AIA Developments and Updates

Representatives from AIA

Brian Bolitho, Denise Doser and Michele Staples shared the latest information on AIA changes and fielded a wide range of question and concerns about the topics presented.

 

Changes announced include:

• ·         Modification to divisions based on sports
• ·         Centralized venues for AIA events to control costs and increase revenue
• ·         AIA concession management to re-direct revenues
• ·         Re-allotting the number of teams in playoffs on a percentage basis instead of a fixed number basis

Bolitho reviewed the proposed classification formula that is currently under design by consultants. In addition to enrollment, free- and reduced-meal percentages and MaxPreps four-year rankings history will be considered. The intent is to stabilize the divisions and reduce movement. The appeals process for promotion and relegation will remain.

 

A multi-year timeline was presented for placement and scheduling was reviewed.

 

Staples explained the requirements and rules for having an athletic trainer or qualified medical professional, or QMP, on site for regular season and AIA post-season events. Several attendees expressed concerns regarding the needed liability insurance and difficulty of identifying a QMP in rural areas.

 

After reviewing the AIA 2013 financial loses and review, Doser handed out a 2014-15 Service Charge Grid that outlined additional fees district will incur.

 

The final topic was the announcement that AIA has recognized robotics as an activity and will establish a state robotics championship.

Attendees left the session with lots of new information that generated a number of unanswered questions.

Helen Hollands
Mesa Public Schools

Breaking STEM Barriers Through Blended Learning Approach

Denise Birdwell

Higley Unified School District shared how to break through the barriers to provide an exciting STEM blended learning model. The district believes there should be no one set path when you start talking about technology for blended learning. It does not matter whether you start with one teacher, or one school; it is worth the journey. Don’t let obstacles, like money, stand in the way.

Blended classroom teachers say they don’t not use paper. Innovation in classrooms has been happening for years, some programs go away and some stay around. Technology is here to stay. It is important for the leader of the class to be comfortable with technology. Higley Elementary District utilized educators who were leaders in technology to pave the way for others.

National Board Certified Teacher Nancy Foote from Higley never planned to use technology, but now it is an everyday part of her classroom. She began using teaching videos in the early 2000s. As a test to see if they worked, she divided her students into two groups, video and textbook. She tested them and found 83 percent of video students mastered the topic vs. 71 percent of the textbook students. Her videos allow students to revisit lessons, and allow her to reflect on what works, what doesn't work, and to make changes. Students may speed up or slow down lessons to set their own pace. Her message in a nutshell:  Educators must ignite the curiosity in children.

Kyrene students use technology in the classroom every day. Through professional development, teachers learn to create new experiences that empower and engage children.

The district has teamed the Instructional Technology manager with curriculum specialists to address the needs of all learners and effectively integrate technology into the curriculum. The district implemented a 1-to-1 environment, where each student has access to a computing device whenever and wherever they need it.  This initiative is in two schools, and will continue to expand.

Mindy Blake

Amphitheater Public Schools

Parents Improve Your Grammar in Minutes

Dr. Phillips leading participants in grammar dance

Dr. Wanda Phillips grew up “in the hills of Pennsylvania,” with parents who “spoke the worst grammar you could ever know.” But with dozens of years of teaching and 28 books published on the topic, she is now an expert in teaching grammar to students, parents and teachers.

She presented a brief overview of her methods to participants in a Friday breakout session.

Dr. Phillips offers “grammar camp” free to parents in school districts across Arizona, she said.

“If I can come do a camp for you, they start correcting their children. Therefore, you have a better chance of those children learning to speak properly,” she told attendees.

She walked attendees through a lesson on irregular and regular verbs: “An irregular verb does not add ‘ed’ to the past and the past participle form. Use ‘has, have, or had’ with the past participle.”

“Parents who use irregular verbs incorrectly teach that to their children,” she said. “That kindergartner has had 5 years to learn it incorrectly and then they expect you to fix it.”

Dr. Phillips then dove into another lesson: adverbs. She included a handout to share with teachers.

“If it is an action verb, and you’re telling how, you must use ‘well.’ You may be a good cook, but you ‘cook well,’” she said. “I write well. I think well.”

Lessons need to be cyclical, taught and retaught. They can and should use song, movement and rhyme.

“In order to really succeed, we need to put a movement to it,” she said. “By then, they have mastered it.”

To teach direct objects, Phillips suggested throwing a ball across the room.

“I threw a ball. What’s the object? The ball,” she said.

Grammar lessons need to cover nouns, pronouns, compounds, subjects, verbs and more.

“We want children to speak using correct English at the automatic level. That’s the first thing that comes to the mind,” she said.

Her grammar camps include an assessment for parents, one she gave to audience members.

“Why is this so important? If children do not use the correct past participle form, it will affect their writing and teaching and people will judge you on your communication,” she said. “People assume you cannot learn. We can change every child’s vernacular to improve their options in life.”

Michelle Reese
Higley Unified School District

21st Century Collaborative Network

Dr. Gail Pletnick

Dysart Unified School District’s 21^st Century Collaborative Network is a framework of “Your CaLL,” peer mentors, 21^st Century specialists and tech specialists that empower all district staff members to contribute to Dysart’s College and Career Ready Graduate.

“Your CaLL” stands for Community as Leaders and Learners, in which any eligible employee can propose projects in lieu of the standard professional learning opportunities.  Projects are designed to build capacity and increase intrinsic motivation for professional learning while resulting in a product that can be replicated elsewhere in the district. The 21^st Century Specialists partner with schools in project teams to support specific needs within a school site in an effort to improve instruction, culture, and the integration of the collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking using technology.

A sampling of projects included Realign and Redesign Art through Technology, Flipped Classroom-Chemistry, and Simplifying I.T.; classified staff projects included customer service, communication development, and efficiency improvements; and a sampling of administrators projects were community outreach projects, recruitment and retention of staff, and culture/morale.

Dysart is building a community of learners and leaders through the collaboration of all employees.

Linda Jeffries
Alhambra Elementary School District

Feed Your Students: Increase Your Scores

Chad Ostrom

Chase Ostrom, principal of Sunridge Elementary and Dr. Desiree Castillo, principal of Santa Maria Middle School, both in the Fowler Elementary District, provided an overview of the benefits Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) can bring to schools. Studies have shown that eating breakfast at school has a positive impact on student outcome with a significant impact in testing, discipline and attendance.

Just as the name implies, students eat breakfast in the classroom at the beginning of the day or during morning break. Breakfast can be either hot or cold, depending on the school’s facilities. Students can stop by the cafeteria and pick up their breakfast in grab ‘n’ go bags before heading to class or carts can deliver the meals to classrooms.

Ostrom and Castillo outlined strategies attendees can take to effortlessly sustain a breakfast program, including a list of suggested items to ease implementation. With a partnership between the classroom teachers, custodial team and food service, a BIC program can greatly enhance the school experience for students. 

Danielle Airey
Peoria Unified School District

 

  

Impacts of the Four-day School Week

Bryan Lords

Rachel Savage, Superintendent, Melissa Ellico, business manager, Justan Rice, director of special services, and Bryan Lords, principal, discussed using a four-day school week in order to overcome budgetary shortfalls and minimize cuts to programs and positions. The team discusses what they have learned over the last six years.

 Challenges included:

• During the last hour of longer days students became restless and disengaged
• Studies show this model may negatively impact students from low-income neighborhoods or special needs students
• Childcare for working parents
•  Increased training for teachers in order to adapt to the four-day model 

Benefits included:

• Improvement of staff and student attendance
• Budgetary savings with daily operations
• Budgetary savings with staff salaries going from 40 hours to 32 hour work week
• Positive impact on staff morale and job satisfaction

The team shared a PowerPoint presentation with the positive and negative data from budgetary savings, attendance for staff and students, academic achievement, stakeholder perceptions, and athletic and extra curricular activities. For more information regarding the data gathered, contact Bryan Lords at blords@wusd2.org

Emily Broome

Isaac School District #5

Concho Bucks

Billie Bell

Concho Elementary District Superintendent Leon Buttler is stoked.  “The Concho Bucks Distribution Program is a full-fledged economic system in school tied to academic growth. There are points for family involvement. We now have 70 to 80 percent family involvement in family functions.”

Program elements, where incentives are used to reward students for appropriate behaviors supporting school-wide behavioral expectations have increased student attendance, decreased student behavior problems, demonstrated a positive influence on student grade-point averages including test scores, enhanced parental involvement and community involvement. This approach has resulted in an overall positive impact on the school environment.

Although Concho, is a community of 1,750 residents, Buttler firmly believes its Concho Bucks—Learn to Earn Distribution Program could be used anywhere, not just in rural areas. Watermarked and bar-coded, students have the opportunity to earn bonus pay for academic growth points, as well as participate in lay-away by bundling Concho Bucks to teach students to save and, just as important, learn to delay self gratification. For example, Concho Board President Mary Mills said, “The preschoolers bought iPads with Concho Bucks.”

Character education and drop-out prevention funds, gifts and donations, community events profits, Prop 301 monies and Student Success Funds are the program’s funding sources.

Mary Cummings

PR Consultant

Blended Learning Model Provides Unique Credit Recovery Program

In an effort to better serve its 3,800 students, Casa Grande Union High School District found a way to better utilize its Title I budget while providing a much-needed Credit Recovery System. They transformed one of their four high schools into Desert Winds Learning Center, utilizing third-party vendor, Edgenuity.

Students who attend Desert Winds Learning Center are typically very far behind due to poor time management skills, and feel overwhelmed with the amount of work they need to do in order to graduate from high school. The Edgenuity model provides an alternate pathway to successful completion of academic requirements, using teamwork and a personalized program for each student.

An online platform is used for most curriculum delivery, with content and instruction provided by Edgenuity, in alignment with state standards. Instructors are highly qualified in all core content. The curriculum can be modified and/or supplemented for each individual student. Instructors meet with students twice a week, and coaching is provided by Edgenuity to all teachers. Students concentrate on two subjects at a time. This schedule can be collapsed to just one course, if necessary for student success. 

Although the Blended Learning Program is rather new at Casa Grande, early results are promising with this unique combination of online delivery and personal teaching.  Casa Grande administrators invite anyone interested in this model to visit Desert Winds Learning Center.

Paula S. Wirth, APR
Education Consultant

Teacher Evaluation: An Amazing Opportunity for Data Driven Professional Development

Laurie King

With high quality evaluation instruments, aligned support materials and effective feedback, evaluations can be the best professional learning an educator receives. The Maricopa County Education Service Agency (MCESA) is collaborating with 11 local school districts to implement Educator Goal Plans (EGPs), tied to online and face-to-face resources that provide data-driven differentiated support to educators. 

In an article in American Educator magazine, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan wrote, “I believe that we have a broken system – a system of training, induction, evaluation, professional development and promotion that is an artifact from an earlier era.” He also wrote, “…teachers should be treated as professionals: they should have the support, tools and opportunities to perform at their full potential by having timely and accurate data about their students to inform instruction; they should have time to consult and collaborate with their peers; and they should be evaluated, compensated and advanced based in part on student learning.”

Laurie King, director of Learning and Communication Systems for MCESA, shared information on their educator goal plan. Educators participate in an individualized EGP system of support that is aligned to the school’s year-long professional development plan, and to specific individual needs derived from teacher evaluation data; and building-level administrators collaborate with teachers to develop professional development action plans.

Using a robust data system, educators are able to understand how their professional effectiveness ratings are calculated, and understand the necessary steps to improve. It’s a win-win for educators and students!

Linda Jeffries
Alhambra Elementary School District

Maximal Use of Arizona Land for Education

Shirley Dye

Shirley Dye, Governing Board member for Payson Unified School District, has been actively involved in maximizing use of public lands (Federal and State Land Trust) for education. She has met with state legislators, county representatives and numerous others interested in public land reform. Dye and other members of the Trust shared information on what state trust lands are and how this funding is used for education.

According to Dye, State Land Trust funds actually date back to Arizona’s statehood. Arizona used to have plenty of money for education, but she believes federal government overreach has led to a decline in tax proceeds from public land use for education funding.  By acquiring the public lands that were supposed to be transferred to Arizona in 1912 at Statehood, she feels the state would have a lot more land under production. She added that tax revenues from these lands could fund our schools without the use of federal money and all the strings. 

Arizona has only about 14-16 percent private land for a tax base, with large portions of land under control of military bases, tribal lands, state trust lands and federal public lands; none of which are taxable. Arizona and other western states have never had their public lands ceded to them; yet Arizona has a dedicated percentage of state trust lands (not the same as public lands) set aside by the Constitution specifically for education income.  Recently very little of the trust land has been leased to private operations, like cattle grazing and shopping centers, whose lease proceeds go into the school coffers.  The interest income on the trust funds from sold lands has been minimal due to the economic downturn, and the principal cannot be touched. 

According to other panelists, an obvious way to increase the money available for education and other budget items is to get more land placed under production.  How can governing board members help? A first step would be to support Arizona Representative Bob Thorpe’s HB 2700.   

Linda Jeffries

Alhambra Elementary School District

A Sneak Peak into Substitute Training

Bethany Loucks and Meredith Brooks

“Teachers can change lives with just the right mix of chalk and challenges”

-Joyce A. Myers

Belinda Boblett, professional development director, Meredith Brooks, principal, Bethany Loucks, principal and Dr. Nidhi Sharma, TAP Master presented on how their district collaboratively prepares substitute teachers to effectively continue instruction in the classroom.

The purpose and requirements expected from potential substitutes include:

• Application
• BINL screener and test
• Fingerprint clearance card
• Professional development
• Shadow highly effective teachers
• Immunization clearance
• Substitute certificate 

Beyond the screening process, newly hired substitutes attend a three-day training to review lesson plans, PBIS strategies, curriculum requirements, duties, and professional district standards. Substitutes will also shadow highly effective teachers to learn strategies and create relationships in professional learning communities.

Emily Broome

Isaac School District #5

Liability Concerns Related to Discipline of Students with Disabilities

Denise Lowell-Britt

Education has been deemed a property right in Arizona, therefore adequate due process must be provided to all students, according to Denise Lowell-Britt, Udall Shumway, PLC. The main elements of procedural due process are notice, an opportunity to be heard and a fair hearing.

There are different levels of due process for different consequences. Less due process is required when the consequences relate to extra-curricular activities, detention and suspensions of less than 10 days. Governing Board involvement is necessary in cases of suspension greater than 10 days and for expulsion.

Districts should be aware of the legal sources that can guide student discipline, including federal and state constitutions, Title 15 of Arizona Revised Statutes, federal law and regulations (IDEA and Section 504), case law and Governing Board policies and regulations.

Students with disabilities are entitled to additional and different due process from students without disabilities. Lowell-Britt noted that failure to strictly comply with legal requirements can result in substantial legal liability, resulting in high human and monetary costs.

Judi Willis, APR
PR Consultant

Creating an Academic Infrastructure

Teachers from Fowler Elementary School District presented the framework necessary to implement a horizontal articulation process.

Attendees learned how to create the academic infrastructural to successfully implement articulation groups, how to synthesize their learning to a horizontal articulation model in their own school or district.

Before the full implementation of Arizona’s College and Career Ready Standards, Fowler recognized that teachers could no longer afford to work in isolation if students were to be successful.

Terry Locke
Chandler Unified School District

Community Advocacy: Your Recipe for Success

Tamara Caraway

Practitioners Donna Davis, Senior Mobilizer, Expect More Arizona, Laura Cummings, Parent Advocate, Madison Elementary School District, Julie Bacon, Governing Board President of the  Paradise Valley Unified School District, Tammy Caraway, Executive Vice President of Hunt and Caraway Architects, and Jill Hicks, Outreach Specialist, Washington Elementary School District gave strategic tips on how to best engage your district, parents, staff and community members and connect with them through diverse models of advocacy.

Each presenter spoke from experience about groups that are working in their districts such as the Madison CAC Citizens Advisory Committee, Paradise Valley’s United Parent Council, Washington District’s Business Advisory Team and various districts’ Educational Foundations and Communication Committees.

 

Each panelist spoke on the perspective that their district focuses on including:

What’s in it for your district? – Julie Bacon – Paradise Valley Unified School District

•       What is currently in place for community engagement and what is needed?

•       Who can you connect with to get the message out about your district?

What’s in it for your stakeholders?  Jill Hicks, Washington School District

•       Why your district needs a different kind of community group

•       Developing rewarding partnerships  

•       Gaining and sustaining momentum

What’s in it for your community?  Tammy Caraway, Hunt and Caraway Architects – representing the Business Community

•       Developing your message

•       Sharing the message with retirees and those without children in the district

•       Connecting with the business community

What’s in it for your state? Laura Cummings, Madison District’s Citizen’s Advisory Committee

•       Developing relationships with elected officials, through a collective VOICE

•       Developing voters’ trust with transparent and factual information

Donna Davis from Expect More Arizona shared her tips on communicating with retirees and those who do not have children attending your district schools. Additionally, the group collaborated on a Community Mapping Matrix to show where the assets are to begin engaging the entire community.

ASA has a Community Advocacy group that meets quarterly. To join the advocacy conversation and gain ideas and strategies to engage your district and community, contact Nedda Shafir at nshafir@cox.net or visit the ASA website.

Nedda Shafir, M.Ed.

Shafir Consulting

Saving Money, Saving Kids

Nicole Stanton

Moderator R. Bradley Snyder, executive director of the Dion Initiative for Child Well-Being and Bullying at ASU, said school climate is the character and quality of school life and safety, including emotional safety, teaching and learning and relationship. He suggested that school officials should ask if there is a respect for diversity at the school and if there is a strong relationship between the school and the community, and good relationships between students and staff. Is the school building in good repair and conducive to learning? He said school violence in Arizona in the last 20 years is trending downward. When it comes to safety and violence in schools, we are already doing a good job. Could we do more? Yes. One number that is not going in the right direction is that students do not feel safer in their schools.

Snyder noted that there are many ideas and projects designed to prevent bullying, but we need to rely on things that are only evidence-based, evaluated and shown to be effective. It must be based on well-conducted research and the effects must be sizeable and improve the school climate, not just a little bit, but a lot. It must have an impact on final outcomes, be sustainable, sizeable and have the ability to be replicated.

Panelist Nicole Stanton, founder of the Dion Initiative and managing partner of Quarles and Brady LLP, said when her husband became mayor in 2012, she chose the issue of bullying as her focus because her oldest brother was a victim of bullying as a child. It was a personal issue for her. You cannot have a successful education as a child if you are in fear.  

T. Denny Sanford, professor in the School of Social and Family Dynamics at ASU, said the Sanford Harmony Program is a prevention approach designed to enhance peer relationships in Pre-K through 6th grade classrooms and is available to schools throughout the state at no cost.  Part of the teaching for early learners is through the use of a Puppet character named “Z.”  It is used to help children learn from each other.  Z comes from another planet and wants to know about girls and boys. The Harmony program currently is in 150 classrooms and is very successful.   Sanford said evidence-based practices and programs are very important.  Well-intentioned programs sometimes have no evidence in terms of their efficacy.  

Stanton added that the movie “Bully” is an example of what doesn’t work. The movie portrays peer mediation as a solution, but Stanton says peer mediation requires each side to give up something. She asked the audience, “Why would we ask a victim of bullying to give something up?” She maintains that zero tolerance does not work because children will not report friends if they think they will be kicked out of school. Schools must create an environment that encourages bystanders to report.

Mindy Blake

Amphitheater Unified School District

Best Practices and Successful Programs for Low Income and Minority Students

Micah Mortensen

The leadership team from the Benson Unified School District shared their success story with the session attendees. Benson has been an “A” district and ranked in the top 10 public school districts in Arizona for the past two years.

Benson Primary School is a Title I Reward School and a 2014 Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. Benson Middle School is a National Distinguished Title I School finalist. Benson High School is an A+ School of Excellence and a Golden Bell winner, and San Pedro Valley is a top-ranking alternative school in the state. The district motto is ‘on track for tomorrow.’

Benson’s framework for success has five components: Culture and Leadership; Curriculum; Instruction; Assessment; and Intervention.

An extended school year, quality staff, the leadership team, common language and new teacher induction drive Benson’s culture and leadership. Curriculum, instruction and assessment success stems from commitment to using instructional team leaders and focus on non-negotiables. Benson has a well-defined model for intervention that includes employing STEEP model, focusing on daily math skills, reteaching and enrichment, and targeted intervention.

Throughout the presentation, the participants were provided table-talk time to discuss the  key concepts and rate their district’s focus on them.

The presenters welcomed attendees to contact them for more information. Contact information is provided in the conference support materials.

Helen Hollands
Mesa Public Schools

Discovery Learning Camp

Peggy Weber and Dr. Susan Kaplan presented on behalf of the Arizona School Transformation Group (ASTG) which provides professional development and learning that is transforming schools into effective and enjoyable learning environments for all students, teachers and community members.  ASTG’s innovative Discovery Learning Camps take an innovative approach to typical summer professional development by combining it with active student learning.  Rather than spending the summer honing their skills only to have to wait until the new school year to put them into practice, teachers receive their professional development and then try out what they have learned with a small group of summer camp students the very next day.

Their approach reinforces effective practices with 12-15 students and provides teachers with an opportunity to continue the “learn-practice” cycle each day over the course of the month. Once school is back in session teachers have had ample time to refine and implement what they have learned in the classroom. Students receive the benefit of a rigorous, hands-on learning experience – creating a win-win for all.

“The model allows teachers to expand their thinking, put it into practice and then receive support in professional learning communities where they have the opportunity to ask their peers what works best for them. In the end, the teachers become the leaders,” said Peggy Weber, CEO of Arizona School Transformation Group.

ASTG began in the Sunnyside School District and is now being practiced in Whiteriver. ASTG team members are experienced Arizona public education practitioners with expertise in all aspects of school improvement, curriculum and instruction, differentiated instruction, assessment for learning, student engagement, classroom management and essential elements of instruction.

Weber and Kaplan concluded by modeling “Phases of the Moon,” a fourth grade lesson from Discovery Learning Camp, using Oreo cookies to illustrate how the moon revolves.

Danielle Airey
Peoria Unified School District

Keynote Address: Vince Yanez

Vince Yanez speaking with conference participants

Arizona will not improve the academic achievement gap that faces Arizona’s poorest students without public engagement, policy change and discussion, former Arizona State Board of Education Executive Director Vince Yanez told the Friday morning general session at the ASBA/ASA Annual Conference.

“Poverty is the greatest predictor of student academic achievement. The achievement gap between poor children and rich children has grown significantly over the past three decades and is now nearly twice as large as the black-white gap,” Yanez told those in attendance.

The “perfect storm” Arizona is in is the result of the high cuts to education at the same time the state has adopted increased standards and rigor for classrooms. Arizona not only saw the highest percentage cuts to K-12 education from FY2008 to FY2013, but also saw the highest cuts in the nation to higher education and the highest university tuition increases during that same time.

Yanez showed statistics that put Arizona with the fifth highest poverty rate in the nation. He stated that 29 percent of Arizona children live in poverty. “This is not a phenomenon of the Great Recession. It’s been going on and on,” he said.

Using his tenure at the State Board of Education and in his current role as executive director for the Arizona Venture Fund for Quality Education at the Arizona Community Foundation to view the state of education, Yanez said there are several areas that need to be addressed to improve the academic future for Arizona students. These range from accessibility to quality early childhood education and all-day kindergarten to Career and Technical Education offerings, higher educational opportunities and teacher training and retention.

Less than 25 percent of students in poverty in Arizona attend any type of preschool program and funding of all-day kindergarten was cut by the Arizona Legislature in 2010, putting school districts in a position to fund those programs from other sources.

“We know the benefits of preschool and all-day kindergarten,” he said. “Other states do this. It does not need to be this way.”

Other issues that face poorer schools and students is teacher turnover. But they’re not alone. There are 700 current teacher openings in Arizona. Last year, districts and charter schools reported 938 full-time positions were filled with substitutes. In addition the Arizona State Retirement System reports that 25 percent of Arizona’s current teachers will be eligible to retire in a few short years and there has been a seven percent decrease in students entering Arizona’s teacher preparation programs.

“That is hugely problematic. We’re experiencing this huge shortfall right now … but it’s going to be even more significant unless we address that now,” he said.

School leaders and educators need to talk to those at the Legislature and at the State Board of Education, he said.

“The current is going in the wrong direction from my perspective. The current is not going in a way to invest in public education. It’s divesting,” he said.

He said his current group - the Arizona Community Foundation - hopes to help change that through education advocacy. He encouraged the audience to find more “pro-public education" community members to run for office and to talk to those who are already in office.

Michelle Reese
Higley Unified School District

Lou Ella Kleinz Award Presented

Lou Ella Kleinz served as ASBA’s executive director from 1971 to 1991. Each nomination for the award named for her must indicate a specific governing board initiative, action and leadership.

This year’s Lou Ella Kleinz Award was presented to the Maricopa Unified School District, whose members includeTorri Anderson, president; Patti Courtré, vice president; Anna Marie Knorr, member; Leslie Carlyle-Burnett, member; and Scott Bartlett, member.

In September 2013, the Maricopa County School Board approved a strategic plan targeting four ambitious goals. They focused on improving student learning, expanding learning opportunities, recruiting and retaining high quality staff, and improving technology opportunities for students. Soon, using community input, this strategic plan came to life. It was evident the district was moving forward.

Maricopa’s board continued to emphasize a district culture of high expectations and high performance. The board’s shared vision paved the way for innovative opportunities inside classrooms, too. They included integrating blended learning over the past three years and a Bring Your Own Device option for students. 

The essential ingredients of the Maricopa district’s success are clearly vision, commitment, collaboration and a board and district culture that puts student success at the forefront of every decision.

Barbara Robey Lifetime Achievement Award Presented

Cindy Matus Morriss received the award that honors Barbara Robey, who was ASBA’s first full-time lobbyist, and director of governmental relations for 17 years.

Words like mentor, advocate, champion and friend are used by many to describe Cindy. But the description that rises above all others is servant leader. Defined as a person naturally inclined to serve who then consciously chooses to lead, this is an undeniable description of what Cindy stands for - in her community, in Arizona and among national school board leaders.

A member of the Patagonia Elementary Governing Board for since 1989, Cindy’s unwavering support for the young people in her beloved southern Arizona community quickly grew into a commitment to public education and students statewide – and nationally. She served on the Arizona School Boards Association board of directors consecutively for two decades, ending her service on the board last spring. During that time, she was a three-time Santa Cruz County director; secretary, treasurer, vice president and president of the board.

She also has been a member of ASBA’s legislative network; served as chair of the awards committee; and as district-four director of ASBA’s Hispanic-Native American Indian Caucus. Cindy is a past recipient of the ASBA All-Arizona School Board Award. In her community, Cindy applies her unending energy to her role as volunteer for the Patagonia Public Library, Santa Cruz Young Audiences, Carondelet Hospice, 4-H and United Way.

All-Arizona School Board Awards Announced

Each year, up to five individuals are chosen to receive the All-Arizona School Board Award. Recipients come from a variety of backgrounds and experience, but they all have one thing in common – exemplary board service.

This year’s recipients include:

Elizabeth Sanchez, Alhambra Elementary School District

Shawn Watt, Litchfield Elementary School District

Ernest Hubbell, Sanders Unified School District

Michael Hughes, Mesa Unified School District

Jim Thomas, Florence Unified School District

Total Board Award Recipients

The Total Board Award is granted to a governing board when at least a quorum of members have attained the level of a Certificate of Boardsmanship. The remaining members must also have earned their Certificates of Orientation by completing New Board Member Orientation.

Recipients include:

Sanders Unified School District

Vernon Elementary School  District

Chevelon Butte Elementary School District

Payson Unified School District

Fort Thomas Unified School District

Dysart Unified School District

ASBA Honor Roll Announced

The Honor Roll Award honors retiring board members who were nominated by their boards for outstanding service. The recipients have either retired since the last annual conference or are planning to do so after serving at least two consecutive terms on their boards.

Betty Thompson, Roosevelt Elementary School District

Robert Cervantes, Superior Unified School District

Yolanda Najera-Ewing, Superior Unified School District

Cayci Vuksanovich, Globe Unified School District

Ernest Hubbell, Sanders Unified School District

Marvin Marlatt, Antelope Union High School District

Patricia King, Altar Valley Elementary School District

Marilyn Rollins, Osborn Elementary School District

Rory Huff, Payson Unified School District

Christy Agosta, Deer Valley Unified School District

Sherri Silverberg, Catalina Foothills Unified School District

Mary Lou Richerson, Catalina Foothills Unified School District

Douglas Allsworth, Phoenix Elementary School District

Becky Gifford Buckeye Union High School District

Randy Kinkade, Vail Unified School District

Barry Sharp, Ash Fork Unified School District

Hal Thomas, Sierra Vista Unified School District

Albert Parenteau, Williams Unified School District

Sam Gardner, Gila Institute for Technology

David Lindsay, Gila Institute for Technology

Values to Action: The Power of a Common Language in Special Education

Kathleen McNaboe and John Carruth

John Carruth and Kathleen McNaboe from the Vail Unified School District shared Vail's progress in providing outstanding educational opportunities for students receiving special education services. One important aspect Vail identified as a springboard to success was developing and using a common language for vision and culture.

In a SWOT-like exercise throughout the presentation, participants reflected on their district's reputation, strengths and barriers, and assigned responsibilities.

Carruth and McNaboe shared Vail's learnings - the story, policies and outcomes of using a common language. The common language impacted communications, decision making, culture and expectations.

What is the common language? It consists of five phrases:

• Our students
• Assumed Competence
• Meeting students needs
• Targeted support
• Life skills classrooms

Vail students with disabilities have demonstrated measurable success since the implementation of common language.

Helen Hollands
Mesa Public Schools

General Election Update and Issues Facing Public Education in 2015

Janice Palmer

Janice Palmer, director of Governmental Relations and Public Affairs for the Arizona School Boards Association, provided a general election update and discussed issues facing public education.  The 2014 General Election proved to be an election where the voice of a few determined the state’s direction and may have huge ramifications for education.  Needless to say, the 2015 Arizona Legislative Session will be a busy and important session. 

Arizona’s voter turnout was the worst turnout since 1946, with only 47.52 percent of registered voters casting their ballots.  But Arizona was not alone.  The federal election also made headlines for having the worst voter turnout since World War II, with a turnout rate of 36 percent.

All five state-wide office holders, including the Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, Treasurer and Superintendent of Public Instruction, are new to their positions, but all remain Republican.  Republican legislators elected Representative David Gowan of Sierra Vista as the new House speaker; and in the Senate, Senator Andy Biggs of Gilbert will remain as Senate president.  On the Congressional side, the Senate turned Republican with 54 Republicans, 44 Democrats, and 2 Independents elected to the U.S. Congress; and the new Republican leader is U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell.

Analysts predict that $3.7 billion was spent on mid-term election advertising, and what we saw were some of the most negative ad campaigns ever.  Some question if this negativity hindered the election turnout.  Only time will tell.

What is in store for K-12 education from the federal level?  A short-term funding bill funded Arizona through today, December 11, 2014.  A new resolution was passed that will provide funding through September. Arizona will see less competitive grants funded through the federal government, and more money put into the formulaic funding.  The debt ceiling also allows the state to spend money through March 2015.  There is still much to be worked out.

New Senate leadership outlined plans for ESEA reauthorization; and the U.S. Department of Education expressed the desire to approve longer-term waivers.  Arizona’s waiver was approved, but the federal government had two issues with Arizona:  the graduation rate at 15 percent, and to demonstrate Arizona has the authority to require LEA’s to implement teacher and principal evaluations.

Arizona’s legislative session begins January 12, 2015.  ASBA reminded members to drop a note of congratulations to newly-elected legislators and offer to be educational resources.

ASBA and other educational organizations were successful at the Arizona Supreme Court in regards to the inflation lawsuit. The state is required to provide an immediate $336 million reset back to schools.  This is the biggest issue everyone in the state is facing.  ASBA said we will accept the reset and will drop the back-pay issue.  An initial ruling is expected sometime in January, and Governor-elect Ducey shows an interest in resolving this issue.

There is always discussion about a formula revamp; however, there is not a lot of detail for a 2016 package.  Prop 301 expires in 2021, which is only six years away and we need to start planning ahead.  In regards to school construction, it has been 14 years since Roosevelt vs. Bishop.  All of the items that helped create the lawsuit in 1998 are the same issues we are once again facing.  In essence, we are right back where we started.

All in all, 2015 will be an important year for the Arizona Legislature with many decisions to be made regarding funding issues, the new state assessment, and the A-F Accountability System.  Remember, keep in contact with your legislators, and encourage them to make decisions in the best interest of students.

Linda Jeffries
Alhambra Elementary School District