In this issue...

April 18, 2008

START SMART 2008 Poster Winners Announced:
New Campaign Utilizes Student Talent to Tell the World about SUSD

	Athena Koenig 4th Grade Desert Canyon Elementary School	Tessa Tzineff 8th Grade Mountainside Middle School	Rachel Lowenstein 12th Grade Arcadia High School

Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) is kicking off a new START SMART campaign for the 2008-09 school year. This year, the posters will reflect what students say makes their school district great.

“We decided that this year we would let the students tell why they like to ‘START SMART’,” said Dr. John M. Baracy, SUSD superintendent. “I was very excited to see all the fantastic artwork, not to mention hearing directly from our students about what they like about SUSD,” he added. Read more...

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Facility Usage Community Forums

Scottsdale Unified School District is hosting Facility Usage Community Forums at each complex to inform the community about proposed options and offer the community an opportunity to provide input.

All meetings are scheduled at 6 p.m. The dates and locations for the upcoming meetings are:

View the Superintendent's Blue Ribbon Advisory Council Facility Utilization Presentation that was presented to the Governing Board on March 4^th.

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Board Approves Naming of the New Baseball Complex at Coronado High School

The Scottsdale Unified School District's Governing Board voted to approve the naming of Coronado High School's newest facility — the Roy Coppinger Baseball Complex.

Coppinger was the baseball head coach from 1961 until 1989. During his tenure, Coppinger led the baseball team to 10 state championship games that resulted in four state titles.

Coronado High School's alumni group has to raise $5,000 before it can buy a $17,000 scoreboard that will display Coppinger's name and the years the team played in championship games.

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Laguna Named Finalist for Intel Schools Of Distinction Awards

Laguna Elementary School was recently named one of nine finalists for the Intel® Schools of Distinction Awards – Science Excellence category. The annual program honors schools for implementing innovative and replicable math and science programs that produce positive educational results. As a finalist, Laguna received $2,500 grant from the Intel Foundation.

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Earth Day Celebrations

Did you know that April 22^nd 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 and planting flowers and trees.

• Arcadia High School's National Art Honor Society is participating in the Barrel Project at the Phoenix Zoo. The Barrels will be displayed on Earth Day. The attendees of the zoo will vote for their favorite barrel. Arcadia students painted two barrels. The students are Allsion Van Clleve, Michelle Fluekger, Brittany Blazek and Chelsea Hernandez. Joani Share is the teacher sponsor. 
  
• Cheyenne Traditional School's Kids Club will have a recycle hike on Earth Day. Students will walk the campus and pick up any trash. The students also replanted the flower bowls by the school office for Arbor Day.
   
• Cochise Elementary School students decorated recyclable bags from SunFlowers Farmers Market. The bags were decorated by Kindergarten-5th graders and they will be given to customers.
  
  Additionally, Mrs. Wilkening’s students created a rainforest and educated their families on global warming. As part of this project, students are reading 100 books to save 2,500 acres of rainforest! They are very motivated and excited to read to save the rain forests!
   
• Coronado High School's Library Club will plant a jacaranda tree in front of the library at noon on Earth Day in honor of Suzie Drollinger, a library assistant with more than 20 years in the District. The school will also be hydro sealing the soccer field the same day.

  Additionally, science students will sign a pledge from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. The pledge lists different things that can be done to recycle, conserve energy and save water to protect Arizona's natural resources. To view a the pledge, please visit http://www.azdeq.gov/function/news/2008/download/0331.pdf

• Pima Elementary School's 2nd graders will perform Glow; a play about every creature's special place.
   
• Yavapai Elementary School students decorated 500 paper bags for a store to use on Earth Day. Scottsdale Leadership also planted trees in the fields adjacent to Yavapai with second grade students on April 11.

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10 Tips to Healthy Eating and Physical Activity for Kids

1. Start your day with breakfast.
2. Get Moving!
3. Snack smart.
4. Work up a sweat.
5. Balance your food choices - don't eat too much of any one thing.
6. Get fit with friends or family.
7. Eat more grains, fruits and vegetables.
8. Join in physical activities at school.
9. Foods aren't good or bad.
10. Make healthy eating and physical activities fun!

Read more for detailed tips...

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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 19 as a preferred date for Take Your Child to Work Day.

The national date, April 24, 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 learn from their visit to the workplace without missing a single precious day of school.

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Southern Scottsdale and Greater Airpark Area Visioning Workshops

The City of Scottsdale is in the process of updating its General Plan. In preparation for this process, the City has identified six “Community Areas” within the City. A Community Area Plan will be prepared for each of the six areas, including Southern Scottsdale and the Greater Airpark Area, to ensure that the long term vision for Scottsdale is completed with the 2011 General Plan Update. For more information and to register, please visit http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/planning/areaplans or call the Scottsdale Advance Planning Division at 480-312-7990.

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Scottsdale Republic Features 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 runs a 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 digital photo must be submitted to be considered for publication.

To view Zuni teacher Bobbi Ackerman-Hedberg's nomination that ran in the Scottsdale Republic , please visit: http://www.azcentral.com/community/scottsdale/articles/2008/04/15/20080415sr-teacher0416ackerman-hedberg-O.html

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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.
   
• Upcoming Dates for Kindergarten Round-ups:
  • Sequoya, 11808 N. 64th St., Scottsdale, 5:45 p.m. on April 29 in the Library.
  • Cherokee, 8801 N. 56th St., Paradise Valley, 6:30-7:30 p.m. on April 30 in the Media Center.
  • Laguna, 10475 E. Lakeview Drive, Scottsdale, 9 a.m. on April 30 in Room 406.

For the full schedule, direct interested parents to: www.susd.org.
 

• Gifted Services is hosting Comprehensive Gifted Program Tours at the following schools:
  • Desert Canyon Middle, 10203 E. McDowell Mountain Ranch Road, Scottsdale, from 2-4 p.m. on April 23^rd and May 21^st
  • Mohave Middle, 5520 N. 86th St., Scottsdale, from 11 a.m.-12:30p.m. on May 7^th
  • Zuni Elementary, 9181 Redfield Road, Scottsdale, from 1-3 p.m. on May 14^th

  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.

• The Teen Opportunity Expo is for students seeking employment, volunteer, career and college opportunities. The expo will be held at the following location:
  
  • Coronado High School, 2501 N 74th St., Scottsdale, from 3-5:30 p.m. on April 30 in the Cafeteria

Local employers and exhibitors will attend the Expo, so dress to impress. On the spot interviews will be conducted and résumés are recommended. All Scottsdale students are welcome. If you have any questions or need more information, please contact Sheila Williams, teen employment program coordinator, at 480-312-0105.

• If you plan on participating in middle or high schools sports, you must have a physical. Scottsdale Unified School District athletes can get sports physicals at the following locations:
  • April 19 from 7 a.m. - noon at Scottsdale Healthcare Shea Outpatient Therapy Services, Medical Plaza IV, 10200 N. 92nd St., Suite 100
  • May 31 from 7 a.m.-noon at Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn Outpatient Therapy Services, 3134 N. Civic Center Plaza.
    

view the flyer

• Aztec Elementary School is hosting an Open House from 6:30-8 p.m. on April 23 to provide parents an opportunity to participate in the Scholastic Book Fair and to view student art work that will be displayed in the hallway around the courtyard. Parents will also have an opportunity to see students perform a portion of the musical "Tom Sawyer" that was presented in March. There will be an informational meeting about the preschool program, kindergarten program and 6th grade program. The Aztec choir, band, and strings will perform in the NW courtyard from 7:15-7:30 PM. Liberty Wildlife and Desert Botanical Gardens are also expected to be at the Open House to provide a couple of "being there" experiences. All classrooms will be open to the public. For more information, please view the flyer.
   
• Scottsdale Healthcare presents Internet Safety, Drugs & Risky Behavior Workshop from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on April 23. For more information, please view the flyer.
   
• Parenting Arizona's Gifted: A Day of Information and Inspiration is from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on April 26 at the Center for Educational Excellence, 1700 E. Elliot Road #9, Tempe. For more information, please view the flyer.
   
• The City of Phoenix is hosting El Día de Los Niños, a Multicultural Festival Celebrating Youth, from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. on April 29 at the Margaret T. Hance Park. For more information, please view the flyer.
   
• The Arts in Education Council would like to recognize the efforts of individuals who 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 our Spring Appreciation Luncheon on May 15^th. You can submit the nomination by mailing it to Bonnie Sneed, 10830 E. Raintree Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85255-1800, e-mail artsined@cox.net or fax 480-342-9157.
  
  Winners will receive recognition at the 2008 Arts in Education Council Spring Appreciation and Recognition Luncheon on May 15 at the Scottsdale Resort and Conference Center, 7700 E. McCormick Parkway. For more information, please view the flyer.
   
• Scottsdale Community College (SCC) Piper Scholars Program will offer scholarships to eight Scottsdale Unified School District Seniors (Class of 2008). Scholarship recipients will receive $1,500 for the Fall semester and $1,500 for the Spring semester for a maximum of four semesters if all eligibility requirements are maintained.

  This unique program is only available to students in the Scottsdale Unified School District. The application deadline is May 9, 2008. Information about the application process and complete details for this and other SCC Scholarships can be found by clicking on “Available Scholarships” at www.scottsdalecc.edu/financial or calling 480-423-6549.

• AAA Arizona and the Maricopa Association of Governments are currently seeking candidates for the 2^nd Annual Crossing Guard of the Year Award. Applications are due no later than May 31. For more information and the nomination form, please view the flyer.

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Excellence in the Classroom
Scottsdale celebrated Arbor Day on April 11. Scottsdale Mayor Mary Manross read a proclamation for Arbor Day and trees were be planted next to the renovated Vista del Camino Center. Yavapai Elementary School students helped plant a tree.

Students have selected research projects in medicine, biotechnology, biochemistry, environmental science, technology, architecture, law and military strategy. The students presented their findings to fellow students, parents, teachers and CRMSA Advisory Board Members during a culminating special event on April 17. Participating students included Olga Fernandez, Ruth Schamberg, Cody Petersen and Stephanie Gillooly.

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To submit an idea for coverage in Community Connection, please send an e-mail to Becky Kelbaugh.

Community Connection is generally distributed every Friday, and was sent to you by Scottsdale Unified School District - 3811 N. 44th St., Phoenix, AZ 85018. You are receiving this e-mail because you signed up via our Web site. You may update your account preferences or unsubscribe through our Web site, or contact us at SUSDCommunications@susd.org.