The past 12 months have been busy for local schools, boasting a pair of elections, a smattering of annual housekeeping items, a controversial firing, a controversial resignation, an a synthetic turf football field and more.

There were some ups and there were some downs along the way, but local school sites continue to push forward, creating new opportunities for students and striving to meet new and heightened standards.

Following is the first in a two-part series looking back at 2014 within local schools, covering the months of January through June.

Brighter future

In January, the Fountain Hills Unified School District Governing Board began looking at the future of FHUSD, beginning with a presentation from high school Principal Tom Brennan.

Brennan highlighted the ongoing campus improvement plan in preparation for an accreditation visit in April, followed by a board discussion on district-wide goals.

Board member C.T. Wright called for the formation of a FHUSD strategic plan, specifically focused on five programs geared at the future in the areas of new testing instruments, Arizona standards, evaluation rubrics and the like.

Teen AA Award

A growing program at Fountain Hills High School, Teens Addiction Anonymous allows students to discuss and work through their various addictions with peer leaders and adult supervisors.

Launched in 2013 at FHHS, the local program has already drawn some positive attention, receiving the Honorary Coalition Award for 2014, given to the Arizona community that exemplified extraordinary effort and commitment to youth while implementing a Teen AA program.

The program was implemented through the help of the Fountain Hills Coalition.

Bond projects

Local voters opted to approve a bond package and an override continuation in 2013, the results of which started to take shape in the early months of 2014.

In late February, the School Board voted to approve the $8 million bond package, broken into two $4 million sales with one in 2014 and the other to come in 2015.

Projects included in the 2014 sales funded courtyard/playground shade structures, building security upgrades, parking lot repairs, lighting retrofits, transportation and technology needs, as well as the artificial turf upgrade on the high school football field.

The most talked about item of the $1.4 million landscaping and playground upgrade initiative, construction began on the new field in early June and wrapped in time for the first home football game this fall.

Meehan retires

After 45 years in education (30 of which were spent within FHUSD), long-time McDowell Mountain Elementary School Principal Joanne Meehan announced her retirement in late January, giving the local district several months’ worth of notice to find a replacement.

In honor of her dedication to local schools, the FHUSD Learning Center was recently dedicated in her honor.

Audit

FHUSD did well this year, but there’s always room for improvement, according to the recent Auditor General Report.

Executive Director of Business and Support Services Lisa Martinez presented an update at the Feb. 12 School Board meeting, saying that implementation of suggested improvements are ongoing or were already addressed.

The report was broken down into five main findings, the first of which being that the “district has addressed some of its higher administrative costs, but could do more.”

Further findings were that additional savings could be realized following the closure of the Four Peaks campus, that the transportation program should be further subsidized, that additional funds should be funneled back into the classroom and that the district should strengthen its purchasing and computer controls.

Robotics

The 2013-14 school year was massive for the local Robotics Club.

Along with numerous awards earned at events around Arizona, the team went on to claim first place at the state level and fifth place at regionals.

The VEX robotics team went on to compete at the World Robotics competition in Anaheim, winning the Create Award for creative engineering.

Youth of Year

Melissa Ervin was named the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale Mary Ellen and Robert McKee Branch Youth of the Year for 2014, honored alongside her fellow branch winners during the Celebrate Youth 2014 event held in March.

Now a senior attending FHHS, Ervin has attended the local club branch for the past 12 years and has been an active member of many club programs including the Keystone Club, which focuses on community service.

Ervin is also involved with Leaders in Training, which allows members ages 11-15 to volunteer at the club and learn basic job responsibilities and work habits during the summer months.

Band success

Each year, the FHHS music program takes part in the Heritage Music Festival in Hollywood, Calif., performing with groups from all over the country.

In 2014, the Falcon squad brought home awards in eight different categories, including two major prizes: the Outstanding Choral Program Sweepstakes Award, as well as the Outstanding Overall Programs Award, which is given to the group that produces the highest combined score in instrumental and vocal areas.

Big potatoes

FHHS has a new world record holder on its hands, as Cameron Ribail managed to fire 19 potatoes through a tennis racquet in three minutes.

Each year, Dr. Paul McElligott hosts a Guinness World Record attempt for local students and, this year, 100 participants showed up to compete.

An FHHS student, Garret Sweetland, broke the same record in 2011 with a total of 17 spuds. This year’s trials were held on May 7 on the high school campus. After reviewing all of the footage and documentation, Guinness contacted Ribail this fall to inform him of his success in breaking the record.