| School Briefs |
Madison Elementary School District Madison Traditional Academy students Bridget Agyare, Madeline Becker, and Lillian Becker enjoy their Cold Stone treats (submitted photo). Dishes ice cream to help students Members of the Madison School Board took over the Cold Stone Creamery at the Camelback Colonnade on Aug. 25 to raise money for the Madison Education Foundation. Board members donned visors and aprons to serve frozen creations to the Madison community. The event was held to benefit the Madison Education Foundation, a charitable organization that advances educational programs such as art and literacy for all the Madison schools. In partnering with Cold Stone, 30 percent of sales for that evening went to the Foundation, which provides numerous programs to students that would otherwise not exist due to lack of funding. These include the Art Masterpiece program in which students learn about the techniques used by the great Art Masters and the Friends of the Library Program, which provides library books to each of the schools. Donations to the Foundation may be sent to Madison Education Foundation C/O Kristin Venberg 5601 N. 16th St., Phoenix, Ariz., 85016, or call 602-664-7160. Glendale Union High School District ‘Lost Boy’ speaks to WHS students David Athei from the Lost Boys Center in Phoenix recently spoke to Jill Green’s Junior English class at Washington High School. Athei described his journey as a Lost Boy of the Sudan and the success he’s found in America. he students interviewed him after reading a series of articles on the topic. Rose Lane readers celebrate 11th year Scott Holcomb, Madison Governing Board member, opened the 11th year for Rose Lane’s Community Reader program. Holcomb answered questions about his career in law and growing up in Iowa, after reading “Skippyjon Jones and the Big Bones,” a story of a Siamese cat with a big imagination who thinks he is a Chihuahua. Holcomb used a Smart Board and document camera to get the students involved by having them read along, sing parts of the story, and help pronounce Spanish words. The objective of the Community Reader Program is to encourage children to read and show the importance of reading no matter what they do in life. If you are interested in reading or know of someone who would, call Gail Caretto, Rose Lane librarian, at 602-664-7423. Osborn Elementary School District Free screening for child development Parents with concerns about their 2- to 5-year-old child’s development are invited to participate in free screenings in the Osborn School District. Children will be screened in developmental areas, including: cognitive, language, motor, self-help, and social. Screening will take approximately 15-30 minutes. Call for an appointment or for more information about Child Find: 602-707-2017. Screenings are Nov.7, Jan. 9, 2009, March 6, 2009, and April 24, 2009. Libraries boast new books, new hours Osborn schools are happy to show off their improved libraries. Thanks to the federal Improving Literacy through School Libraries grant and the help of librarians, library clerks, as well as teachers and students who helped select titles, libraries are full of wonderful new books. Encanto, Longview, Montecito, and Solano families will also be able to enjoy the new Early Literacy Family Corners for students who are not yet in school, including mobile bookshelves for preschool classrooms at Solano. The libraries are open for a half hour before and after school every day and will be open additional hours during school events this fall for families.  Ballet Instructor Camden Lloyd helps young male dancers from the Osborn Ballet Program go through their warm-up routines (submitted photo). Clarendon dancers are in ‘Nutcracker’ Twenty-two Clarendon students from the Osborn Ballet Program were selected for parts in Ballet Arizona’s annual holiday production of “Nutcracker.” Five boys were selected to dance in the opening Party scene: Sushanth Guyyiani, Ethan Hernandez, Udith Karthikeyan, Emilio Markov, and Ricardo Orozco Chaz. Fourteen students were selected to be soldiers: Maria Alcaraz Galvan, Arely Barrera Montes, Dionne Brown, Stefania Cruz Rubio, Elvira Garcia Aragon, Kalan Hansen, Adrianna Hernandez, Hailee Mannarino, Stephanie Michel Ramirez, Nadia Fernanda Muñoz Vazquez, Estaphany Nava, Juliana Nuñez, Diana Sanchez de la Cruz, and Maya Velázquez. And three students were selected to be Angels: Guadalupe Cuevas, Cinthya Sierra, and Dawn Urlaub. The group did a great job and will be rehearsing every Saturday to prepare for the performances, which begin in early December. Ballet Instructor Camden Lloyd is pleased that so many students who worked so hard last year to earn the privilege to audition were selected. The Ballet Program is supported by the Osborn Educational Foundation, Finks Foundation (supporting students in Ballet Arizona’s Nutcracker), and the 21st Century After School Program. Guerra receives gift from bank Osborn Middle School seventh-grade science teacher Mariano Guerra has received a $500 award from Wells Fargo for the purchase of technology to enhance science learning. The project, “Digital Science Notebook,” involves students using technology (including the smart board) collaboratively to create and develop a collection of a best work electronic portfolio during their life science unit. OMS will purchase a digital camera, a scanner, and four small digital cameras for students, and a portable hard drive for storage. Students will learn to record their science investigations and experiences digitally. Unique projects like this enhance student learning and provide students with the best, most supportive, and academically focused learning environment. Phoenix Union High School District AIMS, PSAT camps held during break Fall break is Oct. 6-10, but some students will use the week to attend AIMS Camp in preparation for the Oct. 28, 29 and 30 AIMS exams. The camp sites include Camelback and Central High Schools. It is the second year for the program, which is for students who have not yet passed the AIMS tests. Phoenix Union is also introducing a PSAT/SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) Training Center during that week as college-going students get tutoring in preparation for the college entrance exams. Camelback will be hosting the PSAT/SAT Training Center. Both Fall Break programs are free. For more information, call 602-764-1306. Community clean-up project a success Camelback held its first community clean-up service project on Sept. 6, with the girl’s volleyball team and coaches teaming up with several athletes, coaches, teachers and the Principal of Kennedy Junior High, one of Camelback’s partner schools in the Creighton School District. This was a joint venture project between Camelback and Kennedy in an effort to clean up the surrounding community, show the neighbors that students care about our community and an opportunity to partner up Camelback athletes with the athletes from Kennedy. “For many of these middle school students, the transition to high school can be daunting. There are several more events and sports clinics that Camelback will be hosting throughout the year to invite future Spartans to join with our current athletes,” said Athletic Director Steve Kuipers. More than 80 people from the two schools canvassed the neighborhoods picking up trash, raking up debris, pulling weeds and painting out graffiti. Forensic debate students shine Central High had two students qualify for the National Forensic League tournament in Las Vegas this past summer. Thousands of the top high school students from across the country, representing over 500 schools, competed. Sophomore Jasmine Richardson finished ninth overall in Poetry Interpretation, becoming the first Central student ever to earn a top-10 finish. She outlasted nearly 350 other students in Poetry to reach the semifinal round. Richardson, who was making her second trip to the national tournament, also competed in Dramatic Interpretation. Senior Aubree Hansen fell just short of making the elimination rounds in Lincoln-Douglas Debate. Coach Brian Gruman was honored with the National Forensic League’s Diamond Coach Award, which honors excellence in coaching over his career. It was the tenth straight year that Central students qualified for the national tournament. Private/Charter Schools: Father Reese prays at RNC Father Edward A. Reese, S.J., president of Brophy College Prep in Phoenix, gave the opening invocation at the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul on Sept. 2. Two sons of Cindy and John McCain went to Brophy and Cindy is a member of Brophy's Board of Regents. Son Jimmy joined the Marines and served in Iraq while Jack went to the Naval Academy. "The McCains have been generous supporters of Brophy," said Father Reese. "I am also pleased by his support of vouchers for Catholic schools like Brophy." When asked if he was endorsing McCain for President, Father Reese responded, "Catholic priests should pray for anyone and everyone, but I don't think we should endorse or campaign for political candidates." All Sants’ hosts Open Houses All Saints’ Episcopal Day School (ASEDS), a pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade school located at 6300 N. Central Ave., is now accepting applications for the 2009-10 school year. A series of Wednesday morning open houses will begin on Oct. 15 at 9 a.m., and will continue on Nov. 5 and Dec. 3. Parents can tour the campus, talk to admission officers and parent ambassadors, and pick up application materials. All Saints’ school offers a well-rounded liberal arts education that includes Spanish, art, music, computer science, and physical education. A religion and life skills program, taught from a Christian-Judeo perspective, but respectful of all faith traditions, encourages spiritual development and a concern for one another and the larger community. Small class sizes further enhance the educational experience. For more information, to RSVP for an open house, or to schedule an individual tour, call Dan Waage or Kathy Mabry at 602-274-4866. More information also is available at www.allsaints.org. |
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