The Latest from Laveen - Spring 2014

from The Latest

Two Laveen Schools are Named 2014 A+ Schools of Excellence

Page 4

SPRING 2014

Students from M.C. Cash show off their A+ designation. Photo provided by D.L. Withers Construction.

Dear Community Members,

We already know we have

the best schools and the

best students, but its still

very gratifying when others

take notice and give recog-

nition to our Laveen neigh-

borhood schools and students.

Two Laveen schools, M. C. Cash and

Trailside Point, received the prestigious A+

School of Excellence award from the Arizo-

na Educational Foundation. Trailside Point

School was designated a No Place for Hate

school by the Anti-Defamation League and

also won a Silver Award from Positive Be-

havior Interventions and Supports of Arizo-

na. Vista earned the Higher Performing

School designation from the National Cen-

ter for Educational Achievement for the sec-

ond year in a row.

This has been another amazing year for

our students as well. We have a number of

students who received individual recogni-

tion from a variety of organizations. You

can read about their accomplishments on

Page 4.

In addition to these recognitions, many

of our students participated in neighbor-

hood beautification and service projects.

They sent thousands of cards to active duty

troops and visited a senior center. Together,

they donated thousands of dollars through

the Laveen Lions Club penny drive to fund

food baskets for families in need. For the

second year in Laveen, several of our stu-

dents were inducted into the National Jun-

ior Honor Society.

Schools are at the heart of any communi-

ty and, in a very big way, help to define the

quality of a community. In the Laveen

School District, we arent just building a

school district, were building a community.

Thank you to all our community members

for supporting your neighborhood schools.

Dr. Bill Johnson,

Superintendent

Page 2

All Laveen schools to offer electives in 2014-15 In addition to offering art, P.E., and music, all seven

Laveen schools will be providing additional electives

next school year. Here is just a snapshot of some of next

years offerings.

Cheatham will offer STEM with a focus on technolo-

gy. Students in Grades 6-8 will first be introduced to

technology and various applications. Eighth grade stu-

dents will become Google certified. All STEM students

will create their own websites in preparation of present-

ing a detailed engineering project during the spring se-

mester.

Desert Meadows will offer technology integration

and character education. Students in Grades K-5 will be

on an exploratory schedule while middle school stu-

dents will take weekly blocks of the offered electives.

At Laveen School, students in Grades 5-8 may take

band or choir. Spanish will be offered daily in Grades 1-

8.

M.C. Cash will be focusing on computers in all grade

levels. Students in Grades K-2 will take Computer Ba-

sics. Computer Design and Digital Citizenship will be

offered to students in Grades 3-5. Middle school stu-

dents will take Advanced Computer Design and Coding.

Rogers Ranch will further their engineering offerings

offering a variety of programs from which students may

choose. Elementary is Engineering (EIE) will be offered

to students in Grades 2-4. Fourth and fifth graders can

take Design Squad and students in Grades 6-8 may

take Math, Engineering, and Science Achievement

(MESA). Robotics will be offered to seventh and eighth

graders.

At Trailside Point, Readers Theater will be offered

to K-5 students. Band and Or-

chestra will be offered to fifth and

sixth graders. Junior high stu-

dents have a variety of electives

to choose from including: Band,

Consumer Science, Broadcasting,

Theater, Set Design and Produc-

tion, Creative Studies, and Robot-

ics. Living History Wax Museum

will be available to sixth graders.

Vista del Sur will be offering Spanish daily to all sev-

enth and eighth grade students.

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Laveen District adopts new curriculum The Laveen Elementary School District will implement new math and reading curriculum when

school starts in the fall. That means new textbooks, new workbooks, and new learning resources for

Laveen students.

Teams of teachers, instructional coaches, and administrators dedicated hundreds of hours to review

and evaluate mathematics and English language arts programs that are aligned to the Arizona College

and Career Ready Standards.

The mathematics committee selected My Math for

Grades K 5 and Glencoe Mathematics for Grades 6

8. Both programs are published by McGraw-Hill. The

English language arts committee selected Reading Won-

ders, also by McGraw-Hill, for Grades K 3. Reading

Street was selected for Grades 4 and 5 and Common Core

Literature for Grades 6 8; both are published by Pear-

son.

Both the math and English language arts curricula are

aligned to the new state standards and have a digital platform giving students the ability to access re-

sources, activities, and other online tools. Teachers are participating in numerous professional develop-

ment opportunities to prepare for the upcoming school year.

Laveens Governing Board approved the mathematics curriculum in May 2013 and the English

language arts curriculum in April. The new curriculum adoption was made possible by the capital

override approved by Laveen residents in 2012.

Laveen offers free meals during summer

Several Laveen schools will be offering free

breakfast and lunch over the summer as part of

the Summer Food Service Program.

Children 18 years and younger may receive

breakfast and lunch, free of charge, at any of the

designated sites. The program is sponsored by the

U.S. Department of Agriculture to ensure chil-

dren continue to receive nutritious meals even

when school is not in session. All meals meet the

federal nutrition guidelines.

M.C. Cash, Trailside Point, and Rogers Ranch

schools will offer breakfast and lunch from May

27 to July 24, Monday through Thursday. Desert

Meadows will operate from May 27 to August 1

Monday through Friday, except July 4. Children

may eat at any of the designated sites, regardless

of where they attend school.

Breakfast will be served from 7:30 a.m. to

8:00 a.m. Lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. to

12:30 p.m.

Please be sure to check out our website,

www.laveeneld.org to verify times and locations.

Receive biweekly Laveen news directly

to your inbox. Visit our website,

www.laveeneld.org, to sign up for the

District Dialogue!

Page 4

M.C. Cash, Trailside Point win 2014 A+ School of Excellence Award*

The Arizona Educational Foundation has named both M.C. Cash and Trailside Point A+ Schools of

Excellence.

The program recognizes schools that demonstrate high achievement while identifying and meeting

the academic and non-academic needs of their student population.

M.C. Cash and Trailside Point schools submitted applications describing their programs and practic-

es, parent and community involvement, and their commitment to excellence, equity, and service.

The A+ School of Excellence selection committee; comprised of award-winning principals, teachers

and community leaders; visited the schools in March.

Both schools will be presented $500 and a banner designating it as an A+ School of Excellence.

*A+ School of Excellence is a trademark or service mark of the Arizona Educational Foundation and is used by permission.

Josiah Davis, Rogers Ranch

I Can Do It Award

Council for Exceptional Children

Elisabeth Montoya, Desert Meadows

2nd Place, Silver Award

Grand Canyon State Games

Essay Contest

Jaad Waters, Vista del Sur

3rd Place

Regional Spelling Bee

Accomplishments

Lizbet Suarez, M.C. Cash

Grand Prize

Phoenix Suns & Southwest Airlines

"Symbol of Freedom" Art and Essay Contest

Jorge Jasso, Trailside Point

1st Place, Middle School Division

Arizona State University

2014 MLK, Jr. Celebration Art Contest

Kitana Olson, Trailside Point

2nd Place, Blitz Tournament Kamila Olson, Trailside Point

1st Place, The Bug House Tournament

AZ Scholastic State Chess Championship

Jeremy Jackrabbit Captures the Sun

Student Illustrations

Celeste Lamadrid, Vista del Sur and Sarah Lynd, Natalie Pol, Stephen Purvis,

and Marissa Torres all from Trailside Point

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Trailside Point wins Silver Award

Trailside Point received the Silver Award for high

fidelity Positive Behavior and Intervention Supports

(PBIS) implementation and student outcomes at the annual Behavior Education Technology Conference

Trailside implemented PBIS three years ago. Since their Panther P.A.C.T w