ASBA Journal

Winter 2012Vol. 42, No. 1

Where It Is, Where It’s Heading

One Board’s Bold Decision

LearningDigital

Plus ANNUAL AWARDS SHOWCASE

Phone: (602)789-1170 or (800)762-2234

Trust the People Who Care for You!

��

��!"� �#��$�� %��&�'!� ��"$*� ��

+,.///��5��5��

;<=��

>;?,�� %� ��

=/@��5��$��5��%�� $��

;//@��%�� /;;'�/;�

�5��A�� A��/@��+�� "�� ?$��

#B�� C�� '=��B�%��C�� "��

C��D��EC��!"��F��5�� A��G�� "��

��

designed to meet the needs of ��

INSURANCE TRUST

�� $2 MILLION

to 2010-2011 Members!

ASBAIT Mission:��!��"��#��$��%��

��#��#�!��#��&��#�� !��!��'��#��#��#��

www.asbait.org

Winter 2012 I ASBA Journal 1

WINTER 2012VOL. 42, NO. 1

DEPARTMENTS5 President’s Message Stronger Together By Michael Hughes, ASBA President

6 ASBA News By Tracey Benson, ASBA Director of Communications

18 Capitol View 2012 Legislative Session Defined by School Choice

By Janice Palmer, ASBA Director of Governmental Relations & Public Affairs

21 Education and the Law Medical Marijuana and Public School Employees By Chris Thomas, ASBA General Counsel and Director of Legal Services

23 Points on Policy Policy and the Principal: An Overview for the Governing Board By Dr. Terry Rowles, ASBA Interim Director of Policy Services

25 Leadership Matters Learning and Leading: A Powerful Combination When It Comes to Board Service By Karen Beckvar, ASBA Director of Leadership Development

54 Viewpoints The Beginning of a New Day By Dr. Timothy Ogle, ASBA Executive Director

FEATURES9 Meet Dr. Timothy Ogle

10 Highlights

12 Digital and Blended Learning Where It Is, Where It’s Heading and What

School Board Members Need to Know By Don Harris

14 Through Technology By Don Harris

17 Profile in Leadership Scott Ferris, Antelope Union High School District

27

28 ASBA Annual Awards Showcase

29 Lou Ella Kleinz Award of Excellence

32 All-Arizona School Board Award

34 Total Board Award

40 Master of Boardsmanship with Clusters Award

41 Superintendents Award

43 Golden Bell Award

52 2011 Jack Peterson Student Photography Contest Winners

59

On the cover: A student uses an Apple iPod Touch device to practice her literacy and fluency in Lucy Blanco's 1st grade classroom at El Mirage Elementary school in the Dysart Unified School District.

2 ASBAJournal I Winter 2012

Winter 2012 I ASBAJournal 3

OUR MISSIONPromoting community volunteer governance of public

education and continuous improvement of student success by providing leadership and assistance to public

school governing boards.

OUR GOALSProvide model training and leadership emphasizing

best practices in public school governance.

Represent and advocate for the diverse interests of public school governing boards.

Advocate the core beliefs and political agenda as adopted by the membership.

OUR CORE BELIEFSASBA believes…

The basic life needs of children must be met for them to succeed.

Meeting the unique educational needs of all students must be the foundation of our school systems.

The governance of public schools must lie with locally elected and accountable school district governing boards.

The accountability for student success is a shared responsibility of the students, parents, governing board,

district staff and the community.

Public education funding must be broad-based, stable and at a level that assures all students receive an

education that enables them to be successful.

State and federal mandates must be funded.

Knowledgeable and professionally trained governing board members are fundamental for ensuring student success.

Learn more at www.azsba.org

A R I Z O N A S C H O O LBOARDS ASSOCIAT ION

“Quality leadership and advocacy for children in public schools”

ARIZONA SCHOOLBOARDS ASSOCIATION

OfficersPresident Michael HughesPresident Elect Randy SchillerTreasurer Carolyn CalderonSecretary Jesus RubalcavaImmediate Past President Dee Navarro

County Directors, Caucus Presidentand NSBA RepresentativesApache Arnold Goodluck Cochise Jeffery CrandallCoconino Jerry WilliamsGila Frankie Dalmolin Graham Dalene GriffinGreenlee Kimberly LuntLa Paz Rudy ParkerMaricopa Bill Adams Maricopa Paul RoettoMohave William GoodaleNavajo Linda Yazzie Pima Jim CoulterPima Elaine HallPinal Alicia BristowSanta Cruz Harry ClapeckYavapai Karen McClellandYuma Sandrea KerrHispanic/Native American Indian Caucus Katrina TalkalaiBlack Caucus David EvansNSBA Pacific Region Director Cynthia Matus Morriss

StaffExecutive Director Dr. Timothy OgleDirector of Administrative Services Ellen WhiteDirector of Communications Tracey BensonDirector of Governmental Relations/Public Affairs Janice PalmerDirector of Leadership Development Karen BeckvarDirector of Legal Services/General Counsel Chris ThomasInterim Director of Policy Services Dr. Terry RowlesEducation Policy Analyst Steve HighlenLeadership Development Specialist Dr. Sharon HillPolicy Technician Renae WatsonResearch Analyst Michael T. MartinGovernmental Relations Intern Ben HendersonExecutive Assistant to the Executive Director and Liaison to the Board of Directors Shirley SimpsonAdministrative Secretary Jolene HaleAdministrative Secretary Sara NilssonAdministrative Secretary Elizabeth SanchezReceptionist Kristi Johnson

Publication Policy: Articles printed herein may be divergent in point of view and controversial in nature. The materials published in each issue represent the ideas or beliefs of those who write them, and not necessarily the views or policies of the Arizona School Boards Association. © 2012 by the Arizona School Boards Association.

Address all correspondence to:ASBA Journal Editor2100 N. Central Ave., Suite 200Phoenix, AZ 85004Phone: 602-254-1100; [email protected]; Website: www.azsba.orgAnnual subscription rate $24Production and Design by S&L Printing & Mailing


Funding Available!

Enhance Your Fitness and Nutrition Programs! Fuel Up to Play 60 is a school wellness program launched by the

National Dairy Council and NFL in partnership with the Dairy Council of

Arizona that empowers students to eat healthy and be active. The program

has earned recognition across the private and public sectors. United States

Department of Agriculture has joined the effort, and additional support has

been achieved from multiple health organizations and several major corpo-

rations.

Research shows that kids who are well-nourished and more

physically active tend to have improved cognitive function,

stronger academic achievement, increased concentration and

better test scores.1,2 The bottom line is that Fuel Up to Play 60

can help improve the health, achievement and long-term

well-being for students in your schools.

Funding opportunities are available, up to $4,000,

on a competitive basis to K-12 schools enrolled in Fuel

Up to Play 60. Funds may be used to support a range of

different program-related activities, such as kickoff and

launch events, in-school promotions, student engage-

ment and motivation, program implementation, family

engagement and tracking and measurement.

For more information on how to get your district

involved with Fuel Up to Play 60, go to:

www.FuelUpToPlay60.com

Dairy CouncilDairyOF ARIZONACouncil

© 2012 National Dairy Council. Fuel Up is a service mark of the National Dairy

Council. © 2011 NFL Properties LLC. All NFL-related trademarks are

trademarks of the National Football League

1-Action for Healthy Kids (2008). Progress or Promises? What’s Working for and Against Healthy Schools.

http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/research-and-

reports/progress-or-promises-what-s-working-for-and-against-healthy-schools.html.

2-Action for Healthy Kids (October 2004).The Learning Connection: The Value of Improving Nutrition and

Physical Activity in Our Schools. http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/learning-connection.pdf.

Next Deadline June 1


By Michael Hughes, ASBA President

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Stronger Together

Great accomplishments are rarely, if ever, the work of a single person or organization. The work we are engaged in as school board members – the

continuous improvement of student success in our public schools – is a perfect example. Go to an ASBA training that covers the subject of school board governance and you’re sure to hear this: “As a board member, your only authority is when you are acting as part of a board.” That is the nature of the office school board members hold. Our “authority” comes from our collective will. Sometimes that collective will doesn’t come easy. School board members come from many backgrounds, bring a multitude of life experiences to the table, and are inf luenced, as all people are, by a variety of external forces. But, when we are functioning effectively and able to reach consensus despite our differences, the organizations we serve can move forward as a unified body toward common goals that have continuous improvement of student success at their heart. We’re stronger together. And those we serve are the beneficiaries. A collective vision for education in Arizona is emerging. Governor Brewer’s Arizona Ready education reform initiative has established goals, created by a statewide group of education and business leaders, and a council has been formed to move us toward achieving them. By 2020, we expect to: Increase the percentage of third-graders meeting

state reading standards to 94 percent from 73 percent in 2010.

Raise the high school graduation rate to 93 percent in 2020 from 75 percent in 2010.

Increase the percentage of eight-graders achieving at or above “basic” on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) to 85 percent in 2020 from 67 percent in math and 68 percent in reading in 2010.

Double the number of students receiving bacca-laureate degrees to 36,000 per year.

No one group – not the Arizona Ready Council, not ASBA and its member boards statewide, nor any of the other education “alphabet groups” and their members, and not legislators – will achieve these goals by working in isolation or through exclusion. We are stronger together. That’s one reason I am so proud to be president of ASBA at this moment in time. The ASBA board of directors and staff are unified around the belief that as a state – and as an organization – we can accomplish our common goals more effectively if we agree that we’re all in it together. The goals set forth for public education in our state are aggressive, and the fiscal resources we as school district leaders have been afforded to accomplish them have dwindled. To be successful for our students, we must work together to advocate for resources and policies that will support – not hinder nor distract from – the important work at hand. We must be at our best at the board table, and not let our governance practices or understanding of issues hinder or distract from the important work we face as board members. The services provided by ASBA – from legislative and legal advocacy, to board member training, to policy services – are rooted in belief that we are truly stronger together. If we establish common goals, and commit to reaching consensus, we will find success. We ARE stronger together.

To be successful for our students, we must work together to advocate for resources and policies that will support – not hinder nor distract from – the important work at hand.

6 ASBA Journal I Winter 2012

Delegates representing ASBA member districts from across Arizona elected officers for 2012 at the annual membership meeting that took place during the ASBA-ASA 54th Annual Conference in December. Elected to serve ASBA as officers on the organization’s board of directors for 2012 were Randy Schiller (Phoenix UHSD), president elect; Carolyn Calderon (Palominas ESD), treasurer; and Jesus Rubalcava (Gila Bend USD), secretary. Michael Hughes (Mesa USD) is ASBA’s 2012 president and Dee Navarro (Prescott USD) is immediate past president.

New officers elected at annual meeting

Saar, Schweiger-Nitchalls receive ASBA Honor Roll Award Dana Saar and Suzanne Schweiger-Nitchals have received ASBA’s Honor Roll Award. The award rec-ognizes retiring board members who were nominated by their boards for outstanding service after serving at least two consecutive terms on their boards. Saar served on the Fountain Hills USD board for 15 years, and Schweiger-Nitchals served on the Creighton ESD board for 11 years.

ASBA awards scholarship to seniors planning to pursue teaching degrees ASBA has awarded its annual Jack Peterson Scholarships to three high-achieving high school seniors who plan to pursue degrees in education in college. Scholarships were awarded to Erika Vander Hulst, Mountain View High School, Marana USD; Fatima Alvarez, Antelope Union High School, Antelope UHSD; and Megan Ostrenga, Fountain Hills High School, Fountain Hills USD.

ASBA Board of Directors appoints new Cochise, Maricopa county directors In January the ASBA Board of Directors appointed two new members to the board: Jeffery Crandall (Tombstone USD) as Cochise County Director and Paul Roetto (Saddle Mountain USD) as Maricopa County Co-Director. Crandall and Roetto were selected after a call for applications to board members in Maricopa and Cochise counties. The vacancies were created by the election at the 2011 ASBA Annual Membership Meeting of Carolyn Calderon (Cochise County Director) as ASBA treasurer and Jesus Rubalcava (Maricopa County Co-Director) as ASBA secretary. The terms of the newly appointed county directors will be through the 2012 ASBA Annual Membership Meeting (ASBA Bylaws Article V, Section 9). Elections for these seats for ensuing terms will be held in fall 2012 during the ASBA County Meetings.

Michael Hughes, Dee Navarro, Jesus Rubalcava, Carolyn Calderon and Randy Schiller


Solomon honored with Barbara Robey Lifetime Achievement Award Former Arizona state legislator and lifelong public education advocate Ruth Solomon has received the 2011 ASBA Barbara Robey Lifetime Achievement Award for her outstanding contributions in support of public education and ASBA's mission through servant leadership over an extended period of time. Solomon currently serves on the governing board of the Pima County JTED. The award was presented to Solomon at the ASBA-ASA 54th Annual Conference in December. As a member of the Arizona Senate from 1988 to 2003, Solomon often sought out Robey, who served as ASBA’s lobbyist, to provide the point of view of school board members and other public school leaders, and to inf luence the votes of members who were not always supportive of public education. Upon leaving the Legislature, Solomon served as associate superintendent of public instruction for the Arizona Department of Education, advising the superintendent on policy issues and overseeing the information technology, testing and accountability divisions. She continues to support public education and Arizona’s children today in her important roles as a member of the governing board of the Pima County JTED, president of the board of directors of the Arizona Center for Afterschool Excellence and a trustee of the Arizona Educational Foundation.

ASBA names top advocate, legislators for 2011 Jim Love, a member of the Flowing Wells USD governing board, was named 2011 ASBA Advocate of the Year, and Sen. Doris Goodale (LD 3) and Rep. Eric Meyer (LD 11) were named 2011 ASBA Legislators of the Year. The awards were presented at the ASBA-AASBO-ASA Legislative Workshop, held in December 2011 and attended by approximately 400 Arizona public school leaders. Love was recognized for the outstanding, on-going relationships he has forged with state legislators and members of Congress, and his commitment to support ASBA’s advocacy efforts through participation on the ASBA Legislative Committee and the Arizona Response Team, and his federal advocacy efforts through the National School Boards Association’s Federal Relations Network. Among his accomplishments are the education-oriented debates, now officially sanctioned, in which congressional candidates in his home district – CD 8 –regularly participate. Love took it upon himself to plan and orchestrate the debates after becoming frustrated that education wasn’t being adequately addressed by candidates. Sen. Goodale and Rep. Meyer were recognized for their willingness to listen to the needs and challenges of Arizona’s public school leaders and their efforts to seek non-partisan solutions that support continuous improvement of student success. Specifically, Goodale was recognized for her steadfastness in stopping legislation that would increase mandates and administrative burdens to schools, and Meyer for having a perfect voting record on ASBA priority bills. Both legislators also well understand and support the important role locally elected school boards play in supporting student achievement. Goodale formerly served on the Kingman USD governing board and Meyer currently serves on the Scottsdale USD governing board.

Sen. Doris Goodale and Jim Love

Barbara Robey and Ruth Solomon

Rep. Eric Meyer


STARTS TODAY

APRIL 21–23, 2012 | BOSTON CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTER | BOSTON, MA

W W W . N S B A . O R G / C O N F E R E N C E

NEW! Sharpen your skills in NSBA’s expanded Technology Track, and see how integrating technology can transform the learning process.

The National School Boards Association’s Annual Conference will help you become a better leader for your district. Join school leaders from across the country for relevant education, valuable networking, and powerful presentations.

Hear the national perspective on today’s education issues

Learn how proposed federal legislation and upcoming court cases will impact your district

Get best practices and new insights from your colleagues

Bring your entire leadership team to share perspectives and make a greater impact on your district.

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN


MeetDr. Timothy OgleA S B A E X E C U T I V E D I R E C TO R

Asingle sentence can speak volumes about a person. “Helping kids and families succeed has been at the heart of all I have ever done – and all I want to do

in the future.” Meet Dr. Timothy Ogle, who joined the Arizona School Boards Association as executive director in February.

Ogle says he is driven by a foundational belief that will guide his work at ASBA: “Public education is the backbone of the community, state and nation and a critical element in economic development. Working on behalf of students to develop the future of our culture is the most important work there is.”

A native of Indiana, Ogle spent more than 30 years in that state as an educator and public school leader, starting his career as a high school economics teacher, then rising to principal, curriculum director and ultimately superintendent of schools in the Indianapolis suburb of Avon, a K-12 district he served for the past seven years. His achievements in Avon included restructuring the district's administrative team, improving student achievement, realigning the K-12 curriculum, creating the Avon Advanced Learning Center and overseeing nearly $200 million of construction projects. Ogle calls the effective team dynamics he and members of Avon school board achieved and enjoyed “essential” to what the district was able to accomplish. During his tenure the district’s governing board earned eight consecutive Exemplary Board Awards from the Indiana Association of Schools Boards.

“He has created a culture of excellence for our district that is unparalleled,” said Kim Woodward, Avon school board president.

Ogle holds a B.S. in education and an M.S. in school administration from Indiana University, an Ed.S. from Ball State University and a Ph.D. in school administration from Indiana State University.

Ogle says that throughout his career he has seen many changes, but none that hold the significance and urgency

as those that have occurred in recent years. “Our schools must become more nimble and responsive than ever before. We know so much about teaching and learning, and we must move our organizations faster to match this new body of knowledge – and the related reforms and accountability measures that have been thrust upon us. I’m looking forward to leading ASBA in a way that will provide Arizona’s governing board members with the leadership, training and support that they need to do just that in ways that, without exception, support student achievement.”

Michael Hughes, president of the ASBA Board of Directors, says Ogle’s reputation as an innovative thinker and consensus decision-maker, his passion for public education, and his deep respect for those who serve their communities on school boards make him an excellent fit to lead ASBA into the future. Ogle’s self-effacing humor and approachable demeanor are assets as well, notes Hughes.

Ogle says he looks forward to establishing connections here in Arizona – both within the public education community and outside it - and will make it a priority to do so. He will visit various regions in the state to meet with board members and superintendents this spring. Connecting with legislative, business and civic leaders is on his schedule as well.

“Schools can’t do it alone, school boards can’t do it alone and, frankly, the whole of the public education community can’t do it alone,” says Ogle. “We need to reach ‘off-campus’ - beyond the world of public education - if we are going to galvanize and maintain the support needed to accomplish our vision of providing quality leadership and advocacy for children in public schools.”

Ogle already has one strong support system in the state. He and his wife, Kathe, who was born in Arizona and lived here until she was a teen, have a host of family members in Arizona. They also expect frequent visits from their three grown sons, one who lives in Manhattan and the other two who live in Southern California.

December 14 -16, 2011Biltmore Conference Center


1 The Golden Bell Awards luncheon celebrated the accomplishments of Arizona superintendents, as well as excellence in educational programs in four categories.

2 Glenn Nitchals, ASBA Past President Joan Fleming (Prescott USD) and ASBA Past President Suzanne Schweiger-Nitchals re-connected at the ASBA Annual Awards Dinner.

3 Dysart USD Superintendent Dr. Gail Pletnick (standing) and board members Jerry Eynon and Jennifer Tanner reviewed conference materials.

4 Keynote speaker – and magician – Billy Riggs awed and inspired attendees during the opening general session.

5 Dr. Chuck Essigs, former ASBA interim executive director, ASBA Past President Marilyn Wilson, 2012 ASBA President Michael Hughes and Petey Hughes celebrated governance and training accomplishments of Arizona school board members at the ASBA Annual Awards Dinner.

6 2011 ASBA President Dee Navarro passed the gavel to 2012 ASBA President Michael Hughes.

7 Higley USD Superintendent Denise Birdwell presided over the Golden Bell Awards Luncheon.

8 Chorale members from Red Mountain High School (Mesa USD) shared sounds of the season prior to the conference’s opening ceremony.

9 Many ASBA past presidents, including those pictured here, attend the ASBA-ASA Annual Conference each year.

10 Osborn ESD board member Sue Corbin chatted with a representative of Wedbush Morgan Securities in the conference’s vibrant exhibit hall.

11 2011 President Dee Navarro presented the ASBA Golden Bell Teacher of the Year Award to Kristie Martorelli, 2012 Arizona Teacher of the Year.

12 Seventeen governing boards, including Florence USD’s, received the ASBA Total Board Award at the ASBA Annual Awards dinner.

13 Eight Golden Bells for excellence in educational programs were presented.

1

2

3

4


5

6

8

9 13

10

11

12

7


Anew report suggests that Arizona is in position to lead the way toward implementation of digital education and blended learning, a 21st century

movement that its proponents say will be critical to meeting the individual learning needs of students - those who excel, others who need additional instructional help, as well as the vast majority of students who are somewhere in between. The vision is this: A greater use of technology and the availability of online courses through a system of blended learning under which students who attend traditional, brick-and-mortar public schools will take some online courses at home and make greater use of technology to tackle their coursework at school, resulting in a more customized educational experience.

“Digital Learning: How to Enhance the Learning of Any Child, at Any Time, and in Any Place,” released by the ASU Morrison Institute for Public Policy and the Center for the Future of Arizona in February, emphasizes that digital learning is a collection of teaching tools and strategies designed to expand the learning and discovery environment of traditional brick-and-mortar K-12 schools. Flexibility and opportunities for competency-based learning are identified as benefits.

Sybil Francis, executive director of the Center for the Future of Arizona, an independent nonprofit organization, says digital learning is in its earliest stages. “Think about how digital technology has changed our lives,” Francis says. “When you think about how we communicate, how we work, I see education as the last frontier of digital technology. We are so far behind in what the potential is for digital learning in the classroom.”

The Morrison Institute/CFA report focuses on several

key areas. The first is a system-wide change toward more personalized educational experiences for students. It is called competency-based learning, where students advance at their own paces. But, such a system presents challenges for teachers. “Right now, we don’t really have personalized education,” Francis says. “We’ve got the traditional model, with the teacher in front of 30 kids. That teacher is going to have a lot of difficulty interacting with students individually.”

The report calls for creatively integrating digital content and learning opportunities into the classroom, resulting in a blended learning situation. “It frees up the teacher to walk around and speak with every student, and address the needs of those students individually,” Francis says. “It debunks the notion that we’re trying to cut out the role of teachers. In a way, it’s the opposite. Let’s bring back teachers to do what they can do best with students – one-on-one. It empowers teachers to be able to work individually with students.”

Another area calls for quality in digital content, much of which is freely available online, and teaching. “It’s such a new area,” Francis says. “There are no regulations or guidelines. We need to define what we mean by quality and then have ways to assess different digital providers or programs. Teacher professional development is another aspect of quality.”

Measuring student progress is critical, too. “We need a system of digital assessments, more f lexibility in the timing of assessments, rather than testing students once a year,” Francis says.

Fixes are needed that make digital learning more accessible. Says Francis: “We need to focus on infrastructure so there is access to high-speed broadband and devices.”

Where it is, where it’s headed and what Arizonaschool board members need to know

By Don Harris

LEARNINGDIGITAL & BLENDED


2012 NSBA Education Technology Site Visits

www.nsba.org/tlnsitevisitsOnline registration now open!Online registration now open!

Klein Independent School District

Cullman City Schools

Dysart Unified School District No. 89

Clark County School District

The report also calls for the creation of a digital learning center to provide a centralized source of information and support, especially at the school level. Such a center would help school boards, teachers and parents better understand and navigate a system of digital learning.

C.J. Eisenbarth Hager, a senior policy analyst at the Morrison Institute, says the biggest barrier in Arizona to utilizing digital learning is the policy issue of competency-based learning. “We have to recognize that kids learn at different rates,” Hager says. “You have a room full of third-graders, some are going to do better in math, some worse. Each child has a different learning profile on different subjects. That’s when digital technology becomes very reasonable. It’s a way to free up the teacher to act more as a tutor.”

Hager explains that school-based blended learning, rather than online learning, must be at the heart of the conversation, because the vast majority of parents choose to send their children to school to interact with other children and with the teacher. “There will always be a place for schools and highly qualified teachers,” she says. “That’s why blended learning is where we need to focus our attention.”

Hager acknowledges one of the key criticisms of digital learning – the cost of technology. To address cost, some schools are encouraging students to bring their own laptops and hand-held dev ices with Internet access to school. At the same time, schools must provide the necessary technological tools to students who may not have those devices.

Connectivity and broadband capacity can be issues as well.

Though the “how” of blended learning - purchases, policies and connectivity – often tend to be the focus of conversations, Hager urges school board members to keep their focus on the intended outcomes of blended learning rather than on technology itself. “A typical comment is that we don’t need more technology, we just need to teach our kids better,” Hager says. “That’s a great point, which is actually the point of technology – helping our children learn better.”

Don Harris is a Phoenix-based freelance writer and editor. He covers state education, school finance, legislative and policy issues.

Hager explains that school-based blended learning, rather than online learning,

must be at the heart of the conversation...


Dysart Unified School District is capitalizing on the fascination its students have with technology, especially the ever-expanding array of hand-held

devices, by taking what some stakeholders would consider a bold step. The governing board reversed a policy that had prevented students from using iPads, iTouches and smart phones in school. Now, as technology becomes more prevalent in schools, students are encouraged to bring devices with access to the Internet to class. Dysart, serving 25,000 students in Surprise and El Mirage, has attracted national attention with its aggressive use of technology to meet curriculum goals. In fact, the National School Boards Association is coordinating visits to Dysart Unified schools April 1-3 as part of a four-state tour focusing on technology practices that transform learning. School leaders who participate will observe classrooms where curriculum goals drive technology decisions. Dysart Governing Board member Jennifer Tanner says the district’s board members and employees are honored to be recognized nationally for all the hard work they have been doing, being innovative and keeping up with the times to develop new instructional programs. She says the governing board has been very supportive in the expanding use of technology. The goal is to make sure every student is excelling when they eventually leave the district, and it’s happening through the use of modern technology. To reach that goal, Dysart developed a three-pronged approach to assess – through technology – students’ educational growth from grade to grade. They call it their iPAL. The “P” stands for plan, the “A” is for assess and “L” is for learn. “Within the iPlan section, the district has online curriculum applications,” Tanner says. “So if a student is struggling with a portion of the curriculum, the teacher can go to the iPlan section of that curriculum, which will show a different curriculum that can be used as a guide for teachers.”

The iLearn section provides professional development for teachers who may need additional guidance in how to use technology. “And iAssess basically allows teachers to study how students performed on their standardized test versus their peers,” Tanner says. “It really gives them a good snapshot of where each individual student is in their classroom. From there, teachers can determine if their students need intervention classes or any kind of individual help.” The governing board decision to allow, and even encourage, students to bring their hand-held devices to school raised a few eyebrows. “People questioned how that was going to work,” Tanner says. “Well, it turned out to be a very positive and helpful thing. They are bringing any device that has access to the Internet. It’s our way of doing more with less. We’ve lost capital funding and don’t have the luxury of buying technology equipment, so why not utilize what the kids are using? Rather than trying to keep restricting students from bringing their hand-held devices, let them bring it in.” The board established rules for when and how students can use them. Now, students can actually text their test answers to the teacher. Assistant Superintendent Dr. Quinn Kellis says allowing students to use their own hand-held devices enables Dysart to maximize the use of technology that is already in the classroom. One of the challenges, he says, is bringing some teachers up to speed with evolving technology. “It’s not a traditional teaching methodology,” Kellis says. “We are providing professional development for teachers in the growing use of technology.” Kellis recalls the doubts about having hand-held devices in the classroom. “When the board first adopted it, there were lots of questions,” Kellis says. “Is that really what we wanted to do? The policy had prevented students from using technology, and now we want them to use it. It was a shift in policy, and fortunately we had a board with that open-mindedness.”

By Don Harris

Transforming LearningThrough TechnologyThe Dysart Governing Board’s support of innovative uses of technology is helping the district meet learning goals for all its students.


In order to seek teacher input, Dysart has adopted a Technology Innovative Program. “It’s a grass-roots effort where it’s not a committee coming up with new uses of technology pushing down,” Kellis says. “Rather, it’s where teachers have an idea for the use of technology – iPads, iTouches and GPS units. We will look at their plan and provide them with the technology. If they can show that it’s working, we will continue to support it for that teacher and hopefully replicate for teachers in other classrooms. It’s coming from the ground up rather than the top down.”

Regarding GPS devices, Kellis says they can be used to plot significant events in history. “Teachers are being innovative with what they’re teaching, and we hope they have that open mind to what tools they could use to enhance their teaching,” Kellis says.

A second bold and controversial step Dysart took was to disband the technology lab. Kellis explains: “We didn’t want to use technology as an end, where we go do technology in a separate room. Rather, we wanted technology in the classroom as a tool. The focus is very much on how it can be used to improve learning, not what we are doing to use technology. We want innovative projects to be based on learning and not on acquiring devices.”

Also, online learning is becoming more popular. Now

in its second year, iSchool is another way Dysart is using technology to improve the learning process. The program started last spring, with Dysart expecting 100 students to participate.

“We had more than 500,” says Kellis. “It overwhelmed us. And 1,500 signed up for summer school. Eventually, we intend to offer enough courses so that a student could easily complete an entire high school career.”

But how does Dysart make sure students aren’t cheating – having someone else, like an older sibling, do the work online? “We require all students take the final exam face-to-face, and they have to pass with 70 percent,” Kellis says. “That’s a pretty high standard. Even if they have an ‘A’ in class work, if they don’t pass the final exam with 70 percent or better, they don’t pass the class. If they’re cheating at home, they’re not doing themselves any favors – that’s for sure.”

The online curriculum is rigorous. “Our intent is to match the rigor of the classroom,” Kellis says. “It may be challenging to those students who are looking for an easier alternative to the classroom. This isn’t it. We are hoping that we can really maximize the use of online classes without inhibiting students’ ability to progress. While there are some who do best in the classroom, others do best online.”

Middle school students use an Apple iPad to work on math problems in Bradley Williams' 8th grade classroom at Surprise Elementary School in the Dysart Unified School District.


Another option is to have a blended program, both in the classroom and online, Kellis says.

Sunshine Darby, technology training supervisor for Dysart, says new software and hand-held devices are coming out so fast that it’s a challenge to keep up. “There are new iPads and there’s Kindle Fire,” Darby says. “We allow a small purchase of these devices with a specific academic outcome attached to its use in the classroom. We need to know if a new program will run on our network. We pre-test and post-test a control group within a short period of about two months. We need to know if it’s making a difference in student learning and is it worth our money. Teachers give us written feedback. Some endorse it, and other times they say it’s the hardest thing they’ve ever used.”

For the most part, teachers are adapting. “We found that teachers are proficient technology users,” Darby says. “Unfortunately, that technology doesn’t always transfer to our students. We always assume our students are tech savvy, but some aren’t. They know how to set up a Facebook page and how to text their friends, but they might not know how to save a file to a specific folder.”

Trying to bridge that gap is simple. Teachers use computers every day, but do so silently. Normally they don’t think aloud. Dysart encourages them to let students know what they’re doing. For example, Darby says, teachers might say, “I’m opening a file. It’s saved in this folder. I named the folder this because of whatever the subject is. They talk students through the process.”

Initially, computer knowledge wasn’t transferring to the students, but Darby says, “We’re working on that right now. One of the challenges has been knowing where are students are – their technology IQ. We are able to use some assessments to determine where they. We want to know in

21st century learning terms where they are. It’s not just a point and click thing.”

Another challenge is that some of Dysart’s high-tech equipment is getting old. “We have laptops that are dying,” Darby says. “The challenge is to get new devices. When students supplement our devices with theirs, that’s fantastic.”

But then there’s the issue of equity. “We have to make sure we don’t leave out kids who don’t have their own devices,” Darby says. “Those are the kinds of things that keep me awake at night.”

The iPod touch devices are ideal for use in English language learner classes. “One of the neat features is that they can record themselves and then listen back and correct their own f luency,” Darby says. “Of course, we had those old-fashioned recorders, but these come with a huge amount of apps.”

In some of the schools, Dysart is utilizing smart boards, replacing old black or white boards. They’re interactive with an image projected on a screen. Students can touch the screen to move images around.

Darby says the use of hand-held devices by students may vary from school to school. Generally, the policy is that they may be used only when directed by a teacher or for instructional purposes, not to chat with friends in the hallway. But some schools are allowing more casual use.

“Each school is like its own little town,” Darby says. “Different communities have different cultures. We’re not forcing technology on them. We’ve just allowed it to happen.”


Kindergarten students use a Franklin Electronics Anybook Reader to work on reading and fluency in Carrie Thomas' classroom at Parkview Elementary School in the Dysart Unified School District.


PROFILE IN LEADERSHIP

HometownJordan Valley, Ore., and Wellton, Ariz.

r7 years

Books at My BedsideHoly Bible, “The Color of Water” by James McBride

InspirationJohn Wooden, my father

Build others to become what they are created for.

All kids that graduate go on to raise great familiesthat make the community better.

Your authority level will rise as your level of servant-hood increases.

Greatest Accomplishment

Passing of the bond election and the subsequent work and improvements.

Government intervention and oppressive policies put upon us.

My responsibility as a member of the great community we live in.

My Epitaph“He never quits! Hey Look! He’s moving!”

ASBA is pleased to feature recipients of the All-Arizona School Board Award in the Profile in Leadership column, which appears in every issue of the ASBA Journal.

Scott Ferris Antelope Union High School District


CAPITOL VIEWBy Janice Palmer, ASBA Director of Governmental Relations & Public Affairs

2012 Legislative Session Defined by School Choice

Typically at this time of the year – six weeks or so into the legislative session – the state budget and funding for public education is grabbing headlines.

However, while funding and Governor Brewer’s budget proposal are indeed of great import (see page 20 for details), the 2012 legislative session to date has been dominated by school choice issues – not public school choice, but expanding the use of taxpayer dollars to support private schools that have no responsibility to provide academic or fiscal accountability to the public. Legislative efforts to divert money from public schools to private schools come in the form of three items: tax credits, empowerment accounts and vouchers. A troubling “parent trigger” bill has also become part of the “choice” conversation. ASBA is vigorously opposing all these.

Tax Credits The first week of session saw the hearing of two tax credit bills: SB 1047 (tax credit; student tuition organizations) and SB 1048 (school tuition organizations; credits; ad min -istration). Both were heard in the Senate Finance Committee in mid-January and ratified by the entire Senate in a matter of two weeks. ASBA opposed both pieces of legislation, as they turn a blind eye to accountable, quality education and instead focus on providing more public dollars to private schools. Since then the two bills and their provisions have been combined into a single bill: SB 1047. This bill is tone deaf when it comes to the local, state and national conversation about graduating students college and career ready-and implementing accountability measures to ensure that result. From President Obama, to Governor Brewer, to Superintendent of Public Instruction Huppenthal, to the Legislature, to the education community, to the classroom, we are unified for the first time in our focus that quality education to enhance student

achievement is the cornerstone for student success and, indeed, the future of Arizona and the United States. In Arizona, we have done this through the implementation, and continuing implementation, of teacher and principal evaluations tied to data, reforming our school labeling system, Move on When Ready for additional high school opportunities, and Move on When Reading to ensure reading skills of third-graders. These items are squarely on the shoulders of district and charter schools – not on private

schools – and are being implemented despite budget cuts. Specifically, SB 1047 not only creates an additional tax credit for private schools, but it also includes an annual inf lationary increase for the tax credit; they cannot be adjusted downward. Thus, this bill makes a policy statement that Arizona will not uphold the voters’ will to fund traditional public schools and charters for inf lationary increases (Proposition 301, 2000 general election), but we will do so to fund private schools. SB 1047 misplaces the public’s priorities, considering that nine out of every 10 Arizona students attend a public school. In addition, this bill f lies in the

face of the quality issue discussed earlier, as it removes the requirement that a private school annually administer and make available to the public aggregate test scores of its students on a nationally norm-referenced test (preferably AIMS). This is the absolute wrong direction for Arizona as we work to make all our students “Arizona Ready.” The current requirement to provide such data was put in place as an accountability measure to provide some assurance to the community and taxpayers that the investment made was resulting in educational returns. To take away a minimal accountability measure says to the public, it’s okay for one system to be accountable and the other not. In addition, the bill removes important safety requirements;

Legislative efforts to divert money from public

schools to private schools come in the form of three items: tax credits, empowerment accounts

and vouchers.


teaching staff and personnel with unsupervised contact with students would not have to be fingerprinted. For traditional public schools, certificated staffs must have fingerprint clearance cards, regardless of unsupervised contact. Non-certificated staffmust have fingerprint clearance cards if they could have un-supervised contact with students. Contractors must have fingerprint clearance cards unless the district has passed a policy that excludes them if they are not likely to have unsupervised contact.

Bottom line: If making sure kids are learning is a priority, then we shouldn’t allocate money to institutions where we have no idea if kids are learning. It’s not good for kids, and for the state it’s a risky investment.

Empowerment AccountsLast year, the Legislature passed and the governor

signed legislation that created the Arizona Empowerment Education Account for special education students. These empowerment accounts are little different from vouchers as they remove monies that would otherwise f low to public schools and redirects them to this account for private institutions. These institutions do not have to follow the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), are not accountable to parents or the public on student achievement, and are not fiscally transparent to the public.

In addition to believing these accounts are bad policy, ASBA also believes they are unconstitutional and is engaged in litigation, now at the appellate court level, to halt the program now in place.

This year, HB 2626 (empowerment scholarship accounts;expansion) was introduced. It expands the current special education empowerment account by allowing empowerment

accounts for students who 1) attend a school or school district labeled a D or F; 2) previously received such monies; 3) have a parent or guardian who is a member of the U.S. Armed Services; or 4) attended a public preschool program in the previous school year. It also allows monies to be used for “services provided by a public school, including individual classes and extracurricular activities.”

VouchersWhile most efforts are now being pursued through the

tax credit and empowerment account pathways, there are still those who are advocating for a much wider voucher program. HCR 2030 (private school tuition programs) would put on the 2012 November General Election Ballot to require the Arizona Department of Education to provide a voucher to any child that is in a class with 35 or more students, has special needs or is in foster care.

Parent TriggerSen. Lori Klein has introduced a strike everything

amendment onto SB 1204 (now: schools; parental options), which allows parents in a school that has been assigned a “D” or “F” to submit to the school district governing board a petition from at least 50 percent of parents, and would require the board to do one of the following: close the school; convert it into a charter; or fire the principal and bring in new leadership, with f lexibility provided for staffing, calendars, budgeting, etc. It also includes a change in definition for who a “qualified student” is for Arizona Empowerment Accounts.

As you can see, the priority this session is not about focusing on quality public schools, but rather undermining our core American principles of the equal opportunity our public schools provide to offer every student a foundation for a successful life. Our public schools are our promise to our kids and our promise to our future economic livelihood. It’s time Legislative values were aligned with our American and Arizona values.

If making sure kids are learning is a priority, then we shouldn’t

allocate money to

institutions where we

have no idea if kids are learning.

owp.com


Spotlight on the Governor’sProposed FY13 Budget for K-12 EducationIn January Governor Brewer outlined her fiscal year 2013 budget, which included both fiscal and policy items for K-12 education. Overall, the governor’s budget is based on higher revenue and spending estimates than the baseline established by the Joint Legislative Budget Committee ( JLBC). JLBC provides the following projections: $583 million surplus in FY12; $431 million surplus in FY13; and $172 million deficit in FY14. ( JLBC did not provide policy recommendations.)

The governor’s budget includes the following for K-12 education:

intervention and remediation programs in grades K-3.– Funds are to be used to identify students that are not on track to pass the third-grade standards, as well

as early intervention, when they are at risk of retention.– Funding will be generated by an increase in the K-8 Group A weight from 1.158 to 1.179.

– Appropriates $100 million for a three-year transitional period, while school districts and the School Facilities Board (SFB) inventory all systems with an online preventive maintenance system.

– $933,500 to purchase the subscription for an online preventive maintenance system for all school districts.

– $40 million increase to CORL and charter school additional assistance for the district-side costs to inventory all school systems, perform sufficient preventive maintenance, and help the State move to a life-cycle replacement-based building renewal system.

– $871,400 for SFB administrative costs.

– For FY13 – the amount due to school districts would be reduced from the current $952 million to $852 million. In future years the amount owed to school districts would be reduced by $100 million per year.

– For example, in FY14 the rollover owed would be reduced to $752 million and in FY15 the rollover amount owed would be reduced to $652 million. The amount owed to school districts would continue to be reduced by $100 million per year until the rollover disappeared.

in FY13 and $100 million per year in future years during the time that the rollover was being reduced. – Districts would be able to use the FY13 $200 million payment and the future annual $100 million

payments for soft capital and/or revenue help to offset the reduction in the amount of the rollover payments that will no longer be paid to the districts.

certifications and disciplinary actions.

certified personnel.

The governor’s budget also prohibits districts from sponsoring any new charter schools and calls for a statutory change to provide that district-owned space that is leased to another entity is included in SFB’s square footage calculations for new school construction considerations, including space leased to a district-sponsored charter school. In addition, it would require that projects for district-owned building or any part of a district-owned building that is leased to a charter school be included in the list of projects not eligible for building renewal grant funds.


EDUCATION AND THE LAWBy Chris Thomas, ASBA General Counsel and Director of Legal Services

Medical Marijuana and Public School Employees

Often when a major new law becomes effective it takes awhile for lawyers, law enforcement and law implementers to get their arms around its

full meaning. Such is the case with the medical marijuana law that voters passed through an initiative in the 2010 general election. This issue’s “Education and the Law” article will focus on some of the questions that have arisen for Arizona public school leaders since the medical marijuana law’s passage.

How does the law affect school employees who may obtain medical marijuana cards, enabling them to obtain marijuana to treat a medical condition?A. School employees are like any other citizens in that

they may obtain a medical marijuana card. However, the actual use of marijuana may be another matter. The law allows employers to discipline an employee, even if they have a medical marijuana card, if they are impaired on the job from marijuana. In this respect, the law does not create a change for schools at all; it was against the law to come to work under the inf luence of marijuana before the law was enacted – and it still is.

How do we measure if an employee is “impaired” on the job? Is there some legal standard?A. Yes. “Impairment” is defined as “symptoms that a

prospective employee or employee while working may be under the inf luence of drugs or alcohol that may decrease or lessen the employee’s performance of the duties or tasks of the employee’s job position.” To help employers determine if impairment has occurred, the Legislature passed HB2541 in the 2011 legislative session. It includes the following signs and behaviors that may indicate impairment: employee's speech; walking; standing; physical dexterity; agility; coordination; actions; movement; demeanor; appearance; clothing; odor; irrational or unusual behavior; negligence or carelessness in operating equipment; machinery or production or manufacturing processes; disregard for

the safety of the employee or others; involvement in an accident that results in serious damage to equipment; machinery or property; disruption of a production or manufacturing process; any injury to the employee or others or other symptoms causing a reasonable suspicion of the use of drugs or alcohol.

These signs can be used by the school in making a “good faith” determination as to whether the employee is impaired on the job. Good faith means any of the following:

be reliable, including a report by a person who witnessed the use or possession of drugs or drug paraphernalia at work.

agencies or courts.

reliable or accurate.

Are transportation employees different? Can you ban someone driving a school bus from possessing a medical marijuana card?A. Clearly you can ban a transportation employee from

being impaired on the job. You can also drug test that employee under your drug testing policy for evidence of drug use. What is less clear is whether the transportation employee (holding a commercial drivers license) can be dismissed from his or her position just because he or she has obtained a medical marijuana card. In short, school districts can discipline transportation employees for evidence of drug use, but the mere possession of a medical marijuana card does not constitute such evidence. It may, however, trigger your district’s drug testing policy.


Does the medical marijuana law contradict federal law? Are schools compelled to ban medical marijuana use be-cause they receive federal grant funds where the grantee must maintain a drug-free environment?A. The most accurate answer to the first question is very

long and complicated. The short answer, however, is no: the Obama administration Department of Justice has informed states that have medical marijuana laws on the books that they will not prosecute medical marijuana card holders for use that is legitimate under those respective states’ medical marijuana laws. The answer to the second question is also complicated. However, though it is a requirement that grantees of federal funds maintain compliance with federal drug-free workplace requirements, the law doesn’t have much teeth. Moreover, it is worth noting that the federal government has not used this provision in regulating grant recipients in states far more liberal that Arizona that have medical marijuana laws. Simply put, anti-drug advocates have misinterpreted or misrepresented the drug-free workplace mandate related to the federal grant, which does not slam the door on state-sanctioned medical marijuana use (off campus, of course) by school employees.

Does the medical marijuana law allow a school em-ployee, or even a student, with a medical marijuana card the right to use marijuana at school?A. No. A person cannot possess or use medical marijuana

“on a school bus or on the grounds of a preschool, primary school, or high school” under the law.

We understand that HB2541 allows employers to designate certain employment positions as “safety sensitive.” If we do that, and designate teachers as safety sensitive due to their supervision of students, does this mean that teachers cannot carry medical marijuana cards?A. No. The law allows employers to designate positions

where they have determined “in good faith” that it believes could “affect the safety or health of the employee performing the task or others, including any of the following:

equipment, machinery or power tools.

performance or operation of any equipment, machinery or manufacturing process, the malfunction or disruption of which could result in injury or property damage.

commercial premises of a customer, supplier or vendor.

to Title 32.” This would suggest that employers could label teachers

as safety sensitive; the list is not exclusive and contains examples of activities and occupations (Title 32 professions which include groups from architects to massage therapists) that have responsibilities for others that are far less in terms of protection or safety. However, this designation only allows the employer to be free from a lawsuit brought by its employee where it has been alleged that the employer violated the employee’s rights by drug testing the employee and reassigning the employee out of a safety sensitive position based on the results of that test. In other words, the standard is still impairment on the job, not merely whether the employee has obtained a medical marijuana card.

A Better Way

Galileo K-12Online

®Fully Integrated InstructionalImprovement System:Supporting Data-Driven Instruction to Promote Student Learning

ABETTER

WAYGKO

ASBAW2012

1.877.442.5453 ati-online.comtownhallblog.ati-online.com [email protected]

il o-

l ne

Administer a full range of assessments using ATI’s next generationcomprehensive assessment system, including benchmark, formative, screening and placement tests, plus interim and final course examinations, pretests and posttests, early literacy benchmarks, computerized adaptive tests, and instruments documenting instructional effectiveness.Import, schedule, deliver, administer (online or offline), automatically score and report on assessments created outside of Galileo K-12 Online using ASK Technology.


POINTS ON POLICYBy Dr. Terry Rowles, ASBA Interim Director of Policy Services

Governing board members have the responsibility to gain a great deal of knowledge about school district operations in a relatively short time.

Expertise grows as each member gains experience in school finance, including bond and override elections; curriculum and instruction; evaluation of students, staff, and programs; student and staff discipline; and the ever-present necessity to study and adopt policies which will best serve the needs of students and the district. These policies are then published and must be made available to anyone who wishes to review them. School district employees should have ready access to, and training in the application of, all governing board policies and the related administrative regulations and exhibits in order to be knowledgeable about what is required of them.

School administration is not easy. Each day can involve a multitude of tasks and interactions which are interesting, frustrating, rewarding, mundane, challenging and fun. The principal’s job requires a variety of skills from the perfunctory to those which require a great deal of preparation and planning. The most challenging tasks are often those that require responses based on specific mandates of governing board policies, rules of the state board of education, statutes passed by the state legislature, and federal laws and rules. Some administrative decisions result in actions which may affect the protected constitutional rights of students or staff and may give rise to litigation. Thus, knowledge of what the mandates are is fundamental to a principal’s success.

David Schimmel, a noted education law author and law professor, opined in his 1975 publication The Civil Rights of Students:

“When administrators and teachers are ignorant of the dimensions of the Bill of Rights and are insensitive to the requirements of due process, the sparks generated by value confrontations fan the f lames of educational disputes into judicial controversies. The same holds true when students mistake a constitutional liberty for personal license. Too many administrators, teachers, and students know too little about the nature of civil liberties and civil rights. (Schimmel: xi).

“Institutions, like parents, teach more by what they do

than by what they say. Thus when teachers and administrators preach obedience to school rules or respect for authority while simultaneously violating the civil rights of students, they teach a powerful lesson in legal hypocrisy. There is ample evidence – from scholarly studies to the revelations of Watergate – that graduates from our public schools have learned this lesson rather well; they know many facts about our Constitution but are quite willing to curtail the rights of those with whom they disagree.” (Schimmel: 1)

School administrators should be required by the governing board to be at least minimally knowledgeable in the fundamental requirements of due process, in the basics of education law covering, among others, the freedoms of speech, religious and symbolic expression, search and liberty interests, and in the translation of many federal and state laws and administrative regulations contained in school district policy manuals.

At the local school level, it is, therefore, important for principals to do the following:

1. Review the school district policy manual, which is available in most cases online, in order to become aware of the district’s policies, regulations and exhibits.

2. Learn how to respond calmly and effectively to the plethora of situations, many with legal implications, which occur daily. When unsure of what to do, slow down and get some help.

3. Attend workshops and conferences in school law, focusing on Arizona’s statutes on education (A.R.S., Title 15) and the pertinent sections of other A.R.S. Titles which contain education related statutes and are referenced in the policy manual.

4. Be aware of the requirements of FERPA (the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974) and Arizona Records Retention and Disposition which are written, maintained and published by the Arizona State Library, Archives, and Public Records.

Policy and the Principal:An Overview for the Governing Board


5. Understand the definitions, characteristics and restric-tions of each of the various records maintained at your school/facility, and retain all records as required by law.

6. Use standard procedures and forms to record decisions, actions and other relevant information, and log all phone calls in a question/answer format with date and time notations.

7. Remember that forms are creations which are intended to provide timely, factual, unprejudiced, and detailed records that may become invaluable in demonstrating that decisions were well thought out and made in a professional and reasonable manner.

8. Share information, including relevant policies, regu-lations and exhibits with teachers and other school personnel, including both certificated and support staff, on an as-needed basis at staff or small group meetings.

9. Consult with an attorney specializing in education law whenever necessary. It’s important to remember

that workshops and written administrative guidelines, including the ones in this brief article, are not intended to be used as a substitute for legal advice.

10. Re-read number 1. District policies are to be followed so be aware and beware of ignorance, misapplication or refusal to comply, which may potentially become a career-defining (or ending) decision.

Governing board members may help to disseminate policy information to both professional and support staff members by requiring upper level administrators to provide on-going policy manual training, to develop and utilize administrative handbooks, and to encourage the implementation of procedures and safeguards similar to those included here. These requirements should help to minimize the often time-consuming search for direction on action to be taken in a situation which is covered by the governing board’s previously adopted policy. Certainly, the board’s expectations will be key motivators in enhancing an administrator’s focus on, and willingness to learn about, adopted policies.

SPORTS FACILITY CONSTRUCTIONRunning Tracks | Tennis & Basketball Courts |

Synthetic Turf Fields

NEW CONSTRUCTIONGrading | Paving | Concrete

MAINTENANCEResurfacing | Crackfi lling

RECONSTRUCTIONPulverize & Repave

“We do what we say we’ll do, when we say we’ll do it.”

Southwest | 800.540.4413

Serving the Southwest for over 30 years

YOU BRING THE

WE’LL BRING THE SURFACE

SPORTwww.SunlandAsphalt.com


Learning and Leading: A Powerful CombinationWhen It Comes to Board Service

In Arizona, more than 1,000 men and women serve as unpaid, elected governing board members for their local district schools. They are all ages, they come from all

walks of life, they represent their community values in their local education system and they advocate for students every day of the year. We appreciate them and thank them for their service to the 1 million students who attend our public schools – students who we welcome without regard to sex, race, national origin, ability or disability, wealth or poverty.

The issues board members must tackle can be complex. The decisions they make can be tough and the hours can be long. This leads some onlookers to regard school board service as a “thankless job.” Yet many school board members have served their communities in this capacity for a decade or more. What motivates individuals to serve? What keeps them engaged?

Effective and committed board members know that, while teachers in the classroom have the most direct impact on student lives, the tone and culture of the boardroom and every decision at the board table can have a positive or negative impact on staff and students – and, thus, in the communities in which they live and work. Board service has the potential to inf luence the lives of all the students in the district from determining what programs will be offered, to ensuring that the budget supports the vision that has been set.

For many board members, board service is an opportunity to give back to their community. They are thankful for the education that they received and are anxious to see that all students in their community have the opportunity to receive the best education possible with the funds available. Many believe that public education is essential to the maintenance of a democracy; future voters need to understand how

government works and be able to analyze the issues that come before them. Some believe that our public education system provides the best path to equal opportunity and a path out of poverty. And some believe board service is about “saving lives,” as our annual conference keynote speaker Dr. Luis Cruz so powerfully framed it. Board service also provides an opportunity to advocate for all children, at the local, state and national level.

For their service, Arizona school board members are rewarded with every success that a child in their district attains – be it scholarships to college, state championships in sports or finally passing a course. As advocates for their employees, board members are rewarded with the success of their teachers in the classroom, that their food service provides healthy meals to their students, that the buildings and grounds are well maintained, that their students are safely transported to and from school and school events, and that the business office pays the employees on time and makes purchases wisely. Board members are rewarded by their communities – sometimes only by being re-elected, but more often with the appreciation of being their representative in the school system.

The Arizona School Boards Association is a partner in this work, providing information and training in leadership, governance, and timely and essential issues related to public education so that board members can be well equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively lead their districts. As part of our mission to provide leadership and assistance to public school governing boards, ASBA provides individual board trainings, workshops, conferences, events and webinars throughout the year. We keep members informed through our website, and publications like

Karen Beckvar, ASBA Director of Leadership Development

LEADERSHIP MATTERS

As part of our mission to provide leadership and assistance to public school governing boards, ASBA provides individual board trainings,

workshops, conferences, events and webinars throughout the year.


the ASBA Journal and ASBA Report Carde-newsletter.

Also, quite importantly, ASBA annually recognizes board members and boards for their dedication to the children in the state, awarding honors in three general areas: commitment to continuing their education, service beyond the local school district responsibilities, and excellence in individual and board performance. In this issue (begin-ning on page 28), we showcase and celebrate these individuals and boards. We hope you will take the time to congratulate these individuals the next time your paths cross.

We also hope you will be inspired to grow your own knowledge and skills – whether you are a veteran board member, serving your first term, or only now consid-ering board service. To learn more about ASBA’s upcoming learning and training opportunities, as well as our annual awards programs, visit www.azsba.org.

The Professional Group Public Consulting, Inc

“Training for a “Finding-Less” Audit”

Business Management ServicesPurchasing GFAStudent Attendance TransportationActivities and Auxiliary ReconciliationsPre-Audit Services Interim Staffing eMaster Contract Book

480-699-4458 www.pgpc.org

Mohave and SAVE cooperative contracts

ASBA’s Academy of Board Development supports board members by providing essential learning and training. Continuing education, delivered at workshops, conferences and events, is designed to equip board members with the knowledge and techniques necessary to develop policies and practices that support the district’s instructional leadership role.

For board members who want to lead, not just serve.

Arizona School Boards Association

2100 N. Central Ave., Suite 200 | Phoenix, AZ 85004 | (602) 254-1100 | (800) 238-4701 | (602) 254-1177 fax

www.azsba.org

QUALITY LEADERSHIP AND ADVOC

ACY FOR CHILDREN IN PUBLIC SCHOO

LS.

The Academy of

Board Member Development

Get the recognition you deserve...


2012JanuaryStrengthen your governance skills with BOLTS – Board Operations and Leadership Training Seminar. Tune up on policy, open meeting law, budgets, communications and effective governance practices. This year events were held Jan. 20 in Tucson, Jan. 27 in Flagstaff and Jan. 31 in Phoenix.

MarchBack by popular demand are the one-day Spring Legal Seminars.This year they will be held March 2 in Tucson and March 9 in Flagstaff. This workshop covers multiple topics by top school law experts and includes a legislative update.

AprilThis year’s NSBA Annual Conference will be held in Boston from April 21-23. Don’t miss the opportunity to network with boards and administrators from around the country as you choose from hundreds of exhibits and dozens of informative sessions, and hear keynote addresses from a diverse group of inspiring national speakers.

JuneMake sure your district’s voice is heard by sending a delegate to the annual ASBA Delegate Assembly, to be held on June 30 in Phoenix. Each district gets one vote to set the legislative agenda for ASBA. Be a part of the process!

JulyEscape the summer heat and enjoy the cool pines of Flagstaff at the Summer Leadership Institute from July 26-28. National and state issues are explored through expert presentations during the day, with time for networking with other board members and education professionals at night. Individual board members are recognized for service at this conference.

The ASBA Law Conference, to be held in metro Phoenix from Sept. 6-8, provides up-to-date information and answers to board members’ and administrators’ questions about school law. This conference draws the best legal advisors from Arizona to present and clarify issues involving schools. Top-notch speakers bring thought-provoking ideas and great programs to build on in your district.

ASBA takes to the road the last week in September and throughout October for County Meetings in all 15 Arizona counties. These County Meetings enable ASBA to recognize individual board members for continuing education as well as present current topical issues. ASBA County Directors are also elected at these meetings.

Legislative, policy and public school leaders headline the day-long ASBA-AASBO-ASA Legislative Workshop, to be held Dec. 12 in Phoenix. Attendees get updates on and analysis of key legislative issues for the session ahead. A legal update also is provided.

A full year of programs is capped off with the ASBA-ASA Annual Conference, to be held Dec. 12-14 in Phoenix. Be inspired by keynote speakers and the successes of your colleagues. See what education vendors have to offer your districts. Celebrate the success of the people and programs in Arizona’s public schools at the Golden Bell Awards Luncheon and the ASBA Annual Awards Dinner.

Registration opens online at www.azsba.org approximately six to eight weeks in advance of events.

ASBA Calendar of Events


2011ASBA Annual Awards Showcase

Recognizing Excellence in People and Programs in Arizona’s Public Schools

Each year the Arizona School Boards Association celebrates the excellence and commitment of local governing boards and school district leadership, and recognizes

exceptional educational programs statewide. In this issue, we celebrate the people and programs that were recognized for their

contributions to public education in 2011.


Just some 20 short miles southwest of downtown Tucson but light years away in terms of lifestyle, Altar Valley Elementary School District is unique.Because of a forward-thinking governing board, Altar Valley, which spans more

than 600 square miles and serves approximately 675 students, has created a culture that emphasizes high expectations. And the district has been delivering on those expectations, providing quality education for students who may be struggling as well as those who are gifted.

As a result, the Altar Valley Governing Board received the Arizona School Boards Association’s highest honor, the Lou Ella Kleinz Award of Excellence. Presented to the district at the ASBA-ASA Annual Conference Awards Dinner in December 2011, the award recognizes the Arizona school board that has demonstrated the most outstanding education leadership during the year.

Among its chief accomplishments: Emerging from No Child Left Behind “improvement status.” And improve it did, earning a “B” under the new letter grading system instituted by the Arizona Department of Education in 2011.

The Altar Valley School District Governing Board created a culture of high expectations, accountability, and collaboration, says district Superintendent Dr. Nathan McCann. “In many ways, the work completed by the Altar Valley School District Governing Board, faculty and staff over the past 18 months has been nothing short of miraculous,” McCann says.

Asked why Altar Valley, with two schools and nearly 90 percent of the students qualifying for free or reduced-cost lunches, won the ASBA award, McCann says,

Through strong, focused leadership and an unwavering commitment to the students and community it serves, Altar Valley Governing

Board has expanded the district’s educational program in a time of shrinking resources, shown dramatic gains in student achievement,

and boosted parent and community engagement.

By Don Harris

Back row (left to right): John Williams, Robert Ethridge and Chris Isabel; front row (left to right): Sharon Nicholas and Patricia King

Altar Valley Elementary School District

Lou Ella Kleinz

Award ofExcellence

About the AwardASBA’s highest honor, the Lou Ella Kleinz Award of Excellence is presented to one governing board annually that demonstrates the most outstanding education leadership for the year. The prestigious award has been given since 1992 and is named in honor of Lou Ella Kleinz, ASBA’s executive director from 1971 to 1991. Kleinz explains what it means to serve on a governing board: “As we pursue excellence in boardsmanship, our higher moral duty is to provide effective leadership in shaping the lifelong attitudes of the young people in our communities.”


“Because our board truly puts our kids first in the decision making. I really believe that.” When Altar Valley failed to show that students were making progress for two

consecutive years, the district was branded with the NCLB “improvement status” designation. That proved to be a wake-up call.

“The district governing board became very brave,” McCann says. “They looked to expand our services rather than constrict them during a period of diminishing resources. They brought in an accelerated program for gifted students, they resumed physical education and art, and they expanded after-school services.”

Through a partnership with First Things First – an Arizona program that helps kids five and younger receive the quality education, health care and family support they need to be ready to succeed in school – the board doubled the number of children served by its free preschool services, adding some 25 youngsters to the program.

One of the first steps the board took to turn things around was to correct a communications problem. Board members felt the school district had not done a good job communicating with the community. Well-attended forums were held to receive feedback from stakeholders as a way to create a plan called Altar Valley 2020. From a long list of suggestions, the board focused on these five overarching priorities:

partnerships.

Each area has an action team of eight to 10 residents who carry out the priorities as part of Altar Valley 2020, which guides all of the district’s practices and keeps the focus on those long-range plans.

“That was the governing board reaching out to the community, telling us what kind of a school district they wanted,” McCann says. “We now do a parent survey every year. We make sure that phone calls are returned and there is follow-up on complaints and concerns. I credit the governing board for making that an expectation.”

there is no support from the state to finance gifted student programs, Ethridge says.“We established an accelerated program for gifted students that we feel is untouchable,”

Ethridge says. “We don’t want to hold them back and bring them to a lower level. We want to bring everybody up to their level. Our mentality is to bring everybody up to a gifted level within three years.”

can enhance their education in gifted classes. “It’s special training just for them,” Ethridge says.

have high expectations, you must service our kids who are the most talented. When a district has a lot of needs, sometimes they might take for granted the kids who are your most gifted – they might forget to service them with the same intensity that you would your struggling learners. This board has made sure that we don’t forget about those learners as well. I give them a lot of credit for defining that.”

Lou Ella Kleinz

Award ofExcellence

"The district governing board

became very brave,” McCann says.“They looked to expand our services rather than constrict them during a period of

diminishing resources."

Lou Ella Kleinz

Award ofExcellence


and the Capitol complex. The district also has a program for eighth-graders to visit Washington, D.C., to see government in action; sixth-graders go to San Diego Sea World to study sea life; and fourth-graders spend a couple of nights on Mount Lemmon learning about mountain and forest wild life. Fundraisers are held and parents contribute toward the costs of these trips.

King praises the efforts of teachers to improve their skills and says a grant the district received enabled Altar Valley to offer tutoring after school and to have family fun nights. “We bring the family in and teach them about computers,” King says. “Having the kids and their family playing sports together gets everybody involved. Every little bit helps. It’s a small community. The school is really the center of the community.”

The community, with ranching and farming roots, is so small, locals joke, that it’s one of the few places in the state where you can’t buy a fast-food burger or rent a video.

King says she was talking with a parent new to the community who was surprised by the trips and other activities put on by the district. “The teachers and the administration go well beyond their job description to accomplish all these things,” King says. “Unfortunately in today’s world that’s not what makes headlines. They don’t get the kudos they deserve.”

To show its appreciation, Ethridge says the governing board awarded the staff with a pay raise. “The economy hasn’t affected us as much as the state budget cuts have,” Ethridge says. “It channels you more toward your priorities, and our priority has been, number one, kids first. Everything we do has got to be about our kids. And our staff. We try to take the best care of our staff. We gave them raises last year – two percent. That’s basically unheard of with the budget cuts. They got us out of the ‘improvement status.’”

Ethridge says he feels that Arizona falls far behind most other states when it comes to financial support for schools. “If we had more funding,” he says, “just imagine what our children could do with their lives – beyond what they’re doing now.”


“The economy hasn’t affected us as much as the state budget cuts have,” Ethridge says.

“It channels you more toward your priorities, and our priority has been, number one, kids first. Everything we do has got to be about our kids.

And our staff.”

Jesus Rubalcava, Darlen Spiegel, Anne Greenberg, Louie Gonzales and Scott Ferris


Scott Ferris Antelope Union High School Distr ictScott Ferris has served on the Antelope Union governing board since being elected in 2004. He served as board clerk in 2007 and board president in 2008 and 2009. A highly visible and respected leader, Ferris is known within the community as a conscientious, hardworking, compassionate and caring individual who works tirelessly to support students and staff, and for his commitment to be accountable to those he serves.

“Scott Ferris is truly the ‘champion’ for all students of Antelope Union High School. His willingness to give of himself to improve the lives of our students is remarkable.” – Martha Yardley-Jones, Board Member and member of the 2008 All-Arizona School Board

Louie Gonzales Sunnyside Unified School Distr ictLouie Gonzales has served the Sunnyside district as a board member for 10 years, appointed in 1991 and 2007, and elected in 1993 and 2009. He has served for five years as president and two as board clerk. Gonzales has been a strong supporter of innovation that furthers student learning, including the district’s Project Graduation: Digital Advantage initiative (see page 48 for more), and its Apollo Community School, which provides evening programs for students and families. Under his leadership as president, the board received the 2010 ASBA Lou Ella Kleinz Award of Excellence and a Magna Award from the American School Board Journal.

“His unwavering focus on Sunnyside district schools and our community has resulted in continuous progress for our students and community.” – Dr. Manuel Isquierdo, Superintendent

All-ArizonaSchool Board

Award

About the AwardThe All-Arizona School Board Award is the highest honor the Arizona School Boards Association bestows on individual governing board members. Nominated by their governing boards, the recipients are experienced board members who have demonstrated excellence in boardsmanship, a commitment to gaining knowledge of school problems, concern for students as well as staff and patrons of the district, and an ability to work with other board members.

All-ArizonaSchool Board

Award


Anne Greenberg Paradise Valley Unified School Distr ictAnne Greenberg has served on the Paradise Valley Unified School District governing board since January 2005, and is now in her second elected term. She served as board president in 2006 and 2008. An active and visible leader who is a frequent visitor to district schools, Greenberg is known for her commitment to a collaborative decision-making process, transparency in communication, engaging stakeholders and examining all sides of an issue. In addition, she has made a priority of advocating for students and public education with elected officials, associations and foundations, always looking for common ground and working with officials on both sides of the aisle.

“Not only are the lives of PVUSD students better for Mrs. Greenberg’s talent and commitment, but the lives of all Arizona students have been impacted. It has been said that eagle’s don’t f lock; you find them one at a time. Mrs. Greenberg is, indeed, an eagle that has earned a place on the All-Arizona School Board.” – Sue Skidmore, Ed.D., Board Member

Jesus Rubalcava Gila Bend Unified School Distr ictJesus Rubalcava is in his second term as a governing board member. He served the Paloma Elementary School District from 1998-2000 and was elected to the Gila Bend Unified School District governing board in 2008. He is in his second year as board president, and served as clerk of the Paloma board in 1998 and 1999. Rubalcava’s listening skills have been identified as one of his greatest leadership attributes, as have his commitment to being team player and his strong focus on relationship building.

“Mr. Rubalcava demonstrates the leadership qualities that encourage others to work together as a team toward a common goal. One of Mr. Rubalcava’s strengths is that his core beliefs and values are consistent in both his professional and personal life. He epitomizes the positive traits of commitment, empathy, motivation and humbleness. He has a strong work ethic that yields positive results with our community, our students and our staff.”– Lynette Michalski, Superintendent

Darlen Spiegel Topock Elementary School Distr ictDarlen Spiegel is now in her tenth year on the Topock Elementary School District governing board, having been appointed in 2002, elected to a two-year term in 2004, and elected to four-year terms in 2006 and 2010. She has served as board president for five years and clerk for five years. District leaders describe her as “a tenacious advocate for children” who matches passion and a deeply held belief in civic responsibility with action. She is credited with being instrumental in creative problem-solving that enabled the district to preserve critical programming for Topock’s academic preschool as well as extracurricular activities in the face of recent funding decreases. Spiegel is also known for her frequent visits to schools and attendance at weekend and evening school events, all to gain a better understanding of the needs of the students and community she serves. Further demonstrations of her leadership and commitment to board service exist in her strict adherence to board policy, best practices and ethics.

“During Ms. Spiegel’s tenure, Topock School has risen from a ‘failing’ school to a ‘performing plus’ school. …Ms. Spiegel’s many contributions have played a major part in our school’s success.” – Kelley Breaux, Educator

About the AwardThe Total Board Award is part of the Board Academy and is granted to a governing board when at least a quorum of members has attained the level of Certificate of Boardsmanship, which requires 36 continuing education units (CEUs). The remaining members must also have earned their Certificates of Orientation.

Total Board

Award


Apache Junction Unified School DistrictWendy Moore, Deborah Skinner, Lucy Young, Linda Newkirk and Jeff Cranmer

Chandler Unified School DistrictBarb Mozdzen, Robert Rice, David Evans, Annette Auxier and Karen Bredeson

Dysart Unified School DistrictJennifer Tanner, Traci Sawyer-Sinkbeil, Bonnie Schroader, Jerry Enyon and Christine Pritchard


Total Board

Award

Florence Unified School DistrictRose Marie Monks, Bob Dailey, Jim Thomas, Robert Ingulli and Denise Guenther

Holbrook Unified School DistrictLinda Yazzie, Olivia Jaquez, Rosie Sekayumptewa, Richard Nichols and Ferral Knight

Kayenta Unified School DistrictRaymond Laughter, Helen Bonnaha, Lita Dixon, Ruth Gilmore and Patricia Parrish

Total Board

Award


Osborn Elementary School DistrictDean Wolcott, Kelly Parker, Marilyn Rollins, Sue Corbin and Maxine Radtke

Parker Unified School DistrictRudy Parker, Deanna Beaver, Dolores Ferris, Margaret Dewey and Amelia Flores

Payson Unified School DistrictBarbara Underwood, Matt Van Camp, Rory Huff, Kim Pound and Barbara Shepherd

Total Board

Award


Prescott Unified School DistrictSteve Campbell, Tina Seeley, Maureen Erickson, Dee Navarro and Dr. Joan Fleming

(also pictured here is Superintendent Dave Smucker)

Sahuarita Unified School DistrictThomas Murphy, Kris Ham, Diana Kellermeyer, Elaine Hall and David Eves

Sanders Unified School DistrictArnold Goodluck, Anita Watchman, Ernest Hubbell, Jackie Yazzie, Jr. and Lomardo Aseret


Total Board

Award

St. David Unified School DistrictSusan Kartchner, Marty Allred, Katie Miller, Nelson Daley and Aaron Buhler

Tempe Elementary School DistrictJames J. Lemmon, Karen S. Arredondo, Rochelle Wells, Sherri Connell and Melanie Beikman

Vail Unified School DistrictMargaret Burkholder, Jim Coulter, Randy Kinkade, Claudia Anderson and Debbie King

Vernon Elementary School DistrictDustin Hartle, Mike Humphrey, Vonda Woolums, Mike Rodriguez and Ramona Dow

Window Rock Unified School DistrictEmily Arviso, Lorraine Nelson, Albert Deschine, Richard Showalter and Lena Ruth Wilson

Total Board

Award



Master ofBoardsmanshipwith Clusters

Award

About the AwardThe Board Academy is a continuing-education program designed to equip board members with the knowledge and techniques necessary to develop policies and practices to support the district’s instructional leadership role. Curriculum areas include Board Member Orientation; Board Operations, Planning and Goal Development; Board’s Role in Curriculum and Instruction; Fiscal Management and Resource Allocation; Communications and Interpersonal Relations Skills; Board and Superintendent Relations; Board Policy, School Law and Ethics; and Personal Skills and Effective Leadership.

The Cluster Pin Awards recognize a select group of board members who, after attaining the level of Master of Boardsmanship, continued to develop their skills with additional hours of training. The following board members were recognized in 2011 for receiving their respective levels of boardsmanship training.

First Cluster(120-159 CEUs)Richard Adler (137)Linda Allen (124.5)Mary Appel (121.5)Christa Biasi (121)Allan Blacksheep, Jr. (128)Helen Bonnaha (129)Patricia Foy (149.5)William Goodale (127)Sylvia Hendricks (144.5)Dallas Hillhouse (132)Elizabeth Hunsaker (124)Jan Johnson (135)Ferral Knight (142.5)Raymond Laughter (126.5)Dr. Richard Lines (128.5)

Maribel Lopez (151.5)Sue Makin (131)Marvin Marlatt (121)Luis Marquez (125)Jeannie Myrick (143)Sandi Nelson (146)Christine Pritchard (151.5)Michaela Roth (127)Jesus Rubalcava (129.5)Clifford Sagg (153.5)Rosie Sekayumptewa (126)Lucille Seney (122)Rochelle Wells (131.5)Mary Worker (137.5)

Second Cluster(160-219 CEUs)Annette Auxier (162)Patricia Blair (211.5)Carolyn Calderon (160)Kristi Freader (168)Rose Marie Monks (164)Jo Navaretta (173.5)

David Reede (166.5)Cecilia Roberts (164)Denise Standage (170.5)Hal Thomas (167.5)Deone Wiley (164)Dale Williams (190.5)

Fourth Cluster(330-399 CEUs)Ernest Hubbell (333)Debbie King (331)Ramona Nalwood (343)Dee Navarro (339)Barry Sharp (338)Linda Yazzie (362.5)

Third Cluster(220-329 CEUs)Delores Brown (261)Margaret Burkholder (235.5)Carolyn Calderon (227.5)Julie Cluff (220.5)Connie Johnson (232)Gerald Long (220)

Jane Phillips (240.5)Lester Ray (222.5)Nancy Richardson (235)Ruth Roessel (222.5)Elizabeth Sanchez (257)Katrina Talkalai (248.5)Erwin Thompson (221.5)

Fifth Cluster (400 CEUs or more)Robert Cassa (423.5)


Superintendent of the YearCalvin Baker Vail Unified School Distr ictCalvin Baker, superintendent of the Vail Unified School District for the past 24 years, is Arizona’s representative to the American Association of School Administrator’s (AASA) National Superintendent of the Year program. His leadership serves as a model of excellence for Arizona superintendents. He not only serves his district in an exemplary fashion, but he also has dedicated his time and energy to the improvement of all of Arizona’s schools and districts through leadership in the Arizona School Administrators. In 2011 the Arizona Department of Education named Vail the top performing large district in Arizona based on careful analysis of student achievement data spanning five years. The district’s many successful programs are consistently held up as a model of effective education through the state – and nationally as well. When asked about the success of the Vail School District, Baker shares this: “I have worked diligently to convince our community that the ownership of the district belongs to them. We have used everything from home visits to town halls to communicate that message and we apply a key principle which proclaims we are never satisfied with the status quo. We are on a constant quest for improvement.”

Small District

Don German Superintendent, Aguila Elementary School Distr ict

Don German, superintendent of the Aguila Elementary School District, is the Arizona School Administrator Association’s All-Arizona Superintendent Award winner for small districts. Known for his leadership, positive relations with the school board and community, and especially for his focus on curriculum and instruction, German is credited with the steady improvement in academic performance of the district over the past five years. He has set the bar high for the district as evidenced by being recently named as one of the Arizona Department of Education’s top 14 school districts in Arizona with an “A” achievement profile. This is especially significant as Aguila has a population of over 90 percent minority students and 90 percent free-and-reduced lunch. German has been a strong champion for continued success of the district; he leads by example and bases all his decisions on what is best for his students.

About the AwardThe Arizona School Administrators Association’s highest recognition was bestowed on five deserving district superintendents from throughout the state. Honors are awarded in three categories: Large Districts (5,000+ students), Medium Districts (between 1,000 and 5,000 students) and Small Districts (1,000 or fewer students). The awards recognize superintendents who set the standard for educational excellence and serve their students, staff, families and the community in an exemplary manner. ASA also awards an Arizona Superintendent of the Year as part of the National Superintendent of the Year Program.

Superintendents

Award

Dr. Jeff Smith, Don German, Denise Birdwell and Calvin Baker


Superintendents

Award Medium District

Dr. Jeff Smith Superintendent, Balsz Elementary School Distr ict

Dr. Jeff Smith, superintendent of the Balsz Elementary School District, is the Arizona School Administrator Association’s All-Arizona Superintendent Award winner for medium districts. Dr. Smith has led the Balsz district to significant improvements in academic achievement and professional development with a 200-day calendar that has increased student learning by 11 percent and added an additional 5 percent to the budget (see page 49 for more). His well-designed, standards-based reform plan along with a grant from the Ellis Center for Educational Excellence has helped the district move forward from being identified as a “failing district” to closing the achievement gap for all students. Known as a transformational leader, Smith has been instrumental in successfully bringing the community together. His strongly articulated vision, mission and focus on the future also led to securing a $12 million grant for a national early childhood facility and partnership known as Educare located on the Brunson-Lee school grounds.

Large District

Dr. Denise Birdwell Superintendent, Higley Unified School District

Denise Birdwell, superintendent of the Higley Unified School District, is the Arizona School Administrator Association’s All-Arizona Superintendent Award winner for large districts. Along with the Higley governing board, Birdwell has successfully aligned the mission and vision of the district into the daily activities on each of the 10 school campuses. Her strength lies in being able to anticipate the needs of the district and build an environment that honors and values staff, students, families, local businesses and the community. She makes everyone part of the success equation for Higley and has instilled a sense of pride in the district. People readily describe her as a caring, sincere, dedicated leader with a strong focus on student achievement. The district recently received a high honor of being named as one of the Arizona Department of Education’s top 14 school districts in Arizona with an “A” achievement profile.


Golden Bell

Award

FIRST PLACE: Solano Writing Project

Solano Elementary SchoolOsborn Elementary School DistrictThe school-wide Solano Writing Project empowers all students at Solano Elementary, from second language learners to students receiving special education support, to use written language to communicate effectively and creatively. Each month, every student in the school completes a writing piece, which is scored, posted and celebrated, and selected students receive special recognition for their achievement. The yearly culminating event involves students sharing their writing portfolio with their families during Young Authors’ Night, held each spring. The overall impact of the Solano Writing Project has been to bring the school community together and contribute to improved student achievement.

Joyce Rosanelli and Karen Epps

Elementary Pre-K through Sixth Grade

About the AwardThis year celebrates the 30th Anniversary of the ASBA Golden Bells Awards, one of the most important and coveted education awards in our state. ASBA is committed to supporting excellence in education, and we believe in the advancement of student achievement. The Golden Bell Awards provide an opportunity to shine the spotlight on those districts that have a proven track record in achieving excellence through their academic programs.

All entrant programs must meet six criteria:

Student-oriented Made a significant difference

in student achievement Demonstrated evidence of

teacher creativity Demonstrated district

leadership in the management of instruction

Been in operation for at least two years, including planning and development

Presented in clear, concise terms


Golden Bell

Award

RUNNER UP: Elevating Cognitive Level andEngagement through Thinking Maps

Corte Sierra Elementary SchoolLitchfield Elementary School DistrictCorte Sierra Elementary School prides itself on the ability to foster meaningful connection between students’ thinking and the mental connection they are making as they learn new ideas and concepts. Teachers school-wide regularly use “Thinking Maps” to help students master difficult concepts at deeper cognitive levels. Students use eight visual representations to organize and graphically display their thinking in relational form. In doing so, they enrich their understanding, make connections to prior knowledge and improve their clarity of thought. Since the implementation of “Thinking Maps,” Corte students have increased their overall learning performance.

Elementary Pre-K through Sixth Grade

Karen Williams and Stacy Marcos


Golden Bell

Award

FIRST PLACE: Honors Mathematics Program

Osborn Middle SchoolOsborn Elementary School DistrictThe Honors Mathematics Program seeks to increase the number of students who are successful at completing Algebra I at the middle school level to facilitate their enrollment in advanced mathematics courses at the high school level. In 2009, Osborn middle school opened a section of Algebra I, traditionally offered only to eighth-graders, to seventh-graders who demonstrated readiness. Having seventh-graders proficient in Algebra I then enabled Osborn to offer a section of high school geometry to eighth-graders, in collaboration with the Phoenix Union High School District. Success of the program is evidenced by the fact that 37 percent of the eighth-graders who graduated from the school in 2011 started high school this fall with one or two years of accelerated mathematics.

Middle Years Grades 4–9

Shannon Green and Marty Makar


Golden Bell

Award

RUNNER UP: Community Action Team

Barcelona Middle SchoolAlhambra Elementary School DistrictThe fourth- through eighth-grade students on Barcelona’s Community Action Team (CAT) develop their problem-solving skills, communication clarity, research methods and presentation skills as they work to identify and address the needs of the school community. CAT students assess the needs of the school community, prioritize those needs, determine possible solutions, create action plans and implement the plans with efficiency. They have collaborated with the city of Glendale to develop a school-wide recycling program, designed and installed an eco-friendly campus garden, and organized neighborhood cleanups targeting trash, graffiti and landscaping. For CAT students, each day holds the potential for meaningful learning, purposeful contribution and deeper commitment to service.

Middle Years Grades 4–9

Melissa Hagen, Melody Hodges and Lynne Turner


Golden Bell

Award

FIRST PLACE: CatsCARE

Cienega High SchoolVail Unified School DistrictCienega High School implemented CatsCARE to provide a school culture in which rigor, relevance and relationships contributed to a highly positive and caring climate where students had a real voice. The components of CatsCARE, named after the school’s bobcat mascot, are multifaceted and designed to include as many staff and students as possible. They include the Phat Cat rewards incentive program, the Top Cat citizenship grading program, the Cat Frat PTA, the Principal’s Advisory Focus Team and YES, or Youth Empowered for Success. In place since the 2005-2006 school year, CatsCARE has contributed to Cienega’s “Excelling” label for six years running, an A+ school distinction from the Arizona Educational Foundation and an overall improved school climate.

High School Grades 9-12

Jack Erickson, Sandra Mooney, Rebecca Carrier, Dr. Tricia Pena and Bob Koenig


Golden Bell

Award

RUNNER UP: Project Graduation: The Digital Advantage

Sunnyside Unified School DistrictLaunched in November 2007, Project Graduation is a multi-strand, research-based effort that examines the brutal facts about high school drop-out rates at Sunnyside high schools and designs site-based graduation plans; offers credit recovery; implements freshmen interventions for attendance, literacy, study skills, AIMS readiness and parent engagement. Summer school has been expanded to include high school transition. Project Graduation’s legacy program is The Digital Advantage, which awards netbooks as an incentive for students to achieve “the Four A’s”: Academics, Attendance, Activity and Attitude. To date, 2,000 computers have been awarded, enabled by $1.2 million in investment by district partners.

High School Grades 9-12

Louie Gonzalez, Dr. Manuel Isquierdo, Eva Dong and Daniel Hernandez


Golden Bell

Award

FIRST PLACE: Balsz School District Extended School Year

Balsz Elementary School DistrictWith two campuses labeled “Underperforming” and in danger of facing corrective action, three other schools falling far below expectations, stagnant achievement and a trajectory aimed squarely at the status quo, the Balsz Elementary School District recognized an urgent need to steer the district’s collective goodwill and resources toward a decisive reform agenda. After researching the impact on disadvantaged students of more time in the classroom and developing consensus among the school board, community and staff, the district adopted a 200-day school calendar. After just two years, the achievement gap is closing for Balsz students, 91 percent who qualify for the national free and reduced lunch program. All district schools are now rated “Performing” to “Highly Performing,” and achievement of English language learners has skyrocketed, with reclassification rates doubling.

District-Wide CurriculumDelivery & Accountability

Dr. Jeff Smith, Rhonda Chavez and Chris Canelake


Golden Bell

Award

RUNNER UP: 24/7 School House

Flowing Wells Unified School DistrictThe 24/7 School House initiative is Flowing Wells’s solution to significantly increasing the time students district-wide are engaged in standards-based learning programs and activities. High interest, extended learning programs developed and implemented to support the initiative include Project MAX, an after-school Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring program; Skills for Success, a daily K-8 after-school program with a focus on literacy, STEM, health and fitness, and homework help; high school tutoring and preparation for AIMS and college placement tests; and comprehensive, accredited junior and senior high summer school programs. An average of 2,000 district students participate in one or more 24/7 School House activities daily, and external evaluations of the programs have shown significant gains in achievement for students who attend regularly.

District-Wide CurriculumDelivery & Accountability

Martha Petty, Abby Hupp, Tianna Macieh and Erin Kearney


INS

TALL

SE

RV

ICE

D

ES

IGN

A

UTO

MAT

ION

Pueblo Mechanical and Controls, Inc. specializes in service, design and automation

optimum indoor environments and HVAC total solutions.

6771 E. Outlook Drive Tucson, Arizona 85756

UNDER CONTRACT WITHUNDER CONTRACT WITHMOHAVE CONTRACT09D-PMAC2-0902

STATE CONTRACTJOC ADSPO11-009974

TCPN CONTRACTR5044

MOHAVE CONTRACT09D-PMAC2-0902

STATE CONTRACTJOC ADSPO11-009974

TCPN CONTRACTR5044


2011 Jack PetersonStudent Photography Contest Winners

First PlaceAshley Marie CopeBenson High School (Benson USD)Age 17, 12th grade

Turquoise Hills Golf Course

Third PlaceNicole King

Fountain Hills High School (Fountain Hills USD)Age 17, 11th grade

Grand Canyon from the Edge

Second PlaceStephanie Hernandez

Raymond S. Kellis High School (Peoria USD) Age 15, 10th grade

Slide Rock, Sedona, Arizona

Fall 2011 I ASBAJournal 53

Honorable MentionTessa BranyanGilbert High School (Gilbert USD)Age 18, 12th grade

Canyon de Chelly

Honorable MentionPaige Lucero

Manzanita Elementary School (Kingman USD)Age 10, 5th grade

Friends

About the Contest

Arizona’s beautiful and varied landscapes – and some of the wild creatures that inhabit them – were captured with artistry and skill in the five student images selected as winners in the 2011 Arizona School Boards Association Jack Peterson Student Photography Contest. The winners were named at the ASBA annual conference last month.

The statewide contest, which marked its 13th year in 2011, is open to K-12 students from the 240 Arizona school districts and charter schools represented by ASBA’s member boards. The theme of the contest is “Arizona Landscapes.” The ASBA student photography contest was begun in 1999 to honor former ASBA executive director and amateur photographer Jack Peterson upon his retirement.


VIEWPOINTSBy Dr. Timothy Ogle, ASBA Executive Director

This month Arizona celebrated its 100th year as a state. The rich history and tradition of our state – my new home – provide much to be proud of and

a foundation upon which we can work together to build a bright future for ourselves and, especially, our children. As the liaisons between the community and our public schools, school boards have a unique role to play in bringing this bright future to bear. Every decision in policy and governance should ultimately be linked back to the success of children in classrooms, for they are our state’s future.

With the centennial as a mark in time, we have a perfect opportunity to focus renewed energy to encourage and promote excellence in our public schools, and support the million children who attend them, and the dedicated professionals who work in them. In poll after poll, in casual conversation, in action, the people of Arizona have said they want our public school system to be successful and vibrant so that all our children graduate college and career ready. Business leaders, policymakers and economists say doing so is imperative to the economic health and well-being of our state. I, for one, applaud each of you for your commitment to give your time and talent in support of this work upon which the future of Arizona truly rests.

In my first few weeks on the job here at ASBA, I have been amazed by the passion and dedication for our students’ success shown by the many public school leaders I already have had the opportunity to meet. In my travels thus far, I have met policy makers and legislative leaders, school leaders, parents, students and board members. What each has in common is hope for our future and excitement as we

move beyond solving problems to seizing opportunities to advance our work.

Now we must harness this shared vision and turn it into collective action. Our business – public education – is one based in relationships, and the people I have met are committed to elevating education in Arizona to a level of excellence not seen before. When people work together, there are no limits to what can be accomplished. It would be naïve to suggest the process is easy, but it’s something we must work towards. To settle for anything less is not acceptable.

This is why: Ensuring continuous improvement of student success, an essential element of ASBA’s mission, is technically simple but socially complex. We all know what it takes to implement quality public schooling in our state. Education research in recent years has given us a roadmap to school quality. We now know, for example, that the role of the teacher is 20 times more powerful than any other single factor in correlating to student achievement. New understanding of how children learn now enables us to isolate specific learning strategies for nearly every type of student. And the critical importance of strong school leadership in focusing the roles and responsibilities of all involved now has been crystallized. We know each of these, and because we do we cannot allow ourselves to be derailed by the complexity of working together in a political and social system that sometimes gives us competing interests. The work is too important for us to falter to these false motivations.

ASBA is at a critical juncture as we continue to focus on quality leadership and advocacy for the children in our public schools. As you and your schools face new challenges, I hope you will continue to look to ASBA for services, support and information. Just as you must be more nimble and accountable to ensure students’ needs are met, so must we. I am excited to be a part of this renewed spirit in our state and in this organization. I hope you are, too. Please join me in seizing the opportunity to make this mark in time the beginning of a new day for Arizona's schools, children and families.

The Beginning of a New Day

Every decision in policy and governance should ultimately

be linked back to the success of children in classrooms, for they

are our state’s future.


listen.DESIGN.deliver

INSPIRING SUCCESS

Desert Willow Elementary, Kingman USD

dlrgroup.com602/381-8580

KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS SOLUTIONS U.S.A., INC.

For Color thatCommunicates, Count on Konica Minolta

Color that communicates with greater impact. Printer/copiers with faster output. Digital MFPs that make your workfl ow more productive. Document solutions that cut costs and protect the environment.

Visit www.CountOnKonicaMinolta.com today and find out why business professionals count on Konica Minolta.

Jay W. Douglas 4415 E. Cotton Center Blvd.Education Specialist Phoenix, AZ 85040Arizona Marketplace(602) 531-2910 [email protected]

Approved Mohave Contract Provider

Contract No | 08F-NTD-0608

Counties ServedApache, Coconino, La Paz, Navajo, Yavapai & Yuma

TUCS

ON H

IGH

MAG

NET

SCHO

OL G

YMNA

SIUM

NTD completed the new gymnasium, locker rooms and wellness facilities on the historic campus of

Tucson High Magnet School.

COLLABORATIVE ARCHITECTURE SUPPORTING LEARNING COMMUNITIES

Phoenix T: 602.956.8844 | Tucson T: 580.784.0975 | ntd.com

ARCH I T ECTURE

Thank you to the sponsors of the ASBA-ASA 54th Annual Conference!

Gold Sponsors Arizona School Risk Retention Trust,

Green Choice Solar, MetLife, Midstate Energy, Sodexo, Thunderbird,

Mountain Facilities Performance Services

DLR Group, HACI Services, Hunt & Caraway Architects, Jokake Construction,

Konica Minolta Business Solutions, M.L. Riddle Painting, Mohave,

NTD Architecture, Orcutt/Winslow, Pueblo Mechanical and Controls,

The Segal Company, Trane, Wedbush Securities

For information about conference sponsorship in 2012, please contact Ellen White, ASBA Director of Adminstrative Services, at [email protected].


SCHOOL SOLUTIONSHUNT & CARAWAY ARCHITECTS

602.595.8200www.huntcaraway.com

Benefits, Compensation and HR Consulting

To learn more about how Segal can help your organization, please visit us at www.segalco.com.

Amy J. GirardoBenefits [email protected]

AT TI M E S, EVE RYON E N E E D S A LITTLE H E LP.

B E N E F I TS A N D C O M P E N S AT I O N C O N S U LT I N G T H AT U N D E R STA N D S T H E P U B L I C S E CTO R .

Equipment Lease Purchase FinancingFor School Facility Energy Conservation Measures

$12,336,644TEMPE UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 213

EQUIPMENT LEASE PURCHASE AGREEMENTFUNDED NOVEMBER 30, 2011

INTEREST RATE: 2.68%

NUMBER OF BIDS RECEIVED: 7

Financial Advisor

Wedbush Securities provides financial advisory / placement agent services designed to achieve the lowest cost financing.

Jim Stricklin | Larry Given | Janelle Gold3200 East Camelback Road, Suite 290, Phoenix, AZ 85018

(602) 952-6800 | www.wedbush.com | Member NYSE/FINRA/SIPC

The announcement is under no circumstances to be construed as an offer to sell or as a solicitation of an offer to buy any of these securities.



SometimesOld School

Isn’t the Best School

LED light panels can replace existing fluorescent fixtures and save you money. REBATES ARE AVAILABLE TO MAKE THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY AFFORDABLE.

(623) 825-1730www.ThunderbirdMountain.com

The Future of Lighting

NEW LED LIGHTING

for Your

Call us today at (623) 825-1730 for a DEMONSTRATIONand to learn about the REBATES AVAILABLE!


ASBA Affiliate MembersArizona School Boards Association

appreciates the support for public education

shown by its organizational affiliate members.

APS Solutions for BusinessEnergy efficiency project rebatesJennifer Rivera2001 N. Third St., Ste. 106Phoenix, AZ 85004602-385-0900www.aps.com/businessrebates

Accelerated Construction TechnologiesCatherine Walley22425 N. 16th St.Phoenix, AZ 85024602-272-2000www.act-az.com

AdministrativeEnterprises Inc.Leanne Appledorn5810 W. Beverly LaneGlendale, AZ 85306602-789-1170

Adolfson & Peterson ConstructionGeneral contractorTamara Caraway5002 S. Ash Ave.Tempe, AZ 85282480-345-8700www.a-p.com

Ameresco (formerly APS Energy Services)Energy conservation, renewable solutions60 E. Rio Salado Pkwy., Ste. 1001Tempe, AZ 85281480-499-9200www.ameresco.com

American Building Maintenance Co.Wade Moffet2632 W. Medtronic WayTempe, AZ 85281480-968-8300

American Fidelity AssuranceDonna Sciulara3505 E. Flamingo Rd., #6Las Vegas, NV 89121800-616-3576

ArcadisInfrastructre, environment, buildingsEd Boot950 W. Elliot Rd., #220Tempe, AZ 85284480-394-0335www.arcadis-us.com

Arizona Correctional IndustriesBill Branson3701 W. Cambridge Ave.Phoenix, AZ 85009602-272-7600www.azcorrections.gov

ASBAIT(Arizona School Boards Association Insurance Trust)Wayne Carpenter5810 W. Beverly LaneGlendale, AZ 85306602-789-1170www.asbait.org

Assessment Technology Inc.Jody JepsonElectronic learning assessment resources6700 E.Speedway Blvd.Tucson, AZ 85710877-442-5453www.ati-online.com

Auto Safety HouseSchool bus sales and serviceRudy Garcia2630 W. Buckeye Rd.Phoenix, AZ 85009602-269-9721www.autosafetyhouse.com

The Bagnall CompanyEmployee benefit consultingMark W. Bagnall1345 E. Chandler Blvd., Bldg. 1, Ste. 103Phoenix, AZ 85048480-893-6510www.thebagnallcompany.com

BoardBookTim CurtisP.O. Box 400Austin, TX 78767888-587-2665www.boardbook.org

CCS Presentation SystemsJulia Solomon17350 N. Hartford DriveScottsdale, AZ 85255480-348-0100www.ccsprojects.com

Calderon Law OfficesLegal servicesErnest Calderon2020 N. Central Ave., Ste. 1110Phoenix, AZ 85004602-265-0004

Centennial Contractors EnterprisesLisa Bentley1616 E. Indian School Rd.,#200Phoenix, AZ 85016623-764-0397www.cce-inc.com

Chartwells School DiningSchool lunch managementJoel Mee11634 W. Monroe St.Avondale, AZ 85323602-350-4876www.eatlearnlive.com

Core ConstructionJessica Steadman3036 E. Greenway RoadPhoenix, AZ 85032602-494-0800www.coreconstruct.com

D2 Data Driven SoftwareEducation softwareMatt Winebright900 Jackson St., Ste. 380Dallas, TX 75202972-490-4044www.d2sc.com

D.L.Withers ConstructionDan Withers3220 E. Harbour DrivePhoenix, AZ 85034602-438-9500www.dlwithers.com

DLR GroupLynnette Morrison6225 N. 24th St., Ste. 250Phoenix, AZ 85016602-381-8580www.dlrgroup.com

Dairy Council of ArizonaPatricia Johnson2008 S. Hardy DriveTempe, AZ 85282480-966-8074www.dcaz.org

David Hunt ArchitectureBrian Robichaux1747 E. Morten Ave,. Ste. 306Phoenix AZ 85020 602-595-8200www.davidhuntarchitecture.com

DeConcini McDonald Yetwin & LacyJohn C. Richardson2525 E. Broadway, Ste. 200Tucson, AZ 85716520-322-5000www.deconcinimcdonald.com

eBOARDsolutionsWeb-based board governance softwareMark Willis, Diane Sandifer5120 Sugarloaf ParkwayLawrenceville, GA 30043800-226-1856www.eboardsolutions.com

Edupoint Educational SystemsJoseph Kirkman1955 S. Val Vista Dr., #210Mesa, AZ 85204480-833-2900www.edupoint.com

EMC2 Group ArchitectsArchitects, plannersRon Essley1635 N. Greenfield Rd., Ste. 144Mesa, AZ 85205480-830-3838www.emc2architects.com

Fennemore Craig, P.C.Deanna Rader3003 N Central Ave., #2600Phoenix, AZ 85012602-916-5000www.fclaw.com

First Financial Group of AmericaBenefit Plan Administration, Independent Insurance and Investment ServicesMike O’Malley2201 San Pedro Dr. NE, Bldg. 1, Ste. 2101Albuquerque, NM 87110 800-365-3860www.ffga.com

GHD Inc.Architecture, civil engineeringTerry Worcester1501 S. Yale St., Ste. 101Flagstaff, AZ 86001928-774-7179www.ghd.com

G.V. EnterprisesProject managers, procurement consultingGordon Vasfaret9102 W. Marshall Ave.Glendale, AZ 85305623-872-1852www.gventerprises.com

Gust RosenfeldRobert Haws201 E.Washington, Ste. 800Phoenix, AZ 85004602-257-7976

H2 GroupJeff Cook17470 N. Pacesetter WayScottsdale AZ 85255480-743-7520

HACI ServiceScott Wright2108 W. Shangri-La Rd.Phoenix AZ 85029602-944-1555

HDA Architects LLCPete Barker459 N. Gilbert Rd., Ste. C-200Gilbert, AZ 85234480-539-8800

Hardison Downey ConstructionKevin Vandermolen6150 N. 16th St.Phoenix AZ 85016602-722-8857www.hardisondowney.com

Heinfeld, Meech & Co.Gary Heinfeld10120 N. Oracle Rd., #100Tucson, AZ 85704520-742-2611

Hufford, Horstman, Mongini, Parnell & TuckerC. Benson Hufford120 N. Beaver St.Flagstaff, AZ 86001928-226-0000www.h2m2law.com

Hughes-Calihan Konica MinoltaDan Schmidt4730 North 16th St.Phoenix, AZ 85016602-244-9944www.hc-km.com

ImmediaeduDaniel Leis8321 E . Gelding Dr., Ste. 100Scottsdale AZ 85260480-483-3399www.immediaedu.com

Kennedy Partners LLCAllison Suriano2222 W. Pinnacle Peak Rd., Ste. 330Phoenix, AZ 85027623-374-2478www.kennedyprtnrs.com


Lewis & Roca LLPMary Ellen Simonson40 N. Central Ave.Phoenix, AZ 85004602-262-5317www.lrlaw.com

M.L. Riddle Painting Inc.Mike Riddle5922 N. Black Canyon Hwy.Phoenix, AZ 85017602-277-3461

Mangum Wall Stoops & WardenA. Dean PickettP.O. Box 10Flagstaff, AZ 86002928-779-6951www.flagstaffattorneys.com

Maricopa County Community CollegeDr. Rufus Glasper2411 W. 14th St.Tempe AZ 85281

Miller, LaSota & PetersJack LaSota722 E. Osborn Road #100Phoenix, AZ 85014602-248-2900

Mohave Educational Services Co-opTom Peeler625 E. Beale St.Kingman, AZ 86401928-753-6945www.mesc.org

NTD ArchitectureScott Beck2800 N. 44th St., Ste. 500Phoenix, AZ 85008602-956-8844www.ntd.com

The O’Malley GroupFacilities, project, construction managementTim O’Malley, Sharon O’Malley80 W. State Ave., Ste. 300Phoenix, AZ 85021602-906-1905www.omalleyafl.com

The Orcutt/Winslow PartnershipPaul Winslow3003 N. Central Ave., 16th Fl.Phoenix, AZ 85012602-257-1764www.owp.com

Piper Jaffray & Co.William C. Davis2525 E. Camelback Rd., Ste. 925Phoenix, AZ 85016602-808-5428www.piperjaffray.com

PracticeMax Inc.Medicaid billing for special education services9382 E. Bahia Dr., Ste. B202Scottsdale, AZ 85260480-421-9700www.practicemax.com

Professional Group Public Consulting, Inc.Caroline BrackleyP.O. Box 30850Mesa, AZ 85275480-699-4458www.pgpc.org

Pueblo Mechanical & ControlsDesign, build HVAC specialistSteve Barry6771 E. Outlook Dr.Tucson, AZ 85756520-545-1044www.pueblo-mechanical.com

RBC Capital MarketsJohn Snider2398 E. Camelback Rd., Ste. 700Phoenix, AZ 85016602-381-5361www.rbccm.com

Regional Pavement MaintenanceSteve LeoneP.O. Box 3778Gilbert, AZ 85299480-963-3416www.regionalaz.com

Rodel Charitable FoundationCarol Peck6720 N. Scottsdale Rd., Suite 380Scottsdale, AZ 85253480-367-2920www.rodelfoundationaz.org

SAPA Fabricated ProductsAluminum ramps, stairways, all REDD Team productsJanet Wray1617 N. Washington St.Magnolia, AR 71753800-643-1514www.sapafabricatedproducts.com

SCF ArizonaWorkers’ compensation insuranceTod Dennis3030 N.Third St.Phoenix, AZ 85012602-631-2000www.scfaz.com

SRPRebecca WestPAB 336P.O. Box 52025Phoenix, AZ 85072602-236-3578www.srpnet.com

SDBLisa Bentley14700 N. Frank Lloyd Wright #157Scottsdale, AZ 85260480-298-9596

SPS + Architects Herb Schneider8681 E.Via De NegocioScottsdale, AZ 85258-3330480-991-0800

Shade ‘N NetSun and UV protection structuresJoe Reda5711 W. WashingtonPhoenix, AZ 85043602-484-7911www.shade-n-net.com

Schaefer-Smith-AnkeneyInsurance(Compass Insurance)Craig Ankeney2002 E. Osborn RdPhoenix, AZ 85016602-956-7800

Smartschoolsplus, Inc.Phased retirement services Sandra McClellandP.O. Box 11618Tempe, AZ 85284480-839-8747www.smartschoolsplus.com

SodexoKatrina Lewis1842 W. Windermere DrivePhoenix, AZ 85048480-577-3503

StantecAnnette Zacherson8211 S. 48th St.Phoenix AZ 85044602-707-4778www.stantec.com

Stone & YoungbergFinancial servicesBryan Lundberg2555 E. Camelback Rd., Ste. 280Phoenix, AZ 85016602-794-4000www.syllc.com

Strategic Technology CommunicationsDeborah Long13828 N. 41st. PlacePhoenix AZ 85032480-281-6400

Summit Food ServiceDave Brewer2703 Broadbent Pkwy. NE, Ste. FAlbuquerque, N.M. 87107505-341-0508www.summitfoodservice.com

Sundt ConstructionConstructionEdward Mullins2620 S. 55th St.Tempe, AZ 85282480-309-2347www.sundt.com

Sunland AsphaltAsphalt, concrete, sport courts, tracks, turf and bleachersJohn McCormack3002 S. Priest Dr.Tempe, AZ 85282602-288-5020www.sunlandasphalt.com

TCPN – The Cooperative Purchasing NetworkMike Chouteau2100 N. Central Ave. #220Phoenix, AZ 85004602-405-9402www.tcpn.org

Technology CoordinatorsUtilities and building renewal projectsEd Schaffer2116 W. Del Campo CircleMesa, AZ 85202888-474-5509www.tc-az.com

Thunderbird Mountain Facilities performance servicesDavid JohnsonP.O. Box 10130Glendale, AZ 85318623-825-1730www.thunderbirdmountain.com

Traaen & Associates, LLCHuman resources management, training and organizational developmentTeri J. Traaen, Ed.D., DPA4831 E. Calle TuberiaPhoenix, AZ 85018602-510-3989www.traaenandassociates.com

Troxell CommunicationsAudio-visual equipmentBob Berry4830 S. 38th St.Phoenix, AZ 85040480-495-4745www.trox.com

The Trust333 E. Osborn Rd., #300Phoenix, AZ 85012602-222-2110www.the-trust.org

Udall Shumway & Lyons PLCDenise Lowell-Britt30 W. First St.Mesa, AZ 85201480-461-5300

Valic (formerly AIG Retirement)Group retirement plans, individual financial servicesSandra Jackson11201 N.Tatum Blvd., Ste. 100Phoenix, AZ 85028602-674-2614www.valic.com

Valley Schools Mgmt. GroupPatrick DittmanP.O. Box 41760Phoenix AZ 85024623-594-4370www.vsit.org

Wedbush Morgan Securities (PHS&G)Financial advisor, underwriter, investment bankerLarry Given, Jim Stricklin2999 N. 44th St., Ste. 100Phoenix, AZ 85018602-952-6800www.wedbush.com

Worldbyme.comKevin Daily1518 W. Fort Lowell Rd.Tucson AZ 85705520-262-1726www.worldbyme.com


Arizona School Boards Association2100 North Central AvenueSuite 200Phoenix, Arizona 85004

PRSRT STDUS POSTAGEPAIDPHOENIX AZPERMIT NO 4605

$6.0023875 © S&L Printing 2012

Q U A L I T Y L E A D E R S H I P A N D A D V O C A C Y F O R C H I L D R E N I N P U B L I C S C H O O L S .

Legislative, Legal and Budget Update

The Board’s Role in Hiring

The Board’s Role in Firing

Parents’ Rights

Open Meeting Law

Dealing with Outside Service Providers

One-day sessions providing updates on the latest legal issues affecting public schools.

presented by

THE ARIZONA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION

Legal Seminars

Register today at www.azsba.org

Friday, March 2 Tucson

Westward Look

Friday, March 9Flagstaff

High CountryConference Center

Documents

ASBA Journal