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Gilbert Public Schools Weighs Closing Mesquite Junior High, Converting Two Elementary Schools to Traditional Academies

Facing declining enrollment, Gilbert Public Schools is considering closing Mesquite Junior High and moving its students to Mesquite High School to create a grades 7-12 campus, while converting Canyon Rim and Spectrum elementary schools into traditional academies. A vote on the junior high closure could come in mid-January.

Gilbert Public Schools Weighs Closing Mesquite Junior High, Converting Two Elementary Schools to Traditional Academies

GILBERT, AZ — Gilbert Public Schools is considering closing Mesquite Junior High School and reconfiguring two elementary campuses as it grapples with declining enrollment, district officials said at a meeting Tuesday.

The proposal would move Mesquite Junior High students to the Mesquite High School campus and convert that site into a grades 7-12 school beginning next year, according to district officials.

Separately, the district is looking at fully turning Canyon Rim and Spectrum Elementary schools into traditional academies. District officials told ABC15 that students who currently attend those schools can remain enrolled there.

The potential changes come as Gilbert Public Schools continues to confront shrinking student numbers. The district closed Pioneer Elementary School last year after four decades, and it has also faced layoffs tied to lower enrollment.

Community meetings on each proposal will begin soon, officials said. For the junior high closure specifically, a school board vote could take place in mid-January. More information about the potential changes is available on the district's website.

Gilbert is now the third school district in the Phoenix area to consider campus closures this school year. Scottsdale Unified was the first, followed by Florence Unified School District, which announced closures and relocations.

The proposals raise questions for families about school transitions, neighborhood school access, and how the district will use its facilities as enrollment patterns shift. District officials have not yet released detailed enrollment figures or the full criteria used to select the campuses for potential closure or reconfiguration.

Parents and residents can find updates through the district's campus changes page and upcoming community meetings.

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