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SEPTEMBER 2016|| VOL. X ISSUE I
PERRY HIGH SCHOOL || GILBERT, AZ
Now and then:
Perry celebrates 10th anniversary photo by Bree Wade
Perry’s current student body heads to class during a traditional school day. In ten years, Perry High School has gone from only about 800 students to 3600 students. Perry’s growth has allowed new clubs, higher tests scores, and a more diverse range of both athletic and academic programs. By Hayley Young the precedent
Editor’s Note: In celebration of PHS’ 10-year anniversary, each issue we will take a look at a unique angle of our school’s history. When principal Dan Serrano and his staff of 75 opened Perry in the fall of 2007, enrollment was so small that only 20 students drove to school. Only 800 students roamed the halls; compared to 3,600 today. From the get-go, Serrano had a plan – make Perry one of the more competitive institutions in the state. “When we first opened,” he said, “we had to beat these other schools. I want to be one of the leading schools in sports, fine arts, and academics.” Last year, PHS dominated the state in test scores, a fact Serrano takes great pride in. “Our ACT and AZMerit scores were in the top 90 percent in the district,” he said. “This is the first time in our history that we are number one in most categories.”
With the large population of students feeding into the school, Perry’s programs have grown to accommodate the students. “We had one section of orchestra when we first opened, now we have five,” Serrano said. English teacher Patrice Strojny is one only 32 original staff members. Strojny, like many other staff members, jumped at the opportunity to open Chandler’s newsest school in 2007. “It’s rare to open a new school, so I was very excited to come to PHS,” Strojny said. Transferring to a school with a small population of students and teachers allowed better teacher-student relationships and closeness with fellow faculty. “The faculty was extremely small. We were like a family,” she said, “not that we aren’t close today, but many of the original teachers have moved on to the private sector or transferred to other schools in other capacities-this is not bad, just different.” The student population has grown so
much that instructors like Strojny teach in the bus barn – a building originally intended to be an auto shop class. Today, enrollment makes it difficult for staff and students to have the type of relationships they did when the school was smaller. “It does create problems with space and class size,” Strojny said, “however, I think it’s a tribute to the administration and
dangerous ordeal due to the constant traffic flow in both directions. Serrano said, “Over the years, there’s been a lot of accidents right there with people wanting to turn left.” This new light presents a safer way to undergo the daily drop-off and pick-up of students. Serrano said, “I think that the best thing about that traffic light is when people are on 156th and they want to turn left, it’s safer.” One problem that the light has introduced is an increase in traffic flow, but that problem could soon be solved. “The city does have some sort of
contraption that is monitoring traffic flow, so they could change the timing on that,” he said. If the timing is changed and the traffic becomes smoother, the light could be beneficial to all drivers. In addition, the town will soon be opening a cemetery near the Greenfield and Queen Creek Roads. With a rising population of about 240 thousand, this will be the first cemetery in Gilbert; for 96 years Gilbert citizens were burried elsewhere. According to the town, Gilbert’s mortality rate was 1,318 deaths per 100,000 residents
graphic by Dustin Loughead
faculty who have made such a tremendous contribution to our students that so many parents, including parents from out of the boundary, who want their kids to be Pumas.” English teacher Kate Copic is another original staff member. During the first year, a majority of the classrooms were empty and unused. “There were benefits to being small,” she said. “Yet, we did not have the things we needed to improve yet.” With Perry starting off so small, it was never thought that the student population would hit 3,600, but new schools attract students from all over. “When schools open and are brand new, [they] have a tendency to attract students who want a fresh start,” Copic stated. Perry has now grown into the one of the largest public schools in Arizona; students from all over come to PHS. Thinking of the future, Serrano declared: “This is the beginning of us staying and being one of the best schools in Arizona.”
Additions to town of Gilbert benefit residents, students By Caden Johnson the precedent
Drivers coming on-and-off campus have fought congestion on Queen Creek and 156th St. for years. In June, the Town of Gilbert began a project to ease their pain. The town installed a new traffic light at the intersection, which has both helped – and in some cases – hurt traffic. With all the ease of entry and exit it creates, many love the light, but some are annoyed by the increase of traffic it has created. Turning left on 156th had become a very
News 1-3 • Opinions 4-5 • The Parking Problem 6-7 • A & E 8-9 • Sports 10-12 All-American performers Three Perry students selected to participate in national band. Page 8
Pumas ready to pounce
After a 2-0 start, the Pumas are ready to continue their streak Page 12
in 2015, which has called the attention of the town to finally build a cemetery. The cemetery will be about 22 acres large and is estimated to accommodate around 9,000 burials (or have a 75 year capacity). The cemetery is anticipated to have a traditional burial ground, funeral home, cremation garden, mausoleum and private estates with several ponds throughout the area. With a cemetery closer to home, funeral goers will be able to focus on being at the cemetery rather than how they are going to get there.
www.phsprecedent.com The Parking Problem
Lack of student parking creates new issues at FlipSide. Pages 6-7