Madison Elementary School District
Writers recognized for their essays
Eighth graders Elizabeth Keddie and Brandi Young of Madison No. 1 were honored at the Phoenix Museum of History’s dinner reception earlier this spring. The Anti Defamation League recently held an essay contest, and both girls’ essays were selected as top 10 winners in the eighth and ninth grade category. Hundreds of essays were submitted from around the state.
Keddie and Young are both students in Michael Brauer’s Language Arts class.
Scout Troop 329 honored by board
Boy Scout Troop 329 was honored with the “Share the Excellence” award at a recent Madison School District Governing Board meeting for its outstanding contribution to Madison schools and their community.
The troop is led by Chad Schexnayder, a senior partner with the law firm Jennings, Haug & Cunningham. Schexnayder, who has been involved with Boy Scouts since his childhood, has served in a leadership role with the Troop since 1998 and received the award on behalf of the troop with the troop’s boy leaders from the District’s Governing Board.
Over the past several years, Madison has benefited from many Eagle projects performed by the scouts. Most recently, new planting beds were built at Simis, a reading garden was installed at Madison No. 1, a butterfly garden was added at Camelview, along with a whole host of other garden installations, a pond and memorial garden.
Other projects that benefited the community include a patio at Fire Station 20 (7th and Glendale avenues), rehabbing the snack bar at Sunnyslope High School and revitalizing the grounds at All Saints Youth House.
Boy Scout Troop 329 is based out of Madison Meadows Middle School. It was formed in 1959.
Madison grad returns to show illustrations
Accomplished illustrator, author and Madison No. 1 graduate Chris Gall visited Madison No.1 students as part of an author visit. Gall has written and illustrated children’s books such as “There’s Nothing to Do on Mars” and “Dear Fish.” His newest book, “Dinotrux,” comes out in June and currently is in development as a 3-dimensional animated film by DreamWorks.
Gall became interested in drawing while attending No. 1. During his visit he discussed how he came up with ideas for his drawings and showed several examples of his work that has been published nationwide. He also illustrated an improvisational drawing and demonstrated animation.
Osborn Elementary School District
Longview’s STAR program recognized
Longview Principal Leslie Beauchamp and Make Right Choices Teacher Beth Berkich announced that the Safety, Teamwork, Achievement, and Respect (STAR) Positive Behavioral Intervention Support Program was selected to receive the A+ Exemplary Programs Award from the Arizona Educational Foundation.
The judges were complementary of the STAR program and agreed that, “It is an exemplary program that deserves to be recognized as an A+ Award recipient.”
The STAR PBIS program was created so that the Longview community would have common language and expectations regarding behavior. The Longview community chose to focus on Safety, Teamwork, Achievement, and Respect. Staff members teach, model, practice, and expect STAR behaviors, and hold each other accountable for upholding these expectations in a positive manner.
Directly teaching behaviors and how the behaviors look across areas of the school help prevent any discipline issues with a large majority of the students. Since more discipline problems are prevented, staff can provide more specific behavioral interventions for the handful of students with the greatest need.
Phoenix Union High School District
Gestson to lead Camelback High
Chad Gestson will become the Camelback High School principal on July 1. Gestson was principal at Carl T. Smith Middle School in the Isaac School District for the past three years, and was an assistant principal for two years. He taught for three years in the Roosevelt School District.
Gestson earned his Doctor of Education at Northern Arizona University this year, holds two master’s degrees from NAU and Arizona State University, and a B.A. in English from the University of Washington. Prior to his public school career, he was a commercial construction superintendent in Seattle.
Gestson, a Teach for America product, attended the Harvard University Urban School Leader Institute in 2007 and participated in the Arizona Department of Education Wallace Grant Leadership Cadre. He lives in Phoenix.
In related news, Jose Arenas, former principal at Trevor Browne, has been named interim assistant superintendent for Human Resources. A resident of Avondale, he also serves as a governing board member for the Tolleson Union High School District. Arenas takes over for Nora Gutierrez, who is now the assistant superintendent for operations.
Record number in summer school
A record number of Phoenix Union students signed up for summer school. More than 8,000 students attended class at five supersites: Camelback, Carl Hayden, Metro Tech, South and Trevor Browne.
More than 6,000 students are current Phoenix Union students, but 1,851 were incoming freshmen that attended 9th Grade Summer School. The sessions ran Monday through Thursday, from June 1 to 25.
Boys track, field has strong showing
Camelback High’s boys track and field team placed 9th in the State Class 5A Division II Track and Field Championships at Chandler High, May 15-16. Alberto Tellez placed second in both the 1,600-meter run and the 3,200 meters. He was the 5A Division II State Cross Country Champion in the fall.
Marquise Porter placed in three events: he tied for third in the triple jump; came in sixth in the 110 hurdles, and finished seventh in the long jump.
Central gives nod to Gabrielson
Central High has had its share of outstanding alumni, and it can add Ryan Gabrielson to list. The former Honors English student and editor-in-chief of the Central Echoes newspaper won a Pulitzer Prize for his work at the East Valley Tribune.
Gabrielson co-authored a series called “Reasonable Doubt” which looked at the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office immigration enforcement. The five-part series won for Local Reporting. It is only the fourth time an Arizona media organization has won the Pulitzer, the most prestigious award in journalism, and the first time since 1993.
North High boasts three Merit winners
Nathan Estes, Amdada Glass and Lauren Partch of North High School each won $2,500 National Merit Scholarships. The Merit Scholar designees were chosen from a talent pool of approximately 15,000 Finalists in the 2009 national Merit Scholarship program.
The students were judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills and potential for success in rigorous college studies. Estes hopes pursue a career in mechanical engineering, Glass in law and Partch in environmental science.
North had seven National Merit Finalists, and another six National Merit Commended students this year.
Washington Elementary School District
Schmaltz selected as ‘Aspiring Principal’
Sarah Schmaltz, principal at Mountain View Elementary, has been named an “aspiring principal“ by the Rodel Charitable Foundation.
Schmaltz is one of 15 in the Valley selected for this honor, and one of only two chosen from WESD. She will begin working with mentors this fall to help prepare her for the challenges of leading a school in a high poverty community.
With the shortage of potential principals looming, the Rodel Foundation of Arizona, in partnership with Social Venture Partners Arizona, created the Rodel Exemplary Principal Initiative to recognize the success of Arizona’s most exceptional principals and train the next generation of school leaders.
Over the next two years, the aspiring principals will learn ways to replicate the success their mentors have achieved. They will observe firsthand the broad and significant impact a principal can have on student achievement, school environment and the day-to-day lives of the students and staff in school.
District reduces energy bills
Twenty-five sites in the Washington Elementary School District met the goal of reducing electricity usage by 10 percent or more in the 2008-2009 school year, with a total savings of more than 3.5 million kilowatt hours.
Every building in the WESD—all 32 schools, the Administrative Center and other District offices—underwent an energy audit, examining the prior 24 months’ usage of electricity, natural gas and water as well as solid waste statistics. That information was used to create site-specific energy plans on every campus designed to decrease usage by 10 percent in 12 months.
“Across the district, we can potentially save $600,000 over a 12-month period,” explained Sue Pierce, WESD director of Facility Planning. From the beginning of the school year through March/April billing, electrical use was down more than 3.5 million kilowatt hours from the prior year.
“School developed energy teams, enlisted their site councils and involved shareholders as they worked toward achieving their goals,” she added. “Plans, which will continue into the 2009-2010 school year, include all aspects of energy conservation: reduction in electricity, natural gas and water and a decrease in solid waste.”
On many campuses, students have been leading the charge—students police for lights left on in unoccupied rooms, plan special “Save the Earth” days and organize recycling efforts. Every school in the WESD has at least one recycling bin on campus. Environmental education also is being included in curriculum.
Private and Charter Schools
Xavier Lacrosse celebrates victory
For the second time in the club’s 10-year history, Xavier College Prep’s varsity Lacrosse team has won the Arizona Girls’ High School State Championship, Division 2.
With a final score of 9-8, Xavier beat Phoenix Country Day School for the championship title on May 1 at the Reach 11 Sports Complex. The team’s overall season division record was 11-3.
The varsity team includes: Kelly Alston, Christine Auran, Marissa Bouley, Shannon Castrovinci, Kyle Dodenhoff, Grace Flynn (MVP), Monica Maschue, Chelsea McLean (MVP), Monzie Nackard, Lisa Nicchi, Sabrina Salerno, Lillie Sheely (MVP), Alana Smalley, Caroline Smalley, Ashley Stanford, Sydni Talleri, Shannon Turner, Leslie Wankowicz, and Emily Weber (MVP).
Players from the junior varsity team who joined varsity for the playoffs included Arden Anderson (MVP), Alexis Arellano, Sophie Bucknell (MVP), Emily Heiland, Jaime Layne, Alexia Lorch, Ashley O’Sullivan, Lauren Sheffield, and Rachel Shank (MVP).
Megan Madigan, a Xavier 2003 graduate, along with Erin Meyer and Caitlin Bebout coached the Varsity & JV teams for the club. Entirely supported by the players’ families, XCP’s Lacrosse Club was a founding member of the Arizona Girls Lacrosse Association.
Xavier track captures second
Xavier College Prep’s track and field team took second in the 2009 State 5A Division One state track meet for the second year in a row. North Central resident Juliann Lieb, a junior, took second in the discus in the state with a personal best and all-time Xavier record of 19 feet, 10 inches. Lieb also won the region for the second year in a row.
Another North Central resident, sophomore Daylee Burr, came in fourth in the 3200-meter race (2 miles) in the state meet, with a time of 11 minutes and 21 seconds.
The team is coached by Dave Van Sickle and assisted by Coach Shaun Fitzgerald, who is the throws coach.
Maarouf earns scholarship
Melody Maarouf of Xavier College Preparatory was one of 10 graduating high school seniors in the country to win a $1,000 college scholarship from SuperSibs!, a national nonprofit organization that supports, honors and recognizes brothers and sisters of children with cancer.
SuperSibs! helps children redefine the “cancer sibling” experience by providing needed support services and by helping to draw out the greater and important lessons that may benefit these children later in their own lives. As part of these efforts, Maarouf has been selected to receive the $1,000 SuperSibs! Achievement Scholarship in recognition of her ability to take a devastating life experience and turn it into a positive, strength-building experience for herself, as well as to create good in the lives of others.
In Maarouf’s scholarship essay she spoke of the solitude she felt during her brother’s hospitalization. “Solitude is a poignant emotion. I felt so alone both at home where there was little time to be together as a family, and at school where other students couldn’t comprehend my situation.”
The advice she offered to parents of other siblings going through this is, “Do not ignore your other children! Their pain is so deep, and neglect or lack of complete love can only hurt them more.”
Maarouf’s brother, Matthew, was diagnosed in 2001 with a brain tumor located beneath his cerebellum, causing him to lose many of the innate skills we use every day. Although a very difficult time in her life, Maarouf explained, “Because of these circumstances, I developed an abiding interest in medicine, and especially neuroscience.” She plans to attend Johns Hopkins University this coming fall where she will study neuroscience.
SFX welcomes new principal
Kimberly M. Cavnar has been named as principal for St. Francis School. Cavnar will succeed Lisa Westfall Elliott who has been the school’s principal for the past seven years.
“Ms. Cavnar is familiar with our campus and church culture,” said Rev. Daniel Sullivan, S.J., pastor, St. Francis Xavier Catholic Faith Community. “While she was the director of campus ministry at Brophy College Prep, she facilitated staff retreats for St. Francis and worked with our personnel on special projects.
“We are especially pleased with her knowledge of Ignatian spirituality and educational principles, and that she will be able to join our staff with a sense of who and what we are,” he continued.
Cavnar has an admirable resume with experience in education and campus ministry spanning more than 30 years. A native of Chicago, she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications, as well as her master’s in Pastoral Studies from Loyola University of Chicago.
Most recently, she served as director of adult spirituality at Loyola High School of Los Angeles. While at Brophy—where she served in a variety of positions over an 11-year period of time—she was a member of the religious studies faculty, assistant principal for academics and curriculum, and director of campus ministry.
Cavnar and her family reside in Phoenix. She has a son attending Brophy College Prep, and has two daughters who attended and graduated from Xavier College Prep. She will assume her responsibilities at St. Francis Xavier on July 1.
For more information, contact the school administrative offices, 602-266-5364, or the parish center, 602-279-9547, or visit www.sfxphx.org.
Tesseract holds Mexican Mercado
Tesseract School, a nonprofit, independent private school serving students in preschool through 10th grade, held its fifth-annual el Mercado de Tesseract on May 22 on the school’s new middle and high school campus.
After months of preparation, study and work, Tesseract’s seventh and eighth-grade students created a Mexican mercado based on the markets in Oaxaca, Mexico. They were responsible for planning, organizing and implementing the festivities for the event.
The eighth-graders created their own companies and participated in all aspects of business planning and marketing for the event, including the research of Mexican folk art, which they created and sold at the market. The seventh-graders identified and researched traditional Mexican games and toys, and were responsible for running information, game and food booths at the market.
Students in preschool through sixth grade served as the buyers at the market, and were given $10 of pretend money to purchase food, play games or enter the dance booth.
While participating in the market, students dressed in mercado-style clothing and conversed only in Spanish. The students rehearsed dialogue in their Spanish classes—children at Tesseract begin learning Spanish at the age of 3.
Tesseract’s lower school is located at 4800 E. Doubletree Ranch Road, and its middle and high school is located at 3939 E. Shea Boulevard. For more information visit www.tesseract school.org or call 480-991-1770.
Preschool earns national accreditation
Cross Roads Preschool and Kindergarten, on the southeast corner of Central and Northern avenues, has earned accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)—the nation’s leading organization of early childhood professionals.
“We’re proud to have earned the mark of quality from NAEYC, and to be recognized for our commitment to reaching the highest professional standards,” said Debbie Prenovost, director Cross Roads Preschool and Kindergarten. “NAEYC Accreditation lets families in our community know that children in our program are getting the best care and early learning experiences possible.”
Cross Roads Preschool and Kindergarten is a nonprofit organization that has been nurturing the growth and development of young children for more than 40 years. It is a developmental preschool designed with curriculum and practices that are set to meet the educational needs of each individual child.
The program received NAEYC Accreditation after a site visit by NAEYC Assessors to ensure that the program meets each of the 10 program standards. NAEYC-accredited programs are also subject to unannounced visits during their accreditation, which lasts for five years.
Local churches offer vacation camps, schools
Kids learn, grow at Camp E.D.G.E.
Children will enjoy music, drama, science, games and more during First United Methodist Church’s Camp E.D.G.E., July 27-31.
Kids ages 4 to 12 will Experience and Discover God’s Love Everywhere (“E.D.G.E.”) during this special weeklong camp at the church, 5510 N. Central Ave. The camp runs from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Cost is $20 per child and includes food for the week plus a T-shirt. Scholarships may be available.
For more information or to register, call 602-263-5013.
Royal Palm offers Vacation Bible School
Children are invited to hop on board the Boomerang Express and travel to the Land Down Under for a week of nonstop action as they learn how it all comes back to Jesus. Royal Palm Baptist Church, 8802 N. 19th Ave., offers its Vacation Bible School from July 13 to 17.
Children age kindergarten graduates through sixth grade are admitted free from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. In this one-week adventure, they will hear Bible stories, participate in cool crafts, motivating music, eat snacks at the G’Day CafÈ, and play games at Recreation Rock. There also is a Day Camp afterwards from 12 to 5 p.m., which is open to all VBS attendees at a cost of $10 per child.
For more information or to register, call 602-944-3306 or visit www.royalpalms.org and clicking on the VBS link.
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