Education

Staff from Katherine Mecham Barney Elementary (KMBE) and Crismon High School (CHS) received grants earlier this school year from the Salt River Project (SRP).

Back-to-school assemblies aim to get students from all grade levels excited for the year ahead.

The growth across all 10 Maricopa Community Colleges put the institution in position to become the largest community college system in the nation.

Students at Katherine Mecham Barney Elementary run for student council positions.

Although focus has been primarily on the Southeast Valley communities of Queen Creek, San Tan Valley and Florence, Crush Kickball hopes to become a statewide program over the next few years. Regular registration is now open through Sept. 1 for the 2024 fall season, which is Sept. 7-Nov. 23.

On Nov. 5, our community will have the opportunity to exercise its civic responsibility by considering an override renewal ballot measure for the Queen Creek Unified School District. This critical election will have a significant impact on all schools and faculty, shaping the resources and support available to our students and staff.

The education sector has faced intense competition for talented educators and a scarcity of qualified candidates in recent years. Despite these challenges, QCUSD has excelled by implementing innovative recruitment strategies, fostering a positive and supportive culture that attracts top educators, and ensuring effective retention practices.

As a board member, I get calls regularly with these concerns from teachers and advise them to go to the administration and keep me included in all communications. I have also recommended they speak to the board at the board meeting. Every single one said they could not without fearing the repercussions.

They’re a confident group, especially after the showing they had in Chicago at the end of July against some of the top wheelchair softball teams in the country. They went into the national tournament without expectations. They simply wanted to perform well and tune-up for the International Wheelchair Softball World Series taking place Aug. 15-18 in Omaha, Neb. 

As the superintendent of J.O. Combs Unified School District, I recognize that sensational headlines and social media posts can sometimes create a skewed perception. However, the reality is that our schools are vibrant, supportive communities where the focus is always on our students' success.