Allstate makes a BIG delivery
One thousand pencils, 320 spiral notebooks, 200 rulers, and 270 backpacks—that’s just a partial list of the 5,000 school supplies Allstate employees delivered to Madison Camelview Elementary School on Aug. 16. The school serves grades preschool-third.
Team members from Allstate Insurance’s Southwest regional office, located at 16th Street and Missouri Avenue, collected the supplies as part of their 9th annual school supply drive.
“We had a mountain of backpacks spilling out of cubicles, stacks of paper, and piles of pens. We were running out of room in the office to put all the donations,” said Kassandra Zukowski, head of Allstate’s Helping Hands Committee, which spearheaded this year’s drive. “Employees love the program; they feel like kids again getting ready for school to start. And our office is right near several Madison schools; we work in this community. This is where we want to give back.”
In addition to delivering carloads of markers, folders and Kleenex, Allstate presented the Madison School District with a $5,000 check to further help with classroom needs.
“Allstate’s Southwest Regional employees have been tremendous supporters of Madison’s schools. The supplies and donation will go a long way in providing for our high-need students,” said Superintendent Dr. Tim Ham.
In addition to this donation, Madison Camelview, Rose Lane, and Heights schools each received several backpacks filled with school supplies through the Legacy Foundation Back to School Program and the Camelback Kiwanis Club.
The Madison School District has many families that cannot afford basic school supplies and welcomes donations throughout the year. Madison Camelview serves more than 600 children in grades preschool-third; 74 percent of its student population qualifies for free or reduced lunch.
Osborn Elementary School District
After School Care for your children
Longview and Montecito Schools offer an affordable After School Club for working parents. Club activities include Reading Buddies, Academic Games, Puppet Theatre, Homework Time, Fitness, and Arts & Crafts.
The $2 per day fee is discounted for siblings. The club begins after school and students can be picked up as late as 6 p.m. Longview students will be bused to the Montecito campus after school; parents will pick their children up from Montecito (7th Street, just north of Indian School Road). All students must be prepaid by the 15th of each month to be eligible for the subsequent month. The program runs only during days that school is in session.
For more information, visit www.OsbornSchools.org/Programs/AfterSchool.htm or call 602-707-2500 (Montecito) or 602-707-2700 (Longview).
Encanto and Clarendon Schools offer Phoenix Park and Recreation (PAC) after school program for students in grades 1-6. Solano School students will be bused to the Encanto School campus to attend the PAC program. The program runs after school until 6 p.m. The cost is $40/child per session, and the sessions coordinate to Osborn schedules. There is no vacation coverage for fall, winter or spring breaks. The sessions are: 8/11-10/1; 10/11-12/17; 1/3-3/11; and 3/22-5/26. Visit www.phoenix.gov/PAC or call 602-262-4540 for information.
Champions Extended Learning Before & After School is offered at Encanto and Clarendon Schools. Hours of operation are 6:30 a.m. until school starts and after school until 6 p.m. The program runs during school breaks 6:30 a.m.-6 p.m. The cost is $10 per day for a child attending after school 5 days a week. For enrollment and price information visit: www.discoverchampions.com, call 800-246-2154, or stop by the program during operation hours.
Phoenix Union High School District
District announces Employees of Year
Central High teacher Maria Chacon; Metro Tech Principal Kate McDonald; and Camelback Student-Parent Liaison Monica Meza were presented with Phoenix Union High School District 2010 Employee of the Year awards by Superintendent Kent P. Scribner at the District’s Opening of Schools Convocation in late July.
Chacon is a social studies teacher who has taught for four years and is Central’s World History Professional Learning Community (PLC) leader, AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) history teacher, and has constructed her social studies curriculum to press students toward excellence in writing. She created Los Linces, a ballet folklorico group, bringing in a professional instructor, purchasing and making costumes and booking performances throughout the city. The MECHA club sponsor, Chacon is instrumental in the school’s multicultural programs, including the school’s Peace on Earth Day.
McDonald is an instructional leader at Metro Tech High School. The school has been Performing Plus for several years, meets Adequate Yearly Progress, and consistently turns in some of the top AIMS scores in the District. McDonald secured the largest school grant ever from Science Foundation Arizona to implement a sustainability program that was infused across the curriculum, and student-driven projects in sustainability have emerged all over campus. Metro Tech opened the state’s first student-run Credit Union on a high school campus and the school’s automotive department has reached the highest certification possible to train aspiring auto technicians.
A two-time National Board Certified Teacher, McDonald co-taught a humanities course with her administrative team last semester. McDonald has been Metro’s principal for two years.
Meza was one of two employees named Support Staff Employees of the Year. Meza assists English Language Learner students and families with success in school. She makes home visits, facilitates support groups and is a member of the school’s Intervention Team. One colleague says, “We feel as though she is an angel on our campus.” Meza began her career at Camelback in 1998 as an Instructional Assistant.
The following is a list of Certified and Support Staff Employees of the Year, by school: Camelback—Michelle Charles, nurse, and Monica Meza, ELL Liaison; Central—Maria Chacon, Social Studies teacher, and Patty Harris, registrar; Metro Tech—Sarah Endres, SPED teacher, and Lizeth Garay, Credential Specialist; North—John Patrick Doherty, Math teacher; Chris Montenegro, Campus Operations.
Private and Charter Schools
PCU hires new band director
Roger Bemis recently returned from Iraq where he served with the Arizona Army National Guard as a Public Affairs radio broadcast journalist. He has been hired as Phoenix Christian Unified School District’s new band director and general music teacher (K-12) for the 2010-11 school year.
Bemis will teach marching band, two concert bands, string orchestra and a dance/creative movement/worship dance class at the junior/senior high level (6-12). At the central elementary campus (K-5), he will teach beginning band and general music.
Bemis marched with the Colorado Blue Knights Drum & Bugle Corps. He was Drum Major for the 700-plus All-American Marching Band at the opening of Euro-Disney in France. He has worked with bands in the greater Phoenix area since 1984.
For more information about Bemis and the PCUS band and music programs, visit www.phoenixchristian.org or call 602-265-4707.
Valley Christian sets Open Houses
Valley Classical Christian Academy, 7000 N. Central Ave., hosts a series of Open Houses this month. The Open Houses will take place 4-7 p.m. Wednesdays; the school currently is accepting applications for kindergarten through eighth grade.
VCCA is committed to educating students spiritually and academically with Christ at the cornerstone. The school offers small teacher-to-student ratios, before and after-school care and fundamental core subjects at an accelerated pace.
For more information, call 602-955-5959 or visit www.valleyclassical.com.
PCDS has new classes for Community Learners
Phoenix Country Day School, 3901 E. Stanford Drive, will roll out a new slate of community classes for fall, beginning Sept. 20. Age 15 and up may choose from CSI Forensics, Create a Pet Christmas Card, Make A Vest in a Day, Enameled Ornaments, Glass Fusing Workshop, and Intro to Glass Fusing.
For ages 5-8 there’s Intro to Glee Club (beginning musical theater) and for age 8 and up, Glee Club (intermediate/advanced musical theater). All courses are taught by experienced faculty.
For more information and to register, visit www.pcds.org/communityclasses or call Cindy Fowler at 602-955-8200, ext. 2485.
Founded in 1961, Phoenix Country Day School is a nonprofit, nonsectarian college preparatory school enrolling boys and girls in pre-kindergarten through grade 12. To learn more, visit www.pcds.org.
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