Community members
Community members and staff filled the governing board meeting room before the vote to name the district’s next elementary school. (Photo courtesy Buckeye Elementary School District)
The first U.S. public school to be named after the late Sen. John McCain will likely be in Buckeye, following a unanimous vote by the Buckeye Elementary School District on October 1.
McCain died on August 25, with his wife and their family at his side, after he was diagnosed with brain cancer about a year earlier.
The John S. McCain III Elementary School will be the West Valley district’s eighth school, for about 900 to 950 students in grades K-8. Two potential opening timelines are being considered, one in the fall of 2020 and the other being the fall of 2021 depending on emerging details associated with the project.
“The planning process timeline for building and designing John McCain’s namesake has provided the district with a unique opportunity to create a permanent tribute to the late senator’s legacy in the city of Buckeye,” said Dr. Kristi Sandvik, the district superintendent. “Much like the senator, the story of Buckeye is one of service to others,” she added.
District officials worked closely with Clint Hickman, a member of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, to ask permission of McCain’s wife, Cindy, to name a new elementary school after her late husband. She was excited about the proposal, approved the request, and said she is interested in being involved in the development of the school. She did not indicate any restrictions on the use of his name and school officials said they will be working closely with the community and the McCain family on the school’s design.
No cost estimate yet
The projected cost of the new school has not yet been determined.
“There is no estimation yet, and the only point of reference I can offer is what we spent on the last site, approximately $21 million. However, fluctuating construction costs, features designed to support new programming, etc., will all impact the cost this time around,” said Dr. Mike Lee, assistant superintendent. “That said, the last site came in on time and under budget, which we believe is a demonstration of our commitment to being efficient and fiscally responsible.”
Plans have not yet been approved and a builder has not been chosen.
“We can’t do conceptions, maps, etc., because of how early we are in the process,” Lee said. “Once the procurement process is completed in the coming weeks, this type of material will become available.
“The location is being narrowed down, however, there are final processes that must be completed before it can officially be designated a site,” Lee said. “At this point we can only state that it will be centrally located in a way that allows for the most efficient drawing of students based on projected population.”
Students attending the new school will be drawn from multiple existing schools in Buckeye, according to school officials, and also from communities that are now in the planning stages. The new school is intended to maintain current numbers as Buckeye expands and the number of school-age children increases.
Character traits touted
District officials and board members have noted that discussions about the decision to name the new school after McCain have generated ideas about how to integrate themes of the senator’s life into the fabric of the school. Opportunities to explore and demonstrate the character traits exemplified by McCain include celebrations, exercises and challenges for students.
“We believe there will be numerous opportunities to embed the themes of Sen. McCain’s life and service into both academic and social/behavioral learning. The possibilities are limitless, as it is our belief that his legacy would provide an incredible foundation on which to build both academic and character-development focused experiences,” Lee said. “We are committed to getting it right in every conceivable way.”
McCain was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona in 1982 and elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986. He was the Republican Party’s nominee for president in the 2008 election. Although Barack Obama won, McCain won Arizona with 1,230,111 votes to Obama’s 1,034,707 votes and Arizona awarded its 10 electoral votes to McCain.
After his death, McCain laid in state at the Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix, followed by a motorcade conducted by Arizona National Guard personnel in a public procession to the North Phoenix Baptist Church. He is buried at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, where he graduated in 1958 and was commissioned in the U.S. Navy as a naval aviator. Shot down over North Vietnam in 1967, he was a prisoner of war until released in 1973.
“It is an honor to name the eighth K-8 in the Buckeye Elementary District after Sen. John Sidney McCain III,” said Marcus Eads, board president, in a statement. “Sen. McCain served his country and his state with honor for his entire adult life. He treated others with respect, even if he disagreed with them. He led by example, how a politician can disagree with dignity. He always voted what his conscience thought was best for his country and his state, even if it was not popular.  He embodied, in all aspects, what it means to be a hero.”
https://www.westvalleyview.com/news/new-buckeye-school-to-be-named-after-mccain/article_e1294c1a-cbec-11e8-bdff-3b661284eaa7.html