Copper Canyon principal highlights dual-enrollment growth, retention and push toward an A letter grade

Copper Canyon High School Principal Will Oxford presented the campus's academic and extracurricular highlights and detailed progress toward the school's goal of achieving an A letter grade.

Key points: Oxford said Copper Canyon now has more than 1,005 students attending on open enrollment (roughly 49% of the campus) and reported 364 unique dual-enrollment students at the campus level (dual-enrollment count is of unique students, not course seats). He also said the school has maintained a 95%+ staff retention rate in recent years and touted student accomplishments including division I athletic signings and state-level track records.

Letter-grade context: Oxford walked the board through the school letter-grade components (proficiency 30%, growth 20%, CCRI 20%, graduation 20%, EL 10%) and showed historical point totals. He said Copper Canyon's most recent composite was 79.93, about 2 points short of an A; he emphasized increases in growth (measured from ACT Aspire freshman year to ACT junior year for the current senior cohort) and a near-term trend in graduation rate that could provide a five-point head start next year.

Why it matters: Oxford framed the strategies that drove growth (high dual-enrollment participation, improved growth measures and strong testing participation) and asked the board to continue supporting campus needs and timelines should staffing or resources be required to reach an A.

Board response: Board members congratulated staff and students, praised campus culture and asked for follow-up if the school needs targeted resources as it pushes to meet the A threshold.

Ending: No board action was requested on the presentation; Oxford said he would return with needed data if the school requests targeted support.