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THE NEWSPAPER OF AVONDALE, BUCKEYE, GOODYEAR, LITCHFIELD PARK & TOLLESON
Happy Thanksgiving
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westvalleyview.com
INSIDE
This Week
SPORTS ........ 20 Kyler Murray nominated for Gamer of the Year
FEATURES ..... 23 DancEstrella returns with ‘And the Heart Beats On’
YOUTH .......... 26 Desert Edge sophomore wins essay contest
OPINION ................. 8 BUSINESS.............. 13 SPORTS ..................19 FEATURES ..............22 YOUTH ..................26 OBITUARIES ...........27 CLASSIFIEDS ..........28 NORTH
November 25, 2021
The Voice of the West Valley for 36 years
Goodyear principal changing education norms BY LAUREN SERRATO
West Valley View Staff Writer
V
alor Preparatory Academy Principal Dan Mahlandt believes the “Factory Model of Education” has become outdated. With more than 30 years of experience as an educator, Mahlandt hopes to see a change in the education system. For example, Mahlandt said science shows that adolescents perform much better with late starts, yet, early starts in most schools around the country is the standard. Mahlandt vowed to change this as a school leader and has since implemented late starts at the Goodyear school, a tuition-free institution for students in grades 6 to 11. “That traditional form is what drives education today,” Mahlandt said. “The problem is somewhere along the way, the need to be able to move with bells telling us to go from one place to the next and everybody working in factories stopped being the most important element
Valor Preparatory Academy Principal Dan Mahlandt has implemented late start to benefit children’s ability to learn and thrive in and out of the classroom. (Photo courtesy of Valor Preparatory Acad-
emy)
in keeping us being the leader in the world. And what’s made us a leader is things like communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creative problem solving. That’s kind of what’s driving us into the new reality that we have.”
The late start is just one example of the many changes Mahlandt has implemented at Valor. He thinks all schools should follow suit. The current model did well for
Norms...continued on page 4
West Valley teachers see their wishes granted BY WEST VALLEY VIEW STAFF
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lthough Thanksgiving is technically celebrated on Nov. 25 this year, 400 Arizona teachers — including more than 60 in the West Valley — feted it early. During the first days of November, in what has become an annual tradition to honor, support and celebrate Arizona’s
teachers, the Fiesta Bowl Organization awarded $1 million to teachers through the Desert Financial Fiesta Bowl Charities Wishes for Teachers program. “They may not wear capes, but teachers are real-life superheroes. They give tirelessly to their students and Wishes for Teachers is our opportunity to reward them for their efforts,” said Jeff Meshey, presi-
dent and CEO at Desert Financial. “Desert Financial was founded by teachers. We continue their legacy by returning as the title partner for this year’s Wishes for Teachers, in partnership with Fiesta Bowl Charities. Teachers often pay for school supplies out of their own pockets,
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Wishes...continued on page 4 JUST A CLICK AWAY
