| School Briefs |
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Glendale Union High School District WHS reporters, staff lauded at convention The Washington High School newspaper and yearbook staff recently attended the Arizona Interscholastic Press Association (AIPA) convention and advisor Jill Green was named the AIPA Arizona Advisor of the Year. The Rampage, Washington’s newspaper, received third place along with multiple individual awards. Panorama, Washington’s yearbook, received first place for sports photos and the “Senior Mosts” page. The Rampage won more than 20 awards in the areas of writing, layout and photography and was named one of the top three newspapers in the state. Madison Elementary School District Fire chief reads to Rose Lane kids Phoenix Fire Chief Bob Khan visited Rose Lane students during Fire Prevention Week to read a story and answer questions about firefighters. Students asked about how firefighters save people from burning buildings and what happens if a fire truck breaks down.  Phoenix Fire Chief Bob Khan reads “Firefighters A-Z” to Madison Rose Lane students (submitted photo). Khan read “Firefighters A-Z,” which showed the various equipment that firefighters use. He reminded the students to always wear their helmets when riding bikes and never swim without an adult. Khan visited the school as part of Rose Lane’s community reader program, which teaches students the importance of reading in all occupations. MTA dedicates new school The campus of Madison Traditional Academy, the newest school in the Madison School District, was dedicated on Oct. 20. The school first opened in August 2007 to grades kindergarten through fourth and was temporarily housed in a separate wing of Madison No. 1 Middle School until a new site could be secured. The school found a home last spring in the former office space known as Park Place, located at 5251 N. 16th St. Remodeling was quickly done over the summer, turning offices into classrooms and adding the necessary amenities for a school. The space now has 18 general classrooms, three special subject rooms, a multipurpose room, library and playground. With the new space, MTA also was able to add preschool and Grade 5 and grew by more than 100 students this year. It has a capacity of about 400 students—more than twice what the temporary space held. The new site is being lease/purchased by the district. Madison teachers honored by Rodel Five Madison teachers were recently selected by the Rodel Charitable Foundation of Arizona for their outstanding work in high-poverty schools. Madison Camelview second-grade teachers Tova Abrams, Becky Harris, and Robert Morse and Madison Park fourth-grade teacher Katerah Deppisch were all selected as semifinalists for the Rodel Exemplary Teacher Award. If selected as a finalist, winners will receive $10,000 in U.S. Savings Bonds. They then must commit to mentoring six Rodel Promising Student Teachers over the next three years. Madison Park teacher Kristi Pashley was selected to participate as a Rodel Aspiring Principal. The program produces outstanding future administrators to lead high-needs schools. As part of the program, Pashley will begin a two-year process preparing for this endeavor. She will be mentored by a Rodel Exemplary Principal. Pashley is one of 12 teachers across the state to be selected for this prestigious program. Giacobbe receives teaching award Madison Meadows eighth grade social studies teacher Beverly Giacobbe is the recipient of the 2008 Great Moments in Social Studies Teaching Award from the Arizona Council for the Social Studies.  The Council recognized Giacobbe for her Cuban Missile Crisis unit in which students created political cartoons about the time period. Students also listened to recordings of speeches, created picture timelines, and watched Thirteen Days. Her lesson was selected because it engaged students in a multi-sensory activity while requiring higher order thinking. The Council noted that the lesson could easily be replicated among other social studies teachers. Camelview gets a federal grant Madison Camelview is the recipient of a $38,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide fruits and vegetables to students. The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) provides a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables to students as a way to introduce them to healthy snack options, making a difference in their present and future health.  Camelview kindergartener David Miles inspects his blueberry during snack time (submitted photo). School Nurse Diana Dellis and cafeteria manager Patty Hunn applied for the grant to encourage students to choose healthier snacks. Students receive fresh produce snacks three times a week and special fruit trays are available throughout the day in the health and counselor’s offices. Student clubs may also have fruit and veggies for their meetings. Since the program began, teachers are noticing an increase in energy in their students. Students are also enjoying the opportunity to try delicious fruits and veggies that they might otherwise never taste. Camelview is one of 28 schools in the state to receive the grant. Osborn Elementary School District Students lauded for acts of kindness Clarendon Creates Kindness is a school-wide campaign to promote random acts of kindness toward one another every day. Each classroom had a dialogue about what this means and how students can work together to solve problems and protect each other from acts of bullying. This bully prevention philosophy is strengthened by a poster contest with artwork depicting kindness toward one another.  Clarendon Creates Kindness sixth-grade winners are, from left: Anna Shepstead, Damon Rose and Scally Gonzalez (submitted photo). The fourth-grade poster contest winners are: first place, Celina Hill; second place, Shaun David; and third place, Leitalia Lillian Yazzie. The fifth-grade winners are: first place, Alan Murtic;, second place, Keanna Jones; and third place, Omar Ramirez Garcia. The 6th grade winners are: first place, Anna Shepstead; second place, Scally Gonzalez; and third place, Damon Rose. Clarendon hopes to keep this message alive throughout the year. Other activities include: Poster winners’ artwork displayed on campus; kindness stickers given to students for their shirts—when caught being kind; and weekly emailed ideas to teachers to teach kindness in classrooms. Students perform in music festival On Nov. 8, 10 eighth grade students selected from the OMS Choirs will be joining other middle school choir students from across Phoenix in order to rehearse and perform during the 26th annual Greater Phoenix Invitational Music Festival. The selected students are Sarah Anderson, Hector Nava, Jacob Melton, Delvon Williams, Carmyna Beltran, Esmeralda Aispuro, Leah Wilhelms, DeeSember Corrales, Naomi Solomon, and Artinessa Villegas. This event will be held at Central High School with the day concluding with a free concert at 5 p.m. Testing for water impurities on WWMD Close to 400 sixth -grade students in the Osborn School District contributed to an international project called World Water Monitoring Day (WWMD). In the fifth-annual WWMD event at Steele Indian School Park, students did water testing at the park’s Bird Lake using kits testing for such things as Oxygen level, PH level, turbidity and temperature.  Montecito sixth grade students participating in the Groundwater Model at the World Water Monitoring Day, held at Steele Indian School Park (submitted photo). They also worked through three other learning stations on the watershed model, bio-assessment and groundwater. Students loved identifying all the pond creatures they found in the water. The results of the water monitoring are entered in a global database. George Couch, State Public Affairs specialist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services, coordinated the event. Pam Justice, coordinator of the city of Phoenix Water Conservation Education Program and instructors from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, Natural Resource Conservation Services sand Gateway Community College involved students in hands-on activities at each of the learning stations. Clarendon starts student newspaper Clarendon is starting a school newspaper. Sixth grade teachers Sarah Bill and Kristi Wilhelms are co-teaching students in the 21st Century After School Grant Technology program. The crew includes fourth, fifth, and sixth graders: Mikey Coyle, Leandra De Frier, Adrian D., Jullissa Del Solar, Alarice Hawee, Gabby Montelongo, Chris Montelongo, Matthew Padilla, Anna Shepstead, Priscilla Trinidad, Tiara Holmes, Sara L., and Dawn Urlaub. Students are each responsible for an article, story, or report. They pick the layout and write the stories. Other students are also encouraged to write short stories to be published. Community steps up to rebuild playground Thanks to Brown & Caldwell and the Real Gift Foundation and more than 200 volunteers from the school and neighborhood, Montecito students received a new playground. On Aug. 29, a brand new playground structure at Montecito Community School was destroyed by arson. The fire was so bad it took the fire department three hours to put it out. The playground replaced one that was broken beyond repair, having been there since the 1960’s. It was only up for two weeks before someone burned it down. The Real Gift Foundation decided to make a very big wrong, very right by getting the playground replaced and adding another to the school. The playground structures were installed on Oct. 11. Students had a very exciting ribbon cutting ceremony on the 13th. A law class aimed at ‘smaller’ students Stephanie Garner, the Safe School Juvenile Probation Officer at Longview Elementary, is teaching Law Related Education, which is preventative education to help students make better choices. Lessons range from Juvenile Rights and Bullying to Responsibility and Safety. Her position is funded through Arizona’s School Safety three-year grant, which was awarded to Longview last summer. Phoenix Union High School District New buildings win design awards Camelback has been selected for “Outstanding Designs: Renovation/Modernization” for the American School and University Magazine 2008 Architectural Portfolio edition. The project, which included two new academic buildings, more than 100 classrooms and labs and a new library, was designed by Architectural Resource Team, Inc. (ART). The school will be profiled in the November issue. ART also is submitting Camelback High School for the Governor’s Award for school design, featuring new science labs and the TV Studio. Camelback underwent a $30 million campus construction project from 2005-2007 as part of the 2003 Construction Bond passed by voters. Many of the original buildings from 1954 were removed, and replaced by a three-story East Academic Building, and a two-story North Academic Building, which includes the new library. A new visitor parking lot and public entrance to the campus is now situated at the northwest corner of the campus, at 28th Street and Highland. The cafeteria and kitchen also were renovated as part of the project. Central hosts music festival Central High will be the site of this year’s Greater Phoenix Invitational Music Festival, Nov. 8 at 5 p.m. in the school’s auditorium. The festival will feature performances by a Phoenix Union Honor Guitar Ensemble, a Junior High Honor Choir, a High School Honor Choir and Madrigal Choir. Top musicians from the Phoenix Union schools, and from the district’s partner middle schools, audition to make up these all-star groups, which are under the direction of guest conductors. Admission is free. North High students receive honors Six North students have been recognized as Commended students by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation for their high scores on the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT). They are Stephen Estes; Madeline Sands; Victoria Porell; James St. Andre; Lillie Carlile and Shelby Graham. All of the students are in the International Baccaleaureate program. Commended Students placed among the top five percent of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2009 competition by taking the 2007 PSAT. Guillermo Martinez-Garcia was named a National Hispanic Recognition Scholar. The National Hispanic Recognition Program recognizes nearly 5,000 students selected from a pool of over 200,000 students who took the 2007 PSAT and identified themselves as Hispanic and have achieved a minimum PSAT score for their region. Martinez-Garcia was also one of seven National Merit Semifinalists named last month. The others are Divina Allan; Jane Ly; Nathan Estes; Lauren Partch; Matthew West and Amanda Glass. Semifinalists represent less than 1 percent of the 1.5 million juniors from more than 21,000 high schools who take the PSAT. It marks the third time North has had seven semifinalists in one year since 1990. Metro students learn more about economics Stephen P. Wood, Ph.D., senior Portfolio Strategist for Russell Investments, and approximately 40 Metro Tech High School students and staff members tried to make sense of the current economic crisis during a special breakfast presentation Oct. 15 at the Metro Tech campus. The students were from the school’s Business Management, Banking and Accounting classes, one of several Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs offered at Metro Tech. Wood is a frequent guest for national publications and broadcasts such as CNBC, Bloomberg TV and PBS and the Wall Street Journal. He is known for his simple, concise analysis of the economy and markets and enjoys speaking to students on the subject. Washington Elementary School District Maryland students are O Ambassadors Students at Maryland Elementary School are participating in the O Ambassadors program, a joint project of Oprah's Angel Network and Free The Children. These students are working towards the UN Millennium Development Goals, learning about global issues and making a tangible difference in the lives of their peers in the developing world. They are part of a network of O Ambassadors clubs across North America that are working to find solutions to global challenges through active learning, idea-sharing and taking action. Through this program, youth in North America have the unique opportunity to develop leadership skills and become active and compassionate global citizens. “We are so excited to be a part of the O Ambassadors program and we’re proud and honored to be represent the voices of youth at Maryland Elementary School," said Amanda Quine, social worker and site coordinator of the O Ambassador Program. O Ambassador Club Facilitator Alisa Carver said, "This is a wonderful opportunity for our students and the entire Maryland community to show that the youth at Maryland Elementary School care and that we can make a difference—a global difference." Throughout the year, the Maryland Elementary School O Ambassadors Club will raise awareness about the importance of a holistic approach to development by focusing on the Millennium Development Goals. Every two months the club will focus on a different theme (poverty, education, health and sustainable development) and organize fundraising and awareness-raising events for their school with the help of posters, how-to guides, regional guides and an Educator binder (with curricula). The funds raised by students at Maryland Elementary School will go towards holistic development projects in East Africa, West Africa, South Asia, East Asia and Latin America. Clubs have the opportunity to choose the world regions they would like to research and support. These projects provide local children and their families with the tools they need to break the cycle of poverty. All projects will be carried out in partnership with local communities. For more information, visit www.oambassadors.org. Private/Charter Schools St. Mary’s hosts Open House Saint Mary's Catholic High School, located at 2525 N. 3rd St., is hosting some important dates to be aware of if interested in having your child attend Saint Mary's High School this next year. The dates are as follows: • Open house 12-3 p.m. Sunday, Nov.16. All are welcome. • Placement exams: January 10 & 24; registration begins at 7:45 a.m. There is a $35 fee. Contact Mrs. Farrell at 602-251-2504 to register. Students attend Saint Mary's from all over the Valley. More than 100 different Catholic, public, private and charter grade schools make up the Saint Mary's student body family. Financial assistance and school tours are available. For more information, contact Assistant Principal Suzanne Fessler at 602-251-2510 or visit www.smknights.org. Graham receives scholarship The 100 Club of Arizona, a nonprofit group that is dedicated to standing behind the men and women who stand behind the badge, recently announced the recipients of the 100 Club Scholarship Program. Among them was Mary Beth Graham, who graduated in May from St. Mary’s High School. Graham, daughter of Phoenix firefighter Douglas Graham, received a $1,000, one-year scholarship. Graham is a freshman at Arizona State University majoring in Biology. The 100 Club congratulates all of the scholarship recipients for their hard work and outstanding educational performances. Brophy applauds Merit Semifinalists Officials of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) announced the names of approximately 16,000 Semifinalists in the 54th annual program. Brophy has 18 students who have received Semifinalist standing: Richard L. Auran, Curran K. Bice, Gustav W. Brodman, Sean M. Burke, Kevin C. Coltin, Sheridan S. Curley, Shawn A. Haupt, Vinay Jayaram, Anthony T. Kenrick, Joshua D. Knudson, Nick K. Lashinsky, Jeff W. Lockhart, Nathan A. Mariano, Jared D. Martin, William J. Matloff, Joshua G. Nomkin, Albert G. Stanton, and Blake W. Thomson. Students have the opportunity to continue to compete for more than 8,000 National Merit Scholarships, worth more than $35 million, that will be offered next spring. Ninety percent of Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing with half of the total Finalists receiving a National Merit Scholarship, earning the title Merit Scholar. Finalists are announced between April and July 2009. Xavier congratulates Commended students Sixteen Xavier students have been named Commended Students in the 2009 National Merit Scholarship Program. These students are: Samantha J. Burke, Evie H. Carpenter, Sarah A. Currier, Lauren E. Davis, Nicole E. Edson, Jenna S. Fradkin, Devin H. Howard, Erin L. Hunt, Hannah C. Johnsen, Catherine G. Keene, Madeline W. Lansky, Clare E. Reeth, Paula C. Salazar, Danielle C. Shank, Taylor M. Starr and Amy C. Thompson. About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2009 competition for National Merit Scholarships, Commended Students placed among the top 5 percent of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2009 competition by taking the 2007 Preliminary SATlNational Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSATINMSQT). Dewald wins essay contest Dinah Dewald, a junior at Arizona School for the Arts, has been awarded second place in the prestigious national essay contest sponsored by the Ayn Rand Institute, Center for the Advancement of Objectivism. The award included a check for $500.  Dewald, a North Central resident, wrote her essay on Ayn Rand's novel Anthem, entering it this spring in the 9th and 10th grade high school student category. The Ayn Rand Institute also sponsors an essay contest for 11th and 12th grade students, and one for college students. Many students across the country enter these contests and competition is tough. |
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