Local Education/Sports News

This program provides an opportunity each month for one student from each of the district's eight schools to be recognized for demonstrating one of the various pillars of the Character Counts program. One character trait is selected each month and students are selected by their principal or teacher.

The spotlight Combs received on this national stage also included honoring Kelli Bond, instructional coach at Ellsworth Elementary School, who was selected as an award finalist in the category of Change Agent Instructional Coach of the Year. Combs has been a member of the Modern Teacher network since 2016 when it first embarked on the #Forward initiative to embrace personalized learning for students.

The W.P. Carey School of Business introduces innovative new graduate degree for AI in business at Arizona State University.

Two students will go on to compete April 22 at the National Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival in Washington, D.C. In the Musical Theatre Initiative, Jose Andres Uribe Garza earned first place for singing, qualifying him for the national competition. Zoe Russo is one of only four students from across the nation selected as an Institute for Theatre Journalism and Advocacy finalist going to nationals.

Local teacher Tasneem Halloum's new book, "A Kids Book About Courage," is a natural pick for National Reading Month.

Our commitment to fostering excellence in music education ties into our mission to cultivate well-rounded individuals. Music plays a crucial role in student development, and we aim to empower our students to reach their fullest potential, both academically and creatively.

Eighteen students took part in the local competition after their essays were chosen from 234 entries. Students participated in a live quiz event and answered questions from judges to test their civic knowledge. Maya J. from Payne Junior High School took first place, followed by August O., Benjamin A. and Shaurya A.

I could support an override if we had a plan to focus these funds on addressing our deficiencies. Until then, supporting the status quo of accepting low assessment scores, I could not, in all good conscience, go to the voters to ask for their support. We owe this to all of our students and the taxpayers, ensuring we are graduating students prepared for success.

Every March, the Arizona Auditor General releases a report called “Arizona School District Spending,” which has been released annually since 2000. This report describes a detailed analysis of how traditional school districts spend their allocated funds.