Jaeger Sees Gloomy Future For Amphi School District Enrollment

Anticipates substantial  enrollment decline until 2050
Amphitheater Public Schools Superintendent Todd Jaeger told the Oro Valley Town Council last Wednesday that the district faces a prolonged and significant decline in student enrollment, with long-term implications for the size and structure of the school system. Citing demographic data, Jaeger said Arizona’s birth rate has dropped by about 38 percent over the past two decades—roughly double the national decline—and that district demographers do not expect that trend to reverse until around 2050. As a result, he said Amphitheater is likely to become a district roughly half its current size over time.

Don’t expect property taxes to decline
Jaeger explained that student enrollment—rather than the number of school buildings a district operates—is what drives school funding and property tax rates. Arizona’s public schools are funded through a per-student state equalization formula that combines local property taxes with state funding to provide a similar base level of funding per student across districts, regardless of local property wealth. As a result,

property taxes raised in wealthier communities help support school funding statewide, and closing schools does not reduce property taxes. Jaeger noted that Amphitheater has lowered its tax rate in recent years, but as enrollment declines, the district receives less state funding overall, with local tax amounts remaining tied to the state funding formula rather than to individual school closures.

Public schools losing students to “school choice” options
Jaeger briefly referenced Arizona’s school voucher program, known as the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program, noting that the expansion of school choice options is one of several factors contributing to enrollment pressures facing public school districts. The ESA program allows families whose children are not enrolled in public schools to use up to 90 percent of the state funding that would otherwise have gone to their public school district for private school tuition or homeschooling expenses. Although Jaeger did not quantify the financial impact, ESA participation has grown rapidly since the program became universally available to K–12 families in 2022. Enrollment now exceeds 100,000 ESA students statewide, shifting a significant number of student dollars out of traditional public school districts.

Other Pima County "shrinking" school districts are taking different path than Amphi...
Five other districts in Pima County have experienced enrollment declines but have avoided consolidation. Like Amphi, they have taken cost-containment measures to stabilize finances and maintain services, including staffing adjustments, slowing or freezing hiring, and repurposing underused space. Some, however, have also pursued enrollment-focused strategies, such as emphasizing open enrollment, developing specialized or magnet-style programs, or forming charter or community partnerships to keep campuses open. 

Amphi’s approach has differed in that it has focused on addressing the cost side of declining enrollment, and not on strategies aimed at stabilizing or growing enrollment.

Copper Creek lease agreement with ASDB moved quickly
Jaeger appeared before Council at the request of a council member to provide an update on the closure of Copper Creek Elementary and related district actions. He told the Council that after the governing board voted to close Copper Creek as a neighborhood school, the district made a deliberate decision to ensure the campus would not sit vacant and instead pursued a lease that would keep the site in educational use. He said that following the board’s closure decision, the Arizona School for the Deaf and the Blind approached the district, toured several closing campuses, and ultimately entered into a five-year lease for the entire Copper Creek site, which was formally approved by the governing board in late January.

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Bits and Pieces

Amphi Board to discuss decide on closing Copper Creek Elementary next week 

The Amphitheater Unified School District is moving toward a decision on whether to close Copper Creek Elementary School and three other campuses as part of a consolidation plan driven by declining enrollment and financial pressures. Superintendent Todd Jaeger has recommended that Copper Creek be consolidated with Wilson K-8 and Harelson Elementary, while Donaldson, Nash, and Holaway Schools would also be merged into nearby campuses. Parents and staff have raised concerns about transparency and the impact on community schools, and a petition opposing the closures at Copper Creek has gathered significant support. The Amphi Governing Board is scheduled to vote on the superintendent’s closure recommendations at its January 13 meeting, after a legally required public review period. The meeting will be held aat 6pm at the Leadership and Professional Development Center, 701 W. Wetmore Road, Tucson, Arizona. This is the standard location for board meetings unless otherwise noted. The agenda and any updates on time or location will be posted on the district’s website at least 24 business hours before the meeting. 

Abraham: Colorado River states remain deadlocked over future water cuts

This Monday, Oro Valley Water Utility Director Peter Abraham will brief the Water Utility Commission on stalled negotiations among the seven Colorado River Basin states over how to share future water use reductions once current operating guidelines expire at the end of 2026. According to Abraham’s report, the states failed to meet a November 2025 deadline to submit a preliminary agreement, and a deep divide remains between the Upper Basin states, which oppose mandatory cuts, and the Lower Basin states, including Arizona, which are calling for shared reductions during dry years. Arizona officials have asked for stronger federal involvement, warning that without agreement by a February 14, 2026 deadline, the U.S. Department of the Interior is likely to intervene and impose new rules. Reservoir levels remain low [Panel right], reinforcing pressure on the states to resolve the impasse. 

Oro Valley residents are invited to weigh in on the town's Trails Plan

Oro Valley residents are invited to review and comment on the OV Trails Connect 90% Master Plan Draft during an online Trails Stakeholder Group meeting on January 15, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. Town staff will walk through the draft plan and gather community feedback as the project moves toward completion. The meeting will be held via Zoom. Residents are encouraged to review the draft plan and maps in advance at OVTrailsConnect.com, where comments can also be submitted directly if attending the meeting is not possible.

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Bits and Pieces

2026 Election Update... Five so far... Petition signing begins

As of last Friday, five individuals have submitted statements of interest for positions on the Oro Valley Town Council. Former Pima County Sheriff Mark Napier has filed to run for mayor. Chris DeSimone, a local media personality, is seeking a council seat. Former Councilmember Rhonda Pina, who served for four years on council from 2018-2022, has also filed. Current Budget and Finance Commission member Dan Karlsberg and Jacob Herrington. former member of Planning and Zoning Commission, submitted statements of interest as well. The next step in the process is for each to obtain the required number of signatures to appear on the August ballot. We will let you know as we learn of additional candidates. 

Our plan is to interview each person during the petition-signing period to provide clear, fact-based profiles of their backgrounds, priorities, and reasons for seeking office.

Sunday is the Northwest Chanukah Festival at the Oro Valley Marketplace

Join in the celebration of the first night of the eight days of Chanukah this Sunday at the Oro Valley Marketplace. The event begins at 3 p.m. and will include craft booths and activities, music, food for sale, and free latkes (potato pancakes) and donuts. The Grand Menorah Lighting Ceremony and “gelt drop” will take place from 4:30 to 5:00 p.m. We went to last year's celebration. It was family fun for all.

Update: Copper Creek Elementary closing still in the works... Amphi decision may well backfire on District

On Tuesday, the Amphi School District formally advanced its recommendation to close Copper Creek Elementary at its board meeting. The proposal, presented to the governing board, will take effect in the 2026–27 school year if approved. One change has been made since our earlier report: Half of Copper Creek’s students would attend Wilson K–8, and the other half will go to Harelson Elementary.  Harrelson is not even remotely close to Copper Creek. The governing board is scheduled to make its final decision on January 13.  

Families with children at Copper Creek are devastated. Their efforts have to date been ignored. One parent at the meeting said the closure is likely to push more families to seek alternatives outside of Amphi, worsening the district’s enrollment problems. 

Town's December economic development notes Saddlebrook outreach and more...

The Town of Oro Valley Economic Development Department has released an expanded December 2025 update. The provides a more comprehensive picture of ongoing business activity, community engagement and development efforts than previous reports. For examplee, on notable item is the SaddleBrooke outreach. The town received 909 survey responses from residents that detailed their preferences for dining, retail and medical services, along with how they prefer to receive community information. These findings will guide future business recruitment and communication strategies.

Other highlights from the report include progress on multiple business assistance projects, continued growth in restaurant and retail interest, and updated marketing efforts that promote Oro Valley as a regional hub for outdoor recreation and high quality living. The department also noted rising interest from bioscience and technology companies and increased coordination with regional partners to attract new investment.

The lights are in full bloom

The Landoran holiday lights display is now in full bloom, and it’s well worth a visit. As we reported earlier, the show combines synchronized lights, music, and dramatic displays at the western intersection of Landoran and Golf View Drive. The display runs through New Year’s Day, with extended evening hours on weekends. If you haven’t been yet, this is a great time to take a drive or stroll through the neighborhood and enjoy one of Oro Valley’s most festive traditions.

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Amphi Plans To Bite The Hand That Feeds It

Amphi School District has put Copper Creek Elementary on the "chopping block"

Amphitheater Public Schools is moving toward closing Copper Creek Elementary, one of four elementary schools recommended for consolidation in the 2026–27 school year. The district cites declining enrollment, shifting demographics, and long-standing funding constraints as driving the decision. Copper Creek is the only affected school located in Oro Valley.

Stated reason: Declining enrollment and high operating cost
Copper Creek sits in one of Oro Valley’s most family-friendly neighborhoods, with 955 homes. Enrollment has fallen over the past four to five years and is 299 students. The school hosts a respected special-education program. Parents say the program is excellent, but even that has not influenced the district’s recommendation. District leaders state that Copper Creek is expensive to operate, pointing specifically to its air-conditioning cost.

Students would go to two other Oro Valley Elementary Schools
If the governing board approves the plan in January, Copper Creek students would be reassigned to two other Oro Valley elementary schools: Painted Sky and Harelson. The change would take effect in next year. District transportation routes will be redesigned, and some families may see earlier pickup times, longer travel distances, or consolidated bus stops, as is typical when Arizona districts restructure service. Special-education transportation required by Individual Education Progams (IEPs) would be implemented at the reassigned schools. 

Some residents have launched a petition effort to keep the school open

Some residents have launched a petition entitled “Stop the Closure of Copper Creek Elementary — Protect Our Neighborhood School,” urging Amphitheater Public Schools to reconsider closing Copper Creek. On the petition page, parents write that many moved to the neighborhood “in large part because of Copper Creek Elementary,” calling the school “the heart of our community” and noting that it offers safety and independence for families through walking or biking to school. Click hereto learn more and sign the petition of you wish. 

...while others are concerned about what will happen to the property
Much of the community discussion has focused on what might happen to the Copper Creek campus if the school closes. Some residents worry the property could become neglected or attract inappropriate uses. District management has said the property will be maintained regardless of the final decision. 

Oro Valley is Amphi's "Big Dog"
The proposal has sparked renewed attention to Oro Valley’s outsized role in district funding. According to our estimates, Oro Valley property owners provided an estimated $39.6 million in property-tax revenues in 2024. That is about 47 percent of Amphi’s total, despite Oro Valley having only six of the district’s 21 schools. Oro Valley has one in-town Amphi middle school. It does not serve all middle school students. Some middle school students must travel outside of town boundaries. Under the current plan, Amphi would reduce its elementary presence in Oro Valley even as the town continues to supply nearly half of the district’s tax base.

Yet the Oro Valley Town Council has yet to "weigh in"
The Oro Valley Town Council has not taken a position on the proposed closure. The Council has not discussed potential impacts on families, transportation, or community stability. The Amphi governing board is expected to vote in early January, leaving a limited window for town input before decisions are finalized.

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Once Again, Amphi School District Seeks Voter Approval to Continue To Exceed State Spending Limits, with Oro Valley Residents Bearing a Disproportionate Share

Amphi School District Override Discussion Sparks Debate
Superintendent Todd Jaeggar of the Amphi School District addressed the Oro Valley Town Council on October 3 to outline the need for Propositions 412 and 413. These measures, on the November ballot, aim to supplement the district’s funding for facility improvements and classroom resources without further raising taxes, since it is a continuation of a previous voter approved override.  Jaeggar explained that current state funding allocations are not sufficient to meet certain operational and facility needs, which the propositions are intended to address.

Details of Propositions 412 and 413
Proposition 412 would allow the district to sell $84 million in bonds over a ten-year period, supporting projects such as updated air conditioning systems and increased campus security. Proposition 413 proposes a 13.5% budget override to sustain programs such as art, music, physical education, and smaller class sizes. Jaeggar emphasized that these initiatives are key to maintaining the district’s resources without an increase in the local tax rate.

A Pattern of Supplemental Funding Requests
The two propositions on the 2024 ballot are not the first time the Amphi School District has sought supplemental funding through bonds and overrides. In fact, over the past decade, every bond and override measure presented by the district has been approved by voters, demonstrating consistent community support for these funding efforts. This includes a $70 million bond in 2013, a 10% maintenance and operations (M&O) override in 2014, a $58 million bond in 2017, and a 3.5% increase to the M&O override in 2019, bringing the total to 13.5%. The district has used these measures to address capital improvements, fund specialized programs, and sustain its educational offerings.

Oro Valley’s Disproportionate Contribution
Due to the higher property values in Oro Valley, residents are likely to pay a disproportionate share of any additional funds that the bond and override measures would generate. As one of the more affluent areas within the Amphitheater School District, Oro Valley comprises a disproportionate portion of the district’s total property tax base. This means that property owners in Oro Valley contribute a substantial amount of the total property tax revenues that the district receives, which the district then allocates toward various educational needs throughout its service area.

Advocacy Concerns Raised by Council Member Bohen
During the presentation, Council Member Tim Bohen questioned whether Jaeggar’s remarks leaned into advocacy, which is restricted by Arizona election law for public officials. Bohen suggested that Jaeggar’s tone appeared to endorse the propositions indirectly. Jaeggar defended his presentation, asserting it was factual and in line with state legal guidelines, which allow superintendents to provide information on ballot measures without explicitly supporting them.

Examining the Impact of Increased Spending
While Jaeggar described the potential benefits of Propositions 412 and 413, questions remain about whether surpassing state-set spending limits is the best course of action. The proposals enable additional funding through property taxes over the state limit, raising questions about long-term financial sustainability and potential impacts on taxpayers. As the November election approaches, voters should weigh whether spending yet more money on Amphi’s “needs” will truly improve student performance or simply pour more funds into a model that has yet to yield consistent results.

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Jaegar Paints "Rosy Picture" of Oro Valley Amphi School Student Performance...But

An optimistic view

On April 3, Superintendent Todd Jaegar of the Amphitheater United School District provided a comprehensive update to the Oro Valley Town Council, highlighting key developments and initiatives within the district.

Jaegar thanks Oro Valley for its contribution to the School District Expressing gratitude for Oro Valley's invaluable support, Jaegar underscored the impact of the town's $100,000 contribution, which has facilitated notable enhancements across various educational facilities. These improvements include the establishment of a preschool playground at Ironwood High School, the expansion of preschool play areas at CDO, and the creation of a cutting-edge "STEAM" room at CDO, fostering hands-on, interdisciplinary learning in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.

Additionally, Jaegar lauded Oro Valley's pioneering Resource Officer Program, emphasizing the crucial role it plays in fostering a safe and secure learning environment. “We have here in the town in terms of the level of SRO support and also the relationship that we have with the SRO program and the police department itself here in Oro Valley. We've been in the situation where just a couple of years ago where the only jurisdiction that was supporting its community through the presence of SROs in the community schools was Oro Valley.”

Jaegar says district students outperform peers…

Jaegar’s opened his discussion with council saying that: “Our school district as a whole outperforms its peer districts as well as the state average district in terms of our student performance measures.” He focused on the State Department of Education “grade” system where they “grade” each school on an overall basis. He stated that all of the schools within town limits are rated “A”. He was incorrect. Ironwood High Schools’ overall state determined grade is a “B”. It earned an “A” the prior year. (Source of information: https://azreportcards.azed.gov/schools).

…He fails to note lackluster student achievement results 

Based on the same grading system, less than 60% of students attending Oro Valley’s Amphi Schools are academically proficient at their grade level. (See Chart) At IRHS, 47% of students at that school are academically proficient. The comparative statistic for CDO is 58% proficiency. Student academic proficiency at Basis Oro Valley is 85%. Basis Oro Valley is not part of the district

Yes. Students a both Oro Valley High Schools perform far better than Amphi High School’s 11% student proficiency score. So Oro Valley’s high schools bring up the school district average dramatically!

There are better performing public high schools in the region. For example, Catalina Foothills High School students test at 78% student proficiency level. Three are also worse performing schools like Marana (40%) and Sahuarita (46%). Hopefully, those are not the standards to which Jaegar refers when he says Amphi District outperforms peers.

Oro Valley’s middle and elementary schools show similar lackluster student academic results. Middle and elementary students going in schools in the Catalina Foothills School District achieve higher academic results (Manzanita Elementary: 72%; Orange Grove and Esparero Middle Schools: 66%).

Want to do your own comparisons? Click here 

The Amphi “Portrait of a Graduate” 

Jaegar outlined the district's steadfast commitment to nurturing well-rounded graduates equipped with essential skills for success in an ever-evolving world. The District developed the Portrait of a Graduate (panel left) in concert with business leaders, parents, and students. The concept identifies the need that graduates have "soft skills" such as critical thinking, the ability to collaborate, creativity, communication skills , a desire for community involvement, and problem-solving skills. The goal is to ensure that every graduate leaves with a well-rounded education that prepares them to be productive citizens capable of tackling real-world challenges.

Staffing and funding: A forever complaint 

Jaegar concluded his council briefing by addressing ongoing concerns regarding insufficient funding for teacher salaries and essential capital purchases, as well as the challenges encountered in teacher recruitment: “Most certainly one of the areas that we have to grapple with here in Arizona is the difficulties we have as a State in recruiting staff to our state whether that's school bus drivers or competent and qualified highly certificated teachers. It is very hard for school districts to compete number one with districts in other states, but even for staff that might be also hired by the private sector.”

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Bits and Pieces

Amphi School District "Cheaps Out" on School Resource Officers
The Town of Oro Valley provides School Resource Officers (SRO) to most of the Amphi Schools in the town. It costs the town approximately $212,000 per school resource officer to do that. 

The town has six officers and one sergeant assigned in the SRO program. An SRO is assigned to each public school and those officers also act as liaison officers for the private schools. This means they are available for assistance at those schools but are not on campus full time at those locations.

The cost to the town is about $1.5 million. The Amphi School District reimburses the town for less than the cost of one of those officers. 

Apparently, Amphi is perfectly happy that the Town of Oro Valley is paying for that for which they should be paying.  Is there no shame?

Fortunately, the town puts public safety above money. Amphi puts money...

Last week, the council discussed a motion, put forth by Councilmember Solomon. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Greene. The motion would codify an existing policy and add a caveat that the town request a 50% reimbursement of the cost of the program:

"Every school in Oro Valley, that has an enrollment of 200 or more students shall have a resource officer or other alternate security approved by the Oro Valley Police Chief. Oro Valley shall request a 50% reimbursement from each school for the cost of the Oro Valley provided SRO’s."

The Council tabled the motion for discussion at the next meeting pending further research by Chief Riley.

Developers Representative Paul Oland lectures council on the criterial for approving Planning and Zoning changes
Paul Oland, owner of Paradigm Land Design, represents applicants in an estimated 80% of the planning and zoning changes that are currently being processed or have been requested in the past. He is the man that has changed the face of Oro Valley. And he's done so without even being a resident of our town.

Last week, Oland represented the applicant for an RV storage and self storage facility at Mercardo Del Rio. Possibly realizing that the council was going to reject the application, which it did by a 5-2 vote, Oland lectured the Council on what the major criteria should be for granting changes: Current Market Demand. 

Oland was beginning to make his point by referring to the Kai Property on the southeast corner of First Avenue and Rancho Vistoso Blvd. This is a parcel that Oland was unsuccessful in convincing Council to change from commercial to residential use.  We think he was going to make the point that the land still remains vacant. When he started to discuss it, maybe Winfield said: "Don't go there." Instead Oland made his point directly: no one wants to build on this property because it's been vacant for years so we really should change it to a use that fits the demand "right now."  You can watch the conversation here.

Should Oro Valley code allow small farm animals?
Next week, the Planning and Zoning Commission will consider whether the Planning and Zoning staff should initiate a study of town code of a potential Zoning Code Amendment regarding the keeping of small farm animals. Staff expects this would apply to parcels that are not under the control of a homeowner association. "It is worth noting that most Homeowners Associations in Town have restrictions in place on the keeping of animals, so any potential allowance for the keeping of small farm animals would mostly apply to larger lot developments or where there are no Homeowners Associations." (Source)

Oro Valley’s Student Population Is Dominated by Adolescents

 

Guest View-Dan Huff: Oro Valley Public Schools Are Strong Performers

The following is a Guest View. The writer refers to a LOVE article the we published last week. LOVE has provided the subheadings of the Guest View for reader convenience.

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The Amphi School District serves a diverse socioeconomic population
I recently reviewed last week’s LOVE article regarding Amphi Public Schools and Superintendent Jaeger's remarks at the Town Council  meeting.  I wanted to highlight a few issues that are relevant to this discussion.  

First, Mr. Jaeger is correct when he discusses the difficulty in assessing the overall quality of Amphi Schools given the significant socioeconomic diversity across the Amphi School District.  The District stretches from Grant Road north to the County Line.  

Some of the state's most impoverished urban neighborhoods are located in the Amphi School District  

Educating school children in these areas requires different resources, strategies, and approaches.  The District also serves Oro Valley, a generally affluent town with families of high socioeconomic status. 

It is important to evaluate Amphi Schools serving the Town, and not generalizing over the entire Amphi District.  When viewing school performance through that lens, Oro Valley's public schools knock it out of the park.  

By way of example, on the most recent standardized test scores, Innovation Academy and Painted Sky Elementaries (both Amphi Schools and both in Oro Valley) scored in the top 7.4% and 11.3% in the state (including both public and charter schools).  These two schools ranked higher than three of the four elementary schools in the Catalina Foothills School District (often rated as the top school district in the state).  This is a point of pride for both Amphi and Oro Valley.  Additionally, Canyon del Oro High School (CDO) (an Amphi School in Oro Valley) has an established history of high academic performance.  CDO ranks near the top of the state in recent test scores, has an Academic Decathlon program that regularly wins state championships and places very high in the national competition, and ranks in the top 10% of Arizona high schools whose graduates go on to complete their four-year undergraduate degrees.   

Oro Valley has been an integral part of the development of the Amphi School District

Although the LOVE article characterizes the Amphi District as an "accident of history" established years before modern Oro Valley, the growth and development of Oro Valley would disagree.  When CDO was built in the early 1960s in what would become Oro Valley, the neighborhoods that would comprise the original incorporation area of Oro Valley (Shadow Mountain, Oro Valley Country Club, and Suffolk Hills--a later OV addition) actively supported the fledgling school and forged its story of success.  As Oro Valley incorporated, much of the Amphi School Board was comprised of Oro Valley parents and residents.  And Oro Valley was considered an affluent community then--much as it is today.  Oro Valley residents and families have continually invested in Amphi Schools as the Town has grown.

I appreciate LOVE’s perspective on this issue, but my hope is that another perspective is recognized. 

Dan Huff 

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Dan Huff is a Tucson native and an attorney practicing in the areas of family law, adoptions, juvenile law, and estate planning.  Dan's family has lived in the Oro Valley area for nearly 100 years, arriving from New England in the late 1920s.  Dan is a seminar presenter for the Arizona State Bar and Pima County Juvenile Court regarding various legal topics.  He also serves as a Regional Council Member for Arizona’s First Things First (an initiative to support children ages birth to five), serves on Arizona Superior Court steering committees and as a volunteer Judge Pro Tempore in Pima County Superior Court, and he serves on the Board of Directors for Community Extension Programs (a not-for-profit focused on addressing local issues of poverty and education access).

Two Amphi School District Seats on Ballot as Superintendent Updates Council

Jaeger updates Council

Todd Jaeger, Superintendent of the Amphi School District ("Amphi"), updated the Oro Valley town Council last Wednesday. His message was three-fold: First thank you so much, Oro Valley, for providing the School Resource Officers to our schools.  Second: Amphi doesn't have enough money. Third: Student academic performance is better than the State of Arizona average. Jaeger concluded remarks by saying “…how proud we are of serving the community of Oro Valley.”

SRO program is a shining light

LOVE has written about the school resource officer program. It is a shining light in our community. It is most certainly something that the Town of Oro Valley will continue to provide. Amphi can not get independent funding for school resource officers so the fact that Oro Valley is providing is that great bonus.

Pressure to spend spend where there are few added funds

The Amphi School gets half of its funding from the local property tax assessment. That assessment has been greater than allowed by the State because local taxpayers have voted to override the State aggregate expenditure limit. That override must be voter approved every five years. 

According to Jaeger, the biggest problem caused by lack of funding is the inability to fill open positions. Most of these positions are for support personnel.  Attracting employees, as Jaeger noted, is a general problem that’s happening today’s economy, whether in the public or private sector.

Spending has also increased because the District provides all day kindergarten programs and preschool programs. These programs require funding and essentially result in the District raising our children. This is a daunting challenge.

The District has a budget of approximately $106 million.  This is $9,200 per year per student.  35% of these students receive free or reduced lunch cost.

Student academic performance better than State average... but that standard is very low

The Superintendent espoused the fact that District students test scores are better than some other school districts and better than the state average when it comes to academic performance. 

Whether it be in math or English, that performance is below any reasonable standard. Less than of half the students can profess proficiency at grade level in math or english. Jaeger refereed to political signs that have been posted regarding the inability of Amphi students to read at grade level. Those signs say that only 40% of students can read at their grade level. The number Jaeger reported was 46%. Not much difference.

Jaeger attributes the low scores to his contention that the District has a diverse population. For example, it has 741 english learners of its more than 11,500 student body. Of these, 2,166 are gifted enrollment. Total enrollment is declining as parents find other options using Charter Schools. Oro Valley has several of these options. Jaegar also noted that the District has the capacity for enrollment growth.

Oro Valley is a major funding source for the District

The Amphi School District is in accident of history. It was established years ago before Oro Valley was truly the kind of community it is today. Oro Valley is the bulwark of funding for the Amphi School District. Oro Valley taxpayers pay a large cost of the District because Oro Valley property values are higher than in the rest of the District. In addition, Oro Valley has a very high proportion of retired people who do not burden the system with students.

Two of the five Amphi Governing Board Seats are on the ballot

The Amphi Governing Board has five seats. Two on the ballot. Mona Gibson and Jeff Utsch are challenging two incumbents. Both Gibson and Utsch are focussed on bringing greater parental input into the school system. According to Utsch: "We need to put the children first and help elevate the teachers."

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About Todd Jaeger

Todd Jaeger joined is now in his sixth year as Superintendent of the the Amphi School District. He was the TUSD legal council prior to that.

Bits and Pieces

Oro Vista Apartments Council Hearing Next Wednesday

Next Wednesday, the Oro Valley Town Council will discuss and decide upon rezoning for the Oro Vista Apartments.  However, the item now appears on the Wednesday meeting agenda as a “consent item.”.  That means that the whoever put the agenda together, which most certainly includes both the Mayor and town manager, don’t think a hearing is required.  In fact, unless the item is “pulled” from the consent agenda by a council member, there will be no discussion.

These  apartments are located on the south east corner of Lambert Lane and La Canada, directly east of Noble Hops restaurants. The lot in question is currently a parking lot. The lot is adjacent to apartments that are already there. You can read about these apartments in our prior posting. The town has posted information on this project. “The proposal would allow for a maximum 3-story apartment design on the vacant parcel adjacent to the Noble Hops restaurant.”

You will need to let one of the council members know if you are interested in having this item discussed by council.

Oro Valley Optimist club to hold “Scramble For Youth” 

The Oro Valley Optimist club is holding its annual “Scramble for Youth” on May 1 at Dove Mountain. It is an event to raise money for Oro Valley programs such as Dispose-A-Med, Camp Fury, Project Graduation, and Police Explorers. Next year perhaps the Optimist Club will hold the event at the Oro Valley Community Center, using the town’s municipal golf course. This will bring added visibility to our municipal golf courses. It will support the homeowner’s association and the town council’s efforts to make our municipal golf courses financially successful.

Northwest Explorer sold

Tucson Local Media, owners of The Explorer, has been sold. The Colorado based owner sold it to Times Media Group. This is the “largest family of free newspapers” in Arizona. It is headquartered in Tempe. According to one Phoenix-based news source, the publications that Times Media buys “ ... have not stood our for their journalistic prowess. Former journalists and editors have complained about low pay and how they have to work on too many of the company’s publications at one time.” 

Portion of multi-use path to close in May

A portion of the CDO shared-use path will be closed for repaving in May. It is the section that travels through the Oro Valley Marketplace.  It will close starting May 5 and will reopen in Mid June.

CDO and Ironwood High Schools in top 20% nationally

US News and world report has issued its 2020 rankings of Best High Schools.  Basis Oro Valley ranks #3 in Arizona and #23 nationally.  CDO ranks #1 in the Amphi School District; #10 in Tucson; #53 in Arizona; and #3172 nationally. It has a 92% graduation rate.  Ironwood Ridge ranks #2 in the Amphi School District, #14 in Tucson; #79 in Arizona; and # 4798 nationally. Its graduation rate is 90%.  Oro Valley’s two public high schools are ranked below five other local public high schools: University High, Catalina Foothills, Tanque Verde High, Empire High School, and Vail Academy. All of these schools are in the top 20% of all high schools in the nation.

Bits and Pieces

Oro Valley bans local gathering places from operating as such
Oro Valley Mayor Joe Winfield banned food establishments from serving food or drink on premises until at least March 31. This proclamation amends the proclamation issued Tuesday. It can be extended beyond March 31.

Food establishments can provide drive thru or in store pickup of orders. We have included the proclamation in the paned that follows.

In addition, any establishment were people could possibly congregate, such as gyms, theaters, bingo halls, and indoor and outdoor performance venues are to be closed. (source)

These actions put Oro Valley in line with actions taken yesterday by Pima County (View that here)

Winfield Emergency Proclamation Amendment

Lights finally out at Ironwood Ridge Fields
The lights in the ballfields at Ironwood Ridge High School ("IRHS") were burning bright the other night even though the school is closed. Eric Klein emailed the Amphi School District questioning why the lights were still on.

Klein is not the only one concerned about the lights. Another reader wrote us: "We can see those lights from our backyard and patio and we're not that close to IRHS."

That writer alerted us to another lighting challenge. This one concerns the new lights on La Cholla. "Last night they also turned
on  the new street lights at La Cholla and Glover. They are so bright. It's like lighting up a football field. It's such overkill! "

Questions nationally about roundabout crash safety
The Wall Street Journal published an article last week on the downside of roundabouts. "Roundabouts have proliferated around the U.S. in recent years, arriving in some areas of the Midwest and West for the first time. Yet even years after some are installed, driver confusion persists. And with confusion comes fender-benders."

The article states that more fatalities and injuries happen at traffic lights. This is because people "run the red lights."  The article asserts that there are less crippling crashes on two lane roundabouts, like the roundabout Oro Valley has at LaCanada and Moore Road. Roundabout crashes occur because not all drivers understand that a car in the inside lane will cross into the outside lane to exit the roundabout.

Baby wipes clog the sewer system
Do not flush wipes into the sewer system. According to Pima County, wipes clog pipes. They can cause sanitary sewer overflows. Instead, dispose of the wipe in trash can. Just another inconvenience.

Bits and Pieces

Property taxes to increase
Oro Valley and county residents voted themselves a property tax increase earlier this month. Voters approved both propositions 466 (Amphi Schools spending override) and 477 (Golder Ranch Fire District Bonds) by 58% and 54% respectively. We surmise that the robust economy we are experiencing played a major role in voter generosity.

Roundabout opens November 22
Good news for those who frequent the Moore and LaCanada intersection. The roundabout is on schedule to open midday on the 22nd.  Watch the video on the roundabout here.

Captain Jeff's "Belly Bomber"

The Belly Bomber

Captain Jeff's "Belly Bomber" is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in the Riverfront Park parking lot. "We feature Sabrett hot dogs, all the way from Bronx New York..Special order." Jack told me. They are setup starting at 3pm and will stay open "...until it gets too cold or people quit buying."

According to the Sabrett website: "...every New Yorker knows the name Sabrett® because it sprouts from the blue and yellow umbrellas atop vendor carts seen on almost every corner of the city. "

They are permitted by the Pima County Health Department and have passed inspection from GRFD.

Jack served 23 years in the Air Force and retired to Oro Valley with his wife Becky. The live in Rancho Visoso.

Housing market cools
... just a little The housing market cooled down a bit in October, according to the Long Realty report.

“Year-to-date home sales outpace last year by 5%. “In the Oro Valley area, October 2019 active inventory was 181, a 34% decrease from October 2018. There were 73 closings in October 2019, a 12% decrease from October 2018. Year-to-date 2019 there were 824 closings, a 5% increase from year-to-date 2018. Months of Inventory was 2.5, down from 3.3 in October 2018. Median price of sold homes was $325,000 for the month of October 2019, up 10% from October 2018. The Oro Valley area had 72 new properties under contract in October 2019, down 1% from October 2018.”

It’s a seller’s market for homes priced at less than $700,000.
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Guest View: Jack Stinnett ~ Solving Oro Valley's Little League Field Crisis

The justification for the Town’s proposed $17 million dollar Naranja Park bond is the need to provide more fields for Oro Valley youth sports. (This will be funded with a secondary property tax that, with interest, will cost Oro Valley homeowners $28 million over 20 years).

The issue here is that the Oro Valley Little League (formerly known as Coronado Little League) has played their games and practices since 2003 at the Coronado Middle School fields which they complain are poorly maintained by Amphitheater School District. They want their own fields in Naranja Park to be comparable to the CDO Little League fields in James Kriegh Park.

Let’s look at the sports fields we currently have:
Unlike youth soccer, baseball has long been a part of Tucson and Pima County. A quick count shows that there are over 30 baseball fields within 8 miles of Naranja Park, many lightly used. The two parks located in Oro Valley are described below.

In 1974 upon Oro Valley's founding, Pima County transferred the ownership and cost of operation of J.D. Kreigh and Riverfront Parks to Oro Valley. These parks came with baseball fields which have been used and improved by Oro Valley.

J.D. Kriegh Park is the home of the Canyon del Oro Little League. It has two excellent lighted competition fields and three practice fields used for baseball and softball. The park has restrooms, a snack bar and is well-maintained by Oro Valley Parks and Recreation.

You can view the field layout of J.D. Kreigh Park HERE

Riverfront Park is the center for youth softball and has two lighted and well-maintained fields. Riverfront Park also has two lighted soccer/multi-purpose fields. This park has playgrounds, picnic areas for families, a nice walking path, and draws softball players from NW Pima County.

A visual overview of Riverfront Park can be viewed HERE

Why don't we have ball fields in Naranja Park?
The Town's Naranja Park plan included Little League fields but did not anticipate that the mayor and council would be dumping over $2 million per year in sales tax revenue plus a $350,000 general fund transfer this year into a losing effort to support three golf courses.

The Town could have built all the fields Oro Valley could possibly want with the half-cent "no sunset" sales tax the council approved in 2015 to subsidize the Community Center and Golf Courses. The mayor never proposed a town sales tax for Naranja Park, nor budgeted Little League fields for Naranja Park in 2014, 2015, 2016, or 2017.

Options for supporting Oro Valley youth sports without instituting a property tax

1) Use the ball fields at Arthur Pack Park

Arthur Pack Regional Park (Thornydale at Overton) is a 500+ acre park facility that we already support with our Pima County Property taxes. The Park has a fine, inexpensive 18-hole public golf course, large open natural areas and two baseball areas. The baseball complex has 2 softball fields, 7 baseball fields and a batting cage. The 8th baseball field was converted to a soccer field to meet the growing demand for more soccer fields. The park also has rest rooms, picnic ramadas and is maintained by Pima County. Arthur Pack Park is home to the Thornydale Little League.

2) Make better use of Amphi School District ball fields

Your Pima County property taxes also support the Amphi School District and their facilities. In November of 2016, school district voters approved a $58 million bond which provides increased funds for the maintenance of Amphi school facilities and fields.

Listed below is a summary of Amphi ball fields in and around Oro Valley:

Canyon del Oro High School.......2 competition fields -- 3 practice fields
Ironwood Ridge High School.......2 competition fields -- 2 practice fields
Wilson Middle School..................2 competition fields -- 2 practice fields
Coronado Middle School.............2 competition fields -- 3 practice fields

Many communities cooperatively share the use and support of school facilities, but not Oro Valley and Amphi. During my three years on the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB), I pressed two Parks and Recreation Directors to craft an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) with Amphi to gain more access to school fields, but with no success.

The Oro Valley Little League currently uses the Coronado Middle School fields off North Oracle Road, but has requested the Town to build Little league fields in Naranja Park. I supported their presentation to PRAB in December 2014 and voted for the inclusion of Little League Baseball fields in the plan for Naranja Park.

This project was deferred in favor of the higher priority golf course purchase. However, while Oro Valley Little League patiently waits for better fields, the Town can insist that Amphi better maintain the Coronado Middle School Little League fields.

3) Continue the "pay as you go" development of Naranja Park

I support the Town building ball fields in Naranja Park, but not through a $17MM bond and $28MM secondary property tax. The ball fields can be funded with the Town's FY 2016/17 surplus of $2MM. Town coffers are overflowing with development fees. The mayor and council just need to support our Little League and give the kids a place to play in Naranja Park.

Recommendation
I am voting NO on the Naranja Park $17MM Bond and $28MM property tax increase. Instead of "crisis" planning by our elected leaders, Oro Valley should fund the youth fields from within it's operating budget. The Town has the resources to build fields in Naranja Park but has chosen to exploit this self-inflicted "field crisis" to put a $28MM property tax on the November ballot.

Jack Stinnett graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and served on Minesweepers and Destroyers. After his military service, he was employed as an engineer and plant manager in the Nuclear Power industry, a factory manager in the automotive industry, Vice-President of a worldwide engine components business, and finished his career as President and CEO of Morris Material Handling in Milwaukee. He and his wife, Connie, moved to Oro Valley in 2011. He was a member of PRAB from 2012-2014, serving as Chairman in 2013-2014. He enjoys woodworking, biking, and visiting his grandchildren.

Heathers Corner: Amphi Parents as Teachers-A Resource You'll Want to Know About

There is an outstanding program available to any family living in the Amphitheater Community with children ages of prenatal to five years old. The program is designed to offer parent education and family strengthening working with families throughout pregnancy until their child enters kindergarten. And the best part...it's free!

"Parents as Teachers" believe that the early years of childhood are critical in development and preparation to provide the basis for success in school and throughout life. With parents most typically the child's earliest form of influence, the program assists families through support curricula, training, materials and services while also allowing those families with diverse socio or economic backgrounds the same opportunities to provide the proper tools for early child development.

As stated by one of the Parent Educators, Diana Pitney, "If you have preschoolers, I invite you to check us out. We would like to partner with you. After all, you are your child's best and first teacher! Let us bring you the tools and ideas we have available to help you be the best parent you can be."

What you can expect from the program are personal home visits providing parenting tips and information on your child's development, family group connections allowing an opportunity to meet other parents, developmental screenings to be able to help identify child's strengths and kindergarten preparedness, and health screenings to assess your child's vision, hearing, and general health.

Once again I am happy to learn about another program bringing together our Oro Valley community. And what a great opportunity for pregnant mothers or those with young ones to enter motherhood with a sense of educational direction for the next five years. More information can be found by clicking this link or by contacting Dina Gutierrez at 696-4095.
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Heather Nenadovich has lived in Oro Valley a total of five years. She has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Arizona. Her husband is Canadian so she is a hockey fan by default and so are her two very clever children. When not being a mommy, she enjoys hiking in Catalina State Park, hand building pottery, and gardening. Her favorite things about living in Oro Valley are the towns recognition of art and culture, their commitment to preserving nature and the Christmas parade. (Also anything from GMG Chinese Bistro.)

Bits and Pieces

Back-to-school safety reminders from OVPD

Oro Valley, Arizona (August 4, 2014) - The Oro Valley Police Department (OVPD) would like to remind the community that most private and public schools are back in session this week. Please be cautious when driving, as there will be an increase in the number of children walking or riding bikes. As a reminder:

• You may not pass a school bus when it stops and displays the stop sign and flashing red lights. You must stop! This includes both directions of travel when a physical median is not present.
• The school zone is 15 miles per hour. You must be at or below 15 miles per hour prior to entering the zone. The zone is marked by the first sign as you enter. 
• It is prohibited to pass another vehicle while in a school zone. 
• Please pay attention to the crossing guard's directions and be prepared to stop. 
• School crosswalks require drivers to stop at the point a pedestrian enters into the crosswalk. 
• Please do not text and drive.

OVPD is anticipating a large amount of school-related vehicle and pedestrian traffic, so we ask that you start your day earlier and give yourself plenty of time for increased congestion. You will see increased police presence around schools to ensure the safety of everyone.

Amphitheater School District Director of Community Relations Mindy Blake also added: "The Amphi District is grateful for Oro Valley's commitment to student safety. Getting children to and from school safely is very important to us. We ask that parents discuss these simple but effective precautions with their children. Make sure you and your child know the walking route to take to and from the bus stop. Ensure proper behavior en route and at the bus stop. Be sure to follow bus monitor directions at all times." (Oro Valley Police Department Press Release)
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OVPD to teach Below 100 training to police officers' families

Oro Valley, Arizona (August 1, 2014) - On Sunday, August 10, 2014 the Law Enforcement Wives Club (LEWC) will host a training for spouses and family members of law enforcement personnel. The training, titled Below 100 "101," will be taught by officers of the Oro Valley Police Department.

Below 100 is a nationwide initiative geared towards reducing line-of-duty deaths to below 100. The number of officers killed in the line of duty has not been below 100 since 1944. The founders of this program started looking at the reasons why officers were killed. A large number of officers are dying as a result of not wearing seatbelts, driving too fast, not wearing ballistic vests, getting complacent and not focusing on "What is Important Now," also known as the W.I.N. Concept. The Below 100 class focuses on those five specific areas. Many agencies have already taught this four-hour program to their officers, with tremendous feedback.

"I am thrilled that LEWC has the opportunity to work with OVPD to present the Below 100 "101" training, which will be taught to us for the first time nationally. We look forward to continuing to help law enforcement families in our community through education. I am very excited to meet new law enforcement families at this event," commented Elizabeth Snyder, president of LEWC.

When providing this four-hour block of training to families, instructors will not only be going over the material that is taught to the officers, but also providing information to the families on what they can do and emphasizing what an important role they play in the safety of their officers. Families might not be able to go to work with their officers, but the influence they have over them while they are at work can be significant.(Oro Valley Police Department Press Release)
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August Commercial Project Status Report Shows Little Change

Not much new in this month's Town Of Oro Valley Commercial Project Status Report.
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Oro Valley Resident Files Suit Against US Government

"The widow of a Culver City man killed in a traffic accident involving a Beale Air Force Base reservist sued the federal government on Monday.

Zhanna Watson of Oro Valley, Ariz., filed her suit in U.S. District Court in Sacramento against the government and the reservist, Joshua Christensen. The suit for negligence and wrongful death seeks unspecified damages. Watson's husband, Ralph, died in the September 2012 accident." (Source)
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Heather's Corner: "Common Core"-Oro Valley Residents Give Huppenthal An Earful

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The heat was on for Arizona School Superintendent John Huppenthal this past Sunday at the Oro Valley Library.  At one point, there was standing room only as a crowd of mothers, fathers, teachers, educators, taxpayers, and students gathered to listen to and participate in what has become a hot topic in Arizona education: The "Common Core" adapted in 2010 and implemented this school year.

"The Common Core is a set of high-quality academic standards in mathematics and English language arts/literacy (ELA). These learning goals outline what a student should know and be able to do at the end of each grade. The standards were created to ensure that all students graduate from high school with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in college, career, and life, regardless of where they live." (Source)

Sounds great!  However, that was not the consensus of those attending who spoke.  Indeed those speaking were not opposed to establishing a standard of education. They were opposed to the method used to attain that standard of education.  They believed that the standard should not be implemented superficially, experimentally, or without deep consideration of the needs of students as individuals.

One speaker voiced her opinion that the Common Core is an inflexible way of teaching mathematics and reading.  She observed that it did not recognize and support various faculty instructional methods.

Eachchild she asserted, is an individual. A such, they have individual learning styles and individual ways of learning. No one teaching method will be useful for all students.  She asserted that different teaching methods would no longer would be viewed as the correct or accurate way to teach and/or learn.

Brad McQueen, an Amphi District teacher with ten years experience, asserted that it was irresponsible to implement these standards without facts that prove that the intended results will occur. McQueen further observed that the students used this year for testing those results are  Common Core Standards "guinea pigs."  There are 125,000 such students, according to Huppenthal.

Olga, a mother of a student, brought props: A dry-erase board pictured above.  She presented an example of a math problem completed as required by the Common Core standards. She believed there to be an excess amount of work steps and confusion in order for her daughter to be able to answer a simple math question correctly.

The most poignant moment of the afternoon was when Gaby, an Amphi School District high school senior spoke. She is an advanced placement calculus student.  Gabby stated that it was difficult for the younger students she tutors to use the newly implemented way of teaching math.

My observation is that some people are engaged in the dialogue. Some people are not engaged.   If you have children or grandchildren in or one day to be in our school systems, please inform yourself on the pro's and cons of the Common Core Standards.

Join the debate. What are your thoughts on Common Core Standards?

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Heather Nenadovich has lived in Oro Valley a total of five years. She has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Arizona. Her husband is Canadian so she is a hockey fan by default and so are her two very clever children. When not being a mommy, she enjoys hiking in Catalina State Park, hand building pottery, and gardening. Her favorite things about living in Oro Valley are the towns recognition of art and culture, their commitment to preserving nature and the Christmas parade. (Also anything from GMG Chinese Bistro.)

Naranja Town Site: Clean Bill Of Health

We have checked and we have found no documented evidence of any form of contamination present on the Naranja Town Site.  We reached our conclusion after reviewing a foot-thick stack of documentation that dated from 1995 to present. The town provided this to us based on our documents request.

We inquired about contamination because one of our readers recalled that the Amphi School District had considered the town site for Ironwood Ridge High School but rejected it.  The reader alleges that they rejected it because of town site contamination.

No Contamination

The town site was acquired by the town in 2000. It was acquired from the State. The land was used by CALMAT of Arizona as a sand and gravel pit until the 1990's. The only environmental problem ever noted was a release of petroleum product in 1995. This was supposedly remediated in 1996.

This contamination occurred south of the asphalt cement tank. Contaminated soil was removed to a depth of 10 feet. The solid was later used in asphalt production. In a memo to town council by then town manager Chuck Sweet of 11-8-99, an environment study commissioned by the town in 2000 found no contamination: "There is no evidence of recognized environmental contaimination, with the exception of some debris." The study was performed by Environmental Consultants, Inc.

The town subsequently commissioned a geophysical study. The study used electromagnets to determine if there were significant buried metals, such as tanks or drums. The study revealed 2 areas where there were two items that could not be identified that showed "anomalies"; that is, areas where there could be significant metal underground.  These were near the asphalt plant, which was in what they called Area C of the grid they had created.  The conclusion of the geophysical study: "It is unlikely that ...numerous buried drums or an underground storage tank is present on the areas surveyed."

After this study, the town literally did some digging, with two digs in Area C. They uncovered nothing. However, we don't know how far down dug or whether they even dug in the area of the two "anomalies."

Area C is the southeast quadrant of the town site, where the new multi-use fields and dog park are going to be built.  We are not sure the exact positioning of the fields in relation to Area C, but we do think that it is the are were the 1994 spill occurred and where the two "anomalies" were found.  Here's a "side-by-side" view:

Oro Valley Is Comfortable

The town is comfortable that all is well environmental-wise at the site.  Misti Nowak, Oro Valley Communications Director, sent us 2 quotes from two separate reports vouching for the "safety" of the site:

• This from Naranja Park Master Plan: “Environmental Site Assessment was prepared for the 170 acre State land parcel. This assessment revealed no evidence of recognized environmental conditions associated with the previous onsite land and gravel extraction operation and asphalt mixing plant.” 
• This is from the   State Land Department Reclamation Closure Report: “Based upon this review, the Department has determined that the reclamation work performed by Vulcan satisfies the Department’s reclamation requirements.”

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Guest View-John Musolf: Oro Valley Growth To Have Huge Impact on Amphi School Enrollment

In June, we posted:  "Watch Oro Valley Grow"  In it, we discussed the substantial growth in housing and commerce that is taking place in Oro Valley.

In the following guest view, John Musolf discusses this growth and its substantial impact on the Amphi Schools
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In Oro Valley, Development is on the rise.

In a recent article on February 20, 2013 in the Explorer Newspaper, Paul Keesler, Director of Development and Infrastructure Services for Oro Valley stated:

“For several years, as our nation struggled through a downturned economy, the Town of Oro Valley also experienced a sharp decrease in development activity. Although we are still on the mend, a quick look back to fiscal year 2011‐12 shows that development is on the rise, and there are some very exciting projects in the pipeline”.

Development is good for town growth from both a residential community and business economic standpoint.  [Publisher Note: It is also good from the Town Of Oro Valley's perspective because it collects substantial revenues from construction permits and fees. These fees exceeded the planned amount for fiscal 2013.]

Let’s look at some of the recent residential approvals:

• Ross Rulney: corner of Linda Vista and Oracle -220 apartments
• San Dorado: corner of First Avenue and Oracle – 274 apartments
• Encantada: north of Steam Pump Village – 270 apartments
• Hohokam Mesa:  Rancho Vistoso and Moore Road – 80 homes
• Macaray:  (Donut Hole) end of La Canada – 345 homes
• Parcel 10-T: Rancho Vistoso and Vistoso  Highlands- 25-40 homes

There are also some proposed future developments:

• KAI: First and Palasides – 195 homes
• Miller Ranch:  Neighborhood meetings in progress
• Olson Property;  Neighborhood meetings in progress

What impact will the addition of 694 apartments and in excess of 600-700 new homes have on the classroom size, teachers, and busing for the Amphi School District elementary, middle, and high schools?
It is imperative that the Town of Oro Valley and the Amphi School District hold some public informational meetings to discuss this issue.
What do you think?
John Musolf
Oro Valley Resident