In this issue...

January 18, 2008
Editor's note: Schools and District offices will be closed on Monday, January 21 in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Have a safe holiday.

MLK Voices
Louis Gossett, Jr. visits Saguaro High School with powerful message

On Monday, actor and activist Louis Gossett, Jr. addressed youth representing Valley school districts on the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Gossett spoke of responsibility and becoming role models for today's youth.

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

Gossett also founded the Eracism Foundation, which teaches tolerance and cultural awareness to youth to help rid the world of racism.

Special guest speaker Captain Clovis Jones, Jr., current president of the Archer–Ragsdale Arizona Chapter, Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. (TAI), current vice president of the Arizona Chapter of the Vietnam Helicopters Pilots Association, Inc. (VHPA), and a past president of The Organization of Black Airline Pilots, Inc. (OBAP), encouraged students to pursue their dreams with persistence. The dream he had of becoming a pilot at age four had a few detours along the way, but with persistence, he was finally able to make his dream a reality while attending Morehouse College in Atlanta.

SUSD Service Learning students from Arcadia, Chaparral, Coronado, Desert Mountain and Saguaro high schools, along with students from other area high schools including Basha High School in Chandler and Gateway Early College High School in Phoenix, were on hand for the celebration.

back to top

SUSD Seeks Input

If you have ideas about how SUSD can best utilize our school facilities, please send those suggestions to neighborhoodschools@susd.org. We look forward to hearing from you.

back to top

Foreign Language Immersion Program at Pueblo Elementary

The Foreign Language Immersion (FLI) program at Pueblo Elementary School offers parents an opportunity for their child to learn a second language at a time when children learn languages best.

For the 2008-09 school year, the FLI program will be open to incoming students in kindergarten and first grade. English speaking students enrolled in this program, will spend half of the school day learning regular curriculum in Spanish and the other half learning in English. Students are taught the curriculum and will learn to speak, read and write in two languages.

Pueblo is currently accepting open enrollment applications for students who will be entering kindergarten and first grade in 2008-2009 for our Foreign Language Immersion Program. For more information about the Foreign Language Immersion Program, please visit www.susd.org/Pueblo/ or call Pueblo Elementary School at 480-484-3100.

back to top

Cocopah Student Wins SUSD Spelling Bee

Congratulations to Cassidee Kido, a seventh grade student at Cocopah Middle School, who took home first place in 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 Arcadia High School to cheer on the students.

Kido and Christian Sulit, a fourth grade student at Hopi Elementary School, were the final two spellers!

Kido was declared the winner after spelling the words derelict and pinnacle.

The top seven competitors from the bee move on to the Regional II Spelling Bee next month hosted by Scottsdale Unified School District. They are: Cassidee Kido, Cocopah Middle School; Christian Sulit, Hopi Elementary School; Jessica Sola, Supai Middle School; Ellen Sudarshan, Desert Canyon Elementary School; Alex Marinello, Kiva Elementary; Kalli Hopkins, Pueblo Elementary School; Adam Curwin, Cheyenne Elementary School; and Karthik Nambiar, Desert Canyon Middle School.

back to top

Hopi Goes Green

Hopi Elementary School is going green! Everyone at Hopi was encouraged to participate in SRP's 2007 Change a Light program. Families agreed to switch regular incandescent light bulbs for Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFL) and then entered a contest held by SRP. Hopi placed fourth in the challenge and earned $1,000 for the school! Even better than the financial gains that the top four schools earned, is the benefit to our environment. The competition resulted in pledges to change almost 177,000 bulbs to CFLs. This will have the following effect over the life of the bulbs - enough kilowatt hours will be saved to light 28,000 homes for a year, 78 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions will not be produced and $5 million of energy costs will be saved! Thank you to everyone who participated in this valuable program.

In addition to the Change a Light competition, Hopi PTA has provided recycle containers for paper in every classroom. Hopi Student Council members collect the containers and dump them into the Hopi recycle bin located in the turn around once a month. All of this paper will now be recycled instead of heading to a landfill. Anyone can add their personal paper products to the large recycle bin at any time.

back to top

Scottsdale Republic to Feature SUSD Teachers

Do you know an outstanding teacher in the Scottsdale Unified School District? Would you like that teacher to be recognized in the newspaper? The Scottsdale Republic is running a new weekly feature highlighting a different SUSD teacher each week. To nominate a teacher for this feature, simply fill out the online Teacher Nomination Form.

*Please note that a high resolution photo must be submitted to be considered for publication.

To view Desert Mountain High School teacher Steve Speisman's nomination that ran in the Scottsdale Republic, please visit: www.azcentral.com/community/scottsdale/articles/0115sr-teacher0116speisman-ON.html

back to top

Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Round-Ups

Schools throughout the District will be hosting tours and open houses in preparation for enrolling children in Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten for the 2008-2009 school year. Come visit us to meet teachers and principals and learn about great features offered by schools in the Scottsdale Unified School District.

For more information, please view the schedule for Pre-Kindergarten Round-Up and Kindergarten Round-Up at a school in your area.

back to top

"The Myth and Magic" — Middle School Road Shows

"The Myth and Magic" — Middle School Road Shows are a great way to learn about what to expect during the transition from elementary school to middle school. To help make that transition smooth, parents are invited to attend Myth and Magic — the Middle School Road Show.

Upcoming Dates:

• Mohave at 6 p.m. on January 22 in the Library at Pueblo Elementary, 6320 N. 82nd St., Scottsdale.
  • At 5 p.m. on January 29 in the Cafeteria at Navajo Elementary, 4525 N. Granite Reef Road, Scottsdale.
• Supai at 6:30 p.m. on January 22 in Room Q5 at Pima Elementary, 8330 E. Osborn Road, Scottsdale.
  • At 6:30 p.m. on January 24 in Room 12 at Hohokam Elementary, 8451 E. Oak St, Scottsdale.
  • At 6 p.m. on January 29 in the Media Center at Yavapai Elementary, 701 N. Miller Road, Scottsdale.
  • At 6 p.m. on February 7 in the Cafeteria at Tonalea Elementary, 6801 E. Oak St., Scottsdale.
• Desert Canyon Middle at 6 p.m. on January 29 in the Cafeteria, 10203 E. McDowell Mountain Ranch Road, Scottsdale.

back to top

Comprehensive Gifted Self-Contained School Tours

Gifted Services is hosting Comprehensive Gifted Program Tours at the following schools:

• Pima Elementary, 8330 E. Osborn Road, Scottsdale, from 1-3 p.m. on February 20^th, April 2^nd, and April 30^th
• Zuni Elementary, 9181 Redfield Road, Scottsdale, from 1-3 p.m. on March 5^th, April 16^th, and May 14^th
• Mohave Middle, 5520 N. 86th St., Scottsdale, from 2-4 p.m. on February 27^th, April 9^th and May 7^th
• Desert Canyon Middle, 10203 E. McDowell Mountain Ranch Road, Scottsdale, from 2-4 p.m. on January 23^rd, March 26^th, April 23^rd and May 21^st

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.

You may view frequently asked questions, the criteria for acceptance into the program and download the application at www.susd.org/district/gifted/Comprehensive.cfm.

back to top

Upcoming Events

• Scottsdale Unified School District and Kaplan are offering SAT Classes at Arcadia, Chaparral and Desert Mountain High Schools in the spring. For dates and times, please view the flyer.
   
• The next Governing Board meeting is scheduled at 5:30 p.m. on January 22 at the Education Center, 3811 N. 44^th St., Phoenix.
   
• Decoding Your PSAT Score Report Kaplan Seminar is from 6-7 p.m. on January 22 in Library Room 1 at Desert Mountain High School. View the flyer for more information.
   
• Copper Ridge Math & Science Academy is hosting its 2008-2009 Open House for 9^th, 10^th and 11^th graders from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. on January 26 at the school, 10101 E. Thompson Peak Parkway, Scottsdale 85255. For more information or to open enroll, please call 480-484-1560.
   
• The Arizona Association for Gifted and Talented will hold its annual conference on February 6, 7 and 8 at the Black Canyon Conference Center in Phoenix. This conference attracts more than 600 participants a day from around Arizona including K-12 classroom teachers, administrators, specialists in gifted and talented education and parents. Session topics include gifted characteristics and identification, program design, curriculum and instruction, social and emotional issues and parents and community involvement. Register for 3, 2, or 1 day attendance at www.aagtconference.org. More information on the conference and AAGT is available at www.arizonagifted.org or by calling 602-882-1848.

back to top

Excellence in the Classroom Holocaust survivor Magda Herzberger visited Yavapai Elementary School this week to share her experiences and struggles to survive during captivity in concentration camps at Auschwitz, Bremen and Bergen-Belsen with sixth grade students.

Arcadia High School

back to top