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New Bus Stop for MMR Students Open Enrolled at Chaparral
6/21/2007
 Scottsdale Unified School District will provide transportation for those freshman students who live in McDowell Mountain Ranch (MMR) and who are currently opened enrolled at Chaparral High School (instead of attending their feeder school, Saguaro High School). The Transportation of Learners department has established a new bus stop for these students at the NE corner of Thompson Peak Parkway and Paradise Lane. The department will continue to transport these students for the 2007-08 and 2008-09 school years. Exact times have not been established yet, but the estimated times for pick-up and drop-off are 7:40 a.m. and 3:15 p.m. The exact information will be posted on the Transportation of Learners Web site by July 31. If you have any questions about transportation arrangements, please contact Dan Shearer, director of transportation of learners, at 480-484-8550.
Desert Mountain and Chaparral Make Top 1300 High School List
6/07/2007
Desert Mountain High School and Chaparral High School were named as two of the top 1300 high schools in the country, according to Newsweek's Web site. Desert Mountain and Chaparral are two of a handful of public high schools in Arizona to make the list. Desert Mountain was ranked 845th, and Chaparral was ranked 1057th on the list. Chaparral made the Newsweek list in 2006, 2005 and 2003. To view the complete list, please visit Newsweek
 .
New Bus Stop for MMR Students Open Enrolled at Chaparral
6/21/2007
Scottsdale Unified School District will provide transportation for those freshman students who live in McDowell Mountain Ranch (MMR) and who are currently opened enrolled at Chaparral High School (instead of attending their feeder school, Saguaro High School). The Transportation of Learners department has established a new bus stop for these students at the NE corner of Thompson Peak Parkway and Paradise Lane. The department will continue to transport these students for the 2007-08 and 2008-09 school years. Exact times have not been established yet, but the estimated times for pick-up and drop-off are 7:40 a.m. and 3:15 p.m. The exact information will be posted on the Transportation of Learners Web site by July 31. If you have any questions about transportation arrangements, please contact Dan Shearer, director of transportation of learners, at 480-484-8550.
Board Approves Fiscal Budget
6/20/2007
The Governing Board voted Tuesday night to approve the District’s FY07-08 Budget as presented and called for a public hearing and Board meeting on July 2 at 11:30 a.m. in the Board Room at the Education Center for the purpose of presenting for adoption the 2007-2008 proposed budget for the consideration of the residents and taxpayers of the District. The presentation is available on the District’s Web site at: www.susd.org/district/govboard/meetings.cfm.
Laguna and Cherokee Students Learn About Plants, Grow Cabbages
6/21/2007
This past spring, third grade students at Cherokee and Laguna elementary schools learned about the life cycle of plants. To tie in with the curriculum, Bonnie Plants donated cabbage seedlings to the schools as part of the nursery’s Cabbage Program. Students discovered the parts of the plants, developed a hypothesis and recorded data from seedlings.
At Laguna, student Dallas Horvath grew the biggest cabbage. The cabbage was 52 inches around and weighed 28 pounds, and with the leaves and root, the cabbage weighed 37 pounds. As part of Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program, the student who grows the largest cabbage in his or her state wins a $1,000 U.S. savings bond. To learn more about Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program, please visit: www.bonnieplants.com .Old Glory in Every Classroom
6/14/2007
 In honor of Flag Day, June 14, Scottsdale Unified School District would like to thank those who have donated flags to our classrooms to help comply with the 2006 Arizona House Bill 2583. A special thank you goes to Bob Peirce and the Scottsdale Area Association of REALTORS, Sipe-Peterson American Legion post (Unit 44) and The Joe Foss Institute for donating flags to our classrooms. Arizona House Bill 2583 mandates that by July 2007 all publicly funded institutions must display a 2’x3’ (or larger) flag and, for seventh grade and above, they must also display the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Flag Day is celebrated on June 14. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened that day in 1777 by resolution of the Second Continental Congress. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established June 14 as Flag Day; in August 1949, National Flag Day was established by an Act of Congress. Congratulations Class of 2007!
6/07/2007
Good luck in all of your future endeavors!
Desert Mountain and Chaparral Makes Top 1300 High School List
6/07/2007
Desert Mountain High School and Chaparral High School were named as two of the top 1300 high schools in the country, according to Newsweek's Web site. Desert Mountain and Chaparral are two of a handful of public high schools in Arizona to make the list. Desert Mountain was ranked 845th, and Chaparral was ranked 1057th on the list. Chaparral made the Newsweek list in 2006, 2005 and 2003. To view the complete list, please visit Newsweek
.
Board Approves New Principals
6/07/2007
Scottsdale Unified School District is pleased to announce the following principals for 2007-08: Dr. Gregory Reid, Sequoya Elementary School; Charles Grisier, Arcadia Neighborhood Learning Center; Chad Caudle, Hohokam Elementary School; James Selgo, Aztec Elementary School; and Shaun Holmes, Navajo Elementary School.
Directors of First Impressions Greet Visitors Throughout the Summer
Schools summer hours schedule posted 6/08/2007
If you would like to drop off an open enrollment application, employment application or have a general question to ask, the Directors of First Impressions at Scottsdale Unified School District’s Education Center are ready to assist you with friendly smiles and/or helpful voices over the phone. The Directors of First Impressions greet visitors from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
For specific summer hours for any of our 33 schools, call the school directly or view the summer hours schedule  .
Board Approves M&O and Capital Overrides
6/06/2007
The Governing Board voted unanimously on Tuesday night to adopt a resolution to renew the Maintenance & Operations (M&O) Override and to place a resolution for a Capital Override on the November 6, 2007 ballot.
1,820 Students to Graduate June 6
6/01/2007
Countdown to graduation has already begun for both parents and seniors. On Wednesday, June 6th, 1,820 students will be graduating from Arcadia, Chaparral, Coronado, Desert Mountain and Saguaro high schools and Sierra Vista Academy.
Three Principals Win Award
6/01/2007
 Margaret Serna, principal of Tavan Elementary School; Jeff Quisberg, principal at Anasazi Elementary School; and Anne-Marie Woolsey, principal at Arcadia High School, have been selected for membership in the AZ LEADS3 Circle of Honor. They are being recognized as outstanding instructional leaders based on achievement profiles, superintendent’s recommendation, survey feedback from constituents and a site visit by an AZ LEADS3 team. They are in an exemplary group, representing the top 2 percent of principals in the State of Arizona. Margaret, Jeff and Anne-Marie's accomplishments will be recognized on Tuesday, June 26, at the Leading Change Institute held at the Hilton El Conquistador Resort in Tucson. State Superintendent Tom Horne will present the awards at a special reception.
Moroccan VIPs Visit Scottsdale
5/25/2007
 Students of American History at Desert Mountain High School learned first hand from the Vice Mayor of Marrakech, Morocco that Morocco was the first country in the world to recognize the independence of the United States from Britain in 1776.Visiting Scottsdale during the week of May 20-24 were Khalid El Fataoui, vice mayor of Marrakech for international relations and Abderrazak Moummi, president of regional economic development. They were visiting Scottsdale to continue discussions on establishing a Sister City relationship. On May 24, Dr. Althe Allen, executive director of middle and secondary schools and excelling teaching & learning, greeted the delegation. It was agreed that meaningful affiliations between the two cities will allow citizens of both to better understand one another. As the world becomes stronger, it is important for the citizens of both cities to go beyond the stereotyped images of both countries as portrayed by the media in both countries. Visits by students and teachers, as well as the learning of the language of each country, can help overcome misconceptions that exist. The delegation visited two class rooms at Desert Mountain High School. In Chris Fredericks' American History class, the Moroccans explained that their country is a strong democracy and that respect for human rights and the freedom of women to dress as they please is a fact of life. They also explained that Morocco should not be lumped in with the images portrayed of other Arab states. Morocco is very tolerant of differences of ethnic groups and is a moderate Islamic country which respects the beliefs of all its citizens. In Susan Mochir's French class, the delegation spoke in French, and the students asked many questions about the importance of learning more than one language. Marrakech students learn French and Arabic early in life and must study a third language in high school. The most popular third language is English. The city council of Scottsdale has in the past established a Sister Cities relationship with Alamos, Mexico; Cairns, Australia; Kingston, Ontario, Canada; and Interlaken, Switzerland. The Board of Directors of the Scottsdale Sister Cities organization is exploring a new relationship with Marrakech, Morocco. The visit by the Marrakech city officials is a follow up visit to one by officials of Scottsdale to Marrakech. The two cities have agreed to explore the establishment of meaningful affiliations between them. Areas being explored include travel, tourism, water treatment, economic development, golf management and education. The objective is to find areas of equal benefit to the citizens of both cities. Thursday’s visits were dedicated to exploring education and youth affiliations.
Chaparral Makes Top 1200 High School List
5/22/2007
Chaparral High School was named one the top 1200 high schools in the country, according to Newsweek's Web site. Chaparral is one of a handful of public high schools in Arizona to make the list and was ranked 1000 on the list. The school made the Newsweek list in 2006, 2005 and 2003. To view the complete list, please visit: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18757087/?sort=Rank&count=1257&search=&start=0&limit=100&year=2007&
Congratulations on this outstanding achievement!
Coronado High School Receives Flags for its Classrooms
5/25/2007
classroom. Carol Dustin, president of the American Legion Post that is donating the flags, said that they were made aware of the need for flags by Ronni Stirling, a junior at Coronado High School. Carol then put information in the post's newsletter asking for donations to purchase American flags for Scottsdale Unified School District schools. She said, “The donations just started pouring in at that point.” These donations allowed the post to purchase all 100 flags and the hardware needed to display them in the classrooms. Coronado currently has 90 classrooms, but the school is under construction and will have more classrooms in the near future. Tuesday’s event included a presentation of the flags, music from two Coronado DONs band members who will be joining the military after graduation, a speech by the student who made the donations happen and a speech by the American Legion Post Commander, Len Rosenbaum. “The American Legion is proud that we are able to help this way,” Ms. Dustin said. She says they will also help other SUSD schools if necessary.
Cheyenne Students Collect Supplies for Iraqi Children
5/25/2007
Students in Carrol Shields' and Cyndie Van Hook's PACT Program at Cheyenne Traditional School have assembled school supply kits for Operation Iraqi Children (OIC).
The most efficient and effective way to help Iraqi children is to create School Supply Kits. Each Kit contains basic, badly-needed items that can make a world of difference to a child heading to school. Assembling standardized kits ensures that each child receives the same number of the most needed items, facilitates customs clearance, and relieves our volunteers and soldiers of the time-consuming and labor intensive process of sorting and allocating random donated items. Supplies included in the kit are blunt-end scissors, 12 inch ruler with metric units, #2 lead pencils with erasers, small pencil sharpener, colored pencils, notebook paper, composition book, folders with inside pockets, zippered pencil bag and 2 gallon zip-seal plastic bags. OIC was co-founded by actor Gary Sinise and author Laura Hillenbrand. This program enables Americans to send school supply kits to Iraqi children.
Coronado Wins State Championship
5/18/2007
 Coronado High School's Baseball Team defeated Notre Dame 20-8 for the Class 4A Division II title on Saturday, May 12.This is the first time since the 1991-1992 school year that the DONs have won a state championship in any sport. Congratulations to the team members and Coach Buck Holmes!
Sierra Vista Academy Dedicates New Buildings
5/17/2007
Students and the school's faculty were on hand to celebrate the beginning of a new era at Sierra Vista. Superintendent Dr. John Baracy, Governing Board members, Principal Rhonda Rickard and project representatives all took part in the dedication ceremony. In November 2004, voters approved a $217 million bond to improve high schools throughout the Scottsdale Unified School District. Construction at other high schools is ongoing.
Flag Mandate for Classrooms
5/18/2007
Did you know that the 2006 Arizona House Bill 2583 mandate states that by July 2007 all publicly funded institutions must display a 2x3 flag and, for seventh grade and above, they must also display the Constitution and Bill of Rights?To help SUSD fulfill the obligations of the Flag Law, the Scottsdale Area Association of REALTORS is donating 300 flags. The Joe Foss Institute also donated flags to SUSD schools.
Living History
5/17/2007
 Students at Desert Canyon Middle School can now get a first hand look at history.The Scottsdale Exchange Club has donated a "Freedom Shrine" to the school. The Shrine consists of more than 30 high quality reproductions of American Historical documents mounted on fine wood. The school recently held a dedication ceremony in the cafeteria, where the documents are displayed. Thanks to Richard Bond and everyone who made this wonderful donation possible.  Chaparral Student Donates Books to Title I Schools 5/11/2007
Brad Schell, a junior at Chaparral High School, has donated more than 7,500 books to Scottsdale Unified School District's Title I schools and to the Thomas J. Pappas schools.
He made his first delivery last Friday, taking more than 5,000 books to the Pappas elementary school in downtown Phoenix. The rest will go to SUSD schools. Brad got the idea of a book drive because he was constantly dropping off donated books at the Mustang Library for his family. He decided it would be better to give the children's books directly to less fortunate children who may never get to a library. Brad's parents suggested he try and collect more books from family, friends and neighbors. His initial goal was to collect 1,000 books.
SUSD Students Swam San Francisco Bay
5/18/2007
The 50-member Team Alcatraz has 15 students that represent nine Scottsdale Unified School District schools. Those students are: Ian Biggane, Kiva; Bobby Byars, Arcadia Neighborhood Learning Center; Wyatt Denton, Hopi; Colin Hart, Cochise; Michael Heinonen, Copper Ridge ES; Ethan Hetrick, Mohave,; Allie Jones, Hopi; Hayden McMorris, Arcadia Neighborhood Learning Center; Claire Moty, Desert Mountain; Stuart Moty, Desert Mountain; Jackson Pfundheller, Pima; Nick Steveson, Desert Mountain; Nikki Zilliox, Desert Mountain; and Eve Zweig, Pima. Swim Neptune’s Team Alcatraz raised $20,000, which was donated to the Foundation for Aquatic Safety and Training (FAST), a Valley-based non-profit organization. The team’s goal was to raise $100,000. Over the summer, Swim Neptune’s Team Alcatraz will serve as ambassadors of water safety, working with FAST in the community to continue to promote water safety and drowning prevention.
Update: Tom Porras Employment Status with SUSD
5/11/2007
Mr. Porras was placed on unpaid administrative leave by SUSD as soon as we were notified about the allegations against him; that was on Thursday, April 26, 2007. He is still prohibited from coming onto District property or attending any District events.
Mr. Porras is no longer an SUSD employee. On Tuesday, May 8, 2007, the SUSD Governing Board unanimously (5-0 vote) approved his termination, which was one of the items on the Consent Agenda (e.g. regularly scheduled operations of the school district). Previously-released statements from the District about Mr. Porras are available on our Web site: http://www.susd.org/district/main/AnnouncementsArchive.cfm. Update about the SUSD students on Catalina Island:
5/11/2007
Many of you in the media have asked for information about the SUSD students on Catalina Island. Here is an update:
Media Update: Catalina Island Field Trips
5/10/2007
Many of you in the media have asked for information about the SUSD students on Catalina Island. Here is an update:
Nurse Honored for Saving a Student's Life
5/9/2007
 
  Donna Musser, a nurse at Cherokee Elementary School, was honored Wednesday for her quick reactions in using an Automated External Defibrillator to save a second grade student, who has a heart condition, when he collapsed outside his teacher's door. She received the first Heart Hero Award from the Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute, the American Heart Association's Heart Saver Award, and accolades from the Rural/Metro Fire Department and Paradise Valley and Scottsdale officials as part of National School Nurse Day. Dr. Himanshu Shukla and the Cardiac Arrthythmia Institute were honored and thanked for donating Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to all 33 Scottsdale Unified School District schools.
Two Teachers Named Teacher of the Year
5/8/2007
Mrs. Nancy Smith, a second grade teacher at Laguna Elementary School, and Jennifer Blalock, a kindergarten teacher at Cochise Elementary School, were nominated by staff, parents and students for the Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year award.
The Scottsdale Sam’s Club marketing team presented Nancy and Jennifer with $100 gift cards, certificates and shirts. They also presented a check for $1,000 to each school. Nancy has been teaching for 29 years. For 20 of those years, she has taught Yavapai and Laguna students. Jennifer has been teaching at Cochise since 1993.
Instructional Technology Wins Award
5/8/2007
On April 28th, Ariane Cleverly, instructional technology trainer, and the Instructional Technology Team received the Arizona Technology in Education Alliance (AzTEA) Exemplary Web Site Award for Educational Programs/Educational Content. AzTEA is a professional non-profit organization devoted to increasing student achievement through technology in teaching and learning. This award is selected annually from a list of nominees.
One of Ariane's many roles is as Web designer for Scottsdale Unified School District’s Instructional Technology Team. She and the team provide technology training in the integration and implementation of District adopted software and e-Learning programs. The team of 12 is committed to providing leadership for the integration of technology, embedding technology within the curriculum and facilitating the implementation of new technology for the SUSD learning community. With Ariane's expertise, the team has a wealth of tech resources posted on its Web site, including quick tip cards, videos, step-by-step Instructions, Internet resources and weekly tech tips. The site also provides a prominent link to the SUSD Tech Plan, which emphasizes the purpose, focus and future of technology District-wide. To learn more about Instructional Technology, please visit http://its.susd.org.  Pima Student Takes Reading to the Next Level5/8/2007
Sixth grader Brian Ahern has become the first Pima student to ever reach 1,000 Accelerated Reader points in one school year. This amazing reader has led the way in the quantity of reading done by Pima students over the past two years. The books read by Brian this school year represent more than 6,713,498 words.
The average points per student is about 90 per year. About 190 students per year reach the 200 point mark, 50 students per year reach 200 points, and about three students per year get to 500 points. Brian is the only student to ever exceed 600 points in a single school year.  Thank You Teachers!5/7/2007
In honor of National Teacher Appreciation Week, Scottsdale Unified School District salutes our own teachers for your outstanding work and dedication to our students, and for the countless ways you enrich students’ lives everyday with your knowledge and exceptional teaching and learning.
Celebrate National Teacher Appreciation Week May 6-12
5/4/2007
 Do you know how we came to celebrate National Teacher Appreciate Day and Week? In 1944, Arkansas teacher Mattye Whyte Woodridge began corresponding with political and education leaders about the need for a national day to honor teachers. Woodridge wrote to Eleanor Roosevelt, who in 1953 persuaded the 81st Congress to proclaim a National Teacher Day.The National Education Association (NEA), along with its Kansas and Indiana state affiliates lobbied Congress to create a national day celebrating teachers. Congress declared March 7, 1980, as National Teacher Day for that year only. NEA and its affiliates continued to observe National Teacher Day on the first Tuesday in March until 1985, when the National PTA established Teacher Appreciation Week as the first full week of May. The NEA Representative Assembly then voted to make the Tuesday of that week National Teacher Day. Celebrated on the Tuesday of the first full week of May, the actual date varies each year. In 2007, National Teacher Day takes place May 8.  Celebrate National School Nurse Day5/4/2007
This year's theme for National School Nurse Day is "Healthy Children Learn Better." National School Nurse Day was established to foster a better understanding of the role of school nurses in the educational setting. Since 1972, National School Nurse Day has been set aside to recognize school nurses. National School Nurse Day is always the Wednesday within National Nurse Week, which is always May 6th through May 12th.
Navajo Artist Creates Mural at Laguna
5/3/2007
Mr. Yazzie was invited to Laguna to help design a Southwest mural representing children of good character as stewards of the land. A core group of students worked with Mr. Yazzie on the mural creating a relief of children, plants, birds, animals and cacti. The students were asked to share with Yazzie their artistic interpretations of the Six Pillars of Character and helped design how these would be represented in the mural. The mural was financed by private donors, Student Council, Pasco's 4th Grade Tie Dye Company and the Scottsdale Charros. The mural is a celebration of art, education, culture, character ad children.
Honoring the Arts
5/3/2007
 The Arts in Education Council (AEC) for Scottsdale Unified School District celebrated fine arts with the Spring Appreciation Luncheon at Scottsdale Resort and Conference Center. It was an opportunity to recognize those who have promoted fine arts throughout the District.AEC President Bonnie Sneed presented several awards at the luncheon. Ingleside Middle Assistant Principal Art Velarde received the Administrator Award, Lorena Abbott of Pueblo Elementary received the Fine Arts Teacher Award, Vicki Ruby of Cocopah Middle received the Volunteer Award, Kraig Foote received the Community Supporter Award and Dr. Don Chiappetti accepted the Community Organization Award for the Scottsdale Charros. The AEC is a not-for-profit organization comprised of parents, teachers and community members who support quality fine arts education for all SUSD students.
SUSD Names Long-time Advocate to New Outreach Position: Coordinator for Community and Business Partnerships
5/3/2007
Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) is proud to name a new member to its team-the Coordinator for Community and Business Partnerships. Carla Partridge, a Scottsdale parent and activist, will step into this new, non-compensated role on Monday, May 7, 2007.
"We are very excited to have someone with Carla's background and talent as part of our team. We expect her experience and civic-mindedness to be a great asset to the District," said SUSD Superintendent Dr. John M. Baracy. Her role will be to recruit both business partners and volunteers. "She is great at finding resources; this will help us build and improve programs for our students and staff." Read more...
Zuni Expands Comprehensive Gifted Program
5/3/2007
Scottsdale Unified School District's Gifted Services is pleased to announce the addition of a second grade cluster class to the Comprehensive Gifted Program at Zuni Elementary School for the 2007-2008 school year. Beth Parsons, a teacher at Zuni, will be working with other Self Contained Gifted teachers to offer a complete Gifted curriculum designed for students who have the extraordinary academic needs, abilities and intellectual potential found in the top three percent of the population. The current program at Zuni includes grades 3, 4 and 5.
Please join Gifted Services for a tour of the program on May 16th from 1-3 p.m. at Zuni Elementary School, 9181 E. Redfield Road, Scottsdale. For information and an application, please call Robin Madison at 480-484-2833.
Teen Job and Career Fair May 1
4/30/2007
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
. SUSD Statement: Update
4/27/2007 2 p.m.
Updates will be posted periodically to the Saguaro High School Web site. For further information, please view the letter
. SUSD Statement: Saguaro Substitute Teacher Arrest
4/26/2007 5 p.m.
The Scottsdale Unified School District wants to make our community aware that a substitute teacher at Saguaro High School was placed on administrative leave this morning.
The Scottsdale Police Department (SPD) is currently conducting an investigation involving alleged improper conduct that occurred off-campus between this substitute teacher and a student. Read more...
2007 School State Report Cards Available on ADE Web Site
4/27/2007
The Arizona Department of Education's annual School Report Cards for year 2007 are now available to view online at http://www.ade.az.gov/srcs/find_school.asp
. Search by "school", enter the school name and select year 2007.
April 26 Public Discussion Meeting Cancelled
4/26/2007
Tonight’s public discussion meeting at 6 p.m. at the Education Center for the Acadia complex will be rescheduled due to an urgent matter that the administration is currently addressing. The meeting will be rescheduled within the next two weeks.
The Stars of Scottsdale Schools
Charros honor District’s top teachers and students 4/23/2007
Students and staff of the Scottsdale Unified School District were center stage as the Scottsdale Charros rewarded excellence in education.
The civic group honored 34 teachers, one from each school, and 13 high school students at its annual banquet held last Friday night at the Camelback Inn. The Charros named Rachel Baumann from Chaparral High and Bianca Hasse from Saguaro High as Outstanding Students of the Year. Jenny Ekstrom from Pueblo Elementary, Laura Mendelson from Cocopah Middle and Joani Share from Arcadia High were named Outstanding Educators of the Year. Janna Davis from Kiva Elementary, Randy Kirsch from Hopi Elementary, Colleen Katz from Mountainside Middle and Ann Keenan from Arcadia High were named Outstanding Volunteers of the Year. Lisa Heimburg from Tavan Elementary, Lorna Herrera from Ingleside Middle and Georgia French from Arcadia High were honored as Classified Employees of the Year. The Charros also awarded Future Teacher Scholarships to three seniors, Lindsay Creighton from Arcadia High, Karen Howley from Saguaro High and Hannah Harris from Desert Mountain High. The scholarships can be used toward a four year degree at an Arizona public university.
Arcadia, Saguaro and Desert Mountain Students Win Charros 2007 Future Teacher Scholarship
4/23/2007
Graduating seniors Lindsay Creighton, Arcadia High School; Karen Howley, Saguaro High School; and Hannah Harris, Desert Mountain High School; have been selected to receive the Scottsdale Charros’ Future Teacher Scholarships this year. These three young women will begin their college careers armed with one of the largest college scholarships available to Scottsdale Unified School District students.
Since the scholarship program’s creation in 1999, two SUSD students have been honored with this grant each year, but his year, three students will receive the scholarship. The Scottsdale Charros created this program in the hopes of encouraging students to attend college and pursue a career in education. As part of the Future Teacher Scholarship, each winner will receive four years of tuition at an Arizona public university of their choice, room and board, books, an expense stipend and a new computer. The applicants for the scholarship are judged on academics, leadership and community service.
SUSD Students to Swim San Francisco Bay
4/20/2007
Braving cold water and a 1.4 mile swim from Alcatraz Island to the shores of San Francisco Bay, Swim Neptune’s Team Alcatraz will swim to raise money to promote water safety awareness and drowning prevention on April 25th.
“One of the great things to come out of this whole experience is getting the children excited about setting goals. Each one of them has his or her own internal reasons for accepting this challenge, and they are all learning a great life lesson about having a challenging goal and doing what it takes to prepare to give it their best shot," said Coach Joe Zemaitis. "I have been very impressed by how hard the team is working and how passionate they are about our cause, drowning prevention." The 50-member Team Alcatraz has 15 students that represent nine Scottsdale Unified School District schools. Those students are: Ian Biggane, Kiva; Bobby Byars, Arcadia Neighborhood Learning Center; Wyatt Denton, Hopi; Colin Hart, Cochise; Michael Heinonen, Copper Ridge ES; Ethan Hetrick, Mohave,; Allie Jones, Hopi; Hayden McMorris, Arcadia Neighborhood Learning Center; Claire Moty, Desert Mountain; Stuart Moty, Desert Mountain; Jackson Pfundheller, Pima; Nick Steveson, Desert Mountain; Nikki Zilliox, Desert Mountain; and Eve Zweig, Pima. Inspired by their teammate Braxton Bilbrey, who became the youngest swimmer to complete the 1.4 mile swim, Swim Neptune’s Team Alcatraz has been training six days a week since January to prepare for the swim. The team had 10 open water practice swims to prepare the students for the elements that they expect in San Francisco Bay. They went to San Francisco in March, and during training, they learned to counteract tides, chop, wind and limited visibility. All monies raised will be donated to the Foundation for Aquatic Safety and Training (FAST), a Valley-based non-profit organization. Over the summer, Swim Neptune’s Team Alcatraz will serve as ambassadors of water safety, working with FAST in the community to continue to promote water safety and drowning prevention.
Dear SUSD Community
4/20/2007
As you are all aware, there have been many attempted disruptions in schools all across the country, as well as here in the Valley over the past 24 hours. Unfortunately here in Scottsdale, we are not exempt from these situations. Despite the actions of a few, all SUSD schools are in session today.
We want to assure you that student safety and learning are our top priorities. In working closely with the Scottsdale and Phoenix Police departments, there have not been any specific threats at any of our campuses this morning. As always, we work closely with police to investigate any rumors. Today, like other days, all of our middle schools and high schools have their SRO (School Resource Officer) and security staff on site. Additionally, it is our expectation that instructional time is being maximized in all classrooms today just like any other day. We want to thank our community for their partnership and support for our children’s education. Again we want to assure the parents and the community that we are dedicated to the education and safety of all of our students. If you have any concerns, questions and/or related information, please contact the Education Center at 480-484-6100 or your home school office.
Charros to Honor SUSD Teachers, Staff, Volunteer and Students
4/20/2007
Outstanding Scottsdale Unified School District educators and students will be honored Friday, April 20th at the Scottsdale Charros’ 21st annual awards banquet. The Charros are a group of local businessmen who promote Scottsdale. Money generated through the Charros' involvement with spring training pays for the scholarships and awards.
The Charros will honor a Student of the Year, Teachers of the Year at the elementary, middle and high school levels and present awards to an SUSD support employee, a school volunteer and a Scottsdale Community College professor. The event is sponsored by General Dynamics and the Scottsdale Republic. Students to be honored are Jessica Jardine, Arcadia; Brian Hake, Arcadia; Ben Grossman, Chaparral; Rachel Baumann, Chaparral; Sean Harvey, Coronado; Kuo-Ling Chung, Coronado; Nicole Riley, Desert Mountain; Daniel Sluyk, Desert Mountain; Bianca Haase, Saguaro; and Shyam Yekanath, Saguaro. Teachers receiving honors are Karen Dertach, Anasazi; Art Eklund, ANLC; Patricia Vassaux, Aztec; Pamela Hornbeck, Cherokee; Ryan Keller, Cheyenne; Rebecca Hirschfeld, Cochise; Bobbie Faulkner, Copper Ridge; Holly Hooley, Desert Canyon; Kari Kurland, Hohokam; Debbie Voris, Hopi; Joan Cardell, Kiva; Mary Macaluso, Laguna; Mimi Carroll, Navajo; Paul Schettino, Pima; Jenny Ekstrom, Pueblo; Terri Lee, Sequoya; Kay Ringo, Tavan; Donna Stokes, Tonalea; Sonia Cordova, Yavapai; Kay Nichols, Zuni; Leslie Ringler, ANLC; Adrienne Moyer-Bass, Cheyenne; Laura Mendleson, Cocopah; Kurt Fredrick, Copper Ridge; Matt Lins, Desert Canyon; Wes Wagner, Ingleside; Gail Chamberlin, Mohave; Russ Capri, Mountainside; Sia Chamberlin, Supai; Joani Share, Arcadia; Christine Marsh, Chaparral; Joe Schmidt, Coronado; Julie Parker, Desert Mountain; Chris Brandt, Saguaro; and John Brubaker, Sierra Vista. Classified and volunteer winners will be announced at the banquet. Classified staff nominees are Dijana Schlegelmilch, Anasazi; Keith Shelton, ANLC; Sherry West, Aztec; Linda Hall, Cherokee; Sue Emery, Cheyenne; Dave Moore, Cochise; Laurie Kalush, Copper Ridge; Wanda Tingley, Desert Canyon; Judy Edmondson, Hohokam; June Winkler, Hopi; Jill Gross, Kiva; Sherry West, Laguna; Diana Dunkel, Navajo; Debbie Heun, Pima; Susan Scherman, Pueblo; Tom Hernan, Sequoya; Lisa Heimburg, Tavan; Julie Kredlo, Tonalea; Mariela Duarte, Yavapai; Lerinda Beeler, Zuni; M. E. Fusco, Cocopah; Pam Linderman, Desert Canyon; Lorna Herrera, Ingleside; Evavgelina Hayworth, Mohave; Nina Marasco, Mountainside; Milton Zurhoff, Supai; Georgia French, Arcadia; Ray Johnston, Chaparral; Jerri Kelley, Coronado; Duffy McManus, Desert Mountain;Lori Jacques, Saguaro; and Carol Grabowski, Sierra Vista Academy. Volunteer nominees are Tammy White, Anasazi; Maria Kitkowski, ANLC; Maria Kokoska, Aztec; Michelle Smart, Cherokee; Debbie Domenico, Cheyenne; Sue Tooker, Cochise; TC Collins, Copper Ridge; Anna Marie Mars, Desert Canyon; Melissa Brown, Hohokam; Randy Kirsch, Hopi; Jana Davis, Kiva; Pauline Wynn Miller, Laguna; Heidi Schaefer,Navajo; Nancy Hunter, Pima; JoAnn Sears, Pueblo; Mary Donaldson, Sequoya; Matt Toney, Tavan; Steve Krohl, Tonalea; Evelyn Haberer; Yavapai; Claire Stacker, Zuni; Vicki Ruby, Cocopah; Scott and Marilisa Wynn, Desert Canyon; Lisette Murney, Ingleside; Susan Renner, Mohave; Colleen Katz, Mountainside; Lorna Rodriguez, Supai; Anne Keenan, Arcadia; Kathy Barney, Chaparral; Mark Peterson, Coronado; Kathy Schmidt, Desert Mountain; and Kathy Nord, Saguaro. Congratulations to all those who were nominated!
Earth Day Celebrations
4/20/2007
 Did you know that April 22nd 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, planting flowers and volunteering. Arcadia High School students are working on an in-class PowerPoint presentation about environmental concerns facing Arizona today. Topics range from broad to specific: global warming, wildfires, drought, air pollution caused by vehicles, water conservation, land development and the importance of recycling. They’ll also come up with possible “real-life” solutions we can use. Chaparral High School’s Environmental Biology class set up tables at lunch to show different environmental issues. The students will also offer eco-friendly tips to fellow students. The school’s Animals, People, Earth (A.P.E.) Club is painting a mural for Earth Day. It consists of a huge tree with statistics about global warming on the leaves. There will be leaves throughout the walls of the building with other global warming facts and conservation tips written on them. Eleven Service Learning students at Desert Mountain High School will be volunteering their time on Earth Day at the Senior Citizens homewhere they’ll plant flowers with the seniors. Ten Service Learning students will be volunteering their time at the Phoenix Zoo to help run games and activities for the zoo’s Earth Day Celebration from 8-11:30 a.m. Aztec Elementary School's sixth grade students are involved in the Lions Quest Service Learning project; all of these projects are themed around helping the environment. Some students are creating Public Service Announcements; others are planting flowers and drought resistant plants. One student will teach information about energy conservation, and another student will teach about wildlife conservation to younger students (grades). Another group is re-using paper and creating flyers informing the families in the school community about the air pollution from car emissions to persuade them to turn off their cars while waiting in the student pick-up lines. Laguna Elementary School’s fourth graders are doing a "Garbage to Gold" activity. Students are given an article of garbage and asked to find another use for it. For example, a large soda bottle can be turned into a bird feeder. On April 19-20 second graders are doing an entire rainforest program about saving the earth. The program entails songs, poems and sign language about the wonders of the rainforest and how we need to preserve it. There will be “safari kid narrators" and a toucan skit. Each class has a song and dance they perform, with the kids pretending to be animals from the rainforest. Sequoya Elementary School’s third grade classes will make a bulletin board in front of their room with “pollution monsters.” They will also be learning a song called "Good Garbage" to sing on Sequoya TV during Earth Week. In addition, they will be learning the importance or reusing and recycling. The school’s Student Council will build awareness about Earth Day by providing mini-posters about saving the earth to color and by providing word searches that contain words like reduce, reuse, recycle, care, litter, plants and soil. They will also made a special announcement Wednesday morning about how Earth Day started, and they will donate a small tree to the campus. Finally, they had a “Clean-Up Our Campus” time during lunch hours on Thursday to celebrate Earth Day. JOB FAIR 4/10/07
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
 .
Principal Named for Saguaro High School
4/10/2007
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...
Attendance = Learning and Successful Testing
AIMS and Terra Nova Tests Administered in April
3/22/2007
 As parents, you know that learning only happens when your children attend class. That is why it so important for children to be in school every day. Due to the increase in rigor of state standards, it is more important than ever that students are in school so they have ample opportunity to learn. Because new skills build on skills already acquired, students are more successful on tests when they have consistent classroom attendance. During the week of April 10th, students will be taking either the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) or the Terra Nova DPA tests. Each school's AZ Learns label and Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) are contingent on attendance during these tests. Here are just a few tips to help your child when it comes to taking tests:
To view testing calendars, please visit: www.susd.org/district/assess/index.cfm.
 Take Your Child to Work - After School is Out3/23/2007
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.
SUSD Hosts Public Discussions
3/22/2007
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.
The meeting is scheduled for 6-7:30 p.m. The date and location for the remaining meeting is:
Construction Update
3/16/2007
During this construction process, the administrations at all sites are successfully balancing construction to accommodate academic and athletic needs at the schools with minimal disruption to the education process.
Thank you to the voters who approved a $217 million bond in November 2004 to modernize Arcadia, Chaparral, Coronado and Saguaro high schools, make improvements to Desert Mountain High School, begin Phase II construction at Sierra Vista Academy and to purchase land and buses. At this time, all projects are on time and on budget. The result will be outstanding centers of learning, arts and athletics for our children. SUSD Students Chosen as Phoenix Youth Ambassadors
3/16/2007
Seven Scottsdale Unified School District students have been chosen to serve as youth ambassadors and travel to Phoenix's sister cities through a summer exchange program. Those students are: Mallory DeLashmutt, a junior at Arcadia High School; Amy Forker, a sophomore at Arcadia High School; Arianne Gruys, a junior at Chaparral High School; Maddy Kloss, a junior at Desert Mountain High School; Rachel Lowenstein, a junior at Arcadia High School; Lexi Moody, a junior at Arcadia High School; and Robert Morgan, a junior at Arcadia High School.
The Youth Ambassador Exchange Program, sponsored by the City of Phoenix's Sister Cities Program, allows young people from around the world to learn about and experience each other's cultures. The students are selected on the basis of their communication skills, maturity, flexibility, leadership and self-confidence. each will live with a host family in their designated sister city for three weeks in June and early July, then reciprocate and house their host family's son or daughter in Phoenix in mid-July. Phoenix Sister Cities are: Calgary, Canada; Catania, Italy; Chengdu, China; Ennis, Ireland; Grenoble, France; Hermosillo, Mexico; Himeji, Japan; Prague, Czech Republic; Ramat Gan, Israel; and Taipei, Taiwan. For more information, visit www.phoenixsistercities.org , or call 602-534-3751.
Matt Leinart Visits Navajo
3/16/2007
Matt Leinart, Arizona Cardinals quarterback, spoke to students at Navajo Elementary School about the importance of healthy eating and nutrition. His visit stems from this group of students (the “Breakfast Club”) participating in a contest sponsored by the Arizona Dairy Council. Daisy the Cow, the Arizona Diary Council's mascot, also made a special appearance at the school.
For one week, students across the Valley logged onto the Internet and entered information about what they ate for breakfast. All of the students who completed entries for each day of the week were entered into a drawing to have Matt Leinart visit their school. Navajo’s “Breakfast Club” is a free program that provides a nutritious breakfast to students each school day. Parents are also welcome to join their child for breakfast, which costs the grown-up just $1. During “Breakfast Club” time, students watch movies, play games and color. Chaparral Student Organizes Book Drive
3/9/2007
Do you have new or used children's books that you'd like to donate? Brad Schell, a junior at Chaparral High School, in conjunction with Cochise Elementary School and Cocopah Middle School is collecting children's books for distribution to disadvantaged children in the Valley. Books will be collected through March 23 for distribution after spring break. Books can be dropped off at the APT room at Cochise or at the library at Cocopah.
Brad got the idea of a book drive because he was constantly dropping off donated books at the Mustang Library for his family. He decided it would be better to give the children's books directly to less fortunate children who may never get to a library. Brad's parents suggested he try and collect more books from family, friends and neighbors. His initial goal was to collect 1,000 books. "I am nearly there with just the books I have managed to round up myself. The Cochise APT President heard about the book drive and wanted to get involved. Coincidentally, I had planned on going over and talking to them the following day. I was the school president at Cochise when I was in 5th grade. I then contacted Cocopah, my former middle school, and they agreed to help, also," he said. For more information about the book drive, please e-mail Brad Schell  . Desert Mountain Wins State Championship3/7/2007
The Desert Mountain Boys’ Basketball team defeated Paradise Valley High School for the State 5A Division II Title Tuesday night at the Jobbing.com Arena.
This is the first time a DMHS basketball team has won a state championship. The final score of the game was 65-55. Congratulations to the team members and Coach Todd Fazio! SUSD has First School Bus Operation to Earn VPP "Star" Status in OSHA Program
3/7/2007
 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) presented Dan Shearer, director of transporters of learners, and the First Vehicle Service team with the prestigious Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) “Star” status. SUSD’s San Salvador Bus Maintenance Location is the first school bus repair facility to achieve the Star status as a result of its participation in the VPP OSHA Challenge Pilot. The SUSD bus garage is managed by David Kline and operated by First Vehicle Services (FVS), an international general fleet services contractor."We are proud of this noteworthy achievement–it's truly a milestone–and we look forward to continued improvement in our safety and health management systems,” says Shearer. “This goes hand-in-hand with SUSD goals and is especially important to a District that prides itself on being one of Arizona’s most excelling school districts.” The OSHA VPP recognizes the outstanding efforts of employers and employees who have achieved exemplary occupational safety and health. The VVP Challenge Pilot was designed to help companies take a more proactive approach to occupational safety and health by providing a detailed roadmap that guides them to improve their safety and health management systems and meet VPP recognition criteria. VPP companies achieve average injury and illness rates that are 50 percent lower than other companies in their industry. In qualifying for "Star" status, First Vehicle Services verified that they had implemented programs and procedures beyond those required under OSHA standards. The requirements for application to VPP include a high degree of management support and employee involvement, high quality worksite hazard analysis protocols, prevention and control programs, and comprehensive safety and health training for all employees. Planting the Seeds of Friendship
3/9/2007
Gardens are blossoming at several campuses this spring. Many of our students, faculty, staff and community members are working together to spruce up their schools.
 Arcadia Neighborhood Learning Center celebrated the renewal of
their garden with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Thursday. The
ANLC garden has been an exciting place of growth and discovery
for students. This fall the garden was completely redesigned with
generous donations of both time and money. The students are so
excited to begin spring planting and to release ladybugs, which
will take place throughout the day on March 21st.
 Building friendships is the theme of Desert Canyon Middle School’s new Friendship garden. By working together,students in the Self-Contained Autism class, the student government and Bob Heidenric, custodian, created an opportunity for students in the regular classroom to interact with students in a Self-Contained Autism classroom. The idea of a garden originated when students in the Self-Contained Autism class showed great interest in their indoor planting Science lessons. The “Friends Program” is adapted from the Friend program developed by the SouthwestAutism Research & Resource Center (SARRC) which focuses on Autism awareness. Navajo Elementary School is creating the Navajo Community Butterfly Garden. Parents, students, teachers and staff assisted in selecting and placing plants that will attract and retain butterfly populations. Lowe’s Home Improvement, Basha’s and other neighborhood businesses and individuals provided gardening tools, soil and plants. Yavapai Elementary School’s Garden Club will be creating a Children’s Tranquility Garden this spring. The club is hoping to team with Arizona State University landscape architecture students to design the garden. The school recently received a $1,000 grant from Lowe’s Home Improvement store.
Coronado Teacher Named Teacher of the Year
3/2/2007
Darcy Brodison, an Economics teacher at Coronado High School, was named Teacher of the Year by the Arizona Society of Economics Teachers on February 3rd. She is also secretary of that organization and presented two breakout sessions at its annual conference. Darcy has also been selected to grade Advance Placement economics exams in Nebraska for the second year in a row. For two consecutive years, she also presented at the Arizona Council for the Social Studies Conference held in the Fall.
Read Across America
3/2/2007
Scottsdale Unified School District students are honoring a literary legend. Along with The National Education Association, students and teachers are saluting Dr. Seuss as part of Read Across America Week.
In celebration, members of the community visited several classrooms at SUSD schools to read stories to the students. At many elementary schools, students and teachers dressed up as literary characters to get into the spirit. This year marks the 50th anniversary of "The Cat in the Hat."
Batista Visits Coronado
3/2/2007
Miguel Batista, a pitcher for the Seattle Mariners, spoke to Coronado High School students about communicating original thoughts and ideas and about positive self-expression.
He describes himself as “Dominican by birth, pitcher by profession, and poet by vocation.” Batista has written a book of poetry entitled "Feeling in Black and White" and is known for his love of poetry and philosophy. An Insect's Life
2/23/2007
Two male moths hatched this week from four cocoons that Superintendent Dr. John M. Baracy delivered to the class in November 2006. The students are still waiting for the other two cocoons, which could be a different species of moth to hatch. Dr. Baracy collected the cocoons while on a trip to Cobden, Ill. last fall. The moths will be released in hopes that they will mate. Dr. Baracy also brought his personal collection of butterflies and moths to share with the students. The students also raised mealworms and wax worms that will turn into beetles soon. They are learning about insects and the life cycles as part of the second grade curriculum. An Exceptional Customer Experience
2/23/2007
This week Miles Goodpasture, the facilitator of the University of People at Southwest Airlines, hosted the event. Goodpasture shared his vision for providing the very best service each and every day. Laguna's Patriotic Pride
2/23/2007
The Patriotic Show included students singing patriotic songs, quoting famous phrases and telling the history of the flag. They invited a fireman, a policeman, a paramedic, a member of the military and a heart surgeon (parents in service fields) to attend the show. For the finale, the students invited the special guests on stage to sing “God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood. The students are learning about America as part of the third grade curriculum. Pelosi Visits Cochise
2/20/2007
Pelosi wanted to visit Cochise because she heard rave reviews of the school from her husband, who had toured the school before. While on campus, Pelosi praised the teachers, especially special education teachers, and emphasized the importance of education for all children. “The school really lives up to its reputation,” she said. Pelosi was very impressed with the technology at the school. Pelosi addressed the cost of college tuition to a packed room at Arizona State University Monday evening. Pelosi is the first woman in American history to lead a major party in the U.S. Congress. Before being elected Speaker, she served as House Democratic Whip for one year. Pelosi represents California's Eighth District in the House of Representatives.
Quest for the Best!
2/20/2007
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 Scottsdale Unified School District’s booth at the Great Arizona Teach-In Career Fair for more information about a rewarding career with SUSD.
Chaparral Student to Compete in Culinary Contest
2/16/2007
Ashley Holian, a senior at Chaparral High School, will participate in the semi-final Careers through Culinary Arts Programs (C-Cap) competition this Saturday. The competition is from 9 a.m.-noon on February 17th at Casa Grande High School, 2730 N. Trekell Road.
The final culinary competition will be held on March 24 at the Arizona Culinary Institute in Scottsdale. Parents who are interested in learning more about the programs are invited to attend an informational meeting from 6-7 p.m. on Thursday, March 22nd in the Media Center at Pueblo, 6320 N. 82nd St. Ashley is a second year culinary student in Jennie Blomquist’s class. She would like to pursue a career as a certified chef. Saguaro Receives BCS Turf
2/16/2007
New turf was rolled out on Saguaro High School’s football field this week.
The turf was used in last month’s Bowl Championship Series title game played at the University of Phoenix Stadium. Saguaro’s football parent booster club asked Fiesta Bowl officials to donate the field to them. Donations from the Scottsdale Charros, parents and alumni covered the cost of delivery and setting up the sod and installing a new irrigation system.
Board Approves Calendars
2/13/2007
At Tuesday night’s Governing Board meeting, the Board approved the proposed calendars for 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11 and a template of subsequent calendars through 2017. The calendars are posted at: http://www.susd.org/district/administrativeservices/calendar.cfm.
Foreign Language Immersion Program at Pueblo Elementary
2/14/2007
The Governing Board recently approved Pueblo Elementary School’s Foreign Language Immersion Program, which will begin in the fall of 2007.
This program offers parents an opportunity for their child to learn a second language at a time when children learn languages best. Beginning in the first grade, English speaking students spend half of the school day learning regular first grade curriculum in Spanish and the other half learning in English. Students are taught the first grade curriculum and will learn to speak, read and write in two languages. Parents who are interested in learning more about the programs are invited to attend an informational meeting from 6-7 p.m. on Thursday, March 22nd in the Media Center at Pueblo, 6320 N. 82nd St. For more information about the Foreign Language Immersion Program, please view the brochure or call Pueblo Elementary School at 480-484-3100.SUSD Hosts Regional II Spelling Bee
2/12/2007
SUSD students Jessica Sola, Adam Familiant and Steven Lorbeer made it to the 8th round in which three-fourths of the contestants were eliminated. The Spelling Bee went for 10 rounds. The winner of the Regional II Spelling Bee was So-Young Chung of Terramar Elementary School, Deer Valley Unified School District, and Kallie Francis from El Dorado Private School, Scottsdale, won second-place. Both will go to the State Spelling Bee on March 31 at KAET Channel 8 Studio, ASU in Tempe. Valley school districts take turns hosting the Regional II Spelling Bee. This year, SUSD hosted the Bee, and Superintendent Dr. John M. Baracy presented the welcoming remarks to the students. Take Me Out to the Ballpark
2/9/2007
The Charros recently held their annual baseball luncheon at Scottsdale Stadium. Under a crystal blue sky, students enjoyed lunch donated by Julio G's and then hit the fields for some baseball activities. Former Major League players shared some trade secrets with the youth who represented Scottsdale's elementary, middle and high schools. Thank you Charros for a wonderful afternoon! Let it Snow in Scottsdale!
2/9/2007
Dressed in mittens and warm coats, students celebrated "winter" with three tons of snow provided by Arizona Iceman. Learning about the seasons is part of the integrated kindergarten/first grade curriculum.
Navajo Elementary Student Wins Hoop Dance Contest
2/9/2007
During the contest, each dancer presented a unique variation of the intertribal hoop dance, weaving in aspects of his or her distinct traditions and cultures. Tyrese wore a costume made by his father, Lane, who won 3rd place in the Adult Division.
Arcadia Students Learn Life Lessons - Stay Alive @ 25
2/8/2007
The Arcadia News Network simulcast the program Behind the Scenes of a Fatal Collision with Detective Weston Brown, Scottsdale Police Collision Investigator, and Captain David Folio, Scottsdale Fire Department, to the entire student body via live TV and Internet on February 8, 2007. The Stay Alive @ 25 mini series runs from January 29-April 19 with guest speakers from the community reinforcing the importance of making safe driving decisions. The program is designed to help teenagers make wise decisions in the early driving years, thereby improving their chances of staying alive to the age of 25. For more information about Stay Alive @ 25, please visit http://www.stayaliveat25.org/index.htm. Saguaro Community Meeting
2/7/2007
Saguaro High School invites you to attend a Community Input Meeting regarding the selection of the next principal. The meeting will be held from 6:30-9 p.m. on Thursday, February 15 in Room 362, 6250 N. 82nd St., Scottsdale.
Dr. Althe Allen, executive director of secondary schools and excelling teaching & learning, and Jeff Thomas, employee relations administrator, will facilitate the meeting during which teachers, staff, parents and community members are encouraged to provide input on the qualities desired for Saguaro’s next principal. For more information about the meeting, please contact Dr. Allen's office at 480-484-6113, Andi Fourlis at 480-484-6159 or Saguaro High School at 480-484-7100. News from Copper Ridge Math & Science Academy
1/29/2007
Copper Ridge Math & Science Academy (CRMSA) recently announced the creation of its first Advisory Board.
The Advisory Board will provide valuable input and recommendations for curriculum enrichments that will reinforce the skills CRMSA students need to enter an ever-changing work force. The Advisory Board will also facilitate the establishment of community partnerships with organizations throughout the state. The Advisory Board members are: Dr. Jan Belt, owner and executive director, Oxford Learning; Dr. Sue Bradley, dean of education, Wayland University; Richard Harrer, intellectual property attorney, Dial Corporation; Liz Harvey, senior vice president and general manager, Dial Corporation; Mayor Mary Manross, Honorable Mayor of Scottsdale; Dr. Edward Moticka, director of research, Scottsdale Healthcare; Dr. Candice Nulson, program manager/educational and outreach, Translational Genomics Research Institute; and Ted Tyler, retired, Lucent Technologies. Mark your calendars for the following CRMSA events:
Comprehensive Gifted Self-Contained School Tours
1/29/2007
Gifted Services is a hosting Comprehensive Gifted Program Tours at Zuni Elementary School.
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. Scottsdale Named as One of the Best Communities for Young People
1/26/2007
For the second consecutive year, the City of Scottsdale is being honored for helping young people succeed, and the Scottsdale Unified School District is proud to be part of that recognition.
The city has been named one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People by America’s Promise – The Alliance for Youth. The quality of education in Scottsdale’s schools was cited as a key factor in the ranking. More than 1,000 communities nationwide vied for the organization's recognition. Criteria for selecting the top 100 included community support of children and youth, resources children and youth receive, children and youth outcomes, community innovations in the areas of policy, practice and resources, progress to date and plans for the coming year and broad diversity of American life. Rachel Simmons Speech
1/19/2007
Cocopah Middle School proudly presents Rachel Simmons, the New York Times best selling author of "Odd Girl Out" and "Odd Girl Speaks Out." She is a graduate of Vassar College and a Rhodes Scholar. She is also a sold out speaker to young adults and families across the country on combating bullying, internet safety, and developing a positive attitude about life. She will be speaking at the Cocopah cafeteria on Monday, February 12, 2007 at 7:00 PM. All families and students from the Scottsdale Unified School District are welcome. Mark your calendars. Bring your children and laugh your way through an informative evening with Rachel Simmons as your guide. Get a sneak peek at what's in store and visit her website at www.rachelsimmons.com
 . Kiva Celebrates Golden Anniversary
1/25/2007
 Celebrate 50 years of excellence with Kiva Elementary School from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, February 10th. The celebration will include a dedication of the Kiva Wall of Fame, photos of years past, memories from former and current teachers and faculty, music from all eras, memorabilia from the 1950s to 2000s and fifth grade story telling directed by Artist in Residence Harriet Cole. There is no charge to attend the event. A catered spaghetti lunch with birthday cake will be provided for $8 per person. Click here to download the form to RSVP for lunch by Tuesday, January 30th. For more information, please contact Tami Miller at tamismiller@cox.net or Jana Davis at janasbandanas@cox.net. Saguaro to Dedicate New Baseball Field this Saturday
2/9/2007
Saguaro High School baseball players will be rounding the bases on a new field this season.
The dedication ceremony for the new baseball field will take place from 8:30-4:30 on Saturday, February 10th, at Saguaro 6250 N. 82nd St. Activities at the dedication include a free baseball clinic for children between the ages of 8-14, a BBQ lunch provided by players and their parents, a varsity versus junior varsity game and a Saguaro alumni game - the pre-2000 players versus post-2000 players. Special guests at the dedication include Scottsdale Unified School District staff and architects from DLR Group.. The new baseball field cost $300,000 and was funded by the 2004 Bond and with monies donated by the Saguaro Diamond Boosters Club. The project was completed in seven months. For more information about the dedication ceremony, please contact Richard Zuloaga, president of the Saguaro Diamond Club, at 602-778-2833 or Jodi Christiansen at 480-419-7425. Cheyenne Students Explore Colonial Life
1/30/2007
Dressed in traditional pilgrim and Native American clothing, students explored Colonial crafts, including candle making, paper quilling, calligraphy, doll making and quilt making. They also played Colonia-era games. Learning about America’s rich history from the American Exploration through the Civil War is part of the fifth grade curriculum. Yavapai Receives $1,000 Grant from Lowe's
1/26/2007
 Yavapai Elementary School’s Garden Club continues to flourish thanks to a $1,000 grant from Lowe’s Home Improvement store of Scottsdale. The grant money will be used to create a children’s tranquility garden on the campus. The club is hoping to team with Arizona State University landscape architecture students to design the garden. “Thanks to the generosity of Lowe’s, Yavapai will continue to expand our after-school Garden Club and beautify the campus,” said Principal Wendy Cohen. Additionally, Lowe’s will be a strong partner for the Yavapai community. They will offer free student/parent workshops on the weekends and gardening activities for parents and will also have a “how to” booth at the school’s carnival this spring. The Garden Club consists of 25 students from third, fourth, fifth and sixth grades, parent volunteers and the Plant Manager Tom Bland. The students and volunteers meet during their lunch and before and after school to water, till, plant and work in the gardens around the campus. The Garden Club was founded four years ago and is funded by donations. Supai Mars Student Imaging Program - An Example of 21st Century Learning!
1/25/2007
 Exploring Mars isn’t new to students at Supai Middle School or to science teacher Bill Gardner. This year, seventh grade students have been discovering the Red Planet in conjunction with the Mars Student Imaging Program (MSIP) at Arizona State University (ASU), including analyzing images taken by the thermal emission imaging system (THEMIS) camera aboard the Odyssey Orbiter satellite. Last week, students presented their current class project, Simple Channels on Mars, to a group of scientists, mission planners and NASA educators at ASU. The report written by last year’s entire exemplary class is posted to both the MSIP and ASU electronic resources Web sites. Additionally, the Supai Team is one of four teams rated “Exemplary.” They were selected from more than 86 participating teams nationwide. “The project represented a great deal of hard work on the part of all students in this exploratory class. ASU staff was impressed with our students’ desire to complete the project with a formal presentation,” says Bill Gardner, science teacher at Supai Middle School. “These students were praised for their specific topic focus, use of scientific method, data collection and analysis skills.” Supai’s participation will be included in an article about the Mars Student Imaging Program in the March/April issue of Teacher Magazine. In addition, last year’s students will be featured in a re-broadcast of the PBS program Dragonfly, which airs on Saturday, February 3rd. To view the Supai Team results, visit: http://msip.asu.edu/resultdetail.html?selection=302. CRMS Student Wins District Spelling Bee
1/24/2007
 Congratulations to Rachel Bochantin, an eighth grade student at Copper Ridge Middle School, who won first place at 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 the Scottsdale Civic Center Library to cheer on the students. Rachel and Steven Lorbeer, a sixth grade student at Pueblo Elementary School, were the final two spellers! Rachel was declared the winner after spelling the words s-o-p-h-i-s-t-i-c-a-t-i-o-n and j-a-u-n-d-i-c-e-d. The top seven competitors from the bee move on to the Regional Spelling Bee, which will be held February 12th at the Scottsdale Civic Center Library. They are: Rachel Bochantin; Steven Lorbeer; Austen Yueh, Mountainside; Jessica Sola, Tonalea; Adam Familiant, Arcadia Neighborhood Learning Center; Connor Miller, Cheyenne Traditional School; and Navya Dasari, Cheyenne Traditional School. Sandra Day O’Connor Tutors Student at Navajo Elementary School
1/19/2007
Retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor wants to, once again, set an example for others to follow. Ms. O’Connor hopes that by volunteering as a literacy tutor she can encourage others to do the same. She set an example when she spent an hour tutoring a student at Navajo Elementary School on Tuesday, January 16th.
Ms. O’Connor’s friend, Dr. Fred Christensen, started the Navajo Volunteer Literacy Program about seven years ago. The retired physician says the elementary school’s former principal got him started, but it was originally as a math tutor. “We found out that reading was the biggest area of need,” he said, “which is how this program started.” Once the need was identified–and with help from patient teachers–the group began teaching reading, writing, vocabulary and all things literary to students in need. The volunteers are all trained—they aren’t just reading with or to a child. About half of them have teaching certificates, and others gain a great deal of experience as teachers. “We use a one-on-one formula that makes the child feel special. It works very well,” Christensen said. Although the group now has about 60 volunteers, they can always use more help—which is just the thing to drive someone once ranked among the most powerful women in America into action. If you would like to volunteer for this program, contact Navajo Elementary School at 480-484-2600. Kindergarten Round-Up
1/12/2007
Schools throughout the District will be hosting tours and open houses in preparation for enrolling children in Kindergarten for the 2007-2008 school year. Come visit us to meet teachers, principals and learn about great features offered by schools in the Scottsdale Unified School District.
To find out the date for a Kindergarten Round-Up at a school in your area, please see the Schedule 
High School AIMS Testing
12/15/2006
The Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) test will be given to all sophomore students and to junior and senior students who have not passed one or more portions of the test. Students who have "Met the Standard" on any portion of AIMS may choose to retake the test to try to improve their score. Students who have "Exceeded the Standard" are not eligible to retest. Students who have not yet passed will automatically be signed up to retake the AIMS test. Students who have passed but wish to retake any portion of AIMS to improve their score must sign up to test at their school.
Dates for the AIMS test are as follows:
Saguaro Pep Rally Celebrates Multiple Athletic Victories
12/11/2006
  Students gathered at the Saguaro High School Football field this morning to celebrate recent victories by multiple athletic teams. The marching band played and cheerleaders cheered as this weekend's Class 4A Division I football champions took the field. In addition, Principal Ty Timbrooks congratulated the Saguaro High School Girls' Cross-Country team, who took 2nd Place at State; Girls' Volleyball, State Runners-Up; Boys' and Girls' Golf teams and Boys' and Girls' Swim teams. Congratulations Athletes, Coaches and Staff on your hard work, dedication and victories! Take Advantage of the ARIZONA SCHOOL TAX CREDIT and Help Scottsdale Unified Schools!
12/20/2006
 It's a win, win situation and it doesn't cost you anything! Arizona law allows taxpayers to receive a tax credit of up to $200 for individual filers and up to $400 for married filers.
Donate to any Scottsdale school then claim the tax credit when filing your 2006 Arizona State Income Tax. The school or school program of your choice must receive your donation by December
31, 2006.To contribute online, please click on the "Tax Credit" button above. If you have additional questions, please contact the Scottsdale Unified School District at 480-484-6100, or the Arizona Department of Revenue at: www.azdor.gov/ResearchStats/Schooltaxcredit.htm Calendar Survey Deadline Extended to December 22nd.
12/18/2006
 For your convenience, the deadline to submit your response to the 2006-07 SUSD Academic Calendar Survey has been extended to December 22nd, 2006. We understand that due to increased bulk mail volume during this holiday season, many middle school and high school parents have just received their copies of the survey. Your input is important! Please complete and return the survey at your earliest convenience, but before the new December 22nd deadline. Choose one of the following convenient ways to reply:
The 2006-07 Calendar Committee, comprised of parents, teachers, administrators, staff, and high school
students, seeks your input as they establish the SUSD academic calendar.
The Calendar Committee has begun meeting to plan the calendars for the 2007-08 and 2008-09 school years. The committee consists of administrators, teachers, parents, and students  . It is facilitated by
Cathy Rivera, Executive Director for Elementary Schools & Excelling Teaching and Learning, and Eric Kurland, president of
the Scottsdale Education Association.
The committee will continue to meet once a week through November. Community members are welcome to attend
and observe. For a schedule of meetings, please contact Joy Colgan at jcolgan@susd.org.Project Background: Calendar information was discussed at the September 5th Governing Board meeting for the purpose of
gathering input for the committee. Proposed 2007-08 and 2008-09 calendars will be presented to the Board for discussion at
the January 23, 2007 meeting, with a vote on February 13, 2007.
If you have any questions, or if you have any input you would like shared with the Calendar Committee,
please contact Cathy Rivera at crivera@susd.org or Eric Kurland at ekurland@susd.org. If you have any further questions, please contact the District Office at 480-484-6100. Thank you!
 Sierra Vista Receives Flags for Its Classrooms12/1/2006
Sierra Vista received 10 U.S. flags for its classrooms on November 17, 2006. This enables them to be in compliance with a new law
that says all classrooms in some grades must have a flag and a copy of the Constitution. The law takes effect in June ’07. The flags are 3’ x 5’ and were donated by Benchmark Hospitality International at the Scottsdale Resort & Conference Center as part of their Hometown Hospitality initiative. Before this donation Sierra Vista had no flags in any of its classrooms. DNA Experiment at Copper Ridge Math & Science Academy
12/1/2006
 
Copper Ridge Math & Science Academy Biology teacher Cheryl Dunham conducted a recent lab with her students by extracting DNA from their cheek cells. The students found it interesting to see their own DNA and to have gotten it from their “spit”. The students were very successful with the lab. Each student was given a tiny vial in which to keep their DNA, which several students decided to wear as jewelry.
Left photo (left to right): Andrew Ritchey, Ma-Li Metcalf, Scott Freitas, and Alex Bezuyen participate in DNA lab. Right photo: Lauren Lyons wearing a DNA necklace. Tonalea Elementary's 2nd Annual Turkey Trot
11/17/2006
   Children in Kindergarten through 6th grade at Tonalea participated in their 2nd annual "Turkey Trot." The event was presented by the Tonalea Elementary School Student Council. All students in each grade level ran their own races, and the top winner of each race received a giant turkey for Thanksgiving! Super Saturday Winter Enrichment Camp
an Enrichment Program for Academically Gifted & Creative Learners in Grades K-8
12/11/2006
Don't miss the Gifted Program Annual Winter Super Saturday Program! These mini-courses are designed to provide challenging opportunities for academically, creatively, and artistically talented children. Classes are fun and active; students are encouraged to be creative and are allowed to pursue their personal areas of interest. The Winter Enrichment Camp is open to students from all districts. More information, fees and registration form
 . Saguaro High School Breaks Ground on Renovations
Project part of Scottsdale Unified School District Bond Program
11/3/2006
 
City dignitaries, including the Honorable Mary Manross, SUSD Governing Board members, Scottsdale Fire Chief William McDonald and Police Chief Alan Rodbell, joined Principal Tyrus Timbrooks and guests on the new baseball field at Saguraro High School to officially break ground on major renovations to the campus. The new construction by D.L. Withers is part of the SUSD 2004 Bond Program. School facilities will be replaced and updated, creating a new point of pride for the community and an inspirational learning environment for the students. Impressively, many of those involved in the planning, architectural design and construction are Saguaro High School alumni. Proud Saguaro parents at the event included Scottsdale Unified School District Superintendent Dr. John Baracy, whose son and daughter both graduated from Saguaro. The festivities began with celebratory music by the Saguaro marching band, directed by Mike Miller, and the National Anthem, sung by the “Voices of Saguaro” under the direction of Gaylin Tutnick and Brian Hall.
Students' Artwork displayed at SMoCA
10/26/2006
SUSD students were selected to have their artwork displayed in the Art is Academic: Scottsdale Unified School District art exhibit at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA). SMoCA along with the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and the Scottsdale Unified School District are collaborating on a district wide exhibition to focus and feature the results of a quality arts education. Students will have their work displayed at the museum through January 7, 2007. You won’t want to miss this truly remarkable show!
Calendar Committee is Asking for Your Input!
The survey will conclude December 8th
11/7/2006
The 2006-07 Calendar Committee, comprised of parents, teachers, administrators, staff, and high school students, seeks your input as they establish the SUSD academic calendar. Click here to take the survey online.The Calendar Committee has begun meeting to plan the calendars for the 2007-08 and 2008-09 school years. The committee consists of administrators, teachers, parents, and students . It is facilitated by Cathy Rivera, Executive Director for Elementary Schools & Excelling Teaching and Learning, and Eric Kurland, president of the Scottsdale Education Association.
The committee will continue to meet once a week through November. Community members are welcome to attend and observe. For a schedule of meetings, please contact Joy Colgan at jcolgan@susd.org.Project Background: Calendar information was discussed at the September 5th Governing Board meeting for the purpose of gathering input for the committee. Proposed 2007-08 and 2008-09 calendars will be presented to the Board for discussion at the January 23, 2007 meeting, with a vote on February 13, 2007.
If you have any questions, or if you have any input you would like shared with the Calendar Committee, please contact Cathy Rivera at crivera@susd.org or Eric Kurland at ekurland@susd.org. Van Fleet is Named New Public Information Officer
for Scottsdale Unified School District
10/26/2006 
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (Oct. 25th, 2006) – Marijke (pronounced Mah-RAY-kah) Van Fleet has joined Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) as Public Information Officer. Her primary duties are to respond to all media inquiries and to inform parents and the community about District news. Ms. Van Fleet reports to Maureen O’Leary, Executive Director Communications and Marketing.
“Accurate and timely communication with our community is so important. We are very pleased to have an experienced media and public relations professional like Marijke join our team,” said O’Leary. “In addition, she is an SUSD alumna who has come full circle from graduate to promoter of the many wonderful accomplishments that happen every day at all of our schools.” Read more... Chaparral High School Breaks Ground on Renovations
Reconstruction project is part of Scottsdale Unified School District Bond Program
10/16/2006
   Studies have proven that there is something about a good physical environment that makes students and faculty feel better about going to school. Scottsdale voters had this foresight when they passed a 2004 bond initiative, enabling the Scottsdale Unified School District to undertake a major facility modernization program. Today the District broke ground on its third construction project currently underway, the $50 million modernization of Chaparral High School.
“Although it’s challenging to undertake a major construction project during the school year, we’re fortunate to have builders with experience in accommodating the unique requirements of a school facility,” said David J. Peterson, executive director of the district’s facility management for learners. Read more... Hats off to 64 Outstanding Students
9/29/2006
Scottsdale Unified School District has
64 high school students who have been named as either Semi-Finalists (19) or Commended Scholars (45) in the 2007 National Merit Scholarship Program. Proud SUSD high schools are as follows.
Chaparral: 14 Semi-Finalists, 18 Commended Scholars Desert Mountain: 4 Semi-Finalists, 13 Commended Scholars Arcadia: 1 Semi-Finalist, 4 Commended Scholars Saguaro: 9 Commended Scholars Coronado: 1 Commended Scholar On behalf of everyone at SUSD, congratulations to these outstanding students and their teachers! Good luck to the semi-finalists. Finalists are announced in the spring of 2007. 
Board Member Tours Copper Ridge Math and Science Academy
9/18/2006
A visit to a campus is perhaps the best way to learn about a school's academic program and opportunities. On Friday, September 15, SUSD Board Member, Molly Holzer, visited Scottsdale's new Copper Ridge Math & Science Academy. With a guided tour from Dean, Dr. Michael Wolf, she was able to experience for herself the excellent academic opportunities. Dr. Wolf answered questions and shared how the Academy is committed to excellence. Dr. Wolf proudly showcased the Academy's stunning campus environment.
Desert Canyon Elementary Teacher Honored
9/15/2006
Congratulations to Heather Robinson, fifth grade teacher at Desert Canyon Elementary School. Heather has been selected as the Preserve America History Teacher of the Year for Arizona.
Superintendent Dr. John Baracy presented Robinson with the award this week as her colleagues gathered to celebrate the honor. Donations Still Needed for Terrebonne Parish School District
8/29/2006
  The aftereffects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita touched many lives in Scottsdale and around the country. As we mark the one year anniversary of this natural disaster, many Louisianans are still working to rebuild their homes, lives, schools and cities. For example, only 29 percent of schools in New Orleans area have re-opened. You can still make a difference by making a contribution to the Terrebonne Parish Katrina Fund. To make a donation, please visit a Wells Fargo branch and reference account # 700 038 1660. All funds placed in this special account go directly to the Terrebonne Parish School District. Volunteers Needed for School Health Advisory Council
8/21/2006
Scottsdale Unified School District is currently seeking community members to volunteer their time to participate on the School Health Advisory Council. This year, the council will be revising SUSD's Human Growth and Development Program for middle schools. SUSD would like input from the School Health Advisory Council to help direct the focus of the program.
For more information or to confirm your position on this council, please contact Marcy Cameron at 480-484-6511, mcameron@susd.org.
SUSD Superintendent Appointed to ELL Task Force
8/14/2006
Governor Janet Napolitano today announced she has appointed Dr. John Baracy Superintendent of Scottsdale Unified School District and Dr. Eugene Garcia from Arizona State University as her two appointees to the English Language Learner Task Force. Both bring decades of experience and research on language instruction and school administration to the Task Force. Read more...
Welcome Back!
8/21/2006
START SMART WALK 2006
8/18/2006
Sunrise Rotary Shines Bright
8/18/2006
In addition to boxes of paper, notebooks, pens, pencils, folders, scissors and rulers, the club also donated back packs, t-shirts, socks and shoes.
This is the second year the club has donated items for students at the school. Thank you Sunrise Rotary!
New Teachers Prepare for School
8/15/2006
SUSD’s newest teachers are gathering this week for a series of important meetings leading up to the first day of learning on August 21st.
Orientation classes are being held at Gainey Ranch Golf Club in Scottsdale. Performance objectives, instructional strategies and English Immersion Studies are some of the topics on the three-day agenda.
 Where in the World is Your START SMART T-shirt?8/9/2006
Did you wear your START SMART T-shirt while on vacation this summer? Joe Baca,
plant manager at Arcadia High School, was recently spotted wearing his START
SMART T-shirt at Machu Pichu, Peru. To learn more about Machu Pichu, please
visit http://www.sacredsites.com/americas/
peru/machu_picchu.html
Thanks Joe for spreading the START SMART message to our South American neighbors!
SUSD Appoints New Principals, Administrators for ’06-‘07
8/2/2006
Students at two of SUSD's elementary schools will see a new face in the principal's office when school begins on August 21st. Read more...  SUSD/SEA Welcome New Teachers8/2/2006
The newest members of the SUSD family gathered at Saguaro High School for a special meeting this week.
Staff was welcomed by Superintendent Dr. John M. Baracy and Governing Board members including President Jennifer Petersen, Karen Beckvar and Dr. Eric Meyer.
The Scottsdale Education Association hosted the event.
Thank you Costco!
8/2/2006
The backpacks were filled with school supplies including folders, rulers, pens and pencils.
Thank you for putting the children in our community first!
Sierra Vista Academy Offers Online Nova Net Classes
7/31/2006
Sierra Vista Academy is offering online Nova Net classes from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Monday thru Friday for the 2006-2007 school year*. Students can take classes online instead of the traditional classroom instruction. Open Enrollment is available. For more information, please contact Sierra Vista Academy at 480-484-7900.
*Please note that this is a different scheduled time than last semester.
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Home | Help | Policy/Legal | Site Map | Staff e-mail | Contact Us
© 2001-2010 Scottsdale Unified School District. All rights reserved. Updated 04/09/2008->
Please send the Webmaster any comments, questions or suggestions.