Parents of school-age children may ask, “Can schools in the Maricopa Unified School District provide the quality education I want for my child?” This is a valid question, especially if the child is an excellent student.
It appears some parents, who seek schooling outside of the district, say the answer is “No.”
One incoming freshman at Maricopa High School has his own thoughts on the question.
Brady McMullen has attended MUSD schools from kindergarten through eighth grade, taking advantage of available programs and activities. In third and fifth grade, he participated in the Nissan “A World in Motion” program, working on engineering projects and touring the automaker’s test facility in Stanfield. The experience led him to consider future studies in engineering.
After completing fifth grade at Butterfield Elementary, he attended Maricopa Wells Middle School, where he was in the Blended Learning Program. Brady explained the program helped him make great strides developing as a student. The group work and projects, as well as working with computers, enhanced his ability to meet future education challenges, he said.
He has great praise for three of his middle-school teachers. Robyn Rice, his math teacher, provided him with the learning he needed to take high school geometry while still in eighth grade. Jackie Hahn, his science teacher, used experiments to help Brady explore new ideas. His English/ history teacher, Jennifer Cameron, emphasized the need to improve his writing skills and challenged him to become a skillful writer.
Brady also mentioned the sports programs at the middle school, which provided enjoyable competitions and allowed him to interact with a diverse set of peers. He played baseball, basketball, football and soccer, and he plans to try out for teams at Maricopa High School. His other extracurricular activities include orchestra, student council and National Junior Honor Society.
As an eighth-grade student, Brady was allowed to take the PSAT college admission test. He scored in the 92nd percentile on a test primarily taken by 10th graders.
For Brady McMullen, MUSD has offered a collection of opportunities to prepare him for the road that lies ahead. It is a great place for a good student to attend school.
Murray Siegel, Ph.D., has more than 44 years of teaching experience and
volunteers at Butterfield Elementary School.
This column appears in the June issue of InMaricopa magazine.
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