Desert Canyon Elementary School • Phase II
What the Three Options Mean for Our School
DCES families have an important opportunity to get informed, ask questions and make sure their voices are heard before the Governing Board makes a final decision.
📢 DCES Families: Now Is the Time to Get Informed and Get Involved
The future of Desert Canyon Elementary School is being considered as part of SUSD's Phase II process, and the three options now before the Governing Board could significantly affect our school community.
For DCES families, the possibilities range from keeping our current elementary campus, to becoming part of a K–8 school, to closing the current DCES building and moving the Desert Canyon community to Copper Ridge.
These decisions could affect our children's school, teachers and staff, campus, class sizes, programs, transportation, friendships and overall elementary school experience. Please take the time to understand the proposals and make sure district leaders and the Governing Board hear directly from DCES families.
The Three Options
OPTION A
Redfield & Laguna Move to Cheyenne; Copper Ridge Boundary Moves to Desert Canyon
Under Option A, the Cheyenne Traditional K–8 program would move to the Copper Ridge campus. Redfield and Laguna would move to the current Cheyenne campus, and the existing Redfield and Laguna buildings would be repurposed.
For DCES families:
- The current DCES campus would remain open.
- The Copper Ridge boundary would move to Desert Canyon, bringing additional students into the Desert Canyon school community.
- The Board could choose to combine DCES and DCMS into one K–8 school.
- DCES students would remain at Desert Canyon, but the size, structure and makeup of the school community could change.
OPTION B
Desert Canyon Moves to Copper Ridge
This option would have the most direct impact on current DCES families. Desert Canyon Elementary and Desert Canyon Middle School would merge into a K–8 school located at the current Copper Ridge campus. Laguna would also close and its boundaries would be redistributed.
For DCES families:
- The current DCES building would close and be repurposed.
- DCES students would move to the current Copper Ridge campus.
- Desert Canyon Elementary and Middle School would become one K–8 school.
- Our children would leave the current DCES campus and become part of a newly configured school community.
- Families could experience changes to transportation, routines, programs and the overall school environment.
OPTION C
Copper Ridge & Laguna Close
Under Option C, the Copper Ridge and Laguna buildings would be repurposed and their attendance boundaries redistributed.
For DCES families:
- The current DCES campus would remain open.
- Students from the Copper Ridge area could become part of the Desert Canyon school community.
- The Board could choose to combine DCES and DCMS into one K–8 school.
- While DCES would remain at its current location, enrollment, grade configuration and the overall makeup of the school could change.
Of the three models reviewed by the Phase II Design Advisory Team, Option C would affect the LEAST number of students districtwide and provide the district with the MOST cost savings. However, the Phase II Advisory Team's work is informational and does not constitute a formal recommendation. The Governing Board will ultimately decide how to proceed.
⚠️ For our elementary families, parents should consider what each option could mean for:
- Whether our children remain at our current DCES campus
- Whether DCES remains an elementary school or becomes part of a K–8
- Class sizes and enrollment
- Teachers, staff and specialized programs important to DCES families — including the Mandarin DLI Program
- Transportation and commute times
- Where our children ultimately attend middle and high school (boundaries and feeder patterns are an important part of the discussion)
🗣️ Tell the Board What This Means for YOUR Family
You don't need to be an expert on school boundaries or district policy. You are the expert on your child and your family's experience at DCES.
Tell SUSD what matters to you. Share what you value about DCES, what concerns you about the options, what questions remain unanswered and what you want the Governing Board to consider before making a decision.
The Governing Board needs to hear directly from the families whose children will live with the consequences of these decisions.
Share Your Perspective via SUSD Let's Talk
📅 Important Dates — Please Take Action
SEPTEMBER 8
Governing Board Meeting • 6:00 PM • Coronado High School
Please watch or attend this meeting. The Governing Board is scheduled to discuss the Phase II options, and this will be an important opportunity to listen to the questions Board members are asking and the information the District provides.
Watch live on the SUSD YouTube page →
SEPTEMBER 15
DCES Parent Meeting • 6:00 PM • MMR McDowell Center
DCES parents are invited to an open meeting with our community to discuss feedback from the Board Phase II review meeting and prepare for and discuss expectations for the public hearing on September 22.
SEPTEMBER 22
Public Hearing • 6:00 PM • Desert Mountain High School Auditorium
Please make every effort to attend. This is the formal opportunity for members of the public to address the Governing Board regarding Phase II. You can speak about your child, your experience at DCES, the importance of the current campus, a potential K–8 model, transportation, programs, teachers, school culture, community or anything else you believe the Board should consider.
OCTOBER 6
Governing Board Meeting • 6:00 PM • Coronado High School
SUSD currently plans for the Governing Board to make its final Phase II decision at this meeting. No school changes are planned for the current 2026–27 school year.
Don't Wait Until the Decision Is Made — Your Voice Matters
It's important that you research, listen, ask questions and stay educated. Attend or watch the upcoming Board meetings. And share your perspective with the Governing Board before a final decision is made.
The Board will ultimately decide what happens next, but DCES families have an important opportunity right now to make sure they understand what these changes would mean for our children and our community.
Please stay informed, participate, and make your voice heard for your student and your family.
