What's Up, Doc? MUSD Continues to Grow

By Randall Freeman, PhD

What’s ahead for the Menifee Union School District in 2016? There are several exciting events and challenges in store for MUSD. In no particular order, these include:

-- In August, MUSD will be opening Elementary School #10. Located in the southeastern portion of our school district near French Valley, this elementary school will serve the rapidly-growing population in the area. It should also relieve the overcrowding at Southshore and Oak Meadows Elementary Schools. Elementary School #10 is progressing in a timely fashion and is scheduled to open on time.

-- This spring, the new Education Center will be completed and ready for the district office staff to move in. Named for our very own Bob O’Donnell, who has faithfully served MUSD as a governing board member for over 20 years, the new center will allow district staff to enter the 21st century. The current education center has been housed in portable cottages that are well past their expiration date. Crowding will be much relieved to better serve the community.

-- The student population of MUSD will exceed 10,000 young people eager to learn. We have less than 300 students to enroll to meet this prediction. Three hundred students is roughly 40-50 percent of an entire school, so the opening of Elementary School #10 will be only a temporary reprieve.

-- The western portion of our school district is expanding rapidly. The new Audie Murphy Ranch development will necessitate planning for a new elementary school and a new middle school in that area in the next few years. It is likely to be sooner than later.

-- Always on the planning board for MUSD is the eventual unification of our school district. It seems like every time we reach a jumping off point, the state and/or the economy deal us a few road bumps. At this point, any prediction as to the actual unification would be pure guesswork with no reasonable data to support the prediction. Unification WILL take place, at which time MUSD will become responsible for two high schools. These two high schools will be Paloma Valley High School and the school planned for the corner of Scott Road and Leon Road on the eastern side of the freeway.

-- The Menifee Union School District is chugging along to meet the ever-growing needs of our children and our community. 2016 will provide several advancements toward that goal.

Randy Freeman and his family have lived in Menifee since 1993. Randy teaches kindergarten in Perris and his lovely wife Karen teaches first grade here in Menifee at Freedom Crest Elementary School. They are the proud parents of four beautiful daughters: Daniela, 18, and 14-year-old triplets Sarah, Holly, and Megan. Other family members include dogs Scruffy and Max, 17-year-old cat Hunter, and turtle Tuttles. Randy earned his PhD in early childhood education in 2011 and has served on the Menifee Union School Board since 2008. Randy has wisely decided to delete the bit about being Karen's boss in order to continue living in his happy home.