New High School Option for North Valley

A new public high school opens this fall in North Phoenix as Caurus Academy, an established K-8 charter school, launches grades 9 and 10 when school resumes Aug. 7.  

“We’re ready. We’re rockin’ ’n’ rollin’,” Principal Dameon Blair said in mid-July of interior construction on newly acquired space for the expansion, which includes six new classrooms and a 1,500-square-foot student lounge.

The school is leasing space from Crossroads Church along 41st Drive in Anthem Commerce Park. When the Anthem Area Chamber of Commerce moves out of space it’s also leasing from Crossroads, into new digs in the Anthem Corporate Center, Caurus will take over an additional 3,000 square feet to accommodate more classrooms as the high school grows into 11th grade next year and 12th grade the following.

Hallways will connect the middle school and high school. High school homerooms will be capped at 25 students, with the goal of keeping enrollment at 100 students per grade level, for a total high school enrollment of 400 and the first graduating class in 2021.

The new high schoolers can choose among an honors track, advanced placement and dual enrollment courses for college credit, plus extracurriculars including student council, National Honor Society and drumline. Sports offerings include boys and girls basketball, soccer and cross country, boys baseball, girls volleyball, softball and cheerleading.

Caurus continues to pursue options for a permanent campus. The school is in the midst of a three-year lease with Crossroads Church. Blair said in coming months, the school’s governing board will discuss the feasibility of building a new campus on 10 acres just north of the Post Office on 43rd Avenue.

Caurus is still accepting enrollment applications for grades 9 and 10. Schedule a tour or download a registration form at www.caurusacademy.org/high-school.

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Karen Goveia

NoPho resident Karen Goveia joined In&Out Publications in 2009 and is managing editor. Goveia is a Chicagoland native with two decades of experience in the news industry, starting as a reporter for a chain of weekly papers serving Chicago’s suburbs and later serving as managing editor within the chain.