As we prepare for the start of another school year in Scottsdale on August 21st, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize some of the many landmark achievements of the past year.

• Scottsdale is Arizona’s most excelling school district for the third consecutive year.
• Renovations and new construction are underway at Arcadia and Coronado High Schools.
• National Merit Scholarship Corporation recognized 64 of our students, more than any other school district in Arizona.
• The new Copper Ridge Math and Science Academy in DC Ranch will open this fall.
• Rebecca Baker, self-contained gifted program teacher at Pima Elementary, is Arizona’s Teacher of the Year for Gifted Learners.
• Clif McKenzie, SUSD’s Executive Director of Exceptional Customer Experiences, has been honored by the City of Scottsdale as a diversity champion.
• Albert Shieh, a student at Chaparral High School, was a Southwest Region Silver Medal Winner in the Siemens Westinghouse Competition. Albert will split a $100,000 scholarship prize for math, science and technology. Shieh was also the only student in Arizona to be named to USA TODAY’s annual All-USA High School Academic First Team.
• SUSD ‘adopted’ the Terrebonne Parish School District in Louisiana devastated by Hurricane Katrina by establishing a donation account at Wells Fargo. Many of our schools also had successful fundraisers for Terrebonne.
• The City of Scottsdale was named in the ‘100 Best Communities for Young People’ ranking by America's Promise - The Alliance for Youth. A key component of this award is attributed to the quality of education offered at SUSD.

On behalf of our Governing Board, congratulations and thank you to our students, teachers and all who helped to make these wonderful accomplishments possible.

In addition, I’d like to offer a special thank you to the Scottsdale Charros. The civic group honored 33 teachers, one from each school, and 12 high school students at its annual banquet in April.

The Charros named Tyler Porras of Saguaro High School as Outstanding Student of the Year. Marsha Sturla from Kiva Elementary, Shannon Barnett from Mountainside Middle and Tammy Dias from Saguaro High were named Outstanding Educators of the Year. Francesca Thomas from Hopi Elementary and Ingleside Middle and Dorothy Furman from Navajo Elementary were named Volunteers of the Year. Delores Kirby from Desert Canyon Elementary was honored as Classified Employee of the Year.

The Charros also awarded Future Teacher Scholarships to two seniors, Danielle Kaufman of Desert Mountain High and Angela Berry of Coronado High. The $50,000 scholarships can be used toward a four year degree at an Arizona public university.

The Charros commitment to education is unmatched and is an inspiration to our community.

Again, my very best to you this summer and remember, START SMART on August 21st.

Sincerely,



Dr. John. M. Baracy
Superintendent
Scottsdale Unified School District

Scottsdale Unified School District would like to thank the Scottsdale Area Association of REALTORS for inviting us to participate in the 2006 REALTOR Expo on July 10th.

This expo is a great opportunity for the District to connect with both new and experienced real estate agents and provide information about Arizona’s Most Excelling School District. We want to reiterate a few facts about SUSD:

• SUSD is Arizona's Most Excelling School District!
• 21 of our 33 schools are labeled as "Excelling" by the Arizona Department of Education.
• We provide free, full-day kindergarten.
• We have more National Merit semi-finalists than any other school district in the state — 64 to be exact.
• New for 2006-2007 school year is Copper Ridge Math and Science Academy at our DC Ranch campus for incoming 9th graders.
• We accept Open Enrollment Applications 365 days a year.

For more information about Scottsdale Unified School District, please visit our Web site at http://www.susd.org or call us at 480-484-6100.

See you next year!

At the July 6th meeting, the Governing Board voted to adopt the 2006-2007 fiscal year proposed expenditure budget as presented at the June 20th Board meeting. The presentation is available on the District Web site at: http://www.susd.org/district/govboard/meetings.cfm.

Additionally, at the June 6th Board meeting, the Governing Board voted to adopt a resolution to place a Capital Override on the ballot in November 2006 in the amount of $11,800,000 per year for a period of 7 years. The presentation is available on the District Web site at: http://www.susd.org/district/govboard/meetings05-06.cfm.

The first day of school is a special time for students. As you show your clients all that Scottsdale living has to offer, please remind them that the educational opportunities which SUSD provides are unmatched.

Scottsdale Unified School District has the highest academic rating of any school district in Arizona. Future families in our district will enjoy a superb level of teaching and programs that will prepare students for the competitive world ahead.

Also, while many families will be enjoying vacations throughout the summer months, it’s important to remember that learning begins on day one!

Look for SUSD staff in your neighborhood on August 18th as we walk door-to-door reminding parents to START SMART on August 21st!

Would you like to be a guest columnist for an upcoming issue of Scottsdale Living & Learning? If so, please submit a column no longer than 300 words and a photo to Becky Kelbaugh. Columns should focus on topics related to Scottsdale Unified School District and/or education.

Did you pass along Scottsdale Living & LEARNING to other real estate agents, clients, prospects or neighbors? If you did, thank you! If this newsletter was passed along to you, it’s very easy to subscribe to the e-newsletter and receive it directly. To subscribe:

1. http://www.susd.org/district/communications/emss.cfm
2. Choose the e-newsletter you would like to receive
3. Type in your e-mail address
4. Click the subscribe button

It's that easy and only takes a moment!

Did you know that clients purchasing a home in a neighboring school district may enroll their child in a Scottsdale Unified School District school? SUSD accepts Open Enrollment applications 365 days of the year.

Open Enrollment packets are available at all of our 33 schools, on our Web site at http://www.susd.org/district/administrativeservices/openenroll.cfm and in the lobby of the Education Center (District office).

Here are just a few reasons why your client/parent should Open Enroll their children in Arizona’s Most Excelling School District:

• We have 21 “EXCELLING” schools – the highest academic rating in the state, more than any other school district for the third consecutive year in a row.
• We have more National Merit finalists than any other school district in Arizona.
• SUSD outperforms state averages in 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.

Once accepted to a 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 own transportation to and from school. There are a limited number of our schools that are not accepting students through the Open Enrollment process because the school is at full capacity. Please have your client call the school they are interested in to to check Open Enrollment availability.