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Anyone in the community can donate to the fund by visiting a Wells Fargo branch and referencing account # 700 038 1660, the Terrebonne Parish Katrina Fund. All funds placed in this special account go directly to the Terrebonne Parish School District. The Terrebonne district suffered extreme damage during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita last fall.

USA TODAY named 20 students to its 20th annual All-USA High School Academic First Team. The students will each receive a trophy and $2,500 cash award. Albert Shieh, a senior at Chaparral High School, was the only student in Arizona to be named. Read more...

Students and staff at Laguna Elementary watched a special visitor on their classroom TV screens this week. Superintendent Dr. John M. Baracy was on Laguna Live TV . Dr. B delivered a message of thanks to teachers during this, National Teacher Appreciation Week.

Teachers at Coronado High School were treated to coffee and pastries, courtesy of Starbucks.

In addition to honoring teachers and the entire staff in recognition of National Teacher Appreciation Week, Starbucks awarded retiring teachers Virginia Reinken (50 years), Kathy Conard (34 years) and Karen Caldwell (24 years) with $100 Starbucks gift cards.

Starbucks also made a $500 cash donation to Coronado in the retiring teachers' names.

Volunteers from Scottsdale Leadership along with professional artists and students worked together to bring new life to the campus of Sierra Vista Academy.

As part of Project Pride, murals were painted at the school. The project empowers students to design and implement their artistic and inspirational ideas to beautify the school.

Scottsdale Leadership, Inc. is an organization of committed citizens that work together to strengthen our community by developing, training and empowering dedicated leaders through education, skill development, mentoring and community trusteeship.

The Arts in Education Council for Scottsdale Schools celebrated fine arts with the Spring Appreciation Luncheon at Scottsdale Community College. It was an opportunity to recognize those who have promoted fine arts throughout the district.

AEC President Bonnie Sneed presented several awards at the luncheon. Dr. Don Chiappetti was recognized with the Community Individual Award for his significant contributions to the district with restoration of musical instruments. Tavan Elementary Principal Margaret Serna received the Administrator Award, Mrs. Michelle Irvin of Desert Mountain High School received the Fine Arts Teacher Award and Claudia Swartz took home the Volunteer Award.

The AEC is a not-for-profit organization comprised of parents, teachers and community members who support quality fine arts education for all Scottsdale School District students.

Students and staff of the Scottsdale Unified School District are center stage as the Scottsdale Charros reward excellence in education.

The civic group honored 33 teachers, one from each school, and 12 high school students at its annual banquet Friday night at the Scottsdale Hilton.

"This is the highlight of the year for the Charros," says Mark Stanton, chairman of this year's event. "We have a passion for the Scottsdale community and at the very core of its growth and success are its outstanding educators and students." Read more...

The Nutritional Services and Wellness Department is please to announce that parents now have the option to make a prepayment on their child's cafeteria account via the Internet or by phone by using their Mastercard or Visa card with www.MyLunchMoney.com. MyLunchMoney.com is a convenient and secure way of depositing and tracking funds for prepaid school lunches. The charge for this service will be a flat fee of $1.95 per credit card transaction regardless of the amount you pay. To get started, visit www.MyLunchMoney.com. Read more...

Congratulations to Tonalea Elementary’s Francisco Santoyo for winning the T-shirt coloring contest for the City of Scottsdale’s Water Safety Day.

Francisco’s design was chosen from more than 1,000 entries and appeared on all shirts worn at the event. He and his family were recently honored at the school by Firepal Steve and the Scottsdale Fire Department.

The APS (Arizona Public Service Company) “Power Players” made a special visit to some elementary students this week.

The “Power Players” offered a training clinic on the basics of lacrosse at Laguna Elementary. The 5th graders learned some tricks of the trade from the Arizona Sting Professional Lacrosse team.

The APS sponsored program also has a session on character education. Von Bryant, a nationally renowned speaker talked to students about the six pillars of character — trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship.

Many parents are already planning summer vacations. Please keep the first day of school - August 21 – in mind when you do. School absences not only put your child at a disadvantage in the classroom, they reduce our state funding by approximately $50 for every day a child is not in school to at the beginning of the year.

Thanks to a successful START SMART campaign last year, SUSD had 1,200 more students start school on Day One than in 2004. As a result, SUSD received $60,000 more in state funding for programs and smaller class sizes.

Remember to START SMART on August 21!

Scottsdale Unified School District will start providing after school bus service for students at Chaparral and Saguaro high schools. This will allow students in the developing area the opportunity to attend after school activities and functions.

The service will start Tuesday, February 21, 2006 and run Monday thru Friday. The service is available to all students enrolled at Chaparral and Saguaro high schools.

Buses will depart from Chaparral High School at 4:30 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. and Saguaro High School at 4:15 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Students will be dropped off at their normal bus stops.

Representatives from the Arizona Department of Education made a special appearance at Yavapai Elementary School’s staff meeting this week.

Principal Wendy Cohen was presented with a check for $2,500 in honor of the school being named a Title I Distinguished Schools for Category 1 - Exceptional Student Performance.

In November 2005, the National Association of State Title I Directors and the U.S. Department of Education announced that Yavapai Elementary School was selected as a Title I Distinguished Schools for Category 1 - Exceptional Student Performance for two or more consecutive years for the 2005-2006 school year. Yavapai was one of 52 selected Title I Distinguished Schools representing 28 states.

Congratulations to all at Yavapai Elementary School who made this honor possible!

Excitement filled Tonalea Elementary School’s Literacy Library as bags of books and a donation of $300 was delivered courtesy of the Association of American University Women (Scottsdale branch).

Every child in pre-kindergarten thru fourth grade will go home with their own book and bookmark. The $300 gift will be spent to purchase new books for the school's library.

Last year, the AAUW donated books to Hohokam Elementary School and the year before to Yavapai Elementary School.

Scottsdale Unified School District, and other schools across the Valley, encourages parents to take their children to the workplace for a learning experience – after school is out for the summer. Districts around the Valley are recommending June 15 as a preferred date for Take Your Child To Work Day. The national date, April 27, comes at a particularly difficult time for students who are working hard to complete their school work for the year. Taking children to work after the school year ends allows them to get the best of both – exposure to the workplace without missing a single precious day of school.

This specialized program offers incoming freshmen who have an aptitude for math and science the opportunity to excel in a unique learning environment. Opening August 21, 2006, at our Copper Ridge campus at DC Ranch located at 10101 E. Thompson Peak Parkway, Scottsdale.

The pre-registration form

is now available.

Transportation will be provided to all students. Buses will pick up and drop off students at the high school nearest to their home. Enroll your child today! For more information, please contact Dr. Michael Wolf at 480-484-1560 or via e-mail at mwolf@susd.org.

Hundreds of students at Ingleside Middle School recently welcomed the Wells-Fargo stagecoach to Osborn Road.

Students at Ingleside raised almost $3,000 in pennies to benefit the Terrebonne Parish School District in Louisiana. The Scottsdale Unified School District ‘adopted’ Terrebonne last fall after many of its schools suffered severe damage from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Recently, students loaded dozens of bags of pennies onto the legendary Wells-Fargo stagecoach to be transported to a branch for deposit in SUSD's "Terrebonne Parish Katrina fund." Anyone in the community can donate to SUSD's Terrebonne Parish Katrina Fund by visiting any Wells Fargo branch and referencing account # 700 038 1660.

A group of students from SVA recently represented the district at the regional competition for N

ational History Day. More than 20 public, private and parochial schools competed for a chance to advance to the state finals.

This year’s theme was “Making a Stand” and events included skits, papers, posters or displays. Sierra Vista Middle School students Jessica Carnahan, Hayley Leddy, T. J. Sanders and Michael Steele worked for over two months putting together their entry for the group display category. They were guided and encouraged by their history and English teacher, Mr. Jim Stute.

The students selected the Warsaw Ghetto uprising as their topic and researched the subject thoroughly. The resulting display, named “The Warsaw Ghetto—Making a Stand”, contained first-hand information from a live interview with a Holocaust survivor, Mrs. Ella Adler. The display details the Jewish uprising in the Warsaw Ghetto and is designed to emphasize both the courage and the risks taken to resist Nazi imprisonment and torture.

After a grueling morning of review, questions and evaluation, the judges selected the Sierra Vista team’s exhibit to advance to the Arizona State Finals. The state finals will be held on Saturday, April 8th. Winners at the state level will go to the national finals in Washington, D.C.

Congrats Sierra Vista and Good Luck!

Congratulations to students at Desert Canyon Middle School who competed in this year’s Math and Science Fair. Students created interesting and informative projects that were displayed for judging. SUSD’s Governing Board President Jennifer Peterson and Executive Director of Communications and Marketing Maureen O’Leary served as judges for the competition.

This year’s winners include:

These projects will now compete at the Arizona Regional Science Fair in April in Mesa.

Students at Supai Middle School can now get a first hand look at history.

The Scottsdale Exchange Club has donated a "Freedom Shrine" to the school. The Shrine consists of more than 30 high quality reproductions of American Historical documents mounted on fine wood.

The school recently held a dedication ceremony in the cafetorium, where the documents are displayed.

Thanks to Carol Mertins and everyone who made this wonderful donation possible.

The Mohave Middle School cheer team recently headed to California to compete at the United Spirit Association Junior Nationals Competition.

Two teams competed; there was a stunt group, which consisted of 5 girls, and the team, which consisted of 22 girls. The stunt group competed first and set the bar very high.

After the votes were tallied, they were declared National Champions! Not only did they receive a National Championship trophy, they received a first place medallion and backpacks.

The team as a whole did not place in the top 4, but they had a great time and performed like CHAMPIONS!

Congratulations to Mohave 8th grader Ashley Gilmore who took home second place at the Region II spelling bee in Fountain Hills.

Ashley, who won the SUSD bee, will now represent the district at the statewide competition on April 1st at ASU.

Almost 50 students from the Northeast Valley competed in the regional bee.

Great job Ashley and Good Luck!

Cardiac care equipment donated to Scottsdale Unified High Schools during National Heart Month
2/24/2006

The Heartcare Foundation of Scottsdale is leading the way in proactive cardiac care with the donation of an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) to each of Scottsdale’s five high schools. The AED is a device which can detect an irregular heart rhythm and, if necessary, a shock can be administered to restore the heart’s normal rhythm. These life saving tools will now be available to staff and students during all school functions including athletic events.

“We are thankful for Heartcare’s commitment to the health and well-being of the SUSD family,” says Dr. John Baracy, SUSD’s Superintendent. “This equipment is a must for all schools and it will no doubt mean the difference between life and death for one of our own someday.” Read more...

A handful of Mohave Middle School students were invited to preview the Knowasis Thunderbirds Charities Teen Learning Center at the Civic Center Library before its grand opening.

The center offers teens ages 12-18 a safe place to meet, mingle and learn together.

This state-of-the-art center has 16 flat screen computer with Word, PowerPoint and Internet access, 52” plasma TV, CDs and listening stations, teen magazines, homework help and group study rooms, college and career collections and much more.

The grand opening is from 4-10 p.m., February 24, at the Civic Center Library, 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd., Scottsdale. For more information, please call 480-312-2449.

It was a special day for special kids at SUSD’s 6th Annual Special Education Field Day.

Almost 200 students were treated to bowling, face painting, football throws, music and much more.

The event, held at Mountain View Park in Scottsdale, also featured a surprise visit from some familiar faces, the Arizona Cardinal and ASU’s mascot, Sparky.

A big thanks to the Adapted Physical Education Staff of KC DiMickele, Pam Evans, Jan Blocher and Jim Cottrell. Without their dedication and hard work, this wonderful event would not be possible.

Service learning students from Saguaro High School volunteered their time to help make this special day a success.

Staff of the Scottsdale Unified School District gathered for a special lesson in exceptional customer experiences.

The district is sponsoring several seminars aimed at sharpening the customer relations skills of all SUSD employees.

This week J. Bruce Lange, General Manager of the Westin-Kierland Resort and Spa, hosted the event.

Lange shared his vision for providing the very best service each and every day.

Students from across the Scottsdale Unified School District were treated to an afternoon of baseball excitement courtesy of the Scottsdale Charros.

The Charros recently held their annual baseball luncheon at the fields near the corner of Camelback and Hayden Roads.

Under a crystal blue sky, students enjoyed a hot dog lunch and then hit the fields for some baseball activities.

Former Major League players shared some trade secrets with the youth who represented Scottsdale's elementary, middle and high schools.

Thank you Charros for a wonderful afternoon!

Students at Desert Canyon Middle School were treated to quite a surprise as Arizona Diamondbacks superstar Luis Gonzalez paid a visit to campus.

Gonzalez was greeted by cheering students as he made his way into the gymnasium.

During an assembly organized by the student government, Gonzalez told the students to follow their dreams and always respect others. He also took the time to answer questions from students.

The staffs of Desert Canyon and SUSD thank and honor Luis Gonzalez for his commitment to youth.

Students at Copper Ridge Middle School spent a late Friday afternoon before their Valentine’s Day dance giving back to the community.

Since last month, students in Sandy Flayton’s English classes collected more than 100 fleece blankets for those who need a little extra warmth this winter.

After school, the students carefully tied the ends of the brightly colored blankets in bows to leave their impression on the meaningful gifts.

The blankets were delivered to the Brent Shernoff Fund at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, which provides clothing, toys and other items to patients.

Students at Scottsdale’s five high schools are having an open dialogue on the epidemic of teen suicide.

The schools are hosting student actors from Springfield, Oregon who are performing SLEEPWALK, a teen suicide prevention play written by an Emmy-award winning playwright.

The play tells the story of a teen contemplating suicide who falls into a dream state.

During the dream he re-examines his life and, by the end, chooses to work through the challenges in his life and be thankful for those who love him.

The presentations of SLEEPWALK are sponsored by SUSD's Service Learning Program, HealthWorld of Scottsdale and the Ryan Lange Foundation.

Mayor Mary Manross made a special visit to a second grade classroom at Kiva Elementary School this week.

Students in Paula Leikam’s class recently wrote letters to the Mayor asking how the government functions at the local, state, and national level.

Mayor Manross decided that instead of writing responses to each of the letters, she would visit the class and answer questions in person. Ms. Leikam says the visit helped students to make a connection with the real world and understand the importance of being a good citizen at any age.

Thank you Mayor Manross!

Scottsdale's Coronado High School is committed to improving student achievement with the help of a grant awarded by The Arizona Department of Education.

The grant, in the amount of $152,300, will be used to hire specialized staff to help raise student test scores and reduce the dropout rate.

At-risk students will be given intensive intervention in reading with the hiring of a reading specialist. In addition, a full time counselor and social worker will be hired to address the needs of students. There will also be increased support in areas of vocational training as Coronado’s staff works to break down the barriers that impede student success.

The Arizona Department of Education selected SUSD from a competitive field of applicants.

Please visit the new Grants and Foundation Resources area of this Web site.

On January 24, 2006, the Scottsdale Unified School District Governing Board approved an attendance boundary change.

Currently, students who live in the McDowell Mountain Ranch area and attend Desert Canyon Elementary School are assigned to Copper Ridge Middle School. Beginning with incoming sixth graders this fall, Desert Canyon Elementary School students will be assigned to Desert Canyon Middle School.

Busing will be provided to Copper Ridge Middle School for two years to allow current sixth and seventh grade students to finish at Copper Ridge.

Parents of current sixth and seventh grade students at Copper Ridge who would like to enroll their student at Desert Canyon Middle School must file an open enrollment form for next year only. Forms are available under the For Parents section of this Web site.

Fifth graders at Desert Canyon Elementary are lacing up their sneakers and “walking on” to a healthier life.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona is sponsoring “Walk On,” a statewide program which encourages students to exercise. Thousands of fifth graders across Arizona are participating in the program.

The challenge asks fifth graders to walk 10,000 steps each day during the month of February.

Participants are given pedometers to track the distance they cover. Those who complete all 10,000 steps each day are eligible to win one of 10 IPODS at the end of the month.

Good Luck Desert Canyon!

Sierra Vista Academy is now offering two new schedule options for high school students. As an alternative school, Sierra Vista Academy continues to develop new and better ways to meet the needs of students whose lives and/or learning styles require something other than the traditional school setting. Providing alternative schedules is just one way to better address these students’ needs.

At the start of Semester II students may choose between two school sessions. The two sessions include an early morning option or a midday start option. The sessions are as follows:

Choice 1: 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. – Traditional Classroom Instruction (Monday – Thursday)
Choice 2: 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Online Courses (Nova Net) (Monday – Thursday)

These two options are open to any SUSD student who wishes to open enroll at Sierra Vista. For more information regarding the new schedule, please contact Rhonda Rickard, principal, at 480-484-7900 or by e-mail at rrickard@susd.org

Congratulations to Mohave 8th grader Ashley Gilmore who took home first place at Scottsdale Unified School District’s Spelling Bee.

Twenty-nine elementary and middle school students from across the district competed for the title of district champion. Family members gathered at the Scottsdale Civic Center Library to cheer on the students.

Ashley and 3rd grader Navya Dasari, Cheyenne Traditional School, were the final two spellers!

Ashley was declared the winner after spelling the words o-p-h-t-h-a-l-m-i-c and d-i-s-a-f-f-o-r-e-s-t.

The top seven competitors from the bee move on to the Regional Spelling Bee next month in Fountain Hills. They are: Ashley Gilmore; Navya Dasari; Jan Simper, Desert Canyon Elementary; Aditya Vijay, Sequoya; Alexandria Baietto, Copper Ridge Middle; Rachel Parker, Desert Canyon Middle; and Todd Simonson – Mountainside Middle.

Students at Desert Mountain High School took a tour of the world this week.

The school’s International Baccalaureate Student Association sponsored the First Annual International Day for the student body on Thursday.

More than 20 booths lined the school’s main mall and showcased the traditions of individual nations. Students had the opportunity to learn about many cultures and enjoyed a variety of music and dancing.

Bruce Lange, the General Manager of the The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa of Scottsdale, traded his hotel office for the principal’s office this week.

Lange served as “Principal for a Day” at Desert Mountain High School Wednesday. Lange worked hall and lunch duty and toured the school with Principal Greg Milbrandt. The Scottsdale Unified School District and Desert Mountain was proud to have Bruce Lange on campus!

Teachers and staff at Yavapai Elementary School gathered Tuesday to celebrate the school’s recent national recognition.

The National Association of State Title I Directors and the U.S. Department of Education announced that Yavapai Elementary School was selected as a Title I Distinguished Schools for Category 1 - Exceptional Student Performance for two or more consecutive years for the 2005-2006 school year. Yavapai was one of 52 selected Title I Distinguished Schools representing 28 states.

Principal Wendy Cohen will represent the school and attend the National Title I Directors Conference later this month in Dallas. First Lady Laura Bush will be the featured guest.

Congratulations to all at Yavapai Elementary School who made this honor possible!

Rebecca Baker, self-contained gifted program teacher at Pima Elementary, is Arizona’s Teacher of the Year for Gifted Learners.

Baker was selected by the Arizona Association for Gifted and Talented (AAGT) from a large pool of educators across the state.

Rebecca helped start the Comprehensive Gifted Program at Pima two years ago. She has been a Scottsdale teacher for the past fifteen years.

Her nomination letter told of her incredible ability to reach and stimulate gifted children. One parent wrote "the children think she is awesome."

Rebecca will be honored at an upcoming state luncheon where she will proudly represent SUSD.

Congratulations Rebecca!

The Scottsdale Unified School District Governing Board elected Jennifer Petersen as President during the regular board meeting on January 10, 2006. Petersen has served on the board as Clerk since 2005.

“I am honored to be a part of this team,” says Petersen. “We have made so much progress in the last year and I look forward to working with the community and the Scottsdale School District family to continue on this path of great success.” Read more...

Clif McKenzie, SUSD’s Director of Exceptional Customer Experiences, has been honored by the City of Scottsdale as a diversity champion. McKenzie accepted the award at Scottsdale’s 12th annual MLK community celebration Monday night.

McKenzie was recognized for his efforts to bring a sense of racial unity to the schools and students he has served over the years.

McKenzie has been a Valley educator for decades, working as both teacher and administrator across the Scottsdale Unified School District.

Congratulations Clif!

NAACP Chairman Julian Bond addressed youth representing nearly seven Valley school districts on Monday on the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Bond spoke of his days as a true student of Dr. King and shared his early experiences in the civil rights movement.

The school program, called “VOICES,” featured the national award winning Voices of Saguaro choir. Students were also given the opportunity to ask questions of Julian Bond during the assembly.

Students representing Brophy, Notre Dame, and St. Mary's High Schools as well as Cave Creek and Tempe Union High districts were on hand for the celebration.

SUSD Service Learning students hosted the program.

There was a blanket of white in Scottsdale this morning as students at Anasazi Elementary School enjoyed a winter wonderland!

Students celebrated "Winter Day" with 10 tons of snow. Students dressed in mittens, snow boots and warm winter coats played in the snow with friends and family.

Parents and staff also served delicious hot chocolate to make the winter scene complete.

Community Celebrating Diversity (CCD) recognizes Clif McKenzie and Doreen Reinke as Diversity Champions at the 12th Annual Scottsdale Community Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dinner Celebration. KPHO, CBS 5 anchor Catherine Anaya will host the evening’s event at 6 p.m. on Jan. 9 at the Chaparral Suites ballroom, 5100 N. Scottsdale Road. Read more...

Students from Cocopah Middle School recently visited Louisiana on a mission to make a difference.

The students, along with teacher advisors, personally delivered thousands of pounds of supplies to two schools affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Montegut Middle School and Pointe-aux-Chenes Elementary Schools welcomed SUSD with many thanks.

The schools are part of the Terrebonne Parish School District, which SUSD “adopted” after it suffered devastating effects from the recent storm.

SUSD representatives were treated to tours and Louisiana school officials expressed their immense gratitude for all of their hard work.

"Your students have made quite an impression on our students and they have gotten our students thinking about ways to help others who may need it in the future," said Becky Breaux of the Terrebonne district. "We all hope that your students enjoyed the hospitality and food while they were here visiting."

It was an experience that SUSD students and teachers say they will always treasure. Wonderful work Cocopah!

Providing excellent customer service was the message to Scottsdale Unified School District employees who attended the seminar at Nordstrom at Scottsdale Fashion Square last Friday.

William Harrington, Nordstrom community relations, shared the with SUSD employees the store's philosophy of excellent customer service, which included listen first, be attentive, smile and greet and exceed expectations. Superintendent Dr. John M. Baracy shared his vision for customer service with the audience, which included internal cultural changes in how SUSD provides customer service to our parents, community and each other.

The next Customer Service workshop will be held at The Westin Resort at Keirland in February.

Books, pens, paper, backpacks, games, stuffed animals, ipods and more are being shipped to Grand Caillou Middle School, in Louisiana, with the help of U-Haul, Copper Ridge Middle School’s student council and the school’s parent group.

The student council and parent group began collecting items on November 21. They are sending 75 boxes to Grand Caillou Middle School, which was affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Like many schools in Louisiana, Grand Caillou was flooded with up to 8 feet of water and lost all of their supplies and books.

The CRMS’s Plant Manager Karen Portsche provided a home for Cheryl
McElveen, a Katrina evacuee. Ms. McElveen was separated from her daughter and granddaughter for two months and she didn’t even know if they were alive! McElveen was interviewed on the on the school’s daily announcements. Students at CRMS were inspired by McElveen’s Hurricane Katrina story and decided help Grand Caillou, a school in the Terrebonne Parish School District adopted by SUSD in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Additionally, the students at Grand Caillou need to tell their story. They will send letters, drawings and photos to students at Copper Ridge. The school’s parent organization plans to laminate the stories and turn them into a book. Each student at Grand Caillou will receive a copy of the book, as well as Copper Ridge students.

Albert Shieh, a junior at Chaparral High School, is making history in Arizona. Shieh and one other Valley student were the Southwest Region Silver Medal Winners of the Siemens Westinghouse Competition. The students will split a $100,000 scholarship prize for math, science and technology.

Shieh and Anne Lee worked together to improve a computer program that studies genetic data to find information about inherited diseases like Alzheimer’s, autism and bipolar disorder.

This is the first time that students from Arizona have won at the national competition.

The Siemens Foundation provides more than $2 million in college scholarships and awards each year for talented high school students in the United States.

On November 12th, a number of Sierra Vista Academy staff and a few students participated in a 2-3 mile walk fund raiser hosted by the Scottsdale Conference Resort. The resort raised $355 and donated a Fry's gift card to Sierra Vista Academy. Additionally, the Scottsdale Conference Resort donated six turkeys and canned goods to the school, staff at the school held a canned food drive and Desert Mountain High School's PTO, which adopted the school, bought milk, rolls and pumpkin pies. The six baskets of Thanksgiving goodies were raffled off at the school for the students. Also, Dr. York from the Scottsdale Charros donated a $1,000 gift card for Costco to the school.

The school held a potluck on December 2 and invited staff from the Scottsdale Conference Resort to show their appreciation for all that the resort has done for the school over the years.

With their students watching with anticipation, Natalie Laino and Marilyn Zolonedek, sixth grade loop teachers, were presented with bouquets of cookies and a $10,000 U.S. Savings Bond in recognition of their record of outstanding student achievement and excellent instruction to Arizona’s students.

Carol Peck and Bert Gertz from Rodel Charitable Foundation of Arizona presented the two teachers the Rodel Initiative award.

The teachers were chosen out of 4,000 candidates, 35 semi-finalists and 12 finalists. This is the first teacher team and first teachers in Scottsdale to be named.

As Rodel Exemplary teachers, Laino and Zolondek have committed to supervise and mentor six Rodel Promising Student Teachers over the next three years.

Both Laino and Zolondek have been teaching at Yavapai for the past 12 years.

Criminology students at Desert Mountain High School got a rare glimpse into history this week. Fred Goldman, father of murder victim Ron Goldman, addressed the group about his experiences during one of the most high-profile trials in American history. In 1994, Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson, former wife of OJ Simpson, were found murdered outside her Brentwood, California condominium. Goldman believes it is important to share his family's story and to encourage students to take the issue of violence very seriously.

Students across the Scottsdale Unified School District spent this Thanksgiving week giving back to their community. Service learning students delivered turkeys and all the fixings to less fortunate families throughout the area. The holiday boxes are a result of weeks of food drives and fundraisers. In all, about 250 turkeys made their way into Phoenix and Scottsdale homes this year!

Eighth grade students at Copper Ridge Middle School made this Thanksgiving very special for some Valley families. Kids held a 48 hour turkey drive starting Monday morning. In the brief period through Wednesday morning, students donated 100 turkeys! The goods were delivered to the Foothills Food Bank in Cave Creek. As a reward, students who donated were given the opportunity to "pie" Principal Marla Zimmerman. Way to go Copper Ridge and Mrs. Zimmerman! ted were given the opportunity to “pie” Principal Marla Zimmerman.

Way to go Copper Ridge and Mrs. Zimmerman!

The reading and writing academy at Ingleside Middle school has raised almost $3,000 for the Susan G. Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer.

Money was collected over the past few weeks and students surpassed their goal.

At a school spirit assembly, students presented a check to the foundation and, as a reward, Ingleside's Assistant Principal Mr. Velarde had his head shaved bald!

Congratulations Ingleside! Terrific work!

Brad Casper, President/CEO of The Dial Corporation, hit the books in Scottsdale recently.

Casper spent some time back in school as he was declared “Principal for a Day” at Cocopah Middle School.

Casper, whose family is enrolled in SUSD, shadowed Principal Dr. Tere Peterson throughout the school day. From helping serve lunch to hall duty, Casper played the role of principal perfectly.

With buckets and sponges in hand, SUSD's Learning Leadership Team was busy scrubbing fenders and wheels this weekend at a special car wash in Scottsdale.

LLT members washed 72 cars and raised almost $1,200 for the Terrebonne Parish Katrina fund. SUSD ‘adopted’ the Terrebonne district after it suffered major loss and damage after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

A big THANK YOU to all those in the community who supported this important cause!

Thanksgiving got underway a little early at Tavan Elementary School in Scottsdale. The school’s Thanksgiving Day Luncheon brought together students, parents and community members for turkey and all the fixings.

Superintendent Dr. John M. Baracy and members of his staff also stopped by to enjoy the festivities.

Schools throughout the district are holding similar Thanksgiving celebrations this week.

12 News Anchor Mark Curtis traded in his anchor chair for the principal’s chair at Desert Mountain High School on Monday.

In recognition of American Education Week, Curtis shadowed Principal Greg Milbrandt for the day. With clipboard in hand, Curtis visited classrooms and toured the entire Desert Mountain campus.

Curtis even made an "on-air" appearance when he co-anchored the school's morning announcements on "DMTV" with his own daughter.

Students and staff were thrilled to have a very familiar face roaming the halls. Thanks Mark and job well done!

A deep respect for culture, history and the environment. These are the Japanese virtues most noted by a Scottsdale teacher who just returned from a life changing journey to the country.

Heather Mueller, a history teacher from Arcadia High School, was among 200 educators selected from thousands of teachers for The Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program. Mueller spent much of October touring Japanese elementary, middle, high schools and colleges. She received a first hand look at the strong educational structure and programs in place. Read more...

There was plenty of patriotism at Cochise Elementary in Scottsdale on Thursday. Students, staff and community members gathered for the school’s annual Veterans’ Day celebration to honor those who have served our country.

After a touching ceremony in the cafeteria which included a musical tribute, veterans paraded through the center of campus greeted by cheering students who saluted them for their service.

A representative of Yavapai Elementary School is invited to attend the National Title I Directors Conference on January 28-31, 2006, in Dallas.

The award also comes with a monetary stipend. A check will be presented after the Thanksgiving holidays.

Congratulations to all at Yavapai Elementary School who made this honor possible!

Ingleside Middle School's sixth graders had their first quarterly showcase on October 14. Parents were invited to journey through their students' classes to see the wonderful things they have been doing. Parents enjoyed the opportunity to come in and the students were very excited about sharing their accomplishments. After touring the classrooms, parents attended an awards ceremony where close to 200 awards were handed out - 70 for perfect attendance alone! Students then had a pizza picnic at Arcadia Park before participating in a variety of games, including wheelbarrow races, hula hoop races, an obstacle course and water balloon toss.

The event was designed to help eliminate the fear of middle school that some sixth graders feel. It was also intended to help build a team atmosphere and, ultimately, to encourage attendance on days that historically have had low attendance. Of the 72 absences that Ingleside had that day, only 13 were sixth grade students! Many sixth grade students this year have older siblings at Ingleside.

The sixth grade teachers are very encouraged by the response to the event they received from both parents and students.

Radishes, basil, oregano, tomatoes, spinach, carrots and chocolate mint are just a few of the plants Yavapai Elementary School 's Garden Club is growing this season. With an additional $2,400 from the City of Scottsdale 's Neighborhood Enhancement Partnership grant, a ramada shade structure will be built and supplies for the garden will be bought.

The Garden Club consists of 15 students from fourth, fifth and sixth grades, parent volunteers and Yavapai staff Tom Bland, plant manager, and Mary Ellertson, second grade teacher. The students and volunteers meet during their lunch, before and after school to water, till, plant and work in the gardens around the campus.

Tom Bland continues to look for donations that will help maintain and fund the Garden Club. The Garden Club was founded two years ago by donations.

More than 100 Scottsdale Unified School District Service Learning students will spend this weekend helping the members of their community in various service activities for "Make A Difference Day."

Saturday, October 22 is “Make A Difference Day,” a national day of helping others created by USA WEEKEND Magazine. This annual event takes place on the fourth Saturday of every October. Read more...

Scottsdale Unified School District is leading the way in Arizona education for the third year in a row as 21 of its 33 schools receive the state’s highest ranking.

21 schools have received the excelling label, 4 have been ranked highly performing, 5 performing plus, and 3 performing. Read more...

As residents in the gulf region continue to pick up the pieces after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, schools within the Scottsdale School District are going the extra mile to help the youngest victims of the storm.

The district recently announced it ‘adopted’ the Terrebonne Parish School District in Houma, Louisiana. The district, about 60 miles outside of New Orleans, had several of its 42 schools impacted by the storm. However, many of Terrebonne’s schools were spared and now more than 1,000 students from neighboring parishes have joined the district. This has created a desperate and immediate need for supplies. Read more...

Thirty Scottsdale Unified School District students have qualified as National Merit Semifinalists and another 34 have received letters of commendation.

According to the National Merit Scholarship Program, about 16,000 students, or approximately one-third of the 50,000 high scorers on the PSAT/NMSQT®, qualify as semifinalists. Read more...

Parents, students, teachers and the community now have the opportunity to help select materials for the K-12 social studies curriculum for the 2006-2007 school year.

The materials are available for review at the Mohave District Annex Library, which is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is located at 8505 E. Valley View Road, Scottsdale. Comment cards will be available. Read more...

The City of Scottsdale is being honored for helping young people succeed and the Scottsdale Unified School District is proud to be part of that recognition.

On Monday, Mayor Mary Manross announced that the city has been named one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People by America's Promise - The Alliance for Youth. The quality of education in Scottsdale's schools was cited as a key factor in the ranking.

Scottsdale Superintendent Dr. John Baracy, along with Chaparral High School Senior Mitsuaki Chi and Desert Mountain High School Senior Sam Gray proudly represented the district.

Also on hand were City Councilman Wayne Ecton, Vice Mayor Betty Drake and LINKS Executive Director Judy Crider.

The spirit of Arcadia High School soared Friday as an official ceremony to kick off a three-year renovation project was held on campus.

Students along with the school's Titan band, cheerleaders and football players were on hand to celebrate the beginning of a new era at Arcadia High School.

Mayor Phil Gordon of Phoenix, Mayor Mary Manross of Scottsdale, Phoenix City Councilman Greg Stanton, Superintendent Dr. John Baracy, Governing Board members, Principal Anne Marie Woolsey and project representatives all took part in the groundbreaking ceremony.

Last November, voters approved a $217 million bond to improve high schools throughout the Scottsdale Unified School District.

It was a sea of “Dons” Wednesday as students, teachers and administration officially kicked off Coronado High School’s two year renovation project. The groundbreaking ceremony featured speakers from throughout the community. Scottsdale Mayor Mary Manross, members of the Governing Board, Superintendent Dr. John Baracy and representatives from the project’s architectural and construction firms were on hand.

Students expressed a tremendous sense of school spirit as balloons floated through the air and a new era at Coronado officially began.

Last November, voters approved a $217 million bond to improve high schools throughout the Scottsdale Unified School District.

Scottsdale Unified employees were “inspired to serve” as author Susan Brooks delivered a powerful message to district employees Thursday.

Brooks, author of the book Serves You Right!, is, and always has been, a service enthusiast. You may recognize her as the “Cookie Queen” of Cookies From Home. Her passion for service has been a major part of her success. Susan shared her vision of exceptional customer service and experiences with a diverse group and offered a unique perspective on what it truly means to “serve.”

SUSD Raises Donations for Hurricane Katrina Victims

9/6/2005

Scottsdale students and staff are coming together for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. From fundraising events to assembling care packages, our schools are lending a helping hand. Read more...

Celebrate the signing of our Constitution at the Constitution Commemoration Committee's Citizenship Day Celebration at 6 p.m. on Saturday, September 17, at the Scottsdale Civic Center Plaza, 3839 Drinkwater Blvd., Scottsdale.

Events at the celebration include a Patriotic music concert by the 36th Army Band, poster contest for all K-12 students, Constitution Quiz for all K-12 students, concluding flag salute by the scouts, voter registration booth, opportunity to "sign" our Constitution, official presentations by local dignitaries and keynote address by House Speaker Jim Weiers.

Prizes will be awarded to all poster contest winners. Winning posters will be displayed on the grounds that night and in selected library lobbies in future weeks.

Constitution Quiz winners will be entered in a drawing for a three-day trip to Washington, D.C.

Hot dogs, chips and drinks will be available at the concession booth from the Scottsdale Sertoma Club.

Rules, entry forms and the quiz can be downloaded from the Web site at: http://www.cccscottsdale.homestead.com/home.html

Students and teachers at Tavan Elementary went back to school in style, thanks to Westcor.

Representatives from the company spent August 22nd visiting classrooms delivering gifts, including pencil cases filled with supplies and decorated with the school's logo.

Teachers were also treated to bright green Tavan t-shirts and canvas bags with an array of classroom necessities, including scissors, stickers and notepads.

The Westcor team has adopted Tavan for the year and will be regular visitors to campus.

Students at Scottsdale Unified schools are playing a new tune thanks to the generosity of the Scottsdale Charros and a local dentist.

With the help from the Scottsdale Charros, a group of civic and business leaders who promote special events in the City of Scottsdale, and others, Dr. Don Chiappetti has purchased, refurbished and donated more than 200 musical instruments to students whose parents cannot afford to rent or buy them. Read more...

When Desert Mountain High School students return to school on August 22nd, they will be greeted by a new principal with a familiar face. Greg Milbrandt has been named the school's leader after serving the last two years as an Assistant Principal at the campus. Read more...

Desert turtle, rabbit, snakes, scorpion, lizard, coyote, owl, cacti and Camelback Mountain are just a few new additions to Tonalea Elementary School’s campus that students will see when school starts on Monday, August 22.

This interactive, textured mural was designed, created and installed by students, teachers, staff and parent teacher organization (PTO) members. Read more...

The word is out to START SMART on August 22nd. Hundreds of devoted district employees took to the neighborhoods of Scottsdale with an all important message in hand, school begins on Monday and so does the learning!

The Valley media was out in full force to support the district’s efforts. Channel 3’s “Good Morning Arizona,” ABC 15’s Daybreak, CBS 5, 12 News, The Scottsdale Republic, The Scottsdale Tribune, The Paradise Valley and North Scottsdale Independent newspapers, 85255 Magazine, KFYI 550 AM and KJZZ 91.5 FM all offered coverage on the walk.

We’ll see you next year for START SMART 2006!

Some of Scottsdale Unified School District’s top teachers are going back to school early this summer. Read more...

Scottsdale Unified School District outperforms the State in both AIMS and TerraNova assessments in all grade levels and all content areas. SUSD students score as much as 30% higher on the AIMS test in grades 3- 10 in reading, writing and mathematics. SUSD students score as much as 43% higher on the TerraNova in grades 2-9 in reading, language and mathematics. SUSD students continue