Chaparral High School Criminal Justice CTE teacher Tarnisha Tilson was recognized at last week’s Governing Board meeting after being named the ACTE Arizona New Teacher of the Year.

This statewide honor recognizes excellence in the early years of Career and Technical Education teaching and highlights the impact Ms. Tilson is already making in and beyond the classroom.

Through innovative instruction, hands-on work-based learning opportunities, and her service as an ACTE AZ Fellow, Ms. Tilson is creating meaningful experiences that challenge and inspire students while helping them achieve success in competitions and future career pathways.

We celebrate Ms. Tilson on this well-deserved recognition and the incredible impact she is making at Chaparral High School and across Arizona!

At the most recent Governing Board meeting, Scottsdale Unified School District proudly recognized Sergeant Bingham as he prepares to retire, honoring his outstanding service and lasting impact on our community.

Sergeant Bingham served as an SRO in SUSD from 2008 to 2016 and returned to lead the SRO Unit as Sergeant beginning in 2021. Over the course of his career, he has been a steady and trusted presence on our campuses, supporting students, staff, and families with professionalism, care, and calm leadership.

From responding to campus needs to guiding and mentoring officers through training, his commitment has strengthened the safety and support systems across the district.

We are deeply grateful for his years of dedicated service and wish him all the best in retirement.

Arcadia High School senior Callahan Klein was recognized at the most recent SUSD Governing Board meeting for using his musical production talents to help bring Scottsdale Unified’s CTE programs to life.

As a student in the CMAS CTE program, Callahan produced original music for a series of district videos highlighting Career and Technical Education programs across SUSD. His creativity, technical skill, and dedication to supporting projects beyond the classroom made a meaningful impact while showcasing the real-world skills students are developing through CTE programs.

Thank you, Callahan, for sharing your talents with the district. We’re excited to see where your creativity takes you next!

The SUSD Governing Board on Tuesday night recognized Arcadia Senior and Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year, Daniela Sanchez Morales.

Daniela first walked through the doors of the Hartley & Ruth Barker Boys & Girls Club at just seven years old. What started as an after-school spot became a place where she found her voice, built confidence, and discovered her purpose.

Through mentorship and opportunities at the Club, Daniela learned that true strength comes from serving others. Her resilience, leadership, and dedication to her community earned her this incredible honor.

Congratulations, Daniela!

At last week's SUSD Governing Board Meeting, we celebrated one of our youngest artists.

Luna is a first-grade student in Mrs. Graham’s class at Redfield Elementary, and she recently won the Scottsdale Public Library’s Design a Library Card Contest.

Her creative design was selected as the winning entry and will soon be available at all Scottsdale Public Library locations beginning in March. This means library visitors across the community will be able to carry Luna’s artwork on their very own library card.

What a wonderful way for a young student to share creativity and imagination with our entire community!

At a recent SUSD Governing Board meeting, we recognized outstanding students from Chaparral High School’s Criminal Justice Career and Technical Education program and Desert Mountain High School’s Marketing and DECA program.

Chaparral students competed at the Region 2 SkillsUSA Conference, where they demonstrated real-world skills such as crime scene investigation, professional communication, customer service, and job interview techniques. They earned top placements in multiple competitive categories.

Desert Mountain students also impressed at the Arizona State DECA Competition, competing against top students from across the state. Through these events, students apply classroom learning to real-world business challenges while building skills in marketing, teamwork, communication, and leadership.

At the state competition, Desert Mountain students delivered an incredible performance, each earning first-place finishes in their respective events.

Congratulations to these talented students for representing their schools and SUSD so well!

At a recent SUSD Governing Board meeting, we proudly recognized the AIA 4A Boys Basketball State Champion Arcadia Titans for their historic season. Their championship run was fueled by determination, teamwork, and a belief in one another that only grew stronger with each game.

This incredible achievement reflects the hard work of these student-athletes, the leadership of their coaches, and the unwavering support of their families and the Arcadia community. 

Congratulations, Titans, on bringing home the 4A Boys Basketball State Championship and making Arcadia history!

The Scottsdale Family ArtsFest is one of our district’s most vibrant celebrations of student talent. While the community enjoys two magical days filled with performances and incredible student artwork, what many may not see are the months of planning, coordination, and collaboration that make it all possible.

At a recent SUSD Governing Board meeting, we were proud to recognize Coordinator of Fine Arts Michelle Irvin and Administrative Support Coordinator Christina Diaz. Their dedication, creativity, and countless hours of work helped make this year’s ArtsFest an incredible success.

Working closely with Scottsdale Arts, the City of Scottsdale, community partners, and every one of our schools, Michelle and Christina helped bring this special event to life and create a memorable experience for our students, families, and community.

At Tuesday night’s board meeting we celebrated two of our three 2026 A+ Schools of Excellence® recognized by the Arizona Educational Foundation.

Anasazi Elementary and Kiva Elementary along with Redfield Elementary earned this honor for outstanding leadership, strong academics, a positive school culture, and meaningful family and community engagement.

This prestigious designation requires a thorough application and a rigorous site visit process. These schools truly earned it!

Congratulations to our amazing students, educators and staff!