Page 28 – North Central News, January 2013
SCHOOL DAYS
Vanessa Fitch’s second-grade class at Biltmore Prep Academy enjoys outdoors story time at the campus’s new “Reading Tree” area, constructed with a grant and other donated funds (submitted photo).
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Biltmore Prep brings ‘Reading Tree’ to life Do gnomes living in trees really exist? And if so, can they help young children learn to read in a unique and positive learning environment? The administrators, faculty and parents at Biltmore Preparatory Academy believe so. That’s why they applied for a grant to build a “Reading Tree” at the elementary school in the Creighton School District. The project included turning an oldgrowth, visually captivating tree in the middle of the Biltmore Prep campus into an outdoor classroom, where “learning gnomes” live and can help students improve their reading and educational skills in a unique setting. Biltmore Prep worked with contractors and partners and received grants from Valley Anesthesiology Foundation and from the Mealman family to make this project a reality for the K-8 school. Biltmore Prep’s principal, Faith Burtamekh, said the grant and the vision for the project are in keeping with the school’s innovative approach to learning. “The goal was to create an exceptional learning environment where kids can get out of the classroom and use their brains and imaginations in different ways while learning critical skills,” Burtamekh explained. “Outdoor classrooms have been proven to be powerful in helping students achieve educational goals, and this incredible project should be no exception.”
Dr. Terry Mealman, a Biltmore Prep parent who provided the grant’s matching funds, said the administration and faculty’s willingness to continue to innovate have made a big difference for students. “Projects such as this one might never come up at schools where the staff is afraid to think outside the box,” he said. “We are very fortunate to have a team of professionals who can make really innovative ways of learning happen for our children.” Carol Hardin, the Biltmore Prep parent who conceptualized, designed, and supervised the construction, said, “We’re very grateful to the Mealman family and to Valley Anesthesiology Foundation for their support of this project, and we also want to recognize their efforts to do good in the community by making this Reading Tree a reality. It has resulted in a beautiful new campus addition that will be utilized by children at our public school for generations to come.”
School Briefs MADISON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT MTA holds successful food drive for food bank Madison Traditional Academy’s National Junior Honor Society conducted a three-week long food drive this holiday season to benefit St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance. Each classroom had their own large food box so every-
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North Central News, January 2013 – Page 29 SCHOOL DAYS
one had a chance to participate. On Dec. 15, NJHS members counted and organized the food, which totaled 2,197 items collected. Kindergarten teacher Amy Ball’s class brought in the largest class total of items at 307. Leah Jenks, the NJHS sponsor, said, “I am blessed and overwhelmed by the giving hearts of our students and staff.”
Students send their knowledge skyward Students at Madison No. 1 recently launched handmade rockets as part of their STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) project, culminating the physics unit. Students learned about forces and motion and applied their knowledge by going through the engineering design process to create a rocket. They worked in teams and spent several days constructing their rockets prior to launching. Students were asked to construct rockets that would travel at least 60 feet into the air while carrying at least one “passenger.” Students also used their math skills as they were given a budget of $500,000 to
Madison No. 1 student Dana Nevarez and teacher Erin Conrardy prepare a homemade rocket for launch (submitted photo).
spend at the “Wildcat Rocket Supply Store,” where items such as duct tape was available for purchase at a price of $3,000 per 10 centimeters.
Medals achieved in Learning Olympics Students in Courtney Hunt’s resource room at Madison Heights medaled in the Learning Olympics, a celebration of meeting personal reading goals. Students have been taught how to set long-term academic achievement
Join us for a Kindergarten Open House
please see MEDALS on page 30
Thursday, March 7 5:00 p.m. — 6:00 p.m.
-or-
Friday, March 8 9:00 a.m. — 10:00 a.m.
at all Madison Elementary Schools* visit kindergarten classrooms hear about the various programs meet the principal speak with current Madison parents tour the school
Madison is pleased to offer free full day kindergarten at Madison Heights, Madison Camelview and Madison Rose Lane as part of the BUILD 5 program. Madison Simis and Madison Traditional Academy offer a fee-based INVEST full day program.
For more information, visit us online at www.madisonAZ.org. *There is a kindergarten wait list at MTA; please call the school for details. Madison Camelview Grades Preschool-4 2002 E. Campbell Phoenix, AZ 85016 602-664-7200
Madison Simis Grades Preschool-4 7302 N. 10th Street Phoenix, AZ 85020 602-664-7300
Madison Rose Lane Grades Preschool-4 1155 E. Rose Lane Phoenix, AZ 85014 602-664-7400
Madison Heights Grades Preschool-4 7150 N. 22nd St. Phoenix, AZ 85020 602-664-7800
Madison Traditional* Grades Preschool-8 925 E. Maryland Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85014 602-745-4000
Page 30 – North Central News, January 2013
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A book bonanza Madison Rose lane was able to purchase 70 library books and 40 Braille books thanks to donations that were made in honor of retired Madison Rose Lane teacher Carol Ann Holmes, who passed away in June. Pictured with some of the donated books are, from Left: Library Coordinator Deborah Reker, Dan Holmes (Carol Ann’s son), Bill Holmes (Carol Ann’s husband), Principal Peter Morkert, and Rose Lane Library Associate Jahnvieve Buseman (submitted photo).
MEDALS continued from page 29 nphx.org 5757 North Central Avenue Phoenix, Arizona 85012
goals. For most students, these are their current grade-level benchmark goals. After setting their goals, the students analyzed their pattern of learning growth
and set interim goals, or sub-steps to achieve their learning goal. Goals were progress monitored using curriculumbased measures, MAP testing, and other standardized assessment measures. Students competed against their own performance and could medal any time they reach a personal achievement goal. A medal ceremony was held Nov. 30 to honor all of Heights’ Olympians.
OSBORN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT After-school classes bringing up scores The first year of the Osborn Elementary School District’s five-year 21st CCLC grant is successfully underway in all five of the district’s schools, with hundreds of students involved in a wide variety of after-school classes. The program at each site is strategically focused on students needing academic intervention in both reading and math. Students are chosen to participate based on their AIMS, NWEA, and Benchmark scores and through teacher recommendation. As an incentive, the intervention students are given the opportunity to participate in a fun and exciting enrichment class ranging from film production to Drama Club to volleyball. Enrichment programs are open to all students, but spaces are limited due to extreme popularity. Osborn also offers adult education classes including Basic English. For more information, visit www.osbornnet.org.
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Students and adults from 33 different countries participated in the Nov. 20 dedication ceremony of Central High’s Peace Pole (submitted photo).
PHOENIX UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT ‘Peace Pole’ dedication held at Central High Central High School dedicated its Peace Pole on Nov. 20, recognized as Universal Children’s Day, with a ceremony that mirrored the diversity of the campus, where students speak
more than 50 languages. Students from 33 different countries participated in the ceremony, which included a Native American blessing, by Loren Russell, and students representing eight languages speaking the words of peace in their languages. Those students and one adult were Andrea Lee, Apache/Navajo; Ernesto please see PEACE on page 32
Celebrating t he J o u r n ey Mark Your Calendar All Saints’ Episcopal Day School cordially invites
Fifty Years of Educating Children Head to Soul
our 50th Anniversary Celebration Weekend!
Friday, March 8 Annual Golf Tournament & Cocktail Party Noon at the Arizona Biltmore Country Club
Saturday, March 9 50th Anniversary Gala 6 p.m. at All Saints’
Sunday, March 10 Family Picnic
Find out more about All Saints’ by visiting us on January 23 for an Open House. RSVP at 602.274.4866, ext. 220.
ALL SAINTS’ EPISCOPAL DAY SCHOOL
Following Morning Church Services at All Saints’
All Faiths Welcome t Pre-K through Eighth Grade t Financial Aid Available
For more information and to RSVP please visit our website at www.aseds.org/50Years
6300 North Central Avenue Phoenix, Arizona 85012 602.274.4866 www.aseds.org Visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/PhoenixASEDS
Page 32 – North Central News, January 2013
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PEACE continued from page 31
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Bracamontes, Spanish; Amie Kamara, French; Yadira Estrada, Japanese; Lingyu He, Ayusa exchange student representing China; Rasool Al Hasany, Arabic; Mr. Keith Caplin, Hebrew; and Sarah Warne, United States English. The four-sided peace pole has the words “May Peace Prevail on Earth,” written in eight different languages, and a cement base that will accommodate more languages on ceramic tiles. The Central High Class of 2010, North Phoenix Baptist Church and a private anonymous donor made the pole possible.
Students lauded as Hispanic scholars North High seniors Alexia Lagarda and Ceasar Udave were named Hispanic Recognition Scholars. The program identifies nearly 5,000 highest-scoring Hispanic/Latino students from the approximately 235,000 Hispanic/Latino juniors who take the PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT) each year.
Alexia Lagarda
Ceasar Udave
Lagarda is North’s Robotics club president, which competes in FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics events. Her career goal is to be an engineer and build robots. Lagarda is active in JROTC as a color guard member, mock trial club secretary, National Art Honor Society, Interact Club and Hiking Club. She will be the first in her family to attend college. Udave loves music and physics. His safe career strategy is to become an engineer. But the tuba player in the North band has a creative side as well. He likes to write jokes and wants to do stand-up comedy. In addition, he draws sketches and he also is interested in film, acting and animation. Besides
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band, he is in drama and the hiking club at school. Although the National Hispanic Scholars program does not provide a financial reward, being named is an important academic recognition for students and colleges and universities that are particularly interested in communicating with academically exceptional Hispanic/Latino students.
Three students featured on PBS program “SciGirls,” a PBS television program that showcases bright, curious ’tween girls putting science and engineering to work in their everyday lives, featured three Bioscience students in a Nov. 30 episode. The episode was called “Bee Haven,” and was described as “the latest buzz from downtown Phoenix: the SciGirls use math, mapping and data visualization to prove that their urban beehive can thrive in an urban environment.” Sophomores Briana Diaz Monica, Hernandez, Damaris Moore were selected for the episode and teamed up with an Arizona State University professor and The Grow House, for a weeklong filming in March (when the girls were still freshmen) to learn how to build a beehive, raise honey bees and produce honey.
Torres honored for photography North High student Susana Torres won first place in the high school digital photography category in the Arizona Department of Education’s art competition “Arizona, A Brilliant Kaleidoscope of Color, Form and Design.” Torres won for her entry, entitled “Tragedy.” She will be honored at an awards ceremony on Jan. 11 at the Department of Education, and her work will be displayed in the hallways and offices of the department. Her teacher is Tamea Mikesell.
Trujillo a finalist in video contest Metro Tech student Janet Garcia Trujillo was one of five finalists for a video public service (PSA) contest, winning a $500 gift card courtesy of Vestar. She will have her video shown on Cox Cable through the month of January. As part of the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office Fall 2012 My Message PSA Contest, students were asked to create a compelling, 25-second video to
Metro Tech student Janet Garcia Trujillo is presented her finalist certificate by Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery for her winning entry in the Fall 2012 My Message PSA Contest (submitted photo).
encourage their peers not to abuse illegal drugs, alcohol or prescription medications. To view Trujillo’s winning video, visit www.safeteensaz.org, click on “My Message Fall 2012,” and then select “Winning Entries.” Trujillo’s video is the second from the top on the left side, featuring a young man drinking from an unmarked bottle in a kitchen. Eighteen Metro Tech Film students produced videos for the competition. Nine Metro students made the semifinals, announced Dec. 6 and the finalists were honored at an awards ceremony on Dec. 14.
Art teacher wins award Judith Mariahazy, art teacher and the instructional leader for visual arts at Central High, received the Arizona Art Education Association State Award. The J. Eugene Grigsby, Jr. Award is one of the most honorable awards for the association. Mariahazy was honored for her accomplishments in Art Education at the annual AAEA State Convention, held Nov. 2 in Tucson. Mariahazy is also this year’s Central High School Teacher of the Year. Grigsby was a Phoenix Union art teacher, beginning his career at Carver High School in 1946, and later moving to Phoenix Union. He was a professor at Arizona State University for 22 years.
Zepeda named to All-America team Camelback High senior Antonio Zepeda did a little bit of everything for the Spartan football team this year, and now he is All-Arizona, being named to the American Family Insurance AllArizona Team as a defensive end. please see TEAM on page 34
Page 34 – North Central News, January 2013
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Stephanie Wagner Kethcart, DDS
SCHOOL DAYS
TEAM continued from page 33
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Third graders in Kelly Olson’s class at Washington Elementary School learned a special lesson on math and giving this year. While working on a lesson about 100s, students suggested that they collect 100 items to send to a New Jersey elementary school hit by Hurricane Sandy. After reading about and watching a video on Hurricane Sandy and the devastation it caused along the eastern coastline, the students incorporated the idea of helping other students with their lessons. They contacted a school in New Jersey to find out what they needed and
began collecting items. Far more than the original 100 items have been collected over the past month, and the items already are on their way to New Jersey.
WESD celebrates solar at two schools Washington Elementary School District, Tioga Energy and Wilson Electric Services Corp. celebrated the completion of two solar installations at Mountain View School, and Sunnyslope School. The celebration took place at Sunnyslope School on Nov. 30. The solar installations will save the district an estimated $1.5 million in reduced energy costs over the next 20 years. Tioga Energy worked with the District to execute a SurePath solar services agreement (SSA) under which Tioga assumed the up-front costs of building the systems. Tioga Energy developed, owns and will operate and maintain the systems, selling the schools the generated solar electricity at rates below those of the utility company. For each school, Wilson Electric designed and installed a ballasting, non-penetrating roof-mounted Suntec 290-watt system across three buildings
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PRIVATE AND CHARTER SCHOOLS Xavier hosts entrance exams for Class of ’17 Xavier College Preparatory will host its Entrance Exam 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 12. Registration is not required. An exam fee of $50 will be collected at
Debbie DiCarlo, director of Parish and Community Engagement for Catholic Charities Community Services, visited SS. Simon and Jude Catholic School on Nov. 27 as part of the school’s Guest Reader Program. This program promotes reading and shows that people in all professions like to read. DiCarlo is in charge of connecting faith communities and other partners to the service of Catholic Charities, and helps others engage in ministry/service in support of foster care. She noted that there are 13,500 children under 18 who do not have a home and are in foster care right now. After reading three short books, two written by foster children, the students asked questions. The children learned not only about the value of reading, but also the value of caring for others and Catholic Social teaching.
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the beginning of the exam, and either cash or a check made payable to Xavier College Preparatory will be accepted. Applications will be distributed at testing. Approximate dismissal time will be 11:30 a.m. Xavier also will host a Make-Up Entrance Exam 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 26, for those students who are unable to take the exam on Jan. 12 and who have not previously tested elsewhere. Registration is required for this exam, and may be arranged by calling Nancy Schissel at 602-277-3772, ext. 3112. Visit www.xcp.org for more information,
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and solar support structures across the playgrounds and parking lot, providing necessary shading for some of the ground’s most frequently used areas. The Mountain View project includes the installation of 1,896 solar panels and is expected to save more than $11,000 in energy and operational costs in the first year. Sunnyslope’s installation of 1,416 solar panels is expected to save some $17,000 in energy and operational costs in the first year. In December 2011, Arizona Public Service (APS) invited schools to submit applications for solar installations to take advantage of a special utility incentive program for schools. Mountain View and Sunnyslope Schools were the only two schools in Arizona to be awarded solar projects. Tioga Energy and Wilson Electric also sponsored curriculum training for 42 teachers to support them in working with students in the classroom on energy and solar related topics. Tioga and Wilson Electric are also providing each school with a touch-screen, Web-based kiosk that displays real-time and historic system production data, as well as “fun fact” figures about the various carbon offset equivalents created through the use of solar energy.
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Sunnyslope Elementary students thank “Mr. Sun” for his help in providing solar energy to the school (submitted photo).
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