InMaricopa
Lauding her leadership, the MUSD Governing Board extended superintendent Dr. Tracey Lopeman s contract for another three years. Photo by Jay Taylor
The Maricopa Unified School District Governing Board Tuesday voted unanimously to extend the contract of superintendent Dr. Tracey Lopeman for another three years â through the 2023-24 school year.
Board members lauded her performance over the last three years as she guided the district through the COVID-19 pandemic and her positive attitude.
âWe appreciate the leadership you have brought, especially these past months with all the unforeseen issues that have come up with the pandemic and your leadership through that,â said board president Ben Owens.
InMaricopa
Members of the Maricopa Unified School District, from left, Torri Anderson, Robert Downey, AnnaMarie Knorr, and Ben Owens turn the ceremonial first shovels of dirt at the groundbreaking event for the district s second high school. Photo by Jay Taylor.
The Maricopa Unified School District took a step toward a new future when it broke ground on the city’s second high school Friday. Located on an 80-acre parcel at the southwest corner of Murphy and Farrell roads, the new school is scheduled to open in July 2022.
Approximately 100 invited guests, attended the event, including the mayor Christian Price and the city council, MUSD governing board, members of the construction team, and Ak-Chin Indian Community chairman, and the school facilities board.
InMaricopa
“I want to move toward us not being the COVID police,” said AnnaMarie Knorr, vice president of the Maricopa Unified School District Governing Board at Wednesday s meeting. Photo by Jay Taylor
After a brief hiatus, COVID-19 and mask mandates returned for discussion at the Maricopa Unified School District Governing Board meeting on Wednesday. This time, however, a policy changed indicated progress against the virus.
The board voted unanimously to accept the recommendation of Dr. Tracey Lopeman, district superintendent, to require masks indoors in its schools and buildings through the end of the school year on May 27. During that period, masks outside will be recommended, but not required.
InMaricopa
The Maricopa Unified School District is getting ready to invest in a new science curriculum.
The district is evaluating potential vendors to provide both curriculum and textbooks to all the district’s K-12 schools at a cost of about $1.7 million.
According to the district, the Teaching and Learning department is responsible for the adoption process, which starts with teachers voting on the curriculum, followed by Governing Board approval, purchase of the materials and delivery, which will come in time for the start of the 2021-22 school year.
Student achievement data will be reviewed each semester using benchmark data and yearly using state assessment data.
MUSD board votes, 2-1, to hire new MHS athletic director
Ben Owens, president of the Maricopa Unified School District Governing Board, listens at Wednesday night s meeting. Photo by Jay Taylor
The hiring of a new athletic director/vice principal at Maricopa High School took an unexpected turn Wednesday night.
Christopher Driving Hawk’s hiring was on the consent agenda at the meeting of the Maricopa Unified School District Governing Board, with approval thought to be a formality.
But president Ben Owens pulled the matter off the consent agenda for discussion and then introduced a motion to withhold approval.
“I wanted to pull this off because I know this was a very contentious item and we did receive several emails about this,” Owens said. “I don’t want this to come across to our administration as ‘I don’t trust you’ but I can’t support this position.”