PeoriaTimes.com
July 22, 2021
/PeoriaTimes
Happy new (school) year! BY PEORIA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Welcoming students back to school is an exciting time of year, but it is especially heartwarming as we look to begin the 2021-22 school year with the return of athletics, activities, field trips and as much normalcy as possible. Over the summer, Peoria Unified announced its health and safety plan for the fall, including having masks optional for students, staff and visitors while still offering hand sanitizing stations and air purifiers on every campus. The district will continue to encourage proper handwashing and feels confident that there are safety procedures in place to continue to make our learning environments safe. “On Aug. 4, Peoria Unified students will either be in-person, full-time or participating in our new eCampus Virtual School,” said Peoria Unified Su-
perintendent, Dr. Jason Reynolds. “Over the summer, our teams worked hard to prepare for the upcoming school year and are committed to ensuring that all students and families are valued, cared for and have every available opportunity to achieve academic success.” One of the main areas of focus for the upcoming school year is to make sure all families have ways to stay connected during the school year. Most importantly, each school will always be the No. 1 source of information for parents, and it is best to reach out to each school first with any questions. Families can find school contact information on the district’s website at peoriaunified.org. To stay up-to-date and in the know of all the things happening in Peoria Unified, check out Peoria Unified’s podcast, “Trending Peoria,” where the district breaks down the latest trends
in education. Topics recently covered range from the importance of early childhood education to Peoria Unified’s Strategic Plan and everything in between. The podcast features interviews with teachers, administration, support staff, students and more. The community can listen to Trending Peoria on any major podcast streaming platforms or on the district’s website at peoriaunified.org/trendingpeoria. Another way to stay connected with Peoria Unified during the school year is on social media. The district has a Facebook, Twitter and YouTube page where we share district highlights and events all year long. Additionally, each of our schools have their own Facebook page filled with hyperlocal content to keep you updated on all the happenings at each school. Peoria Unified encourages families to engage and interact on posts or even share some of the amazing things their child is doing.
This fall, Peoria Unified looks forward to adding additional ways to connect with the community by hosting parent engagements opportunities and encouraging more parent feedback. Be on the lookout for information from a Peoria Unified school site on how families can get involved and get connected. With so much happening at the start of the school year, the district hopes our parents will continue to stay updated by focusing on Peoria Unified’s weekly Parent Insider sent right to the parents’ email inbox. Families are encouraged to read it every week to stay on top of all the news in the district! For more ways to connect with Peoria Unified, visit the district’s website at peoriaunified.org/connect and for any additional questions, email the district at pusdpr@pusd11.net or call 623486-6100. Peoria Unified welcomes the opportunity to talk with community members and answer any questions.
APS giving back to Title 1 teachers BY TYLER WEGLEITNER Peoria Times Staff Writer
As part of its annual Supply My Class program, Arizona Public Service, or APS, is helping local teachers acquire supplies for their classrooms. For five weeks beginning in August, APS will give $500 Visa gift cards to 500 teachers, totaling $250,000. “APS supports teachers, and we want to help ensure that they have the resources they need in the classroom,”
said Anna Stewart, community affairs manager for APS. Stewart said there are certain criteria the grant applicants much meet. “The teachers must teach at a Title 1 school in APS’ service territory,” she said. Stewart said they also need to be a K-12 teacher at a public or charter school and that a list of all the eligible schools can be found at https://supplymyclass.com/promotion-rules/ According to the company’s website,
winners from previous years are still eligible to enter again this year. Stewart said winners will be selected each week from Aug. 6 to Sept. 3. “We will randomly select 100 teachers each week to win a $500 Visa gift card that they can use to purchase supplies for their classroom,” she said. For the first week, Stewart said they will select 100 teachers who have been teaching for no more than three years. The remaining four weeks will be open to all eligible teachers.
This is aimed at supporting newer teachers. That includes strengthening their commitment to their profession. The grant application process is open through Sept. 2, the day before the last drawing. Teachers should only apply once, and any unselected teachers will remain in the applicant pool for the following weeks. Stewart said winning teachers can use their judgment with the funds. SEE GIVING PAGE 20