Off to a Great Start
The 25/26 school year is off to a great start. This year is especially exciting as we celebrated the grand opening of our brand new school, Saguaro Creek K-8, nestled in the heart of the Rocking K Community. This beautiful new campus brings to a close the bond dollars that were approved by our voters back in 2018 and stands as a powerful reminder of Vail’s motto: Where Education Is a Community Effort. On July 14th, young people from the surrounding neighborhoods proudly became the first occupants of the brand new desks and classrooms, ready to learn, grow, and thrive.
Those bond dollars did so much more than build one new school. They made possible several much-needed projects for our growing community including Mica Mountain High School, now proudly recognized as an A+ School of Excellence, and the expansion of Andrada Polytechnic High School and Vail Academy and High School which both also hold the A+ distinction. They funded essential repairs and improvements to some of our oldest campuses, including our very first school, Old Vail Middle School. The bond also strengthened our district’s technology infrastructure, upgrading us to fiber optic networks and ensuring we can offer one-to-one student computers down to the elementary level, giving our students a strong edge as they step into the future workforce.
Vail, unlike most communities across the state, is continuing to grow. The investment by our community makes our schools strong. Thanks to that investment, the children in our community attend schools they can be proud of while receiving a high quality education including rich opportunities in fine arts and physical education that are second to none.
Just this past year, we saw record numbers of students excelling at the highest levels in fine arts. Nearly 50 of our students auditioned and performed in regional choir, band, or orchestra groups, with four earning coveted spots in the highly competitive All-State ensembles. This fall, seven of our talented students will march in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, earning a spot through rigorous auditions last year. And, Vail’s outstanding theatre students across the district earned more than 60 Superior and Excellent ratings at state competitions!
Our athletic programs continue to shine as well, bringing home four state championships and multiple top-three finishes in both team and individual events.
For many of our students, these rich opportunities — whether in fine arts, performing arts, or athletics — are the primary way that they find meaning and connection to their school.
All of these wonderful opportunities for children provide opportunities for academic and physical growth while building confidence and character. And, all of these programs are made possible by the support of a community that believes in and invests in education. Thank you for investing in a place “Where Education Is a Community Effort”.
John Carruth began his service to Vail in 1995. He has held many roles since and is deeply honored to now serve as Superintendent. He and his wife life in Vail and are the proud parents of two Vail graduates.
