Marana Schools: 100-Year Daytime Celebration: April 25 at MHS

The Marana Unified School District is celebrating 100 years of Marana Schools and excellence in education! The entire community is invited to join us for a special day and evening of festivities on Saturday, April 25, 2026. Special events include a day-time, free celebration for families hosted at Marana High School, and an evening dinner and fundraiser at the Marana Pumpkin Patch.

Hosted by the Marana Schools 2340 Foundation, MHS Alumni Association, and Marana Unified School District, and thanks to many local businesses and community partners, we are excited to bring the entire community together to celebrate this historic milestone.

MUSD Centennial Celebration Events

Date: Saturday, April 25, 2026

100-Year Daytime Celebration
Free & Family-Friendly
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Marana High School

Celebrate the past, present, and future of Marana Schools with:

Carnival activities & jump house for kids
Face painting
School booths & mascots from Marana schools
School Mascots in attendance with mascot races & dances

Marana Schools Performances:

MHS Orchestra & Dance Team
EE Hula Club
TPK8 Orchestra, Band, & Choir
Estes Recorder Ensemble
BE & DGE Choirs
RRE Choir
TPK8 Recorder Ensemble
TFK8 Orchestra

Food trucks including:

Chick-fil-A
Al Gusto Coffee
Donut Blitz
Wild West Waffles
Sonoran Scoops, & more!

Local vendors featuring:

Plaid Buffalo Candle
Cheryl’s Jams & Jellies
Fused Glass Décor
Celaya's Kitchen & Crafts
Marana Bread Company
CocoLoco Boutique & more!

Walk through MUSD history & explore memorabilia:

Yearbooks & old pictures
Misc. historical documents
Misc. memorabilia for MHS & MVHS

Hosted by the Marana Schools 2340 Foundation, MHS Alumni Association, and Marana Unified School District, and thanks to many local businesses and community partners, we are excited to bring the entire community together to celebrate this historic milestone.

100-Year Celebration Dinner & Fundraiser

Marana Pumpkin Patch
6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
$100 per ticket

Get ready for a truly Marana evening! This adults-only event hosted at the Marana Pumpkin Patch features a delicious BBQ dinner, dessert, drink tickets, train rides, live entertainment, and a photo booth.

Link to buy a ticket: https://2340foundation.org/event/musd-centennial-celebration/

MUSD: Brief History

Spanning more than 550 square miles and now home to 20 pre-k-12 schools, MUSD has played a role in shaping the community along with generations of students and families.

Education in Marana began with small rural schools serving farming and railroad communities. The original Marana Union High School, now demolished and formerly located along Frontage Road by current-day Estes Elementary, opened in 1922. In 1924, it graduated its first class of two students.

In 1939, like other areas across Arizona, smaller, rural school houses were being consolidated into centralized school districts, and Marana Unified School District #55 was established. Over the years, the official district numbers would change until becoming #6. Marana Elementary School, now District offices and MCAT High School, was established in 1942. The district grew quickly and was serving 350 students with 14 teachers by the 1949-50 school year.

A new Marana High School opened in 1953 (now Marana Middle School), followed by additional expansions on Grier Road including shared school facilities like a cafeteria, gymnasium, and print shop. By the 1970s, Marana had evolved into a unified school system, reflecting both growth and a strong commitment to education.