In this issue...

April 13, 2007

SUSD Hosts Public Discussions

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.

All meetings are scheduled for 6-7:30 p.m. The dates and locations for the five meetings are:
 

• Monday, April 16
  Desert Mountain Complex
  Mountainside Middle School
  Mini-Auditorium
  11256 N. 128th St., Scottsdale
   
• Tuesday, April 24
  Chaparral Complex
  Chaparral High School
  Media Center
  6935 E. Gold Dust Ave., Scottsdale
   
• Thursday, April 26
  Arcadia Complex
  Education Center – District Office
  Governing Board Room
  3811 N. 44th St., Phoenix
   
• Monday, April 30
  Coronado Complex
  Coronado High School
  Media Center
  2501 N. 74th St., Scottsdale

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Principal Named for Saguaro High School

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...

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Desert Mountain Student Wins Award

Jennifer Harter, a senior at Desert Mountain High School, recently won the Beth McDonald Woman of the Year Award sponsored by KEZ Channel 99.9 and Schumacher Mercedes-Benz. Jennifer raised $22,500 to build a playground for The Roadrunner Special Needs School for her Service Learning program project management assignment.

For her commitment to her community, Jennifer has been awarded the following this year:

• The Channel 3 and Qwest "Something Good Spirit Award"
• The President Bush Volunteer Service Award
• Nationally published by Parks and Recreation
• KEZ Woman of the Year Award

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Supai Science Teacher to Attend Space Camp

Bill Gardner, a 7th grade science teacher at Supai Middle School, has been selected to attend Honeywell's 2007 Space Academy for Educators program from June 18-25 at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville , Ala.

While at the Space Camp, he will participate in activities that he can incorporate into his classroom instruction, including putting the fun back in math activities, biology - protein crystal growth experimentation, space science, living and working in space, space history, Space Week at your school and team building.

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Arts in Education Seeks Nominations

The Arts in Education Council for Scottsdale Schools is sponsoring its 2nd Annual Fine Arts Awards event. The council is seeking nominations to recognize the efforts of individuals and organizations that have demonstrated exceptional support for the fine arts in a school or schools within the Scottsdale Unified School District. These awards will be presented at the Annual Spring Luncheon on May 3. The categories are:

• Fine Arts Teacher
• Administrator
• Arts in Education Council Volunteer
• Community Individual
• Community Organization

The nominations will be judged on the following criteria:

• The significance and/or magnitude of the contribution and/or achievement
• The breadth of the school population served
• The length of time and/or intensity dedicated to the arts in our schools

Please send a one-page letter of nomination describing why the nominee should receive the award. Include the name, affiliation and contact information of the nominee, and include the nominator’s name, address, phone number and e-mail address. Identify which category is appropriate for the nominee. The deadline is Friday, April 13, 2007.

Please send your nomination to: Bonnie Sneed, 10830 E. Raintree Dr., Scottsdale, AZ 85255-1800 or fax to 480-342-9157. For more information, call 480-342-8633.

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April is Math Awareness Month

Did you know that April is Math Awareness Month? Scientists now say that we’re all born with a “math gene.” And this tidbit of knowledge is also a great introduction to the theme of this year’s Math Awareness Month: “Mathematics and the Brain.”

During Math Awareness Month every April, math professionals hope to get young people excited about math. This year’s theme of Mathematics and the Brain focuses on neurobiology and includes things like live images of learning brains and computer mapping and modeling of brain activities. It is this type of information that has added significantly to our understanding about how the brain learns math and how mathematical knowledge and skills are utilized within the brain. Using this type of research, scientists have found several effective strategies for learning math. These strategies include setting high expectations for students, creating a supportive and cooperative learning environment, making use of available tools, posing meaningful and realistic problems, doing hands-on activities, guiding discovery learning and using varied forms of assessment.

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Take Your Child to Work – After School is Out

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.

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Quest for the Best Job Fair

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:

Parking is available in the school parking lot on East Virginia, and access to an additional parking lot is located on Miller Road.

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Upcoming Events

• Kindergarten Round-Up

  Hohokam Elementary School ~ April 19th, 6:30-7:30 p.m. in Room 12, 8451 E. Oak St., Scottsdale
  Laguna Elementary School ~ April 25th 9-10:30 a.m. in Room 109, 10475 E. Lakeview Drive, Scottsdale
  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.

• Don't miss the Arizona Education Association's Community Roundtable on NCLB featuring Congressman Harry Mitchell from 9-11:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 14 at Pueblo Elementary School, 6320 N 82nd St., Scottsdale. For more information, please view the flyer.
   
• The 22nd Annual Special Day for Special Kids for the Valley’s special needs children and their families is from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, April 14 at the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park, 7301 E. Indian Bend Road, Scottsdale.
   
• The next Governing Board meeting is on April 17th at 5 p.m. at the Education Center, 3811 N. 44th St., Phoenix.
   
• Hohokam Elementary School is hosting a Community Input Meeting regarding the selection of the next principal from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 18 in the Cafeteria, 8451 E. Oak St., Scottsdale.
   
• Arcadia Neighborhood Learning Center is hosting a Community Input Meeting regarding the selection of the next principal from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19 in the Cafeteria, 4330 N. 62nd St., Scottsdale.
   
• Coronado High School is holding their first annual Spring Carnival hosted by JAG and Student Council from 11 a.m.-3:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 21 at Coronado, 2501 N. 74th St., Scottsdale. This event will help raise money for the clubs at Coronado. There will be food, face painting, a variety of games and music. For more information, please contact Tina Mortenson at 480-484-6800 x6749.
   
• Scottsdale Unified School District will host its Third Annual Fifth Grade Math Competition from 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Saturday April 28, at Zuni Elementary School, 9181 E. Redfield Road, Scottsdale. Gifted specialists representing Anasazi, Aztec, Cochise, Copper Ridge, Desert Canyon, Hohokam, Hopi, Kiva, Pima, Tavan, Yavapai and Zuni elementary schools will bring a five member team to the event. The individual students will be challenged to solve problems, and teams will compete to create an original project design. Individual and team trophies will be awarded.
   
• 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.
   
   
• Copper Ridge Math & Science Academy is hosting an Open House for prospective parents and students of current 8th and 9th graders at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 2 in the Cafeteria/Auditorium at Copper Ridge, 10101 E. Thompson Peak Parkway, Scottsdale. At the Open House, parents will learn about the curriculum offered at CRMSA, which offers a rigorous and innovative program that nurtures the inquisitive mind. For more information, please contact Dr. Michael Wolf, dean, at 480-484-1559.
   
• Gifted Services is hosting Comprehensive Gifted Program Tours at the following schools:
  • Pima Elementary School — May 9 from 1-3 p.m., 8330 E. Osborn Road
  • Zuni Elementary School — May 16 from 1-3 p.m., 9181 E. Redfield 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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Excellence in the ClassroomCongratulations to Cheyenne Traditional School students Shane Taylor, Emily Ward, Ashtyn Mead, Matt Brausch, Bobby Knowlton, Tyler Harcus and Samantha Gluzinski, and Mr. Matt Eppley, who qualified for the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals Competition in May in Lansing, Mich.

CRMSA decided to assist with a book drive of their own. The CRMSA Book Drive is scheduled for the week of April 16th. All books collected will be joined with Brad’s current collection and be disbursed to various locations.

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