Glendale Union High School District
GUHSD schools ranked among Best for 2024
Since 2007, all nine Glendale Union High School District (GUHSD) schools have ranked on U.S. News & World Report for Best High Schools, and this year is no different.
Nearly 17,660 schools out of 25,000 were ranked on six factors based on their performance on state assessments and how well they prepare students for college. The district congratulated Apollo, Cortez, Glendale, Greenway, Independence, Moon Valley, Sunnyslope, Thunderbird and Washington for their outstanding work.
Cooper Shillington
Senior earns academy appointment
Sunnyslope High School senior Cooper Shillington has earned an appointment to the United States Naval Academy.
This prestigious accomplishment involved review from the selection committee; among the criteria, Shillington had to receive a nomination from his representative from the U.S. House of Representatives. Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ) was allotted only one spot to nominate a candidate for the academy, and Shillington was his choice.
District recognizes retiring employees
Glendale Union High School District 25-Year and Retiree employees, including teachers, administrators, and support staff members, were honored at the district’s annual 25-Year and Retiree Recognition Reception.
Ramsey Thompson
GUHSD governing board members, Superintendent Brian Capistran, district administrators, and this year’s retirees all gathered at the district office to recognize 34 retirees and 43 25-year employees for their outstanding contributions to their schools and the school community.
Student receives $100K in scholarships
Washington High School senior Ramsey Thompson has accrued over $100,000 in scholarships so far.
Thompson is one of only five students in Arizona to win the Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship worth $40,000, which includes a paid internship with Amazon. In addition, he has received $64,000 from Arizona State University New American University, $10,000 from the Horatio Alger Danny Sanford Scholarship for Arizona State University, and $3,000 from the Team 24 Athlete Scholarship.
Sunnyslope coaches Sarah Schlesinger and Amber Geer were recently inducted into the Arizona High School Athletic Coaches Hall of Fame (submitted photo).
Coaches inducted into Hall of Fame
Sunnyslope High School coaches Sarah Schlesinger and Amber Geer were inducted into the Arizona High School Athletic Coaches Hall of Fame.
Schlesinger has a career win percentage of 86 percent with four Badminton State Championships, three second place finishes, and 15 region titles. Geer has nine Volleyball State Championships, two second place finishes, and 15 region titles. The coaches became the sixth and seventh Sunnyslope coaches to receive the honor at the 40th annual ceremony.
Staff at Madison Rose Lane celebrated being named a “School of the Year” by Discovery Education (photo courtesy of Madison School District).
Madison School District
School receives Discovery award
Madison Rose Lane Elementary School is one of two schools named “School of the Year” by Discovery Education. The Discovery Education awards honor districts, schools and educators who accelerate achievement among students by tapping into their natural curiosity and desire to learn and have impacted student learning by adapting and personalizing instruction to better pique curiosity and engagement.
Recipients were selected through a competitive nomination and application process, which highlighted the participating districts’, schools’ and educators’ commitment to fostering student growth.
Through its “edtech,” Discovery Education helps educators deliver equitable learning experiences engaging all students and supporting higher academic achievement. The company serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide.
Free meals offered over summer break
This summer, Madison School District will offer the Summer Food Service Program, which provides free meals to all children ages 18 and under. This program is in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Meals are provided at no charge and are the same for all children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service.
Meals will be available at three locations. Madison Rose Lane Elementary School, 1155 E. Rose Lane, will offer breakfast from 7:45 to 8:15 a.m. and lunch from 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, June 3-July 26. Madison Traditional Academy, 925 E. Maryland Ave., will offer breakfast from 7:45 to 8:15 a.m. and lunch from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., Monday through Friday, June 3- July 26. Madison Park Middle School, 1431 E. Campbell Ave., will offer breakfast from 7:30 to 7:50 a.m. and lunch from 11 a.m. to noon, Monday through Thursday, June 3-27.
All locations will be closed June 19 and July 4 for the Juneteenth and Independence Day holidays, respectively. Learn more at www.madisonaz.org.
District ranks in Top 10
Madison School District was named number two in the annual “Ranking Arizona” list for the Top 10 Arizona elementary school districts. Each year, AZ Big Media publishes “Ranking Arizona,” the largest business opinion poll in Arizona, to determine the top businesses and organizations that people want to do business with across various industries and categories.
The district serves students in preschool through eighth grade and offers a variety of signature programs to allow students to explore their interests, learn, grow and succeed.
Students and faculty at schools in the Osborn School District participated in a tree planting project in April (submitted photo).
Osborn School District
Osborn cultivates green future
Osborn’s six school campuses got a bit of a glow-up over the last month with more than 100 trees making their debut across the district.
Hundreds of students, staff members, parents and community volunteers came together to bring this project to life under the guidance of the experts at AZ Trees Matter.
District to offer free summer meals
The Osborn School District announced the sponsorship of the Summer Food Service Program for children. Meals will be provided to all children, ages 18 and under, without charge and are the same for all children – there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service.
Meals will be provided at Longview School, 1209 E. Indian School Road, June 3-27. Breakfast will be served 8:15-8:45 a.m.; lunch will be served 12:30-1 p.m. For additional information, call 602-707-2000 or visit www.osbornnet.org.
Principal Seth Beute, center, was surprised with an award recognizing his leadership at Phoenix Coding Academy (photo courtesy of PXU).
Phoenix Union High School District
Coding principal is ‘exemplary’
In May, Seth Beute, principal at Phoenix Coding Academy, was awarded the prestigious Exemplary Principal Award from Steve Watson, Maricopa County School Superintendent.
Watson is recognizing leaders who understand the connection between a thriving school culture and high levels of student achievement and teacher retention. These leaders intentionally and strategically nurture school environments where teacher and student voices set and realize the school’s vision. They lead schools where students achieve academically and emotionally, and teachers are inspired to remain at the school and in the profession.
Award recipients undergo a rigorous evaluation that involves a superintendent nomination, application, teacher survey, video interview, site visit and extensive data review. Awards are then presented during a surprise event.
Rob Rosztoczy addressed students and families at Crockett Elementary School as his foundation announces a college tuition funding program (photo courtesy of Camelback High School).
Third graders receive college tuition promise
At a May 7 event, families of the Camelback High School and Crockett Elementary community received some exciting news: the Rosztoczy Foundation is promising every third-grade student at Crockett Elementary School that if they attend their local public school and finish at Camelback High School, their college tuition will be paid for by the foundation.
At the event, more than 90 third graders and their families gathered to hear from Rob Rosztoczy about the promise, and to make their commitment to finish high school and head to college. Crockett Principal Sean Hannefin, who helped coordinate the gift and the announcement event, also addressed those gathered.
Washington Elementary School District
Free summer meals available
The Washington Elementary School District (WESD) announced in May that it will provide free breakfast and lunch meals for children and teenagers up to 18 years old this summer.
Meals will be available Monday through Thursday until June 20 at all WESD schools including Desert View, Maryland, Moon Mountain, Mountain View, Orangewood, Richard E. Miller, Royal Palm and Sunnyslope. No application or registration is needed. All meals must be consumed on-site.
To view specific times for each school, visit the WESD website at www.wesdschools.org. For more information, contact the WESD Nutrition Services Department at 602-896-5235.
District seeks feedback on curriculum
WESD is in the process of reviewing and adopting science materials to support teachers with instruction that is aligned to the K-8 state standards. The standards are based on three core ideas for knowing science: physical science, Earth and space science and life science. The materials also will address the science and engineering practices that provide students with authentic science experiences such as constructing explanations, planning investigations and developing models to make sense of the core ideas of science.
Parents and guardians are invited to provide feedback on these materials during the district’s community display, now through July 8 from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the WESD Administrative Center, located at 4650 W. Sweetwater Ave.
The Science Curriculum Adoption Committee also will host an open house on Monday, June 17, from 3 to 5 p.m. in the governing board room at the Administrative Center. Committee members will be present to answer questions about the materials. Spanish and Arabic translators will also be on-site.
Enrollment is open for 2024-25
Area students entering kindergarten through eighth grade are invited to enroll for the 2024-25 school year at WESD schools.
The district said, “Our dedicated teachers and staff help create learning environments where students are valued and supported. With multiple A+ Schools of Excellence, a National Blue Ribbon and a National Title I Distinguished School, the WESD is also proud to be a Top 20 school district in the country in student growth.”
Stephanie Qualm and fourth grade student representative Jeancarlo accepted a $1,000 award at a recent Diamondbacks game (submitted photo).
The district also accepts open enrollment for students who live outside its boundaries and who wish to attend a WESD school. To learn more and enroll, visit www.wesdschools.org/registration.
Miller Elementary School receives grant
WESD congratulated Richard E. Miller Elementary School for being named a Play Ball Fund Grant recipient by the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation.
Stephanie Qualm, speech language pathologist at Richard E. Miller, along with fourth grade student representative, Jeancarlo, accepted the $1,000 award at a recent Diamondbacks game. Richard E. Miller plans to utilize the funds to begin a soccer program at the school, which Qualm will coach.
