Moon Valley High School

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Moon Valley High School is located in Phoenix, Arizona USA, and is a part of the Glendale Union High School District. It is currently home to more than 1677 students and 100 faculty members. Moon Valley is one of Arizona's leading educational establishments and is an excelling school according to the Arizona Department of Education.

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[edit] History

Many of Moon Valley High School's original 565 students and 25 teachers will recall the unfinished buildings, blowing dirt, lack of grass and lack of facilities that caused Moon Valley's delayed opening in September of 1965. As the years went by, the faculty grew from the original 25 to the current number of 100, and the boundaries are now from Thunderbird Road to Peoria Avenue and Black Canyon Freeway to 51st Avenue. Students now number 1,677.

The new school was named Moon Valley because it was indicated on maps that the Moon Valley area was near the new school (since then, the areas have shifted). Many protest letters were written to the Board of Education stating that the school should be called either Deer Valley High, Northwest High, John F. Kennedy High or Westown High. The controversy raged for many months with petitions pouring in from the community, both for and against the name. The board, however, stuck with the original name, stating the Glendale schools are neither named after people nor directions, since that was the way Phoenix Union District named its schools.

Mr. Don Reed, an engineer at General Electric, contacted Hughes Aircraft and was able to have donated an Air Force GAR air-to-air guided missile shell for use as a mascot. In accordance with this, the student body chose the mascot name, "Rockets." The school colors are scarlet red, royal blue and white. Because there was no grass that first year, flower beds were planted around the school. Students refused to let janitors take out all the flowers, so the flowers have become a permanent fixture on the grounds.

Mr. Victor E. Lowman was Moon Valley's first principal for three and a half years. Moon Valley's present principal is Mr. Michael Fowler. The Rockets' administration also consists of Craig Mussi, assistant principal (AP) for student services; Susan Hertneky, AP of operations and resources; and Eddie Lopez, AP of discipline and attendance.

Moon Valley began a closed campus in the fall of 2002, which means that students stay within campus grounds throughout the day. During the years of the "mini-skirt" and "sideburns," the dress code was a problem. The girls would roll up their skirts to make them shorter. When they were sent to the office, they would roll them down as if their skirts were never short. This didn't last very long. Things haven't changed so very much, but currently it is girls' short shirts that are getting pulled down, attempting to meet current dress code standards.

In the 1972-73 school year Moon Valley was on double session because Thunderbird High School was not yet open. The Moon Valley students came in the morning, while the T-Bird students came in the afternoon. According to Mr. Williams, the situation caused a great deal of confusion and many problems ensued during this year-long period. But once Thunderbird opened, things got back to normal.

Remodeling took place on the campus in 1976-77. The vocational automotives facility was expanded to allow for more equipment and technical instruction, and additions were made to the gym.

Moon Valley High has been accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools since its first graduating class in 1967.

[edit] About The Students

Moon Valley's student population of approximately 1700 comes mainly from middle class homes drawing from professional, high technology, and general service and construction trades. Students come from feeder middle schools like Cholla Middle School, Desert Foothills Middle School, and Sweetwater.

SCHOOL AND CURRICULUM: Moon Valley is a comprehensive four-year public high school with a strong college preparatory curriculum, business partnerships and extensive general education programs. Accelerated courses are offered in mathematics, English, social studies, science, and foreign language. Glendale Community College is located five miles from our campus and provides concurrent enrollment for qualified students in qualifying programs. In addition, Gateway Community College offers dual enrollment credit for many of our AP courses.

CLASS RANK AND GRADE POINT AVERAGE: Class ranking is determined by Honor Point Average for grades 9-12. The Honor Point Average is weighted and is based on a 5.0 scale. An Honor Point is added each semester in which a student takes six classes. Accelerated and AP classes earn extra Honor Points. The Grade Point Average is unweighted and is based on a 4.0 scale. Study hall, audit and TA grades are not computed for the purpose of Class Rank or Grade Point Average.

Moon Valley High School was awarded Healthiest School in Arizona by National Got Milk? Contest in September 2006. Moon Valley is the only school in Arizona to be recognized with this award.

[edit] Notable alumni



  • Menno Wickey, Class of 1991, played professional baseball and is the Executive Director of Players Baseball Academy. He is also an associate scout for the MLB Washington Nationals. Coach Wickey. Retrieved on 2007-06-05.


  • Dorothy Boon, Class of 1973, currently an employee of the University of Arizona, former Track and Field star/record holder at Moon Valley High School; married to land developer G. W. Spears, esq. with a dog, Shelby, and a goat, Lulu.

[edit] State Championships

Moon Valley High School has won 18 State championships in its various athletic activities. It's winningest program is the Girls Softball team who has won 6 State Championship titles including two sets of back to back championships in the 1986-1987 and 1992-1993 seasons.

(content found via http://moonvalley.guhsdaz.org/main5.htm and http://www.aiaonline.org/athletics/archives.php as well as various alumni discussions)