By Carmello Musarra, Compliance Coordinator, and
Alyssia Saxton, Lifestyles Coordinator
Desert Ridge Community Association
The brand new Fireside Elementary School opened up its doors to accept its first students this year. The new school is located in Fireside at Desert Ridge, which is in the southwest area of the Desert Ridge Community Association. The school utilizes a new green building design, which provides a warm, safe learning environment for the students.
The learning extends from the class rooms to the architecture of the building where you notice four sky lights that allow the natural light to flood the halls to minimize the use of artificial lighting in the building. While looking up at the sky lights you may notice the floating ceiling that allows you to see the workings for the air ducts and some other mechanics that run along it. The floating ceiling helps reduce noise from all the laughter and chat in the halls, along with creating easy maintenance.
The majority of the plants and grass are irrigated from the schools onsite water harvester, which collects both rain water and reclaimed water. Energy savings from the solar hot water system passes down to the school and helps reduce budget costs.
Fireside Elementary educationally provides four different pre-school programs which named:
• Sun Kids
• Mini Scholar
• Little Scholar
• Gifted Preschool
If you would like more information regarding the above programs, please contact Community Education at 602-449-2200.
Because the school is painted to match the surrounding homes, you may not have immediately noticed the new school but, when you do, you’ll likely agree that this is a beautiful building and a wonderful addition to Desert Ridge. The school has over 550 students enrolled for the first year and anticipates strong enrollment to continue for many years. Fireside Elementary is adopting The Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education, Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS), and Core Knowledge Curriculum.
The students are proud and excited to be the first Fireside Mustangs. If you would like more info on the school, its programs and how you might enroll your children at it, please contact Fireside Elementary at 602-449-4700.
Meet the Principal at Fireside Elementary School
Firesides new Principal, Drew C. Davis is from Washington State, but he has spent most of his life here in Arizona. He has held several different positions in the Scottsdale Public School District including middle school reading/humanities teacher, high school counselor, high school assistant principal, and elementary school principal for six years.
Principal Davis has a wife and two children; his wife is an English teacher at a local high school. He believes that his journey in education has brought him to this community for a reason. He plans on using his wealth of experience to help guide the process of building our new school, and invites you to be a part of it.
Principal Davis believes that each child’s involvement in the creation of Fireside Elementary is highly important, and wants each child to be a partner in this project. With this he leaves us with a special encouraging statement: “Together, we can and will create something truly special.”
