Your Community Schools

DVUSD refl ects the area’s successes

By Dr. Curtis Finch Deer Valley Unifi ed School District Superintendent

The last school year was interesting to say the least!  is next school year will be just as exciting.  e No. 1 lesson we learned in our last societal adventure was public schools are the bedrock of our democracy. It is how families get nutritional, emotional, social and academic support and connect to a community.

Most American school districts have educational systems that have been in place for decades, some over a century. Charter and private schools come and go when the money dries up, but the local public school remains to serve anyone who comes in the doors regardless of race, religion, special needs or household income.  e Deer Valley Uni ed School District (DVUSD) started in a small building in New River in 1934 and has expanded to 39 schools and 34,000 students, passing the demographer’s predictions for growth the past three years. Our students and sta have won hundreds of prestigious and unique awards, like Forbes.com’s Top 50 AZ Businesses to work; state, athletic and music titles; and KTAR’s Best Public School District in Arizona, right behind Chandler last year. We fully expect to take away their crown a er passing Chandler in academics this past year on the state tests and several of KTAR’s other measures

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Despite our 39 excellent schools, the charter and private enterprises have grown to the same number of schools in our district zone. Because of our rising reputation, many parents in the charter and the private system think their school must be in DVUSD’s system.  e complicated application processes, grade recommendations, mysterious waiting lists if your student has special needs or discipline issues, a principal or superintendent who is also the board president or owner, and tuition recommendations are all put forth by their systems— those are indicators your student is not in the public school system.

More than once we have heard, “I would like to transfer my student from my DVUSD school to another DVUSD school.”  ey are “shocked” when they hear their school is not a DVUSD school. If you want to learn more about what is really happening to your tax dollars in private and charter schools, read my white paper on this topic at dvusd.org/ charterschoolreport. If you want to receive a quality education from a taxpayer-led school district, the DVUSD schools around the 85086 area are Anthem School, Boulder Creek High School, Canyon Springs, Desert Mountain, Diamond Canyon, Gavilan Peak and Sunset Ridge.  e DVUSD schools in the 85085 area are Barry Goldwater High School, Deer Valley Middle, Esperanza, Norterra Canyon, Paseo Hills, Sonoran Foothills and our newest, Union Park.

Come join your local public school, the foundation for our democracy, where quality education meets quality community connection. Public schools intentionally make long-lasting connections with local businesses, philanthropic organizations and community groups to better the future of our area. Connect with DVUSD and connect with the future of our communities.

Dr. Curtis Finch is the DVUSD superintendent and can be reached at superintendent@dvusd.org.