June 20, 2012 • Vol. 10, No.26
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Anthem • Black Canyon City • Carefree • Cave Creek • Desert Hills • New River • N. Phoenix • Tramonto
Boulder Creek grad earns trip to U.S. Olympic trials
Cave Creek Unified vote to switch 4 schools to charters
MARC BUCKHOUT MANAGING EDITOR
A year ago at this time Brian Moore Jr. was a new high school graduate, as a member of the 2011 graduating class at Boulder Creek High School. The freshman to be was wondering what it would take to be successful as he prepared for college, heading off to Eastern Michigan University on a swim scholarship after claiming second place at the state meet in the 200 meter
OLYMPICS
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MARC BUCKHOUT MANAGING EDITOR
Photo courtesy of Walt Middleton
Brian Moore Jr. took second place in the 200 meters at the state meet during his senior year at Boulder Creek High School. Starting next week Moore Jr., who just completed his freshman year at Eastern Michigan University will compete in the U.S. Olympic qualifying meet in both the 200 and 400 meters.
Desert Hills man readies for fundraising ride MARC BUCKHOUT MANAGING EDITOR
Marc Buckhout/The Foothills Focus
Jim Fry does a 30-35 mile morning bike ride up through Anthem daily. The Desert Hills resident is looking to raise $100,000 for the Special Olympics while competing in a seven-day 485 mile bike races through the French Alps Aug. 19 – 25.
Inside:
Desert Hills resident Jim Fry has a pair of big goals he’s hoping to accomplish this summer. From Aug. 19-25 the 50-yearold will be in Europe. While he’ll be seeing plenty of mountains and the country side in Switzerland and France the attorney for Swift Transportation Company won’t be on a relaxing vacation. Instead he’ll compete in the seven-day, 780 km (485 mile) Haute Route bike race through the Alps from Geneva to France. While Fry doesn’t expect to be able to compete on par with cyclists half his age he said the
TRAVEL:
Summer getaways features centennial celebration in Pine
Page 3
opportunity to do something he loves while raising money for a good cause will be a thrill. “My number one goal is raising money for Special Olympics of Arizona, but just participating in Haute Route is definitely the thrill and accomplishment of a lifetime,” Fry said. In order to prepare for the event, which ascends many of the same mountains in the Tour de France, Fry does a morning ride up to Anthem in which he puts in 30-35 miles on the week days. On the weekend he says he often bikes to Bartlett Lake, a 75-80 mile round trip adventure.
fundRaising
continued on page 7
EDUCATION:
Staff members of the Cave Creek Unified School District are of the belief that students returning to Desert Sun Academy, Desert Willow, Lone Mountain and Horseshoe Trails Elementary Schools for the 2012-2013 won’t notice any difference from the schools they left this summer. In efforts to preserve the standard of education that has been established CCUSD will convert four of their five elementary schools to district run charter schools. The move came via a 3-1 vote of the school board on June 12. The move, which goes into effect July 1, eventually will bring in more revenue, based on the higher per-pupil funding level by the state for charters. Charter schools receive $1,500 more per student from the state than the current per-pupil funding of about $5,000 for district schools. While the district estimates the conversion will only net $140,114 increase for the 20122013 school year, as only first year students to the district will be counted in the new funding equation, the additional money is expected to be in excess of $3.5 million beginning in 20132014 and continue at that level annually into the future. Board president David Schaefer commended the staff for their efforts in coming up with the plan. “We need stable and reliable funding,” he said. “The cuts have to stop. We can’t continue
MUSIC:
to manage our schools through continuous subtraction. The state legislature is supposed to fund education properly. That isn’t happening and I don’t see it happening any time soon.” In addition to not seeing the financial support from the state, board vice president Stephanie Reese said the district has heard the voters loud and clear as recent efforts to gain additional funding through overrides have been voted down. “We can’t keep rolling the dice every year, spending money only to be slapped in the face again and again,” she said. “Money doesn’t necessarily improve test scores, but lack of money can hurt them.” While Schaefer acknowledged the move is creative and some might call it risky he said based on the research the staff has done and on the model provided by some of the other school districts that have gone down this path he is confident CCUSD can make it work. Superintendent Debbi Burdick said that while there is a perception, in some circles, that charter schools don’t have as high of standards in terms of curriculum or for their teachers she said nothing would change on those fronts. “Our curriculum policies would remain the same,” she said. “Our community has a fairly positive perception of charters. Because of our
CHARTER
continued on page 4
OTHER :
New superintendent starts in Deer Valley Unified School District
ProMusica seeks new talent for upcoming season
• Editorial Page
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