| El Capitan | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| 255 North Cottonwood Street Colorado City, Arizona, 86021 United States |
|
| Information | |
| School type | Public school |
| School district | Colorado City Unified School District |
| Grades | K-12 |
| Enrollment | 113 high school students (Oct. 2010) |
| Color(s) | Royal blue/silver |
| Mascot | Eagles |
| Website | [1] |
El Capitan is the public school for Colorado City, Arizona. It also serves surrounding areas in unincorporated Mohave County (Centennial Park and Cane Beds). It is the only school in the Colorado City Unified School District.
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Colorado City USD had 1,200 pupils in 2000. When Warren Jeffs ordered Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints members to pull children out of public schools, the number dwindled to 250. Jeffs did not order the fundamentalist church members who made up the majority of the school district's administrators to quit their positions. The Arizona state government attempted to take over the district in 2005 due to mismanagement. [1][2][3] Administrators bought cars and an aircraft before the district went into bankruptcy.[4] The state government appointed an observer as all FLDS members of the Colorado City Board of Education left their posts. The Arizona Department of Education concluded that the district improved after state intervention.[5]
In 2010, ADE finally lifted its receivership of the district, with all debts paid off.[6] Carol Timpson, the school's then-principal, also pushed for the name of the school to change, from Colorado City Public School to its present name.[6]
Continued efforts by parents and Timpson began to get the school involved in athletics. The school became an associate member of the Arizona Interscholastic Association (it was turned down by the Utah High School Activities Association for the condition of its gymnasium),[6] and its boys basketball program improved to an 18-4 record in 2010. As an associate member, however, it could not qualify for any playoffs. In October 2010, the Colorado City school board voted to make El Capitan a full member of the AIA. Fredonia High School, 33 miles away, allowed El Capitan students to play on its football team, among other programs the small school currently does not have. Schools were eager to schedule the new El Capitan, looking for an easy win. That did not happen: among their wins over Arizona teams was a 115-15 blowout of Fredonia.[6]
The team plays in the school's cafeteria-gym, with poor lighting and bleachers for 100. The school is also looking to start a baseball program, even though it still only has a Little League-sized field.[6]
During the 2004-2005 school year, CCUSD had 400 students. As of 2011, none of the students are FLDS Church members.[6]
All of the students were White. 85% of the students qualified for free or reduced lunch [2].