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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPackets - Council Packets (2039)AMPHITHEATER P u b l i c S c b o o l s OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT Todd A. Jaeger, J.D. Superintendent (520) 696-5206 9 FAX (520) 696-5015 701 W. Wetmore Road • Tucson, AZ 85705 • (520) 696-5000 • www.amphi.com GovERN1NG BOARD MEMBERS Vicki Cox Golder Matthew A. Kopec Deanna M. Day, M.Ed. Michael Gemma, Ed.D. President Vice President SUPERINTENDENT Todd A. Jaeger, J.D. Memorandum To: Hon. Mayor and Town Council of Oro Valley, Arizona From: Todd Jaeger, Superintendent Date: February 4, 2026 Re: Superintendent's Remarks; Town Council Meeting Mayor, Members of the Town Council, and citizens of Oro Valley: Susan Zibrat Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you this evening. As the Superintendent of Amphitheater Public Schools, I value the strong partnership we have always maintained with the Town of Oro Valley. We share a common constituency and a common goal: ensuring that this community remains a vibrant, thriving place for families to live and learn. I am here tonight to provide a detailed update on a matter that I know is close to the hearts of many in this room the future of the Copper Creek Elementary School campus. The Context: A Year of Difficult Decisions As you are likely aware, our District has spent the last year navigating a period of significant transition. This has been, without a doubt, one of the most challenging years in our history. For nearly 12 months, we have engaged in ' a rigorous, data -driven process to address a fundamental reality: the shifting landscape of public education in Arizona. In doing so, we faced a "perfect storm" of factors —a statewide plummet in birth rates (double that of the nation), the rapid expansion of private school vouchers (ESAs), and changing demographics within our common boundaries. The data was stark. We found ourselves operating a district which had been built to serve 19,000 students twenty or more years ago, yet currently only serving closer to 11,000. Maintaining nearly empty buildings is not sustainable fiscally, given the continue failings of our state government to fully fund public schools as required by our state constitution. To continue operation of all of our existing schools for the near and, indeed long term, would have been irresponsible, because doing so pulls Amphitheater High School - Canyon del Oro High School - Ironwood Ridge High School Amphitheater Middle School - Coronado K-8 School - Cross Middle School - La Cima Middle School - Wilson K-8 School Copper Creek Elementary - Donaldson Elementary - Harelson Elementary - Holaway Elementary - Innovation Academy - Keeling Elementary Mesa Verde Elementary - Nash Elementary - Painted Sky Elementary - Prince Elementary - Rio Vista Elementary - Walker Elementary - Rillito Center - Amphi Academy Online Amphitheater Unified School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion/religious beliefs, gender, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, creed, citizenship status, marital status, political beliefs/affiliation, disability, home language, family, social or cultural background in its programs or activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. Inquiries regarding the District's non-discrimination policies are handled at 701 W. Wetmore Road, Tucson, Arizona 85705 by the Equity & Safety Compliance Officer and Title IX Coordinator, (520) 696-5164, TitlelXCoordinatorna,amphi.com, or the Executive Director of Student Services, (520) 696-5230, studentservices@,gzpphi.com. Page 2 precious resources away from the classroom —away from the teachers and students who need them most. It is a sobering reality, and one we did not take this lightly. We conducted efficiency studies, held several community forums, and listened to the passionate, sometimes heartbreaking, feedback from our families. The process was exhaustive because the decision was monumental. The Governing Board's Action After this year -long review, the path forward became clear, however difficult it was to accept. On January 13, 2026, the Amphitheater Governing Board voted unanimously to accept my recommendation to consolidate four of our elementary schools, including Copper Creek Elementary in Oro Valley. I want to pause here to acknowledge the emotion of that vote. Copper Creek has been a pillar of this its neighborhood and this Town. It is more thanjust a brick and mortar pillar; it is a repository of memories for thousands of Oro Valley residents. The decision to close it as an. Amphitheater neighborhood school was made with a heavy heart, but with a clear resolve to protect the financial stability of our entire District. The Solution: A New Chapter with ASDB However, as we closed one chapter, we were determined to write a new one that honored the legacy of the Copper Creek campus. From the beginning of this process, my priority —and the Amphitheater Governing Board's priority — was to ensure that the Copper Creek facility did not sit dark and idle. We know the risks of vacant buildings: the so-called "urban blight" that can follow, the vandalism, and the hole left in the fabric of a neighborhood. So, we were committed to finding a purpose for this site that aligned with our values. I am incredibly proud to report that we have achieved a result that I believe is a "win -win" for everyone involved. Following the release of my recommendation for closure of the four identified schools, the Arizona School for the Deaf and the Blind (ASDB) reached out to the District with significant interest. The toured a number of our closing schools and studied their suitability for their own purposes and needs. Under the leadership of Superintendent Annette Reichman, ASDB had already been looking for a new home for their Tucson campus operations —a place that was safe, accessible, and embedded in a welcoming community. They found -exactly what they were looking for in Copper Creek. Amphitheater High School - Canyon del Oro High School - Ironwood Ridge High School Amphitheater Middle School - Coronado K-8 School - Cross Middle School La Cima Middle School - Wilson K-8 School Copper Creek Elementary - Donaldson Elementary - Harelson Elementary - Holaway Elementary - Innovation Academy - Keeling Elementary Mesa Verde Elementary - Nash Elementary - Painted Sky Elementary - Prince Elementary - Rio Vista Elementary - Walker Elementary - Rillito Center - Amphi Academy Online Amphitheater Unified School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion/religious beliefs, gender, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, creed, citizenship status, marital status, political beliefs/affiliation, disability, home language, family, social or cultural background in its programs or activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. Inquiries regarding the District's non-discrimination policies are handled at 701 W. Wetmore Road, Tucson, Arizona 85705 by the Equity & Safety Compliance Officer and Title IX Coordinator, (520) 696-5164, TitlelXCoordinator@,gnnhi.com, or the Executive Director of Student Services, (520) 696-5230, studentservices@,gmphi.com. Page 3 The Lease Agreement & Financial Impact Negotiations moved quickly because the fit was so natural. On January 27, 2026—just last week —our Governing Board formally approved a lease agreement with ASDB for the entirety of the Copper Creek campus. I want to share the specifics of this agreement with you, as they represent a major victory for fiscal responsibility and community preservation. First, the terms. We have entered into a five-year lease agreement, ensuring stability for the neighborhood. ASDB will begin relocating their operations to the site this summer, with plans to open their doors to their students, programs and employees for the Fall 2026 semester. Second, the financial .impact is substantial. By leasing this facility to a third party, the District will realize approximately $700,000 annually in savings on utilities that we would otherwise have to absorb for a vacant building. When you combine those operational savings with the revenue generated from the rent itself, this single agreement represents a positive gain of nearly $2,000,000 for the Amphitheater District budget every year. That amount builds over the term of the lease. That is two million dollars that stays in our system protecting school district programs, supporting teacher salaries, and enhancing the education of every other student in our District. Conclusion: Preserving a Community Asset But beyond the balance sheet, the true value of this agreement is what it means for Oro Valley. The Copper Creek campus will remain a public school. It will not be redeveloped into high -density housing or commercial retail. It will not sit empty or become wasted space. It will continue to be a place where children learn, where educators work, and where families gather. I am very proud, and quite frankly relieved, that through this lease arrangement, we will be effectively preserving the character of the Copper Creek neighborhood while welcoming a prestigious and vitally important state institution into our community. We believe ASDB will be an exceptional neighbor to us all, and we are eager to welcome their staff, students, and families to Oro Valley. I want to thank the Mayor and Council for your patience and support as we navigated this difficult "right -sizing" process. It has been a hard year, but we have emerged with a solution that secures the financial health of our District and preserves a vital community asset. Amphitheater High School • Canyon del Oro High School • Ironwood Ridge High School Amphitheater Middle School • Coronado K-8 School • Cross Middle School • La Cima Middle School • Wilson K-8 School Copper Creek Elementary • Donaldson Elementary • Harelson Elementary • Holaway Elementary • Innovation Academy • Keeling Elementary Mesa Verde Elementary • Nash Elementary • Painted Sky Elementary • Prince Elementary • Rio Vista Elementary • Walker Elementary • Rillito Center • Amphi Academy Online Amphitheater Unified School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion/religious beliefs, gender, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, creed, citizenship status, marital status, political beliefs/affiliation, disability, home language, family, social or cultural background in its programs or activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. Inquiries regarding the District's non-discrimination policies are handled at 701 W. Wetmore Road, Tucson, Arizona 85705 by the Equity & Safety Compliance Officer and Title IX Coordinator, (520) 696-5164, Tit1eIXCoordinato!@amplv.com, or the Executive Director of Student Services, (520) 696-5230, studentservices@,miphi.com. KEY FACTS: Copper Creel(Campus Transition Overview Following a comprehensive year -long review of district enrollment and facility capacity, Amphitheater Public Schools has secured a partnership that ensures the Copper Creek Elementary campus will remain a vibrant educational facility. The District has entered into a lease agreement with the Arizona School for the Deaf and the Blind (ASDB), preserving the site as a public school while delivering significant fiscal benefits to the District. Timeline of Action November 18, 2028: Superintendent of Amphitheater Public Schools announced thefour schools which had been identified for potential closure following the year -long study. Following this announcement, ASDB contacted the District to express interest in leasing one of the four schools, ultimately deciding upon Copper Creek. January 13, 2026: The Amphitheater Governing Board voted to consolidate four elementary schools, including Copper Creek, in response to shifting demographics and statewide enrollment trends. January 27, 2026: The Governing Board formally approved a lease agreement with ASDB to occupy the Copper Creek campus. Summer 2026 ASDB will begin relocating operations to the site. Fa 11 2026 The campus will reopen to students under ASDB stewardship. Fiscal Impact This agreement represents a major step toward long-term financial stability for Amphitheater Public Schools. The District will save approximately $700,000 annually in utilities by avoiding a vacant facility. Combined with lease revenues, this partnership will result in a positive net impact of nearly $2,000,000 per year for the District's operating budget. Community Benefits Preservation of Education: The facility remains a public school, continuing its legacy as a center for Learning rather than facing redevelopment or vacancy. And the five-year lease ensures a consistent, long-term presence of ASDB -- a prestigious state institution that shares our commitment to student success and community service. Contact: Todd Jaeger, Superintendent Amphitheater Public Schools (520) 696-5206 [www.amphi.com]