Local Education/Sports News

Although focus has been primarily on the Southeast Valley communities of Queen Creek, San Tan Valley and Florence, Crush Kickball hopes to become a statewide program over the next few years. Regular registration is now open through Sept. 1 for the 2024 fall season, which is Sept. 7-Nov. 23.

On Nov. 5, our community will have the opportunity to exercise its civic responsibility by considering an override renewal ballot measure for the Queen Creek Unified School District. This critical election will have a significant impact on all schools and faculty, shaping the resources and support available to our students and staff.

The education sector has faced intense competition for talented educators and a scarcity of qualified candidates in recent years. Despite these challenges, QCUSD has excelled by implementing innovative recruitment strategies, fostering a positive and supportive culture that attracts top educators, and ensuring effective retention practices.

As a board member, I get calls regularly with these concerns from teachers and advise them to go to the administration and keep me included in all communications. I have also recommended they speak to the board at the board meeting. Every single one said they could not without fearing the repercussions.

They’re a confident group, especially after the showing they had in Chicago at the end of July against some of the top wheelchair softball teams in the country. They went into the national tournament without expectations. They simply wanted to perform well and tune-up for the International Wheelchair Softball World Series taking place Aug. 15-18 in Omaha, Neb. 

As the superintendent of J.O. Combs Unified School District, I recognize that sensational headlines and social media posts can sometimes create a skewed perception. However, the reality is that our schools are vibrant, supportive communities where the focus is always on our students' success.

The IT job market is experiencing tremendous growth bringing high demand for skilled support and technical staff within the enterprise. Jamf certification is part of Mesa Community College’s Enterprise IT Professional for Apple Technology certification, designed to help aspiring IT professionals learn how to manage Apple at work.

The internationally-renowned classical training program is available to ballet students nationally with open enrollment underway for the 2024-2025 school year.

The program prepares students with in-depth training as part of their curricula, using augmented reality technology.

“With Arizona remaining an important focal point in the future of semiconductor manufacturing, the need for technical talent in our industry has never been more vital,” said Geno Fallico, vice president of Chandler operations at NXP. “This donation will help support Valley college students with the training and tools necessary to one day pursue a rewarding career in manufacturing, helping to foster growth, innovation and technological advancements in our local semiconductor community.”