Desert Edge High School is a member of the Agua Fria Union High School District #216. The school opened in 2002 with a freshman class of 150 students and will proudly graduate the first class of seniors in May, 2006. Presently the school serves approximately 1,370 students throughout grades 9 – 12.
Instructional time at Desert Edge is divided into four 90 minute blocks. Teachers teach three classes a day and have one block for planning. Curriculum mapping, a district initiative, is bringing teachers together in a collaborative fashion to ensure that all courses are aligned with Arizona state standards and district curriculum.
We have centered our school improvement goals around the research in Breaking Ranks II ™ : Strategies for Leading High School Reform.
Desert Edge requires year-long English and Math courses for 9th and 10th graders. English courses incorporate pre-AP skills and offer all students the opportunity to earn honors credit.
One of our NCA school Improvement goals is to increase the number of AP courses offered and increase the number of students enrolling in AP classes.
• American History
• English III
• English IV
• Calculus
• Physics
• Algebra I and II
• American History
• Biology
• Chemistry
• English I, II, III and IV
• Global Studies
• Physics
• Pre-Calculus
As you enter the Desert Edge community you are greeted by the Four Pillars. From a blank slate to words of expression it brings meaning to our existence. Its impact will be dependent on your acceptance and interpretation. Some brief, others lasting. We encourage you to explore, grow and enjoy the journey.
Our goal at Desert Edge High School is to provide academic and social opportunities for all students in an effort to make Desert Edge one of the finest schools in Arizona. Our learning community is founded on the following four pillars:
Pillar 1: High Expectations for Students and Staff
A community where students and faculty have a shared belief that all students can learn. This belief translates into a willingness to implement instructional strategies that meet the needs of diverse learners.
Pillar 2: Programs for All Students
Providing numerous clubs, team sports, fine arts activities and school wide events that allow every student a place to belong and a place to contribute to the success of Desert Edge.
Pillar 3: Caring and Respectful Environment
Creating an environment that is respectful, warm and caring. Where students and staff care for one another. Desert edge has an environment that is conducive to academic achievements and a sense of community.
Pillar 4: A Sense of Pride
At Desert Edge we believe that respect for self will ultimately lead to respect for community and our school. We take pride in our beautiful facilities, exemplary teachers, staff and students and strive to model excellence in all that we say and do.
Building Directory pan/zoom of the School.
Virtual Tour of Desert Edge High School.
Bus route locations near Desert Edge High School.
Desert Edge High School includes many green features including: efficient and intelligent lighting, daylighting, rainwater collection, an efficient central plant and more.
Some of the key green features implemented at Desert Edge High School include the following:
LEED® stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings.
LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) was created to:
LEED® provides a complete framework for assessing building performance and meeting sustainability goals. Based on well-founded scientific standards, LEED® emphasizes state of the art strategies for sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. LEED® recognizes achievements and promotes expertise in green building through a comprehensive system offering project certification, professional accreditation, training and practical resources.
By building green, DEHS has improved the overall environmental quality for students within the school, including healthier air and better lighting.
Throughout the design and construction process of Desert Edge High School, everyone involved has strived to ensure that the resulting facilities would create a high-performance environment that would allow students to focus on learning.
The basic belief is that:
High performance buildings allow high performance faculty to teach students to become high performers.
Specifically, Carbon Dioxide monitoring units and thermostats in classrooms allow fresh air to be circulated and the optimal temperature to be obtained in the classrooms. This allows staff and students to excel in education and learning.
In addition, non-chemical cleaning products eliminate contaminants in the indoor air environment, which means improved air quality inside the school.
The Desert Edge High School expansion project earned a Silver rating under the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED® Green Building Rating System™. It is the first school in Arizona and only the fifth high school in the world to earn such an honor.
A cooling cycle and heating cycle 2D real-time system animation of what is going on inside of Desert Edge High School.
Electricity and Water Savings Graphs as well as CO2 removed from atmosphere.