The process is still in the early goings, but the possibility of an EVIT satellite campus operating out of Fountain Hills seems like a definite positive for local students, as well as the community as a whole.

To be clear, nothing is set in stone yet. As was reported in the A1 story, the next step in the process is to get a building inspector on the former Four Peaks Elementary School campus to see how the site is holding up. From there, the Governing Board will need to assess necessary maintenance projects and determine if the price tag is right for the deal. Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sweeney seems optimistic that repairs won’t be an issue and, if that’s the case, FHUSD and EVIT could be well on their way to making additional program options a reality in Fountain Hills.

If all goes well, EVIT and FHUSD will then conduct research to determine what types of programs would best suit the campus for local students and potentially students in neighboring districts. Once those details get worked out, EVIT would spend the first half of 2017 getting the building ready for said courses so that the doors could open at the start of the next school year.

Again, there are a lot of steps that still need to be taken but, like Dr. Sweeney, we’re feeling optimistic about the chances of this partnership coming to fruition.

FHUSD and EVIT have a long-running relationship, with students taking part in EVIT’s offerings on a yearly basis. To do that, students typically have to pile onto a bus and head out of town to the closest campus. Having that campus right here in town is the first of many benefits this satellite program could offer. Being so close to home, there’s the potential that more students than ever will take advantage of EVIT’s offerings, too.

And that’s just the beginning. The Four Peaks campus is a large building, meaning EVIT would have plenty of space to grow over the years, potentially offering additional programs for local students and beyond.

If nothing else, it would be great to see that Four Peaks campus spring to life once again, buzzing with students eager to learn.