Marching bands from the Glendale Union High School District will once again come together for a free exhibition that will showcase their talents for friends, family and the community at large (photo courtesy of GUHSD).
Glendale Union High School District
Exhibition highlights GUHSD marching bands
Glendale Union High School District (GUHSD) will host its annual Marching Band Exhibition on Monday, Nov. 3, at Glendale Community College, starting at 6:30 p.m.
This free, open-to-the-public event will showcase performances from student musicians representing Apollo, Cortez, Glendale, Greenway, Independence, Moon Valley, Sunnyslope, Thunderbird and Washington high schools. Attendees will enjoy a night of music and school spirit as bands present their shows for the 2025 season.
WHS celebrates homecoming
Washington High School will celebrate its homecoming game on Friday, Oct. 24. The game offers a perfect time for alumni to return, reconnect with old friends and cheer on the WHS Rams as they take on the Alhambra Lions.
Alumni are invited to join the halftime parade, sing the WHS fight song and enjoy special seating in the end zone at Pagel Field. Kick-off is at 7 p.m. Adult tickets are $8; student/child tickets are $6.
For more information, visit https://washington.guhsdaz.org.
GUHSD schools among nation’s best
All Glendale Union High School District campuses have once again been recognized among the nation’s best high schools for 2025 by U.S. News & World Report.
The district congratulated Apollo, Cortez, Glendale, Greenway, Independence, Moon Valley, Sunnyslope, Thunderbird and Washington high schools for their continued excellence, dedication and student achievement.
Sunnyslope teacher Rina Beukema was surprised with a $500 “Supply My Class” grant, courtesy of APS (photo courtesy of Glendale Union High School District).
Teachers receive ‘Supply’ grants
Three Sunnyslope High School teachers, Julie D’Alton, Yolanda Lopez and Rina Beukema, were surprised with $500 each to spend on classroom supplies thanks to the APS Supply My Class program. The program helps Arizona teachers by providing funds for materials to support their students.
The district said, “A big thank you to APS for supporting educators so they can focus on what is most important: preparing the future of students at Sunnyslope High School.”
Simis Elementary dedicated its newly refurbished little league field in September. The new field is named in honor of Diamondbacks star Ketel Marte for his passion and dedication to the game (photo courtesy of Madison School District).
Madison School District
Field dedicated at Simis
On Wednesday, Sept. 17, a dedication ceremony was held at Madison Simis Elementary to celebrate the opening of the new Ketel Marte Field, the campus’ newly refurbished little league field. The field features new grass, fences, dugouts, lights and a scoreboard so kids can enjoy baseball and softball at the facility for years to come.
The new field, named in honor of Diamondbacks star Ketel Marte for his passion and dedication to the game, was built in partnership with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Public Service (APS) and the Recreation Association of Madison Meadows & Simis (RAMMS), which is a D-backs Give Back Youth Jersey Program organization.
Since 2000, the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation has built or refurbished 45 baseball and softball fields, the Ketel Marte Field being the 46th, across Arizona through their Mike Kennedy Diamonds Back Fields program. With support from APS, the program has allowed children throughout the state to play baseball and softball at quality facilities.
District to host blood drive
Madison School District, in partnership with Vitalant Blood Donation, will host a blood drive on Friday, Oct. 3, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Madison district office, 5601 N. 16th St. This blood drive is open to the community.
For more information and to sign up to donate, visit www.madisonaz.org/blood-drive.
Madison recognized for meal program
Madison School District’s Food & Nutrition Services department has earned national recognition for its summer meal program.
The district received the gold level award for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Turnip the Beet! award, which highlights outstanding summer meal programs. The award recognizes organizations that go above and beyond to provide meals that are not only nutritious but also appealing to children.
Seven schools earn AZPBIS Award
Seven schools in the Madison School District were recently recognized for their achievements with their PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) programs by the PBISAz organization.
Madison Camelview, Madison Rose Lane, Madison Simis, and Madison No. 1 received the Level 2 award. Madison Park and Madison Meadows received the Level 3 award, and Madison Traditional Academy received the Level 4 award.
The PBISAz Achievement Award recognizes schools for successful implementation and outcomes with school-wide systems of Positive Behavior Interventions. PBIS programs help build a school culture that is more positive, proactive and supportive for all students so that
they can be successful.
The PBIS framework has been used across the Madison School District for more than a decade, and its schools have frequently been recognized for their successful programs.
Madison hosts ‘Discover’ tours
The Madison School District invites families interested in learning more about its schools and signature programs to attend the upcoming Discover Madison tour events.
For families with children entering kindergarten next fall, the Discover Madison Elementary tour will be held on Nov. 7. For families with children entering fifth grade next fall, the Discover Madison Middle School tour will be held Nov. 14.
During the tours, families will learn about the Madison School District, its programs, and take a school bus to visit and tour each of the elementary or middle school campuses. Space is limited. To learn more and sign up, visit www.madisonaz.org/discover.
Pictured left to right are Mark Deyette, Erin Tikovitsch (standing) and Jill Singh, the Osborn School District 2025 Teachers of the Year (submitted photo).
Osborn School District
Osborn recognizes Teachers of the Year
Osborn School District announced the Osborn School District Educational Foundation’s Eighth Annual Teachers of the Year event. Set for Saturday, Oct. 25, this fundraising event is a night to celebrate the three outstanding educators.
Clarendon Principal Jeff Martin (left), was joined by Osborn Superintendent Michael Robert and Maricopa County Superintendent Shelli Boggs as he was recognized with the county’s Exemplary Principal Award (submitted photo).
The 2025 recipients are Mark Deyette, a physical education teacher at Encanto School; Jill Singh, Montessori coordinator and teacher on assignment at Montecito School, and Erin Tikovitsch, a math teacher at Osborn Middle School.
The celebration will be held at the Children’s Museum of Phoenix, located at 215 N. 7th St. Tickets and additional information can be found at www.osbornfoundation.org.
Clarendon principal receives award
In addition to Clarendon Elementary being named an A+ School of Excellence, the Clarendon Elementary School principal, Jeff Martin, was recently awarded with the Maricopa County Exemplary Principal Award by Maricopa County Superintendent Shelli Boggs.
The district said, “The Osborn community is thrilled to see Principal Martin – who has dedicated his career to serving students and families – receive this recognition.”
Learn more at www.osbornnet.org.
Phoenix Union High School District
Owen Schoolman
Coding Academy alum joins district team
Owen Schoolman, Phoenix Coding Academy class of 2024 alum, started as a Phoenix Union High School District (PXU) student intern with the technology department while he attended Phoenix Coding Academy. He loved the work so much, and the PXU team appreciated his work ethic enough, that when the time came to graduate, he was extended an offer to become a full-time employee. He accepted and is now stationed at Maryvale High School as a campus lab technician.
While interning with PXU, Schoolman worked on the cyber-security team and refers to it as a “transformative experience that helped shape his career path.”
Schoolman currently attends Phoenix College working on an Information Systems degree and hopes to continue his career with PXU, working towards a systems engineer for the district.
Any prospective students who are seeking an education that translates into real-world skills and job opportunities, the district encourage them to enroll with one of the PXU schools by visiting www.pxu.org/enroll.
Royal Palm Principal Darcy Estrada was joined by school staff and Sprouts representatives as she accepted a $10,000 grant to support the school’s garden (photo courtesy of WESD).
Washington Elementary School District
Royal Palm gifted Sprouts garden grant
Royal Palm Middle School was honored to be recently gifted with a $10,000 grant from the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation in support of its school garden.
More than just a place to grow fruits and veggies, the garden has become a vibrant hub for learning, connection and community pride, the school said. The newly acquired grant will be a powerful investment in the futures of Royal Palm students – helping them grow, cook and enjoy healthy food while learning life skills that last a lifetime.
WESD said, “A heartfelt thank you to Sprouts for their ongoing generosity and support!”
WESD celebrates ‘Super’ kids and staff
The Washington Elementary School District congratulated the outstanding students and employees from Desert View Elementary School, Mountain View School and Sunnyslope School who were recently honored as the September 2025 SUPER Kids and SUPER Staff.
Since 2006, the WESD SUPER Kids and SUPER Staff program has celebrated exceptional students and employees from across the district for their achievements, dedication and positive impact.
As part of a special tradition, Interim Superintendent Dr. Lupita Hightower personally surprised each honoree at their school with well-deserved recognition. Students receive a certificate and a free pizza courtesy of Peter Piper Pizza, while staff are awarded a certificate and a Starbucks gift card.
Check out the September honorees on the district website: www.wesdschools.org.
Desert View receives book donation
In celebration of National Read a Book Day, every student at Desert View Elementary School recently received a brand-new book, courtesy of Delivering Dreams of Arizona. The heartwarming event, captured by FOX 10 Phoenix and Arizona’s Family, highlighted the joy and excitement on students’ faces as they dove into their new reads.
Teachers named APS award winners
WESD recently celebrated three district educators who were selected as winners of the 2025-26 Arizona Public Service (APS) Supply My Class program. Congratulations were extended to Johnna Faust at Desert View Elementary School, Audrey Comella at Moon Mountain Elementary School and Tyler Lebrun at Mountain View School for each earning a $500 gift card to support their classrooms.
“This generous program from APS randomly selects 500 K-12 teachers each year within its service area to help equip classrooms with essential supplies,” district leadership said. “Over the past seven years, APS has awarded more than 5,500 teachers – making a powerful impact across Arizona.”
District seeks bus drivers
WESD is looking for dedicated individuals to join its transportation team. The district is currently hiring for several key positions.
Drivers in training can earn $14.70 per hour while receiving free Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) training. Bus drivers earn between $20 and $24 per hour, with a guaranteed six-hour workday that qualifies them for full benefits. Bus assistants play a crucial role in student safety and support on every route, earning between $14.70 and $17.12 per hour.
Team members enjoy benefits including employee-only medical insurance with no premium cost, paid holidays and employer-matched contributions to the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS).
To apply online, visit https://jobs.wesdschools.org.
