Oro Valley's Public High Schools Are Poor Academic Performers

There are four high schools located in Oro Valley. Two are public schools. How do they rate?

Basis #3 In Academic Excellence 
Oro Valley's Basis High School is ranked #3 in the nation (Source: US News and World Report), The ranking is based on the publication's assessment of "...schools that best serve all of their students – including historically underserved populations – and assess the degree to which students are prepared for college-level coursework."

The school is built for academic excellence. Their students are prepared for college.  Basis Oro Valley High School students perform at twice the math and reading proficiency as the statewide average.

Basis Oro Valley is a special school for the academically gifted.

Congratulations to Basis Oro Valley. A job well done!

Oro Valley's Other High Schools Unranked and Doing Poorly Academically

The publication has local high schools CDO and Ironwood Ridge as "unranked." If they were to be ranked, however, they would not fare very well.

According to the data gathered by US News, Ironwood Ridge and CDO do not test well.

Ironwood Ridge students test below the statewide average for math and reading. CDO students test results are close to the statewide average for both math and science. 

• 38% of CDO students and 30% of Ironwood students are at least proficient in math
• 36% of CDO students and 38% of Ironwood students are at least proficient in reading

CDO and Ironwood Ridge can do better
Compare the test results of CDO and Ironwood Ridge to Catalina Foothills. This high school is ranked #670 nationally. Their student results are far better than CDO and Ironwood Ridge.  74% and 67% of Catalina Foothills students are at least proficient in math and reading respectively. (The "diversity" of the student population in these three high schools is about the same.)

Our guess is that the reason that CDO and Ironwood Ridge are unranked is because they are so far down the list of academic performers that their results don't matter. That is unacceptable.
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Note: The US News study did not include Pusch Ridge Christian Academy in the study.

Bits and Pieces: Pima County Bond Election and More

Pima County bond election coming. Hold on to your wallet."
You will have a chance to watch zero liability voters increase your property bill.

"On April 21, 2015 the Pima County Board of Supervisors approved Resolution No. 2015-19 ordering a bond election to be held on November 3, 2015, and approving seven ballot propositions. If voters were to approve all seven propositions, the County would be authorized to sell $815,760,000 in general obligation bonds to fund projects that meet the purposes stated in each proposition." (Source)

And you will pay for these projects with an increase of major proportions to your property tax.

As we have already observed:

Oro Valley and Foothills property owners pay much more than they should for projects they could finance on their own. This is is because their property values are far greater than the rest of the county. And, as we have observed, Oro Valley would probably not do it on their own because it would require an Oro Valley property tax. 

Better the property tax should come form Pima County and not Oro Valley?

Wait till you find out what it will cost you!

More will follow.

Meet the Oro Valley Police Department this Sunday at Noble Hops. 
The site is located at the southeast corner of La Canada and Lambert.  There is a special menu for this event. "Coffee with a Cop is a national initiative supported by the United States Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. The goal of this program is to break down barriers between the public and police officers." (Source: Town Of Oro Valley press release)

Source: Oro Valley Police Department Statistics

Be alert at Oro Valley's traffic light intersections
The Oro Valley Police Department  released its latest crime statistics.   Included in these is a graph of the top accident intersections for the 4th quarter of 2014.   The intersection of Tangerine and La Canada had, by far, the most traffic accidents.   Every one of the intersections  on the report have traffic lights.  Apparently, people are in for too much of a rush to pay attention to the rules.

Awesome
Oro Valley's Basis School #1 ranking
The Washington Post has rated Oro Valley's Basis High School as the most challenging high school in the United States. This was determined by an index that the post created.

"The index score is the number of college-level tests given at a school in the previous calendar year divided by the number of graduates that year." Basis' index was 20.444.  This would mean that there were more than 20 college level tests given at the school per graduating student. This was 3 more than the #2 school.

Also noted... the percentage of graduates who passed at least one college-level test during their high school career, called equity and excellence, (E&E)." Basis' score: 100%
(Source) (Read the Arizona Daily Star Report)

Can your homeowners association take your home?
Your home may be taken if you are a member of the homeowners association. This was brought to our attention by the Sun City communications Blog.  They link to an posting that is difficult to understand. According to the article: "HOA members are not protected...from the ... HOA right to foreclose on a member’s home." Is this fact?

Oro Valley bond rating stays at "AA-"
Bond rating agency Fitch has affirmed Oro Valley's bond rating of AA-. This is considered to be a good rating. The rating observed that: "Management maintains a solid financial cushion despite recent draws on fund balance for one-time capital projects" and that "Additional operating and capital spending pressures are likely over the intermediate term given recently strengthened economic trends and population expansion through build-out." (Source)

Cheap fees offered at Golf Club at Vistoso
$2 Tuesdays are available at this beautiful course. $2 per hole. That's $36. This is a lot less than Oro Valley Town  El Conquistador Country Club plans to charge per round.

Is it safe to assume that the many private golf clubs in Oro Valley are going to fight for players against the town's offering?

Bits and Pieces

Its A Small World

Who would have thought it.

We traveled to Palm Desert (Ca) this week.  We visited the mountaintop town of Idyllwild. Its in the San Bernadino National Forest.

There, were found Oro Valley homeowner Larry Everitt tending his shop, "Everitt's Minerals and Jewelry".  Larrt has a home in Rancho Vistoso. He plans to retire there.  He's is considering opening a store in Oro Valley or a neighboring community.

"Everitt's Minerals and Jewelry" has an interesting selection of minerals from the world and jewelry.  It was a fun place to browse. A store like this would be a nice addition to Oro Valley.
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"Tickets on sale for OV’s 40th Anniversary Dinner & Silent Auction

Oro Valley, Ariz. (April 4, 2014) – As part of its 40th Anniversary Celebration, the Town of Oro Valley, in partnership with the Oro Valley Historical Society and the Oro Valley Country Club, will hold a Dinner & Silent Auction on Friday, April 18, 2014.

The event, which will be held at the beautiful Oro Valley Country Club, 300 W. Greenock Drive, will begin at 5:30 p.m. with no-host cocktails, live entertainment and a silent auction to benefit the Oro Valley Historical Society. Dinner (surf and turf combo plate) will be served at 7:30 p.m.

Seating is limited; cost is $50. Tickets may be purchased through the Oro Valley Country Club by phone at 520-297-1121 or in person, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Don’t forget the 40 Days of Deals! Also part of the celebration is the 40 Days of Deals campaign, going on now through April 25. Each day, Oro Valley businesses are offering special deals to customers. To view the 40 Days of Deals calendar, click here or visit us at www.orovalleyaz.gov."(Source Oro Valley Press Release)
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"Oro Valley to host U.S. National Synchronized Swimming Championships this weekend

Oro Valley, Ariz. (April 8, 2014) – The Town of Oro Valley will play host to the 2014 U.S. National Synchronized Swimming Championships, April 8 – 12, 2014 at the Oro Valley Aquatic Center, 23 W. Calle Concordia. This national event, which is hosted in partnership with Tucson Synchro, Tucson Sports and the AZ Synchronized Swimming Association, will feature more than 350 swimmers from 41 teams across the nation in the 13-15, Junior and Senior Divisions. Additionally, the USA Junior National Team will give an exhibition performance on Saturday, April 12 at 11:30 a.m. For complete details, click here or visit www.orovalleyaz.gov." (Source Oro Valley Press Release)
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Wow. Way To Go BASIS School Oro Valley

"BASIS Oro Valley graduated its first group of seniors in 2013; 100% of graduates were accepted to 4-year universities and these 13 students earned over two million dollars in merit-based scholarships.

Among our Upper School students (grades 8 – 12) 15% are AP Scholars, 4% are AP Scholars with Honor, 14% are AP Scholars with Distinction, and 4% are National AP Scholars. BASIS Oro Valley students competed in the National History Day: State Competition earning six first place entries, one second place entry and 14 qualifications for the National History Day National competition where 4 students received metals for ""Outstanding State Entry.""

BASIS Oro Valley students also took second place at the Regional Math Counts competition, first place at the Math Matters competition, and earned one Gold Key and 3 Silver Keys in the National Scholastic Awards. BASIS Oro Valley teachers also earned recognition. Adrienne Fluitt was named a Top 10 Charter School Teacher in AZ and Teresa Shorbe earned the distinction of AZ Teacher of the Year from National History Day. Learn More about BASIS Oro Valley at www.basisorovalley.org. " (Source)
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CDO Shared Use Path Closed Through Saturday

"The CDO Shared Use Path (from La Canada Drive to Oro Valley Marketplace) will be closed completely from Thursday April 10th through Saturday April 12th for pavement sealing and re-striping. It will re-open on Sunday April 13th." (Source)
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Oro Valley Related Theft Suspect Causing Mayhem in Phoenix

A suspect in the January "smash and grab" car thefts at LA Fitness has been cashing stolen checks and using stolen ATM cards in the Phonex area.  Watch the news report.
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Bits and Pieces

How To Manage, Maybe Even Reduce Your Property Tax Values

Pima County Assessors have sent homeowners their 2015 Residential Notice of Value for 2015.  Property taxes will be based on the limited value.  An insert sent with the notice says that this value can not be appealed.

On the surface, you might think that you can not do anything about your property tax valuation; but you can!

 "The limited property value of property for property taxation purposes is the limited property value of the property in the preceding valuation year plus five per cent of that value" (Source)

So,  yes, for any one year you have not control.

However...

Pay attention to the total full cash value because: "The current limited property value of a parcel of property shall not exceed its current full cash value."  So, you would want the full cash value to never grow more than 5% annually.

In 2014, total full cash value and limited value were set to be the same.

In 2015, however, we were not surprised to find that the county increased the full cash value 3 percentage points greater than the 5% statutory increase in the limited value.  This gives them leeway to always collect based on the limited value, since it will never be less than the full cash value.  At this rate of difference, the limited value will never be less than the full cash value.

So, appealing the full cash value matters to you. You goal should be to reduce the full cash value to less than the limited value or, as minimum, to keep an increase in the full cash value at 5% or less.

Visit the assessors site for the appeal forms.  The appeal deadline is April 1.

Also, if you are over 65, you may be eligible for a 3-year freeze on the limited cash value of your property. Learn more here.
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Oro Valley Police Warn:" Beware of Computer-Based Fraud

The Oro Valley Police Department (#orovalleypd) sent out two "tweets" this week regarding internet-based fraud. "Oro Valley residents warned of online rental scam" linked to a TV7 report about a scam on the website "Zillow."  The site advertised a rental unit. The prospective renter sent in a deposit.  The rental was bogus. (source).  The other was a Facebook scam in which an individual sent money to a "friend" to pay taxes on supposed lottery winnings.  Of course, there was no lottery winnings. (source)

The adage: "If it seems to good to be true, it probably is" applies to both of these situations.

Beware, readers, the internet is a dangerous place.

Thanks to The Oro Valley Police Department for reminding us of this.
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Big Doin's At Steam Pump Tomorrow

" The...Second Saturday at Steam Pump Ranch will feature a blacksmith demonstration, Heritage Garden demonstration, and guest speaker Brenda Marjaneimi, author of An Extended Stay, the story of one woman's struggle with Parkinson's disease, as lovingly told by her daughter. Following the morning's activities, live music will be provided by Reno Del Mar. Second Saturdays at Steam Pump Ranch are held from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the second Saturday of each month. (Source: Oro Valley Press Release)
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COXCO No More

In case you haven't noticed, the COXCO gas station on the northwest corner of Oracle and Ina Road is closed.

Plans have been filed by SSBL Architects to build a 3,600 sf retail building in that spot.   The site is bit odd.  It is small, less than 1/2 acre and significantly higher in elevation that abutting properties.  "The architecture at this intersection can best be described as eclectic," notes architect Sayler-Brown  in the architectural design narrative he filed with the town.

The Oro Valley Conceptual Design Review Board will review the conceptual plans for this site at this Tuesday's meeting.
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Basis Primary School Plans Unveiled

BASIS has filed information with the Oro Valley Conceptual Design Review Board regarding its plans for a 48,000 sf, 2-storybuilding next to the existing BASIS school on Oracle Road. 36' will be the maximum height.  The new building will provide education for grades K-6.

BASIS notes in the information filed that it is not required by state law to abide by the standard Oro Valley development review process. "The applicant has agreed to submit the Conceptual Architecture for a "courtesy" review by the Conceptual Design Review Board and Town Council."  Town staff has determined that the proposed design in in conformance with Oro Valley's design principles and standards.

The Oro Valley Conceptual Design Review Board will review this project at Tuesday's meeting.
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Town Has Done No Study To Determine On-Site Clinic Feasibility?

Last month we reported that the Town Of Oro Valley had held a bidder's conference regarding creating a full-time, onsite wellness clinic for its employees.  The town was exploring having a clinic that includes Golder Ranch Fire District ("GFRD'") employees. We submitted an information request asking for studies that discussed what was being planned. The town responded by providing us emails between town manager Caton and the fire chief of GFRD. We conclude from this that the town has performed no study of the feasibility of this concept; or determined any justification for creating this facility since it did not provide such to us in response to our information request.
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