In this issue...

March 2, 2007

Did You Know...

Did you know that the month of March is the time when Music in Our Schools, Youth Art, Middle Level Education, Nutrition and Social Work are honored nationally?

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Quest for the Best!

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.

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Coronado Teacher Named Teacher of the Year

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.
 

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Read Across America

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."

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Batista Visits Coronado

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.

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Teen Employment Opportunities

The City of Scottsdale Youth and Family Services Teen Employment Program is designed to serve Scottsdale teens by offering job readiness training, resume assistance, mock interviews and job referrals. They also refer teens to job opportunities from local businesses and residents.

Teenagers 14 – 19 years old who live in Scottsdale and attend a Scottsdale school are eligible for the Teen Employment Program.

To register, teens are required to either attend a job skills workshop or an individual session with the employment specialist. The purpose of the workshop is to prepare and equip teens for the world of work, emphasizing the development of job seeking skills. Workshop topics include: job attitude, interviews, the resume and application process and dressing for success. Workshops are offered monthly. If interested in registering, please call 480-312-7922.

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SPC Seeks New Board Members

Scottsdale Parent Council (SPC) has formed a Nominating Committee for next year and is looking for parents that are interested in serving on the Executive Board. In order to have equal representation across the District, SPC's Board consists of two Executive Board members from each of the Five Complexes.

If you are interested in serving on the SPC Executive Board for the 2007-2008 school year, please contact Jeff Winkler, nominating committee chair, for further information.

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Comprehensive Gifted Self-Contained School Tours

Gifted Services is hosting Comprehensive Gifted Program Tours at Pima and Zuni elementary schools.

• Pima Elementary School — May 9 from 1-3 p.m., 8330 E. Osborn Road
• Zuni Elementary School — March 7 and May 16 from 1-3 p.m., 9181 E. Redfield Road
• Mohave Middle School — March 21 from 2-4 p.m., 5520 N. 86th St.
• Desert Canyon Middle School — April 11 from 2-4 p.m., 10203 E. McDowell Mountain Ranch Road

Reserve your seat today by e-mailing your name, address and phone number to Robin Madison. Also, indicate the location and date you plan to attend. Click here to view the informational flyer.

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Upcoming Events

• Copper Ridge Math & Science Academy — Science Symposium from 6:30-8 p.m. on Monday, March 5th at the Barnes & Nobles Bookstore, 10500 N. 90th St., Scottsdale. Guest speakers at the Science Symposium include members of the Dial Corporation Team — Jeanne Howard, Kristin M. Leisgang, Tyler Mikkelsen, Keith Molever, Debra Park, Nancy Rodgers and Jessica Walker. For more information, call Copper Ridge Math and Science Academy at 480-484-1560.
   
• Kindergarten Round-Up

  Yavapai Elementary School ~ March 6th, 5 p.m. in the Cafeteria.
  Tavan Elementary School ~ March 7th, 6:30 p.m. in the Media Center.
  Zuni Elementary School ~ March 7th, 5 p.m. in the Library.
  Arcadia Neighborhood Learning Center conducts monthly individual or group tours of the campus. To schedule a tour, please call the ANLC office at 480-484-7500.

  To find out when a school in your area is having its Kindergarten Round-Up, please see the full schedule at www.susd.org/district/forparents/KindergartenRoundUps.htm
   
• Scottsdale Public Library is hosting a family exhibition about homes around the world — Your House, My House. This exhibition is recommended for children 4-12 years of age. The exhibition continues through April 14th at the Scottsdale Civic Center Library, 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd.
   

• The Special Education Parents Advisory Council of Scottsdale is sponsoring an Individualized Education Program (IEP) Workshop advocating for your child's special educational needs from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 28th at Zuni Elementary School, 9181 E. Redfield Road, Scottsdale. Bring your questions for small group workshops with IEP experts Kim Yamamoto and Jill Pearns of Raising Special Kids and Barb Ross of the Parent Information Network.
   

• The Governing Board will meet on March 6th and March 20th at 5 p.m. at the Education Center, 3811 N. 44th St., Phoenix.
   
• Mark your calendars for the next Scottsdale Parent Council General Membership meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 13th at the Education Center, 3811 N. 44th St., Phoenix.
   
• Middle School Road Show - Coming to an Elementary School Near You! The transition from elementary school to middle school is a big change for most parents and students. To help make a smooth transition, parents are invited to attend Myth and Magic - the Middle School Road Show. Upcoming presentations are as follows:

  Tonalea Elementary School ~ 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 13th in the Cafeteria, 6801 E. Oak St., Scottsdale
  Pima Elementary School ~ 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 15th in Orchestra Room M-3, 8330 E. Osborn Road, Scottsdale
   

• Mark you calendars for Cheyenne Traditional School’s 10th Anniversary Party Under the Stars from 5-8 p.m. on Thursday, March 15th, 11130 E. Cholla St., Scottsdale.

  The evening will begin with a special re-dedication ceremony in honor of the school’s 10th anniversary. Student and artist-in-residence artwork will be displayed in the cafeteria all evening. The evening will include a classroom open house and a student concert under the stars. Families can also enjoy an “all-American” meal and birthday cake. For more information, please call Eileen Berens at 480-570-9984.

• Desert Canyon Middle School Celebrates 10 Years of Excellence! DCMS cordially invites you to attend its First Annual Dinner and Auction from 6-8:30 p.m. on Friday, March 16th, at the Desert Canyon Cafe, 10203 E. McDowell Mountain Ranch Road, Scottsdale. To RSVP, please e-mail Carolyn Attal or call her at 480-419-9272.

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Excellence in the Classroom
Sixteen teachers from Korea recently visited EIS teachers at Coronado High School. The Korean teachers are visiting different schools to learn how our teachers teach English. They visited classrooms, took notes and asked questions about curriculum and different methods of teaching.

On February 24th, Chaparral High School's Girls' Varsity Softball team participated in the annual "Climb to Conquer Cancer" at South Mountain. The girls hiked the 5.5 mile trail to the top and raised more than $1,000 for the cause. The team donated the money in memory of Dave Braga, a longtime Chaparral softball supporter.

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