District staff presented a multi-part update on building transitions, property conveyances and program ideas for Desert Sun Academy, Lone Mountain and other sites at the April 22 work study.

The board was told that conveyance records for a roughly 175-acre assemblage (a 100-acre federal conveyance with educational-use stipulation, a 15-acre state conveyance and a 60-acre state conveyance) are under survey to locate exact parcel boundaries. Staff said some parcels (for example, Sonoran Trails/Horseshoe Trails leases) have use restrictions that limit options.

Desert Sun Academy: Dr. Jensen described two program pathways under consideration to serve (1) students who are currently privately placed in day schools for severe needs and (2) students at risk of dropping out. External vendors provided a quote for a contracted program that would require a minimum of two classrooms of 10 students each and a low-end cost estimate of about $798,000 for the minimum arrangement. Staff said the vendor model would offload program operations to the contractor but limit the district’s flexibility. As an alternative, district estimates indicate the district could run an in-house program at Desert Sun for under $500,000 with greater ability to tailor services and make adjustments.

The district is piloting a dropout-prevention model in a small cohort that staff reported has improved attendance. Staff explained that some students could spend part of their day at the alternative program and still attend Cactus Shadows for electives; the district described a plan to operate individualized schedules and provide special-ed transportation using special-education funding and vehicles.

Lone Mountain: staff described options to expand preschool and early-childhood (ECS) tracks, including two-year-old and three-year-old classrooms, and to market those programs more aggressively. Staff said preschools could be run year-round with extended hours to serve working families and capture ESA (Education Savings Account) voucher funds for certain outside families. The district is considering partnerships (for example, YMCA) or district-run options; marketing plans include website optimization, Google local-service ads and targeted social ads.

Facilities and moving: the district said it is working with a moving vendor that has experience moving school furnishings for other districts and has capabilities for secure inventory, recycling and staged moves. Staff said PTOs and community volunteers can help with personal classroom items but that large-scale moves and specialized equipment will be handled by the contracted mover.

Board members asked about separation requirements for emotionally disabled placements and about age banding and staffing ratios. Staff answered that EDP (emotional disability program) placements have distinct separation and supervision requirements and that ratios would be individualized (for example, 1:3 for higher-need students; 1:10 for dropout-prevention cohorts). The board asked staff to continue refining enrollment, transportation and cost estimates and to return with recommendations.