TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Some students in the Vail school district are gearing up to make an important choice: where they will be going to high school.
VUSD offers a high school choice program that is unique.
"We have enough kids to build three large, comprehensive high schools," said Ethan Hurley, chief school support officer at VUSD. "Then we would need three theaters, and three auto shops, and three culinary programs. Instead, we've saved tens of millions of dollars by building one and saying, 'If you're interested in theater, you should come here.'"
All seven high schools in the Vail school district were designed to fill a need.
Giving students a chance to go to a school that they think will set them up for success in the future.
Hurley has 3 daughters currently in VUSD. Each has chosen what works best for them.
"One of them is interested in auto, and the other two are not interested in auto," Hurley said. "One of them is interested in early childhood. And so we strategically put specific programs at specific schools to let kids know that if you're interested in this thing, come here."
Right now, open houses are set so students can learn about each school. That's something of which Allison Pratt's son is taking advantage.
"He's narrowed it down to three choices: Cienega, Empire, Mica Mountain; and I literally could not tell you what he's going to do," says Pratt.
A portal is used by the district for parents to submit their child's preferences between Feb. 3 and Feb. 17.
More information can be found on the district's website.
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Blake Phillips is a reporter for KGUN 9. Originally from St. Louis, Mo., Blake grew up in Sierra Vista. During his college tenure at the Missouri School of Journalism, Blake worked for the NBC affiliate KOMU-TV in Columbia. He is excited to return to a place he calls home and give back to the community in which he grew up. Share your story ideas and important issues with Blake by emailing blake.phillips@kgun9.com.
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