As summer winds down, A+ Charter Schools — Maricopa’s original project-based learning school serving grades 6-12 — is preparing for another year of hands-on growth in the classroom and on campus. 

A+ has built its reputation on a simple idea: Students learn best by doing. Instead of memorizing for a test, A+ students design, build, research and present real projects tied to real-world problems.  

Every project is built around the school’s five Cs —collaboration, communication, critical thinking, creativity and character — core skills A+ believes students need both in and outside the classroom. That approach has made the school a fixture in the Maricopa community, and A+ is now expanding to meet demand. 

Room to grow 

To keep up with enrollment, A+ is adding two new modular buildings on campus, set to open in October. The school is also in the early stages of planning a permanent campus expansion targeted for 2027 — a sign of just how much the community has embraced the project-based model. 

While several grade levels currently have waitlists, A+ is still in open enrollment for the upcoming school year, with particularly good availability for incoming 6th grade students. Families interested in joining the A+ community are encouraged to apply soon. 

A new home for hands-on STEM 

One of the most anticipated additions this year is the official launch of a SmartLab, a dedicated hands-on STEM space for A+’s 6th grade science classes. SmartLab gives students access to rotating, project-based stations — think robotics, coding, engineering design and digital fabrication — where they apply science and math concepts to build and test their own creations. 

It’s a space built for collaboration and creativity in equal measure, asking students to work in teams, communicate ideas and think critically through problems with no single right answer. For a school built around learning-by-doing, SmartLab is a natural next step: It gives the youngest students on campus the same hands-on, 5 Cs-driven experience that defines the A+ experience all the way through senior year. 

Looking ahead 

This is the first in a series of updates from A+ Charter Schools throughout the school year, as the school continues to grow its campus, programs and opportunities for Maricopa students. 

Families with questions about enrollment or SmartLab can call 520-265-5589 or visit APlusAZ.org. 

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