Apache Junction -

Public Speaks Out on School Closing & Budget Deficit

By Bill Van Nimwegen

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Board members hear from parents and community— Superstition Mtn. or Peralta Trail likely to close

Since the defeat of the Apache Junction Unified School District (AJUSD) budget override last November, the school board has been working on solutions to fill a projected $1.5 million budget deficit.

Among the proposals is to close one of the four elementary schools in the district.

After listing considerations that included the age of the schools, repairs and maintenance needed, transportation adjustments and enrollment fiures, the board named Superstition Mountain Elementary School (SMES) in Apache Junction and Peralta Trail Elementary School (PTES) in Gold Canyon as the two candidates for closure.

Concerned parents, teachers, students and other members of the community filed the SMES gym on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2015 to speak to the AJUSD Governing Board and Superintendent Dr. Chad Wilson.

36 members of the community turned in a request to speak and addressed the board and the audience.

Most of the speakers were parents of children with special needs that attend SMES and gave glowing reviews of the school’s program and its teachers. They told stories about their child’s progress under the care of involved and caring teachers at SMES and were concerned that the program would go away with the school.

“My kids here learned to open their wings,” said Carmen Torres through an interpreter. “They have a wonderful special needs education, let them keep growing here, they are the future.” Superintendent Wilson stressed that the “successes that the children achieved are not because of the building, they are because of the people involved,” and he said he hoped that the teachers would choose to remain with the district.

The AJUSD Board held another public meeting the following night, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2015, at Peralta Trail Elementary School in Gold Canyon. Although a smaller crowd than SMES, it was big enough to fil the multi-purpose room and about as many community members spoke.

Many parents here were also concerned about their special needs kids but were also wary of bus trips to an Apache Junction school that could take up to an hour and a half.

There were also homeowners and realtors who spoke that cautioned about falling home values if PTES were to close. They also pointed out the potential for growth in the east now that Resolution Copper is moving forward.

One homeowner, with no children in the district, did not want the building left vacant if the school closed. She said that since Gold Canyon Elementary has been closed, it has become a “hangout” for youth who damage the property.

Also discussed was the opinion that PTES was the highest performing school in the district. Several speakers asked why the Board would consider closing a “B” performing school that was one of the newest in the district.

It was also pointed out that PTES has 3 more classrooms than SMES.

Lonnie Osborn, a parent in the neighborhood, likened the children and teachers at PTES as gold and precious.

“Let’s not lose Peralta Trail like we lost the Dutchman’s mine,” he said.

The district has been operating with a $1.5 million defi cit since 2010 when the fist of the last two budget overrides were turned down by the community. The State allows using carryover savings which have now been expended. The budget override brought before the voters last year also failed to pass so the District must now close the defiit by other means.

Information relating to ongoing and future budget discussions are available at the District’s website: www.ajusd.org. Click on the red “Proposed Budget Solutions” button on the right side of the homepage.