Eastmark High School Explained

Eastmark High School
Type:Public high school
District:Queen Creek Unified School District
Grades:7–12
Opened:July 24, 2019
Principal:Thomas Swaninger
Enrollment:1,842 (2022-23)[1]
Ratio:22.85
Teaching Staff:80.60 (FTE)
Colors:Teal and copper [2]
Mascot:Firebirds
Address:9560 East Ray Road
City:Mesa
State:Arizona
Zipcode:85212
Country:United States
Coordinates:33.3238°N -111.6275°W

2022 football 3A Arizona State Champions,Eastmark High School is a junior high and high school in Mesa, Arizona, the second public high school operated by the Queen Creek Unified School District. It is located in the Eastmark master-planned community on the site of the former Mesa General Motors proving grounds. Its cross streets are Ray Road between Ellsworth Road and Signal Butte Road.

History

In November 2017, voters in the Queen Creek Unified School District approved a $63 million bond package, as well as the repurposing of a 2014 bond, to allow the district to build a new high school and two new elementary schools, after a $95 million proposal had been defeated in 2016.[3] The new schools, in the northern part of the district, would alleviate lengthy commutes.[4] In August 2018, the district voted to name the school Eastmark High School, after the community in which it is located.[5] Ground was broken on the high school on March 29, 2018,[6] and the first day of classes for 800 students in grades 7 through 10 was July 31, 2019.

The school, currently with 154000ft2 of space, is planned to allow the construction of two further phases to bring its capacity from 1,350 to 2,800; the future phases would add a performing arts center, auxiliary gym, additional classrooms and an auditorium.[7]

Curriculum

Eastmark is organized into four "Career Plan Academies", which allow students to specialize in STEM, medical and social health, business and marketing, and fine arts; each academy has its own setting and environment within the campus.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Eastmark High School. National Center for Education Statistics. May 29, 2024.
  2. Web site: Eastmark High School. March 24, 2024. Arizona Interscholastic Association. en-US.
  3. News: Voters show strong support for Maricopa County school-ballot proposals. Arizona Republic. November 8, 2016. Ricardo. Cano. August 20, 2019.
  4. News: Queen Creek Unified opens two new schools in Mesa. AZFamily. Maria. Hechanova. July 23, 2019. August 20, 2019.
  5. News: Growing Eastmark gets a name for high school. East Valley Tribune. August 14, 2018. August 20, 2019.
  6. News: Queen Creek school district breaks ground for new high school. Queen Creek Independent. August 20, 2019. March 30, 2018.
  7. News: New Arizona High School Follows Academy Model. School Planning & Management. Dian. Schaffhauser. July 18, 2019. August 20, 2019.