Peoria Back to School 2021 by Times Media Group

PeoriaTimes.com

July 22, 2021

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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

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Choice Academies charter offers long term continuous education from preschool through high school.

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Candeo Schools recognized as school of distinction BY PEORIA TIMES STAFF Candeo Peoria has been named a Core Knowledge School of Distinction by the Core Knowledge Foundation. The top-ranked Arizona charter school is one of just 10 schools across the country to earn this highly sought-after distinction. Core Knowledge refers to the school’s adopted curriculum taught to students in pre-K through eighth grade and puts knowledge at the heart of schooling. Schools that present this curriculum through a superior experience to students receive the distinction designation. “When Candeo was founded 14 years ago, we knew that a quality, coherent, specific and cumulative curriculum full of rich and essential content was necessary to provide a sure foundation of knowledge for every child,” said Dr. Stephanie Musser, founder and chief executive officer of Candeo Schools. “Core Knowledge is that curriculum, and we are proud of the work our students, teachers and leaders accomplish through this remarkable program of education and are honored to have

received the recognition for our work.” This honor is awarded following a pronounced and extensive evaluation conducted by the Core Knowledge Foundation. From it, the foundation assesses levels of performance and fidelity of implementation across the entire program. They examine markers of a superior education experience, including instructional planning, design and methodologies; professional development and collaboration; teacher evaluation and support; school and student engagement and outcomes; and school leadership. “We were incredibly impressed with the attention to planning, quality of implementation and level of support provided to students,” said Kristen Rodriguez, director of school engagement and special projects, and Christina Erland, director of school support, of the Core Knowledge Foundation. “We are proud to consider Candeo Schools-Peoria as a prime example of

the Core Knowledge approach.” There are 635 Core Knowledge schools across the nation, and some worldwide. Due to this elite designation, educators from across the country seek out Candeo Peoria as a destination for observation and learning. “The School of Distinction designation establishes Candeo Peoria as a beacon — on a global scale — of learning equity, school reformation, and classical leadership,” said Becky Palisuri, head of school at Candeo Peoria. “Our school regularly hosts civic leaders, school administrators and teachers, parents and families and curious academics from across the country to showcase the effects of the Core Knowledge curriculum on our students. We fully believe this is what’s missing in education today.” Candeo Peoria’s impressive performance in academics, operations and finance qualified the school to replicate

its program in a second campus in the past year, located in North Scottsdale. The curriculum has already proven to advance students notably forward. In this inaugural year, students enter without having been taught a curriculum like this before,” said Koren Lane, head of school at Candeo North Scottsdale. “Its impact is astounding. What students are now able to know and do as a result of this program is readily apparent to them and their families. It just illustrates the point that what students learn from day to day and year to year — the content — cannot be left to chance. Core Knowledge truly allows all students to build necessary knowledge for academic and life success.” To learn more about Candeo Schools visit candeoschools.com. For more information on Core Knowledge curriculum and the Core Knowledge Foundation, visit coreknowledge.org.

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Student Chronicles BY PEORIA TIMES STAFF Know of a student doing something remarkable? Tell us about it! Email christina@timespublications.com. More than 4,700 Baylor University students have been named to the dean’s academic honor list for the spring 2021 semester. The dean’s academic honor list recognizes Baylor undergraduates for their outstanding academic work during each semester. Students honored on the dean’s list earned a minimum semester grade-point average of 3.70 with no grade lower than a “C” GIVING

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while enrolled in at least 12 graded semester hours. Among those honored were Abby Michelle Kessen, who is studying in the Hankamer School of Business; and Abbye Grace Porro from the College of Arts & Sciences. Both are from Peoria. College of St. Mary in Omaha, Nebraska, has released its dean’s list and president’s honor roll for the spring 2021 semester. In total, 174 students were named to the honorary dean’s list, while 124 students made the president’s honor roll.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison has recognized students named to the dean’s list for the spring semester

of the 2020-2021 academic year. Students who achieve at a high level academically are recognized by the dean at the close of each semester. To be eligible for the dean’s list, students must complete a minimum of 12 graded degree credits in that semester. Each university school or college sets its own GPA requirements for students to be eligible to receive the distinction. Most call the honor dean’s list, but some grant the dean’s honor list and dean’s high honor list. The dean’s list included Atilano Escobar and Daniel Muller, both of Peoria. They are in the school of education.

have responsibility not only to provide safe, reliable power, but to strengthen and empower the communities we serve, and we take that responsibility very seriously.” The application process is quick, and she encourages any and all eligible teachers to apply.

“We want as many teachers as possible to apply and have the opportunity to get $500 that they can use to help their classrooms and help their students,” Stewart said. Anyone interested in applying for the program can do so online at supplymyclass.com.

To qualify for the College of St. Mary dean’s list, students must earn a GPA of 3.5 or higher after completing at least 12 semester hours as a full-time student. For inclusion in the president’s honor roll, students must earn a 3.9 GPA or above. Honored were Micah Collins of Peoria. Collins is a senior who made the president’s honor roll while working toward a Bachelor of Science in occupational therapy.

“They know best what they need for their classrooms, so we want to give them that flexibility,” she said. “It would vary from teacher to teacher and school to school. They know the greatest needs for their classrooms, so we leave it up to them to allocate the money as they see fit.”

She said APS staff values education and it aligns to their company’s values and commitments. “We’re a long-standing supporter of education in Arizona and we believe a strong education system is important in the state,” Stewart said. “As a company that’s headquartered in Arizona, we

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