RAK magazine August2018

raisingarizonakids.com AUGUST 2018

BACK-TO-SCHOOL TIPS & TRADITIONS RED FOR ED: A moment or a movement?

EDUCATING THE GIFTED CHILD VAPING: The new

specter in the classroom COMMUNICATE better with

your child’s teacher Legacy Traditional Schools student Gwyneth Bressler (11) of Chandler.

raisingarizonakids.com AUGUST 2018

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August 2018

CONTENTS

FEATURES 16

Red For Ed

Spring’s unprecedented statewide teacher’s strike could have a lasting impact on school funding and Arizona politics. Is it a movement or just a moment?

20

Communicating with your child’s teacher

Open communication between teachers and parents can help kids succeed in school. Teacher Cathryn Creno shares tips.

22

Educating the gifted child What is gifted education and how do schools test for eligibility?

16 22

20

DEPARTMENTS 4

dialogue

Back to the books—and ballots

6

ages & stages

• Social-emotional benefits of reading, play • Phoenix’s Doodle 4 Google winner • Alice Cooper’s local music competition

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az grown

• Back-to-school traditions • Cardon Children’s opens kids clinic for neuropsychiatric disorders • Free kids admission at Phoenix Art Museum • Butterfly Wonderland serves up insect “snacks” • Vaping: The new specter in the classroom • Five questions with student organizer Jordan Harb • Retiree starts free golf program for kids

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family time

• Top August events • Around Arizona • Onstage

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AUGUST 2018 raisingarizonakids.com

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about the cover sponsor: LEGACY TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS August 2018 | Vol 29 | No 5 Publisher Karen Davis Barr Associate Publisher Brandy Collet Editor Kara G. Morrison Calendar Editor Liz Petroff Copy Editor Debra Citron Contributors Margaret Beardsley, Cathryn Creno, Mary Anne Duggan, Victoria Harker, Liz Petroff Art Director Michèlle-Renée Adams Photographer Rick D’Elia, Allen Patrou Operations Manager Tina Gerami-Bynum Sales & Circulation Brandy Collet Sales Representatives Shannon Cornall, Kate Greene

Contact Us: editorial@RAKmagazine.com familytime@RAKmagazine.com advertising@RAKmagazine.com subscriptions@RAKmagazine.com 5229 N. Seventh Ave. #102 Phoenix, AZ 85013-1974 P: 480–991–KIDS (5437) • F: 480–991–5460 raisingarizonakids.com

in partnership with

Follow us! @RAKmagazine RAKmagazine RAKmagazine RAKmagazine RAKmagazine

R aising A rizona K ids magazine (ISSN 1051-4295) was created to connect Valley families to local resources and share real-life stories about the challenges and joys of raising children. Copy­right © 2018 by R aising A rizona K ids, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Subscription price is $12 for one year or $18 for two years. Back issues are $6 per copy.

The Post Office will not automatically forward in the event of a move. Make address changes on our website or mail changes to our office. Original, locally generated articles, illustrations and photographs are welcome. Guide­lines are avail­able at raisingarizonakids.com.

PRIDE, COMMUNITY & HONOR! LEGACY TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS first opened its doors in Arizona a decade ago. Since then, it has grown from a single, 400-student campus into the largest, fastest-growing and highest-performing network of K-8 public schools in Arizona — serving more than 16,500 students at fourteen campuses statewide. We photographed Charlotte Bressler (9), Gwyneth Bressler (11) and Joseph Compton II (9) — all of Chandler — enjoying the sports court, music room and flag ceremony on Legacy’s Gilbert campus.

This month, Legacy is opening two new K-8 campuses — one in East Mesa near East Guadalupe and South Signal Butte Roads, and the other in West Phoenix at 99th Avenue and West Camelback Road. Legacy says this growth signals strong community demand for what it offers, including strong academics and a focus on traditional values, performing arts and sports.

As a network, Legacy Traditional Schools’ students outperformed state averages in English Language Arts and Mathematics in all grades in 2017. Its public, tuition-free schools in Avondale, Casa Grande, Chandler, Gilbert, North Chandler, Peoria, Queen Creek, Surprise and Tucson received an “A” rating under Arizona’s new letter grade rating system. The schools emphasize character, love of country and the responsibilities of citizenship. They provide a safe, structured environment where parents and families are asked to be active participants in their children’s education. Legacy describes its curriculum as well-rounded and accelerated, emphasizing the arts, physical education and a full menu of athletic and extracurricular activities.

“We place a strong emphasis on building character among our students,” says Nicole Kirkley, superintendent of Legacy Traditional Schools. “Students learn to respect themselves and others, and to love this country. If there’s one thing that won’t change, it’s our commitment to helping students succeed — both inside and outside of the classroom.” Learn more at legacytraditional.org PHOTOS BY RICK D’ELIA

ALL EN PAT RO U

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Back to the BOOKS — and BALLOTS

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SUMMER DID fly by, even the long strings of triple-digit days. Sooner than seems possible, we’ll be settling into busy school routines. To help gear up for that, journalist-turned-teacher Cathryn Creno takes on the subject of positive parent-teacher communication, offering tips from personal experience.

In this back-to-school issue, writer Margaret Beardsley also explores a free kids golf program and looks into a new health concern among kids as young as middle school: vaping or e-cigarettes. Writer Mary Anne Duggan takes on the task of explaining gifted education — what it is and the state’s requirements for testing.

And because we couldn’t ignore #RedForEd as our kids and teachers step back into the classroom, freelance writer Victoria Harker recaps spring’s events and explores whether it’s a blip in Arizona history or an ongoing movement. The Aug. 28 Primary Election will be a good test, as many current and former teachers have ended up on the ballot.

WE LOOK FORWARD to seeing many of our readers and local families this month at R aising A rizona K ids magazine’s fourth annual Special Needs Resource Fair on Saturday, Aug. 25.

This year, we have a new central location

for the event — not far from Sky Harbor International Airport. We had mixed feelings about moving the Special Needs Resource Fair away from Halle Heart Children’s Museum, which offered a warm, welcoming home for the event’s first three years. But space there was limited, which limited our ability to invite a larger number of exhibitors and expand the scope of local resources represented.

This year, the Special Needs Resource Fair will be at Ability 360 Sports & Fitness Center, 5025 E. Washington St. in Phoenix. There’s ample FREE covered parking for families at the fully accessible facility, and because we have more space, at press time we already had more than 40 vendors enlisted to talk about their services, support and products addressing a wide range of special needs — including developmental disabilities, special healthcare needs and learning and attention differences.

While the event is free, pre-registration is requested at raisingarizonakids.com/specialneeds-resource-fair/

Kara G. Morrison, Editor kara@RAKmagazine.com

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ages & stages BABIES & TODDLERS

TWEENS AND TEENS

SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL BENEFITS OF

READING, PLAY

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A NEW STUDY details how reading aloud and playing with young children can help them have better control of their behavior, which is important for school readiness. The study, “Reading Aloud, Play and Social-Emotional Development,” in the April 2018 issue of Pediatrics, found young children of parents who actively read and played with them had fewer attention problems and fewer disruptive behaviors — such as hyperactivity and aggression — when they started school. Children who continued to participate in the program after age 3 showed even greater benefits. Learn more at aap.org

SIGN-UPS BEGIN FOR ALICE COOPER’S LOCAL PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING MUSIC COMPETITION

Bella Strumpfer with her artwork.

ELEMENTARY

PHOENIX FIFTH-GRADER PLACES IN DOODLE 4 GOOGLE COMPETITION BELLA STRUMPFER, a fifth-grader at Madison Traditional Academy in Phoenix, was selected over more than 200,000 Arizona students this spring to be Arizona’s winner of the Doodle 4 Google competition. She turned the word “Google” into a series of whimsical creatures and became one of 53 national finalists.

“I drew this picture because I love magical creatures,” Bella said, adding, “They help me believe anything is possible. They inspire me

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AUGUST 2018 raisingarizonakids.com

to be creative.” For her efforts, Google sent Bella a T-shirt, a backpack and a computer!

After a public voting period, the top five award winners got a $30,000 college scholarship and $50,000 technology package for their schools, plus a trip to Google’s headquarters. Google hosts the contest annually for grades K-12.

Submissions are typically accepted January through March, and voting happens in May. Visit doodle4google.com

SIGNUPS ARE UNDERWAY this month and in September for shock rocker Alice Cooper’s annual music competition in the Valley.

Cooper’s Proof is in the Pudding competition for ages 25 and younger formally kicks off September through November, and it’s no small potatoes. The first winner was Jordin Sparks, whose American Idol run followed.

Cooper and his wife fund the Solid Rock Teen Center dedicated to making a difference in the lives of teenagers. Last year, his competition attracted 140 bands and solo artists — more than 300 musicians total.

Competitors have earned the opportunity to perform before an Arizona Cardinals game, sing the National Anthem at spring training and to meet famous musicians backstage including Pat Benatar, Lady Antebellum, Ziggy Marley, Miranda Lambert, Kid Rock, and Joan Jett. For details on how to sign up, visit Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Teen Center, 13625 N. 32nd St. in Phoenix, text PROOF to 480-351-1765 for a website link to a promo video or visit alicecoopersolidrock.com/events

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az grown briefs

BACK-TO-SCHOOL

FAMILY TRADITIONS

By Liz Petroff

CARDON CHILDREN’S opens Valley’s first clinic to treat neuropsychiatric disorders in kids

CARDON CHILDREN’S MEDICAL CENTER has opened a Mesa clinic that is only the second of its kind in the U.S. to treat and research a family of acute-onset neuropsychiatric disorders that historically have been misdiagnosed or undiagnosed in children. The Children’s Postinfectious Autoimmune Encephalopathy Center of Excellence opened May 30 at Cardon Children’s Medical Center, 1400 S. Dobson Road, Mesa. It expands the partnership between Banner Children’s services and the University of Arizona Steele Children’s Research Center.

Along with Diamond Children’s Medical Center in Tucson, the Children’s Postinfectious Autoimmune Encephalopathy Center in Mesa will work to potentially cure a spectrum of postinfectious autoimmune encephalopathies. This spectrum of diseases includes such disorders as Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS), Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated With Strep (PANDAS) and Sydenham’s chorea.

Like other autoimmune disorders, children’s postinfectious autoimmune encephalopathies are on the rise in children. These diseases occur when a child’s immune system, while fighting an infection, mistakenly targets or disrupts a part of the child’s own body. In CPAE, the child’s immune system attacks the brain, causing a range of neuropsychiatric symptoms.

Symptoms typically occur suddenly — sometimes overnight — and can include: obsessivecompulsive disorder, restrictive eating, tics (motor and phonic), severe anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, headaches, depression and mood changes, irritability and aggression, changes in handwriting, separation anxiety, poor academic performance, frequent urination, hallucinations and sensory sensitivities.

Along with treating patients, Cardon Children’s will conduct research in conjunction with the Steele Center, including a national study in cooperation with the National Institute of Mental Health. Cardon Children’s is expected to treat about 300 cases each year through the center. Patients from as far as Thailand and several states across the U.S. have received treatment through the Tucson center since it opened in 2016. Visit bannerhealth.com/cardonchildrens

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AUGUST 2018 raisingarizonakids.com

EVERY AUGUST BRINGS a backpack of mixed emotions for my family as the leisurely days of summer come to an end and we look forward to the steady routine a new school year brings.

Like most families, we spend the last few days of summer busy with back-to-school shopping, fresh haircuts and meet-the-teacher events. Before we know it, it’s the night before the first day of school. Anticipation (and butterflies) show up, and the morning scramble begins.

To make the transition to a new year and grade a little easier, we observe two family traditions that help wrap up summer and jumpstart the school year.

LAST DAY OF SUMMER DINNER AND MEMORY JAR. While the kiddos arrange their backpacks and lay out their first-day-of-school outfits, my husband and I prepare a fun family dinner.

What makes this meal special (aside from including appetizers and dessert) is that we share it on a fully decorated tablescape — nice dishes and glasses included. After the plates are cleared and our bellies are full, we sit at the table and open our Summer Memory Jar. Throughout the summer, whenever something funny or exciting happens, a family member writes it down on a strip of paper and stuffs it into this decorated mason jar. The belly laughs produced while reading and remembering months of silly summer situations are the highlight of the evening.

FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL TREAT BAGS. Another tradition awaits our kiddos in the car after school pick-ups during the first week. Their treat bags include small gifts intended to lift their spirits after long days of learning new class rules and procedures. The gifts range from special after-school snacks or Gatorade to a nice shirt, an accessory for upcoming school pictures, a new book or a fun school supply — such as the slap-wrist ruler I found for Lucy and the erasable ink pens I bought for Jack.

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BUTTERFLY WONDERLAND has added an Edible Insects Station to teach visitors about entomophagy — the practice of eating insects. Visitors can try chips made with cricket protein, chocolate-covered ants, coconut-brittle mealworms and scorpion lollipops. Dee Mangulins, Butterfly Wonderland’s executive director, said in a statement that kids who visit “are often adventurous and anxious to try something new. Our new Edible Insects Station is a fun and tasty new way for them to have a better understanding about what our butterflies eat, but also learn more about different foods and cultures.”

Did you know: Two billion people across the world eat insects as part of their normal diet and that insects are considered higher in protein per pound than livestock? Insects are also arthropods, which include favorite delicacies such as shrimp, crab, and lobster.

Butterfly Wonderland is part of the OdySea in the Desert Entertainment Destination at the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community near Scottsdale. It features 3,000 butterflies flying freely in an indoor tropical rainforest environment plus interactive exhibits including a Butterfly Emergence Gallery, 3D movie theater and a Rainforest Reptile exhibit. It’s open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. 9500 E. Via de Ventura, Scottsdale. 480-800-3000 or butterflywonderland.com

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az grown health

VAPING

The new specter in the classroom TEACHERS USED TO WORRY about finding kids smoking in the bathroom. Now, it’s not just the bathrooms, but the hallways and even classrooms where students have been caught smoking — thanks to vapes, or e-cigarettes.

It’s not just teens experimenting, either.

Experts say a surprising number of middle schoolers admit they’ve tried “e-cigs” and vaping.

E-cigarettes are easy to hide because they can be as small as a flash drive and look more like tiny electronic gadgets than traditional cigarettes. Rather than producing tobacco smoke, e-cigarettes produce aerosol — often mistaken for water vapor — consisting of fine particles that contain varying amounts of toxic chemicals linked to cancer and respiratory and heart disease.

The industry producing e-cigarettes also appears to be directly targeting teens and younger children, which has health organizations including the Arizona Department of Health Services concerned.

“While [e-cigarettes] may be a great way for adult smokers to get off of tobacco products, some of these e-cigarettes contain nicotine,” says Dr. Cara Christ, director of AZDHS. “And kids should never be exposed to nicotine.”

Concern over the trend has prompted the Federal Drug Administration to crack down on the vaping industry. A recent FDA statement said: “The troubling reality is that electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) such as e-cigarettes have become wildly popular with kids. … Many of them may be using products that closely resemble a USB flash drive, and have high levels of nicotine and emissions that are hard to see.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics added its concerns by releasing a study showing levels of cancer-causing chemicals among teens who used e-cigarettes were up to three times higher compared to teens who did not use e-cigarettes.

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AUGUST 2018 raisingarizonakids.com

TRODLER

By Margaret Beardsley

Another concern is the addition of fruit flavors to e-cigarettes. Flavors including bubble gum, gummy bears or fruit are “very, very popular with kids ...and clearly target teens and younger children,” including pre-teens, says Christ. “We do know that we’ve got all [ages] of kids potentially using.”

In Arizona, the latest numbers tell the story: The High School Risk Behavior Survey shows that 51.6 percent of those polled in 2015 had tried vaping products, while 27.5 percent admitted they were currently using e-cigs or vapes. That number dropped to 16.1 percent in 2017, but the goal is zero.

The state health department is planning to launch a new ad campaign aimed at these products. Christ says the message is simple: E-cigarettes are not safe.

“Hey, you may think this doesn’t have nicotine, and that it’s not addictive, but it it does, and pretty soon you will be addicted,” she says, paraphrasing the health department’s message to kids. “[We know e-cigarettes] contain chemicals that can be carcinogens or cancer causing, and while [levels are] not as high as in regular cigarettes, the long-term exposure if you start as a child could have long-term health impacts.”

Margaret Beardsley of Phoenix is a staff writer and former television-news executive producer. She is the mother of two adult children.

TALKING POINTS

for parents from the U.S. Surgeon General: • Explain many e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which can change your brain to make you crave more nicotine.

• Let children know the brain is still developing until about age 25 and nicotine can harm brain development, damage memory and affect concentration and impulse control.

• Explain e-cigarettes produce aerosol (not water vapor) that contains toxic chemicals linked to cancer and respiratory and heart disease.

• Make it clear if their friends use e-cigarettes, breathing the cloud they exhale can still expose them to nicotine and dangerous chemicals.

• At your child’s next doctor’s visit, ask the pediatrician to explain the risks of nicotine, e-cigarettes and other tobacco products.

• For more tips on talking to kids, visit e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov

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az grown education

MARCH FOR OUR LIVES

Five questions with student organizer Jordan Harb

By Kara G. Morrison JORDAN HARB is a busy kid. Following the Feb. 14 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, the 17-year-old Mesa high school senior helped organize Arizona’s chapter of March for Our Lives.

This spring, 25,000 local kids and supportive adults rallied at the state capitol to advocate for common-sense gun laws and school funding — specifically for school counselors and smaller classes — to make school a place where no kid has to fear for his or her life.

Harb is hopeful about the future, even as he’s witnessed the ugly side of politics.

Republican legislators and the governor refused to meet with Harb and the local March for Our Lives kids, and counterprotesters stepped on and spit on them at a local “die-in.” Jordan admits his grades at Mountain View High School have suffered from his activism, but he’s not flinching.

Because adults won’t do what’s needed to protect kids, he says, kids are stepping up. “I care a lot more about this work than about my grade in math,” says Jordan, adding teens are realizing they have a voice. “There

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are so many students who are really paying attention now.”

What made you want to get involved in March for Our Lives? I was in [Arizona Senator] Jeff Flake’s office in Washington, D.C., the day Parkland happened with 20 Mountain View students in [the] Model United Nations [program]. The moment it came on the news, my teacher started crying. She said “Sen. Flake, What are you going to do about this?” I could see he was emotional, he said something like, “This is terrible; it shouldn’t be happening,” but he wouldn’t offer any [legislative actions].

What gun laws do you want enacted? We want universal background checks at every point of sale, including gun shows, online [transactions] and person-to-person sales, and stringent reporting for background checks on those convicted of domestic abuse, stalking or assault. We want to ban bump stocks and accessories that turn semi-automatic weapons into machine guns. We also talk about safe gun storage. Everywhere we go, we pass out free gun locks. That is a really big issue — accidental shootings with legally purchased guns.

You also believe schools need more counselors/ psychologists? Emotional support is just

absent from the public school system. We have two part-time psychologists and six counselors focused mainly on college enrollment for 4,000 kids at Mountain View. Suicides on Arizona school campuses are happening more than people understand and are a big part of gun violence in schools. We want a 250-to-1 ratio of students to psychologists and counselors.

You say you share common ground with the Red for Ed movement? We share an uphill battle in the political culture of this state. We both care about and believe safer schools are funded schools with smaller class sizes.

What’s next for March for Our Lives in Arizona? We have a sizable Our Lives Our Vote grant from Everytown, [Gabby] Giffords, and NextGen America so that students across the state can hit the ground registering and activating fellow young voters. High school and college kids will be knocking on doors, hosting parties and talking about why it’s important to vote and be engaged. Kids don’t care what old people think. It’s peer-to-peer high school students talking about why they should vote.

Kara G. Morrison is the editor of R aising A rizona K ids and the mother of Sofia (6). Reach her at kara@rakmagazine.com.

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az grown sports

FREE GOLF FOR KIDS Retiree starts Golf Program in Schools to entice a new generation to the game Photos and story by Margaret Beardsley WHAT COULD BE better than free and fun?

How about free and fun with a future that could involve scholarship money?

That was the theme of the day at the Sun City Country Club in May, where instead of senior citizens hitting the links, golfers were all just 12 or 13 years old. The outing was part of Golf Program in Schools.

GPS is the brainchild of Tom Loegering, and of course there’s a great story behind it. Loegering, a “non-retired retiree,” is introducing young people to the game — first and foremost because he loves it and wants kids to understand why.

But the road to GPS began in 2004, when Loegering and his wife moved to Sun City from California. Done with their luxurious lifestyle, Loegering says, “We didn’t need another boat or a bigger car.” He bought the Sun City Country Club in 2007 and admits, “five months later the market went off the cliff.” Now he’s hoping to save the club by getting the next generation out on the course.

It would be easy for Loegering to cash out — he believes he’s sitting on a $30 million piece of property — but he loves the course and the game, and he wants children to learn to love it, as well. Taking a page from the Apple playbook (putting computers in schools), Loegering’s idea is to get kids interested in golf at an early age to keep them playing for life. To do that, he says, it has to be free.

Verrado Middle School PE teacher Susie Zmrazek is taking advantage of the program.

The day we visited, she’d brought her two

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AUGUST 2018 raisingarizonakids.com

Tom Loegering, GPS Founder, demonstrating to Verrado Middle School students.

eighth-grade girls’ PE classes to the course.

“It’s amazing,” she says. “You know there [are] so many kids out there that have never picked up a club before, and now they’re getting a chance to get out there and try it. As soon as they try it, they’re like, ‘Oh, this is kind of fun!’ And it’s something they can do for the rest of their lives.”

The program includes a visit to the school for a day of training in the gym — basically showing the kids grips and swings and giving them a chance to practice on equipment GPS brings to the schools. Then students go out to the course and practice chipping, driving and putting. A Golf Academy teaches students course etiquette and rules.

“The instruction is great — really on a professional level,” Zmrazek says. “I’m a golfer, too, and I’ve learned a lot.”

Makenzie Miller, a 13-year-old from Verrado Middle School, says although she’s golfed before, the GPS experience has been helpful. She didn’t miss the pressure of people wanting to play through on golf courses she’s visited before. “I really liked it,” Miller says.

“This really helped because it’s not a game situation; it’s just getting the fundamentals down and a chance to practice.”

Playing with the other girls in her class was a bonus, and seeing how they picked up the sport was fun. Makenzie’s mom Kammie, a golfer herself, loves seeing Makenzie’s interest

in the sport. As a mom, she also sees the potential for golf scholarships: “I keep telling her she should play. There’s opportunity.”

Loegering couldn’t agree more: “Two hundred Division I women’s golf scholarships went unclaimed last year, and if that’s not a reason to learn to play, I can’t think of a better one,” he says.

This year, Loegering, who pays for the program out of his own pocket, introduced 10,000 young people to the game of golf. For now, his program focuses mostly on schools in the West Valley, but he’s hoping to expand.

He’s philosophical about what drives him: He believes golf is a great networking tool as well as a character builder. “When you start, you go out and pick up a club and you say, ‘I can’t do this, it’s hard.’ It takes practice … but the ability you have to constantly raise your skill level is what I’m trying to teach them. It’s not about golf, it’s about increasing your skills [and] constantly asking, ‘How do I get better?

What do I need to make my game better ?’

That makes you better in your real life.”

TO LEARN MORE: Visit the Golf Program in Schools website at golfps.org Margaret Beardsley of Phoenix is a staff writer and former television-news executive producer. She is the mother of two adult children.

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raisingarizonakids.com AUGUST 2018

15

RED FOR ED

FALL ELECTIONS will determine whether Arizona teacher’s strike was a MOMENT or a MOVEMENT

By Victoria Harker Photos by Michèlle-Renée Adams

W

HEN A WHOPPING 800,000 STUDENTS missed school during the teacher walkout in late April and early May, community “armies” of parents, volunteers, businesses, churches, and agencies across Arizona rushed in to help.

Emily Grieff opened her home for children of working parents and passed out lists of businesses, churches, and organizations that offered free or affordable childcare.

“A friend of mine in another school district took in seven children into her home one day,” said Grieff, a substitute teacher and mother of Eva, 7, a second-grader at Mercury Mine Elementary School in the Paradise Valley Unified School District.

Churches nearby rounded up dozens of volunteers and offered day camp, as did dozens of popular kids venues, from the Children’s Museum of Phoenix to the Arizona Science Center. Across the state, companies like Honeywell and Intel allowed parents to work from home or opened onsite daycare.

GoDaddy gave parents $50 daily childcare reimbursements.

Though parents and employers were inconvenienced, almost everyone cheered when lawmakers passed a state budget raising teacher salaries up to 20 percent by school year 2020-21 and increasing support staff pay and funding for schools and universities. Under the plan, the average teacher salary in

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Arizona music teachers playing “We’re Not Gonna Take It” by Twisted Sister in front of the State Capitol.

Arizona is expected to increase from $48,372 to $58,046 by 2021, including a 9-10 percent raise for the 2018-19 school year.

For years, Arizona has been near the bottom in spending per student and teacher pay, and teacher vacancies have been at near-crisis levels.

“Some of my friends felt so strongly [about raising teacher pay], they kept their kids home the entire strike because they didn’t want to be ‘strikebreakers’,” said Helen Rowe, whose two young children attend Cave Creek Unified School District schools that were shut down for two days.

“It was still stressful,” said Rowe, field director for the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy in Scottsdale. “My husband had to take our son to work with him one day, which wasn’t ideal, but it worked.”

Their 6-year-old daughter Fiona went to a makeshift ballet camp at Adaptive Force Performing Arts in north Scottsdale. For their son Hayden, 8, they found a climbing camp at AZ on the Rocks.

“I was really relieved when they went back to school, but

I was just happy for the teachers, that they were able to work it out,” Rowe said.

Groundswell starts on Facebook During Arizona’s historic, six-day teacher walkout, more than 50,000 supporters marched at the state capitol, enduring blasting heat to call for higher pay for teachers and support staff and more funding for schools.

They were fueled by a Facebook post in Arizona and teacher walkouts in other states — including West Virginia, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Kentucky — that rank low in school funding.

May marks the third time education funding has been increased in the past two years in Arizona following years of cuts in education spending. In March, legislation passed that extends Proposition 301 for 20 more years and provides $667 million a year for Arizona schools.

(Originally passed in 2000, it created a 0.6-cent sales tax intended to be used for improving schools and was set to expire in 2020). And two years ago, voters approved Prop. 123, which uses state land trust funds to help invest $3.5 billion in K-12 over a decade.

ARIZONA SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT RACE

Eight candidates are running to be Arizona State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Winners of the Aug. 28 primaries will face off on Nov. 6: DEMOCRATS: Kathy Hoffman, a speech therapist in the Peoria Unified School District.

Photo:electkathyhoffman.com David Schapira, a former teacher and current high-school administrator at East Valley Institute of Technology and a Tempe City Council member.

Photo:facebook.com/davidforaz

For years, ARIZONA HAS BEEN NEAR THE BOTTOM in SPENDING PER STUDENT and TEACHER PAY, and TEACHER VACANCIES have been at NEAR-CRISIS LEVELS.

INDEPENDENT: Stacie Banks, former teacher and Maricopa County Educational Services Agency coordinator.

Photo:facebook.com/Banks4Superintendent

REPUBLICANS: Bob Branch, a Grand Canyon University and Liberty University teacher and Maricopa County Parks and Recreation commissioner.

Photo:facebook.com/Branch2018

Concern remains that Gov. Doug Ducey’s budget is based on overly optimistic projections for a growing economy and that it does not provide a permanent funding source for education. Also, it’s unclear whether Arizona will remain near the bottom now that other low-ranking states are moving up. According to the National Education Association, the 2017-18 national average teacher salary was about $60,483.

But the momentum created could carry to this month’s primary elections and the general election in November.

“In my mind the biggest victory is it made people aware,” said Jill Cooper, a STEM teacher at McDowell Mountain Elementary School in the Fountain Hills Unified School District. “When you go down to the gallery and you watch these budget hearings at the legislature, it’s very frustrating. They just vote along party lines.”

Cooper became a liaison for the Facebook group Arizona Educators United and the teachers in her school district when no one else would step up. “We have to be in the loop,” said Cooper, who is not a member of the teachers’ union. “We don’t want to be 50th anymore.”

What to expect at the polls A common chant at the #RedForEd marches was “Remember in November.” Cooper and other teachers and parents say they are watching their local and state races more intensely. A number of

Diane Douglas, current Arizona superintendent of public instruction.

Photo:Arizona Department of Education

Jonathan Gelbart, former director for charter school development at BASIS.ed.

Photo:facebook.com/gelbartforaz

Tracy Livingston, former teacher and Maricopa Community Colleges board member.

Photo:facebook.com/TracyForAZSchools

Frank Riggs, a former California Congressman and former charter school executive.

Photo:riggsforaz.com — Source: azsos.gov

raisingarizonakids.com AUGUST 2018

17

Arizona teachers in front of the State Capitol.

teachers, including Arizona Educational Foundation 2016 Teacher of the Year Christine Marsh, are running for office in their legislative districts or against state schools superintendent Diane Douglas in the Aug. 28 primary election.

All 90 seats in the Republican-controlled House and Senate are on the ballot and, for education advocates, the election has a distinctly partisan feel. Forty current and former educators are running as Democrats for legislative seats, according to the Arizona Democratic Legislative

Campaign Committee.

Education funding is top of mind for the educators running, including Marsh, who has taught in Arizona for 26 years. “I would love to move something forward that would reduce class size,” she says.

Scottsdale teacher Eric Kurland says he’s running for state legislature in District 23 because he’s frustrated with what he sees as the state’s lack of support for education, attempts to expand a voucher-style program and efforts to restrict citizens’ ability to pass initiatives.

“This is a referendum on education right now,” Kurland says. “We are at the tipping point with 50 percent of Arizona teachers leaving in the first five years, and 25 percent of our teachers retiring in the next one or two years.”

Maybe nothing better illustrates the widespread discontent on education than the race for state schools superintendent. Douglas, a Republican in her first term, has four GOP challengers, two Democrats and an independent.

Everyone running against Douglas has a background in education or school administration — something Douglas did not have when she was narrowly elected over David Garcia, a Democrat with a doctorate in education. This summer, Douglas urged state officials to punish teachers for the walkout, which has gotten no support.

“I think parents and teachers are going to be smarter about their voting,” said Grieff. “Before the walkout, I didn’t really understand politics. I didn’t get it. Now, I realize how much of

ARIZONA TEACHER

WALKOUT TIMELINE • Feb. 22 West Virginia teachers begin nine-day strike over low pay and high healthcare costs.

• March 4 Noah Karvelis and Derek Harris create Arizona Educators United Facebook group that quickly mushrooms into thousands of members sporting red T-shirts.

• March 14 Hundreds protest at Arizona Capitol to oppose legislation that favors private schools over public with tax credits that allow a couple to get a $1,110 tax credit for donating to private schools but only $400 for public school donations.

• April 11 More than 100,000 Arizona educators and supporters stage “walk-in” demonstrations at schools statewide to call for more funding for education and

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teacher and staff raises.

• April 19 Arizona Education Association, the teacher’s union, announces 78 percent of its 57,000 teachers have voted to walk out.

• April 26 50,000 teachers and supporters converge on the capitol, closing schools for more than 800,000 children statewide.

• May 2-3 Arizona State Legislature passes a budget and Gov. Doug Ducey signs it, putting into law a 20 percent pay raise for teachers by 2021 and increased funding for support staff, schools and universities.

• Aug. 28 Several teachers are on the ballot for state offices during Arizona Primary Election.

HOW TO VOTE Democracy is for those who show up. Citizens who want to vote in Arizona’s Aug. 28 Primary Election must be registered to vote by July 30. To vote in the Nov. 6 general election, you must be registered by Oct. 9. Register, find your polling location or check your voter registration status at servicearizona.com At your polling place on Election Day, you will need to show a valid Arizona drivers license or other valid United States federal, state, or local government-issued photo identification. If you have no photo ID, you can present two non-photo documents that show your name and current address, including a current utility bill, bank statement or a valid Arizona vehicle registration.

You can also request to be placed on the Permanent Early Voter List and be mailed a ballot for each election that you are eligible for so that you can vote from home.

Visit azsos.gov/elections/voting-election

an impact politicians have and how important it is to have a person who represents us.”

For the general election, there is only one education measure currently on the ballot: Prop. 305, which lets Arizona voters decide whether any parent can take their child’s perstudent funding from public schools to use for private or home-based education. Known as Empowerment Scholarship Accounts, they were originally created for special-needs students whose families can opt out of the public school system to get specialized care.

Another proposal expected on the November ballot is the Invest in Education Act. A tax on the state’s top 1 percent income earners, Invest proposes to raise the income tax rate by 3.46 percent on individuals who earn more than $250,000 or households that earn more than $500,000. For individuals earning $500,000 or households earning more than $1 million, their income tax rate would increase by 4.46 percent.

“This would give another $700 million for our public schools and get us back to at least our 2008 funding levels. We’ve suffered a billion dollars in cuts,” says Noah Karvelis, co-founder and spokesman for Arizona Educators United and an Avondale teacher, who says he’s still reeling from the Red For Ed support.

“It’s more of a movement now,” he says.

“We’re seeing teachers running for office. We’re seeing people more involved in their union and their legislative races. We’re seeing teachers really involved in the political system, and they’re not going away.”

Sen. Kate Brophy McGee, R-Phoenix, vice chair of the Senate Education Committee, is convening a bipartisan task force to help find a permanent school funding solution. McGee was instrumental in getting Prop. 301 passed, and she and Rep. Doug Coleman, R-Apache Junction, blocked a bill that would have prevented voters from deciding the voucher issue in November.

She feels confident the state has sufficient education funding based on budget projections for the next five years but admits there’s still work to be done. A three-term state legislator from central Phoenix, Brophy McGee could face Marsh in the November general election.

“We still need more dollars to be competitive within our region and nationally for teachers,” she said. “Even with these substantial funding increases, we are not fully restored to pre-2008 funding levels.”

Victoria Harker is a freelance writer and editor in Fountain Hills.

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raisingarizonakids.com AUGUST 2018

19

PARENT-TEACHER

REBOOT Six tips for better communication with your child’s teacher

By Cathryn Creno

It

’s the only first month of school, but already you have one of those phone messages or emails you dread: Your child’s teacher is in touch about academic or behavior issues he or she wants to nip in the bud.

Believe me, I understand the butterflies in your stomach. I am on the sending end of this type of message, and it’s no easier to be in my seat. So before the school year starts off on an awkward note, here are a few tips for communicating effectively with your child’s teacher.

Be proactive. Ideally, it’s best if you initiate the first communication.

Don’t wait until you have a problem or question. Get in touch at the start of school and use the way you prefer to be contacted — phone, text or email. Let the teacher know the best way to reach you during the school day and right before and after school.

At the start of the year, teachers are scrambling to compile lists of phone numbers and email addresses for parents. If the teacher does not have to track down yours, it’s one less task amid room decorating and meet-the-teacher night preparations.

If your child has any issues — health, academic or something else — be sure to mention them.

Yes, the teacher will be getting loads of information from the school administration about students’ health needs and special education plans. But even if your child’s issues don’t rise to the level of an official school document, it doesn’t hurt to make the teacher aware.

During my first year of teaching, one parent emailed a video explaining a rare digestive problem her

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AUGUST 2018 raisingarizonakids.com

son struggled with. I also received a write-up from the school nurse about the child’s needs in the classroom. But the video brought the situation alive to me. And seeing the student in the video gave me a visual, so I recognized him the first day of school.

Remember that people have different personality types. There are many personality types, and yours may or may not mesh well with the teacher’s. Maybe you are so outgoing you share your life story with anyone in the grocery line who will listen. Or maybe you are so sparing with the details of your life your siblings aren’t sure what your kids’ middle names are. Keep in mind the teacher does not have to be your social friend — just someone who understands and does his/her best for your child.

I learned this during my first few months of teaching, when I set a goal for myself to email two or three parents each afternoon about how their students were doing in class. An extroverted educator who had not only been a teacher and principal but also a school district superintendent suggested I use this strategy to get to know families in my new district. She used it and said she had always had success.

While most parents were delighted to hear from me, a handful were startled by an out-of-the-blue message from the teacher. I remember sending a very positive note to the family of a quiet boy. The father wrote back to ask if it was a joke. “No one has ever said anything like this to anyone in our family,” he said. I assured him I was serious and we went on to build a solid relationship.

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Recognize that your child acts differently at school than at home. I can’t remember how many times parents have responded to my calls and emails about behavioral issues with the words “But my child never …” And I believe that their child at home never throws pencils across the room, pretends to pass gas while an adult is talking or pulls out a phone and starts playing games at the wrong time. But remember, school is a place where children imitate other children, experiment with crazy stuff they have seen on YouTube and even come up with their own new experimental behaviors.

Once, an intelligent and popular boy grabbed a paperclip and inserted it into a wall outlet in my classroom. We all knew because of the blue flash and burning smell. The student’s reasoning? He liked science and wanted to see what would happen. Fortunately, only his pride and social life were injured after he was disciplined by the school and grounded by his parents for recklessness. If not for the blackened wall around the outlet, even I might not have believed this happened.

So please believe the teachers when they call or write with reports of behaviors you do not see at home. Teachers really don’t have time to make this stuff up. All they are looking for is backup at home to help ensure the behaviors don’t continue.

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Make reasonable requests. One of the strangest parent communication anecdotes I have heard comes from a kindergarten teacher friend. One of her students has divorced parents who never speak. One day after school, the student’s mother emailed the teacher and asked if she could get in touch with the student’s father. Why? Mom was hoping Dad would drop off a pizza along with the child later that evening. Obviously, the answer was no.

Other unreasonable requests include asking teachers to “round

❹

up” grades or allow students to make up months-late homework and assignments. Some parents will call to ask about children’s grades before tests and quizzes have even been reviewed.

Please call the teacher before complaining to the principal. Teachers’ lunchtime conversations occasionally include stories about parents who f ly off the handle and run to the principal — or worse, the school board — about classroom issues that could have been resolved with the teacher. If you are trying to build a good relationship with the person who spends much of the day with your child, make that person your first point of contact when you have a concern.

When I first began teaching, I took part in what the Arizona Department of Education calls its teaching intern program. The program is for people with college degrees in areas where there are shortages of teachers. It helps with the state’s teacher shortage because it allows people to work in the classroom under the supervision of a mentor while they take university-level education classes for two years. There presently are about 1,500 people in the program.

You can imagine my shock when one parent, who was unhappy when his daughter received an in-school suspension in my class, complained to the principal that I was unqualified for my job because I did not yet have my full teaching certificate. He said he planned to report me to the state school board. Of course my paperwork was in order, but the complaint created stress and extra work for the people who supervised me.

I could not help but think the issue could have so easily have been solved with a simple phone call or email. We could have reached a better understanding of the student’s behavior. And I could have emailed the parent a copy of an article I had written about my participation in the state’s teaching intern program.

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When a teacher calls, listen. Teachers are busy. If they are taking time out of their day to call or email about your child, it’s not because they have time to waste and have decided to pick on your child.

I hear teachers discuss children before school, at lunch and after school every day. I have yet to hear a single teacher make an unkind remark about a struggling child. But I have heard plenty of teachers mention they are sad parents are not receptive to feedback about students who need extra help.

So when a teacher gets in touch, take a deep breath and prepare to listen. Take a few notes and ask questions. If you are surprised by what the teacher has to say, offer to speak with your child and schedule a time to call back. And when you talk to the teacher again, be prepared to come up with a plan of action.

And, of course, there’s a chance the call or email might be a positive communication from a teacher like me — one who likes to tell parents what is going on with their student and surprise them with a compliment from time to time.

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Cathryn Creno is a former newspaper education reporter and a full-time classroom teacher in the Tempe Elementary School District. Follow her on Twitter @ClassroomScoop

raisingarizonakids.com AUGUST 2018

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Educating the GIFTED child How to identify giftedness and figure out a game plan for success

By Mary Anne Duggan

W

hen children start school, it’s often parents who get the vocabulary lesson.

“Has your child taken the CogAt yet?” a fellow parent might ask. You might wonder if the CogAt is some new children’s vitamin or the latest toy craze.

CogAt is short for the Cognitive Abilities Test, and it is one test a school district can choose to identify students for gifted education. Your next question might be: What is gifted education?

“I describe it every day as special education,” says Dr. Kimberly Lansdowne, executive director of the Gary K. Herberger Young Scholars Academy in Glendale. “It is needs-based education, based on the idea that every child has a right to learn every single day.”

Lansdowne, who was the 2014 Arizona Association for Gifted and Talented Administrator of the Year, strongly advocates for gifted education. “Let’s say a fifth grader on first day of school takes an end-of-the-year math test and scores 90 percent or 100 percent,” explains Lansdowne. “That child may sit in a classroom 182 days and not learn something new, which is just a crime.”

Gifted education provides instruction for cognitively advanced students at their learning level. The rationale for gifted education is straightforward, but its landscape can be difficult to traverse without guidance. Here are answers to common questions parents have about gifted education.

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What does gifted education look like?

According to Arizona law (Arizona Revised Statute 15-779), gifted education includes “an educational program that is an integral part of the regular school day and that is commensurate with the academic abilities and potential of a gifted pupil.” This leaves districts wide latitude in designing their gifted programs. Lansdowne says there are four main tiers of gifted education: ❚ Enrichment-type programs, perhaps offered after school or during lunch one day a week. ❚ Cluster grouping, where a small group of identified gifted students are placed in a regular classroom. ❚ Self-contained programs where the whole class includes gifted students. ❚ Specialized schools for the gifted. Lansdowne explains that this includes some charter schools that cater to gifted children’s special interests, such as the arts or technology.

Another gifted accommodation is acceleration, which can involve a single subject, as when a fifth-grade student takes a prealgebra course. “Especially with technology now, it’s such an easy thing to do,” says Lansdowne.

Acceleration can also be at the wholegrade level. “It’s not as common and can have some drawbacks socially and emotionally,” Lansdowne explains, “but research shows that it is positive if it is done properly.” A tool called the Iowa Acceleration Scale indicates if a student is a good candidate for skipping a grade and looks at multiple factors, such as academics, birth order and level of family support.

What are signs my child might be gifted?

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“There’s a large gap between that high-ability kid — that kid [that] schools are made for — and a gifted kid,” says Lansdowne.

“High-ability kids learn, they have friends, they don’t complain about going to school and they are really well-behaved.” When Lansdowne asks probing questions of parents of gifted kids, their answers often paint a different picture. Sometimes being ahead of the game leads to boredom and frustration in a gifted child, and that can have behavioral consequences in school.

What is the gifted testing process?

School districts in Arizona are required to provide gifted testing three times a year. The Arizona Department of Education website lists approved tests that districts may use.

Districts are required to offer gifted services to students scoring at the 97th percentile or above on the test. Gifted tests can be administered individually or in a group setting, but most districts test at the group level because of the high cost of individualized testing.

Some schools do “blanket” gifted testing.

This means every student in the school district takes a cognitive reasoning test, typically in third grade. Lansdowne believes there are no false positives on these blanket tests, but there are certainly false negatives.

“Probably more than 90 percent of tests on the ADE website are group-administered tests,” which she says are less reliable than individually

administered tests. The Herberger Academy, a school for highly gifted students on Arizona State University’s West Campus, individually tests all students. “When such important decisions are being made based on test scores, individually administered assessments provide more information and are more reliable,” she says.

Lansdowne also balks at the trend of waiting until third grade to test. “I really think that kids should be tested at 5 to 6 years of age,” she says, adding she realizes she might get pushback from her peers in gifted education. “If you wait until third grade, you’ve got kids who have 364 school days where they possibly have not been learning.” Not learning can become a habit, and boredom can lead to a lack of connection to school early on. Lansdowne also advocates re-testing at age 10 or 11, before students dive into the choppy waters of middle school.

Who initiates gifted testing?

Districts that do blanket testing eliminate the need for referrals, because all students are screened. For districts that don’t blanket test, the most common referral is teacher nomination.

Parents can also request their child be tested.

Finally, kids can nominate themselves for gifted testing, but this is very uncommon.

Parents’ requests for gifted testing cannot be refused by a district, but testing needs to be within the district’s testing timeline.

Some parents may also opt to arrange an

individual intelligence test through a private provider. “This can cost anywhere from $500 to $1,200,” says Lansdowne, “but it is so important for those truly gifted kids.”

Parents can get recommendations for private testing through the state advocacy group Arizona Association of Gifted and Talented. In addition, the district’s director of gifted services can make a referral.

Where can I learn more about gifted education?

Lansdowne highly recommends the book “A Parent’s Guide to Gifted Children” by James Webb. “It really does take the anxiety and the mystery out of ‘who is this kid that I have and how do I advocate for them,’ ” says Lansdowne. “It gives advice on how to work with your school, who to talk to and how to learn more about the gifted program without being perceived as ‘that crazy helicopter gifted parent.’ ” Helpful websites include: Arizona Association of Gifted and Talented (aagt. wildapricot.org), Arizona Department of Education (azed.gov) and the National Association of Gifted Children (nagc.org).

Mary Anne Duggan, PhD, is a psychology lecturer at Arizona State University and parent of two adult children. Reach her at mary.duggan@asu.edu

raisingarizonakids.com AUGUST 2018

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family time!

TOP AUGUST EVENTS

By Liz Petroff

Don’t say goodbye to summer completely.

We still have a little Family Time before the school year is in full swing. Cool off with evening activities like moonlight hikes or Prowl and Play at the Phoenix Zoo. When it’s too hot, go see “Newsies,” or explore a virtual reality exhibit about pop culture at the Phoenix Art Museum, where kids enjoy free admission this month and next.

Your family can also glide across Tempe Town Lake in a kayak at sunset, cheer on our Phoenix Rising pro soccer team or be awed by the Harlem Globetrotters.

Find more extensive day-by-day event listings at raisingarizonakids.com/calendar NOTE: Because last-minute schedule changes can occur, please confirm dates and times on event websites.

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AUGUST 2018 raisingarizonakids.com

DAILY THROUGH SEPT. 4 A Mirror Maze: Numbers in Nature. The Arizona Science Center’s featured exhibit explores mathematical patterns that surround us. Wander through an elaborate mirror maze and discover a secret room with bonus puzzles and artifacts. Hands-on activities include drawing patterns and finding them in nature and in historic architecture and composing music using symmetry. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Tuesday, Sept. 4. $26.95; $21.95 ages 3-17; $6.96 museum members; free for ages 2 and younger. 600 E. Washington St., Phoenix. 602-716-2000 or azscience.org

AUG. 4, 11, 18 AND 25

Prowl and Play. Celebrate wizards, fairies and fantastical beasts during this magical night at the Phoenix Zoo. Meet Harry Potter, Tinkerbell and mermaids.

See roaming magicians, jugglers and illusionists. And enjoy fantasy-themed water games, crafts and music. 5:30-8:30 p.m. $8-$10; free for ages 2 and younger; additional fees for some activities. Phoenix Zoo, 455 N. Galvin Parkway. 602-286-3800 or phoenixzoo.org

Cool Summer Nights. Beat the heat and enjoy the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum’s sunsets, star-filled skies, night-blooming plants, nocturnal and active animals. Tucson’s outdoor museum is both a botanical garden and zoo. Bring flashlights and experience live animal encounters or participate in themed activities. 5-9 p.m. Saturdays through Sept. 1. $16.95 for Arizona residents; $8.95 for ages 3-12; free for ages 2 and younger. 2021 N. Kinney Road, Tucson. 520-8832702 or desertmuseum.org

DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN

THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MUSEUM

PHOENIX ZOO

AUG. 4

ARIZONA SCIENCE CENTER

AUG. 4-5 Experience the Caribbean. The Musical Instrument Museum hosts this celebration with music and dance performances, cultural talks and hands-on activities. Experience the costumes and vibrant musical traditions from Trinidad and Tobago, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and more. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. $20; $15 ages 13-19; $10 ages 4-12; free for ages 3 and younger. 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. 480-478-6000 or mim.org

AUG. 4-11 USA & World Hip Hop Dance Championships. This 17th annual event brings the world’s best hip-hop dance teams to the Valley. It’s the world’s largest dance championship, featuring 100 events with more than 4,000 dancers from 50 countries competing in junior, variety, adult and megacrew divisions. The eight-day, family-friendly event includes workshops and a lifestyle expo with music, style and hip-hop merchandise. Festivities begin at Arizona Grand Resort with the Hip Hop Dance Championship, followed by the World Championship prelims and semifinals, concluding with the World Finals at Grand Canyon University Arena.

Times vary. $25-$200. hiphopinternational.com

AUG. 4, 11, 18 AND 25 Desert Botanical Garden Flashlight Tours. Bring your own flashlight to light up the trails and explore night-blooming plants and elusive animals. Kids get to see desert critters up close, make crafts and learn fun facts from garden volunteers. 7-9:30 p.m. Saturdays through Sept. 1. $24.95; $12.95 for ages 3-17; free for ages 2 and younger. 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix. 480-941-1225 or dbg.org

AUG. 10 Glow Paddle. Light up the night while you glow and glide across Tempe Town Lake in a kayak. In addition to all necessary kayaking equipment, participants get glow-in-the-dark accessories. Glow-inthe-dark clothes are encouraged, and pre-registration is required.

7:30-9:30 p.m. $35; $20 ages 10 and older. Tempe Town Lake, 80 E. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe. 480-350-8069 or tempe.gov

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TOP AUGUST EVENTS continued

AUG. 10- 26

VALLEY YOUTH THEATRE

Disney’s Newsies. For its 30th anniversary season, Valley Youth Theatre brings Disney’s Newsies to Herberger Theater Center. Set in turnof-the century New York City, this is the tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a band of teenaged newsies. When titans of publishing raise distribution prices at the newsboys’ expense, Jack rallies newsies from across the city to strike.

Based on the 1992 motion picture and inspired by a true story, Newsies features a Tony Award-winning score. $20.50-$39.50. Times vary. Herberger Theater Center, 222 E. Monroe St., Phoenix. 602252-8497 or herbergertheater.org

AUG. 11

AUG. 11-12

H2Oasis. CityScape in downtown Phoenix transforms into a water park. Slide down more than ten giant inflatable water slides and enjoy family-friendly activities.

Proceeds from this event benefit the Lincoln Family Downtown YMCA’s Safety Around Water program. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. $5. Patriots Park, 1 E. Washington St., Phoenix. 602-772-3900 or cityscapephoenix.com

Doc Holli-Days. This annual Tombstone event is star-studded with celebrities Dennis Quaid and Val Kilmer making appearances! Both men portrayed Doc Holliday in different 1993 movies. Events include a parade, a doc look-alike contest, Tombstone movie trivia and a concert by Dennis Quaid and the Sharks.

10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, 3-6 p.m. Sunday. Event prices vary; $100-$150 concert tickets. Tombstone Historic District. theannualdochollidays.com

Harlem Globetrotters. The Globetrotters bring their 2018 “Amazing Feats of Basketball World Tour” to Talking Stick Resort Arena. Taking the show to new levels, the Globetrotters celebrate their special blend of basketball and entertainment with high-flying, dribbling, dunking and shooting. “The Flying Globies,” an acrobatic trampoline dunk team, will make their debut, along with a team of elite dunkers who competed in the annual College Slam Dunk contest during Final Four weekend. 1 and 6 p.m. $13-$145. Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. harlemglobetrotters.com

National Bowling Day. Get a strike with this great deal: Enjoy the sport of bowling for free on the second Saturday in August.

Participating bowling alleys include Brunswick Lanes and AMF locations. nationalbowlingday.com

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Phoenix Rising Family Packs. Families who love soccer can cheer on the Valley’s Phoenix Rising. (Phoenix is one of 11 cities applying for Major League Soccer expansion, and the team announced plans to build a new stadium!)

Family 4 Pack Days include four end-sideline tickets, four sodas or waters, and four slices of pizza or four hot dogs for $75. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 22 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 25. $75. Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex, 751 N. McClintock Drive, Scottsdale. phxrisingfc.com

AUG. 11 AND 25 ISTOCK

Learn Your Lizards Walk. Boyce Thompson Arboretum hosts a guided tour for kids and adult fans of Arizona’s most common, colorful and charismatic reptiles. Meet at the Arboretum breezeway and observe native reptiles and how they adapt to the Sonoran Desert. $12.50; $5 ages 5-12, free ages 4 and younger. 37615 US 60, Superior. 520-689-2811 or arboretum.ag.arizona.edu

AUG. 11, 22 AND 25

Yoga at the Heard Museum. Rooted Community Yoga Project hosts guided yoga sessions in a new location on the Heard campus each week. This is a great way to tour the museum, and all levels are welcome. 9:30-10:30 a.m. $10 cost includes museum admission; free for museum members. Spots are limited; registration is required. 2301 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-252-8840 or heard.org

AUG. 11-SEPT. 30 Moorage Virtual Reality. The Phoenix Art Museum’s new exhibit takes viewers on a virtual reality journey through rock-and-roll, fashion and pop art.

Travis Hutchison has created three virtual-reality films that celebrate legendary music, fashion and style figures including David Bowie and Andy Warhol.

Using an ordinary smartphone inserted into a headset, guests can explore simply by moving their heads. $9-$18; free for ages 17 and younger. 1625 N. Central Ave. 602-257-1880 or phxart.org

PHOENIX ART MUSEUM

AUG. 12 Discount Tire Free Family Sunday. The Phoenix Art Museum now offers free general admission and discounted special exhibition admission to everyone on the second Sunday of each month. Enjoy hands-on art activities, scavenger hunts, live performances, storytimes, free tours and an opportunity to learn about and make art with a featured local Valley artist. Noon to 5 p.m. 1625 N. Central Ave. 602-257-1880 or phxart.org

AUG. 16

ALLEN PATROU

Mesa Art Center Educators Preview Night.

Educators are invited to explore the upcoming season of arts and cultural experiences for K-12 students and their classrooms. Participants will be treated to live entertainment, food and beverages and will get advance access to student tickets for National Geographic Live! and Performing Live for Students. 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Free. RSVP in advance. Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St. mesaartscenter.com/edpreviewnight

AUG. 25 FACEBOOK.COM/GREATARIZONAPUPPETTHEATER

Special Needs Resource Fair. R aising A rizona K ids magazine hosts its fourth annual event for parents and caregivers of children with learning challenges and other special needs. This year’s fair is at a new, larger, fully accessible facility. Families can learn about services, support and products from local organizations addressing a wide range of special needs, including developmental disabilities, special healthcare needs and learning and attention differences. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free; registration requested. 360 Sports Ability Arizona, 5031 E. Washington St., Phoenix. raisingarizonakids.com

AUG. 26 Sundae Funday. Desert Ridge Marketplace hosts this annual event near the AMC Fountain. Kids and adults can make their own ice cream sundaes at the free sundae bar and enjoy live entertainment, dancing, giveaways and more! 5-7 p.m. 21001 N. Tatum Blvd., Phoenix. shopdesertridge.com

Baby Bear Goes to School. Great Arizona Puppet Theater presents this musical puppet show about Baby Bear’s very first day of school. The show is told in simple English and recommended for children in preschool to second grade or anyone learning English as a second language. 10 a.m. Wednesday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. $8-$12. Great Arizona Puppet Theater, 302 W. Latham St., Phoenix. 602-262-2050 or azpuppets.org

ISTOCK

AUG. 22-SEPT. 9

Calendar Editor Liz Petroff, of Phoenix, is mom to Jack (10) and Lucy (8). Send information about upcoming family events to liz@RAKmagazine.com.

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family time! around arizona FLAGSTAFF Movies on the Square (Aug. 4, 11, 18 and 25). Live entertainment, food vendors and an outdoor screening of a family-friendly film. Bring blankets and lawn chairs. 4 p.m.; movie begins at dusk Saturdays through Sept 1. Free. Heritage Square in downtown Flagstaff. flagdba. com/movies-on-the-square

Summer Concerts at The Arboretum (Aug. 4). Enjoy a musical performance under the cool pines, with the San Francisco Peaks as a backdrop. Drinks available for purchase, plus options from local food trucks. Bring blankets and/ or chairs. 5:30 p.m. $18; free for ages 12 and younger. A “family night out package” follows the concert with campfires, s’mores and a Lowell Observatory telescope viewing. The Arboretum at Flagstaff, 4001 S. Woody Mountain Road, Flagstaff. 928-774-1442 or thearb.org Historic Milton Walking Tour (Aug. 11). This 90-minute guided walk is recommended for ages 12 and older. It begins at Riordan Mansion and explores the Arizona Lumber and Timber Company property and the town of Milton. $15.

Reservations required. Riordan Mansion State Historic Park, 409 W. Riordan Road, Flagstaff. 928-779-4395 or azstateparks.com/riordan-mansion

PRESCOTT Wet and Wild Water Day (Aug. 25).

Heritage Park Zoo offers families a way to cool off with the animals. Enjoy water games, a splashy bounce house, wet attractions, special animal feedings, aquatic animal encounters, concessions and more. 9 a.m to 4 p.m. $10; $6 ages 3-12; free for ages 2 and younger.

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BRET STIRTON

Navajo Festival of Arts and Culture (Aug. 4-5). Spend your weekend in cooler weather and soak up the artistry and cultural traditions of Navajo artists, storytellers, hoop dancers, musicians and more. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. SaturdaySunday. $12; $8 youth; free for ages 10 and younger; $12-18 weekend passes.

Museum of Northern Arizona, 3101 N. Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff. 928-7745213 or musnaz.org Navajo Festival Arts and Culture (Aug 4-5) in Flagstaff.

Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary, 1403 Heritage Park Road, Prescott. 928778-4242 or heritageparkzoo.org Zoo by Moonlight (Aug. 26). Visit Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary during the full moon for an opportunity to see nocturnal residents out and about — something you might not see during a day visit. Docents will help locate animals and answer questions. Bring a flashlight! 8-9:30 p.m. $6. 1403 Heritage Park Road, Prescott. 928-778-4242 or heritageparkzoo.org

SEDONA Sedona Community Farmers Market (Fridays). Taste the local flavor of Sedona. Select from farm-fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, grass-fed beef, goat products, tamales, breads and pastries, handmade chocolates and live music.

8-11:30 a.m. Fridays through Oct. 12.

Free. Tlaquepaque, Creekside, 336 State Route 179, Sedona. 928-821-1133 or sedona-farmers-market.com Moonlight Hike at Red Rock State Park (Aug. 25). Enjoy a moonlight hike at Red Rock State Park. Experience the sunset and moonrise from a park

overlook and return by the light of the moon. This 2½-hour hike covers about two miles. Wear closed-toed shoes and bring water and a flashlight. Preregistration required. $5 per person plus park entry fee: $7; $4 for ages 7-13.

Starts at 5:45 p.m. 928-282-6907 or azstateparks.com

SUPERIOR Learn Your Lizards Walk (Aug. 11).

This popular guided tour is for kids and adults who enjoy Arizona’s most common, colorful and charismatic reptiles. Meet at the Arboretum breezeway and observe native reptiles and how they adapt to the Sonoran Desert. $12.50; $5 ages 5-12, free ages 4 and younger. Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 US 60, Superior. 520689-2811 or arboretum.ag.arizona.edu

TUCSON Cool Summer Nights (Aug. 4, 11, 18 and 25). Families can beat the heat and enjoy an evening outing at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum’s Cool Summer Nights. You’ll see sunsets, star-filled skies, night-blooming plants and nocturnal and active animals at this outdoor museum that is both a botanical

garden and zoo. Bring flashlights, experience live animal encounters or participate in themed activities. 5-9 p.m. Saturdays through Sept. 1. $8.95$16.95. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, 2021 N. Kinney Road, Tucson. 520-8832702 or desertmuseum.org

WILLCOX Peach Mania (weekends Aug. 4-19).

Spend the day at Apple Annie’s enjoying pick-your-own peaches, free samples, hayrides and more, including homemade peach pie and peach ice cream. “All You Can Eat” Peaches & Pancakes breakfast 7:3010:30 a.m. Free admission. Apple Annie’s Orchard, 2081 W. Hardy Road, Willcox.

520-384-2084 or appleannies.com

TOMBSTONE Doc Holli-Days (Aug. 11-12). This year’s annual Tombstone event is starstudded with celebrities Dennis Quaid and Val Kilmer making appearances!

Events include a parade, a doc look-alike contest, Tombstone movie trivia and a concert by Dennis Quaid and the Sharks.

10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, 3-6 p.m.

Sunday. Event prices vary; $100-$150 concert tickets. Tombstone Historic District. theannualdochollidays.com

Press-VYT-1808.pdf

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family time! onstage

Fashion Square, 7014 E. Camelback Road.

480-483-1664 or desertstages.org

MIKE CENTIOLI

Altar Boyz (Aug. 24-Sept. 16).

Arizona Broadway Theatre presents the parody about a fictitious song-and-dance Christian boy band. Packed with humor, songs and dance routines. Showtimes vary. $41-$91. Arizona Broadway Theatre, 7701 W. Paradise Lane, Peoria.

623-776-8400 or azbroadway.org

Harlem Globetrotters (Aug 11) at Talking Stick Resort Arena.

DANCE USA & World Hip Hop Dance Championships (Aug. 4-11). This 17th annual event brings the world’s best hip-hop dance teams to the Valley. It’s the world’s largest dance championship, featuring 100 events with more than 4,000 dancers from 50 countries competing in junior, variety, adult and mega-crew divisions. The eight-day, family-friendly event includes workshops and a lifestyle expo with music, style and hip-hop merchandise. Festivities begin at Arizona Grand Resort with the Hip Hop Dance Championship, followed by the World Championship prelims and semi-finals, concluding with the World Finals at Grand Canyon University Arena. Times vary. $25$200. hiphopinternational.com

THEATER Country Jukebox (July 13-Aug. 5). Fountain Hills Theater presents an interactive musical adventure with a country-music theme. The audience will choose three favorite country songs.

Moments before curtain, these selections will be incorporated into the performance, creating a brand new, never-before-seen musical revenue. 7:30 p.m. Friday-

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AUGUST 2018 raisingarizonakids.com

Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. $12-$30.

Fountain Hills Theater, 11445 N. Saguaro Blvd. 480-837-9661 or fhtaz.org Madagascar Jr. (Aug. 3-5). Musical Theatre of Anthem brings the smash DreamWorks animated film to the stage.

Follow the crack-a-lackin’ friends as they escape from their home in New York’s Central Park Zoo and find themselves on an unexpected journey to the madcap world of Madagascar. 7 p.m. FridaySunday. $16-$19. Musical Theatre of Anthem, 42323 N. Vision Way. 623-3366001 or musicaltheatreofanthem.org Disney’s Newsies (Aug. 10-26). For its 30th anniversary season, Valley Youth Theatre brings this popular musical set in turn-of-the century New York City to Herberger Theater Center. Jack Kelly is a charismatic newsboy and leader of the teenage “newsies.” When titans of publishing raise distribution prices at the newsboys’ expense, Jack rallies newsies from across the city to strike. Based on the 1992 motion picture and inspired by a true story, “Newsies” features a Tony Awardwinning score. $20.50-$39.50. Times vary Thursday-Sunday. Herberger Theater

Center, 222 E. Monroe St., Phoenix. 602252-8497 or herbergertheater.org Harlem Globetrotters (Aug. 11). The Globetrotters bring their 2018 “Amazing Feats of Basketball World Tour” to Talking Stick Resort Arena. Taking the show to new levels, the Globetrotters celebrate their special blend of basketball and entertainment with high-flying, dribbling, dunking and shooting. “The Flying Globies,” an acrobatic trampoline dunk team, will make their debut, along with a team of elite dunkers who competed in the annual College Slam Dunk contest during Final Four weekend. 1 and 6 p.m. $13-$145. Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix.

Harlemglobetrotters.com Bye Bye Birdie (Aug. 17-Sept. 16).

Desert Stages Theatre presents the story of heartthrob rocker Conrad Birdie, who travels to small-town America for a farewell performance and to kiss his biggest fan as a publicity stunt before he is drafted into the U.S. Army. Find out what happens when you combine devastated fans in a small town with a big rock star. 7:30 p.m. FridaySaturday, 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. $15.

Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre inside

The Scarlet Pimpernel (Aug. 24-Oct. 6). This swashbuckling Broadway musical takes place during the French Revolution.

A mysterious nobleman and his band of patriots use disguises and wit to rescue the innocent from certain doom. 7 p.m.

Tuesday-Thursday, 7:30 p.m. Friday, 3 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday. $20-$40. Hale Centre Theatre, 50 W. Page Ave., Gilbert. 480-4971181 or haletheatrearizona.com Musical Icon: Leonard Bernstein (Aug. 25-26). In honor of his 100th birthday, the Musical Instrument Museum commemorates one of the most accomplished and versatile American musicians and composers. Families can explore Bernstein’s legacy through musical performances, talks, workshops, film screenings and more. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. $20; $15 ages 13-19; $10 ages 4-12; free for ages 3 and younger. 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix.

480-478-6000 or mim.org

PUPPETS Old MacDonald (Aug. 1-19). Great Arizona Puppet Theater presents the story of Old MacDonald and his animal friends. Ages 2-8 are invited to sing along with the famous farmer. 10 a.m.

Wednesday-Saturday, 2 p.m. SaturdaySunday. $8-$12. Great Arizona Puppet Theater, 302 W. Latham St., Phoenix.

602-262-2050 or azpuppets.org Baby Bear Goes to School (Aug. 22-Sept. 9). Great Arizona Puppet Theater presents a musical show about Baby Bear’s very first day of school. It’s recommended for children in preschool through second grade or anyone learning English as a second language. 10 a.m. Wednesday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. $8-$12. Great Arizona Puppet Theater, 302 W. Latham St., Phoenix. 602-262-2050 or azpuppets.org

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