Christopher Verde, Cave Creek school districts merge
by Brian DiTullio 

CCUSD – With the stroke of a pen, the short‑lived Christopher Verde Unified School District became a footnote in Arizona’s education system history book.

The passage of Senate Bill 1164, signed into law by Gov. Janet Napolitano on July 2, required the dissolution of the Christopher Verde district “because the former CVUSD does not offer a full‑time instructional program and therefore transports more than 350 of the pupils who reside in CVUSD to an adjacent school district.”

Cave Creek Unified School District received official notification from the Maricopa County School Superintendent’s Office Aug. 15 that Christopher Verde would be merging with Cave Creek, expanding CCUSD’s boundaries by about 20 square miles from the current 144 square miles.

The CCUSD governing board also will be expanded, with all three members of the Christopher Verde board joining the five‑member Cave Creek board.

“I think that’s a first in this state,” said Nedda Shafir, public information officer for CCUSD. “We couldn’t find another example like it.”

The eight‑member board will function through Dec. 31, 2008, at which time the three members from Christopher Verde will end their terms and the CCUSD board will return to its original five‑member status.

All three Christopher Verde board members will have full voting rights until their term expires, according to Shafir.

“We are so pleased to be able to officially welcome the students, families and governing board members from the former Christopher Verde Unified School District,” said CCUSD Superintendent Dr. Tacy Ashby in a press release.

Shafir pointed out there is room for all the estimated 317 Christopher Verde students currently enrolled at CCUSD facilities. The Christopher Verde district is thought to have about 550 students within its area, some of which attend Paradise Valley, Scottsdale and other neighboring school districts.

“Their families know now that this is their school district,” Shafir added about the politicking and uncertainty regarding the new school district over the past year. “Now it feels a lot more settled.”

Christopher Verde originally was organized to be a transportation only school district, with no plans to build facilities.

State Senator Linda Gray, R‑District 10, helped move the bill through the legislature that resulted in the absorption. She told The Desert Advocate this will allow all parents to have a say in how the district is run, something that wouldn’t have been possible if the students were just being bused in from another district.

CCUSD has approximately 5,900 students in preschool through 12th grade.