Mesa Public Schools (incorporated as Mesa Unified School District #4) is the largest public school district in the state of Arizona, headquartered in Mesa. It has approximately 64,000 students. The district has, in addition to regular programs: Montessori, International Baccalaureate, dual-language immersion, honors and Advanced Placement courses.
| Mesa Unified School District No. 4 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
63 E. Main Street, #101 Mesa, AZ 85201 | |
| District information | |
| Type | Public |
| Motto | "Unprecedented Excellence in Education" |
| Established | 1946 |
| Superintendent | Dr. Andi Fourlis |
| Budget | $532,000,000 (2022-2023) |
| Students and staff | |
| Students | 64,500 |
| Other information | |
| Website | http://www.mpsaz.org/ |
MPS serves most of the city of Mesa, plus small portions of Tempe and Chandler.[1] It also takes students from the Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community.[2]
The district has 82 schools, which includes 55 elementary schools, 9 junior high schools, six comprehensive high schools, and several alternative schools.
Schools
High schools
High schools (9-12) as listed by Mesa Public Schools:[3]
| School | Dobson | Mesa | Mountain View | Red Mountain | Skyline | Westwood |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opened | 1983 | 1898, 1909 ("Old Main") 1972 (current building) | 1976 | 1988 | 2000 | 1962 |
| Colors | Blue, Silver | Purple, Gold | Blue, Red | Cardinal Red, Black | Gold, Green | Orange, Blue |
| Mascot | Mustangs | Jackrabbits | Toros | Mountain Lions | Coyotes | Warriors |
| Principal | Gabrielle Buckley | Kirk Thomas | Mike Oliver | Steven Tannenbaum | Greg Mendez | Chris Gilmore |
| Athletic conference[4] | 6A | 6A | 6A | 6A | 6A | 6A |
| Enrollment (2020-2021) | 2,286[5] | 3,460[6] | 3,272[7] | 3,340[8] | 2,389[9] | 3,355[10] |
| Website(s) | Official | Official | Official | Official | Official | Official |
Junior high schools
Junior high schools (7-8) as listed by Mesa Public Schools:[11]
| School | Carson | John C. Fremont | Kino | Poston | Rhodes | Shepherd | Smith | Stapley | Taylor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colors | Red, black, white | Purple, white | Forest green, gold | Teal, black, white | Maroon, gold | Gray, blue | Navy, gold | Vegas gold, maroon | Gold, black |
| Mascot | Cougars | Falcons | Kolts | Panthers | Roadrunners | Stallions | Sidewinders | Sabercats | Trojans |
| Principal | Tony Elmer | Bruce Cosseboom | Keiko Dilbeck | Michael Rapier | Joan Wilson | Jill Benza | Adam Unrein | James Fisher | Gina Piraino |
| Website(s) | Official | Official | Official | Official | Official | Official | Official | Official | Official |
Mesa Public Schools operated two other junior high schools until 2009-2010 school year.
Hendrix Junior High School consolidated with the adjoining Frost Elementary School as the K-8 Summit Academy with an International Baccalaureate Program. Hendrix had the husky as its mascot and used the colors red and gray.[12]
Powell Junior High School (colors red, white, and blue, mascot the Patriots)[13] closed in May 2010. The former campus serves as the Mesa Educational Center, home to the district's Community Education Department, East Valley Academy and Crossroads.[14]
Mesa Jr High closed at the end of the 2011-2012 school year and was demolished in January 2014 - Post demolition, the site was converted into a community center.[15]
Brimhall Jr High closed at the end of the 2011-2012 school year - converted to Franklin school
- Name notes
- Fremont — John C. Fremont
- Kino — Eusebio Kino
- Poston — Charles D. Poston, referred to as the "Father of Arizona" due to his efforts lobbying for creation of the territory.
- Shepherd — Rulon T. Shepherd, a 30-year Mesa superintendent who built the first junior high in Mesa
- Stapley — Orley. S. Stapley, at one time the largest International Harvester farm equipment dealer in the United States, as well as the owner of the largest mercantile business in Arizona during the 1940s and 1950s; also the namesake of Stapley Drive
- Taylor — Harvey L. Taylor, former Mesa superintendent and principal
Elementary schools
Elementary schools (K-6) as listed by Mesa Public Schools:[16]
- Adams
- Anne M. Lindbergh
- Benjamin Franklin
- Benjamin Franklin Elementary - West Campus
- Barbara Bush
- Crismon Elementary
- Dilworth Brinton
- Edison
- Eisenhower Center For Innovation
- Entz
- Falcon Hill
- Field
- Franklin at Alma
- Franklin at Brimhall
- Franklin East
- Franklin West
- Pedro Guerrero Elementary
- Hermosa Vista
- Highland Arts
- Holmes
- Hughes
- Irving
- James Madison
- Jefferson
- John K. Kerr, M. D.
- John Philip Sousa
- Keller
- Las Sendas
- Lehi
- Lincoln
- Longfellow
- Lowell
- MacArthur
- Nathan Hale
- Patterson
- Pedro Guerrero
- Pomeroy
- Porter
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
- Ramón S. Mendoza
- Red Mountain Ranch
- Redbird
- Robson
- Roosevelt
- Salk
- Sandra Day O’Connor
- Sirrine
- Stevenson
- Taft
- Veora E. Johnson
- Washington
- Webster
- Whitman
- Whittier
- Wilson
- Zaharis
- Zedo Ishikawa
Frost Elementary consolidated with the adjoining Hendrix Junior High in 2010-11 to become the K-8 Summit Academy.
Alternative school
Alternative schools (named "Focus Schools" by the district) as listed by Mesa Public Schools:[17]
| Name | Grades | Website(s) | Details |
| Crossroads | 7 - 12 | Official | Small school environment |
| Eagleridge Enrichment Program | K - 8 | Official | Home schooling enrichment program |
| East Valley Academy | 9 - 12 | Official | Small school environment with more flexible hours and a credit recovery program |
| Jordan Center for Early Education | Preschool | Official | Preschool with Montessori option available |
| Red Mountain Center for Early Education | Preschool | Official | Preschool campus |
| Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies | 4 - 8 | Official | Rigorous curriculum program preparing for advanced courses in high school the top performing school in Arizona. |
| Mesa Distance Learning Program | 6 - 12 | Official | Computer-based online learning program |
| Riverview High School | 7 - 12 | Official | Referral-only school for students with discipline issues |
| SHARP School | K - 12 | Official | Alternative needs program for students with qualifying disabilities |
| Summit Academy | K - 6 | Official | International Baccalaureate primary years program |
| Summit Academy | 7 - 8 | Official | International Baccalaureate middle years program |
| Superstition High School | 7 - 12 | Official | Small school environment |