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Countdown to graduation has already begun for both parents and seniors. On Wednesday, June 6th, 1,820 students will be graduating from Arcadia, Chaparral, Coronado, Desert Mountain and Saguaro high schools and Sierra Vista Academy.

Arcadia High School’s graduation is at 8 p.m., The Dodge Theater, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix 85003.
Chaparral High School’s graduation is at 8 p.m., 6935 E. Gold Dust Ave., Scottsdale.
Coronado High School’s graduation is at 8 p.m., 2501 N. 74th St., Scottsdale.
Desert Mountain High School ’s graduation is at 8 p.m., 12575 E. Via Linda, Scottsdale.
Saguaro High School’s graduation is at 7:45 p.m., Scottsdale Stadium, 7408 E. Osborn Road, Scottsdale.
Sierra Vista Academy’s graduation is at 5 p.m., Scottsdale Conference Resort, 7700 E. McCormick Parkway, Scottsdale.

Three Principals Win Award

6/01/2007

Margaret Serna, principal of Tavan Elementary School; Jeff Quisberg, principal at Anasazi Elementary School; and Anne-Marie Woolsey, principal at Arcadia High School, have been selected for membership in the AZ LEADS³ Circle of Honor. They are being recognized as outstanding instructional leaders based on achievement profiles, superintendent’s recommendation, survey feedback from constituents and a site visit by an AZ LEADS³ team. They are in an exemplary group, representing the top 2 percent of principals in the State of Arizona.

Margaret, Jeff and Anne-Marie's accomplishments will be recognized on Tuesday, June 26, at the Leading Change Institute held at the Hilton El Conquistador Resort in Tucson. State Superintendent Tom Horne will present the awards at a special reception.

Moroccan VIPs Visit Scottsdale

5/25/2007

Students of American History at Desert Mountain High School learned first hand from the Vice Mayor of Marrakech, Morocco that Morocco was the first country in the world to recognize the independence of the United States from Britain in 1776.

Visiting Scottsdale during the week of May 20-24 were Khalid El Fataoui, vice mayor of Marrakech for international relations and Abderrazak Moummi, president of regional economic development. They were visiting Scottsdale to continue discussions on establishing a Sister City relationship.

On May 24, Dr. Althe Allen, executive director of middle and secondary schools and excelling teaching & learning, greeted the delegation. It was agreed that meaningful affiliations between the two cities will allow citizens of both to better understand one another. As the world becomes stronger, it is important for the citizens of both cities to go beyond the stereotyped images of both countries as portrayed by the media in both countries. Visits by students and teachers, as well as the learning of the language of each country, can help overcome misconceptions that exist.

The delegation visited two class rooms at Desert Mountain High School. In Chris Fredericks' American History class, the Moroccans explained that their country is a strong democracy and that respect for human rights and the freedom of women to dress as they please is a fact of life. They also explained that Morocco should not be lumped in with the images portrayed of other Arab states. Morocco is very tolerant of differences of ethnic groups and is a moderate Islamic country which respects the beliefs of all its citizens.

In Susan Mochir's French class, the delegation spoke in French, and the students asked many questions about the importance of learning more than one language. Marrakech students learn French and Arabic early in life and must study a third language in high school. The most popular third language is English.

The city council of Scottsdale has in the past established a Sister Cities relationship with Alamos, Mexico; Cairns, Australia; Kingston, Ontario, Canada; and Interlaken, Switzerland. The Board of Directors of the Scottsdale Sister Cities organization is exploring a new relationship with Marrakech, Morocco. The visit by the Marrakech city officials is a follow up visit to one by officials of Scottsdale to Marrakech.

The two cities have agreed to explore the establishment of meaningful affiliations between them. Areas being explored include travel, tourism, water treatment, economic development, golf management and education. The objective is to find areas of equal benefit to the citizens of both cities. Thursday’s visits were dedicated to exploring education and youth affiliations.

Chaparral Makes Top 1200 High School List

5/22/2007

Chaparral High School was named one the top 1200 high schools in the country, according to Newsweek's Web site. Chaparral is one of a handful of public high schools in Arizona to make the list and was ranked 1000 on the list. The school made the Newsweek list in 2006, 2005 and 2003. To view the complete list, please visit: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18757087/?sort=Rank&count=1257&search=&start=0&limit=100&year=2007&

Congratulations on this outstanding achievement!

Coronado High School Receives Flags for its Classrooms

5/25/2007

Coronado High School received 100 American-made American flags from the Sipe-Peterson American Legion post (Unit 44) in Scottsdale. This donation will help the school comply with a new Arizona law that takes effect July 1, 2007. That law, HB-2583, requires that an American-made American flag and, for seventh grade and above, copies of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights be displayed in every Arizona
classroom.

Carol Dustin, president of the American Legion Post that is donating the flags, said that they were made aware of the need for flags by Ronni Stirling, a junior at Coronado High School. Carol then put information in the post's newsletter asking for donations to purchase American flags for Scottsdale Unified School District schools. She said, “The donations just started pouring in at that point.” These donations allowed the post to purchase all 100 flags and the hardware needed to display them in the classrooms. Coronado currently has 90 classrooms, but the school is under construction and will have more classrooms in the near future.

Tuesday’s event included a presentation of the flags, music from two Coronado DONs band members who will be joining the military after graduation, a speech by the student who made the donations happen and a speech by the American Legion Post Commander, Len Rosenbaum.

“The American Legion is proud that we are able to help this way,” Ms. Dustin said. She says they will also help other SUSD schools if necessary.

Cheyenne Students Collect Supplies for Iraqi Children

5/25/2007

Students in Carrol Shields' and Cyndie Van Hook's PACT Program at Cheyenne Traditional School have assembled school supply kits for Operation Iraqi Children (OIC).

The most efficient and effective way to help Iraqi children is to create School Supply Kits. Each Kit contains basic, badly-needed items that can make a world of difference to a child heading to school. Assembling standardized kits ensures that each child receives the same number of the most needed items, facilitates customs clearance, and relieves our volunteers and soldiers of the time-consuming and labor intensive process of sorting and allocating random donated items.

Supplies included in the kit are blunt-end scissors, 12 inch ruler with metric units, #2 lead pencils with erasers, small pencil sharpener, colored pencils, notebook paper, composition book, folders with inside pockets, zippered pencil bag and 2 gallon zip-seal plastic bags.

OIC was co-founded by actor Gary Sinise and author Laura Hillenbrand. This program enables Americans to send school supply kits to Iraqi children.

Coronado Wins State Championship

5/18/2007

Coronado High School's Baseball Team defeated Notre Dame 20-8 for the Class 4A Division II title on Saturday, May 12.

This is the first time since the 1991-1992 school year that the DONs have won a state championship in any sport.

Congratulations to the team members and Coach Buck Holmes!

Sierra Vista Academy Dedicates New Buildings

5/17/2007

The spirit of the Sierra Vista Academy soared Thursday as an official ceremony to dedicate the completion of Phase II Construction was held on campus.

Students and the school's faculty were on hand to celebrate the beginning of a new era at Sierra Vista.

Superintendent Dr. John Baracy, Governing Board members, Principal Rhonda Rickard and project representatives all took part in the dedication ceremony.

In November 2004, voters approved a $217 million bond to improve high schools throughout the Scottsdale Unified School District. Construction at other high schools is ongoing.

Flag Mandate for Classrooms

5/18/2007

Did you know that the 2006 Arizona House Bill 2583 mandate states that by July 2007 all publicly funded institutions must display a 2x3 flag and, for seventh grade and above, they must also display the Constitution and Bill of Rights?

To help SUSD fulfill the obligations of the Flag Law, the Scottsdale Area Association of REALTORS is donating 300 flags.

The Joe Foss Institute also donated flags to SUSD schools.

Living History

5/17/2007

Students at Desert Canyon 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 cafeteria, where the documents are displayed.

Thanks to Richard Bond and everyone who made this wonderful donation possible.

Chaparral Student Donates Books to Title I Schools

5/11/2007

Brad Schell, a junior at Chaparral High School, has donated more than 7,500 books to Scottsdale Unified School District's Title I schools and to the Thomas J. Pappas schools.

He made his first delivery last Friday, taking more than 5,000 books to the Pappas elementary school in downtown Phoenix. The rest will go to SUSD schools.

Brad got the idea of a book drive because he was constantly dropping off donated books at the Mustang Library for his family. He decided it would be better to give the children's books directly to less fortunate children who may never get to a library. Brad's parents suggested he try and collect more books from family, friends and neighbors. His initial goal was to collect 1,000 books.

SUSD Students Swam San Francisco Bay

5/18/2007

Colin Hart, Cochise Elementary School, is the second youngest person in history to make the swim.

On April 25th, Swim Neptune’s Team Alcatraz swam from Alcatraz Island to the shores of San Francisco Bay to raise money to promote water safety awareness and drowning prevention.

The 50-member Team Alcatraz has 15 students that represent nine Scottsdale Unified School District schools. Those students are: Ian Biggane, Kiva; Bobby Byars, Arcadia Neighborhood Learning Center; Wyatt Denton, Hopi; Colin Hart, Cochise; Michael Heinonen, Copper Ridge ES; Ethan Hetrick, Mohave,; Allie Jones, Hopi; Hayden McMorris, Arcadia Neighborhood Learning Center; Claire Moty, Desert Mountain; Stuart Moty, Desert Mountain; Jackson Pfundheller, Pima; Nick Steveson, Desert Mountain; Nikki Zilliox, Desert Mountain; and Eve Zweig, Pima.

Swim Neptune’s Team Alcatraz raised $20,000, which was donated to the Foundation for Aquatic Safety and Training (FAST), a Valley-based non-profit organization. The team’s goal was to raise $100,000. Over the summer, Swim Neptune’s Team Alcatraz will serve as ambassadors of water safety, working with FAST in the community to continue to promote water safety and drowning prevention.

Update: Tom Porras Employment Status with SUSD

5/11/2007

Mr. Porras was placed on unpaid administrative leave by SUSD as soon as we were notified about the allegations against him; that was on Thursday, April 26, 2007. He is still prohibited from coming onto District property or attending any District events.

Mr. Porras is no longer an SUSD employee. On Tuesday, May 8, 2007, the SUSD Governing Board unanimously (5-0 vote) approved his termination, which was one of the items on the Consent Agenda (e.g. regularly scheduled operations of the school district).

Previously-released statements from the District about Mr. Porras are available on our Web site: http://www.susd.org/district/main/AnnouncementsArchive.cfm.

Update about the SUSD students on Catalina Island:

5/11/2007

Many of you in the media have asked for information about the SUSD students on Catalina Island. Here is an update:

All of the SUSD students are safe.
There were two groups of SUSD middle school students who were on Catalina Island for field trips: one from Cheyenne Traditional School (K-8) and the other from Desert Canyon Middle School (DCMS) (6-8).
Again, all of the students are safe. SUSD staff members in Arizona have been in communication with staff members who are traveling with both groups of students. SUSD staff and parent chaperones also spoke with the parents of both groups of students several times last night to let them know that their children are safe.
The group from Cheyenne Traditional School was evacuated from the Catalina Island Marine Institute late yesterday afternoon and taken into the town of Avalon. They boarded ferries at about 9 p.m. yesterday. Once they reached the mainland they boarded charter buses that drove them back to Phoenix. These students arrived in Phoenix around 6 a.m. and are now home with their parents.
The group from DCMS is on the opposite side of the island—more than 30 miles away from the fire. They are safe and there are no plans to evacuate them. They will be returning home at the originally-scheduled time: leaving the island on ferries early this afternoon and arriving in Phoenix this evening. They will not go to Avalon to board the ferries; the boats will pick them up at their current location.
The Cheyenne Traditional School group was composed of 85 eighth-grade students and 14 adults (5 teachers and 9 parent chaperones, including one who is a former police officer). They were on a science field trip.
The DCMS group is composed of 101 students (mainly 6th grade, but there are some 7th and 8th graders) and 12 adults (all teaching staff) who were on a science field trip.

We will update you with additional information as we receive it.

Media Update: Catalina Island Field Trips

5/10/2007

Many of you in the media have asked for information about the SUSD students on Catalina Island. Here is an update:

All of the SUSD students on Catalina Island are safe.
There are two groups of SUSD middle school students who were on Catalina Island for field trips: one from Cheyenne Traditional School (K-8) and the other from Desert Canyon Middle School (DCMS) (6-8).
Again, all of the students are safe. SUSD staff members here in Arizona have spoken with staff members who are traveling with both groups of students. SUSD staff and parent chaperones have also spoken with the parents of both groups of students to let them know that their children are safe.
The group from Cheyenne Traditional School was evacuated from the Catalina Island Marine Institute late this afternoon and taken into the town of Avalon to board ferries that will bring them back to the mainland. These students will be back home tomorrow (Friday).
The group from DCMS is on the opposite side of the island from the fire. They are safe and there are no plans to evacuate them at this time. They will be returning home at the originally-planned time Friday evening.

We will have more information available Friday morning.

Nurse Honored for Saving a Student's Life

5/9/2007

Donna Musser, a nurse at Cherokee Elementary School, was honored Wednesday for her quick reactions in using an Automated External Defibrillator to save a second grade student, who has a heart condition, when he collapsed outside his teacher's door.

She received the first Heart Hero Award from the Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute, the American Heart Association's Heart Saver Award, and accolades from the Rural/Metro Fire Department and Paradise Valley and Scottsdale officials as part of National School Nurse Day.

Dr. Himanshu Shukla and the Cardiac Arrthythmia Institute were honored and thanked for donating Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to all 33 Scottsdale Unified School District schools.

Two Teachers Named Teacher of the Year

5/8/2007

Mrs. Nancy Smith, a second grade teacher at Laguna Elementary School, and Jennifer Blalock, a kindergarten teacher at Cochise Elementary School, were nominated by staff, parents and students for the Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year award.

The Scottsdale Sam’s Club marketing team presented Nancy and Jennifer with $100 gift cards, certificates and shirts. They also presented a check for $1,000 to each school.

Nancy has been teaching for 29 years. For 20 of those years, she has taught Yavapai and Laguna students. Jennifer has been teaching at Cochise since 1993.

Instructional Technology Wins Award

5/8/2007

On April 28th, Ariane Cleverly, instructional technology trainer, and the Instructional Technology Team received the Arizona Technology in Education Alliance (AzTEA) Exemplary Web Site Award for Educational Programs/Educational Content. AzTEA is a professional non-profit organization devoted to increasing student achievement through technology in teaching and learning. This award is selected annually from a list of nominees.

One of Ariane's many roles is as Web designer for Scottsdale Unified School District’s Instructional Technology Team. She and the team provide technology training in the integration and implementation of District adopted software and e-Learning programs. The team of 12 is committed to providing leadership for the integration of technology, embedding technology within the curriculum and facilitating the implementation of new technology for the SUSD learning community. With Ariane's expertise, the team has a wealth of tech resources posted on its Web site, including quick tip cards, videos, step-by-step Instructions, Internet resources and weekly tech tips. The site also provides a prominent link to the SUSD Tech Plan, which emphasizes the purpose, focus and future of technology District-wide. To learn more about Instructional Technology, please visit http://its.susd.org.

Pima Student Takes Reading to the Next Level

5/8/2007

Sixth grader Brian Ahern has become the first Pima student to ever reach 1,000 Accelerated Reader points in one school year. This amazing reader has led the way in the quantity of reading done by Pima students over the past two years. The books read by Brian this school year represent more than 6,713,498 words.

The average points per student is about 90 per year. About 190 students per year reach the 200 point mark, 50 students per year reach 200 points, and about three students per year get to 500 points. Brian is the only student to ever exceed 600 points in a single school year.

Thank You Teachers!

5/7/2007

In honor of National Teacher Appreciation Week, Scottsdale Unified School District salutes our own teachers for your outstanding work and dedication to our students, and for the countless ways you enrich students’ lives everyday with your knowledge and exceptional teaching and learning.

Celebrate National Teacher Appreciation Week May 6-12

5/4/2007

Do you know how we came to celebrate National Teacher Appreciate Day and Week? In 1944, Arkansas teacher Mattye Whyte Woodridge began corresponding with political and education leaders about the need for a national day to honor teachers. Woodridge wrote to Eleanor Roosevelt, who in 1953 persuaded the 81st Congress to proclaim a National Teacher Day.

The National Education Association (NEA), along with its Kansas and Indiana state affiliates lobbied Congress to create a national day celebrating teachers. Congress declared March 7, 1980, as National Teacher Day for that year only.

NEA and its affiliates continued to observe National Teacher Day on the first Tuesday in March until 1985, when the National PTA established Teacher Appreciation Week as the first full week of May. The NEA Representative Assembly then voted to make the Tuesday of that week National Teacher Day.

Celebrated on the Tuesday of the first full week of May, the actual date varies each year. In 2007, National Teacher Day takes place May 8.

Celebrate National School Nurse Day

5/4/2007

This year's theme for National School Nurse Day is "Healthy Children Learn Better." National School Nurse Day was established to foster a better understanding of the role of school nurses in the educational setting. Since 1972, National School Nurse Day has been set aside to recognize school nurses. National School Nurse Day is always the Wednesday within National Nurse Week, which is always May 6th through May 12th.

Navajo Artist Creates Mural at Laguna

5/3/2007

Elmer Yazzie is leaving an artistic impression on the students and teachers at Laguna Elementary School.

Mr. Yazzie was invited to Laguna to help design a Southwest mural representing children of good character as stewards of the land. A core group of students worked with Mr. Yazzie on the mural creating a relief of children, plants, birds, animals and cacti. The students were asked to share with Yazzie their artistic interpretations of the Six Pillars of Character and helped design how these would be represented in the mural.

The mural was financed by private donors, Student Council, Pasco's 4th Grade Tie Dye Company and the Scottsdale Charros. The mural is a celebration of art, education, culture, character ad children.

Honoring the Arts

5/3/2007

The Arts in Education Council (AEC) for Scottsdale Unified School District celebrated fine arts with the Spring Appreciation Luncheon at Scottsdale Resort and Conference Center. 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. Ingleside Middle Assistant Principal Art Velarde received the Administrator Award, Lorena Abbott of Pueblo Elementary received the Fine Arts Teacher Award, Vicki Ruby of Cocopah Middle received the Volunteer Award, Kraig Foote received the Community Supporter Award and Dr. Don Chiappetti accepted the Community Organization Award for the Scottsdale Charros.

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

SUSD Names Long-time Advocate to New Outreach Position: Coordinator for Community and Business Partnerships

5/3/2007

Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) is proud to name a new member to its team-the Coordinator for Community and Business Partnerships. Carla Partridge, a Scottsdale parent and activist, will step into this new, non-compensated role on Monday, May 7, 2007.

"We are very excited to have someone with Carla's background and talent as part of our team. We expect her experience and civic-mindedness to be a great asset to the District," said SUSD Superintendent Dr. John M. Baracy. Her role will be to recruit both business partners and volunteers. "She is great at finding resources; this will help us build and improve programs for our students and staff." Read more...

Zuni Expands Comprehensive Gifted Program

5/3/2007

Scottsdale Unified School District's Gifted Services is pleased to announce the addition of a second grade cluster class to the Comprehensive Gifted Program at Zuni Elementary School for the 2007-2008 school year. Beth Parsons, a teacher at Zuni, will be working with other Self Contained Gifted teachers to offer a complete Gifted curriculum designed for students who have the extraordinary academic needs, abilities and intellectual potential found in the top three percent of the population. The current program at Zuni includes grades 3, 4 and 5.

Please join Gifted Services for a tour of the program on May 16th from 1-3 p.m. at Zuni Elementary School, 9181 E. Redfield Road, Scottsdale. For information and an application, please call Robin Madison at 480-484-2833.

Teen Job and Career Fair May 1

4/30/2007

Scottsdale Unified School District's Career/Technical Education department and the City of Scottsdale Teen Employment Program are hosting a Teen Job and Career Fair from 3-5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 1 at Saguaro High School, 6250 N. 82nd St., Scottsdale. Please bring a resume and dress to impress. For more information, please contact the Career/Technical Education department at 480-484-6839 or view the flyer

SUSD Statement: Update

4/27/2007 2 p.m.

Updates will be posted periodically to the Saguaro High School Web site. For further information, please view the letter

SUSD Statement: Saguaro Substitute Teacher Arrest

4/26/2007 5 p.m.

The Scottsdale Unified School District wants to make our community aware that a substitute teacher at Saguaro High School was placed on administrative leave this morning.

The Scottsdale Police Department (SPD) is currently conducting an investigation involving alleged improper conduct that occurred off-campus between this substitute teacher and a student. Read more...

2007 School State Report Cards Available on ADE Web Site

4/27/2007

The Arizona Department of Education's annual School Report Cards for year 2007 are now available to view online at http://www.ade.az.gov/srcs/find_school.asp

. Search by "school", enter the school name and select year 2007.

April 26 Public Discussion Meeting Cancelled

4/26/2007

Tonight’s public discussion meeting at 6 p.m. at the Education Center for the Acadia complex will be rescheduled due to an urgent matter that the administration is currently addressing. The meeting will be rescheduled within the next two weeks.

The Stars of Scottsdale Schools
Charros honor District’s top teachers and students

4/23/2007

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

The civic group honored 34 teachers, one from each school, and 13 high school students at its annual banquet held last Friday night at the Camelback Inn.

The Charros named Rachel Baumann from Chaparral High and Bianca Hasse from Saguaro High as Outstanding Students of the Year. Jenny Ekstrom from Pueblo Elementary, Laura Mendelson
from Cocopah Middle and Joani Share from Arcadia High were named Outstanding Educators of the Year. Janna Davis from Kiva Elementary, Randy Kirsch from Hopi Elementary, Colleen Katz from Mountainside Middle and Ann Keenan from Arcadia High were named Outstanding Volunteers of the Year. Lisa Heimburg from Tavan Elementary, Lorna Herrera from Ingleside Middle and Georgia French from Arcadia High were honored as Classified Employees of the Year. The Charros also awarded Future Teacher Scholarships to three seniors, Lindsay Creighton from Arcadia High, Karen Howley from Saguaro High and Hannah Harris from Desert Mountain High. The scholarships can be used toward a four year degree at an Arizona public university.

Arcadia, Saguaro and Desert Mountain Students Win Charros 2007 Future Teacher Scholarship

4/23/2007

Graduating seniors Lindsay Creighton, Arcadia High School; Karen Howley, Saguaro High School; and Hannah Harris, Desert Mountain High School; have been selected to receive the Scottsdale Charros’ Future Teacher Scholarships this year. These three young women will begin their college careers armed with one of the largest college scholarships available to Scottsdale Unified School District students.

Since the scholarship program’s creation in 1999, two SUSD students have been honored with this grant each year, but his year, three students will receive the scholarship. The Scottsdale Charros created this program in the hopes of encouraging students to attend college and pursue a career in education. As part of the Future Teacher Scholarship, each winner will receive four years of tuition at an Arizona public university of their choice, room and board, books, an expense stipend and a new computer. The applicants for the scholarship are judged on academics, leadership and community service.

SUSD Students to Swim San Francisco Bay

4/20/2007

Braving cold water and a 1.4 mile swim from Alcatraz Island to the shores of San Francisco Bay, Swim Neptune’s Team Alcatraz will swim to raise money to promote water safety awareness and drowning prevention on April 25th.

“One of the great things to come out of this whole experience is getting the children excited about setting goals. Each one of them has his or her own internal reasons for accepting this challenge, and they are all learning a great life lesson about having a challenging goal and doing what it takes to prepare to give it their best shot," said Coach Joe Zemaitis. "I have been very impressed by how hard the team is working and how passionate they are about our cause, drowning prevention."

The 50-member Team Alcatraz has 15 students that represent nine Scottsdale Unified School District schools. Those students are:

Ian Biggane, Kiva; Bobby Byars, Arcadia Neighborhood Learning Center; Wyatt Denton, Hopi; Colin Hart, Cochise; Michael Heinonen, Copper Ridge ES; Ethan Hetrick, Mohave,; Allie Jones, Hopi; Hayden McMorris, Arcadia Neighborhood Learning Center; Claire Moty, Desert Mountain; Stuart Moty, Desert Mountain; Jackson Pfundheller, Pima; Nick Steveson, Desert Mountain; Nikki Zilliox, Desert Mountain; and Eve Zweig, Pima.

Inspired by their teammate Braxton Bilbrey, who became the youngest swimmer to complete the 1.4 mile swim, Swim Neptune’s Team Alcatraz has been training six days a week since January to prepare for the swim. The team had 10 open water practice swims to prepare the students for the elements that they expect in San Francisco Bay. They went to San Francisco in March, and during training, they learned to counteract tides, chop, wind and limited visibility.

All monies raised will be donated to the Foundation for Aquatic Safety and Training (FAST), a Valley-based non-profit organization. Over the summer, Swim Neptune’s Team Alcatraz will serve as ambassadors of water safety, working with FAST in the community to continue to promote water safety and drowning prevention.

Dear SUSD Community

4/20/2007

As you are all aware, there have been many attempted disruptions in schools all across the country, as well as here in the Valley over the past 24 hours. Unfortunately here in Scottsdale, we are not exempt from these situations. Despite the actions of a few, all SUSD schools are in session today.

We want to assure you that student safety and learning are our top priorities. In working closely with the Scottsdale and Phoenix Police departments, there have not been any specific threats at any of our campuses this morning. As always, we work closely with police to investigate any rumors. Today, like other days, all of our middle schools and high schools have their SRO (School Resource Officer) and security staff on site. Additionally, it is our expectation that instructional time is being maximized in all classrooms today just like any other day.

We want to thank our community for their partnership and support for our children’s education. Again we want to assure the parents and the community that we are dedicated to the education and safety of all of our students.

If you have any concerns, questions and/or related information, please contact the Education Center at 480-484-6100 or your home school office.

Charros to Honor SUSD Teachers, Staff, Volunteer and Students

4/20/2007

Outstanding Scottsdale Unified School District educators and students will be honored Friday, April 20th at the Scottsdale Charros’ 21st annual awards banquet. The Charros are a group of local businessmen who promote Scottsdale. Money generated through the Charros' involvement with spring training pays for the scholarships and awards.

The Charros will honor a Student of the Year, Teachers of the Year at the elementary, middle and high school levels and present awards to an SUSD support employee, a school volunteer and a Scottsdale Community College professor. The event is sponsored by General Dynamics and the Scottsdale Republic.

Students to be honored are Jessica Jardine, Arcadia; Brian Hake, Arcadia; Ben Grossman, Chaparral; Rachel Baumann, Chaparral; Sean Harvey, Coronado; Kuo-Ling Chung, Coronado; Nicole Riley, Desert Mountain; Daniel Sluyk, Desert Mountain; Bianca Haase, Saguaro; and Shyam Yekanath, Saguaro.

Teachers receiving honors are Karen Dertach, Anasazi; Art Eklund, ANLC; Patricia Vassaux, Aztec; Pamela Hornbeck, Cherokee; Ryan Keller, Cheyenne; Rebecca Hirschfeld, Cochise; Bobbie Faulkner, Copper Ridge; Holly Hooley, Desert Canyon; Kari Kurland, Hohokam; Debbie Voris, Hopi; Joan Cardell, Kiva; Mary Macaluso, Laguna; Mimi Carroll, Navajo; Paul Schettino, Pima; Jenny Ekstrom, Pueblo; Terri Lee, Sequoya; Kay Ringo, Tavan; Donna Stokes, Tonalea; Sonia Cordova, Yavapai; Kay Nichols, Zuni; Leslie Ringler, ANLC; Adrienne Moyer-Bass, Cheyenne; Laura Mendleson, Cocopah; Kurt Fredrick, Copper Ridge; Matt Lins, Desert Canyon; Wes Wagner, Ingleside; Gail Chamberlin, Mohave; Russ Capri, Mountainside; Sia Chamberlin, Supai; Joani Share, Arcadia; Christine Marsh, Chaparral; Joe Schmidt, Coronado; Julie Parker, Desert Mountain; Chris Brandt, Saguaro; and John Brubaker, Sierra Vista.

Classified and volunteer winners will be announced at the banquet.

Classified staff nominees are Dijana Schlegelmilch, Anasazi; Keith Shelton, ANLC; Sherry West, Aztec; Linda Hall, Cherokee; Sue Emery, Cheyenne; Dave Moore, Cochise; Laurie Kalush, Copper Ridge; Wanda Tingley, Desert Canyon; Judy Edmondson, Hohokam; June Winkler, Hopi; Jill Gross, Kiva; Sherry West, Laguna; Diana Dunkel, Navajo; Debbie Heun, Pima; Susan Scherman, Pueblo; Tom Hernan, Sequoya; Lisa Heimburg, Tavan; Julie Kredlo, Tonalea; Mariela Duarte, Yavapai; Lerinda Beeler, Zuni; M. E. Fusco, Cocopah; Pam Linderman, Desert Canyon; Lorna Herrera, Ingleside; Evavgelina Hayworth, Mohave; Nina Marasco, Mountainside; Milton Zurhoff, Supai; Georgia French, Arcadia; Ray Johnston, Chaparral; Jerri Kelley, Coronado; Duffy McManus, Desert Mountain;Lori Jacques, Saguaro; and Carol Grabowski, Sierra Vista Academy.

Volunteer nominees are Tammy White, Anasazi; Maria Kitkowski, ANLC; Maria Kokoska, Aztec; Michelle Smart, Cherokee; Debbie Domenico, Cheyenne; Sue Tooker, Cochise; TC Collins, Copper Ridge; Anna Marie Mars, Desert Canyon; Melissa Brown, Hohokam; Randy Kirsch, Hopi; Jana Davis, Kiva; Pauline Wynn Miller, Laguna; Heidi Schaefer,Navajo; Nancy Hunter, Pima; JoAnn Sears, Pueblo; Mary Donaldson, Sequoya; Matt Toney, Tavan; Steve Krohl, Tonalea; Evelyn Haberer; Yavapai; Claire Stacker, Zuni; Vicki Ruby, Cocopah; Scott and Marilisa Wynn, Desert Canyon; Lisette Murney, Ingleside; Susan Renner, Mohave; Colleen Katz, Mountainside; Lorna Rodriguez, Supai; Anne Keenan, Arcadia; Kathy Barney, Chaparral; Mark Peterson, Coronado; Kathy Schmidt, Desert Mountain; and Kathy Nord, Saguaro.

Congratulations to all those who were nominated!

Earth Day Celebrations

4/20/2007

Did you know that April 22nd is Earth Day? Many of our students are reducing their "carbon footprint" this year by planning activities, proposing possible solutions to problems and environmental issues, planting flowers and volunteering.

Arcadia High School students are working on an in-class PowerPoint presentation about environmental concerns facing Arizona today. Topics range from broad to specific: global warming, wildfires, drought, air pollution caused by vehicles, water conservation, land development and the importance of recycling. They’ll also come up with possible “real-life” solutions we can use.

Chaparral High School’s Environmental Biology class set up tables at lunch to show different environmental issues. The students will also offer eco-friendly tips to fellow students. The school’s Animals, People, Earth (A.P.E.) Club is painting a mural for Earth Day. It consists of a huge tree with statistics about global warming on the leaves. There will be leaves throughout the walls of the building with other global warming facts and conservation tips written on them.

Eleven Service Learning students at Desert Mountain High School will be volunteering their time on Earth Day at the Senior Citizens homewhere they’ll plant flowers with the seniors. Ten Service Learning students will be volunteering their time at the Phoenix Zoo to help run games and activities for the zoo’s Earth Day Celebration from 8-11:30 a.m.

Aztec Elementary School's sixth grade students are involved in the Lions Quest Service Learning project; all of these projects are themed around helping the environment. Some students are creating Public Service Announcements; others are planting flowers and drought resistant plants. One student will teach information about energy conservation, and another student will teach about wildlife conservation to younger students (grades). Another group is re-using paper and creating flyers informing the families in the school community about the air pollution from car emissions to persuade them to turn off their cars while waiting in the student pick-up lines.

Laguna Elementary School’s fourth graders are doing a "Garbage to Gold" activity. Students are given an article of garbage and asked to find another use for it. For example, a large soda bottle can be turned into a bird feeder. On April 19-20 second graders are doing an entire rainforest program about saving the earth. The program entails songs, poems and sign language about the wonders of the rainforest and how we need to preserve it. There will be “safari kid narrators" and a toucan skit. Each class has a song and dance they perform, with the kids pretending to be animals from the rainforest.

Sequoya Elementary School’s third grade classes will make a bulletin board in front of their room with “pollution monsters.” They will also be learning a song called "Good Garbage" to sing on Sequoya TV during Earth Week. In addition, they will be learning the importance or reusing and recycling. The school’s Student Council will build awareness about Earth Day by providing mini-posters about saving the earth to color and by providing word searches that contain words like reduce, reuse, recycle, care, litter, plants and soil. They will also made a special announcement Wednesday morning about how Earth Day started, and they will donate a small tree to the campus. Finally, they had a “Clean-Up Our Campus” time during lunch hours on Thursday to celebrate Earth Day.

JOB FAIR

4/10/07

Would you like to work for Arizona’s Most Excelling School District? If you are about to graduate or are already an experienced teacher, simply stop by the Media Center at Coronado High School, 2501 N. 74th St., Scottsdale, from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 5th for more information about a rewarding career with SUSD. Click here to register online

At the Cinco De Mayo Job Fair, SUSD will be recruiting for the following certificated teacher openings:	Elementary school	-	Music	Parking is available in the school parking lot on East Virginia, and access to an additional parking lot is located on Miller Road.
	Middle school	-	Math
	High school	-	English
	Special education	-	Science
	Physical education	-	Foreign language

Principal Named for Saguaro High School

4/10/2007

Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) has named a new principal for Saguaro High School. The new principal, Annie Preston, comes to SUSD from the Deer Valley Unified School District where she served as assistant principal at Boulder Creek High School for the past two and a half years. Read more...

Attendance = Learning and Successful Testing

AIMS and Terra Nova Tests Administered in April

3/22/2007

As parents, you know that learning only happens when your children attend class. That is why it so important for children to be in school every day.

Due to the increase in rigor of state standards, it is more important than ever that students are in school so they have ample opportunity to learn. Because new skills build on skills already acquired, students are more successful on tests when they have consistent classroom attendance.

During the week of April 10th, students will be taking either the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) or the Terra Nova DPA tests. Each school's AZ Learns label and Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) are contingent on attendance during these tests.

Here are just a few tips to help your child when it comes to taking tests:

Make sure that your child is in school during the testing sessions. Do not plan any doctor or dental appointments on test dates.
Make sure that your child arrives at school on time. Late students will not be allowed to enter a classroom after a test has started.
Encourage your child to study over a period of time rather than "cram" the night before.
Encourage your child to listen carefully to all test-taking directions given by the teacher and to ask questions about any directions that are unclear.
See that your child gets the proper amount of sleep before the tests and is well-rested.
Make sure that your child eats a nutritious breakfast on the day of the test. Hunger can detract from a good test performance.
Encourage your child to do his or her best.

To view testing calendars, please visit: www.susd.org/district/assess/index.cfm.

Take Your Child to Work - After School is Out

3/23/2007

Scottsdale Unified School District and other schools across the Valley encourage 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 21 as a preferred date for Take Your Child to Work Day. The national date, April 26, 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.

SUSD Hosts Public Discussions

3/22/2007

Scottsdale Unified School District is hosting Public Discussions at each complex to discuss with and inform the community about two possible upcoming overrides — renewal of the M&O Override and a proposed Capital Override. The meetings will include a presentation from Superintendent Dr. John M. Baracy followed by a Q&A session for the public. SUSD Administrators and Governing Board members will also be present.

The meeting is scheduled for 6-7:30 p.m. The date and location for the remaining meeting is:

Wednesday, May 2
Arcadia Complex
Education Center
Governing Board Room
3811 N. 44th St., Phoenix

Construction Update

3/16/2007


Chaparral High School	Saguaro High School	Sierra Vista Academy

Construction is underway at five Scottsdale Unified School District high schools and Sierra Vista Academy.

At Chaparral High School, demolition crews razed the west side of the auxiliary gym. In its place a new gym and vocational education building is being constructed. Academic buildings will be built during Phase II of construction. The estimated cost to rebuild Chaparral is $49 million. McCarthy is the contractor and Orcutt/Winslow is the architectural firm for the project. Construction at Chaparral High School should be completed in January 2009.
At Saguaro High School, the parking lot was demolished to make way for a two-story "A” Building. During Phase II of construction, the athletic complex will be renovated. The estimated cost to rebuild Saguaro is $47 million. DL Withers is the contractor and DLR Group is the architectural firm for the project. Construction at Saguaro High School should be completed in January 2009.
At Coronado High School, crews are erecting the auditorium and performing arts building. Then, the 700 building will be demolished to finish construction on the baseball fields. The estimated cost of construction is $45.2 million. Construction at Coronado High School will be completed in December 2007.
At Arcadia High School, crews are constructing the main academic building. Next year the gymnasium and athletic complex will be built. The estimated cost of construction at the school is $42.1 million. Arcadia High School will wrap up construction by August 2008.
At Desert Mountain High School, projects include expansion of the dining facilities, parking lots and drop-off areas. Restrooms will be built at the baseball/softball fields, and a new field house will be constructed. A zoned air conditioner for the shared City of Scottsdale Library will also be installed. The estimated cost of the construction at the school is $3.0 million. Construction will be completed in June 2008.
At Sierra Vista Academy, crews are almost finished doubling the size of the campus. New buildings include classrooms, art and science buildings and a fitness center. The Phase II construction at the school is estimated at $4.1 million. A dedication ceremony is tentatively scheduled in mid-May.

During this construction process, the administrations at all sites are successfully balancing construction to accommodate academic and athletic needs at the schools with minimal disruption to the education process.

Thank you to the voters who approved a $217 million bond in November 2004 to modernize Arcadia, Chaparral, Coronado and Saguaro high schools, make improvements to Desert Mountain High School, begin Phase II construction at Sierra Vista Academy and to purchase land and buses. At this time, all projects are on time and on budget. The result will be outstanding centers of learning, arts and athletics for our children.

SUSD Students Chosen as Phoenix Youth Ambassadors

3/16/2007

Seven Scottsdale Unified School District students have been chosen to serve as youth ambassadors and travel to Phoenix's sister cities through a summer exchange program. Those students are: Mallory DeLashmutt, a junior at Arcadia High School; Amy Forker, a sophomore at Arcadia High School; Arianne Gruys, a junior at Chaparral High School; Maddy Kloss, a junior at Desert Mountain High School; Rachel Lowenstein, a junior at Arcadia High School; Lexi Moody, a junior at Arcadia High School; and Robert Morgan, a junior at Arcadia High School.

The Youth Ambassador Exchange Program, sponsored by the City of Phoenix's Sister Cities Program, allows young people from around the world to learn about and experience each other's cultures.

The students are selected on the basis of their communication skills, maturity, flexibility, leadership and self-confidence. each will live with a host family in their designated sister city for three weeks in June and early July, then reciprocate and house their host family's son or daughter in Phoenix in mid-July.

Phoenix Sister Cities are: Calgary, Canada; Catania, Italy; Chengdu, China; Ennis, Ireland; Grenoble, France; Hermosillo, Mexico; Himeji, Japan; Prague, Czech Republic; Ramat Gan, Israel; and Taipei, Taiwan.

For more information, visit www.phoenixsistercities.org

, or call 602-534-3751.

Matt Leinart Visits Navajo

3/16/2007

Matt Leinart, Arizona Cardinals quarterback, spoke to students at Navajo Elementary School about the importance of healthy eating and nutrition. His visit stems from this group of students (the “Breakfast Club”) participating in a contest sponsored by the Arizona Dairy Council. Daisy the Cow, the Arizona Diary Council's mascot, also made a special appearance at the school.

For one week, students across the Valley logged onto the Internet and entered information about what they ate for breakfast. All of the students who completed entries for each day of the week were entered into a drawing to have Matt Leinart visit their school.

Navajo’s “Breakfast Club” is a free program that provides a nutritious breakfast to students each school day. Parents are also welcome to join their child for breakfast, which costs the grown-up just $1. During “Breakfast Club” time, students watch movies, play games and color.

Chaparral Student Organizes Book Drive

3/9/2007

Do you have new or used children's books that you'd like to donate? Brad Schell, a junior at Chaparral High School, in conjunction with Cochise Elementary School and Cocopah Middle School is collecting children's books for distribution to disadvantaged children in the Valley. Books will be collected through March 23 for distribution after spring break. Books can be dropped off at the APT room at Cochise or at the library at Cocopah.

Brad got the idea of a book drive because he was constantly dropping off donated books at the Mustang Library for his family. He decided it would be better to give the children's books directly to less fortunate children who may never get to a library. Brad's parents suggested he try and collect more books from family, friends
and neighbors. His initial goal was to collect 1,000 books.

"I am nearly there with just the books I have managed to round up myself. The Cochise APT President heard about the book drive and wanted to get involved. Coincidentally, I had planned on going over and talking to them the following day. I was the school president at Cochise when I was in 5th grade. I then contacted Cocopah, my former middle school, and they agreed to help, also," he said.

For more information about the book drive, please e-mail Brad Schell

Desert Mountain Wins State Championship

3/7/2007

The Desert Mountain Boys’ Basketball team defeated Paradise Valley High School for the State 5A Division II Title Tuesday night at the Jobbing.com Arena.

This is the first time a DMHS basketball team has won a state championship. The final score of the game was 65-55.

Congratulations to the team members and Coach Todd Fazio!

SUSD has First School Bus Operation to Earn VPP "Star" Status in OSHA Program

3/7/2007

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) presented Dan Shearer, director of transporters of learners, and the First Vehicle Service team with the prestigious Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) “Star” status. SUSD’s San Salvador Bus Maintenance Location is the first school bus repair facility to achieve the Star status as a result of its participation in the VPP OSHA Challenge Pilot. The SUSD bus garage is managed by David Kline and operated by First Vehicle Services (FVS), an international general fleet services contractor.

"We are proud of this noteworthy achievement–it's truly a milestone–and we look forward to continued improvement in our safety and health management systems,” says Shearer. “This goes hand-in-hand with SUSD goals and is especially important to a District that prides itself on being one of Arizona’s most excelling school districts.”

The OSHA VPP recognizes the outstanding efforts of employers and employees who have achieved exemplary occupational safety and health. The VVP Challenge Pilot was designed to help companies take a more proactive approach to occupational safety and health by providing a detailed roadmap that guides them to improve their safety and health management systems and meet VPP recognition criteria. VPP companies achieve average injury and illness rates that are 50 percent lower than other companies in their industry.

In qualifying for "Star" status, First Vehicle Services verified that they had implemented programs and procedures beyond those required under OSHA standards. The requirements for application to VPP include a high degree of management support and employee involvement, high quality worksite hazard analysis protocols, prevention and control programs, and comprehensive safety and health training for all employees.

Planting the Seeds of Friendship

3/9/2007

Gardens are blossoming at several campuses this spring. Many of our students, faculty, staff and community members are working together to spruce up their schools.

Arcadia Neighborhood Learning Center celebrated the renewal of their garden with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Thursday. The ANLC garden has been an exciting place of growth and discovery for students. This fall the garden was completely redesigned with generous donations of both time and money. The students are so excited to begin spring planting and to release ladybugs, which will take place throughout the day on March 21st.

Building friendships is the theme of Desert Canyon Middle School’s new Friendship garden. By working together,
students in the Self-Contained Autism class, the student government and Bob Heidenric, custodian, created an
opportunity for students in the regular classroom to interact with students in a Self-Contained Autism classroom. The idea of a garden originated when students in the Self-Contained Autism class showed great interest in their indoor planting Science lessons. The “Friends Program” is adapted from the Friend program developed by the SouthwestAutism Research & Resource Center (SARRC) which focuses on Autism awareness.

Navajo Elementary School is creating the Navajo Community Butterfly Garden. Parents, students, teachers and staff assisted in selecting and placing plants that will attract and retain butterfly populations. Lowe’s Home Improvement, Basha’s and other neighborhood businesses and individuals provided gardening tools, soil and
plants.

Yavapai Elementary School’s Garden Club will be creating a Children’s Tranquility Garden this spring. The club is hoping to team with Arizona State University landscape architecture students to design the garden. The school recently received a $1,000 grant from Lowe’s Home Improvement store.

Coronado Teacher Named Teacher of the Year

3/2/2007

Darcy Brodison, an Economics teacher at Coronado High School, was named Teacher of the Year by the Arizona Society of Economics Teachers on February 3rd. She is also secretary of that organization and presented two breakout sessions at its annual conference. Darcy has also been selected to grade Advance Placement economics exams in Nebraska for the second year in a row. For two consecutive years, she also presented at the Arizona Council for the Social Studies Conference held in the Fall.

Read Across America

3/2/2007

Scottsdale Unified School District students are honoring a literary legend. Along with The National Education Association, students and teachers are saluting Dr. Seuss as part of Read Across America Week.

In celebration, members of the community visited several classrooms at SUSD schools to read stories to the students. At many elementary schools, students and teachers dressed up as literary characters to get into the spirit. This year marks the 50th anniversary of "The Cat in the Hat."

Batista Visits Coronado

3/2/2007

Miguel Batista, a pitcher for the Seattle Mariners, spoke to Coronado High School students about communicating original thoughts and ideas and about positive self-expression.

He describes himself as “Dominican by birth, pitcher by profession, and poet by vocation.” Batista has written a book of poetry entitled "Feeling in Black and White" and is known for his love of poetry and philosophy.

An Insect's Life

2/23/2007

Polyphemus moths were the rage in Michelle Simonson’s second grade class at Copper Ridge Elementary School this week.

Two male moths hatched this week from four cocoons that Superintendent Dr. John M. Baracy delivered to the class in November 2006. The students are still waiting for the other two cocoons, which could be a different species of moth to hatch. Dr. Baracy collected the cocoons while on a trip to Cobden, Ill. last fall. The moths will be released in hopes that they will mate. Dr. Baracy also brought his personal collection of butterflies and moths to share with the students.

The students also raised mealworms and wax worms that will turn into beetles soon. They are learning about insects and the life cycles as part of the second grade curriculum.

An Exceptional Customer Experience

2/23/2007

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 Miles Goodpasture, the facilitator of the University of People at Southwest Airlines, hosted the event. Goodpasture shared his vision for providing the very best service each and every day.

Laguna's Patriotic Pride

2/23/2007

Third graders at Laguna Elementary School participated in the in school's annual Patriotic Show this week.

The Patriotic Show included students singing patriotic songs, quoting famous phrases and telling the history of the flag. They invited a fireman, a policeman, a paramedic, a member of the military and a heart surgeon (parents in service fields) to attend the show. For the finale, the students invited the special guests on stage to sing “God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood.

The students are learning about America as part of the third grade curriculum.

Pelosi Visits Cochise

2/20/2007

Students at Cochise Elementary School were treated to a very special guest Tuesday when Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi made a stop at the school at lunch time.

Pelosi wanted to visit Cochise because she heard rave reviews of the school from her husband, who had toured the school before.

While on campus, Pelosi praised the teachers, especially special education teachers, and emphasized the importance of education for all children.

“The school really lives up to its reputation,” she said. Pelosi was very impressed with the technology at the school.

Pelosi addressed the cost of college tuition to a packed room at Arizona State University Monday evening.

Pelosi is the first woman in American history to lead a major party in the U.S. Congress. Before being elected Speaker, she served as House Democratic Whip for one year. Pelosi represents California's Eighth District in the House of Representatives.

Quest for the Best!

2/20/2007

Would you like to work for Arizona’s Most Excelling School District? If you are about to graduate or are already an experienced teacher, simply stop by Scottsdale Unified School District’s booth at the Great Arizona Teach-In Career Fair for more information about a rewarding career with SUSD.

Great Arizona Teach-In — from 2-7 p.m., Monday, March 5th, at the Phoenix Civic Plaza, 111 N. 3rd St., Phoenix, 85004. For more information about the Great Arizona Teach-In, please visit: http://www.teachinaz.com/ecf.html.

Chaparral Student to Compete in Culinary Contest

2/16/2007

Ashley Holian, a senior at Chaparral High School, will participate in the semi-final Careers through Culinary Arts Programs (C-Cap) competition this Saturday. The competition is from 9 a.m.-noon on February 17th at Casa Grande High School, 2730 N. Trekell Road.

The final culinary competition will be held on March 24 at the Arizona Culinary Institute in Scottsdale.

Parents who are interested in learning more about the programs are invited to attend an informational meeting from 6-7 p.m. on Thursday, March 22nd in the Media Center at Pueblo, 6320 N. 82nd St.

Ashley is a second year culinary student in Jennie Blomquist’s class. She would like to pursue a career as a certified chef.

Saguaro Receives BCS Turf

2/16/2007

New turf was rolled out on Saguaro High School’s football field this week.

The turf was used in last month’s Bowl Championship Series title game played at the University of Phoenix Stadium.

Saguaro’s football parent booster club asked Fiesta Bowl officials to donate the field to them. Donations from the Scottsdale Charros, parents and alumni covered the cost of delivery and setting up the sod and installing a new irrigation system.

Board Approves Calendars

2/13/2007

At Tuesday night’s Governing Board meeting, the Board approved the proposed calendars for 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11 and a template of subsequent calendars through 2017. The calendars are posted at: http://www.susd.org/district/administrativeservices/calendar.cfm.

Foreign Language Immersion Program at Pueblo Elementary

2/14/2007

The Governing Board recently approved Pueblo Elementary School’s Foreign Language Immersion Program, which will begin in the fall of 2007.

This program offers parents an opportunity for their child to learn a second language at a time when children learn languages best.

Beginning in the first grade, English speaking students spend half of the school day learning regular first grade curriculum in Spanish and the other half learning in English. Students are taught the first grade curriculum and will learn to speak, read and write in two languages.

Parents who are interested in learning more about the programs are invited to attend an informational meeting from 6-7 p.m. on Thursday, March 22nd in the Media Center at Pueblo, 6320 N. 82nd St.

For more information about the Foreign Language Immersion Program, please view the brochure

or call Pueblo Elementary School at 480-484-3100.

SUSD Hosts Regional II Spelling Bee

2/12/2007