Glendale Union High School District
Two seniors named semifinalists
Two seniors at Thunderbird High School were named semifinalists in the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program. Keegan Halvorsen and Elliott St. Clair were recognized in a virtual celebration of their achievements during a Glendale Union High School District governing board meeting last month.
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation selects semifinalists every September from 1.6 million entrants around the country. Out of the 50,000 students who had the highest PSAT/NMSQT Selection Index scores, about 16,000 high school pupils qualify as semifinalists.
To learn more, visit nationalmerit.org.
Madison Elementary School District
In-person learning scheduled to start soon
Students will be able to return to in-person classes on Oct. 12 in the Madison Elementary School District, as long as there is not a significant increase in the spread of COVID-19.
Schools will open with a hybrid learning model in which some students will learn in-person on their campuses and some students will learn at-home through an online system through December.
Families who want to keep their children learning at home online through December had to notify the district last month. Students who return to schools for in-person classes will have to follow protocols set in the district’s opening plan, which says students and employees must wear cloth or surgical face masks, except when they are eating or drinking and if they have health conditions that prevent it.
Parents will have the chance to sign up their children for the online option or switch them to in-person learning at the end of each quarter. The end of the quarters are Oct. 2, Dec. 18, March 12 and May 26.
To learn more, visit madisonaz.org.
Take virtual tour of elementary schools
Want to learn more about campuses in the Madison Elementary School District? The district will host a virtual “tour” of its elementary school campuses and offer information about its Signature programs at 8 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 6.
Principals at the schools will talk during the livestream from the Madison Center for the Arts. Parents can ask questions live during the tour. They are urged to fill out the Google form for this Discover Madison Virtual Tour through email by accessing madisonaz.org/discovermadison.
Osborn Elementary School District
Jennifer Houston, Solano Elementary School Cafeteria Manager, helps distribute meals for the Osborn Elementary School District’s free meal service (photo courtesy of Osborn Elementary School District).
Free meal service starts again for youths
Children can once again receive free-of-charge breakfasts and lunches in the Osborn Elementary School District.
The district recently reinstated its meal program, which provides five breakfasts and five lunches at four locations in the district to any child 18 years old and younger. These five-day meal bags contain frozen lunch entrees, cereal, frozen breakfast entrees, fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as milk. The weekly meal distribution takes place from 8 to 10 a.m. Mondays at the Encanto/Clarendon Elementary site at 1401 W. Whitton Ave.; Osborn Middle School kitchen at 1102 W. Highland Ave.; Solano Elementary School kitchen at 1526 W. Missouri Ave. and Longview Elementary School at 1209 E. Indian School Road.
The days and hours of operation are subject to change. Watch for updates at www.osbornnet.org/District/Department/12-Osborn-Child-Nutrition and on Instagram @Nutriliciousosborn.
Art teacher links students with artists online
The COVID-19 pandemic is not keeping an innovative art teacher at Longview Elementary School from inspiring students.
Liz Archuleta has been interviewing local artists through Zoom, giving her students the chance to hear the artists’ personal stories and to engage in art lessons with them from their homes while classes are held online/virtually.
Students at Longview can walk to some of the murals the artists have created. Archuleta also has started live art lessons during lunch.
Phoenix Union High School District
District, partners help feed students
Students in the Phoenix Union High School District whose families may be struggling financially can obtain non-perishable food, toiletries and school supplies, thanks to a partnership with Frito-Lay and Feed the Children, an anti-hunger organization, which recently launched a “Building the Future Together” initiative to help thousands of students around the country in this 2020-21 school year.
The program is bringing in donations of food boxes, shampoo, conditioner, toilet paper, toothbrushes and other personal care items and paper, pens, notebooks and other school supplies to the Phoenix Union district. These items are delivered once a month in a large shipment to the school district’s Falcon Family and Community Resource Center, which is located on the campus of Carl Hayden Community High School at 3333 W. Roosevelt St. Students from anywhere in the district can obtain the food, school supplies and personal care offerings.
Families can pick up donations every Wednesday and Friday, either at the Falcon Family and Community Resource Center or if they do not have access to a vehicle, the district can deliver the food and supplies to them. If you need these items, contact the district at pxu-face@phoenixunion.org.
Washington Elementary School District
Mateo Parsons shows off fresh berries and peppers from a grab-and-go food pick-up service in the Washington Elementary School District.
Students can feast on fruits, vegetables
Students in the Washington Elementary School District will be able to feed not only their minds, but also their bodies, with fresh fruits and vegetables, because of a federal program.
The district was chosen to participate in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) for this school year. The Arizona Department of Education will work with the district to offer fresh fruits and vegetables to students. This program’s goals are to encourage healthier school environments by encouraging nutrition education. Children will be introduced to new and different varieties of fruits and vegetables and their overall acceptance and consumption of fresh, unprocessed produce will be boosted. Officials hope to influence children’s diets to make a positive impact on their current and future health.
The grant will assist 19 schools in the district.
Out-of-this world lessons earn administrator honor
Innovative curriculum for gifted students that is out of this world has earned an official in the Washington Elementary School District a national honor.
Jason McIntosh
Jason McIntosh, the district’s Gifted Services coordinator, recently received the 2020 NAGC Curriculum Award for his Astronaut Academy curriculum unit. It is the fifth time he has obtained this recognition for exemplary curriculum in gifted education.
McIntosh’s Astronaut Academy, 30-lesson interdisciplinary unit was designed to teach high-ability second and third-grade students how to think like astronauts and explore the far regions of the solar system.
Students go on a journey to “visit” each planet and make their own space station while participating in engaging resources, learning activities and problem-based learning tasks. The concept of exploration is developed as students gain scientific knowledge and habits, including how to follow the scientific method and do research. Teachers can follow guidance and suggestions on how to adjust the rigor of the curriculum based on students’ needs and interests.
Private And Charter Schools
Brophy seniors named Semifinalists
Several seniors at Brophy College Preparatory are already on a roll this school year as they have been selected as 2021 National Merit Semifinalists.
The eight seniors were selected after entering the 2021 competition their junior year, when they took the 2019 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). The exam provides the initial screening of program applicants. Around the country more than 1.5 million juniors from about 21,000 high schools took that test and about 16,000 of those qualified as semifinalists.
The Brophy seniors who were selected as semifinalists are Justin An, Walker Bagley, Charles Fallon, Carl Justice, John Lomax, Nolan Lopez, Mateo Morris and Henry Palmer.
Students can join diverse clubs at Brophy
Proving that school is about more than just academics, Brophy College Preparatory recently held its Virtual Club Expo.
Through this online event, students could learn about the more than 100 clubs the private, all-boys, Jesuit, Catholic high school offers. Students can become involved in a large variety of service, faith, as well as competitive and academic; affinity and publication, performance and art clubs.
To learn more about the school’s clubs, visit brophyprep.org/clubs.
Xavier to host online eighth grade socials
Xavier College Preparatory is pivoting during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide its 8th Grade Informational Socials online.
These events typically are held in person, where eighth-grade students and their parents have a chance to learn what freshmen courses look like, the types of clubs and activities available to Xavier students and what makes the private, all-girls, Catholic high school stand out. Parents can learn about how the admissions process operates, how to seek financial aid, various sports teams’ try-out schedules and how to utilize carpools to transport their children to Xavier.
Xavier held several of the socials last month and will host many more this month, including one from 7 to 8:30 p.m. via Zoom on Wednesday, Oct. 7 and one from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 13 through Zoom. There also will be an eighth grade social from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 20 and from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 21. The Zoom links will be emailed to parents a day before each event. To learn more, visit xcp.org/admissions/visitus/information-social.
Midtown Primary School teacher Chloe Hinck engages with first-graders on campus. Students play the PAX Good Behavior Game, which aims to teach behavioral health strategies that have been shown to reduce discipline problems and other issues (photo by Belinda Suggs/Midtown Primary School).
Midtown Primary students play good behavior game
Midtown Primary School is helping students get into their groove with healthy life skills.
The school is using the PAX Good Behavior Game, which a classroom teacher developed about 40 years ago. Research reportedly reveals that PAX decreases the number of student discipline problems, enhances student learning and reduces drug and alcohol use among students, as well as decreases aggression and other delinquent behaviors later in life. This evidence-based practice offers instructional and behavioral health strategies that teachers and students use every day in the classroom.
Midtown’s teachers and students love playing PAX to generate more healing and peace, health, happiness and harmonious social interactions in classrooms, around campus and at home.
Kindergarten teacher seeks support to buy letter cubes
You can help a teacher at AmeriSchools Academy Phoenix Camelback provide kindergarten students with tangible tools for learning words at home.
Olivia Ortega is asking for financial contributions through DonorsChoose.org to fund letter cubes and building words to help her students learn to recognize and identify letters and to create words. If she can provide them with letter cubes while they are learning at home, the students will be able to follow along with her instruction and have concrete work to show her.
With these new tools, Ortega said she would be able to offer quick assessments in breakout rooms utilizing the cubes and parents can make fun learning games with their children.
Ortega is hoping to raise about $400 to purchase the letter cubes. To make a donation, visit donorschoose.org.
