Higley Unified School District

"Higley Unified School District"' is a school district based in Gilbert, Arizona, United States, with more than 8,500 students. It is "one of the fastest growing public school districts in the State of Arizona". [ [http://www.husd.org/static/AboutHUSD.aspx Higley Unified School District – History of the District] ]

In the Spring of 2008, Higley became the first district in Arizona to receive K-12 accreditation by the AdvanceED/North Central Accreditation Team. Graduating Higley seniors were offered $2.7 million in academic and athletic scholarships. [Higley Community Newsletter, September, 2008]

According to the official district Web site [ [http://www.husd.org] ] , "Higley is a community of schools designed to share a common commitment to education and achievement for our youth and a sense of well-being for all." Focused on providing academic continuity from preschool to high school, the district provides support for academics, music, arts, languages, athletics, physical education, technology and character education. The district performance meets and exceeds state standards in academics, according to Arizona's Superintendent of Public Instruction, and their students compete both on and off the field for recognition in sports, academics and community service. At the district level, the focus in on data-driven instruction and accountability, delivered by highly qualified, professional educators.

Originally a K-8 district located in a farming community SE of Phoenix, Arizona, the district sent its high school students to Gilbert Unified School District until their first high school opened in 2000. In a short period of time, Higley High School has risen to become one of the top high schools in the state in academics, sports and community involvement. A copy of its 2008-2009 course catalog shows its depth and breadth of offerings in Aerospace Science and Leadership, Real Estate, Honors English and Humanities, Advanced Placement and [ [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/College_Level_Examination_Program] ] CLEP offerings.

A second, newer high school opened for the 2007-08 school year and will graduate its first class in 2010. The school boasts modern architecuture, an aquatic sports center, two gymnasiums, weight rooms and other world class facilities.

The district has had just two superintendents in the past 20 years: Larry Likes, who shephered the growing district as more and more farm land was being gobbled up by upscale, suburban housing developments, and its current superintendent, Dr. Joyce Lutrey, who joined the district in 2004 and who has been largely responsible for building the district based on "developing the whole child through performing, fine and visual arts, athletics, foreign languages and the integration of these into traditional academics. [ [http://www.husd.org/DistrictOffice/OfficeSuperintendant.aspx] ]

An inordinate focus on media coverage of several incidents involving employees of the district is evidenced by the postings, below, which were the first items posted here:

The district suspended one of its teachers in October 2007 after she performed an in-class cheerleading routine which was posted to YouTube. Cristina Mallon was an English teacher and cheerleading coach at one of the district's schools, Williams Field High School. [ [http://www.abc15.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=90878FBA-9159-4728-BFDE-F67BEA2DED64&gsa=true KNXV-TV, October 6, 2007, 2:23 pm "Gilbert cheer coach suspended for dance in class?" Reported by: Lori Jane Gliha] ]

Subsequently, a student and the student's father criticized Mallon's choice of the novel "Jake, Reinvented" by Gordon Korman for her freshman English class. [ [http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/100461 East Valley Tribune, October 26, 2007 - 2:54AM "Higley 'cheerleader' teacher under fire again", by Hayley Ringle] ] Mallon was later reported to have resigned. [ [http://www.azcentral.com/offbeat/articles/1113gr-teacher1113-ON.html The Arizona Republic, Nov. 14, 2007 11:30 AM, "YouTube cheerleading teacher asks to resign", by Lars Jacoby] ]

A former school bus driver for the district, Christopher Michael Donofrio, was indicted on three charges related to the sexual abuse of an unidentified 14-year-old girl, the Arizona Republic reported in early November 2007. [ [http://www.azcentral.com/community/gilbert/articles/1108gr-busdriver08-on.html The Arizona Republic, Nov. 8, 2007 07:00 AM, "School bus driver indicted in sexual abuse of girl, 14", by Lars Jacoby] ]

These isolated incidences, combined with a perceived high turnover rate among teachers and administrators in recent years, has led to several parents launching a campaign calling for the [resignation of the superintendent] http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/115872. Additionally, current board member, Kim Anderson has sustained an attack on Dr. Lutrey since she was elected to the governing board in 2006, preferring to [air her concerns in the media] http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/06/05/20080605gr-underfire0605.html rather than working internally with the administration towards continued improvement, after her brother, a district spokesperson, was asked to resign.

External links

* [http://www.husd.org/ Higley Unified School District] Official site.

References