Scottsdale Unified School District No Dream Too Big . . . No Challenge Too Great

More than 140 teachers throughout the District are piloting math textbooks and supportive materials at all grade levels as part of a textbook adoption process, Jackie Olson, curriculum specialist, reported to the Governing Board at its meeting Tuesday, Sept. 3. Simultaneously, the District is carefully reviewing the consistency and sequence of the delivery of math curriculum in order to better identify placement of students in advanced or honors courses at the high school and middle school levels.

In addition, a board member asked the administration to consider a discussion regarding the elimination of "D" grades in math courses, believing that a "D" grade in math does not demonstrate mastery of the necessary and required lifelong skills.

The Board also learned that "in order to comply with the No Child Left Behind legislation, it is necessary for Arizona to define mastery performance objectives for grades 3-10, and assess those objectives at each grade." Ms. Olson noted that "currently, the AIMS assessment is given to grades 3, 5, 8, and high school. The revised state standards will be released this spring."

This summer, "it will be necessary to review our curriculum to ensure that it aligns with the revised state standards, for mathematics as well as for language arts," Ms. Olson added.

In other action, the Board:

• Was provided with a detailed update of summer construction projects by Dr. Bill Johnson, chief of facilities and operations. During the summer of 2002, the District was engaged in a significant amount of construction and renovation work at the schools. Work included Deficiency Correction projects at 20 sites, funded and managed by the Arizona School Facilities Board (SFB) to meet state minimum adequacy standards; 1997 Bond projects; and Bond Offset projects, which are the additional projects the District has been able to undertake as a result of state funding of projects originally budgeted within the 1997 Bond, Dr. Johnson said. (Dr. Johnson's presentation and additional materials are available from the Facilities Department at 480-484-6143, or from the District's Web site at: www.susd.org)
   
• Requested that the administration look into grants and other sources of funding that might be available to offset costs to parents for all day kindergarten programs. (Curriculum, 480-484-6192)
   
• Accepted gifts valued at $30,088. Gifts were received from Coca Cola, Cochise APT, Cynthia L. Burson, Wal-Mart Foundation, Steve Bolinger, Kathleen and Edgar Roman, Scottsdale Memorial Hospital Osborn, Dale Micetic, Jim Limmer, Don Chiapetti, and Desert Mountain High School PTO. (Finance, 480-484-6128)
   
• Approved a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) in the amount of $496,571 for the structural repair and renovation of the 400 Building-the music and band building-at Arcadia High School. (Facilities and Operations, 480-484-6143)

Board President Barbara Newby recognized members and leaders of Boy Scout Troop #6, who attended the meeting as part of the requirements for a merit badge on citizenship.

The next meeting, a work/study session, at which time English Immersion is expected to be discussed, is scheduled for 7 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 17, at the Education Center.
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