Hundreds of residents urge Cave Creek Unified board to pause proposed elementary school closures

CAVE CREEK, Ariz. — Dozens of parents, teachers and community members told the Cave Creek Unified School District governing board on Monday that the cabinet’s recommendation to close Long Mountain Elementary and Desert Sun Academy should be paused until the district develops clearer plans for students, staff and the campuses.

At the start of public comment, Katie Clark, a teacher who said she has served on district staff for eight years and is a parent of two alumni, told the board the district has allowed “campuses to operate at a financial loss,” and said one campus “was over $600,000 in the red last year.” Clark urged board members not to “sacrifice” Long Mountain students and families to fix district financial problems and said the cabinet had refused to consider alternatives that would “prioritize fairness and the well-being of all students.”

The comments reflected a widespread concern among speakers that the recommendation would fragment Long Mountain’s community: parents and students described proposals that would reassign peers to up to three different campuses and move special programs such as PALS to other schools. “There has to be a better way to keep my friends together,” student Gianna Armonte said. “This proposal needs to be rejected so there’s more time to make the best decision for students.”

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