Phoenix Central - Education

PUHSD offers online mapping for redistricting?
- Residents Can Try Hand at Redistricting Phoenix Union Wards with Online Mapping Tool

Residents living in the Phoenix Union High School District boundaries will have a chance at redrawing the maps of its five single-member governing board districts or wards through the use of an online mapping program that is now available on the District?s website at http://www.phoenixunion.org/redistricting.

The online mapping tool allows individuals to draw and submit proposed maps that adhere to the key principles of redistricting--equal distribution of population and preserving minority voting representation-- in each of the five wards. Users can move precincts and neighborhoods from existing wards to create new ward boundaries, while the mapping program simultaneously updates the demographics of each ward.

According to Tony Sissons of Research Advisory Services, Inc., who is managing Phoenix Union?s redistricting process, online mapping by residents in other Arizona jurisdictions has produced maps that were ultimately adopted. ?Using this cutting edge mapping technology, coupled with District Governing Board and Superintendent?s sincere desire to seek active resident input and engagement will ultimately produce a new map that is reflective of the community?s best collective interest,? said Sissons.

The online tool will be active until February 20 to gather additional community input into the redistricting process. Five community meetings, one in each ward, were held, January 18-25.

To complete the process by the required April 1 deadline, the following timetable has been developed:

Thurs., March 1, 6:30 p.m. - Research Advisory Services, Inc., with its collected community input, will present 4-5 alternative maps to the Governing Board at its regular monthly meeting.

Mon., March 5, 6:00 p.m. - Draft maps will be presented to the community at a public meeting for any and all interested residents to provide their input. Additional community input will be considered through March 22.

Tues., March 27, 6:00 p.m. - At a special Governing Board meeting, the Governing Board will adopt one final map, which will be submitted to the Department of Justice.

All meetings will be held at the PUHSD district office, 4502 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85012

Based on 2010 census data, each ward should have an ?ideal? total population size of 130,518. Currently Ward 1 in southwest Phoenix and Laveen, which experienced rapid growth in the last ten years, has 30 percent more residents than the targeted population, while three wards in the north and east of the school district have up to 13 percent less than the 130,000 mark. The new wards should also be geographically compact and connected.

The reapportioned wards will not be in effect until 2014, when the five single-district governing board terms end. The two at-large governing board seats will be determined in the 2012 election.

Source: Phoenix Union High School District

News for the Osborn School District?
- Congratulations to our Spelling Bee winners:

First Place?Hannah Zozobrado, 4th grade at Solano

Second Place?San Juana Cruz, 5th grade at Clarendon

Third Place?Ericka Morales, 4th grade at Clarendon

Lori Sanders, retired Media Specialist from Encanto, served as pronouncer and Sue Corbin, Board Member, Veronica Griffin, Director of iTeach and to Roberta Figueroa, PreSchool Coordinator served as judges.

The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) and the Nawic Education Foundation (NEF) plan to hold their annual Block-Kids Building competition at Clarendon School on February 25 to raise awareness of career opportunities in the construction industry. The Block-Kids Building Program is a national building program competition that is sponsored on the local level by NAWIC chapters and other organizations. The award winning program introduces children to the construction industry in an effort to create an awareness of and to promote an interest in future careers in one of the many facets of the industry. The program is open to elementary school children in grades 1- 6. Osborn plans to select one student from each classroom and two from sixth grade classrooms to represent the district. The competition involves the construction of various structures with interlocking blocks and three additional items. Local winners advance to Regional competition, and one semi-finalist from each region is entered in the National Program competition. National prizes are awarded to the top three projects.

The Osborn Educational Foundation supports innovation in education through Mini-grants to district teachers and staff in amounts up to $300 in support of projects which improve students? physical and mental health; enhance literacy, math, science and the arts; and promote innovation and enhancement in education. The projects take place during the school year, with a Completion Report due in mid May. Teacher Mini-grants are supported through donations to Osborn Educational Foundation, visit http://www.OsbornNet.org/OEF for more information or to donate to this unique program.

Clarendon School (4-6)

The following mini-grant recipients submitted winning projects: Dual Language Teachers Jon Gorter and Ann Aken whose project Chasing Vermeer will use the funds to purchase thirty copies of the novel and four sets of pentaminos puzzles. Students will study the book Chasing Vermeer and then work with pentaminos puzzles, similar to the character in the novel. Ben Baldner?s project Expanding Non Fiction Resources will purchase comprehension cards, folders and leveled nonfiction books in order to get students excited about non-fiction. Art Teacher Barbara Middleton?s project Weaving will purchase cotton warp, plastic weaving needles, and ten classes worth of yarn. Fourth and fifth grade students will learn the basics tapestry techniques of weaving shapes and planning simple designs.

Clarendon and OMS Band Teacher Theresa Hulihan?s project Composer Workshop will have her sixth grade Advanced Band and OMS Symphonic Band students work intensively with composer and educator Dr. Sy Brandon, focusing on composition, musical interpretation, and artistic performance. The Advanced Band will perform his Civil War Suite in the spring. The Symphonic Band will perform his Legend of 10,000 Lakes.

Encanto School (K-3)

Mini-grant recipients are: Dual Language Teacher Michele Doherty whose project When It Comes to Learning, "One Size Does Not Fit All!" will use the funds to purchase a math work station kit in order to have first graders work independently, with a partner, or teacher to make their own "A-Ha" or "O-Oh" discoveries about mathematics. Jennifer Cook?s project From Tadpole to Frog will purchase tadpole kits and extra tadpoles so that students observe and understand the life cycle of frogs. Rachel Sartori?s project I'm a Smart One! will purchase SMART board counting games and measurement activities to engage, challenge and inform Kindergarten students.

Longview (K-6)

Fifty 6th graders accompanied Band Teacher Helena Elling to attend the Arizona Opera?s ?Community Night? final dress rehearsal performance of Madame Butterfly. There were many high schools, middle schools and fine arts charters represented, but Longview was unique from the moment the elementary students pulled up in their charter bus equivalent of a Cinderella coach--all white and beautiful. Needless to say, students were very excited. One student recalled, ?My favorite singer in the opera was Madame Butterfly because she had an amazing voice and she didn?t have a hard time to make her voice very great and clear.? Another student said, ?My favorite character was Suzuki because she pushed down that guy.? They were enthralled with Symphony Hall?the lobby, ?fancy? restrooms, ?soft couches?, and the balconies in the hall. When asked if they would consider attending the opera again, they all raised their hands.

New afterschool tutoring groups and Enrichment Clubs are forming at Longview. Some of the Enrichment Clubs are: Yoga Monday, Shred Fitness, Ballet, Tennis, Yoga, Crime Scenes Investigators (CSI), Open Library, Scrapbooking, Fitness Fun, Robotics, Nail Design, Tetherball, and Girls & Boys Baseball

Longview mini-grant recipients include: Special Education Teacher Nora Ryszka whose project I Am Part of the Puzzle. I Am The Peace will use the funds to purchase children's literature and develop lesson plans to support the school?s Positive Behavior program. Bill Lightfoot?s project World History Studies Weekly Newspaper will use newspapers in small group reading instruction to target specific needs of the students. The students can use them to research written reports and as story starters.

Kindergarten teacher Renee Schlenker and sixth grade teacher Stephanie Saclarides are coordinating Longview?s Talent Show, which will take place on March 9. Parents are invited to attend.

Osborn Middle School (7-8)

OMS mini-grant recipients are: Master Teacher Brendan Mann?s project Boys Can Read Too! will purchase book sets by Chris Crutcher, motivating reluctant readers to read inspiring books about boys who overcome odds. Art Teacher Panthea Begay?s project Ceramics at the Middle School will purchase clay, glaze and books to introduce students to ceramics, incorporating art history, cultures, time periods and the progression of ceramics from craft to fine art. AmeriCorps Member Elizabeth VanderLeest?s project Sister To Sister will purchase items for an after-school girls group designed to help young teenage girls develop healthy attitudes and lifestyles through various topic discussions.

Solano School (K-6)

Kindergarten teacher Sammi Miller received a mini-grant from the Osborn Educational Foundation: Her project Interactive Mathematics will purchase early math games, simple addition and word problem centers in order to promote Mathematics with her Kindergarten class through hands-on activities.

Solano School will host the district Soccer Tournament on February 25.

Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser for the student council will be on February 23.

Source: Cynthia Westberg, EdM, Osborn School District

Phoenix Union Begins Redistricting Process for Governing Board Election Wards
- Phoenix Union High School District will begin the process of re-defining the boundaries of its five single-member governing board districts or wards in January, with community meetings scheduled in each ward for citizen input.

The school district is complying with a 1990 consent decree born out of a court case to review, and if necessary, re-draw the boundaries based on decennial census information in order to keep each ward as ?nearly equal? in population, as possible, and in conformance with voting rights requirements. Because of rapid population growth in some areas of the school district, and population loss in other areas, new ward boundaries have to be created. A map of the current governing board wards is included.

Residents of the five wards will have the opportunity to learn about the process and provide input at the following community meetings:

Ward 4 (located within the Phoenix Central Neighborhood boundaries): Monday, January 23 at Metro Tech High School, 1900 W. Thomas Road, Phoenix, 85015. Banquet Room @ 6 p.m.

The reapportioned wards will not be in effect until 2014, when the five single-district governing board terms end. The two at-large governing board seats will be determined in the 2012 election.

The new wards should be equal in population size, and should not dilute minority voting strength. The population of each ward should be approximately 130,000. However, based on the 2010 Census, Ward 1 in southwest Phoenix and Laveen has grown to 169,642 residents, while Wards 2, 3 and 4 in South and Central Phoenix are all less than 120,000. Ward 5 in West Phoenix is at 134,846, which is close to the ideal size.

Phoenix Union has selected Research Advisory Services, Inc. to manage the redistricting process, including the community meetings. Research Advisory Services will make a preliminary presentation to the Governing Board regarding the process and timeline, Thursday, January 12 at 6:30 p.m.at the district office, 4502 N. Central Avenue. This company also provides an online feature to enable citizens to create their own ward map for consideration. Research Advisory Services, Inc. will present options to the Governing Board in March.

Source: Phoenix Union High School District

Osborn School News?
- Superintendent Wilma Basnett is pleased to announce that two Osborn schools have won the prestigious first place Golden Bell Award from the Arizona School Board Association. Golden Bell Awards are one of the most important and coveted education awards in Arizona and are given to school districts from throughout the state that have shown outstanding successes in student achievement. First Place and Runner Up awards are given state-wide in four categories: District-wide Curriculum Delivery and Accountability Program; High School (Grades 9-12); Middle Years (Grades 4-9); and Elementary Years (Pre-K-Grade 6).

Solano Modified Traditional School won a first place Golden Bell in the Elementary Years category. The Solano Writing Project is a school-wide program designed to empower students as writers. Solano staff members believe that one of our most important tasks as educators is to introduce students to written language and to teach them how to use it to communicate effectively and creatively. The Writing Project has not only been a positive experience for the Solano community, it has also contributed to improved achievement for Solano students as they grow and mature in the school. For more information, see http://www.osbornnet.org/programs/A+Writing.htm

Osborn Middle School won a first place Golden Bell in the Middle Years category. Osborn Middle School?s Honors Mathematics program was designed to increase academic opportunities for students by accelerating mathematics coursework and curriculum. The timing of a student?s successful completion of Algebra 1 in their academic career is critical to opportunities afforded them during high school and beyond. Accelerating students? mathematics curriculum facilitates their enrollment in advanced mathematics courses at the high school level. Our Honors Mathematics Program has grown in both strength and numbers over the past five years. It has grown so large that more than a third of Osborn?s 2011 graduating eighth grade class started high school this fall one or two years accelerated in Mathematics. For more information, see http://www.osbornnet.org/programs/A+Math.htm

Superintendent Wilma Basnett and Principal Karen Epps are also pleased to announce that Solano Modified Traditional School has earned a Highly Performing label from the Arizona Department of Education. Students and staff have worked very hard for this honor. Last year Solano had a high percentage of students who exceeded the state standards!

Clarendon, Longview, and the Osborn Middle School all earned Performing Plus labels and Encanto earned the Performing label. At Encanto, only the third grade is tested for AIMS, and thus the school is unable to demonstrate growth between two tested grade levels (a significant part of Arizona?s formula for determining both types of school labels). Encanto students consistently perform very well on the AIMS. Under Arizona?s new letter labeling system, three district schools are labeled ?B? (Clarendon, Osborn Middle and Solano) and the remaining two are labeled ?C? (Encanto and Longview).

Volunteers from Rotary 100 brought dictionaries to Osborn fifth graders. This year all 307 fifth graders received their own dictionary to take home. Extra dictionaries are available for students who enroll during the school year. They commented on how polite the children were and how delighted they seemed with their books. Each student received a paperback copy of A Student?s Dictionary & Gazetteer personalized with their name inscribed inside. Research indicates that a dictionary in the home is shared by at least four people- giving the entire family the opportunity to increase their vocabulary. Fifth grade teachers also provide many opportunities for students to increase their word power through the use of their dictionaries throughout the school year.

Source: Osborn School District

Still Time for Fall Classes; Learn About Camp Colley?
- Though some classes are filled, there's still time to register for openings in some fall classes, programs and sports leagues. Check out the Classes and Programs link at the top left of the Parks and Recreation Department webpage to see a full listing of available fall classes, programs and sports leagues for kids and adults of all ages.

Did you know that the Parks and Recreation Department operates an outdoor adventure camp in the cool pines of the Mogollon Rim? Camp Colley, operated with the support of the non-profit Camp Colley Foundation, offers a host of family camps that introduce people to camping and outdoor recreation. Check out the Camp Colley Foundation webpage for details on this great facility and its programs and the ways you can support this wonderful resource

Source: City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department

Copyright (c) 2008-2012. Al Jones for Phoenix Central Neighborhood Association. All rights reserved.