renovations for the high school campus as well as the bond election.

Brubaker also gave the governing board a look at some of the possibilities for the high school campus. “We need to start developing the campus feel and core that’s so desperately need,” noted Brubaker.

Eight portable classrooms need to be replaced at the high school site. Well beyond their three-year usage deadline, they need to be replaced. “We want to convince them (SFB) not just to tear them down, but to replace them,” indicated Brubaker. “We also want to emphasize a new entrance and a real focus for the campus, a core.”

Other possibilities for the future remodeling of the high school site include relocating the fields on Honeycutt adjacent to the office, utilizing that space for a new administration and classroom building. Additions like a landscaped courtyard where the current portable classrooms are located, a new library, an additional paved parking lot by the football field and the relocation of the district office are all possible future renovations.

Bond Election Update
Brubaker informed the board that June would be devoted to receiving input from the community regarding a possible bond election. That information will be brought to the board in July.

Kindergarten Program
Board member Tim White had previously asked for a report on the kindergarten program after being approached by parents wanting an exception to the age deadline. “If we do this, more exceptions would follow,” noted board member Delia Carlyle.

Maricopa Elementary Principal Lynnette Michalski, who presented the report, told the board that the elementary principals are not in favor of granting exceptions due to the unknown number of students who would then impact already crowded kindergarten classrooms. “We want students to be academically ready and mature enough for first grade,” explained Michalski.

Regular kindergarten classes are offered on both an all day and a half day schedule. Academic instruction is given primarily in the morning with enrichment following in the afternoon. Students in regular kindergarten classes must be five years of age by September 1st each year. Early kindergarten, for students who turn five between September 1 and December 31, is a half-day program (see related story).