December 2007
Last Chance to make a Tax Credit donation to a Kyrene school!
Make a tax credit donation to a Kyrene school―you’ll get it back in more ways than one.
Support well-rounded students that build strong communities. Donate up to $400 to a Kyrene school of your choice and deduct that amount from state income taxes through a tax credit.
Open to the public: December 31st, 2007 – 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Kyrene School District Office
Ben Furlong Education Center
8700 S. Kyrene Road
Tempe, AZ 85284
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November 2007
School Labels Point to Importance of Attendance on Test Days
As most parents know now, the state of Arizona has issued it’s labels for schools called AZ Learns. This is the State of Arizona School Evaluation/Accountability System. (An explanation of how the labels are determined is below.) In 2007, at Kyrene Elementary School District there are 22 excelling & 3 highly performing schools. This is the same number of labels in each category as 2006.
2007 Labels for Kyrene Elementary School District:
22 Excelling Schools
· Sureno was Highly Performing in 2006 and has moved to Excelling.
3 Highly Performing Schools
· KMS is Highly Performing and was Excelling last year.
· Lomas was Highly Performing last year.
· Ninos was Highly Performing last year.
According to Theresa Sweeney, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, “All curriculum and testing in the Kyrene Elementary School District is focused on student achievement. We carefully monitor each child’s progress so, while we may not have scored as high as in the past, in one of the categories explained below, our commitment to excellence at KMS and all our other schools, has not changed year to year.”
Explanation of AZ LEARNS: The State of Arizona School Evaluation/Accountability System, AZ Learns, uses the AIMS-DPA (Arizona Instrument to Measure the Standards-Dual Purpose Assessment)
DPA means that there are items on the AIMS test that:
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Measure performance objectives from the Content Standard (Reading, Writing, and Math). These items were created by Arizona teachers with technical assistance from CTB McGraw Hill.
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Measure a student on standardized items from the TerraNova test bank which are Norm-Referenced Standardized test items designed to stratify students across a continuum based on a national norm.
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Schools are evaluated on a number of criteria and based on that criteria. While only reading and math are the subjects evaluated for AYP, AZ Learns evaluates reading, writing, and math.
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Points are earned toward the label in three categories:
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The AIMS evaluation is based on the percent of students who Meet (M) or Exceed (E) the standard or a reduction in the number of students who Fall Far Below (FFB) the standard.
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MAP Scores (Measure of Academic Progress) are the norm-referenced evaluation and is the percent of students who maintain at least one year’s growth.
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AYP evaluation
There are 27 points possible.
| Classification |
# of Points Needed |
| Excelling |
19-27 |
| Highly Performing |
16-18.9 |
| Performing Plus |
16-27* |
| Performing |
13-15.9 |
| Underperforming |
< 13 |
*A designation for schools that do not met the criteria for the number of students that Exceed the standard for Excelling/Highly Performing
Open Enrollment for the 2008-2009 School year will begin
during Winter break
All applications received between January 1 and March 31 will be accepted for the 2008-09 school year. If we are unable to place your child in the school you requested, we will work with you to find a spot in an appropriate Kyrene school.
All Kindergarten students will receive priority in enrollment and parents may go directly to the school of their choice to enroll beginning on Tuesday, January 8th. Take your child’s birth certificate and immunizations along with emergency contact phone numbers. Kyrene will be holding a Kindergarten Orientation at all elementary schools on Thursday, January 24th at 6:30 p.m. This will be a fun evening for the kindergarteners and an informative one for the parents.
Current Open Enrollment students will automatically be placed in a class for next year. This includes students moving from 5th grade to a middle school. You will not receive a letter from Kyrene and you do not need to contact us.
If your child is not returning to the open enrollment school next year, please inform the school office.
Current students who have moved out of the district must complete an open enrollment application.
For more information go to: www.kyrene.org/oe
Kyrene de la Mariposa is Twenty Years Old!!!!
In celebration of twenty years educating students in Tempe, the art department at Mariposa Elementary has undertaken a massive commemorative art project under the direction of Art Specialist Mrs. Janet Klein.
The Mariposa Mosaic is currently under construction. Current and past students, parents, teachers and administrators are invited to take part. As well, community residents can stop by the school and add their touch to this creative masterpiece.
Please contact the school directly to be sure participants will be actively placing tiles in the mosaic when you arrive. 480-783-3200. Additional Contact:
Dr. Marianne Lescher, Principal – Kyrene de la Mariposa
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October 2007
October 2007/Media Advisory - Kyrene Governing Board Meeting Date Change
October
2007/Media Advisory- International Walk
to School Day
Opportunities for Gifted and High-achieving Students
You are invited to attend an informational meeting to learn about additional opportunities for incoming gifted or high achieving students in the Tempe Union High School District. The following presentations will be offered:
|
October 16, 2007 |
October 30, 2007 |
November 8, 2007 |
|
Akimel A-al |
Kyrene School District Office |
Kyrene Middle School |
|
Multi-Purpose Room |
Board Room South |
Library |
|
2720 E. Liberty Lane |
8700 S. Kyrene Road |
1050 E. Carver Road |
|
Phoenix |
Tempe |
Tempe |
|
6:30 – 8:00 p.m. |
6:30 – 8:00 p.m. |
6:30 – 8:00 p.m. |
High school coordinators will discuss the admission requirements, curriculum, and questions that you may have concerning the following programs.
The Payne Academy:
The Peggy Payne Academy offers an academically challenging program for high school students who qualify for gifted education services by scoring in the 97 percentile or above. Located within the McClintock High School campus, the Peggy Payne Academy provides a small, student-centered environment in which gifted students can flourish while developing their intellectual talent to their full potential. Students enrolled in Peggy Payne Academy have the opportunity to study, explore and be challenged, where excellence is the standard and not the exception. Students are met with rigor and innovative experiences and are in classes with peers who share the same passion for academics, leadership, and community service.
International Baccalaureate:
The International Baccalaureate (IB) is a challenging and internationally renowned program with a comprehensive and rigorous liberal arts curriculum, leading to examinations in the junior and senior years. The college preparatory program is designed for motivated students who work well in a structured academic setting. The mission of the program is to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.
Pre-requisite courses that prepare students for the demanding IB curriculum are offered to Tempe High freshmen and sophomores. Admission to the program is competitive, and an application is required.
Ms. Zinke, Gifted Program Coordinator of The Payne Academy, can be contacted at (480) 752-8680 or lzinke.mhs@tuhsd.k12.az.us. Mr. Greenhalgh, International Baccalaureate Coordinator at Tempe High School, can be reached at (480) 967-1661 or sgreenhalgh.ths@tuhsd.k12.az.us.
Small Classroom Sizes Promote Student Achievement
The Kyrene School District curriculum is aligned to State standards, and is appropriate, rigorous, and comprehensive―providing a challenging and rewarding learning environment for our students. Another valuable benefit of enrolling in our district is our small class size. The number of students per class is lower than most public schools in the East Valley. To promote student achievement, we are committed to maintaining these class sizes throughout all our grades. Thanks to the overwhelming voter support demonstrated in the K-3 override, primary grades have exceptionally small class sizes.
Enrollment and staffing allocations are based upon Governing Board guidelines. These guidelines ensure that your child will receive the individualized attention needed to excel*. Class size guidelines are: Grades K-1: 18-22 Grades 2-3: 24-26 Grades 4-5: 27-29 Grades 6-8: 29-31
* Note: These are guidelines and in some areas, such as middle school electives, the range may be higher or lower. Instructional Assistant time may be allocated to support those classrooms with numbers slightly above guidelines.
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September 2007
September
2007/Media Advisory - ASU Strings Project 2007
August 2007
August
2007/Media Advisory - Akimel
A-al Ice Cream Social
July 2007
July
2007/News Release - Erin Gruwell
July
2007/Media Advisory - Meet the Teacher Event
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February 2007
Student Art Takes the Stage
Student art work from all 25 Kyrene School District Schools will be on
public display at the Ben Furlong Education Center. Art works include two
and three-dimensional pieces from students in first through eighth grade.
Come and enjoy the exceptional work completed and presented by the
students of Kyrene School District.
When: March 2 & March 5 - 8, 2007, 8:00am – 5:00pm
Public Preview: Friday, March 2 & Monday, March 5, 8:00am – 5:00pm
Opening Night: Tuesday March 6, 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Where: Ben Furlong Education Center,
8700 S. Kyrene Rd., Tempe, AZ 85284
Lagos retires flag
Showing proper
respect for the flag is solemn business, even if you're only 9, 10 or 11
years old. So the group of boys gathered in front of Kyrene de los Lagos
Elementary School on a recent sunny afternoon stifled the urge to play
around and instead stood at attention while the U.S. and Arizona flags
were lowered.
Those in their uniforms saluted, while those in street clothes held a hand
over their heart. The pack is doing its part to honor the American flag
with a flag retirement ceremony at the school. The Scouts disassembled and
then burned an old tattered flag that used to fly over the school.
During the ceremony, the flag was carried to the assembly in pieces while
pack leaders explain to students what is taking place. The disassembled
flag was then be burned until it was reduced to ashes as the significance
of the colors of the flag was explained. The event concluded with the
entire student body singing You're a Grand Old Flag.
Kyrene de la Esperanza earns gold
Students from Kyrene de la Esperanza Elementary School brought home the
gold after competing in the FIRST LEGO League Robotics Competition last
December. The Esperanza NanoSharks brought home two trophies from the AZ
State Competition.
The event, attended by more than 1,000 people, has grown in popularity at
Esperanza. So much so that Esperanza doesn’t know if one team will be able
to accommodate all the interest. Plan to see them next year. The only
question is whether there will be one team or two.
Prep Program applications now available
To
provide for highly talented students in the East Valley area, Kyrene
School District has developed a Preparatory Program for students in grades
six, seven and eight. The Preparatory Program recognizes the need to
maximize learning and will offer a challenging educational experience for
talented students, on a level appropriate with their abilities and
achievements.
In
order to be considered, students must qualify for advanced placement
mathematics, as well as, above grade language arts. Students will need a
completed application, a satisfactory progress report and one letter of
recommendation. This program will be located on the Kyrene Middle School (KMS)
campus. Complete guidelines and applications for the Preparatory Program
will be available at the KMS office beginning February 5, 2007. If you
would like more information on this exciting new program, contact KMS at
480/783-1000.
Five students move forward to the Regional Spelling Bee
Twenty-two students competed in the Kyrene School District Spelling Bee on Wednesday, January 24, 2007.
At the end of the night, the word “sedentary” determined the winner.
Anjili Solsi, an eighth grade student at Kyrene Centennial spelled this
final word correctly and became the champion. Anjili, along with four
other students that placed in the top five: Rodney Truong, fourth grade at
Kyrene de las Brisas; Tim Seelig, eighth grade at Kyrene Akimel A-al;
Amrita Murali, fourth grade at Kyrene de los Cerritos; and, Ketan Kulkarni,
eighth grade at Kyrene Middle School, will advance to the Regional
Spelling Bee on February 3, 2007 at Carson Junior High School.
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January 2007
12th Annual Honors Music Festival
The Kyrene School District Middle School Music Honor Festival is an
annual event that showcases the exemplary talents of its young chorus,
orchestra and band students. Approximately 200 middle school students
will participate in the Festival, which consists of two days of
intensive rehearsal with a guest conductor at a local high school and a
final concert, open to the community.
The Festival is
generously supported by the Kyrene District in partnership with the Tempe
Union High School District. The Kyrene Honors Music Festival Concert will
take place in the Mountain Pointe High School Auditorium on January 30 at
7:00 p.m. Admission is free.
The 8th annual Soup-er Bowl begins
January 29
The stage has been set and the boxes are ready. It’s the Bears vs. the
Colts. Only one team can win. Will the students at Kyrene de la Colina
predict the winning team once again?
Beginning January 29, the students at Colina will be collecting food and
sundry items and filling up boxes to predict who will win Super Bowl XLI.
The stage has been divided into the Bears and the Colts. Throughout the
week, students voluntarily place their food collections with the team they
predict will win Super Bowl XLI. On February 2, students will count the
items for each team and declare Colina’s choice for Super Bowl XLI
champion. Colina has predicted Super Bowl champion six times in the past
seven years!
All food items and sundry items
will be donated to the Kyrene Family Resource Center. Only canned and
boxed food can be donated. Other items that may be donated include: toilet
paper, bar soap, dish detergent, Kleenex, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste
and toothbrushes, diapers, lotion, etc.
Students put their
spelling skills to the test
Twenty-two students will be competing in the Kyrene School District
Spelling Bee on Wednesday, January 24, 2007. The spelling bee will be held
at the Ben Furlong Center at 6:30 PM. First through fifth place winners
will advance to the Regional Spelling Bee held on February 3, 2007 at
Carson Junior High School. Any questions regarding the Kyrene School
District Spelling Bee can be directed to 480-783-4000.
Kyrene Middle
School to be Honored at the 9th Annual MLK Brunch
Kyrene Middle School (KMS) is
being honored for its commitment to diversity at Tempe Human Relations
Commission 9th Annual MLK Diversity Awards Brunch on Monday, January 15.
Throughout the year, KMS facilitates programs that exemplify its
commitment to diversity.
This past fall, 50 eighth-grade students participated in camp Minitown.
Camp Minitown is designed to provide a base for students of different
backgrounds to better understand themselves and others. Students learn
leadership skills, a sense of individual self-worth, and learn to promote
cultural awareness, understanding and a celebration of diversity. Once
the students return from camp they serve as leaders on campus for follow
up diversity activities scheduled throughout the year.
KMS also hosted its first annual multicultural celebration last year,
which included several cultural presentations throughout the month of
February. For the current school year, activities have been expanded to
include producing and posting diversity messages throughout the school
cafeteria, a school-wide diversity poetry contest, producing a diversity
awareness commercial for the school’s televised morning announcements and
a community wide Multicultural celebration.
The 9th Annual Tempe Human Relations Commission MLK Diversity Awards
Brunch will be at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, January 15th, at The Buttes
Resort, 2000 Westcourt Way, Tempe. The awards brunch will honor community
members, businesses, and groups who have demonstrated a commitment to
diversity in Tempe.
Accepting applications for Full-Day
Kindergarten
The
Kyrene School District is accepting enrollment applications for the
2007-2008 kindergarten program. This program is free for all children, and
the guaranteed enrollment window ends on February 14, 2007. The
kindergarten program provides an education for the whole child. It offers
a challenging and comprehensive academic curriculum and special classes
including music and physical education. Full-Day programs are available at
all Kyrene Elementary School campuses; half-day programs are available at
Kyrene de las Brisas, Kyrene de la Colina, Kyrene de la Sierra, C.I.
Waggoner, Kyrene de la Estrella and Kyrene de la Mirada.
View a current schedule of
kindergarten orientations.
Health Curriculum
Materials on 60-day Public Review
The Kyrene School District is seeking community input on resources for the
newly expanded Health curriculum, adopted by the Kyrene Governing Board on
August 22, 2006. Materials will be available in the curriculum room at the
Ben Furlong Education Center beginning Wednesday, December 13, 2006
through Tuesday, March 27, 2007, during posted operating hours. In
addition, there will be three Saturday viewings: January 20, 8am-12noon;
February 3, 10am-2pm; and, February 24, 12noon-4pm; and three evening
information sessions from 6pm-8pm: January 29, February 26 and March 6. For
more information, please call 480/783-4127. View the
Public
Review information sheet.
Enroll in an excelling school district
Enroll your child in one of the top rated school districts in the State of
Arizona. Open enrollment has begun for the 2007-2008 school year and
continues for the current year. With 22 excelling schools and three highly
performing schools, you are assured that your child will receive the best
education. At Kyrene, we focus on individual student achievement and
character development. Kyrene schools also offer a state-of-art-technology
program, gifted services and an award winning before and after school
program. To find your child's home school, click
here. If your primary residence is
outside of Kyrene School District boundaries, you will need to fill out an
open
enrollment application. We look forward
to having you as part of the Kyrene Community.
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