AFN Back to School 2017

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Heather Maxwell sorts through books in a guided reading program. Maxwell ended up purchasing baskets to display books in her Litchfield Park classroom.

Teachers find low-cost and free treasures at Tempe shop

BY RALPH ZUBIATE AFN Managing Editor

L

ast year, the average teacher spent about $500 out of his or her own pocket for classroom supplies, according to the Education Market Association. One in 10 spent $1,000 or

more.

All told, that’s about $1.6 billion in supplies that parents and school districts nationwide expect teachers to pay for.

Treasures 4 Teachers in Tempe is trying to help reduce that cost.

With a warehouse full of donated materials, Treasures 4 Teachers offers

educators low-cost and free books, art supplies, office supplies and pretty much everything you can think of.

Barbara Blalock, the founder and executive director, came up with the idea when she visited a second-grade classroom See

TREASURES on page 8

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JULY 19, 2017

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Pediatric dentist Dr. Mercedes Padilla, co-owner with Dr. Alan Longfellow of Children's Dental Village in Tempe, helps organize school supplies donated by patients for the Kyrene Stuff the Bus campaign.

Deadline nears for helping needy Kyrene kids get ready for school

BY COTY DOLORES MIRANDA AFN Contributor

O

n Aug. 3, children enrolled in the Kyrene School District’s 25 elementary and middle schools will bound or trudge through school doors, possibly sporting new clothes and new backpacks.

But some of these children’s families can’t afford the ever-spiraling costs of school supplies. And what kid wants to start the new academic year with a tattered backpack and last year’s crayon nubs?

To assure that every child has the opportunity to start fresh, the annual Kyrene Stuff the Bus campaign sponsored by the Kyrene Foundation works throughout June and July to gather as many backpacks, and school supplies to stuff inside them, as they can possibly garner.

The deadline for this year’s drive is Monday, July 24. Donations are accepted 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday at the Kyrene District Office, 8700 S. Kyrene Road, and Monday through Friday at the Kyrene Family Resource Center, 1330 E. Dava Drive, both in Tempe.

During the July 2016 drive, the Kyrene Foundation served around 490 students and 210 families over

the course of three days by providing backpacks, clothing, food and hygiene items, district spokeswoman Lauren Clark said.

“They expect to serve the same amount or more this year,” Clark added, noting the students who were aided made up about 2.6 percent of Kyrene’s approximately 17,000 students.

The Stuff the Bus campaign has longtime donation gatherers and supporters, like Tempe’s Children’s Dental Village.

There are also brand-new donors like the Cedric Ceballos Foundation, which marked its first-year anniversary by collecting backpacks and monetary donations at its Comedy Construction event, co-sponsored with Die Hard Raider Nation.

Sylvia Lopez, program coordinator for the Kyrene Family Resource Center, said 800 filled backpacks are this year’s goal.

“Kyrene Family Resource Center supports students in need in all 25 schools of the Kyrene School District,” said Lopez who has headed the center for two years.

“So far, the drive has been going really well with organizations, churches and companies doing collections, and individuals and families as well,” she added.

See

STUFF on page 34

BACK TO SCHOOL

JULY 19, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

STUFF

from page 1

Collecting backpacks and school supplies is a yearly passion for Children’s Dental Village, 7360 S. McClintock Drive in Tempe, where even its phone message reminds callers to “Be the change that you want to see in the world.”

“We like to do philanthropic efforts, and we like coordinating with the Kyrene Foundation to help these children,” said Leslie Barrett, Dental Village’s director of operations for six years.

She and her coworkers collect backpacks and supplies, including hand wipes.

“We started collecting backpacks at the beginning of June,” Barrett said.

“We communicated with our families on Facebook and asked them to bring in supplies. We have a couple boxes filled already, and we’re still getting donations coming in.”

Mike Fisher of the Cedric Ceballos Foundation said the former Phoenix Suns player is dedicated to helping the less-fortunate wherever and whenever he can.

“We partnered with the local Die Hard Raider Nation, who were already

Infant

((Special to AFN) Supplies are starting to come in for needy Kyrene School District kids, but the Kyrene Foundation needs more donations to ensure every child has what they need for the new school year.

involved with Kyrene Schools,” Fisher said, adding: “Our motto is that every kid deserves the best chance possible, and if we can help, we’re there. People don’t know that Cedric came from Compton, and he could have fallen into those stats, but he made his way out of it.”

Fisher went to Compton’s Dominguez High School with Ceballos.

The Comedy Construction fundraiser

Toddler

at Cactus Jack’s Ahwatukee Tavern requested new backpacks or $10 to enter the show that had seven comics donating their talents for the night.

Money collected, including raffle proceeds, were earmarked for the Stuff the Bus Campaign.

In addition, Ceballos and Fisher are scheduled to be among those handing out backpacks to children and their families on Thursday, July 27.

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Backpack distribution days are Tuesday, July 25 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday, 26th and Thursday, July 27 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Kyrene Family Resource Center, 1330 E. Dava Drive in Tempe on the campus of Kyrene de los Ninos Elementary School.

“Everyone will need to register on the day of distribution, even if they have before. It only takes two to three minutes, and all they need to do is show they have one child in the Kyrene School District in kindergarten through eighth grade,” said Lopez. “This also includes them in our annual Thanksgiving and Christmas events.”

Those registered are additionally eligible for support at the Resource Center through access to food and gently used school clothes.

Besides backpacks, school supplies such as lined paper, spiral notebooks, pencils, crayons, glue sticks, three-ring binders, multicolored pocket folders, markers and colored pencils are being sought.

For more information on donating, contact Sylvia Lopez at SLopez@kyrene. org or Tatiana Ward at TWard@kyrene. org or phone 480-541-4773.

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This Tempe Union official is delighted that a new school year is beginning

BACK TO SCHOOL

BY JENNIFER LIEWER AFN Guest Writer

G

rowing up, the thought of going back to school didn’t exactly make me happy.

Sure, I enjoyed school as much as the next kid, but the end of summer vacation made me sad. It meant the end of sleeping in, spending hours in a swimming pool, working at the local movie theater, playing video games at the arcade, traveling to visit family in other states and doing a whole lot of nothing.

Now, for the first time in my life, I can’t wait for school to start.

Hired as the new executive director of community relations for the Tempe Union High School District, I joined the team with just three weeks left of the school year, and it was a whirlwind.

I attended sports banquets, baseball playoffs, watched students race in boats made from cardboard and duct tape, touted the remarkable accomplishments of the class of 2017 and was honored to participate in graduation ceremonies at Compadre Academy and Tempe High School.

It was the best beginning to a new job that I had ever experienced.

Before I knew it, the school year was over, but I wanted more. I wanted to meet more teachers, talk with more students and engage with more of the amazing East Valley community that I was just getting to know.

And, I wanted to share more stories about all that was going on in our seven high schools and shout about them from the mountains. I quickly realized I would need to wait.

Even though things didn’t stop once the students left and the work of the Tempe Union High School District continued, there was a very different feel when I came to work each day. It was a quieter. A little less hectic. There was more of a focus on evaluating, planning and preparing.

Our governing board held public meetings to ensure budgets were approved, policies were updated and staff would have the resources they needed on Aug. 7. There was planning and training and, for me, learning the roles and responsibilities of my new job.

There was a lot of hard work going on to ensure that TUHSD was prepared to continue to provide the educational excellence that our community needs,

Back to school special for the month of August!

(Special to AFN)

Jennifer Liewer, foreground, Tempe Union High School District's new community relatives director, attended Compadre Academy's graduation with associate superintendents Anna Battle, rear, and Kim Hilgers. Liewer is the district's new executive director of community relations.

deserves and has come to expect.

However, recently I have found myself saying, “Enough already. Let’s get this school year started! I am ready.”

In fact, we are all ready. We are ready to welcome the class of 2021. Ready to meet new teachers and learn from those who have been teaching for years. We are ready to cheer for our teams until we are hoarse and prepared to stay silent when two schools from our district compete against each other because we know we don’t have a favorite.

I also know I am ready to say goodbye to summer and for the first time, enthusiastically head back to school.

If this upcoming year is anything like my first three weeks on the job, it is sure to be amazing.

And if the students of Tempe High, McClintock, Marcos de Niza, Corona del Sol, Mountain Pointe, Desert Vista and Compadre Academy are anything like I was in high school and sad that their summer is over, they should know that they have a mass of teachers, administrators, support staff, coaches, bus drivers, custodial staff, guidance counselors, and one VERY excited community relations director who can’t wait for them to come back!

-Jennifer Liewer is executive director of community relations for Tempe Union High School District.

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JULY 19, 2017

Patterson for Phoenix City Council District 6

Say Yes to Ahwatukee My name is Kevin Patterson and I am running for Phoenix City Council.

I was inspired to run by the most important people in my life: my two beautiful daughters. I believe in the strength of family to lay the foundation for a community that is happy, healthy, and full of opportunity.

I ask for your support for Phoenix City Council on August 29th to Say Yes to Ahwatukee.

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Early Voting starts August 2 Election is August 29 VISIT pattersonforphoenix.com Pa i d for by Patter s on for Ph oen i x Di s tr i ct 6

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JULY 19, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

Kyrene superintendent promises ‘exciting new options’ in Ahwatukee schools

BY DR. JAN VESELY AFN Guest Writer

W

hile the temperatures suggest we have a lot of summer ahead, our Kyrene staff is preparing to welcome students to a wonderful school year.

For me, the start of a new school year is a time to reflect on progress made in continuing Kyrene’s legacy of excellence in providing teachers the support they need to nurture students' academic progress and in supporting families’ confidence in choosing Kyrene schools.

As superintendent, I have worked closely with our governing board to address the challenges of growing enrollment and providing employees with the compensation they deserve for the work they do.

We have taken some important steps to meet these goals.

They include expanding our preschool options to serve more families, a redesigning of our middle schools with an emphasis on responsive instruction and student agency to support academic achievement, and honoring a commitment to employee compensation.

We have shifted precious resources from our district office and dedicated them to where they are needed most – in our schools and classrooms.

Kyrene is known throughout Arizona as a high-performing district. To support our continuous improvement, we are utilizing the findings from a districtwide audit of teaching and learning practices to make changes that will benefit students.

We have set the stage for an aggressive five-year strategic plan with clearly defined and measureable outcomes.

A key recommendation from the audit was to develop and implement a comprehensive curriculum management plan to provide systemwide direction for design, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of the curriculum.

This summer, teacher teams have been developing curriculum guides that identify standards, objectives and core competencies that students must demonstrate before advancing to the next level. Our teachers will continue to play a key role in implementing, assessing and modifying the curriculum.

The curriculum guides will help ensure that regardless of which Kyrene school your child attends, they will receive quality, rigorous instruction aligned with grade

level learning objectives and goals.

This effective, evidence-based curriculum provides teachers, students, principals and community stakeholders with a measurable plan and structure (Special to AFN) for delivering Dr. Jan Vesely is starting her a quality edu- second year as Kyrene School cation.

District superintndent.

This year brings some exciting new options for students in Ahwatukee.

At Akimel A-al and Centennial, middleschoolers will have the opportunity to participate in Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), a college readiness program designed to increase the number of students who succeed in higher education.

Altadeña will increase opportunities to participate in the Leader in Me program, based on Steven Covey’s 21st-century leadership and life skills, an extension of a successful program at Cerritos.

Thanks to a partnership with Intel, Cerritos students will experience a new “maker space,” an innovative concept in which students are encouraged to explore, invent and create.

Science will continue to be an emphasis at Colina, where their DISCOVERoom, staffed by parent and community volunteers, will provide the space for students to engage in hands on exploration of science.

Whether your child attends one of these, or any other Kyrene school in Ahwatukee – Esperanza, Estrella, Lagos Dual Language Academy, Lomas, Milenio, Monte Vista or Sierra – there are exciting things waiting for students in the new school year.

I am grateful for the ongoing support of our dedicated leadership, teachers, staff, parents, students and community members. They are defining for us what they want learning to look like in Kyrene moving forward. I am excited to join them in this journey to make Kyrene an increasingly excellent educational choice for children.

-Dr. Jan Vesely is superintendent of Kyrene School District.

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BACK TO SCHOOL

TREASURES

from page 1

in 2004.

According to the Treasures’ website, the teacher asked her students to get out a piece of paper and pencil. A young girl went up to the teacher and gave up her shoe, for which the teacher gave her a pencil.

Blalock found out the teacher didn’t have enough pencils, so she made students give up a shoe to borrow one, knowing that they wouldn’t leave with the pencil and without their shoe.

Blalock realized she wanted to help make sure all teachers had enough resources – and that kids kept their shoes.

So, Treasures 4 Teachers was born.

Treasures relies mostly on corporate donations for its stock.

“We got a lot of donations from manufacturers,” Blalock said. “We get things from OfficeMax, Target, Jo-Ann, Staples. We have an ongoing donation from Staples every month.”

Last month, Treasures gave out an electronic stapler from Staples with a $10 purchase.

Treasures also gets unusual donations, “things you wouldn’t expect,” Blalock said.

“Ping gives us beanbags” – actually moisture-absorbing bags that can be used

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JULY 19, 2017

as beanbags. “Ikea gives a lot of different things,” she says, pointing to a bin full of purple candles.

Boeing gives them plastic caps from airplane panels. A medical supplier gives them plastic tubing that can be used for crafts or decorating.

They’ve accepted carpet squares, wallpaper and fabric samples. Lately, a bin full of picture frame corners – just the corners – has been available. Last spring, big boxes of leftover Christmas ornaments were there for the taking.

Treasures also takes donations of used items or money from the public. Teachers can find old board games, notebooks, shoeboxes and cardboard tubes.

The items they get are offered to teachers at a tiny price, from free to $1 for a bag full of things and $5 for a bigger bag. They also have furniture, office chairs and bookcases.

The $5 Fill-A-Bag gives the most bang for the buck, Blalock says. Teachers usually fill those bags with brand-new donated books.

“A man gets them from his book sources,” she said. “What he doesn’t want, he donates. He brings them by the pallet.”

“Fill-A-Bag is really cool,” said Heather Maxwell, a fifth-grade teacher at Litchfield Elementary in Litchfield Park.

She makes the long drive because she

(Kimberly Carrillo/AFN Staff Photographer)

Bins chock-full of plastic pieces, pens, pipe cleaners and more can be used to fill a bag for $1.

feels it’s worth it.

“I’d say that I spend at least $300 to $400 a year out of pocket,” she said. “This helps.”

Maxwell and other teacher friends found out about Treasures 4 Teachers and decided they needed to check it out.

“The first time I was here, there were about six or seven of us on a field trip,” she said.

One recent morning, she was going through boxes and looking at the books in a reading program kit. She was in Tempe

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this time because her daughter is in a drama club nearby.

“I got a box of file folders last time. And a set of shelves, but they didn’t fit in the car, so I had to come back,” she said.

“I buy a lot of books for my classroom. I get extra supplies, free three-ring binders.

I’m pretty sure they don’t have anything like this anywhere.”

Once, she grabbed a bunch of old VHS cassette cases for free. She had sets of fraction strips for each student, and she used each case to hold a full set. Each student then had their own set perfectly contained.

Like Maxwell, teachers are pretty good at coming up with uses for the treasures.

But here, they have help.

“Our volunteers create kits from the stuff they get,” Blalock said. “That way, it’s ready to use.”

Treasures 4 Teachers has 115 volunteers and 13 staff members.

Memberships, which last a school year, are $35. Treasures 4 Teachers also offers “scholarships” to cover the cost for firstyear or needy teachers.

“The Tempe Diablos help with that,” Blalock said. “They’ve been great about giving us funding for memberships.”

Last school year, Treasures gave away boxes full of supplies to teachers. Each box had sets of pens, pencils, rulers, pencil cases, liquid glue and glue sticks, markers, crayons and more. More boxes full of supplies will be given out this school year, too.

Treasures is trying to spread the idea around. There’s another Treasures 4 Teachers in Tucson. Members can shop both locations.

When the Tucson location opened, Treasures wondered how they’d get some of their donated items down there.

See

FITNESS on page 9

BACK TO SCHOOL

JULY 19, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

TREASURES

from page 8

“But as soon as they opened, donations started pouring in,” Blalock said. “They’re self-sustaining.”

Treasures has a mobile program, too.

“Thunderbird Charities gave us $25,000 to go to schools that need school supplies,” Blalock said. “We give them out for free.

“It’s a win-win for the businesses, teachers, students and the environment.

Seventy-five percent of the donated items would have ended up in a landfill.”

Treasures 4 Teachers is at 3025 South 48th St., Suite 101, Tempe. Shopping

hours are Tuesday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Check-in ends 15 minutes prior to close. Information: 480-751-1122, treasures4teachers.org, facebook.com/Treasures4Teachers.org.

– Contact Ralph Zubiate at 480-898-6825 or rzubiate@timespublications.com.

(Kimberly Carrillo/AFN Staff Photographer)

Barbara Blalock says Treasures 4 Teachers tries to do something special for teachers every day during the summer, and on Saturdays in during the school year "because that's when teachers can come out."

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JULY 19, 2017

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Half of the poll respondents said they thought charters were not public schools.

Forty-eight percent thought they can teach religion. The majority believed charter schools can charge tuition and admit students based on academic ability.

Chicanos por la Causa (CPLC), a nonprofit that provides social services primarily to Arizona’s Hispanic community and runs two charter schools, conducted a small focus group with 22 Hispanic parents in Phoenix that produced similar results.

Magdalena Verdugo, CPLC vice president of education, said most parents didn’t know they could send their children to charter schools, saying “the perception was that charter schools were private.”

Charter schools are funded by the state and free to all Arizona students. They vary in mission and model, serving a wide range of students.

According to azcharters.org, 180,000 students attended 547 Arizona charter schools in the 2016-17 school year, an increase of nearly 10,000 students – or 5.8 percent – over the 2015-16 school year.

Today, roughly 17 percent of all students in Arizona’s public schools attend a charter – about triple the national average of 5 percent.

The East Valley is home to some acclaimed charter schools, including New School for the Arts and Academics in Tempe and the BASIS charter schools.

Hispanic parents whose children are enrolled in charter schools believe charter schools are better than district schools because of their small and organized classrooms, disciplined students, secure environment and challenging academic curriculum.

For the most part, Hispanic parents who don’t have children enrolled in charter schools had a positive view of charters.

Spanish-speaking Hispanic parents, however, perceived charters as the last resort for students who were expelled from other schools. Some also thought charters are religious schools.

Spanish-speaking parents were also unaware of school choice and thought low-income students don’t have the right or ability to attend a high-quality school, regardless of whether the school is a district or charter.

The lack of transportation presents the biggest barrier for Hispanic parents who want to enroll their children in charter schools, Verdugo said. For Spanishspeaking parents, it’s the inability to communicate with charter school staff in their native language.

CPLC plans to create a program to raise awareness of charter schools and school choice options among primarily low-income Hispanic families in Phoenix.

The grant-funded program will include attending community events and meeting with parents to educate them about school choices.

BACK TO SCHOOL

JULY 19, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

Kyrene lists 10 things parents can do as new school year awaits AFN News Staff

K

yrene School District has 10 things for parents to do as the new school year looms on the horizon.

1. Mark your calendar. This year, school starts on a Thursday (Aug. 3).

2. Familiarize yourself at “Meet the Teacher” night. Middle Schools: Meet the Teacher/Curriculum Night is Monday, July 31. Check your school’s website for times. Elementary Schools: Meet the Teacher Night is 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 1. PTO items will be available for purchase and registration will be open for Community Education before/after school programs.

3. Register for school. Visit kyrene. org under Back-to-School Info for school office hours.

4. Pay for school lunches at kyrene.

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5. Make sure your student is on the right route. Get bus routes and times at kyrene.org/BusRoutes.

6. Volunteer to stock up. Voluntary school supply lists are at kyrene.org under Back-to-School Info (some teachers may have specific requests).

7. Check special immunization requirements for 11-year-old students at kyrene.org/HealthServices.

8.

Share your first day of school photos using the hashtag #BackToKSD. 9. Follow KSD on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Download the Kyrene Elementary School District app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

10. Donate school supplies for students in need until July 24 at the Kyrene District Office 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

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Hosts Chinese Language Summer Camp for Arizona Students On June 4th, thirty middle and high school students from nineteen schools in ten cities from around Arizona arrived at Arizona State University to kick off the ninth annual ASU Startalk Chinese Language Summer Camp.

The camp marks an exceptional opportunity for Arizona’s brightest students to come together and develop their Chinese-language skills and cultural understanding. From the day they set foot on the ASU campus, students are immersed in the Chinese language and culture. Students remain at the camp twenty-four hours a day, sleeping in campus dormitories, eating with camp staff and other students, and engaging in full slate of daily activities. Lasting for a total of fifteen days, the camp offers a unique and exciting learning environment for its thirty participants.

The core activity of the camp is Chinese-language instruction. Students spend several hours a day in Chinese classes taught by experienced area instructors and teaching assistants. Classes, which range from the beginner to the intermediate level, are organized around a yearly camp theme. This year’s theme, “Let’s Plan a Family Reunion Trip to China,” places emphasis on giving students the ability to plan travel in Chinese-speaking countries. Students create a travel planner and carry out a variety of in-class activities and presentations based on the camp theme. Students also have individualized tutoring sessions with teaching assistants in the evenings. Classes are conducted almost entirely in Chinese, forcing students to develop their listening and speaking skills. While full language immersion can be difficult for language learners of any age, learning alongside other highly-motivated students helps create a positive and cooperative educational environment for camp participants, and students note the improvement they make as the camp progresses. At the end of the camp, students create a poster and a slide show presentation advertising a vacation to one of their favorite Chinese cities.

Language instruction, however, is only the beginning of camp activities. Afternoons also include hands-on cultural activities with topics such as dance, calligraphy, and Chinese knots.

Students also participate in evening activities such as Chinese movies and games, and are introduced to a variety of foods through Chinese lunches, a dumpling-making activity, and a ‘fear factor’ food-tasting game. Guest instructors also join the camp to conduct cultural activities; for instance, a disciple of a Shaolin master visited campus this week to give a martial arts class for students. Through these activities students gain exposure to different aspects of Chinese culture, while learning and practicing specialized Chinese vocabulary related to each activity.

One highlight of the week is an off-campus trip to Mekong Plaza in Mesa. After beginning the day with a dim sum brunch, students are sent on a scavenger hunt at the plaza supermarket. As with other camp activities, students must use their newly-acquired language skills to complete the activity, seeking out a list of Chinese foods and drinks from the baffling variety of items on display at the market. The Mekong field trip gives students an opportunity to utilize their learning in the ‘real world,’ and for many students the trip is the highlight of the week.

On the last day of the camp, students put on a performance for friends and family. One aspect of the performance is the presentation of group projects on China’s major cities, done entirely by students in Chinese. In addition, each does a song and dance number. The performance gives students the opportunity to celebrate and share their progress with their relatives, friends, and teachers.

The camp, notes program director Dr. Xia Zhang, is an enjoyable and valuable experience for students. “This program strives to provide students with the best learning experience by immersing them in an intensive yet fun environment,” says Zhang. “I hope that through this program, students not only learn a foreign language but also learn to better appreciate another culture.” After the camp concludes, students will use what they’ve learned as a springboard for further Chinese-language study at their respective schools and colleges.

Apart from building their language skills and cultural understanding, students gain exposure to university campus life and build friendships with classmates that last beyond the camp.

Startalk is a presidential initiative funded by the National Security Agency that seeks to expand and improve the instruction and learning of strategically important languages such as Chinese. For the ninth consecutive year, the School of International Letters and Cultures at ASU was selected by the Startalk Central to host the Chinese Language Summer Camp. The camp is largely funded by the U.S. government, and students pay only a nominal fee to attend. Arizona students can apply to attend the camp in the spring of each year. More information on the camp can be found at silc.clas.asu.edu/content/startalk-program or on the program Facebook page at facebook.com/asustartalk/.

Photo Caption: Participants of the 2017 ASU Startalk Chinese Language Summer Camp practice calligraphy.

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JULY 19, 2017

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Cerritos seeks help next week, donations for ‘maker space’ AFN New Staff

P

rincipal Darcy DiCosmo has a dream for her K-5 classes at Kyrene de los Cerritos Leadership Academy in Ahwatukee.

She wants to develop a “maker space” that uses things that people might otherwise discard or give away in order to encourage children’s creativity through “objects that provide purposeful play, innovation, and collaboration.”

And she’s inviting the community to help her with that goal by volunteering a few hours of their time between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday, July 24, to paint, organize and otherwise build the space at the school, 14620 Desert Foothills Parkway.

Donations of materials that can be used by K-5 students also can be dropped off July 24 at the school. Items that are needed include plastic bins, cardboard, small wood scraps, dowels, cloth, Styrofoam, zip ties, small pieces of PVC pipe, wire batteries, duct tape, electrical tape, ball bearings, foam pipe insulation, Legos, old electronics and dry erasers.

The great variety in items she needs reflects her vision of the room, which can be found in many schools around the world.

“The whole notion of makerspace it for children to make things, anything that sparks a curiosity to understand and learn about,” DiCosmo said. “The room will encourage an informal, atmosphere allows learning to occur naturally, rather than following to a specific lesson. Making is about crafting, engineering, using technology and motivating the desire to take risks.”

Rules go pretty much out the window.

“There are no guidelines to what might go into a makerspace,” DiCosmo explained.

“The most important part of the room is that there is a variety of items that spark curiosity. There will be a deconstruction zone where students will take electronics apart. A planning zone will be provide paper, measuring tapes, and items to create a blueprint for ideas. A craft zone will encourage prototypes of projects. An area for circuits and designing to understand connections between electronics and

technology will be provided.

“These are the basics of what we would like to do as a start-up. The idea of makerspace it to grow into whatever students need. As they begin to make, they will discover there are more materials they will use,” she added.

The room also reflects the long-range vision that Kyrene Superintendent Jan Vesely and the governing board have developed.

They want students to have more individualized learning and develop the basics needed to adapt to a rapidly changing world – basics such as resourcefulness, collaboration and perseverance.

“Research has shown that not only do students display self-confidence, they develop a growth mindset,” DiCosmo said. “They are enthusiastic about innovating and are able to stick with something, persevere. Students also begin to make connections between what they are creating to the steps of problem solving. When they use fractions as a hands-on experience, they are able to solve math problems with an authentic understanding.

“Students will be reflecting on their ideas. How do they feel about their understanding of the process and their final product? We will encourage students to not get discouraged – to keep trying.”

All students would be encouraged to use the maker space, she said.

When the year begins, a rotating schedule will be used to ensure every student spends informal time in the room with their teacher.

“Our goal for the maker space is to create a collaborative learning environment where students come together to share materials and learn new skills,” she said. “Teachers will facilitate students’ thinking and encourage risk-taking, she said, adding: “The room is not about having the best tools or the most expensive items.

We want to instill a mindset that focuses on community, collaboration, and creation. Makerspace encourages perseverance, risk-taking and approval for thinking outside the box. We want to bring back purposeful play.”

Volunteers who can RSVO to ddicosmo@kyrene.org or jharris@ kyrene.org.

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JULY 19, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

New 2017-18 School Year Information First day of school is Thursday, August 3 Meet the Teacher and Curriculum Nights Middle School Meet the Teacher/Curriculum Night Monday, July 31. Please check your school’s website for times.

Elementary Meet the Teacher Night Tuesday, August 1, 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Visit www.kyrene.org/busroutes for more info on 2017-18 bus stops and times

Share first day of school photos using #BackToKSD Follow @KyreneSchools on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for latest events and news.

Follow us on social media.

Use our Kyrene app.

Download our free app on your mobile device, Kyrene Elementary School District, in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

For information on school lunches, communications, supply lists and more, visit www.kyrene.org/BacktoSchool

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BACK TO SCHOOL

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JULY 19, 2017

A TABLE FOR TWO? Phind it

AHWATUKEE PRESCHOOL

Complete Kindergarten Readiness Program in a Christian Environment for 3-5 yr olds

(Special to AFN)

Victor Serna has taken the helm as the new principal of Seton Catholic Preparatory, the area's only Catholic college preparatory high school.

AHWATUKEE New principal in charge er 2, 3 or 4 HalfAHWATUKEE Days a Week AHWATUKEE Lunch bunch and extended care available PRESCHOOL PRESCHOOL PRESCHOOL at Seton Catholic Prep

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held the position of principal at St.

Complete Kindergarten Readiness Program in Complete Kindergarten Readiness Program in Catholic School in Los Angeles a Christian Environment forhas3-5 yr olds Turibius a Christian Environment for 3-5 yr olds new principal taken the helm since 2013. a Christian Environment for 3-5 yr olds

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of Seton Catholic Preparatory in Chandler.

Kindergarten Readiness Program in We offer 2,Complete 3a or 4 Half Days a Week Victor M. Serna was appointed to Christian Environment for 3-5 yr olds the East Valley’s only Catholic college *Lunch bunch and extended care available Enrolling Now for the 2017 -2018 School Year preparatory high school by Bishop *Lunch bunch and extended carebunch available Thomas J. Olmsted. *Lunch and extended care available We offer 2, 3 or 4 Half Days a Week Serna replaces Pat Collins, who retired *Lunch bunch and extended care available in the spring after serving the school in various capacities since 1992, including Available for 18 months the past 12 years as principal.

Prior to arriving at Seton, Serna through 3 yr olds was a Master Principal, chosen by the Available for 18AM months Monday-Friday director of Catholic Education in the Available for 18 through 3 months yr olds Los Angeles archdiocese to form, advise through 3 yr olds and train Catholic leaders.

Monday-Friday AM “My wife, Evelyn, and I are excited to Now on Monday-Friday AM become part of the Sentinel community,” Facebook!

Now on said Serna. “I consider myself blessed Celebrating Facebook! to serve my faith through the ministry Ministry 37 Yearsof Mountain View Lutheran Church of Catholic education. I believe in A Ministry of Mountain View Lutheran Church of educating the whole person through Now on 11002Now S. 48th Excellence on St. preschool@mvlutheran.org a rigorous curriculum, access to coCelebrating Facebook!

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Prior to that, he served as assistant principal and dean of students at his alma mater, Bishop Mora Salesian High School in Los Angles. He also served as athletic director of St. Mary Catholic School and associate athletic director at the Salesian Family Youth Center, both in LA. Serna earned a B.S. in criminal justice from California State University and master’s degrees in secondary education and educational administration from Mount St. Mary’s University. He is in the process of completing his third master’s degree, in instructional leadership.

He has received Catholic leadership training through the Notre Dame University Alliance for Catholic Education and through the Salesian Leadership Institute for Ministry with the Salesians of Don Bosco, Western Providence.

Serna and his wife live in Gilbert.

Seton is a private coeducational high school in Chandle open to students of all faiths.

Information: setoncatholic.org.

Facebook! ahwatukeepreschool.org

BACK TO SCHOOL

JULY 19, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

(Special to AFN)

Even in these waning days of summer, parents can prepare their kindergartenbound children for success by following a few guidelines recommended

by First Things First, a statewide organization that focuses on early childhood education.

Use summer to prepare your child for kindergarten success

BY DONNA SHOTT AFN Guest Writer

T

he first day of kindergarten is a big step for young kids. And families can help that transition by using the summer before the big day to help kids develop basic skills to prepare.

Kindergarten teacher Candice Rice encourages families to practice both morning and evening routines for about a week prior to the beginning of school.

“Regular routines give children a sense of security and stability and a way to organize their lives,” said Rice, who teaches at Kyrene de la Estrella Elementary School. “Part of this daily ritual should include going to bed and waking up each day at a designated time. Kindergartners can also practice being accountable for his/her backpack, snack, lunch and go home folder.”

Below are some everyday activities from First Things First to help your family have a fun, easy transition to kindergarten: • Read with your child at least 20 minutes per day. Try books that repeat words; involve activities like counting, identifying colors, objects or letters; or, are about things your child likes. Ask questions like, “What do you think happens next?”

• Talk with your child everywhere – at home, in the car, at the store. Make up stories or songs about your outings.

• Writing begins with scribbling. Give your child safe writing tools to play with, like crayons, chalk or markers and

blank paper. Ask your child to tell you about their drawings.

• Schedule a visit with your child’s doctor and dentist. Health problems make concentrating difficult.

• Teach your child how to use the bathroom by themselves, to wash their hands after going to the bathroom and before eating, to blow their nose and sneeze into their elbow.

Before the first day, talk with your child about what to expect during the school day and types of after-school activities they may be involved in. The more details kids know, the less anxious they will feel.

• Choosing what to wear the night before.

• Waking up with early to have plenty of time to get ready.

• Staff can help if needed.

Even if you don’t have kindergartners this year, it’s never too early to start helping kids prepare. Children who have positive early childhood experiences tend to score higher on school readiness assessments and are more likely to do well in school and graduate.

By turning everyday moments into learning moments, we can send our young kids to school with the skills – and the love of learning – that will help them succeed in kindergarten and beyond.

-Donna Shott is community outreach coordinator for First Things First, a votercreated, statewide organization that funds early education and health programs to help kids be successful once they enter kindergarten. Information: firstthingsfirst. org.

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JULY 19, 2017

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