As part of an ongoing effort to foster collegiality and promote transparency, the PVSchools Governing Board is pleased to announce the Bagels with the Board events. These events occur quarterly and are held at various schools throughout the district.

The next Bagels with the Board for the 2018-19 school year will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 5th from 10-11 a.m. at Explorer Middle School.  

All members of the community are invited to attend this event to have an opportunity to talk with Governing Board members. Bagels and coffee will be provided.

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The Horizon High School Marching Band received First Place and won the Division 1A Arizona Marching Band Association State Championship on Nov. 10th under the direction of band director Kyle Hollerbach. Throughout the season the members of the Horizon High School Marching Band worked really hard and beat about 40 bands. They received top honors in Visual, General Effect and Percussion with their show Playback. This topped off a perfect season for the Horizon Pride Regiment as they placed first at every competition they attended.

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PVSchools’ Gifted Education Department and the United Parent Council will host Mindfulness on Tuesday, Dec. 4th from 6-7:30 p.m. in the Governing Board Room at the District Administrative Center.

Young gifted students can be wonderfully (and awfully) intense! Intellectual, emotional, sensory, and/or behavioral intensity can create feelings of being “out of sync” with parents, peers, or even with themselves. Those with academic or other challenges combined with high IQ can experience such intensity even more keenly.

During the seminar, Dr. Laura Wingers provide insight into the expected behaviors in young gifted children, the risk factors and “red flag” behaviors that may lead to greater concerns, how does this affect the family, and how can parents find help. Get answers to these questions and more, as we explore how we can incorporate a more mindful way of being in our own lives and in how we respond to our children. Exploring how we can pause, reflect, adapt, and adjust – how we can be less reactive and more “present in the moment” – often leads to reductions in stress levels and improvements in quality of life, regardless of the challenges we or our
children face.

Dr. Wingers will also share mindfulness-based intervention approaches with our students and teachers in a series of classroom presentations with students and professional learning for our teachers.

About the speaker
Laura Wingers, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist and the founder of CENTER Psychology & Consulting, located in Scottsdale, Arizona. With a background in pediatric neuropsychology, clinical psychology, and school psychology, Dr. Wingers’ professional focus includes early childhood development; gifted intellect and developmental asynchrony; dyslexia and other learning differences; ADHD and executive function impairments; anxiety and mood disorders; and mindfulness-based intervention approaches. She consults with individuals, families, and schools on meeting the needs of gifted learners and is passionate about finding answers and meeting challenges with understanding and hope.

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The North Valley Arts Academies Dance Company presents Art in Motion on Wednesday, Nov. 28th at 7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Shadow Mountain High School.

During the event, student, guest artist, and faculty will perform an evening of dance for students ranging from 5th to 12th grade. The cost to attend is $5 for adults and free for students.

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On Nov. 13th, 26 teachers of 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students representing 24 elementary schools attended a Wright Design teacher training at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West.

During the training, teachers learned about Frank Lloyd Wright, as well as the scope and background of the project. “Teachers were provided with a demonstration of one of the lessons and participated in a drawing activity similar to what the students will be completing during the implementation of the program. Teachers were provided with a tour of Taliesin West where they observed firsthand and were inspired by Wright’s work,” said Michael Linn, director of the Community Education Department.

Teachers left the training armed with a standard of professional development in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) content, and the educational materials the program delivers ensures an effective experience for all students. Each STEAM kit is equipped with a manual that provides coaching and suggestions, as well as resources and tools for leading students through each lesson, including lesson plans, videos, mini-lessons, slideshow images, and all the supplies and resources needed for teachers to implement the program.

Target dates for implementation of the program are Jan. 7 through Feb. 15, 2019.

“Once the program is implemented in the classroom, students will learn about Wright and how nature inspired his art and architecture. Through a series of six lessons, students will follow the same steps that Wright may have used to create their own nature-inspired stained glass art. Students will learn about organic architecture, finding geometrical shapes in nature, identifying patterns and symmetry, load-bearing shapes, and the use of color in design,” said Mr. Linn.

At the conclusion of the program, teachers will have the opportunity to provide feedback and reflection.

PVSchools collaborated with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation to pilot this exclusive program. This program has been funded by generous grants from ON Semiconductor and the Southwestern Foundation for Education and Historical Preservation.

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The North Valley Arts Academies (NVAA) will hold dance auditions for current 6th-11th grade students on Thursday, Nov. 29th from 3:45-7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Shadow Mountain High School.

The NVAA Dance Track provides the essential skills and techniques for your child to become a successful dancer. In the early years of the program, students will learn the methodology for popular dance styles such as ballet, jazz, hip-hop, and contemporary dance and learn about choreography and creativity. In later years, students will progress on to advanced and complex dance techniques, production, the history of dance and more. If your child possesses a love of movement, the NVAA Dance track is ideal for honing their skills and propelling him or her onto a successful dance career.

All students applying for the program need to complete the online application. If you have any questions, please contact Emily Spranger, NVAA dance teacher, at espranger@pvschools.net.

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PVSchools is excited to announce that two high school students have won Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) Division I & II Swimming and Diving Championships that was held on Nov. 3rd-4th at Skyline Aquatics Center in Mesa.

• Sadie Edwards, a student-athlete at Paradise Valley High School, won the Division II Girls 100 yard Butterfly in a time of 55.20. Sadie also took second overall for the Breaststroke in the state. For the district, she was first overall for the 200 Individual Medley. Jeffry Stiles is a swim & dive coach at Paradise Valley High School.
  
  
• Dylan Melin, a student-athlete at Pinnacle High School, won Division I Boys 200 yard Freestyle in a time of 1:39.86. Blake Rider, Paige Layman, and Eric Goldstone are the swim & dive coaches at Pinnacle High School.

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Registration is now open for the 9th Annual PVSchools Community 5K Fun Run. Visit runsignup.com from Nov. 12th, 2018, through Jan. 13, 2019, to register to participate. No late registrations will be accepted.

All participants will register under their team name (school, department or other). The cost to participate is $10 for adults, $5 for children 11-19 years old, and free for children 10 years old or younger (parental supervision is required).

The PVSchools Community 5K Run will take place on Saturday, Feb. 9th, 2019, at Horizon High School.

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American Education Week, November 12th-16th, is a time to celebrate public education and honor those who make a difference in ensuring that every child receives a quality education.

Special observances during the week include:

Tuesday, November 13th – Parents Day

Parents are key to their child's educational success and can take an active role in supporting learning. Parental involvement includes reading to your children, checking homework every night, limiting television viewing and computer time on school nights, developing a relationship with the teacher(s), and simply asking children about their school day.

Whatever the level of involvement, it’s important to be consistent to make a difference in your child's life.

Wednesday, November 14th – Education Support Professionals Day

Education Support Professionals are the people in your school that keep it running. They are the administrative assistants, paraeducators, childcare associates for before and afterschool programs, bus drivers and cafeteria employees who make a significant contribution to public education every day!

Thursday, November 15th – Educator for a Day

Educator for a Day is a National Education Association (NEA) program that allows individuals from the community to experience an entire school day, with the guidance of school employees. The visiting educator performs all the duties of a regular school employee in a normal work day—teaching class, performing lunch and corridor duty, recess supervision, working in the cafeteria, among other responsibilities.

The celebration includes parents and community leaders, who shadow classroom teachers to experience the challenges our public school educators face every day.

Friday, November 16th – Substitute Educators Day

The unsung heroes of our schools - the substitute educators who ensure a seamless education for students in the temporary absence of regular classroom teachers.

Do you know a substitute educator? Thank them today!

Related content:

• Learn the history behind American Education Week

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PVSchools has been named an honoree of a 2019 CSO50 Award from IDG's CSO. This prestigious honor is bestowed upon a select group of organizations that have demonstrated that their security projects/initiatives have created outstanding business value and thought leadership for their companies. PVSchools will accept its award at the CSO50 Conference + Awards held on April 8-10, 2019, at the Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale.

“As an affirmation of our direction and progress, PVSchools was recently awarded the significant CSO50 award, overwhelmingly reserved for corporations and state agencies.  The CSO50 award is professionally-vetted and scored, showcasing only those organization projects and initiatives of high value and thought leadership,” said Jeff Billings, director of the Information Technology Department for PVSchools.

PVSchools began the process of cyber hygiene several years ago being driven by an awareness, understanding and action campaign under Digital Citizenship and Cyber Security.  The campaign continues today with district-wide training and support as we move towards the NIST Cyber Security Framework and the Trusted Learning Environment (TLE) Seal.

“This year’s class of CSO50 award winners raise the bar on security innovation,” said Amy Bennett, executive editor, CSO. “While delivering business value and demonstrating thought leadership are the metrics on which they are measured, the greater value is in the peer-to-peer sharing of ideas across a range of industries, across company sizes, for-profit and not-for-profit, public and private. The magic really happens on the stage at the CSO50 conference when these projects are brought to life in presentations and panel discussions. It is an honor to give them the recognition they deserve.”

About the CSO50 Awards

The CSO50 Awards recognizes 50 organizations for security projects and initiatives that demonstrate outstanding business value and thought leadership. The CSO50 Awards are scored according to a uniform set of criteria by a panel of judges that includes security leaders and industry experts. Awards will be presented at the CSO50 Conference + Awards.

About CSO

CSO is the premier content and community resource for security decision-makers leading “business risk management” efforts within their organization. For more than a decade, CSO’s award-winning web site (CSOonline.com), executive conferences, strategic marketing services and research have equipped security decision-makers to mitigate both IT and corporate/physical risk for their organizations and provided opportunities for security vendors looking to reach this audience. To assist CSOs in educating their organizations’ employees on corporate and personal security practices, CSO also produces the quarterly newsletter Security Smart. CSO is published by IDG Communications, Inc. Company information is available at www.idg.com.

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Michelle Landreville, a science teacher in the Center for Research, Engineering, Science, and Technology (CREST) program at Paradise Valley High School, was selected as the 2018 High School Science Teacher of the Year by the Arizona Science Teachers Association (ASTA).

The Science Teacher of the Year Awards are presented by the ASTA to recognize and honor our colleagues who exemplify quality science teaching. The award is presented to one teacher from the elementary level, middle school/junior high level, and the high school level at the annual ASTA convention. Nominees must be certified, full-time classroom teachers and current members of ASTA.

According to the nomination submitted to ASTA, “Everything Michelle does is done with passion, caring, and excellence.  She is always there for her students in any capacity they need; be it academic or emotional support, thus earning her the nickname of ‘Biotech Mom’ by her students. The relationships she builds with students translate into high academic student achievement through Advanced Placement test scores, participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) competitions, HOSA–Future Health Professionals state officers, and HOSA state and national medalists. Michelle’s commitment reaches far beyond her class walls; writing curriculum as department chair, leading on-site committees, a campus technology trainer, the National Association of Biology Teachers Arizona representative, and serving on state curriculum and assessment teams. Most of all, Michelle is a lifelong learner; she continually pursues professional development in order to teach the newest scientific discoveries and to model a growth mindset for her students.”

Mrs. Landreville was honored by the Arizona Science Teachers Association on Nov. 1st at the annual ASTA Conference at the Fall Events Center in Gilbert, Ariz.

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On November 6th, voters in the Paradise Valley Unified School District re-elected Julie Bacon and elected Susan Matura to serve for four years on the PVSchools governing Board. The terms for the elected members will commence in January 2019 and will expire in December 2022.Mrs. Bacon and Mrs. Matura will be sworn in at the Jan. 10, 2019, board meeting.

This will be Mrs. Bacon’s third term and the first term for Mrs. Matura.

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PVSchools is excited to announce the Arizona Challenger Space Center/The Challenger Learning Center of Arizona (CSC of AZ) as one of its newest community partners.

CSC of AZ will provide educational services and programs to students throughout the district, as well as surrounding communities. The Foothills Resource Center has been chosen as the base location for CSC of AZ.

“We are thrilled about our new collaboration with the Arizona Challenger Space Center. This exciting partnership will help us expand our STEAM/STEM education program and provide innovative and authentic learning opportunities for students, staff and the community for years to come,” said James P. Lee, Ed.D., superintendent of PVSchools.

PVSchools offers a wide range of innovating K-12 STEAM/STEM programs, including:

• Center for Research, Engineering, Science, and Technology (CREST) program at Paradise Valley High School
• A fully integrated STEAM program at Desert Shadows Elementary School
• Elementary Pull-out STEM programs
• Project Lead the Way at Desert Shadows Middle School, Explorer Middle School, and Horizon High School
• Career and Technical Education course at Horizon High School, North Canyon High School, Paradise Valley High School, Pinnacle High School, and Shadow Mountain High School

CSC of AZ brings its affiliations with NASA, Challenger National Learning Centers and the Smithsonian to the partnership with the Paradise Valley school district. “We have an 18-year history of advocating for and providing quality STEM education,” noted Bob Rasmussen, CSC board member. “We’ve worked with 32 school districts and many other organizations to offer our simulated space missions, STEM workshops, and programs to continue to advance education in Arizona.”

About The Arizona Challenger Space Center

The Arizona Challenger Space Center, an affiliate of Challenger National, is an organization that was created by the surviving families of the Challenger Space Shuttle disaster. The organization’s vision was to create a living tribute to those brave pioneers and visionaries by encouraging students to learn about the wonders of our universe and the world in which we live. The goal to inspire, excite and educate people of all ages is a commitment that the more than 40 Centers throughout the world share.

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Kaity Woods and Tori Pepe, student-athletes at Horizon High School, won the Division II State Doubles Badminton Championship on Oct.19th-20th. Kaity and Tori defeated the No. 5 seeded team from Sunnyslope High School. Woods and Pepe beat their opponent 15-13 and 15-9. The Division II Championship game was held at Independence High School. The Badminton coach is Kris Voll.

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November is National Native American Heritage Month, which pays tribute to the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans and Alaska Natives.

According to Native American Heritage Month, the history of Native American Month actually dates back to 1915 when Red Fox James, a Native American of the Blackfoot nation, rode a horse from state to state in order to seek approval from 24 separate state governments for a day to honor the “American Indian.” December 14, 1915, he presented the 24 endorsements to the White House; however, there was no record of a proclamation.

In 1990, President George H. W. Bush approved a joint resolution designating November “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Similar proclamations, under variants on the name, including “Native American Heritage Month” and “National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month,” have been issued each year since 1994.

“As the Native American Liaison for PVSchools, I am proud of the Native American students in our schools! This is the beginning of a heightened awareness, by all of us, of our Native American students' cultures, histories, and their inclusion in our school communities. This is an exciting time for our District,” said James Fabian.  

PVSchools will recognize Nov. 28th as Native American Heritage Day in its schools. There will be events and celebrations to honor this special day!

Native American Education Programs in PVSchools

In 2002, PVSchools established the Native American Education Program in response to the growing population of Native American students enrolled in the district. The program goal is to increase academic achievement for Native American students and their increased involvement by:

• Increasing family/community involvement with Family and Community meetings (parental input is extremely valuable as it guides the program direction and focus for each school year).
• Providing academic intervention for qualifying students, as available at individual schools.
• Providing culturally supportive and relevant material for Native American students and their families.
• Promote higher education.

PVSchools has approximately 261 registered Native American students enrolled in its schools.

Hoop of Learning

Hoop of Learning is a scholarship-based, high school to college bridge program for Native American students in 9th-12th grades. Students enrolled in the program receive both high school and college credit. The program increases high school graduation and retention rates and increases Native American enrollment and participation in college. The Hoop of Learning program is offered through a partnership between PVSchools and Paradise Valley Community College. Learn more about Hoop of Learning.

Native American School Clubs

Several PV schools have established Native American Clubs, including Greenway Middle School, Shea Middle School, Vista Verde Middle School, North Canyon High School, Paradise Valley High School, and Shadow Mountain High School.

During club meetings, students meet with their individual schools to discuss current issues and topics important to Native American students. The club members also determine what cultural, social, and/or service projects they will undertake during the school year. The Native American clubs are a visible presence and active voice for Native American students at their schools. The Native American clubs are a vehicle to help Native American students’ inclusion into the school communities and help raise non-native students’ awareness and education of the history and culture of their Native American peers.

Family/Community Meetings & Events

Throughout the school year, PVSchools hosts several events for parents. This time is dedicated to community building, learning new information, and hosting guest speakers. All Native American families are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Event:

The 18th Annual Veterans Day Weekend Traditional PowWow will be held on Saturday, Nov. 10th from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. at the ASU West Campus, Fletcher Library Lawn.

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Eighth grade students who are interested in learning more about the Digital Academy of Advanced Placement Scholars (DAAPS), which is a Humanities Honors program, should attend the informational Open House on Thursday, Nov. 8th at 6:30 p.m. in the Media Center at Shadow Mountain High School.

During the Open House, students and parents will be provided with an overview of the program and hear from current students and teachers. Information about admission requirements and clarification of the application process will also be explained.

About DAAPS

DAAPS is a Premier Program exclusively offered at Shadow Mountain High School. Courses are designed to exceed the district and state curriculum requirements and challenge the gifted or honors student. Students read, interpret, analyze and evaluate literature. Interdisciplinary courses are part of the curriculum and students focus on four areas: the critical evaluation of texts, English syntax, grammar, college-level research, and interdisciplinary writing.

Related Content

 DAAPS Video

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If you’re considering middle school gifted programming options for your teen, join the PVSchools’ Gifted Education Department for a Digital Learning Center (DLC) Parent Night Presentation and Tour.

• Wednesday, Nov. 7 at 6 p.m. - Parent Night Presentation in the Media Center at Sunrise Middle School.  Students are welcome to attend with their parents.
  
  
• Thursday, Nov. 8th at 9 a.m. - Student DLC Observations* & Parent School Tour in the Front Office at Sunrise Middle School.  Parents must transport their teen to the DLC tour and remain with the parent tour on campus during the student observation period.

About the DLC:

The DLC provides students with an interdisciplinary, project-based learning environment that embodies 21st century learning. Science (8th), Social Studies (7th), and Literature are combined within the DLC, allowing for a unique problem-based learning environment. This cross-curricular exploration will take students through the 7th and 8th grade standards with built-in continuity, leading to a culminating project that explores how science, history, and the learner fit into this world.

*Gifted students must qualify to apply for this rigorous program. For more information on the DLC and to view the application and eligibility requirements, please visit www.pvschools.net/Page/4456.

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At PVSchools, we realize that learning isn't a "one size fits all" model. For some students, taking high school classes in a traditional classroom setting may not be an option due to athletic schedules, work schedules or family commitments. By thinking outside of the box, PVSchools has developed a Night Class program for students who may need credit recovery, want to get ahead or may not be able to attend school during the day.

Sweetwater Community School currently offers Night Classes to in-district and out-of-district students. Since the class sizes are smaller, teachers can provide students with more individualized attention.

Sweetwater Community School is now enrolling students for 3rd Quarter classes, which start on Monday, Jan. 7th, 2019. The deadline to enroll is Monday, Dec. 3rd.

During the first session, which runs from 5-6:17 p.m., students can enroll in the following classes:

• English 6
• Economics
• Algebra 1
• Biology 1
• Lifetime Sports
• Ceramic 1-4

During the second session, which runs from 6:23-7:40 p.m., students can enroll in the following classes:

• English 8
• Government
• Applied Math
• Environmental Science 1
• Lifetime Sports

Learn more about the program.

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Paradise Valley High School’s Automotive Technologies students raced to the finish line by winning First Place at the Arizona High School Pit Crew Challenge, which was held at the Tucson Dragway on Oct. 13th. The team’s winning time, in the rain, was 3 minutes and 2 seconds.

This is the second time that the Paradise Valley High School Automotive team has won First Place. The Arizona High School Pit Crew Challenge is a timed event with an outset time of 8 minutes to complete a series of tasks with a specific order and specifications. Each Squad consists of five team members. Paradise Valley High School brought two Squads and two alternates.

The two Squads split tasks into groups such as engines and wheels. The Engine component included the removal and replacement of spark plugs, spark plug wires, distributor cap, oil filter, as well as two participants swapping out of and into a race suit and helmet. As for the Wheels section, it is a simple one-sided rotation of wheels front to rear and then torqued to specified foot-pounds. Additionally, this is aided by the person in the car as he or she must hold down on the brakes to keep the wheels from turning as the lug nuts are loosened and tightened to specifications. During practice sessions, the team had an average time of 2 minutes and 25 seconds to accomplish all of these tasks.

This year, the vehicles were supplied by Larry H. Miller Chrysler in Tucson and the engines were provided by U.T.I. For future events, Tucson Dragway has agreed to host future events.

The team consists of eight students from Paradise Valley High School – Hannah Parmeter, Maria Ramon, Axel Dahm, Nic Whitlock, Victoria Thorngate, Vincent Esposito, Cesar Espino, John (Lou) McLaughlin; three students from  Shadow Mountain High School  –  David Peterson, Jasmyn Jackson, Michelle Luque; and one student from Horizon High School – Jennifer Frank. As an added bonus, the two alternates joined a rival team that only had three people, which was not enough to make a squad.

Automotive Technologies is a Career and Technical Education (CTE) course that is offered at North Canyon High School and Paradise Valley High School. CTE courses offered at Paradise Valley High School are open to all district students and district transportation is provided.

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PVSchools' award-winning Volunteer In Paradise (VIP) program is seeking volunteer tutors for the 2018-19 school year. The next volunteer orientation will be held Tuesday, Nov. 13th from 9-11 a.m. at the PVSchools Community Resource Center, 15032 N. 32nd St., Phoenix.

Established in 2013, volunteers, called VIPs, tutor students who need extra academic support, and in turn, help increase student academic achievement. The VIP program matches dedicated qualified volunteer tutors with students at participating schools. Volunteer tutors work with students in either a one-on-one setting or in small groups with the goal of increasing student achievement.

Volunteer tutors are needed in all subject areas in kindergarten through 6th grade. Opportunities may be available at one or more of the following elementary schools: Arrowhead Elementary School, Campo Bello Elementary School, Desert Cove Elementary School, Desert Shadows Elementary School, Echo Mountain Intermediate School, Echo Mountain Primary School, Hidden Hills Elementary School, Mercury Mine Elementary School, and North Ranch Elementary School.

Learn more about the VIP program at www.pvschools.net/VIP.

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The National School Safety Center promotes America School Safety Week scheduled this year for October 21-27, 2018.  This week provides school districts with the opportunity to communicate with their students, parent/guardian, community and stakeholders on all aspects of school safety to include emergency preparedness.  I thought it appropriate for me to focus this article on the “parent/guardian” role for school emergency preparedness.

All school districts in Arizona are required to have a multi-hazard emergency operations plan in place for all of their schools.  Among other things, this plan addresses specific courses of action for a school to take during an emergency situation that might warrant the school to activate an evacuation, lockdown, shelter-in-place, parent/student reunification, etc.  The plan also identifies those actions to take in response to a specific threat or hazard such as a gas leak, bomb threat, missing student, and power outage to name a few.  In short, such plans are required—not optional.  That is one of a school district’s many responsibilities in keeping students safe. 

It makes sense that if schools have responsibilities in keeping students safe, so do parents.  I believe those responsibilities are numerous in the circle of responsibility for school safety.  The circle of responsibility for school safety and emergency preparedness includes teachers, students, administrators, parents and community partners such as local law enforcement and fire.  So how can parents fulfill their role in this important task?  I highly recommend the following:

• Know that all PV schools have a comprehensive multi-hazard emergency response plan in place.  These plans include but are not limited to, how to evacuate, lockdown, shelter-in-place, parent-student reunification, etc.
  
  
• Take the time to view the district’s online training module on what parents should and should not do during an emergency.  You can find this training module at  www.pvschools.net/domain/1920.  I am very familiar with this information for PVSchools parents/guardians and can share that it includes important information relative to what they should do during an emergency at their child’s school.
  
  
• Be sure that your child’s emergency card information is up-to-date to include emergency contact information (those other than you who may pick up your child from school), medication prescription list, and current telephone numbers and email addresses.
  
  
• For parents who have students with special needs or are limited-English speaking—specifically those students who require individual assistance during an emergency, collaborate with your child’s teacher(s) on the development of a personal assistance plan to be put in place during an emergency.
  
  
• Reinforce to your child that they have a duty to report to a school administrator, teacher or responsible adult if they are aware of someone who has made a threat to do harm to a student or staff member at the school, or the school facility itself.  This is much in the spirit of the Department of Homeland Security’s program, “If you see something…say something.”  You could also interpret this saying as, “If you hear something…say something.”
  
  
• Help the school to train your child by reinforcing that they should follow the directives and lead of teachers and staff members during an emergency.
  
  
• Support emergency drills and exercises completed by the school.  Such activities are designed to ensure that teachers, students, and staff know the appropriate response and courses of action to follow during an emergency.  Knowing their role will help to keep them safe.  There is a saying in emergency preparedness that how you plan, and how you practice, is how you show up during an emergency.  Reinforce to your students the importance of taking all evacuation and lockdown drills seriously.

All of us have a role and responsibility in keeping our schools and community safe.  The better we know our role, the safer we make our schools. 

I would encourage you to talk to your school’s principal or child’s teacher(s) if you have any questions as to what you should and should not do if an emergency occurs at the school.  As we say in the field of emergency preparedness and response, it is better to have this conversation before an emergency occurs rather than during or after the event.

Best wishes for a safe and productive school year for you and your family.  And more importantly—be safe!

Jim Lee
Emergency Preparedness Advisor
Arizona Department of Education

Jim Lee retired from the Paradise Valley Unified School District after 36 years of service where he served as a classroom teacher, principal, and district director of Student Services.  During his nine-year tenure in Student Services, he facilitated Emergency Response Planning for the district and all K-12 district schools.

Jim currently serves as an Emergency Response Advisor for the Arizona Department of Education, and is a trainer for Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Emergency Management Institute (EMI) in Emmitsburg, Md., the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs (DEMA), and the U.S. Department of Education’s Readiness for Emergency Management for Schools Technical Assistance Center (REMS TA).

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More than 300 PVSchools students participated in the Dutch Bros Sticker Contest. Judges narrowed the 300 entries down to the top 100 entries, which were displayed at First Friday on Oct. 5th. During the First Friday event, there was a huge crowd viewing the entries all night long. The top three designs were then selected and voting was conducted by the Dutch Bros Instagram page. There were more than 11,000 votes submitted.

The winners are:

• 1st Place – Chloe Bell, a student at Pinnacle High School, will receive free Dutch Bros for a year.
  
  
• 2nd Place –  Kate Hilgendorf, a student at Pinnacle High School, will receive a $500 Dutch Bros gift card.
  
  
• 3rd Place – Taylor Lienstock, a student at Horizon High School, will receive a $250 Dutch Bros gift card.

Chloe’s winning sticker will be released on Wednesday, Oct. 31st at all Arizona Dutch Bros locations.

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If your child is passionate about dance, theater, music technology or visual arts, PVSchools provides an outlet for creative expression with the North Valley Arts Academies (NVAA).  PVSchools offers a fully integrated arts education program in the Northeast Valley at Desert Cove Elementary School, Shea Middle School, and Shadow Mountain High School.

Learn more about the NVAA program at our Information Night on Wednesday, Nov. 7th from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Shadow Mountain High School.

During the event, Norm Pratt, director of Fine Arts, will provide an overview of the program. Additionally, NVAA teachers will give parents and students a tour of the classrooms and facilities, as well as provide detailed information about each program and answer questions. Stacey Orest, principal at Desert Cove Elementary School; Scott Lawrence, principal at Shea Middle School; and David Appleman, principal at Shadow Mountain High School; will share the unique aspects of the NVAA program as it relates to their schools.

RSVP isn’t required to attend, and the event is open to parents residing in-district and out of the district.

Learn more about the NVAA program.

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Eighth grade students who are interested in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) are encouraged to learn more about the Center for Research in Engineering, Science, and Technology (CREST) program on Monday, Nov. 5th from 6-7 p.m. in the CREST Building at Paradise Valley High School.

At the Open House, students and parents will learn about the CREST program and curriculum, tour the facility, answer questions, as well as learn more about what Paradise Valley High School has to offer.

CREST is an intensive four-year STEM program in which students apply rigorous academic content to relevant hands-on projects by working in collaborative groups. Students choose one of three strands to study – Bioscience, Computer Science or Engineering.

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Is PVSchools preparing students for college? According to the ACT® scores that were recently released by the College Board, PVSchools’ students continue to outperform state averages.

The ACT® consists of curriculum-based tests of development in English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science designed to measure the skills students need to be successful during the first year of college.

Additionally, through collaborative research with postsecondary institutions nationwide, ACT® has established college readiness benchmark scores for designated college courses. Once again, PVSchools’ students are outperforming state averages on the benchmark scores.

ACT® research has shown that the rigorous coursework has the greatest impact on ACT® performance and college readiness. Students who take Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry typically achieve higher ACT® Mathematics scores than students who have taken less than three years of math.

Students taking Biology and Chemistry in combination with Physics typically achieve higher ACT® Science scores than students taking less than three years of science courses.

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