THE NEWSPAPER OF AVONDALE, BUCKEYE, GOODYEAR, LITCHFIELD PARK & TOLLESON
Estrella man puts on light show
Buckeye resident turns 100 PAGE
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westvalleyview.com
INSIDE
This Week
NEWS .............. 8 Avondale holds naturalization ceremony
SPORTS ........ 16 Millennium boys seek turnaround with new coach
9 DAYS ......... 20 Looking for something to do? Check out the 9 Days a Week calendar
LETTERS ........................10 BUSINESS..................... 12 SPORTS ..........................16 FEATURES .....................22 NEIGHBORHOOD......25 SCHOOLS .....................27 OBITUARIES .................29 CLASSIFIEDS................32 SOUTH
The Voice of the West Valley for 32 years
24
December 6, 2017
WV feeling pinch of teacher shortage By Derek Hall When Liza Lawson began teaching at La Joya Community High School in 2007, she was aware of the struggles new teachers typically faced. She was prepared for the 85-hour work weeks, large class sizes and weekends spent tutoring or planning lessons. The burnout didn’t set in until years later. “Going in, I knew that it was going to be a lot of work, but I had this expectation that the longer I taught, the less hours it would take for me to get things done,” Lawson said. “It was in my fifth year of teaching when I realized that I was working as many hours as I did when I started.” Lawson is now a teacher mentor in the Tolleson Union High School District, and she supports those new to the field facing the same challenges. “I experienced burnout when I was in the classroom,” she said. “When I came into this position four years ago, I had this horrible realization that my experience with burnout was not at all unusual.” The “burnout” is one of many factors contributing to a teacher shortage that studies show is widespread throughout Arizona. The personal finance website WalletHub analyzed 21 key metrics and ranked Arizona as the worst state in the nation for teachers. The report said the state ranked in the bottom five in public school funding
per student, pupil-to-teacher ratio and projected teacher turnover. The study also estimated Arizona will have the lowest number of teachers per student by 2024. ASU’s The Morrison Institute for Public Policy released an extensive study in May that found 42 percent of Arizona teachers hired in 2013 left the profession within three years. That study, Finding & Keeping Educators for Arizona’s Classrooms, reported pay was a big factor. Arizona ranked last in the nation in elementary school teacher pay and 49th in high school teacher pay when both were adjusted for Liza Lawson, above, fully understands the burnout that teachers face. A former teacher, she now mentors educators in the statewide cost of living. Tolleson Union High School District. Here she observes Maria Morrison Institute senior Becerra’s classroom. (West Valley View photo by Jordan Christopher) policy analyst Dan Hunting, the study’s principal researcher, said although or district level,” Hunting said. “A lot pay was a significant issue contributing to the of districts, of course, are having to get shortage, increased workload and a lack of very creative, because there’s not a lot of resources out there.” support were also major factors. Monica Sanders, director of human “(Teachers) also feel oftentimes that they’re not adequately supported by Shortage...continued on page 3 their administration, either at the school
Drone regulations tight around Luke AFB By Wayne Schutsky Drones are everywhere – the FAA expects sales to reach seven million units by 2020 – and that popularity means many Valley residents will unwrap unmanned aerial vehicles this holiday season. However, operating that new gift is not as simple as stepping outside and getting ready for takeoff, especially for West Valley residents who must abide by restricted airspace regulations surrounding Luke Air Force Base. Because of the sensitive nature of the
base and the constant air travel surrounding it, the FAA and Air Force have established several restricted zones to protect security and prevent collisions with other aircraft. Drones, also called unmanned aerial systems or UAS, are a cause for concern for the base for a variety of reasons, including the risk for espionage and unauthorized recording of sensitive materials, said Luke Air Force Base Encroachment Manager Christopher Toale. They pose a significant risk to pilot
safety as well. Luke Air Force Base hosts the largest fighter wing in the world and pilots often participate in training exercises at low altitudes. “Pilots (are) in a small cockpit in low altitudes, and it’s almost impossible for them to see a drone at 200 feet with any realistic chance of avoiding it,” Toale said. He added that the base makes a
Drone...continued on page 4