Independent Newsmedia

First, I want to thank the Dysart Unified School District for holding the governing board meeting at Asante with a focus on the growth and future of our community. While I could not attend in person, I did watch online and appreciate the effort to address these important issues.

My family and I moved here from California in 2023. I am a registered nurse, my husband works in tech, and we are raising two young children with another on the way. Like many families here, we chose Asante because it was presented as a safe, family-oriented community with the promise of a neighborhood elementary school that would eventually feed into a local high school. This vision of children growing up and attending school alongside their neighbors was a major reason we invested in this area.

When Asante was converted into a K–5 school and middle and high school students were sent far outside the community, many families felt disappointed and disheartened. Eleven-year-olds now face 40-minute commutes to schools in unfamiliar neighborhoods. Parents are left with the choice of long bus rides or pulling their kids from the district altogether. This was not the vision we were promised, and it undermines the sense of community we all hoped to build here.

Looking ahead, many of us are hopeful the upcoming bond will pass. However, I must ask: what happens if it doesn’t? The proposed “solution” of turning Asante into a K–3 school and sending even younger children across town is deeply concerning. For families who moved here believing in the promise of a neighborhood-based school system, this feels like being sold an idea that never materialized.

As one of the fastest-growing areas in Surprise, Asante is home to thousands of young families. Schools and families are the foundation of a strong community. You’ve successfully built the homes, infrastructure, and retail space to support growth—now we need the schools to match. Dysart has only a handful of high schools, none of which are within reasonable distance for our community. Without a sustainable solution, families will leave for districts that can provide stability and continuity for their children.

I urge the governing board and the City of Surprise to plan beyond the bond. If it fails, what alternatives will ensure our children remain in their community schools? What options exist to make good on the promise of a high school for Asante? Families are invested here. We want to remain here.

But to do so, we need your help in building the schools that will allow this community to thrive for generations.