16443 N 113th Way
Apache Junction, AZ 85255

We open enrolled my 6th grader to DCMS because we didn’t want the 300 kids per grade middle school experience. It’s been the best decision! The music program is great, electives have a wide variety to choose from, the classes aren’t too big, the kids are so much friendlier to each other. My child came into the year not knowing a single person and made friends pretty quickly! The counselor to student ratio is way better compared other schools and that makes a difference at this age! The counselor, principal and teachers are so responsive and involved. And the campus is nice and feels so safe tucked back from the road. Having Arabian library next door is great, and if you have a kid in elementary and one in middle school, it’s so nice to have DCES next door.

I experienced so much hate here numerous of times nothing was done they let bullying happen with no repercussions food here is not great all lunch detention you only get two pieces of bread with cheese and ham cold there was allot of vaping going in nothing was also done for that be aware of Theese situations

As a teacher at Desert Canyon Elementary since 2019, I am so proud of our school! With over 600 years of combined teaching experience,our educators ensure high-quality education for every student. Our staff works tirelessly to support students, families, and each other. Our engaged families and PTO take such good care of our staff and make us feel special. Our students show R.O.A.R. (Respect, Outstanding Character, Appreciate Others, Responsibility) everyday. We are an "A" rated school and became an "A+ School of Excellence" starting in 2024. We are rated one of the top two schools in Arizona. Families can choose between the Dual Language Mandarin program or traditional English classes. DCES offers a Gifted Program, fine arts, robotics, a school counselor with a therapy dog, and an engaging garden program. We have two early learning classrooms: Preschool for three-year-olds and PreK for four-year-olds. Our Early Learning Classrooms have a Quality First Five Star Rating, which is the Highest Quality ranking from First Things First.