Bear Essential News December 2022, Tucson Edition

Cane’s In the CLASSROOM!

Education is an important focus area of Raising ane s. an edu ators and arents are not a are o the ree rograms that aising ane s has to gi e ba to the ommunit at no ost to edu ators or s hools.

ind out ho our students or hildren an bene it rom the un and ree rograms eatured belo .

Fundraising Has Never Been So FUN!

Organizations in the community like schools, faith-based organizations, scouting groups, sports teams and other groups can hold a fundraiser at aising ane s. n e a time and date is set u at a s e i i aising ane s lo ation the s hool or organization can distribute flyers or use social media to invite members of the community to attend their undraiser. uring the time o the undraiser

Raising

aising ane s ill donate o sales during that s e i i time slot to the s hool or organi ation. ll the ommunit that ants to hel ith the undraiser has to do is mention they are there to support the organization doing the undraising hen the order their meal. an the ode to learn more.

Cane’s Coloring Corner

BOOKMARKS:

A cute bookmark ith se en a prints on it is given to educators and s hools. ter a student reads a book, the teacher signs off on a a rint. ter all se en a prints are signed, the student may redeem the bookmark at a aising ane s location and receive a free ids ombo. his re ard program is for students age and under.

ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS:

Each progress report period educators an honor students ith a om lishments like Perfect Attendance, Honor Roll, ost m ro ed elling ee ham s Sportsmanship or other recognition the tea her eels a student has earned. hese hie ement ards an be redeemed at a lo al aising ane s or a ree ids ombo. his re ard rogram is for students age and under.

Contact your local Raising ane’s or more details.

Dear Boomer Bear,

The way we would like to help other people this holiday season is by supporting charities of all sorts.

Sisters T.W. & S.W.

That’s very thoughtful, you two!

There are so many good charities you can help either by fundraising or volunteering. You can get into the spirit of the season by asking your parent if there are any non-profit groups they support or go online together to research a few non-profits. This time of year there are all sorts of toy drives, food drives and warm clothing/blanket drives. You two can make a difference!

Your buddy, Boomer Bear

Hi, Boomer, Christmas is coming—how fun it is, right? I am excited for Christmas friends, family and fun! I changed to yellow belt in karate recently! Do you do karate?

Hope to hear from you soon, E.P.

Congrats, E.P.!

I’m glad you’re advancing in karate. I’m still at white, but at least it matches everything.

Have a merry one, Boomer Bear

Mail

Hey, Boomer!

When it comes to weather, I love winter weather because you can play in the snow.

See ya, M.B.

I totally agree, M.B.!

You wouldn’t be wrong to say that I was made for winter weather! We polar bears have two layers of fur to our coat and a layer of fat under our skin. In fact, temperatures as low as –50°F are bearable and swimming with sea ice all around is like a walk in the park for me!

Stay cool, Boomer Bear

Dear Boomer, For Christmas, we go to Winterhaven; we decorate our house; we put up the tree, and we take a walk through the neighborhood and look at Christmas lights.

—A.O.

Boomer Bear, As our family holiday tradition, we celebrate Christmas Eve—you can open one Christmas gift, and we make cookies for Santa and give him

Yours truly, C.J.

Dear A.O. & C.J.,

Your families have some fantastic holiday traditions! I love walking through Winterhaven when it’s all decked out. Did you know you can bring cans of food or money to donate to the Community Food Bank? Volunteers are up near the front, and with food prices on the rise, people need help more than ever. C.J., what kind(s) of cookies do you like to bake for Santa?

Have a Beary Cool Yule! Boomer

Hi, Boomer! Where did you get your name from?

Your friend, V.L. Boomer Bear, Have you ever left the country?

Yours truly, B.S.

Dear Boomer, e ear s resolution is to get good grades!

Sincerely, F.T.

Boomer Bear, For the New Year, I am wishing for a smart watch.

Yours truly, S.O.

Yikes, 2023 is almost here?

I bet if you’re determined enough, your next report card is going to ROCK, F.T. ! If you get a smart watch, S.O., let me know if you like it and the cool stuff it can do!

Have a great 2023! Boomer Bear

Dear Boomer, s a oung e orter d li e to write about the NASA landing.

Thank you, L.B.

What a great idea, L.B.!

The 1.3-million-mile Artemis I mission just ended with the splashdown of its Orion spacecraft. (See page 5) This is an important test flight as future Artemis missions attempt to take astronauts back to the moon! Kids in grades 2 thru 8 are welcome to write for Bear as Young Reporters. Just print and mail in the sign-up form at BearEssentialNews.com.

Write for me, Boomer Bear

Dear V.L. & B.S.,

I was born way up north in Canada! I was just a little cub when my parents and I moved here to Arizona. Mom and dad named me Boomer, and I really enjoy visiting other countries with them!

Your friend, Boomer Bear

Dear Boomer, For the holidays, we put up our arti ial hristmas tree. t in and I hang all the ornaments—we have some from school that we made. We also put candy canes on the tree.

Your friend, C.A.

Happy Holidays, C.A. & Family! Boomer

News Highlights

USA Eliminated from World Cup

he men s om etition is INTENSE in the World Cup in Qatar, and so are the controversies!

The World Cup is held every four years. After playing to draws against Wales and England, the U.S. en s ational o er eam barel got ast ran. ut on Dec. 3, a more experienced Netherlands team eliminated the U.S. in a 3-1 game.

Although young, the U.S. team exceeded World Cup expectations, and hopes are high that the team ill do e en better hen the orld u is hosted b the . . e i o and anada. m su er roud o the bo s er orman e said team a tain ler Adams in a Fox after-game interview. “We can hang with some of the best teams in the world, some of the best la ers in the orld and that s a lot o rogress or . . so er e re mo ing in the right dire tion for sure.”

After the Iranian team was sent home, many worried about the safety of its players, who had refused to sing ran s national anthem be ore their rst game to show solidarity with anti-government protests. Iranian authorities were not happy with the players.

World Cup controversies have swirled around the Middle Eastern host country, Qatar. Usually, the

World Cup is held during the summer, but summer tem eratures are s or hing in atar. o in the soccer federation known as FIFA recommended Qatar hold the tournament in November and December hi h onfli ts ith the uro ean ro essional leagues regular season. he leagues aused their season to allow players to compete in the World Cup.

As of press time, Argentina, Croatia, Morocco

Mauna Loa Erupts!

a aii s auna oa the orld s largest active volcano, erupted last month for the rst time sin e .

The volcano began spewing fountains of glowing rock and ash and spilling lava on o . . hough it s been a long time sin e Mauna Loa last erupted, the U.S. Geological ur e said the ol ano a erages an eru tion on e e er e ears throughout its documented history.

and defending World Cup champion France were headed into the semi nals. he t o inners ill la or the title on e . .

There are allegations that bribes were paid to land the World Cup in Qatar. The country also faces criticism over its treatment of migrant workers hired to build the soccer venues, as well as its treatment of women and LGBT+ individuals.

Despite all of these issues this year, the World Cup has historically been viewed as a way to unite countries around the world through soccer.

Artemis Program Finally Gets Off the Ground!

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL—“And liftoff of Artemis I—we rise together back to the moon and be ond ith those ins iring ords s most powerful rocket thundered into the sky early one November morning.

After traveling approximately 1.3 million miles, rion reentered arth s atmos here tra eling m h a h on e . . e ial ara hutes slo ed the s a e ra t or its s lashdo n in the a i Ocean near California.

his i s o the rtemis missions but this rst

mission faced all sorts of problems getting off the ground. The space agency tried to launch Artemis I a few times in August and September, but liquid hydrogen fuel leaks forced NASA to SCRUB those launches. or ers heeled the oot tall s stem ba into the shelter of the Vehicle Assembly Building to protect it from Hurricane Ian. Unfortunately, after Artemis 1 returned to the launch pad, Hurricane Nicole hit, slightly damaging the rocket. Artemis missions will return astronauts to the moon b or . rtemis didn t carry any astronauts. The Orion capsule it sent did not land on the moon. Instead, it orbited the moon with three test dummies. Like the crash test dummies used to measure car safety, these will provide data on what astronauts will face during a mission, including radiation levels and the forces of launch and splashdown. his is ust the test flight and e are stressing it and testing it in ways we will not do to a rocket that has a human crew on it,” explained NASA dministrator ill elson a ter the laun h. ut that s to purpose—to make it as safe as possible, as reliable as possible when our astronauts crawl on board and go back to the moon!”

According to the USGS, Mauna Loa has eru ted times sin e he last erution as ears ago and the one be ore that as ears rior in meaning the volcano used to ERUPT much more frequently. Before the eruption last month, it was the longest known quiet spell for Mauna oa hi h stands eet abo e sea level.

Eruption Facts:

auna oa is the orld s largest active volcano. t last eru ted in . eet abo e sea le el • Number of eruptions recorded sin e

earb also on a aii s ig sland another volcano is erupting simultaneously. Kilauea, which is smaller and more active than auna oa last eru ted in . he two volcanoes erupted simultaneously in as ell.

o ernment o ials said there as no immediate threat to nearby towns, but they ill losel monitor the ol anoes a ti ities effects on air quality, and ash that accumulates in surrounding areas. Another concern are the glass bers that orm hen hot la a rapidly cools in the air, forming long strands that loo li e hair. hese bers an be dangerous for people with respiratory problems.

As of press time, the lava has already sto ed flo ing rom three o its our ssures. entuall the last one ill sto flo ing too. But people have sometimes tried to stop auna oa s eru tions

n en. eorge atton sent bombers to tame the volcano. The bombs were ineffective—and ended up blowing up in the lava or bouncing off nearby rocks. During an eru tion in a aii s go ernor re ommended making appeals to a higher power. A nearby resident made offerings to Pele, the a aiian goddess o re and ol anoes ho ing that she ould sto the la a flo and spare nearby property.

Photo courtesy of NASA

Written by Kids— for Kids Get the Scoop!

Girl Scout Earns Trip to Australia

by Elite Reporter Anissa Aldecoa

My trip to Australia was very fun! On my trip we visited the Sydney Opera House, went to the zoo, went on a cruise and so much more!

Believe it or not, this trip was made possible through Girl Scout Cookies! I sold over 5,000 boxes, which earned me a trip with our Council! This next cookie season, we could earn a trip to Japan!

My favorite part was when we went to the Sydney Opera House, and we got to see what it looked like inside and how big it as. here s a giant auditorium here a beauti ul or hestra la s. bo e them is a large stru ture that s sha ed li e the beauti ul native flower called a waratah.

Even though the Opera House is my favorite, the zoo must come in a close second. When we went, we got to see a bunch of animals I had never seen up close before! We saw koalas, kangaroos, sloths, a cassowary and a bunch of other cool animals!

As much as I enjoyed visiting the Sydney Opera House and the zoo, what I enjoyed the most was the environment and lifestyle of Australia. It was cool to see all the buildings and beautiful trees everywhere. What I thought was the most interesting and nice was that most things were in walking distance of each other. People would walk, run, ride their bikes and maybe even skate to places instead of taking their cars. Also, it was so beautiful there and it felt like the weather was always nice (even though it hailed once)

MORE AUSTRALIA, page 8 ➧

Animals and People Benefit from Kindness

by Reporter Starla Banchero, Immaculate Heart School

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is an American nonprofit organization that focuses on animal welfare and opposes animalrelated cruelties. It works on issues involving pets, wildlife, farm animals, horses and other equines, and animals used in research, testing and education. As of 2001, the grou s ma or campaigns targeted factory farming, animal blood sports, the fur trade, puppy mills, and wildlife abuse.

The HSUS is based in Washington, D.C. and was founded in 1954 by Fred Myers, Helen Jones, Larry Andrews, Marcia Glaser and Oliver M. Evans. In 2013

The Chronicle of Philanthropy ranked HSUS as the 136th largest charity in the US. The founders of this organization have made our planet a much more loving and kind place for animals and people. Our Humane Society here in Tucson, the Humane Society of Southern Arizona, is affiliated with the

Can Circus Friends Save the Show?

by Reporter Parker Hastings Leman Academy of Excellence

This month I am reading a book called “The One and Only Ivan” by Katherine Applegate. I think it is an amazing book! In this book, a gorilla named Ivan lives and acts in a circus with his friends. The book talks about how an elephant named Ruby comes to the circus and brings some changes. The circus is having problems. Can Ivan and Ruby make them better?

There are many things I like about this book. I enjoyed when Ivan colored on paper and when he told Ruby jokes. I also liked how Stella, another character, tells stories about gorillas. I especially loved when the circus animals got to see the wild!

There is a movie based on this book. You can enjoy the movie, too; I watched it and it was fun! Even if you watch the movie, you should still read this enjoyable and funny book!

Learn While Gaming

by Reporter Aeneas Pedregó Homeschool

Can you learn anything with video games? Sometimes you can! With the game I play–Fortnite–you can use virtual money to buy items in the game. You have to see how much the item costs and if you have enough money. hat s math

hile la ing the game there s a storm that players have to stay away from or their

MORE GAMING, page 8 ➧

HSUS and is dedicated to loving and caring for animals and all their needs. I believe the staff and volunteers there are heroes in disguise on a mission of mercy. To learn more about the organization and the services it provides, visit hssaz.org

Anissa and a napping koala

Get the Scoop! Holiday Express with Santa C

elebrate the holidays at the Southern Arizona Transportation Museum. Visit Santa and get your picture taken with Santa in front of Locomotive 1673, the train from the movie Oklahoma. Listen to a reading of The Polar Express, sing holiday songs and see the new model train exhibits. Dec. 17 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, visit www.tucsonhistoricdepot.com

B

and everyone seems so nice, helpful, and happy there!

My favorite part of Sydney was nearby our hotel, where we could walk to the pier and see the Sydney Opera House in a perfect view! Overall, my trip to Australia was wonderful and I plan to visit again and maybe even move there when I am older!

More Gaming

characters will die. If you want to win, you need to pay attention to the weather. hat s s ien e he game has a time hen the storm sto s and a time hen it starts again. This lets players know when to keep moving and when to halt. hat s math again he s reen sho s a ma that hel s la ers no here the storm is located. Working with geography is social studies! Build mode lets ou smash stru tures and use the arts to reate something ne . hat s art Fortnite, like many video games, has plenty of books at the library for kids to he out. ha e read man boo s about ortnite. hat s nglish o i ou li e la ing ideo games tell our arents all ou re learning

More Australia Continued from page

Anissa with the Opera House in background

What’s So Important About Community?

by Reporter Sophia Bradley, BASIS Tucson North

Communities are everywhere. Schools, libraries, and churches are examples of communities, and communities are more important than you think.

But first what is a community? A community is a group of people that work together on something, like food banks, animal shelters, courts and more. Research shows that many mental and physical health conditions, including anxiety, depression, ADHD, substance abuse, aggressive behavior, asthma, heart disease and obesity, relate to your particular environment, and being in a positive environment within a community can help lessen these problems.

Communities have been around for a long time, ever since there was more than a few people on the Earth, and there are a lot of them today. A community development movement, called Community Development Programme (CDP), started in India in 1952. It was an effort to create communities out of rural areas, so that people were not so isolated. Since then, many places have done the same thing. Now there are 7,567 communities in the world due to this movement.

Different types of communities can have many roles and goals. For example, Girl Scouts help girls to learn skills, understanding, and trust. Boy Scouts learn about character development, leadership development, citizenship training and personal fitness. Both communities share the same concepts, but teach different responsibilities and goals. Different communities may be for different age groups, or based on common interests.

Unfortunately, there can be a bad side to communities. There are big communities based on hate rather than something useful or helpful, and when they form they have a bad influence on society. As you can see, communities an be good but an also be or horrible things. et s all do something or the good of our community! Be kind.

MORE SCOOPS, page 11 ➧

Get the Scoop!

Story Begins in Magical Bookshop

by Reporter Paulina Castro, Twin Peaks K–8

I read “The Bookshop of Dust and Dreams” by Mindy Thompson, and loved it. The book is about Poppy Fulbright, who lives with her family in their magical bookshop, Rhyme and Reason.

Even though the story is taken place in 1944, I felt really connected to Poppy, because both of us like to read and by her description, she seems like she would be a really great friend. In the story, o s brother l re ei es ne s that his best riend arl has died ighting in orld ar . l then wants to use the magic of the bookshop to save Carl, and Poppy has to stop her brother from using the magic for his own gain.

When I first read the description, I felt it would be an interesting read, and it was. My favorite part was when all the visitors of the bookshop came to help Poppy and her family, not because the Fulbrights asked for help, but because they wanted to help. One of the main reasons I loved this book was the suspense. There were so many plot twists and unexpected surprises that kept me turning the page. The lesson of the story was that you should always do the right thing, even if that means you have to stand up to a friend or sibling. It is now one of my favorite books, and I recommend it to all the other middle school students that love to read.

by Mary DeStefano

e o ten hear the ords PATIENCE hen a roa hing this holiday season. At the same time, we want to create memories that will last a lifetime for our family members. a be ou remember a s e ial holida . onsidered this thought and remembered one s e ial hristmas. sister and snu do n the stairs a ter anta had arri ed and our arents ere sound aslee . e ere delighted to ind that anta had le t us ea h a ogo sti . e immediatel too them outside in the dar o night to tr them out be ore returning them under the tree and snuggling ba in bed or a e more hours o slee . s e s hedule get togethers de orate trees ba e oo ies or design gingerbread houses we also have to continue our regular activities. e tations run high. emember it is ualit not uantit that ounts hen lanning and arti i ating in e ents. in e m not great at de orating or the holidays, I love being invited to homes o riends ho ma e the holida s brighter. an o er to hel b bringing a s e ial ood.

en lanning ahead or the holida s isn t a guarantee or the er e t holida . Life has a way of messing with our best lans hi h an ta e a a some o the o o the holida . on t be a raid to say no. Holidays should be joyful and RESTORATIVE. i ture the hristmas ou ant to ha e ith our lo ed ones. s them to tell ou ho the ould li e to imagine their holida s. ne idea had as to isit s ul tures in the u son area ith a grand hild. hile al ing the oo re entl m riend and isited the hristina a lor reen memorial and butter l garden. t is beauti ul ith t o lo el s ul tures as ell as ben hes here ou an rest a ter a re reshing al on the u elberr oo rail. a be our grand hildren ill stri e a ose in ront o a un or abulous s ul ture. a be ou ll ind a ou le more memorials to isit a ross the it . hate er ou hoose ma e it a memor to be herished. ou might e en lan to ha e a i ni at a ar during our outing.

mage ima.go

Up for a little Holiday Fun?

Hand-Made Gifts Are Fun to Make— and Give!

Find the gift ideas in the Word Search, and then get started on your own gift-making adventure! cookies poem recipe frame photo book cards jewelry

collage mixed CD coffee mug ower pot ornament scarf bread

START

Color the Art!

Help Boomer Bear make his way to the North Pole. He has a cousin there who helps make the toys that get delivered around this time of year!

Holiday Traditions! Holiday Traditions!

How Does Your Family Make Holidays

Special?

How Does Your Family Make Holidays Special?

Thereʼs a chill in the air, and darkness comes early. Fortunately, there are many celebrations to brighten things up this time of year. From Christmas to Kwanzaa, from Hanukkah to Chinese New Year, these festivities warm up the season and fill it with color and light!

The Three Things of Christmas

by Young Reporter Briana Williams, Arizona Desert

er hristmas e do three di erent things. he rst is e all sa t h shmish. n a a o that translates to ello hristmas. he se ond thing e do is se ret anta. e ret anta is hen ou ut e er one s names on di erent ie es o a er. hen e er one dra s a name and doesn t tell an one the name the got. hen ou ha e time ou go shopping for the person you got.

he er last is nding the i le in the tree. he i le in the tree has been a tradition or as long as an remember. t s a a e ut out i le that is hidden in our hristmas tree. hoe er nds the i le hristmas morning gets an extra gift.

Making Tamales and Waking Up Early!

by Sophia Valdez

ometimes e go to m ana ar s house to ma e tamales on hristmas e and eat them on Christmas. Or other times e go to m relati es houses to elebrate. Sometimes my sister and I sleep in m brother s room. e wake up at 6 a.m. to open presents, but my parents ne er ant to a e u .

Grandmas Go Overboard!

by Paisley Thomas

amil does all o the holida s rett my opinion, my grandma goes way too far erboard. nd meant grandmas lural

dad s mom e all her lolli hosts art e er ear e ea h ma e di erent ies and ha e a han e to in best taste dis la and most reati e. our oo ie those categories, you win a gift card of your nd m mom s side e all her grandma too mu h and e en ma es her o n s eets. how many gifts she buys for all the grandkids. m grandmas both go a o erboard or

Celebrating Ancestors Day of the Dead

by Anahi

elebrate l a de los uertos also known as the Day of the Dead. Dead is a special day that your ancestors or old/dead family or friends come back from the dead. ot reall but their s irit ould ome to isit ou. ou an bring flo ers or ood. hen ou light candles next to their picture so they can see you.

Image: shutterstock.com

sim le. ut in on Christmas.

hole oo ie es o oo best design best uali es or an o your choice. grandma de orates a eets. ot to mention grandkids. In conclusion, hristmas.

Ancestors on the

Haunted House Tradition Scares

Up Fun!

by Young Reporter Aeneas Pedregó, Homeschool

Want a good thrill that will bring your family together ell e got one. a orite holida tradition is where my family makes our own haunted house. t started hen o id hit and e er thing as losed down. I wanted to go to a haunted house, so my mom said we could make one at home!

hile setting it u an t hel but thin about ho un it s going to be to go through a ter e e nished. e ha e to get reati e ith ho e ma e it. or example, one year we made a fake storm using a fan, hanging streamers and turning on a strobe light for lightning. We always use our stuffed animals by hanging them up or arranging them in creepy scenes. Once, we tied jump ropes to chairs so we had a giant spider web we had to crawl through to get to the other side!

t dus e nall get to do the haunted house oursel es. It can be pretty scary because my mom uses eerie music and

rightening oi es. lus she hides s ares li e our host a e mas in la es that don t no about. nother s are as when my mom threw bouncy balls at us, pretending they were eyeballs! I thought it was funny, but it made my brother jump.

It became a family tradition because I liked it so much the rst time as ed to do it again and again

We Host Dinner for Friends

by Jace Bentley

ne o m amil s traditions is riends gi ing. riendsgi ing is hat e do around han sgi ing. e in ite a lot o our riends o er or earl han s gi ing dinner. hat is m amil s holida tradition.

I Love Spending Time with Mom

by Aiden Vanchieri

a orite art o the holida s is s ending time ith m mom. mom and de o rate our fake tree, and she puts up my special ornament. It is one that I made at school ears ago. t has m i ture and sti ers on it. get so e ited about m d ent alen dar and Elf on the Shelf!

Happy Holidays & Best Wishes from Boomer Bear!

Image: shutterstock.com

Image: shutterstock.com

It s a ma or milestone or ids. t an be e iting and sometimes intimidating or oungsters and their arents too but don t ret indergarten is a great ad en ture that ill set our hild on a ath o li elong learning. s our hild is read or indergarten eing s hool read means more than re ogni ing some letters and numbers or mastering ho to hold a ra on or en il. du ators agree that to be read or indergarten ids should be able to do some things on their o n. an our hild go to the restroom and ash hands inde endentl an the ut on their shoes rite his or her name hese are some o the tas s ou an or on at home be ore s hool starts ne t all. he ri ona e artment o du ation ebsite lists additional things that arents an do to hel their indergartner be su ess ul

• Read to children at least 30 minutes each day.

• Provide children with opportunities to make good decisions and smart choices.

• Build a positive relationship with your child’s teacher(s).

• Find creative ways to turn everyday routines, such as getting dressed and eating dinner, into learning opportunities.

• Familiarize yourself with the new kindergarten, the teacher, classroom, and school as a whole.

great a to get started is to isit the s hool es e iall i it o ers e ents or ne amilies. amiliari ing hildren ith the indergarten terrain be ore them through introdu tions to the indergarten lassroom tea hers and e e tations hel s to minimi e an stress asso iated ith the transition a ording to . an s hool distri ts o er indergarten e ents in the inter and s ring. ids ho turn be ore e t. are eligible to attend indergarten ne t ear. or man s hools that o er o en enrollment no is the time to a l . hen ou and our hild isit a s hool it s an o ortunit to meet ith tea hers and sta and get amiliar ith the am us. ou ma also ha e the han e to meet other amilies and in oming indergartners. the s hool ou are onsidering does not o er a indergarten e ent ou ma be able to arrange a s hool tour. all the s hool to ma e arrangements. hen ou isit a s hool or a indergarten e ent or hen ou re read to register be sure to ha e our hild s birth erti ate and immuni ation re ords. ou ill also need t o roo o residen do uments or e am le a alid ri ona dri er li ense or orm lus a ban statement or utilit bill ith our urrent address. ou ha e uestions he the s hool or distri t ebsite or all the s hool o e.

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Kindergarten COUNTS!

Amphitheater www.amphi.com onta t s hools or tours and in ormation or all .

Catalina Foothills www.cfsd16.org al da and ee based indergarten lus o ered. indergarten o en houses o ered in anuar . onta t s hool or in ormation and to to o en house. en enrollment is o . an. .

Flowing Wells www. owingwellsschools.org ree ull da indergarten o ered. all s hools or indergarten oundu in ormation. en enrollment in ormation a ailable on the distri t ebsite. Marana www.maranausd.org ree ull da indergarten o ered at elementar s hools. hallenging a a demi s e tra urri ular o erings and e erien es that enhan e de elo ment and gro th egistration o ens in ebruar onta t s hools or more in ormation. Sahuarita usd .us ree ull da indergarten o ered. inder e ents usuall held in ar h and ril. en enrollment in ormation a ailable on distri t ebsite. Sunnyside www.susd .org o re uest registration in ormation isit SUSD12.org/district/enrollment. Tucson ni ed www.tusd .org ree all da indergarten o ered. inder en ouse and el ome e ents ha ening in ebruar all s hools or dates and in ormation. inder air at the hildren s useum o u son on eb. .

Tanque Verde www.tan ueverdeschools.org ree ull da indergarten o ered. indergar ten oundu ha ens in anuar . all s hool o e or at distri t ebsite. en enroll ment through an. .

Vail vailschooldistrict.org ull da inder ith a erti ed tea her. uition based or hinese mmersion and ail ade m . indergarten e ents ha en in ebruar ar h and . onta t s hools or dates and in ormation.

They’re cute; they’re full of energy, and they are ready to take on the world . They’re 5 years old and taking their biggest step in life so far—kindergarten!

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Academic Advantage Guide

One of the most important decisions you will make as a parent is deciding on our hild s edu ation. ou no our hild better than an one else. ou no their strengths ea nesses ersonalit and hat interests them most. e iding on hat t e o s hool ill or best is or ea h amil to de ide.

There are so many types of s hools no . ubli magnet harter ri ate and homeschool—so many choices can make choosing the right school a di ult and stress ul ro ess. o he out ear s ademi dantage uide as ou hoose a s hool that ill bring out the best in your child!

TYPES OF SCHOOLS:

Charter Schools: These are ubli s hools that are indi iduall run. he do not harge tuition and they must meet all state standards like a traditional state or go ernment unded ubli s hool.

Home School: Teaching a student at home instead of sending them to a traditional s hool. an times the arents are the tea hers or there are homes hool grou s ith arious tea hers. ome homes hool students ta e lasses using online rograms.

Magnet Schools: hese s hools are art o a traditional ubli s hool but the o us on ertain a ademi s li e but the also ollo the state standard urri ulum.

Online or Virtual Schools: hese are li e homes hooling but ith online ourses and instru tors to hel ith lessons. he ollo the state standard urri ulum and man ill ha e a lo al lassroom setting here students ome

in to ta e tests and re ei e tutoring.

2023

Public Schools: ubli s hools are learning institutions that are unded b lo al state and sometimes ederal go ernments. he o er general edu ation o ortunities to students in .

Religious Private Schools: he ma orit o non ubli s hools are religious. an are a liated ith a religious aith su h as atholi rotestant e ish uslim uddhist et . hese s hools re uire tuition but most o er s holarshi s.

Secular Private Schools: hese are non religious s hools. an o these ri ate s hools are re arator s hools designed to re are students or ollege. hese s hools re uire tuition but most o er s holarshi s.

RESEARCH, VISIT AND APPLY

ter ou ha e de ided on hat t e o s hool ou ant our hild to attend do some resear h on the s hool. isit their ebsite and read re ie s rom other arents. onsider things li e the st le o tea hing the urri ulum enri hment o ortunities e tra urri ular a ti ities be ore and a ter s hool are and hether the s hool ro ides brea ast and lun h either ree or or ur hase. ttend o en house e ents or see i the s hool gi es tours o their s hool. his gi es ou the o ortunit to see the am us lassrooms lun hroom laground and more. ometimes ust the little things li e a shaded la ground or a musi room ull o instruments an ma e all the di eren e in our hoi e. hile at an o en house or tour don t be a raid to as uestions. hat is the student tea her ratio hat e tra urri ular a ti ities are o ered hat are our sa et oli ies and regulations o does our s hool re ent bull ing re sta trained in and irst id l to the s hool s ou hoose. onsider a l ing to more than one s hool in ase there is a aiting list or one o our hoi es. ou ll ant to begin the ro ess as earl as ossible to a oid missing deadlines or being ut on a aiting list. hen a l ing ma e sure to see i nan ial aid is a ailable in tuition based s hools and get those orms submitted earl too.

You can visit the U.S. Department of Education for helpful information www2.ed.gov/nclb/choice

Image: shuttersto

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Whether you are choosing your hild s irst res hool elementar middle or high s hool arents ha e some de isions to ma e. t is a good idea to resear h a s hool b he ing their ebsite ind ubli s hool re ort ards as or a tour and attend an o en house i one is a ailable. isit the . . e artment o du ation or hel ul ideas. .ed.go n lb hoi e.

ACADEMY OF TUCSON SCHOOLS

10720 E. 22nd Street • Tucson, 85748 520-307-6252 K–12

Student/Teacher Ratio: 14:1 hhalstead@aoths.net www.academyoftucson.com adem o u son hools o er an ated tuition ree ollege re edu ation. e are a s hool distri t that has a graduation rate. mall lass si es allo tea hers to reall get to no their students and ro ide e tra su ort i needed. adem o u son o ers a ariet o lubs and e tra urri ulars in luding s orts lub art lub and more. t adem o u son hools our mission is to ro ide re are and graduate our students.

nrollment begins an. . en ouse ates an. eb. ar h and ril rom .m. at all three am uses.

BEAR ESSENTIAL NEWS YOUNG REPORTER PROGRAM

2525 E. Broadway, Suite 102. • Tucson, 85716 520-792-9930 Grades: 3–8

From Bear Essential Educational Services

info@bearessentialnews.com www.bearessentialnews.com

ommon ore or sheets resh standards based un sheets or lassrooms to use in on un tion ith the urrent issue o ear ssential e s.

ree oung e orters rogram tudents in grades de elo as oung riters b riting ne s stories or ear ssential e s. oung e orters an attend monthl oom meetings and inter ie im ortant eo le rom our ommunit . ree lassroom resentations i e d nami to i s are a ailable rom a ear editor.

CONGREGATION ANSHEI ISRAEL

5550 E. 5th St. • Tucson, 85711 520-745-5550

Grades: Toddler–Pre-K ecdirector@caiaz.org www.caiaz.org

en to hildren toddlers to re our rogram o ers a high ualit udai and se ular edu ation lo student to tea her ratios enri hment a ti ities su h as and anish earl and e tended are and a beauti ul shaded ar li e la ground.

DESERT CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

9415 E. Wrightstown Rd. • Tucson, 85715

Private Christian School

Preschool 520-795-7161 Elementary and Middle School 520-885-4800 admissions@desertchristian.org www.DesertChristian.org

ome oin us on an. or our o en house or res hool rom

a.m. to .m. he mission o esert hristian hools is to ursue e ellen e in hristian edu ation oster hrist entered relationshi s and endea or to meet the uni ue learning needs o e er student.

DESERT SAGE SCHOOL

3434 E. Broadway • Tucson, 85716 520-365-3766 Grades: 9–12 info@desertsageschool.org www.desertsageschool.org u son has a ne tuition ree aldor ins ired ubli harter high s hoolguided b the ore rin i als o ubli aldor edu ation. ur rogram is ollege re arator arts integrated ulturall res onsi e and relationshi entered. en nrollment eriod ends eb. .

LA PALOMA ACADEMY

Central, Lakeside, South and Marana Grades K–8

www.lpatucson.org a aloma adem s Central am us o ers a ri ate s hool edu ation tuition . he harter s hool is lo ated at . ilmot oad. he am us s read o er se en a res in ludes a multi media enter librar ith state o the art lat s reen om uters. tudents an also en o an indoor a eteria re reation room ull si e so er ield bas etball ourts and t o la grounds. ll students ha e a ess to our ama ing a ilities. ll those attending a aloma s

entral am us are en ouraged to oin one o the s hool s s orts teams or to arti i ate in one o a aloma s e tra urri ular a ti ities. all or go to u son.org or more in ormation.

a aloma s Lakeside o ers a ri ate s hool edu ation tuition . he am us is lo ated at . ol in s d. e o er s orts rograms and heerleading or our students lus man other e tra urri ular a ti ities. ur media enter eatures ne om uters and an e tensi e librar olle tion. a eside eatures t o lasses er grade ro iding small lass si es and reating a rodu ti e learning en ironment. a aloma is ommitted to ro iding the highest ualit edu ation here hildren a hie e their ull a ademi otential.

his is a om lished b indi iduali ed instru tion in ore urri ulum lo tea her student ratios and a uali ied tea hing sta . all or go to u son.org or more in ormation.

hose ho attend a aloma South s am us lo ated at . th enue in u son are taught about trust orthiness res e t res onsibilit airness aring and iti enshi . a aloma outh o ers a ri ate s hool edu ation tuition . he am us ro ides an e e tional edu ational en ironment o using on a ademi s ommunit in ol ement and hara ter alues. ea hers and sta ma e students edu ational e erien e entertaining hallenging and re arding. oin the a aloma adem amil toda . all or go to u son.org or more in ormation.

La Paloma Academy continued on page 21

Academic Advantage Guide

LA PALOMA CONTINUED

a aloma adem s ne est tuition am us at . andario oad in Marana is no o en or the s hool ear ith our am uses a aloma adem is the astest gro ing and largest harter s hool in outhern ri ona. i e all a aloma s hools the ne arana am us is a tuition not or ro it and ro ides an e e tional edu ational en ironment o using on in redible a ademi s ommunit in ol ement and amil alues. lus all a aloma s arana students ha e a ess to the s hool s brand ne and ama ing a ilities. all or go to LPATucson.org

SATORI SCHOOL

3801 N. 1st Ave. • Tucson, 85719 520-887-4003 Preschool–8th Student/TeacherRatio: 12–1 mindy@satorischool.org www.satorischool.org atori hool ro ides a balan ed so ial

emotional and a ademi urri ulum enhan ed ith a uni ue learning en ir onment. ur om munit allo s hildren the o ortunit to ollo their uriosit . e nuture a natural lo e o learning ith an em hasis on out door e erien es and the natural orld in luding art building hands on intera tions ith animal riends reedom to e lore and build strong relationshi s.

TUCSON INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY

2700 W. Broadway • Tucson, 85745 520-792-3255

Grades: K–8

Student/Teacher Ratio: 12–11 www.tucsoninternationalacademy.com remire harter hool u son nternational adem . o s graduates get a e ted to a ollege ith s holarshi e er single ear. ea hers and sta no our hild s name ea hers and sta no our name too. ea hers get to no our hild s dreams hat the thin is un and understand ho our hild learns. Guide continued on page 23

Preschool–8th Grade 9415 E. Wrightstown Rd. Tucson, AZ 85715 PS • 520-795-7161 K8 • 520-885-4800

High School & Central Services 7525 E. Speedway Blvd. Tucson, AZ 85710 HS • 520-298-5817 CS • 520-901-5499

Giving and Sharing Toys, Let’s Be Smart Girls and Boys!

The holidays are a fun time of year for giving and sharing toys. New toys are fun when enjoyed in a safe way.

Play it safe with these important tips:

• Read instructions before playing with new toys.

• Be careful of small parts that anyone can choke on, including your pets.

• Always remove and dispose of packaging, and recycle when possible.

• Some toys need to be put together—ask an adult for help.

• Take good care of your toys and put them away hen ou ha e nished playing with them.

Tips for Parents:

• Buy age-appropriate toys

• Read safety labels

• Properly dispose of plastic bags and packaging materials

• Watch for choking and hearing hazards as well as super magnets

For more information go to toysafetytips.org

Holiday Fun!

Design

UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT tusd1.org/register en nrollment or agnet and li ation s hools is going on t s ime to our s hool er s hools and s e ialt rograms to hoose rom. o other s hool distri t in outhern ri ona o ers as man rograms as u son ni ied egister toda at tusd .org register. irst lotter or en nrollment in our

agnet and a li ations s hools is the end o anuar . ard inning agnet rograms o ering ine er orming and ommuni ation rts ual anguage ien e e hnolog ngineering and ath stems hin ing ontessori raditional ademi s i ted and Talented Education.

agnet rograms ro ide our amil ith a s to meet the indi idual learning st les and interests o our hildren. ind out more at tusd .org agnet.

Holiday Traditions! Holiday Traditions!

More Holiday Traditions

Light the Candles for Hanukkah

by Michael Salinas

My family celebrates Hanukkah. During Hanukkah we spin a dreidel and win chocolate. My family lights a candle each day of Hanukkah.

We Love to Decorate!

by Aaliyah Delgado

My holiday traditions are very calm and easygoing. My family loves decorating our tree with sparkling lights and priceless ornaments! I love baking cookies that are so sweet and decorating with garlands and snowmen! Listening to Christmas songs while in the car driving, we love seeing our to n s hristmas lights n hrist mas a e o u b the re open gifts and enjoy each other s om an . lo e this time of year so much— Merry Christmas!

Thanksgiving & Christmas—

Twice!

by Mackenna Allen

I have two Thanksgivings and two Christmasses! Both are really similar— the only thing different is one is American and the other is Marshallese (from the arshall slands in the a i . e oo u big meals and send time ith amil . hen m ith m mom s amil it s small but reall un ith m great grandma ho oo s umm treats, and my great aunt and great cousin come to see me and my siblings. hen m ith m dad s amil it s reall big. ha e ousins around m age and our aunts e oo a lot o ood and sing songs ith m dad s piano. We all pray to God, and we always have fun doing both families.

Homemade Ornaments, Fake Christmas Tree

by Roman Ballew

or the holida s m amil doesn t really do very much. The one thing that we do is put up a tree and decorate it with homemade ornaments. My family has never gotten a real tree for fear of termites hi h don t reall get so e have a nice fake tree. The holidays are time for love and family, so I hope you have a happy holiday.

Image: shutterstock.com

Image: shutterstock.com

Image: shutterstock.com

Get the Scoop!

CSO Program Brings Change

by CSO Nikhil Johnson, Northern High School, Phoenix

Hello! My name is CSO Nikhil and m the th ear ele ted hie ien e er rom orth igh hool in hoeni ri ona. he literal de nition o being a hie ien e er is a student ambassador or at our res e ti e s hool here ou an hel ma e de isions or the initiati e ho e er or me it has been so mu h more.

ust a ou le o ears ago as terri ed o ailure and as stu in a bubble o being intro erted. o e er anted to ma e an im a t in m ommunit . he airing o mentors li e mar lam rom iasat in addition to the en ouragement o m eers hel ed me see disom ort and ada t m sel to be ome an e tro ert. n the uture ho e to use m mental balan e emotional intelligen e and leadershi s ills to ma e an im a t as a do tor and ommunit leader.

er sin e rst earned the osition as a hie ien e

er as highl moti ated in sho ing students that is in e er thing. or the ast three ears ha e been able to e ol e this idea b de elo ing en iron mental initiati es in m s hool am us and e en the state im lementing di erse a tion lans in the en ironmental lub that ounded at m s hool ha e had the o ortunit to s earhead ommunit leanu s tree lanting da s in ar s hi es s art statement ie es and mu h more. es ite being in m senior ear o high s hool and not o iall being a soon belie e that m a tion lans an reate a sno ball o hange. sho ing m eers that ou an ad o ate or hat ou belie e in ho e to reate lo al hanges that an ause global im a ts.

continues to increase worldwide! In Arizona, there are over 5,400 open jobs today. Many companies in a variety of industries are providing internships, externships, scholarships and on the job training for careers along with hiring graduates of computer science programs. This growth provides compelling career options for all types of people with an aptitude for and interest in math and science. You can also join a team to lead as a project manager.