Cornville News – On May 15, Yavapai County School Superintendent Steve King and Yavapai County Supervisors Nikki Check and Dee Jenkins along with representatives of USDA Rural Development and the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools will join the Desert Star community to celebrate the completion of a long-awaited school expansion.
“We have been planning this building project for over a decade,” says Board Director and Project Coordinator, Jennifer Young. “Of course, we were not planning on a pandemic and other major challenges for schools along the way. It was a bit of a wild ride, but with the help of USDA and other partners, here we are today.”
Desert Star is adding a new administration and student support building, a new stand-alone classroom, and a new entryway that will provide enhanced full-perimeter security for the school.
“It is really going to help us meet the needs of today’s students versus what we started with nearly twenty years ago when we opened. So much has changed,” says Cheryl Le Blanc, the school’s Administration Director.
The event will begin at 3:00PM with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and remarks from honored guests. Attendees will then enjoy an open house gathering with tours, refreshments, and activities for children. The public is welcome to join in the celebration.
“This is a much-needed moment to stop and think about all that our community has accomplished and adapted to,” adds Young, “not just at this school but all over the Verde Valley.”
Desert Star, a Waldorf-inspired charter school and member of the Arizona Council for Waldorf Education, has served Verde Valley families since 2006. Its arts-enriched, holistic curriculum fills an important niche in the wider educational system of our region. The school has continued to receive top ratings for academic achievement. Visit desertstarschool.org for more information or to make a tax credit-eligible donation.