FIRE AT NIÑOS SCHOOL
Early Sunday morning, a fire erupted in one of the portable buildings on the Niños campus. Thankfully, no one was injured and the Tempe Fire Department was able to extinguish the fire before it spread to any other Niños facility. While we will probably be able to recover some of the materials and furniture housed in the building, the facility is no longer usable for school activities. The necessary support is being provided to the staff and students at Niños to effectively respond to this situation.
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MONDAY MESSAGE
Hello all!

I recently had a very uplifting and energizing experience that I would like to share with you all, in the hopes that you will have an opportunity to enjoy it as much as I did.

Last year, our Communications Team set a goal to develop a video for informational and recruiting purposes for our district. What resulted is in an incredibly positive, joyous video, spotlighting many staff and students. Last week we shared that presentation with our Leadership Team, and soon every school and PTO should have a copy. District office departments can also request copies from Communications.

Keep this in mind, and in the next month or so, ask your school or department leader about viewing this video. What you will see will make you an even prouder Kyrene employee and will help you share the reason for your pride with the greater Kyrene community. What we provide to our students is a premier experience and we want everyone to have that knowledge and appreciate it with us!

Best wishes,

Maria
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TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
CPR and First Aid Training
Click here to view the list of the CPR and First Aid trainings that are taking place at the Kyrene District Office. Spaces are limited.

Rio Salado Vouchers Available for Teachers
There are still vouchers available through Rio Salado College for individuals who need to become Highly Qualified, certified in their content area, or for individuals needing a middle school endorsement. The final date for distribution of these vouchers is September 16, 2005. If you are interested in enrolling in an online class through Rio Salado, contact Patty Hineman at x4115 in the Curriculum and Assessment Department. These vouchers will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. There is a maximum limit of 6 credit hours per person. Vouchers will be available in 1 credit hour increments.

Teacher Support for Implementing the New Harcourt Reading Material
This summer hundreds of teachers attended the second, more in depth elementary reading training called Planning with Harcourt. This is a different training than the training offered in May 2005 and during NEO. If you were not able to attend one of the three-hour trainings this summer or on August 22 there will be a final opportunity available on September 15. The classes for September are posted on the PGO. It is an expectation that teachers attend a 3-hour training in order to implement the program effectively.
Kindergarten – Planning with Harcourt
September 15, 2005, 3:30-6:30 p.m. at the District Office
1-2 Grade Teachers – Planning with Harcourt
September 15, 2005, 3:30-6:30 p.m. at the District Office
3-5 Grade Teachers – Planning with Harcourt
September 15, 2005, 3:30-6:30 p.m. at the District Office

ASU Language and Literacy Master’s and Reading Endorsement Program
The ASU Language and Literacy Master's and Reading Endorsement Program will continue to be offered at various school sites in Kyrene for Fall 2005. Since this is considered a "rolling cohort," participants are able to enroll in this program any time a new class is offered.  
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STAFF REMINDERS
Not All United Healthcare Plans are Alike
The attached document, courtesy of the Kyrene Benefits Office, provides responses to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding Kyrene’s United Healthcare plan.

Service Learning
Once again, Kyrene will be partnering with Mesa Community College in its Service Learning program, where students supplement their coursework with practical field experience. There will certainly be a number of students that will be interested in serving at Kyrene schools. The District Office will take care of recruiting and placing the students in schools and classrooms. All we will need to know is the how many openings for Service Learning students there are at each school, and where they could potentially be placed. Please begin the process of identifying openings for Service Learning students, if you have any, at your school. Once any openings have been identified, please submit the following information to Linda Stewart or Johnny Cruz:
- Number of students needed
- What grade level or program
- Student's potential supervisor (teacher or staff member)

NEWSFLASH
Elementary Report Card Changes for Language Arts 
The District Leadership Council approved the elementary report card changes for Language Arts this week. All teachers will receive an e-mail the week of August 29th outlining these changes.  

Grant Opportunities
Kids In Need Foundation Teacher Grants
The 2005-06 Kids In Need Teacher Grant applications will become available July 15. This year more than $105,000 is being offered in grants to certified K-12 teachers at any public, private, or parochial school in the U.S. The grants are from $100 to $500 for innovative classroom projects. National sponsors of the program are Jo-Ann Stores, Inc. and Office Depot. Regional sponsors include Fred Meyer, Publix, and Price Less Drug Stores. The Web site currently has the guidelines posted, which teachers can use to prepare to apply. The deadline to submit applications, which can be completed and submitted online, is September 30, 2005. Applications will be available after July 15 at the sponsors’ locations or at: http://www.shopa.org/shopa_foundation/teacher_programs.php

2,500 Best Buy Gift Cards for integrating tech, teaching: “te@ch program”
Eligibility: Teachers
Award: Selected schools receive a $2,500 Best Buy Gift Card.
Teachers and schools successfully using interactive technology in the classroom may be selected to receive $2,500 gift cards from Best Buy. New applications are now available and winners will be announced January 16, 2006. Deadline: September 25, 2005
Contact: http://communications.bestbuy.com/communityrelations/teach.asp 

NEA Foundation Grants
The NEA Foundation provides grants for the purpose of engaging in high-quality professional development or implementing project-based learning and break-the-mold innovations that raise student achievement. Maximum Award: $5,000. Eligibility: public school teachers, public school education support professionals, and faculty and staff in public higher education institutions. Deadline: September 15, 2005. http://www.neafoundation.org/grants.htm

SHOPA Kids in Need Foundation
All certified K-12 teachers are eligible to apply for the School, Home, and Office Products Association's Kids in Need grants, which provide financial support to teachers interested in implementing an innovative curriculum but who lack the funds to put their ideas into practice. Innovation and merit account for 40 percent of the application evaluation. A maximum of 200 grants ranging from $100 to $500 will be awarded; the deadline to apply is September 30, 2005. For more information and guidelines, go to http://www.shopa.org/shopa_foundation/teacher_programs.php.

If you are interested in pursuing these or any other grant opportunities, please contact Karin Crider at x4048. 
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KYRENE CLASSIFIEDS
Supplemental Education Department
The Supplemental Education Department is hiring additional staff. If you or someone you know enjoys working with children (ages 6 weeks through 8^th grade) and is looking for employment with the Kyrene School District (or if you are looking for additional duties and compensation), check out employment opportunities at http://www.kyrene.org/hr/suppsum.htm.

For information on teaching a before and after school enrichment program, contact Ashley Coates at x4089.

For information on jobs with Kids Club programs, contact Jena Brandon at x4059.

Print Shop
There are three open positions in the Print Shop. Seeking employees who are reliable, have excellent customer service, high energy, detail oriented, and the ability to multi-task. Staff operate high-speed copiers and presses. Will train the right candidate. Open positions include Print Shop Technician ($12.85-13.25/hour) and Print Shop Copier Assistant ($9.45-9.75/hour). For more information contact Kris Cuyler at x4294, or click here to apply.
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NEWSLETTERS
Arizona State Retirement System Newsletter
Click here for the latest edition of the Arizona State Retirement System Newsletter.
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We Want Your Feedback
Please let us know what you think of this publication. Send your comments, questions, and suggestions to jcruz@kyrene.org. Please be sure to type Kyrene Insider in the subject line. We want to ensure that we are effectively distributing information, so please let us know your opinion. [top]