In this issue...

December 7, 2007

Arcadia Teacher Wins Science Award

NAGT Southwestern Section Chair Kaatje Kraft and Carol Tichio

The National Association of Geoscience Teachers announced that the 2007 Outstanding Earth Science Award for the Southwestern Region of the United States was awarded to Carol Tichio, a science teacher at Arcadia High School.

This award is given for exceptional contributions to the stimulation of interest in the Earth Sciences at the secondary level. Ms. Tichio has brought exciting “hands-on, minds-on” science to her students who are learning not just what Earth science is about, but how science is done.
 
 

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Kids Club Winter Camp Available

Do you need child care during Winter Break? Winter Break Kids Club Camp will be held from December 26^th-28^th and January 2^nd-4^th at Cheyenne Traditional School, 11130 E. Cholla St. and Hopi Elementary School, 5110 E. Lafayette Blvd. Please remember that the Kids Club camp will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, December 24^th and 25^th and on Monday and Tuesday, December 31^st and January 1^st. The cost for the camp is $40 a day. Please pack a lunch, two snacks and three drinks each day for your child. For more information about the Winter Camp, please contact the Community Schools department at 480-484-8614 or 480-484-8616.

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Help Scottsdale Unified Schools While Reducing Your State Tax Bill!

T'was the night before the New Year,
And all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring,
Not even the computer mouse.

Preparations are made to bring in the New Year,
When suddenly you remember
Tax credit time is here!

You run to your computer,
With a mad dash,
To make your tax credit contribution,
To SUSD with a flash.

Dollar for dollar, tax credit is applied each year,
Your donation costs you nothing but
Will bring our students, athletes and other programs great cheer

So as the end of the year draws out of sight,
Remember, donate tax credit,
To help SUSD's future stay bright!

A win, win situation! Arizona law allows taxpayers to receive a tax credit of up to $200 for individual filers and up to $400 for married filers. You can claim the tax credit when filing your 2007 Arizona State Income Tax. The school must receive the funds by December 31, 2007.

To contribute online, please go to: http://payments.susd.org

Your tax credit donation is used for:

• Tutoring
• Field trips
• Overnight trips
• Athletic programs

If you have additional questions, please contact the Scottsdale Unified School District at 480-484-6143, or the Arizona Department of Revenue at: www.azdor.gov/ResearchStats/Schooltaxcredit.htm

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Super Kids - Super Sharing

Scottsdale Unified School District has teamed up with the National Football League to make a difference in the lives of children this Super Bowl season. The NFL is joining with the Arizona Cardinals, Super Bowl XLII Host Committee, the NFL Youth Education Town and local schools for a sports equipment and book donation project called Super Kids-Super Sharing.

Students bring their lightly used books and sports equipment to school and place those items in collection boxes. Those donations are then made available to children in need through the NFL Youth Education Town. Five SUSD schools will be among the recipient schools. For more information, please view the poster.

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Open Enrollment Applications for 2008-2009 School Year Are Being Accepted December 3^rd-January 14^th

Did you know that parents outside of the SUSD boundaries may enroll their child in a Scottsdale Unified School District school? SUSD will begin to accept Open Enrollment applications for 2008-2009 school year during the initial enrollment period of December 3, 2007- January 14, 2008.

Open Enrollment packets will be available at all of our 33 schools and on our Web site at www.susd.org/district/administrativeservices/openenroll.cfm.

Here are just a few reasons why you should consider open enrollment for your children in one of Arizona’s Most Excelling School Districts:

• Twenty-two “Excelling” schools.
• More National Merit finalists than any other school district in Arizona.
• SUSD students score higher than state averages on both AIMS and Terra Nova tests at all grade levels and in all content areas.
• SAT scores for our college-bound students were above the state and national averages in both English and math.
• Scottsdale Unified School District offers specialized programs such as:
  • Aviation Science Program at Coronado High School
  • Nursing Program at Saguaro High School
  • Culinary Program at Chaparral High School
  • Award-winning Media Communications Program at Arcadia High School
  • International Baccalaureate Program at Desert Mountain High School
  • Copper Ridge Math and Science Academy for 9th and 10th grade students
  • Foreign Language Immersion Program for first graders at Pueblo Elementary School
  • Seven middle schools with Enrichment Courses that ease the transition from elementary school to middle school and then from middle school to high school
  • Twenty elementary schools that lay a strong educational foundation

Once accepted to an SUSD school through the Open Enrollment process, parents will not need to fill out another application for the remainder of their child’s public school career. Parents will need to provide their child's transportation to and from school. There are a limited number of our schools that are not accepting students through the Open Enrollment process because those schools are at full capacity. Please call the school in which you are interested to check Open Enrollment availability.

Your child’s special place to Excel is waiting in the
Scottsdale Unified School District!

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Qwest's 1 Percent Back-To-School Program

Qwest® will donate 1 percent of your monthly bill to the school district of your choice. Simply register your account for Paperless Billing and AutoPay. For more information, please visit www.qwest.com/onepercent.

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Upcoming Events

• The next Scottsdale Parent Council meeting is at 9:30 a.m. on December 11 in the Board Room at the Education Center, 3811 N. 44th St., Phoenix.
   

• Service Learning students volunteer each night as the characters and Santa's helpers for Holiday Lights from 6-9 p.m. on December 13-23 at McCormick Stillman Railroad Park, 7301 E. Indian Bend Road, Scottsdale.
   

• The next Governing Board meeting is scheduled at 5:30 p.m. on December 18^th at the Education Center, 3811 N. 44th St., Phoenix.
   
• 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 Special Education Parents Advisory Council of Scottsdale (SEPACS) is hosting an IEP Workshop from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on January 16^th in the Kachina Room at the Mohave District Annex, 8505 E. Valley View Road, Scottsdale. IEP parent specialists include Barb Ross, Parent Information Network; Kim Yamamoto, Raising Special Kids; and Jill Pearns, Raising Special Kids.

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Excellence in the Classroom

Additionally, Service Learning is donating 100 toys from the Service Learning toy drive to the SUSD Adopt a child program.

This year's SUSD Service Learning toy drive reaped 1,905 toys for needy children.

Forty high schools, including Arcadia, Chaparral, Coronado, Desert Mountain and Saguaro high schools participated in this prestigious and competitive event that is supported by local arts organizations and community members. Kudos to Danielle Harkins, an Arcadia student, who was awarded third place overall and received a cash award. The exhibition runs from November 19-December 17.

www.standnow.org/darfurfast

The New Year's parade is held in the center of Rome and has stand still performances on the Spanish Steps, passes by the Trevi Fountain and Colleseum and ends at St. Peter's Square.

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