New high school approved, bond issue planned
by Kathleen Stinson

CCUSD – The governing board of Cave Creek Unified School District voted 4‑1 in favor of constructing a new high school on the district’s south campus at 56th Street and Pinnacle Vista Drive. Estimated cost: $45 million.

After the vote last Wednesday night, the board immediately instructed the bond committee to move forward with preparation of a $116.7 million bond proposal to put before voters for funding the school, building improvements and public transportation associated with the decision. The district already has about $24 million to use toward the new school, which will house all high school students.

Over the past year, the board considered a number of options, hearing numerous presentations by the Long Range Planning Facilities Committee, a citizens advisory group. Other options included building a second small high school either next to Cactus Shadows High School or on the south campus.

Board member Stephanie Reese cast the one “no” vote, with Board President Javier Ledesma and members Lisa Doche, Marvin Christensen and Susan Clancy voting in favor of constructing a new high school on the south campus. The school is scheduled to open in 2010 and will accommodate up to 2,500 students.

Reese said she and her family moved to the Cave Creek area from Illinois in part to get away from large schools and she favors the smaller school environment.

“A well‑rounded kid who feels comfortable is more desirable than a kid who gets the opportunity to learn (say) Japanese,” Reese said.

According to Doche, a single large high school could offer a more well‑rounded curriculum.

“This community has Foothills Academy and Bella Vista, all the options, if it really wants a 200‑ to 300‑member school environment. There are those providers in our community,” Doche said.

Ledesma stated what he is hearing from the community is it wants more arts and extracurricular programs, and “programs are driven by numbers.”

“God bless sports, but sports isn’t everything,” Ledesma commented. “I hate to see us go back to (where the district) was in the mid‑1990s when it didn’t have as much to offer.”

Linda Wilbanks, parent of two CCUSD students, told the board her son was prevented from taking a second‑year calculus class because only 11 students signed up. She said she supports one large school which can offer a greater variety of classes.

“I think they (the board) did the right thing. I think one big high school is not only better for the students but best for the community,” Wilbanks told The Desert Advocate the next day. “It’s taken so long for the community to rally behind Cactus Shadows High School. I’d hate to lose that.”

A second high school could split community loyalty, she said.

Clancy noted the district plans to look at the “schools within a school” concept for the large high school to foster a smaller school environment.

Board members also discussed using the existing Cactus Shadows High School site as an additional elementary and middle school.

Christensen said prior to casting his vote, “I question the cost of retrofitting Cactus Shadows High School to use as a middle and elementary school.”

Associate Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kent Frison pointed out the district is paying off some of its existing bond debt and that assessment will drop from 99 cents per $100 of assessed valuation in 2007 to 61 cents in 2008. Should the proposed new bond issue fail to pass, that number will drop to 21 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, or lower, in 2009. If the bond measure passes, the assessment will remain at 61 cents.

Both district administration staff and the long‑range planning committee said they supported the single, comprehensive high school plan.