Chandler district campus: Junior high will be separate
Courtesy of Chandler USD
Students are welcomed to the Casteel High School campus Jan. 16 by a school band, cheerleaders and others during “Step-Up Day” at the school they’ll attend soon. After a decade as a grades 7-12 high school, a traditional Casteel Junior High School and an accelerated academy will exist for seventh- and eighth-graders when the 2025-26 school year begins in July. (Courtesy of Chandler USD)
One Chandler Unified School District campus will have some big changes when the 2025-26 school year starts in July.
The Camille Casteel campus has been considered a grades 7-12 “high school” since it opened in 2015.
That’s going to change this summer — although some of the changes will be less obvious than others.
Mary Ann Rezzonico is the transition principal and will be the first principal of Casteel Junior High, with a separate administration and support team for the seventh- and eighth-graders on the Casteel campus.
“We’re pleased with how things are going, and the students seem to be energetic about the change,” Rezzonico said. “I think all this is going to be a net-positive for the students.”
Rezzonico said the enthusiasm has been evident throughout some of the events related to the transition, including the Jan. 16 “Step-Up Day,” in which about-to-be-Casteel students from other district schools step onto campus for a day of tours and information. This year’s event included 300 “future Colts,” the district stated.
Rezzonico said some of the changes are administrative and won’t directly affect the students’ experience. Others, such as those involving curriculum and courses, are already evident.
“The accelerated academy is really going to be the best thing for many kids,” she said.
The district, on both its website and in the course of several annual planning events for parents and students, has been promoting the change as a way more students can succeed in academics and activities.
“Casteel Junior High will provide a traditional junior high experience along with an accelerated academy for qualifying students, promoting collaboration, creativity and project-based learning,” the district stated on its site.
Honors courses will be available to all students, Rezzonico said — not simply those who qualify as gifted and can enroll in the accelerated academy.
Rezzonico said Casteel Junior High students will have the opportunity to participate in high school-level athletics and fine arts programs using quality facilities. One of the facility modifications has been to put a wood floor in a gymnasium.
Rezzonico said there won’t be a district expense for new or extra staff, as the district can re-title a few leadership positions, such as hers. But the junior high school, which has shared a single set of leaders with Casteel High School since 2015, will now have its own administration team and its own attendance office.
She said there were some modifications needed at the administration office.
Rezzonico said the availability of honors classes to all Casteel students will be one of the biggest improvements.
“It seems like we have more and more kids now who are advanced, especially in math,” Rezzonico said. “We have six Auxier (Elementary) kids who are taking math classes on our campus now.”
Rezzonico said the enrollment of the grades 7-8 Casteel Junior High will hopefully probably be about 850 students. She added that enrollment is still open and there will be some “wiggle room” if enrollment goes slightly higher.
There are a number of elements of the Casteel High School campus that will still be an advantage for the junior high students, such as use of the Susan Eissinger Performing Arts Center.
Rezzonico said another of those shared facilities will continue to be the CCHS cafeteria.
“During Step-Up Day, seeing all those food choices was a big deal to them,” she said.
Jason W. Brooks News Editor | Chandler Independent
Jason W. Brooks joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in July 2021 as an associate editor. After a year covering Buckeye, he has covered Chandler since the fall of 2022, in addition to assisting the Daily Independent throughout his time at INI.
Education: University of New Mexico, bachelor of arts in journalism and mass communication, print emphasis, English minor.
Random Fact: He and his siblings witnessed a Space Shuttle launch and landing in the same year in person, on opposite coasts.
Hobbies: Karaoke, bicycling and American Sign Language.
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