To get an idea how Fountain Hills has evolved over the years, one need look no further than the Fountain Hills Unified School District.

Though FHUSD has hit a slump in enrollment through the most recent academic years, not long ago this fledgling school district erupted in a supernova of sorts to bloom from a single elementary school to its four current sites: McDowell Mountain Elementary School, Four Peaks Elementary Schools Fountain Hills Middle School and Fountain Hills High School.

The Times this week continues its series exploring the growth of Fountain Hills over the past 30-plus years and takes a look at where the town and School District may be headed.

Much like the town itself, FHUSD saw a large boom in growth in the mid-1980s that has since slowed to a trickle and, in the case of the district, even backpedaled a bit.

When the district was begun in 1975, work on the first school building, which would eventually become Four Peaks Elementary School, was incomplete, forcing principal Hank Diulus, his staff and local students to operate out of a temporary location in an office building on Colony Drive.

Once completed, Fountain Hills Elementary School serviced only kindergarten through eighth grade students. All older students had to be bused to surrounding districts.

A first page story printed in the June 28, 1984, edition of The Times stated “growing enrollment and changing conditions may require Fountain Hills to construct a local high school as well as build a new elementary school or construct a junior high facility.”

After just 10 years the district had seen its numbers climb from 110 students to more than 400 in the winter of 1983.

In 1988 McDowell Mountain Elementary School was opened to accommodate the growing student population. By 1992 the district had its Jr./Sr. High School and, as recently as 2002, Fountain Hills Middle School finally opened its doors.

The student population has grown considerably over the years, stretching past the 1983 400-mark to roughly 2,300 students within FHUSD, 150 students within Fountain Hills Charter School (opened in 1997), and additional students from roughly 20 families making up the Fountain Hills Christian Home Educators.

Student population has been on the decline for the district in more recent years, though, painting a somewhat bleak picture of the road ahead. 

However, thanks to proposed developments such as The Preserve at Goldfield Ranch and in northern Fountain Hills, and aggressive marketing to draw and retain additional students, FHUSD’s future might see a return to growth before leveling out.

Joanne Meehan, McDowell Mountain Elementary School principal, recently began her 25th year with the district.

Originally hired as an administrative assistant at Four Peaks Elementary School, Meehan said she watched as the student population climbed 32 percent through the ‘80s.

Meehan said the drop in enrollment through the past several years, to her, is a sign of the times given the current economy and housing market.

“[FHUSD] has gone through a metamorphosis, really,” Meehan said. “There has been a much younger group of people moving into town and with that comes the extra students, for my school in particular.”

Affordable housing

According to Superintendent Dr. Bill Myhr, the only way to stop the slow decrease in enrollment seen in recent years is to have the community develop more affordable housing for these younger families, citing the new Ellman developments as a possible key to this goal.

“In 2011, the two Ellman projects, we believe, will add approximately 300 to 400 students to the district,” Myhr said. “The school’s budget (approximately $6,200 per student) is driven by our average daily attendance.

“Growing as a district would certainly make us more flexible with our budget in order to cater to our students’ needs.”

Myhr, who previously served as superintendent in a similar-sized district in Washington, said his old stomping grounds are in the midst of the same dilemma, struggling with declining enrollment against a poor economy and housing market.

Looking ahead, though, Myhr said he has high hopes.

“Enrollment will stabilize based on two things: our ability to maintain our ‘Excelling’ labels and when we grow along with the community,” Myhr said.

“The ongoing plans, such as the new downtown development, will help make us a self- sustaining community. That is when we will see those enrollment figures rise.”

Enrollment key

If this year’s enrollment figures serve as any indication, though, the process may already be starting.

According to Assistant Superintendent Tim Leedy, the first day count for the 2008-09 school year saw a slight increase over the last day count from academic year 2007-08.

“It’s still too soon to tell,” Leedy said. “I won’t be doing any celebrating until confirmation comes back at the 40th day count in mid-October.

“That’s usually a good gauge of how we’ll look at the 100th day, which is when we begin determining our budget.”

As an example of how much student enrollment affects a district, Leedy cited this school year’s budget at $200,000 less than the previous year.

“So our budget has gone down, but, within that, our expenses are increasing,” Leedy said.

“We’re getting less money, but the cost of things like fuel and food are on the rise. Then there are salary raises to account for and other additional areas which require more money going out while less money is coming in than the year before.”

Despite the current state of budgetary affairs, though, Leedy said the future could be looking good for the district.

“Assuming the state comes out of its slump and housing gets back on track, in three to four years we’re going to start seeing a reversal trend on the declining enrollment,” Leedy said. “It will be small, but positive.”

Future land sales?

Depending on the district’s growth and need, though, Leedy said three parcels of land currently owned by the district may also be of some help in the future.

At present, the district owns 35 acres on El Lago, 19 acres on Aspen Dr. and 17 acres on Hawk Dr.

“At this point we have no definitive plans for that land,” Leedy said.

“The topography is not conducive to our needs, so I do not see any of the sites being used by the district. It would be up to the board if that land were to ever be sold for development, but I don’t think that’s really even being considered right now.”

Board President Dana Saar agreed.

“It’s a great advantage to have a resource like that available to the district when the time comes and we need to utilize it,” Saar said.

“Depending on the circumstances, the land could be used anywhere from providing lower cost housing to having it developed and using that money to offset the need of an override.”

Saar, a member of the State Board of Education Professional Practices Advisory Committee, a previous EVIT teacher for five years and local board member for 12, said he’s watched FHUSD mature over the years and, having been involved with the local Planning and Zoning Commission, said the current state of affairs comes as no surprise.

“This is nothing we didn’t predict,” Saar said.

“As we move forward we’re going to see an influx of those younger families and I think we’ll stabilize at around 2,500 district-wide when all is said and done.”

Drawing more and more students from the Fort McDowell reservation and considering the build-out additions to the FHUSD family once the new housing projects are complete, Saar said he expects a small but steady growth for both the town and district in the years ahead.

“The future looks favorable,” Saar said. “I think we’re doing a good job but, as always, we can do better.”

New series: Where are we going?
Series, Part 2: Planning is an issue
Series, Part 3: Identity search for finances, too
Series, Part 4: Tourism touted
Series, Part 5: Main Street