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Home > Archive > Jul 26, 2007

Building Up the District
By Cami Cox
Staff Writer
Local high school students will soon have new hallways to roam.
Among educational facilities currently under construction in the Washington County School District, the new Desert Hills High School, located near Bloomington Hills, will officially open for classes in 2008. Boundary changes for the new school will affect students currently enrolled at Dixie High School and Pine View. School colors and a theme for Desert Hills were officially decided upon with input from students and community members.
“We do the best we can to get as much public input as we can from the people that are actually going to be involved in the school,” Marshall Topham, assistant superintendent over secondary education for WCSD, said. “Everybody that will populate the new school when it opens was given an opportunity to vote.”
While school was still in session this past school term, a committee was formed through the school district, to determine what the look and theme of the new Desert Hills High would be. Committee members were assigned to gather input from kids and parents in their neighborhoods regarding potential themes and school colors, and collectively they compiled a list. As suggestions came in, that list was whittled down to a final five, and Thunder, the Raptors, the Hawks, the Diamondbacks and the Gila Monsters were the themes that made the cut.
Students and their families were the ones who made the ultimate decision. Ballots were sent home with students so they could discuss the options with their parents before voting. The ballots were then collected, votes were counted, and, when all was said and done, Thunder came off conqueror as the new Desert Hills theme. Black and gold will be the school's colors.
“The kids are very enthusiastic,” Topham said. “The kids really like it, and, to me, that's the most important thing.”
An oft-used theme elsewhere for high school, college and semi-professional sports, “thunder” has never been the theme for a Utah high school before now, Topham said.
“It's not unusual,” he said. “Most of the states have a 'Thunder' in them somewhere, but we've never had one in Utah, so it's kind of unique in Utah.”
Because it is a rather abstract theme, “Thunder” will be full of possibilities when it comes to naming a mascot, he said. A horse has been used elsewhere, as have Thor, the mythological god of thunder, and the Native American thunderbird.
“The committee chose not to pick a mascot but to allow the students, after the school is built, to pick a mascot,” Topham said.
When the 2008-2009 school year commences, students at the new Desert Hills High will give their input and take part in creating and deciding on the character that will lead their school for years to come.
Already displaying sparks of school spirit for their infant institution of learning, students have been coming up with creative uses for their thunder theme, Topham said. They're already excited to play such songs as AC/DC's “Thunderstruck” and Garth Brooks' “The Thunder Rolls” at ball games and pep rallies.
Ray Brooks, current principal at Pine View Middle School, will step up as principal of Desert Hills High when it opens next year. High school seniors affected by the boundary change will have the option of attending Desert Hills or remaining at and graduating from their current high schools.
A companion Desert Hills Middle School is also being planned, among the other new schools in the district, and will be open for the 2007-2008 year. Desert Hills Middle will take up residence at the facility where Desert Hills Intermediate currently exists. All sixth, seventh and eighth-grade students living in those boundaries will attend Desert Hills Middle until the 2008-2009 year, at which time they will be moved to the new Sunrise Ridge Intermediate School in the Little Valley area. The former Desert Hills Intermediate is being moved to Tonaquint Drive and will become Tonaquint Intermediate School, also opening for 2007-2008.
A new elementary school is on the horizon, as well. Heritage Elementary School, on Riverside Drive, will be opening in January '08, replacing West Elementary, which will be torn down to make way for the new Fifth District Court building.
“It's a big challenge building this many schools at one time, but we're excited,” WCSD Executive Director of Secondary Schools Craig Hammer said. “They're going to be excellent buildings. A lot of time and effort have gone into the planning and preparation of all those buildings.”

For details regarding new school boundaries, locations and other information, visit www.washk12.org or visit the Washington County School District offices, 121 W. Tabernacle in St. George. To contact the WCSD offices by phone, call 673-3553.

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