With the growth of Chandler Unified School District, many of the high schools and junior high schools have climbed to over one thousand students. With the overwhelming amount of students at each of the schools, there is a proposed solution with the advent of a new secondary school.

The purpose of the school is to allow alleviation for local high schools such as Basha High School and Perry High School, but also for the district’s junior high schools such as Payne Junior High School and Santan Junior High School.

Principal Dan Serrano predicts the impact on Perry High, “[The new school] will provide relief.”

This new high school will be located on the northeast corner of Power and Riggs Roads and will teach grades 7-12. The projected opening date is July 2015; in time for the next school year. Initially, the projected enrollment ranges from 600 to 800 students; the maximum number of students who can enroll is between 2000 to 2300 students.

For the 2015-2016 school year, only grades 7-9 will be taught, but all grades 7-12 will be open by July 2018.

According to Superintendent Camille Casteel, “construction [for the new school] is on schedule at this time.”

The new school’s information page provides comprehensive information including the school’s plans to offer a STEM program similar to the one already in existence at Perry High School.

As stated by the CUSD Public Information Meeting information, “[There will be] academic emphasis, [and programs including] Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM), on level and acceleration [courses] in core areas… Advanced Placement (AP), Dual Credit [as well as] electives.”

However, Serrano does not foresee massive impact on the current STEM Program in place at our school now.

“[The STEM Program idea is] still in its infancy… we are the only school in the district that has approval to have a STEM Diploma. I think in all high schools in one form or another claim to have a STEM program… but I don’t think it will have a major impact on what we do.”

With a new school comes a new boundary change. The new change has the potential to impact the lives of students throughout the district, but in no way does it seem to drastically redefine the current boundaries.

Per contra, the new secondary school will provide academic diversity within the district with the unique classes and rigorous programs starting in junior high school.

“We will have the administration and staff of the school determine if they will have a ‘special’ emphasis.” explained Casteel.