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Higley Unified School District

Coordinates:33°17′50″N111°42′11″W/ 33.297223°N 111.703025°W/33.297223; -111.703025
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Higley Unified School District #60
Address
2935 S. Recker Rd.
Gilbert
,Arizona,85295
United States
Coordinates33°17′50″N111°42′11″W/ 33.297223°N 111.703025°W/33.297223; -111.703025
District information
TypePublic
MottoPreparing learners for limitless opportunities.
GradesPK-12
Established1909;115 years ago(1909)
Deputy superintendent(s)Sherry Richards
Schools16
Budgetabout $50 million
NCESDistrict ID0403780[1]
Students and staff
Students13,500
Other information
Websitewww.husd.org

TheHigley Unified School District #60orHUSD #60,is aschool districtinGilbert, Arizona.[2]The school district serves portions of Gilbert,MesaandQueen Creek.[3]It is one of Arizona's fastest growing school districts. Continued modest growth is expected despite the downturn in the economy during the 2000s. In August 2013, the district opened two new middle schools and all other elementary schools that hosted grades K-8 went down to K-6.

About HUSD

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Higley Unified School District is a rapidly growing district in the state of Arizona. It operates 2 preschools, 9 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, 2 high schools and one virtual academy.

Higley is an open-enrollment district, which permits parents to choose a school, regardless of the individual school boundaries. The district also allows un-housed children to register for school.

The District has two administrative sites. The primary administration building is located north of Higley High School and the district's transportation center is located south of Williams Field High School.

All high schools and middle schools utilize a resource officer to help protect the school environment from disruptions and crimes.

Curriculum

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All preschool classes are split into 2 classes per day, depending on the school and the time the classes start. Higley offers full day kindergarten classes at its schools. Higley's comprehensive curriculum is aligned with the Arizona Academic Standards and the new Common Core Standards. The District primarily focuses on the core standards, which are Reading, Writing, Math, Science, and Social Studies. Higley also offers free full day kindergarten classes, technological instructions, library media services, K-8 Art, Music, and Physical Education, Character Education, and Before and After School Enrichment Programs. In Middle School, Higley offers choir, band, strings, applied technology, Spanish, and many skills for success. Along with its academic programs, Higley provides students athletic programs to encourage children to be actively fit while focusing on academics. The Middle Schools also offer early development childhood (preschool) services. Higley Unified School often tries new academic programs and standards not yet passed or effective in the state to allow students to get used to the new curriculum and align it in the future.[4]

History

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The Higley district was incorporated in 1909 with a territory far larger than its current size, with most of the district land transferred to other Valley school districts over the years. For instance, theQueen Creek Unified School Districtwas carved out of the Higley district in 1947.[5]Higley Elementary Schoolwas the only school in the district for the next 53 years. The district's high school students attendedGilbert Public Schools' high schools. As the Valley expanded, Larry Likes, then-superintendent of the district, guided it through an era of suburban expansion engulfing local farmland. The growth of the 1990s and 2000s caught up to the district's 24-square-mile (62 km2) service area. In 1999, thedistrict legally unified;in 2000, it opened Coronado Elementary School, its first new school in decades; in 2001,Higley High Schoolopened its doors; four years later, Gateway Pointe Elementary School debuted, then a year later, Cortina Elementary School opened; another year later, further growth induced the opening ofWilliams Field High School.In the spring of 2008, Higley became the first district in Arizona to receive K-12 accreditation by the AdvancED/North Central Accreditation Team. Graduating Higley seniors were offered $2.7 million in academic and athletic scholarships.[6]

In early 2011, Higley had more than 10,000 students in the district.[7]

The district opened two middle schools (Cooley Middle School and Sossaman Middle School) to better prepare 7th and 8th grade students for high school and to alleviate projected capacity issues at its elementary schools.

District Website

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The Higley Unified School District website ishttps://www.husd.org/.

Users can access the latest news, events, information pertaining to schools, enrollment, career opportunities, and more.

Statistics and Demographics (2024-2025)

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  • Student Enrollment: 13,500
  • Employees: 1,600
  • Graduation Rate: 96%
  • Rated A by the Arizona Department of Education

Higley Center for the Performing Arts

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The District built the HCPA and opened in spring of 2006. The HCPA has a large concert hall, seating 1,235 people and a little theatre, able to sit 186 people. Over 500 productions are yearly shown in the building. It is located adjacent to the Higley High School, and schools throughout the district use it to show major assemblies or guest speakers.[8]

Transportation

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Transportation of students from the various schools throughout the district is provided by the District's transportation crew. They currently have 63 School Buses and 53 Support Vehicles. The district mandates that all students taking a field trip must be approved by parents. The district also provides transportation for students to and from school. Any student who lives within one mile from the school they go to, although, does not have transportation, and will have to transport themselves to and from school. To better balance all the school bus use to transport students to and from school, the district changed the school bell times to help align the high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools so as to not cause traffic.

Schools

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Preschools

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Preschools Mascot Address Director
(2024-2025)
Assistant Director
(2024-2025)
Established
Cooley Early Childhood Development Center (Home) Cougars 1100 S. Recker Rd. Gilbert, AZ, 85296 Amy Kochis Marsha Hofstetter 2013
Sossaman Early Childhood Development Center (Home) Spartans 18655 E. Jacaranda Blvd. Queen Creek, AZ, 85142

Elementary schools (grades K-6)

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Elementary Schools Mascot Address Principal
(2024-2025)
Assistant Principal
(2024-2025)
Established
Bridges Elementary (Home) Bobcats 5205 S. Soboba St., Gilbert, AZ Jeff Beickel Elizabeth Melter 2016
Centennial Elementary (Home) Cardinals 3507 S. Ranch House Pkwy, Gilbert, AZ 85297 Amanda Day Eric Rogers 2009
Chaparral Elementary (Home) Sharks 338 E. Frye Rd. Gilbert, AZ 85295 Kristine Hanson Terry Peper 2007
Coronado Elementary (Home) Coyotes 4333 S. De Anza Blvd. Gilbert, AZ 85297 Brian Griggs Alice Sortini 2000
Cortina Elementary (Home) Tigers 19680 S. 188th St. Queen Creek, AZ 85242 Kelly Papke Chrissy DeBono 2006
Gateway Pointe Elementary (Home) Gators 2069 S. De La Torre Dr. Gilbert, AZ 85295 Kaity Harris Angie Walker 2005
Higley Traditional Academy(Home) Hawks 3391 E. Vest Ave. Gilbert, AZ 85295 Caryn Bacon Mandy Bachali 1909
Power Ranch (Home) Panthers 351 S. Ranch House Pkwy. Gilbert, AZ 85297 Michelle McNabb Nicole McCullough 2003
San Tan (Home) Scorpions 3443 E. Calistoga Dr. Gilbert, AZ 85297 Ray Mercado Lyndsey Reeves 2001

Middle schools (grades 7-8)

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Middle Schools Mascot Address Principal
(2024-2025)
Assistant Principal
(2024-2025)
Established
Cooley Middle School (Home) Cougars 1100 S. Recker Rd. Gilbert, AZ, 85296 Chad Cantrell Luiza Schwartz 2013
Sossaman Middle School (Home) Spartans 18655 E. Jacaranda Blvd. Queen Creek, AZ, 85142 Bruce Potts Brandon Keeling

High schools (grades 9-12)

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High Schools Mascot Address Principal
(2024-2025)
Assistant Principals (2024-2025) Established
Higley High School(Home) Knights 4068 E. Pecos Rd. Gilbert, AZ 85295 Alan Fields Aaron Dille, Brian Banach, Pamela Simmons, Sean Casey 2001
Williams Field High School(Home) Black Hawks 2076 S. Higley Rd. Gilbert, AZ 85295 John Dolan Darrell Stangle, Heather Wallace, Shana Lacerenza, Brent Brandenburg 2007

Awards

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  • Rated A by the Arizona Department of Education (2023)
  • Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Association of School Business Officials International (2023)
  • Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers of the United States (2023)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Higley Unified School District (4248)".National Center for Education Statistics.Institute of Education Sciences.Retrieved2020-12-24.
  2. ^"Home."Higley Unified School District. Retrieved on April 10, 2011." 2935 South Recker Road • Gilbert, AZ, 85295 "
  3. ^https://statisticalatlas.com/school-district/Arizona/Higley-Unified-District/Overview
  4. ^unknown (August 2013)."Higley Curriculum".Higley Unified School District.Retrieved27 January2013.
  5. ^The district's old history page (Wayback Archive)
  6. ^Higley Community Newsletter, September 2008
  7. ^Hayley Ringle (11 February 2011)."Higley school district still growing, now has more than 10,000 students".The Arizona Republic.Retrieved16 April2012.
  8. ^"HCPA Technical Specifications"(PDF).Higley Unified School District. 27 January 2013.Retrieved27 January2013.[permanent dead link]
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