Glendale Union High School District

Save the dates for GUHSD graduations

Mark your calendars for Glendale Union High School District graduations. All graduations will be held at the Grand Canyon University Arena, located at 3300 W. Camelback Rd., Building 38, Phoenix.

North Central high school graduation dates and times are May 23 for Washington High School (4:30 p.m.) and Thunderbird High School (8 p.m.), and May 25 for Sunnyslope High School (1 p.m.)

To find dates and times for all GUHSD schools, visit www.guhsdaz.org.

 

Washington High School’s Interact Club students volunteered recently at a community garden (photo courtesy of Glendale Union High School District).

Washington High School volunteers at local garden

Excellence in service continues at Washington High School (WHS) as the Interact Club volunteered at the community garden on Glendale and Central avenues.

WHS Interact students did some spring planting, which included squash, radishes, zucchini and chard. The group also did some composting.

 

Madison Elementary School District

Simis students and staff improve their community

Madison Simis Elementary is an International Baccalaureate (IB) accredited school in the Primary Years Programme (PYP).

International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. Inquiry learning helps students learn while building on what they already know. The instruction is student centered with a hands-on approach. Students create meaning through understanding. The aim is to develop lifelong learners through the process of inquiry

At Simis, students and staff “take action” to improve their community. Recently, 25 staff members spent a Saturday morning sorting food for food boxes at St. Mary’s as the social event for the month.

Simis also participated in Hat Day as a fundraiser for Leukemia and Lymphoma society on March 4.

In April, Simis students are planning a book drive to collect books and make bookmarks for a school in Phoenix that has a goal to help families expand their home libraries. This will culminate on April 5, when Arizona IB schools will do a collective day of service. Kindergarten teacher Melissa Brammer also has organized her class families and friends (almost 90 of them) to volunteer at Feed My Starving Children.

Part of being an IB school is helping kids take action in various ways. Kids take action by participating in large events, like those mentioned, but also every day by continuing their learning outside the classroom. They research, explain, create projects and do things for others as ways of taking action.

 

District receives communications awards

The Madison School District communications received recognition in this year’s Arizona School Public Relations Association’s ASPRA*tions Awards program, which honors excellence in school public relations and communication.

The district received Awards of Excellence for its newsletter, “The Madison Scene,” and podcast, “Parenting Future-Focused Kids.”

 

Phoenix Union High School District

Native American program hosts career night

On March 2, Phoenix Union High School District’s Native American Education Program hosted a career night event at Cahokia PHX, a female-owned, Indigenous-led SocialTech and Art Space in downtown Phoenix.

According to staff the career night was a very successful event that offered students the opportunity to network with “creatives, professionals, and college and career representatives.”

 

Members of the Camelback High School Student Government attended the State Convention this year and earned “Outstanding” award (submitted photo).

Student government honored as ‘outstanding’

Camelback High School’s Student Government received the Outstanding Council of Distinction Award at the Arizona Association of Student Councils State Convention in February. This is the highest award given to Student Governments in the state that go above and beyond the requirements of the charter.

In addition, the Camelback Student Government advisor, Kenya Corrigan, was awarded Outstanding Advisor of the Year.

 

Washington Elementary School District

WESD offers kindergarten readiness program

Parents of incoming kindergarten students are invited to enroll their student in the Washington Elementary School District (WESD) kindergarten readiness program.

The free, four-week, half-day kindergarten readiness program will take place May 31 – June 23, for children who are starting kindergarten in the fall. This program is available at 27 locations in the WESD and includes breakfast and lunch. Young learners will gain social skills, practice kinder routines and more.

To participate, students must be registered in the WESD Kindergarten program for the 2022–23 school year. Families can enroll at the Welcome and Registration Center, 3200 W. Cholla Ave., or online at www.wesdschools.org/registration. For additional information, contact the district at 602-347-2600.

 

Mini grants awarded to teachers, staff

The Washington Education Foundation (WEF) in March awarded 50 mini grants, totaling $25,325, to WESD teachers and staff during a virtual celebration. The individuals, who represent 18 sites and 30 projects, will have the opportunity to enhance the learning experience for their students.

The WEF also presented a new grant, the Mary Brandt Literacy Grant, to Brianne Nickerson at Roadrunner Elementary. The grant honors veteran WESD educator, literacy specialist and longtime member of the WEF, Mary Brandt, who passed away last summer. The awards presentation ended with a moving celebration of Brandt and a toast of sparkling cider in her honor as well as to the grant awardees. Prior to the virtual celebration, the WEF provided goody bags and certificates to the recipients.

 

Charter and Private Schools

Midtown Primary to host inaugural Book Swap

Midtown Primary’s annual Family Picnic this year will be served with food for thought as an effort to get more books into not only the students’ hands but their families’ as well. The annual event, which will be held in the form of a book swap, will offer a mashup of fun to support literacy, community connection and National Poetry Month, which is in April.

The idea is for families to bring a gently used book for every family member participating and, in return, they will receive a book of their choice. In addition, donations are coming in and the organizers hope to provide age-appropriate books for everyone. Families attending also will get to see and hear a variety of poetry written and read by the school’s K-4 students.

The event will take place Friday, April 1, from 5:30–7 p.m. at the school at 4735 N. 19th Ave. The event will include meals, refreshments and many fun-filled activities for the whole family to enjoy. Anyone interested in enrolling their children at Midtown Primary are invited to join the fun.

For more information, call 602-265-5133 or visit www.midtownprimary.com.

 

Brophy shows support for Ukraine, refugees

In March, Brophy College Preparatory showed support for Ukraine by hosting a lunchtime forum to discuss the events and a prayer service where all members of the community were encouraged to wear blue and yellow.

The school invites the community to stand in solidarity with Ukraine by donating in support of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS). Visit www.brophyprep.org/support-ukraine.

Supporters also can purchase a limited-edition blue and yellow Stampede T-shirt for $10 from the Brophy Varsity Shop with proceeds going to JRS.

 

The Brophy archery team repeated as state champions in both bullseye and 3D disciplines (submitted photo).

Archery team takes state championship

Brophy College Preparatory’s archery team repeated as state champions in both bullseye and 3D disciplines at the Arizona Archery State Championship on March 5. Brophy archers beat their 2021 championship score by 14 points.

 

Brophy to host annual fashion show fundraiser

Brophy College Preparatory will host the 2022 Fashion Show: Let Your Light Shine, Wednesday, April 13, at JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn. The show will feature Brophy’s class of 2022, with fashions from Neiman Marcus. All proceeds benefit the Brophy Financial Aid Fund.

The social hour and shopping will begin at 10 a.m. followed by the fashion show and luncheon at 11:30 a.m.

For more information on the Brophy Fashion Show, including reservations and raffle tickets, visit www.brophyprep.org/giving/fashion-show.

 

Xavier juniors raise $58,000 for LLS

Bryn Murphy and Riley Dowdall, both juniors at Xavier, raised over $58,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) through the organization’s Arizona Students of the Year campaign, earning them the title of Students of the Year Runners Up.

Every year, LLS, a national nonprofit organization that funds federal blood cancer research, holds a state-wide campaign in which high school student teams compete to raise the most money. Bryn and Riley organized an all-female team, nicknamed the “Fearless Fighters,” and worked to raise money throughout the seven-week campaign, which ended March 4.

The team raised almost 120 percent of their original goal and helped break a record for the most successful Students of the Year campaign for Arizona.

Upon completion of the campaign, Bryn said, “This cause is so important to me because my grandmother (Phoenix resident Irma Rodriguez) died of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2019. It is my mission to honor her memory by helping people suffering from blood cancer, and we did just that through this journey. We are so proud of our team, and we are incredibly grateful for the support of our sponsors, donors, friends, and family for helping us earn the Students of the Year Runners Up.”

 

Xavier soccer team wins 12th state title

Xavier College Prep Gators won its 12th girls soccer state title in the 6A conference state championship. The student-athletes played regulation time, followed by two, 10-minute overtimes, then two five-minute quarters, and finally won in penalty kicks against Perry High School, 3-2.

It was the Gators’ 16th state championship match appearance in school history.

 

Spiritline brings home awards from Nationals

Xavier’s entire Spiritline had a winning weekend in Anaheim, California, at USA Nationals. They brought home several awards in the top advanced divisions. Jazz received fifth place and Pom received third place. Xavier also came home with three National Titles in All Girl Stunt, Show Cheer, and

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