ASBA Winter Journal 2015

A R I Z O N A S C H O O L B O A R D S A S S O C I A T I O NWINTER 2015 VOL. 45, NO. 1

Heroes of PublicEducation

PLUS... Annual Awards Showcase

The Power of Effective School Boards

Closing Gaps Between Haves, Have-Nots

Member Feedback Guides ASBA in the Right Direction

Can You Adapt to Change?

Governor’s Proposed Budget and ASBA’s Priorities

PolicyBridge: The Future is Now

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ASBA Journal I Winter 2015 1

● DEPARTMENTS3 President’s Message Don’t Lose HOPE, There Are Heroes Amongst Us! By Jesus Rubalcava, ASBA President

7 Viewpoints We Asked, You Replied

Using Member Feedback to Guide ASBA in the Right Direction

By Dr. Timothy Ogle, ASBA Executive Director

8 ASBA News

11 ASBA Calendar of Events

17 Communications and Engagement The road to successfully sharing your district’s

mission is paved by effective communication Heidi Vega, ASBA Director of Communications

21 Leadership Matters Preparing for Board Change

By Karen Loftus, ASBA Director of Leadership Development

28 Capitol View Governor’s FY16 Proposed Budget and ASBA’s 2015 Priorities By Janice Palmer, ASBA Director of

Governmental Relations & Public Affairs

33 Education and the Law ASBA PolicyBridge: The Future is Now By Chris Thomas, ASBA General Counsel and Director of Legal and Policy Services

51 ASBA Affiliate Members

● FEATURES14 ASBA in Pictures: 57th Annual Conference & BOLTS

18 Income and Outcomes By Don Harris

24 School Boards: Playing a Key Role in Student Achievement By Don Harris

31 Emergency Response Preparedness: Reunification Process

35 ASBA 2013 Annual Awards Showcase

36 Lou Ella Kleinz Award of Excellence

37 All-Arizona School Board Award

39 Total Board Award

41 Master of Boardmanship with Clusters Award

44 Golden Bell Award

48 Superintendents Award

Winter 2015 Vol. 45, No. 1

A R I Z O N A S C H O O L B O A R D S A S S O C I A T I O N

2 ASBA Journal I Winter 2015

OUR MISSIONPromoting elected local 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 ASSOCIATION

Quality leadership and advocacy for children in public schools.

ARIZONA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION

● OfficersPresident Jesus RubalcavaPresident Elect Kathy KnechtTreasurer Julie BaconSecretary Torri AndersonImmediate Past President Elaine Hall

● County Directors, Caucus Leadership and NSBA RepresentativesApache Arnold Goodluck Cochise Jeffery CrandallCoconino Linda BlosserGila Barbara Underwood Graham James BryceGreenlee Luis Montoya La Paz Amelia Flores Maricopa Bill Adams Maricopa Lawrence RobinsonMohave Tom DuranceauNavajo Linda Yazzie Pima John WilliamsPima Jim LovePinal Linda LyonSanta Cruz Maria NeumanYavapai Patricia FoyYuma Tadeo De La HoyaHispanic/Native American Indian Caucus Sylvia HendricksBlack Caucus Maxine Hill

● StaffExecutive Director Dr. Timothy OgleAssociate Executive Director Tracey BensonDirector of Administrative Services Ellen WhiteDirector of Communications Heidi VegaDirector of Governmental Relations/Public Affairs Janice PalmerDirector of Leadership Development Karen LoftusDirector of Legal and Policy Services/ General Counsel Chris ThomasAssistant Director of Policy Services Dr. Terry L. RowlesExecutive Search and Senior Policy Consultant Steve HighlenPolicy Consultant David DeCabooterTechnology and Information Specialist Michael BarciaGovernmental Relations Analyst Geoff EspositoEducation Reporter Lisa IrishPolicy Technician Renae WatsonMember Services Coordinator Shirley SimpsonSecretary to the Executive Director Kristi JohnsonAdministrative Secretary Jolene HaleAdministrative Secretary Sara NilssonAdministrative Secretary Elizabeth SanchezAdministrative Secretary/Receptionist Nicole Giver

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. © 2013 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, Inc.1428 W. San Pedro • Gilbert, AZ 85233 • 480-497-8081


By Jesus Rubalcava, ASBA President

● PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Don’t Lose HOPE, There Are Heroes Amongst Us!

Like many of our students in our public schools, I encountered many of the challenges students face today. I was 4 years old when my family decided to

move from Mexico to the United States in hope of obtaining a more prosperous opportunity for my siblings and myself. My challenges were those of being brought up in a single parent home, poverty, being an English Language Learner and having a speech impediment. These obstacles were not enough to stop me. I learned early on to take pride in my accomplishments, to make the most of what I had, and to passionately fight for what I wanted and for what was right. At the age of 18, I decided to run for the local school board. In part it was because I didn’t exactly know what I wanted to do after I had graduated from high school. I DID know that I wanted to give back to the community that watched me grow up. Honestly, I thought a school board was like a student council for adults! I was successful in my election bid for a 2 year term. But, boy, was I mistaken about what school board service was all about! It was no longer about planning events, pep assemblies or fundraisers. The decisions were about the school and about the students. They were complex. And they had a deep impact on the community. Those decisions had the potential to change lives. Years later, a trip to the school to check on services available to one of my sons, who we noticed had some sort of speech issue, was disappointing and a pivotal moment for me. Much too often, we complain about what we see wrong and where we can make improvements, but seldom do we get involved to help be part of the solution.

Heroes Of Public Education My theme this year as your President is HOPE. As defined in the dictionary, hope means “to have a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.” Although I certainly do want that, my HOPE is a little different. It is an acronym – an acronym that fills me with inspiration and, yes, hope. It stands for Heroes Of Public Education.

Think about the most inf luential people in your life. Who are your heroes? Who gave you hope for your future? After parents, most of us point to a teacher or someone in the education setting we had growing up. Along the way, they do much more than provide instruction, grade papers, and write lesson plans. Teachers are constantly guiding, inspiring, counseling, parenting and making students feel like humans.

Are you that HERO? School board members can be heroes too. You have powers and abilities many other education advocates do not. You have the power to set the vision and mission for your school district that put students first, to establish non-negotiable goals

for student success, to allocate resources that support those goals, and to hold the system accountable for meeting them. Many of you ARE heroes, making courageous decisions that put students first – every day and with every decision you make. I encourage you to recognize this in yourself and

the position you hold – and the tremendous responsibility that accompanies it. And think about this… when it comes to advocating for students, we school board members have some “super-powers” other elected officials don’t. School board members are the only public officials elected specifically to serve children and put students first. You have the opportunity to be the most connected, most informed and most credible advocates for our students and public education in Arizona. Harness that and use it to the advantage of your students and your community. It’s no secret that public education is under attack. Our communities, our teachers and, most importantly, our students need us. As school board members and heroes of public education, we have powers, but we must learn to use them. Another power that we have is the power of unity and diversity. Properly understood and used, the term “diversity” is not code for race, ethnicity, or gender by themselves. While a school board’s concept of diversity may include these factors, it should be far more comprehensive, encompassing relevant



attributes and experiences that can inf luence learning in and out of the classroom. We as an association are much more effective and powerful when we work in unison. Our association has been working on addressing unity and diversity. Part of that investment includes a focus on current resources and ways to leverage resources to benefit all students. We must ensure we are paying attention to a resource that is a given in many districts – the diversity of the student population – and capitalize on this resource to enhance learning, achievement, and success. The work of this association continues. It is my HOPE that you will join me and embrace this vision of elected school leaders as Heroes Of Public Education, and, especially, that you will get more deeply involved in advocating the many needs and challenges in Arizona’s Public Schools. Together we are stronger and together we can make the positive changes to move Arizona’s Education System forward.

WHAT DOES CHARTWELLS BRING TO YOUR TABLE?

With Chartwells at your table, there is great food, education and people to make a difference in your community!

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Heroes of Public Education


For more than 50 years, we have emphasized a preventative law approach by getting to know our clients and their needs, vision and goals.

We proudly support the Arizona School Boards Association in its advocacy for Arizona’s school districts through promotion of effective board leadership and informed decision-making.

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Kenneth H. Brendel, PartnerKellie A. Peterson, PartnerBrandon J. Kavanagh, PartnerEliza Daley Reed, Of CounselJeffrey D. Dollins, Associate James D. Griffith, AssociateChristina A. Parry, Associate Thomas E. Dietrich, Associate


We Asked, You RepliedUsing Member Feedback to Guide ASBA in the Right Direction

● VIEWPOINTSBy Dr. Timothy Ogle, ASBA Executive Director

No matter how good we are we can always get better. What a great thought for ASBA as we move forward through 2015. I am confident you would agree

2014 was one of the most successful years in the rich 65-year history of ASBA. We now celebrate new opportunities and new aspirations as we continue to build a bigger, stronger and more vibrant ASBA.

In late 2014 we surveyed our entire membership to receive your ideas for the future of our association. ASBA members surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that:

» ASBA embodies its mission of “promoting elected local governance of public education and continuous improvement of student success by providing leadership and assistance to public school governing boards.” (94%)

» ASBA offers useful training. (93%)

» ASBA keeps them informed about policies, programs and people that impact public education in Arizona. (92%)

» ASBA is focused on helping school board members increase their knowledge and effectiveness as board members. (92%)

» ASBA is an effective organization (90%).

» ASBA is a statewide leader in promoting public education and the work of school boards in Arizona. (86%)

» ASBA strives for continuous improvement to better meet members’ needs. (86%)

The board of ASBA has established ambitious goals for 2015 which reinforce the membership survey data and the great momentum we have established. These goals are:

GOAL 1: ASBA will be a recognized statewide leader in promoting the value of school boards and public education.

GOAL 2: ASBA will increase member engagement in ways that acknowledge and value the vast diversity of the association and of school board members across the state.

GOAL 3: ASBA will expand advocacy efforts to build member understanding of the value of advocacy and leverage the voice of school board members effectively in policy decisions.

GOAL 4: ASBA will enhance value to its membership.

GOAL 5: ASBA will be seen by the membership as a steward of healthy financial management, fiscal accountability and transparency.

The board and staff of our association are committed to reinforcing the importance of our work as school leaders in America’s most important profession. While the challenges are great, the rewards can be greater. Don’t ever forget, you are part of a network of 90,000 school board members, representing 90 percent of all children and we are the largest employer in America. The opportunities to make a difference for the children in your community and collectively in our state must drive every decision we face. Our collective power is our greatest asset.

The ASBA team will continue to listen to you and work to assist you in fulfilling our mission.


New officers elected at annual meeting

Delegates from Arizona School Boards Association member boards elected officers to serve on the 2015 ASBA Board of Directors. The election was held at the association’s annual business meeting on Dec. 11. Kathy Knecht, a member of the Peoria USD governing board and 2014 ASBA treasurer, was voted as president-elect; Julie Bacon, a member of the Paradise Valley USD governing board and 2014 secretary, was chosen treasurer; and Torri Anderson, a member of the Maricopa USD governing board, was elected secretary. The new officers join Jesus Rubalcava, a member of the Gila Bend USD governing board, who advances from 2014 president-elect to 2015 president, and Elaine Hall, a member of the Sahuarita USD governing board, who moves from 2014 president to 2015 immediate past president.

NEWS

ASBA board retreat clarifies organization direction, board duties and responsibilities

Members of the ASBA Board of Directors, Executive Director Dr. Tim Ogle and members of ASBA’s management team, gathered in January to engage in strategic planning and discuss the duties and responsibilities of members of a non-profit board. ASBA is a 501(c)(3) private, non-profit organization.

Elaine Hall, Immediate Past President

Jesus Rubalcava, President Julie Bacon, TreasurerKathy Knecht, President Elect

Torri Anderson, Secretary

ASBA 2015 board of directors along with executive director Dr. Tim Ogle.


Cindy Matus Morriss honored with Barbara Robey Lifetime Achievement Award Cindy Matus Morriss, a member of the Patagonia Elementary Governing Board since 1989 as well as serving on the Arizona School Boards Association Board of Directors consecutively for two decades, received the 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. Morriss, completely surprised with the honor, was presented with the award during the awards dinner ceremony at the annual conference Dec. 11. Morriss was described as a mentor, advocate, champion and friend. A video in her honor was created and played, which defined her as a person naturally inclined to serve who then consciously chooses to lead. “Cindy has been a friend and mentor to me and many others. We give you our thanks for your support of our children,” said Elaine Hall, ASBA’s 2014 president. Watch a video tribute to Cindy on ASBA’s YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/AZSchoolBoardsAssoc

Cindy Matus Morriss honored with the 2014 Barbara Robey Lifetime Achievement Award

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 of $700 each were awarded to Jazmine Morales, Douglas High School (Douglas USD); Kelsey Wertz, Coconino High School (Flagstaff USD); Ricky Rodriguez, Chino Valley High School (Chino Valley USD); and Luisanna Granillo, Nogales High School (Nogales USD). Student scholarship winners Jazmine Morales and Kelsey Wertz

pose with Jack Peterson. Ricky Rodriguez and Luisanna Granillo were unable to attend.

ASBA tailors superintendent search with personalized approach Did you know that ASBA offers a wide range of search services, from full searches for a new superintendent to advertising for an interim superintendent? ASBA’s goal is to help the board determine the best possible leader for its district using a unique and personalized approach. ASBA believes that each school district is unique and understands every board leader knows their community better than the search consultant. Finding the right leader is critical and every superintendent selection process should provide opportunities to strengthen the relationship between the school district and the community. ASBA works with the board to identify the best process that works for them, using a f lexible and customized approach that fits the district’s culture. It is important to know Arizona, its politics and issues that affect education in order to find the best and most qualified leader. Unlike other search firms, ASBA encourages the board to identify who they should interview, facilitates support including a FREE onboarding training session, once the district hires a new superintendent, and offers a reasonable pricing model, based on ADM that affords members with exceptional value and attentive service. Find more information and other unique factors that make ASBA the best choice for a superintendent search on www.azsba.org/jobs/executive-search/ or call 602.254.1100.


ASBA provided all school districts with online resources during National Choice Week, Jan. 25-31 ASBA created a toolkit of resources to help school districts celebrate parents choosing local public schools as their educational choice during this year’s National Choice Week. When it comes to education, parents in Arizona have more choices than parents in almost any other state. More than eight out of 10 families in Arizona continue to choose local public schools. School districts around the state were encouraged to utilize these resources as a way to thank their parent communities and communicate all the great programs, achievements and opportunities local public schools provide. View the toolkit at www.azsba.org/national-choice-week/.

The ASBA toolkit provided three free graphic designs (including above) for all school districts to use on websites, facebook pages and printed materials.

ASBA Honor Roll Award Earned by 21 ASBA presented the Honor Roll Award for 2014 to 21 retiring board members who were nominated by their boards for outstanding service after serving at least two consecutive terms on their boards. Congratulations to the following members:Christy Agosta, Deer Valley USDDouglas Allsworth, Phoenix ESDRobert Cervantes, Superior USDSam Gardner, GIFTBecky Gifford, Buckeye Union HSDErnest Hubbell, Sanders USDRory Huff, Payson USDPatricia King, Altar Valley ESDRandy Kinkade, Vail USDDavid Lindsay, GIFTMarvin Marlatt, Antelope Union HSDYolanda Najer-Ewing, Superior USDAlbert Parenteau, Williams USDMary Lou Richerson, Catalina Foothills USDMarilyn Rollins, Osborn ESDIsaac Serna, Laveen ESDBarry Sharp, Ash Fork Joint USDSherri Silverberg, Catalina Foothills USDHal Thomas, Sierra Vista USDBetty Thompson, Roosevelt ESDCayci Vuksanovich, Globe USD

ASBA Board of Directors appoints new county directors In January the ASBA Board of Directors welcomed five new members to the board as county directors: Linda Blosser (Chevelon Butte ESD) from Coconino County; Tadeo De La Hoya (Gadsden ESD) from Yuma County; Amelia Flores (Parker USD) from La Paz County; Patricia Foy (Seligman USD) from Yavapai County; Linda Lyon (Oracle ESD) from Pinal County; Lawrence Robinson, Co-CD (Roosevelt ESD) from Maricopa County; and John Williams, Co-CD (Altar Valley ESD) from Pima County. The chairs of ASBA’s two caucuses also serve on the ASBA board as executive officer voting members. This year the officers are Maxine Hill (Agua Fria UHSD) as chair for Black Caucus and Sylvia Hendricks (Baboquivari USD) as chair for Hispanic/Native American Indian Caucus.


February 2015

16 Presidents’ Day ASBA Office Closed

25 Spring Legal Webinar Series

March 2015


21-23 NSBA Annual Conference Nashville


April 2015

8-10 The Equity Event Phoenix

May 2015

25 Memorial Day ASBA Office Closed

ASBA Calendar of Events

Students further their education with HNAIC Scholarships The Hispanic/Native American Indian Caucus is proud to award student scholarships for the second year in a row. Congratulations to Arlinne Rodriguez from Nogales High School in Nogales USD and Kandace Baez from Payson High School in Payson USD, who were both presented with their scholarships during the Dec. 11 Annual Conference. Named after one of the founding fathers of the caucus, past-president and past executive director of ASBA, Panfilo H. Contreras, the caucus established scholarship opportunities in efforts to promote quality education for all students, focusing on the needs of Hispanic and Native American Indian students. As a condition of the scholarship, each recipient attends an accredited public high school in Arizona which is also an ASBA member district. Each winner has agreed to enroll in an Arizona state-accredited institution to further their education. ASBA president Jesus Rubalcava, Arlinne Rodriguez, Kandace Baez and past-

president and scholarship namesake Panfilo H. Contreras.

Save the Date:Summer Leadership Institute moved to June 11-13


The Jack Peterson Photography Contest marked its 16th year The theme “Arizona Outdoors” – certainly allowed for some beautiful and creative submittals by students from across the state. Photos were judged in two categories: one for students in grades K-8 and for students in grades 9-12. This year, we received 160 nominations from students all over the state.

First place: Victoria Edwards, Hamilton

High School, Chandler USD

Grades 9-12 Category This year, the committee was unable to reach an agreement on selecting one entry as first place. It was a split decision on the top two entries, so we decided to award both photos as first place winners.

First place: Francisco Ortiz, Flowing Wells High School, Flowing Wells USD


Honorable Mention: Aaron Harris, Red

Mountain High School, Mesa Public Schools

Second place: Madisen Hettrich, Hamilton High School, Chandler USD

K-8 CategoryKaileigh Thompson, Benson Middle School student in Benson USD


Picturesin

ASBA•ASA 57th Annual ConferenceDec. 10-12, 2014 | Bi l tmore Conference Center


Board Operations and Leadership Training (BOLTS)Jan. 22, Tucson | Jan. 23, Phoenix | Jan. 30, Flagstaff | 2015



Have you ever thought about registering for a half marathon and not training for it? What about planning a vacation and not budgeting for it? So, why

would sharing your district’s mission and strategic plan be any different? Many of you may not realize it, but you are a district ambassador representing your school district anywhere you go. People begin to brand the school district based on what you say, when you say it and how you say it! It’s important to start with your school district’s mission. Why? Because everything you do is inspired by the mission and is a constant reminder to the public of why the district exists. Let’s experiment for a second. On a piece of paper, write down one word that best describes you as a person. Next, write down one word that best describes your district’s mission. Those two words should interconnect in one way or another. If they don’t, this may be a challenge. If you don’t have buy-in with the district’s mission, how do you expect others to do so? Private companies have used celebrities as brand ambassadors since the early 1940’s. Large corporations realized that the overall image of a brand ambassador within society is an integral element to attract consumer attention. This strategy has been successful for many corporations, but has also negatively impacted others when the brand ambassador has been perceived to not have buy-in. In 2005, Proactive, a skin care product line dropped a famous singer as the spokesperson for the product when several magazine photos published the singer with broken out skin. The magazine headlines perceived the skin care product as ineffective due to the singer’s face. This is a prime example of how stakeholders can perceive the success of your district based on how you represent it. It’s important to identify what you want the public to know about the district and create a strategic approach to make that happen. ASBA has created a four-step road map to help you plan, identify and promote important district key messages that you want your community to know.

1. Know your audience It’s important to know who you are speaking to and

make your key messages relevant. For example, parents are emotionally tied because they have children that

attend your schools. Business members may not be as emotionally tied, but they are interested when budget cuts or property taxes are impacted.

2. Clear content Think about what you are going to say or communicate.

Ensure what you are communicating is what the district is communicating as well. This includes district dollar amounts, percentages, student scores and demographics. Identify clear talking points and rehearse out loud. The last thing you want is to be corrected for citing incorrect or inaccurate information.

3. Identify channels What channel or channels are you using to communicate

information? Use whatever works best for you to get the word out. If it’s face to face every time you see a community member or posting daily information on your social media site, then do it. Also, don’t be afraid to try something new. It’s vital to adapt to how our parents and students communicate best. The majority of them are members of Generation X or millennials and live in a digital age. If you moved to China, you’d at least attempt to learn a form of Mandarin dialect. Why not learn a digital language? Also, encourage stakeholders to use your district’s resources such as website, newsletters, community forums, social media sites and other resources to find or receive more information.

4. Be consistent How often do you communicate? Stay consistent in

whatever way you communicate with stakeholders. We’ve all heard that it takes about 21 days to form a habit. Well, that may be a myth. A study in 2009 indicated that it actually takes about 66 days to form a habit. This means sticking to it.

Remember, ASBA is here to assist you with timely information on state-level issues, in-session updates, policy services, annual events and conferences, executive searches and AZEdNews, a news source created by ASBA that produces its own articles on public education, policy and practice weekly.

Heidi Vega, ASBA Director of Communications

● COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT

The road to successfully sharing your district’s mission is paved by effective communication


Gaps in student achievement and educational opportunities that vary from one school district to the next have long been viewed through the lens

of race and ethnicity. Increasingly, researchers and education policy leaders are looking at the impact of family income on student achievement, and identifying gaps – and solutions to closing them – through the lens of financial well-being. In January, a review of federal data by the Southern Education Foundation showed that 51 percent of U.S. public school students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade in the 2012-2013 school year were eligible for the federal program that provides free and reduced-price lunches. This marked the first time in at least 50 years that the majority of students were from low-income homes. In Arizona, 57.4 percent of students qualify for free or reduced priced lunch, which has been called “a rough proxy for poverty,” according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Kids Count Data Center in 2012. At the Arizona School Boards Association 2014 annual conference, Vince Yanez, executive director of the Arizona Community Foundation’s Arizona Venture Fund for Quality Education, noted that the achievement gap between rich and poor children has grown significantly over the past three decades and is now nearly twice as large as the black-white gap. He also noted that Hispanic and Black students are more likely than their peers to be living in poverty, closely connecting the two opportunity and achievement gap conversations.

Moreover, Yanez says, “Widening gaps in economic and social resources between rich and poor over the past few decades have eroded public schools’ ability to overcome those disadvantages.” He says “Arizona’s divestment in public education” has contributed to the trend. The gap is not only widening between rich and poor kids. Students from middleclass families are having trouble keeping up with their wealthier peers. Dana Wolfe Naimark, president and CEO of the Children’s Action Alliance, says being poor is not just a number – it actually affects a child’s entire life. “They might have parents holding two or three jobs who don’t have the time to help with homework, or they might live in a household with few books and little exposure to other enrichment activity that higher-income kids have,” Naimark says. “Or, they might have struggled to get health care, so a little cold can become an ear infection, affecting their ability to hear in school and therefore affect their learning. They may have a vision problem that might go uncorrected and they don’t get glasses for a while, which affects their learning. There might be issues at home or in the neighborhood where they don’t feel safe.” Research shows that kids in neighborhoods with a high concentration of poverty struggle because of the environment. It’s what’s happening to that child before school, when they come home after school and on the weekends, Naimark says.

Income and Outcomes

BY DON HARRIS

Arizona education leaders look to close gaps between haves, have-nots


The good news is – much is known about how to close the achievement gap. The problem is – putting those solutions to use. Naimark recommends a much stronger focus on preschool and full-day kindergarten. “We know that having strong teachers who have the support of their principals and their schools can help close that gap,” Naimark says. “We know that having after-school opportunities can close that gap. The exciting thing is there are lots and lots of strategies that can help close that gap. The frustrating thing is we haven’t put those strategies into place on a large scale.” Naimark questions where the state puts its education resources. “It doesn’t match what we know to be a benefit,” she says. “If we look at access to quality preschool programs and all-day kindergarten, we know they have a significant positive effect on students, mitigating the effects of poverty.” An increasing number of Arizona three- and four-year-old children have enrolled in preschool in the past five years and over half attend full-day programs, according to a national report on early childhood education released in January. Arizona ranks 13th in the nation for preschool enrollment gains, and 19th in children attending full-day preschool, according to the 2015 Quality Counts report “Preparing to Launch: Early Childhood’s Academic Countdown.” Despite the enrollment gains, however, Arizona ranks 38th on the early education index. (In education overall, Arizona is 47th among states with a D+ overall. The nation as a whole earned a C.) Recruiting and retaining quality teachers is a statewide problem, and is more acute in low-income areas. Citing information from the Arizona Department of Education, Yanez says there are more than 700 teacher openings; in 2013-2014 districts and charters reported that 938 full-time teaching positions were filled with substitutes, and 24 percent of Arizona’s educational workforce is eligible to retire within the next four years. Regarding teacher recruiting and retention, Naimark says, “It really boils down to – are we giving teachers the type of support and preparation they need, to succeed? Are we allowing them the opportunity to have mentor teachers? Are we helping them out in their first critical year instead of allowing them to sink or swim? Are we giving them tips and tools? Are we encouraging them to stay, building a career path? All of those things come into play.” Despite the data on the gaps in achievement and the challenges they ref lect, the Osborn Elementary School District in central Phoenix is bucking the trends. Minority students make up 90 percent of the student population and 90 percent receive free or reduced-price lunches. All its schools boast state rankings of A or B.

Osborn Superintendent Patricia Tate says children from low-income families enter school with an enormous vocabulary gap, having heard millions of fewer words than their better-off counterparts. “That usually doesn’t translate into immediate success in an academic environment,” she says. “We treat what they come with as assets instead of deficits and begin to close the gaps and open opportunities. They have had different experiences and may be highly resourceful, f lexible, adaptive and creative.” The key at Osborn is getting to know each child as an individual. Curriculum is adapted to meet their needs, while their educational growth is measured. This strategy is working and it’s not just for special education students, Tate says. Maxine Radtke, president of the Osborn ESD Governing Board and a member of the board for 24 years, says she and other members visit schools in the district twice a year to see first-hand the emphasis on achievement. “It’s everybody’s job to make that happen,” Radtke says. For example, cafeteria workers are responsible for providing nutritious meals so students are healthy and more alert. It must be working, because Encanto, one of five schools in the district, went from a C-rating in 2013 to a solid A in 2014. “It all clicked and came together,” Radtke says. To attract and retain teachers, Osborn participates in the Teacher Advancement Program, or TAP, through Arizona State University’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College. It offers continuous training and support that enable teachers to improve and receive performance-based pay. Grants from Arizona State University, provided through a federal program, enabled Osborn to join the program. Osborn is having success despite a mobility rate of about 50 percent – roughly half of the students enrolled at the start of the semester leave before the term ends, which prompts Tate to say, “It doesn’t matter how long we have a child. Even if they’re only here for a month, I want it to be the best month they have all year. I really want it to be best learning they have all year.” To improve education results in low-income neighborhoods, Naimark recommends: “The main commitment needs to come from not just principals, not just superintendents, but from taxpayers, from voters, from governors, from state legislators. It really has to be a commitment to taking what we know works and applying it, and not responding to fads or political sound bites but staying focused on strategies, like quality preschools, like full-day kindergarten, like teacher mentoring.”

Don Harris is a Phoenix-based freelance writer and editor. He covers state education, school finance, legislative and policy issues for the ASBA Journal and other statewide publications.


APRIL 8-10 2015

April 8 PRE-CONFERENCE Focused on the role of leadership in improvingoutcomes for Native American Indian students and strategies for school transformation.

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Alberto CarvalhoSuperintendent of Miami-Dade County (Fla.) Public Schools, 2014 AASA National Superintendent of the Year, and a nationally recognized expert on education transformation.

Dr. Neal LesterProfessor of English and Founding Director of Project Humanities, Arizona State University

Shaun MartinEducator, coach, ultrarunner and member of the Navajo Nation

Dr. Robert SmithAuthor of “Gaining on the Gap: Changing Hearts, Minds and Practice”

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To register visit www.azsba.org/events/the-equity-event


January, a new year and a new beginning. A new semester of school and for many school districts across Arizona, new governing board members. Whether you

are a returning school board member, a board secretary, superintendent, or newly elected or appointed board member, by now you have likely experienced your district's annual January organizational meeting. Do you recall the first time you sat through that meeting? Last week I was fortunate to have attended governing board meetings of two districts. In both cases, as a member of the public, I got a peek inside the proud moment when new governing board members took their oath of office and were sworn in. There, new board members sat on the dais, shiny name plate brightly signaling their accomplishment to elected office, proudly standing to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, then raising their right hands, reciting a few words followed by shakes of the hands, and – boom – the meeting was off and running.

Think back to that first day for you...

» Had you thoroughly read through your board packet in advance?

» From the board packet, were you encouraged to ask clarifying questions of the superintendent before the board meeting?

» Did the district schedule a welcome event for you to tour your facilities and learn more about your district?

» Did you even understand what a Hearing Officer was, and why were you voting on them?

» Did any acronyms or agenda items throw you for a loop at that first meeting?

» Had you really taken the time to read Arizona's Open Meeting Law as required by A.R.S. § 38-431.01(G) at least one day before taking office?

» Let alone, I bet you might have wondered how the microphone worked or if you should boldly open your mouth and second a motion?

What will soon become a more well-established process can cause us to feel like a fish out of water initially. If you are a new board member I encourage you to:

» Gain comfort in your role by formalizing regular time to speak or meet with your superintendent.

» Be thoughtful in an approach to read through your district's policies.

» Emulate the importance of professional development by continually learning about your district and your role as a governing board member.

» Make every effort to understand your district's budgets, to assist you in accurately advocating for all the kids in your district.

» Determine if your district has a mentoring plan in place to help you in your learning curve.

Governing boards aren't the only teams that have a challenge when a new member joins them. “Norming” is the first step a team must enter (and pass through) on their quest to become a highly effective team. The purpose of this step is to answer the question, “What do we all share that causes us to work towards a common purpose?” Norming cannot occur without all team members coming together, typically in a work study session format, to dialogue about what's important to them, including revisiting their mission, vision, values and goals. While not

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a one-time initiative, it is the grounding step that starts to build trust amongst members, and allows for future movement to the “storming” stage. As the name implies, during the storming stage of team development things don't go well. But in the grand scheme of things this is a good thing. Only by building confidence in each other and the team as a whole can team members begin constructively sharing their feelings or respectfully listening to others who disagree with you. In your role as governing board members, your district's voting record

is one means to determine where the consensus lies. And because initial agreement on “why we’re here” has been established, team members don't necessarily feel attacked or threatened by different views. “Forming” is the third step where team members begin to discuss and appreciate each other individually. Trust builds as everyone is seen working toward the same common goal, and team members can be seen acting in congruence with the values and requirements of the team. After the “forming” phase, the team moves onto the coveted “performing” stage. This is where your team is humming, working together in unity of purpose, honoring the strengths and skills each person brings to the table. Efficiency is at its best, team members are viewed as acting in the best interest of all the kids in their district, and relationships are respectfully strong. You might be thinking, “Our old team was working just fine. Can't this new person just get with the program?” Well, no. Regardless of how effective an old team was, anytime there is a change in membership, the new team must revert back to the norming stage. Let's close by thinking about who's on your team. Certainly the governing board members, right? Let's add to that the superintendent at minimum. Based on your district's size and desire, I would offer it should extend out to include the board secretary and other district administrators reporting to the superintendent. When was the last time this team, in your district, gathered together outside a regular scheduled board meeting to talk through some of these unifying topics? My team of training consultants and I facilitate work study sessions like these, and often hear the board president or superintendent tell us, “Wow, what a change. By having ASBA facilitate the study session I was actually able to sit back and participate in the discussion.” Call 602.254.1100 or email me at [email protected] if you need support in designing or facilitating a session with your board.

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Left, newly sworn in board members Dr. Ed Gomez and Mr. Mitchel Lindemann with board president, Mike Ortega from Douglas USD.


By setting attainable goals and keeping the focus on what should be the No. 1 objective of public education, school board members are in a position

to play a key role in improving student achievement. They are, after all, at the top of the so-called food chain. Even so, it takes teamwork, involvement in the community, and the determination to stay on course, while dealing with state-imposed changes in testing materials and standards, to say nothing of unprecedented budget constraints. Research indicates that school boards do, indeed, impact student achievement. Studies by the Iowa Association of School Boards and the Iowa School Boards Foundation show that attitudes and behavior of boards have a significant impact on student achievement. Other studies – including Beyond Islands of Excellence, Togneri and Anderson, 2003; Foundations for Success – How Urban School Systems Improve Student Achievement, Snipes, Doolittle and Herlihy, 2002; and Getting There from Here, Goodman, Fulbright and Zimmerman, 1997 – have identified a powerful connection between positive student outcomes and school board effectiveness. The Iowa Lighthouse Study in 2001 and 2007 found that high achieving districts have boards that set high expectations for student achievement and school improvement, and create the conditions that support successful teaching and learning. Officials from top-rated schools around the state agree that governing boards set the tone. Discussions at board meetings should be about what goes into student achievement. The right questions should be asked. For example, Calvin Baker, superintendent of Vail School District, says, “If board members are asking: What’s happening with academic achievement? Why were math scores low? What are you doing to improve reading scores? If they’re active and involved, it just makes the question of academic achievement all the more important. It adds emphasis.” The same is true for parents. They’re willing to follow the lead of board members, Baker says. But if parents talk about academic achievement and their kids are overwhelmed with extra curricular activities, then academic achievement doesn’t seem that important. Vail continues to be one of the top-performing districts in the state because the school board set that expectation. “They sent a very clear message to staff that this is what is important,” Baker says. “What is equally important is the message that board members send based on what they choose to focus on at school board meetings. If the board is always talking about other issues, such as what property to purchase for the next school, the football program and cheerleader coaches – and they all may be very important, but if that’s what the board spends its time on – the very clear message to the administrators and staff is that those

School

Boards:

Playing

a Key

Role in

Student

Achievement

BY DON HARRIS


are the important things. The board should be asking about student achievement and celebrating successes.” But the reality is that board members often are asked a lot more questions about real estate acquisitions, busing and other issues than about academic achievement. And that can make it difficult to keep the focus on academics. In a move to retain top-level teachers and administrators, the Vail Governing Board arranged a compensation plan that rewards individuals, not based on test scores, but for specific things they do to improve student achievement. “We pay teachers for intersession classes conducted during breaks to help students get caught up,” Baker says. At Maricopa Unified School District, Torri Anderson, governing board president and newly elected secretary of the Arizona School Boards Association, says it’s easy to get bogged down and feel isolated by the negativity toward public education. She finds that data provided by ASBA, events staged by ASBA and input from board members around the state give her a different perspective and enable her to make the best decisions for her students. It’s nice to hear what other districts are doing, such as innovative programs, how they’re training teachers, and how they obtained the necessary funding. “Why reinvent

the wheel if someone is doing something really well?” Anderson says. “Partnerships are most energizing for me and our district. That’s how public schools are going to survive – through partnerships.” Steve Chestnut, superintendent of Maricopa USD, credits the district’s strategic plan for improving student learning and winning ASBA’s Lou Ella Kleinz Award for Excellence last year. “Our Number One goal is to improve student learning and become an A district,” Chestnut says. “We’re a B now.” A close working relationship between the board, the superintendent, the principals, teachers, parents and the community is a crucial component for improving student achievement. “It’s got to be a team effort,” Chestnut says. “And that’s what our board has helped facilitate.” Being immersed in the community, including membership on business groups and parent-teacher organi-zations, provides board members with feedback, which translates into a commitment for student achievement. What’s more, all but one of Maricopa’s board members have children in district schools. “That’s a natural for keeping the focus on student achievement,” Chestnut says. The board recognizes that student achievement has a lot

What role do you play in myedu-ca-tion



to do with resources and funding. Maricopa had six district charter schools until the Legislature pulled the plug on that funding last year, Chestnut says. But the district, which serves children from the neighboring Ak Chin Indian Community, has received generous grants from the tribe, according to Chestnut. Benson USD Board President Robert Bernal cites the importance of setting reasonable and attainable goals for student achievement and maintaining a good relationship with local government officials. In more than two decades, the district never failed to pass a bond override, Bernal says. “We get a lot of buy-in from the community,” he says. “We go to our constituents and sell the good things that we’re doing in the community.” Bernal encourages making the district’s operations, and particularly its finances, transparent. He says the current good relationship between the board and the administrative staff didn’t always exist. “We didn’t have good communication,” he says. “We weren’t on the same page. But we worked together to find common areas and break down barriers. There was a lack of trust.” A few years ago, Benson was assisted by Vail in implementing changes that involved scheduling. But, there was opposition from Benson teachers and parents who didn’t want students taking classes during the fall, winter

and spring breaks. According to Debbie King, a long-time Vail board member and a former ASBA president, the Benson board insisted on the change to improve student achievement. “The board said they were going to stick with the program because they wanted student achievement to improve,” says King. “Even if the teachers and parents complained, they weren’t going to back down.” As a result, the Benson Governing Board was honored at the 2013 ASBA Annual Conference with the Lou Ella Kleinz Award of Excellence as the school board that demonstrated the most outstanding educational leadership that leads to exceptional student achievement. Today, Bernal says, the relationship between the board and the superintendent is conducive to a positive learning environment. “We’re all working toward the same goal,” he says. King, in her 15th year on the Vail board, says changes in accountability and student achievement standards have enabled Vail to put an emphasis on “re-teach and enrich.” The re-teach aspect provides additional help for students who don’t grasp a topic the first time around. Enrich provides students who understand the topic with enhanced instruction so they don’t have to wait for the others to catch up, King explains. “My Number One thing has always been about the kids,” King says. “We offer a lot of tutoring after school.” Several years ago, the Vail board produced a document: “Raising Expectations.” It provides that students who miss a certain number of days or fall below grade level are required to take free tutoring classes or face the possibility of not being promoted. “We stick to that,” King says. “It’s not meant to punish. We offer what they need to be successful and get caught up. We have great parental support. It’s tough to make any of that work if you don’t have the parents behind you.”

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

Governor Ducey was inaugurated as Arizona’s 23rd governor and the 2015 Legislative Session began on Monday, January 12. The executive is charged

with producing a budget for the upcoming year within five days after the start of each regular legislative session for consideration by the Legislature; thus, the governor’s budget sets the stage for what budget priorities will likely be considered. Unlike any session I have been part of, the governor unveiled his budget f lanked by the Senate president and speaker of the House, as well as the Senate and House Appropriation Committee Chairs. Governor Ducey’s fiscal year 2016 proposed budget focuses heavily on K-12 education and includes the following provisions:

» Appropriates $160 million for inf lation, which includes Fiscal Year 2016 inf lation and $74 million for “a catch up payment.” While the governor acknowledges that inf lationary monies are due to districts, this appropriation falls short of settling the plaintiffs’ lawsuit and severely underfunds even the reasonable settlement offer proposed of $336 million.

» Cuts $113.5 million (from District Additional Assistance) by mandating a 5 percent reduction in non-classroom spending for districts and requires the district superintendent and school finance officer to certify that these reductions will not affect the classroom.

» Cuts $10.3 million by mandating a 3.5 percent reduction to charter additional assistance and requires the charter superintendent or CEO and school finance officer to certify that these reductions will not affect the classroom.

» Cuts $21.5 million from the Student Success Fund that was established by Governor Brewer.

» Appropriates $23.9 million (of which $21.5 million comes from the Student Success funding) for the “Access Our Best Schools Fund.” This fund would be administered by the SFB to allow “high quality” traditional and charter schools to expand.

» Continues current funding ($6.25 million) for the continuing development and implementation of the AZ Education Learning and Accountability System (AELAS).

» Eliminates the $24.5 million in one-time funding for District Sponsored Charter Schools (DSCS) that had converted after June 30, 2013 to remain a charter school until the end of FY15. Further, in FY16, there are 12 DSCSs grandfathered. The governor recommends reverting these 12 schools back to traditional district schools by holding their FY15 Base Support Level of $3,373.11 and Additional Assistance level of $1,684.19 for K-8 schools and $1,962.90 for high schools until the District Base Support Level increases to the same level.

» Fully eliminates the Career Ladder Program and cuts the last year of funding ($716,700).

» Additional staff for the State Board for Charter Schools to monitor charter schools’ academic performance paid through the allowance of fees.

» Caps the Homeowner’s Rebate at 44 percent of the Qualifying Tax rate (net gain to the state of $3.6 million).

» Limits the state’s share of the 1 percent cap on net assessed value to $1 million per county (this will affect 27 school districts) for a reduction of $20.2 million in state funding.

» Proposes a 2016 statewide ballot measure to self-fund the Land Department through a portion of land sales. This would affect K-12 education, as the proceeds of land sales are constitutionally-required to be deposited in the Permanent Land Fund, in which the interest then augments the Classroom Site Fund’s sales tax proceeds.

ASBA’s 2015 Political Agenda was set by our membership in early September, focusing on three areas: long-term, short-term, and 2015 session-specific. While these provide

Governor’s FY16 Proposed Budget and ASBA’s 2015 Priorities


the association with its marching orders, our areas of focus would need to ref lect the political realities that come from the election results. Thus, ASBA has focused its efforts in two key offensive areas: the funding of the four-plus years on litigation to uphold the voters’ intent to fully fund inf lation for our public schools and to create an A-F accountability system that ref lects what an effective school is, while ensuring proper transition time to accomplish this. Former efforts include a crucial focus in our budget negotiations and promoting our key piece of legislation (in partnership with the State Board of Education). Further, our focus remains on a key defensive position – to defeat any expansion of public dollars going to unaccountable private schools through voucher-type programs, specifically Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESAs) or Student Tuition Organization (STOs) scholarships. Our issues are your issues – it’s why it is so critical that our grassroots efforts work in partnership with our lobbying efforts. What can you do to help? See sidebar for additional information. Together, we will move K-12 education forward!

Want to get more involved on the issues you care about? Want to make sure your voice is heard? ASBA has a few tools to make your access to advocacy even easier. Contact Geoff Esposito to learn more and/or to RSVP for the Lobby Day: [email protected]

1) Visit our “Take Action” page at www.azsba.org/take-action. Here you'll find easy ways to email your legislators, sign up for our action alerts, and much more.

2) Sign up for the “Request to Speak” system. Use the Legislature’s own system to enter your comments on bills into the public record. Visit www.azsba.org/take-action for more information.

3) Attend our Lobby Day at the Capitol on Tuesday, February 24, 2015. Attend a messaging training, tour the House and Senate, and hear directly from legislators on the issues important to you!

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In January 2013, the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) released new, minimum requirements for Arizona school district emergency response plans. One of those requirements is that districts incorporate the Incident Command System (ICS) into their plans. ICS is an emergency response strategy that helps users create a “one-size fits all” plan that can expand or contract depending on the size of the emergency. An essential feature of the ICS approach is for districts to have plans not just for incident response, but also for recovery. In many cases, this will involve maintaining a chain of custody for each student, and having an established plan in place for the controlled release of students to their parents. This process is called reunification. Districts often overcomplicate planning for, and implementation of, reunification. However, reunification does not have to be a complex process.

Onsite vs. offsite reunification. There are two different reunification scenarios that must be considered: offsite and onsite. If the emergency does not cause immediate harm or danger, the reunification can occur onsite. For example, a school may have been put on an extended lockdown beyond normal school hours because of police activity in the area. After the police declare the area safe, the school may decide to conduct an onsite reunification. An offsite reunification occurs when there is an imme-diate threat, danger, or traumatic incident. These scenarios can range from fires, to roof collapse, to an active shooter. They may also, however, be caused by something as simple as the air conditioning not working at a school. In cases in which an offsite reunification is necessary, districts should determine in advance where their evacuation/reunification sites – known as secondary sites – will be located.

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Among districts, there has been much debate over the best sites for reunification. Some believe that another school in the district is best, as other schools are already equipped to handle students. Additionally, high schools often have auditoriums or gymnasiums that can house a large number of students. Plus, there may be extra staff on hand to assist in the reunification process. Other education professionals believe that moving one school’s students to another school could be an unnecessary burden on the receiving school, and unnecessarily extend the trauma. These individuals often suggest churches or community centers as relocation alternatives. Whatever relocation method (onsite or offsite) and locations are deemed to be appropriate, it is important that school officials have building plans and site keys in their possession in advance of any incident. They should also be familiar with the locations of facility entrances and power switches. Finally, staff and students should practice reunification drills to ensure that everyone understands, and can execute, the steps that must be completed to successfully accomplish a reunification under real-life circumstances. Key reunification roles. After selecting appropriate reuni-fication sites, the next step is to identify key players to fill reunification roles. Some basic roles that each plan should include are:

• greeters,• ID checkers, • runners, and• counselors, when possible.

To explain how the different roles work within the reunification process, the following section outlines a hypothetical emergency situation that would require reunification of students with parents/guardians (referred to after this point as simply the “parent” or “parents.”) A parent is notified that his or her student has been relocated to another site because of an incident at school, and needs to be picked up at the new location. As part of the notification process, information would be included indicating where the new location is, and indicating the need to bring a valid photo ID in order to pick up the student. Upon arriving at the relocation site, the parent would be met by a greeter. The greeter would direct the parent to stand in line at the request gate to wait for his or her identification to be verified. The greeter would then give the parent a reunification card to fill out. (Having the parent fill out the reunification card is beneficial for district staff, as it keeps the parent occupied during what can be a high stress situation. It also provides the school with information needed to verify the identity of the parent before releasing the student to him/her.) After waiting in line, the parent reaches the check-in

table. Staff at the check-in table must confirm that the parent is the legal guardian of the student. This can be done by comparing a photo ID supplied by the parent to the student demographic card that should have been provided during enrollment. Once the parent’s ID is confirmed, the ID checker will take part of the form who was filled out by the parent and hand it to a runner. At this point, the parent should be directed, by either a separate group of runners or greeters, to a pickup site, or release gate. (The pickup site should be located out of sight of the check-in table. If anxious parents are in line and see their own children but must wait to reunite with them, or see other children being reunited with their parents, it may elevate stress levels.) While the parent is waiting at the pickup site, the runner who took the completed portion of the parent form is locating the student. Once the runner locates the student, he or she verifies the identity of the student with the student’s teacher, who should be with the class. The runner then escorts the student to the pickup site where the parent is waiting. The runner compares the form with the district’s authorized information, and once verified, the student is released into the custody of the parent. Throughout this process, counselors may be onsite to aid students, district staff, and parents as needed. Additionally, to ensure that the reunification process runs smoothly, it may be beneficial to create reunification bins or kits. Items to have on hand in advance may include:

• megaphones with batteries,• pens,• clipboards,• safety cones,• power strip cords,• extension cords,• vinyl banners (English/Spanish) identifying request and

release gates,• vests to identify Incident Command staff,• reunification forms (English/Spanish),• alphabetizers,• duct tape,• directional signs, and• the student verification system, in electronic or hard

copy format.

Conclusion. Every school is different. Each school, therefore, must develop a plan based on what will work best for it, given its response capabilities and support personnel. One thing, however, will always be the same: If a reunification is taking place, then the normal routine of students, staff, and parents has been disrupted. Naturally, this can cause stress and anxiety. The best defense against these concerns is thorough planning and preparation.


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

ASBA PolicyBridge: The Future is Now

Almost two years in the making, ASBA’s PolicyBridge will be operational and online in February of 2015. The new system is cloud-based, interactive and

intuitive. It allows for faster turnaround of policy drafts and approvals and allows archiving of policy development history. The program puts ASBA Policy Services in a strong position to serve its subscribers into the future, building on a foundation where ASBA Policy Services is already among the leaders in the nation in this type of service. While ASBA has been out in school districts discussing PolicyBridge for 15 months, there are those that may not know much about it or were unable to attend one of our trainings. Therefore, this edition of Education and the Law will look at the new program and what it means for Policy Services subscribers.

Q1. Let’s start at the beginning. What is ASBA’s Policy Services and how do they serve their subscribers?

A1. ASBA Policy Services began in 1977, giving policy advice and consultation to ASBA member school districts. It expanded over the years to provide model policies, grounded in compliance with the law and best practices. While Policy Services is an optional subscription-based service open to all ASBA members, almost all ASBA members have chosen to be subscribers.

In a nutshell, here’s what subscribers receive: model policies that comply with the law and best

practices that can then be adopted as written or amended to ref lect local choice; Policy Advisories that update those models when there is change in the law – legislation, regulation, court-decisions or Attorney General Opinions; online publishing of your policies; and lastly, policy consultation for assistance in applying your policy to the operations of your district.

Q2. How is ASBA delivering Policy Services now and how will PolicyBridge change that?

A2. In order to fully use ASBA Policy Services, subscribers need to maintain licenses to additional software such as Folio. They also must submit

changes to be uploaded onto the online policies by sending an email, fax or letter to ASBA, precipitating ASBA to manually change the policies based on the communication. Policy Advisories are now sent out via email (which will continue) but there is no easy way to see if the district is caught up in adopting all of the Policy Advisories to date as well as archiving the policy development process.

PolicyBridge is a web-based platform that allows the subscriber to directly interface with the policies,

creating new policy drafts, approving updates and capturing policy development history. A “Super-User,” a person given the sole authority to submit changes to ASBA on behalf of the district, can submit changes to the policies through the PolicyBridge platform for ASBA to review and upload with just a few clicks. PolicyBridge reduces the amount of “contacts” on both the district and our side to ensure that current versions of policies are ref lected in the published document online. In addition, ASBA will be ending its practice of printing out hard copies of policy manuals. Printed manuals are quickly out of date and time consuming of ASBA resources. The PolicyBridge platform makes it so easy for the district itself to print current copies of policies. Finally, subscribers will be able to track their progress in adopting the recommended Policy Advisories and all changes made to the drafts of policies, including archiving Policy Advisory discussions helpful in interpreting the policy that you now have.

Q3. Policy Advisories are supposed to be easier to adopt with the PolicyBridge program. Can you explain how?

A3. When Policy Services publishes a Policy Advisory after PolicyBridge is operational, Policy Services will send out an email alert notifying our subscribers that Policy Advisories are available for review, modification and adoption. The subscriber can log on to their PolicyBridge page and access the Policy Advisories. The Advisories can then be brought to the board for discussion and approval. If approved by the board with no changes, the Super-User will


then, with one-click, signify that the board approved the Advisories with no changes. ASBA staff will ensure the approved language will be present in your online policies within three working days. If the board has modifications to the policy modifications suggested by the advisory, ASBA staff will review the changes and consult with the district staff to ensure the changes do not place the district in a position that is out of compliance with the law. Once that is complete, the policy changes will once again be uploaded to the online official version of the policies within three working days.

Q4. How does the new PolicyBridge program better enable adoption of best practices in school districts?

A4. Truth be told, some policies a district may want are not mandated by law and are therefore not offered as model policies by ASBA Policy Services. The new PolicyBridge platform has advanced search features that allow subscribers to more easily search other school district policies to borrow from “peer” districts. The subscriber can search among just their type of district (elementary, high school, unified or JTED). A search among districts of similar size in student population (say less than 500 students) is possible as well as a search among districts in the subscriber’s geographic area (by county). For example, since the state does not mandate or restrict cell phone usage among students, districts can adopt a policy that best works for them – but where ASBA does not provide a model. Districts can search districts like theirs in size, type and geography and use these policies to look for trends or support for a policy that works best for their school district.

Q5. What are the other key features of PolicyBridge?A5. Since PolicyBridge is all online (in HTML format), it

will work seamlessly with tablets and smartphones. It will also work easily with board meeting document management services such as BoardDocs, BoardBook or eBoard.

It will also allow multiple users to interface with the same policy. For instance, say a policy touches the

areas of facilities, transportation and curriculum. That policy could be routed to those specific departments where individuals could make comments and suggested changes to the policy. Once complete, the Super-User could determine which of those suggestions should be passed through to ASBA for review and processing.

We at ASBA Policy Services are very excited about PolicyBridge and committed to ensuring that your policy experience is better than ever. However, the heart of ASBA Policy Services remains in its excellent staff: Dr. Terry Rowles as Assistant Director, Steve Highlen as Senior Policy Consultant, David DeCabooter as Policy Consultant, and Renae Watson as our invaluable Policy Technician. It is the experience, customer service and considerable abilities of these individuals that continue to make ASBA Policy Services the outstanding service who it is. Finally, it is our subscribers that continue to have the confidence in our department to help us make their critical jobs easier. As we say in Policy Services, “make the complicated, simple – or at least as simple as it can be.”

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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 2014.

2014 ASBAAnnual Awards

Showcase


Lou Ella Kleinz Award of Excellence

Left to right: Torri Anderson, Patti Coutre, Scott Bartle, Anna Marie Knorr and Leslie Carlyle-Burnett.

Maricopa USD The Lou Ella Kleinz Award of Excellence is awarded to governing boards that demonstrate a clear focus on students, increased parental involvement and fosters collaboration with social agencies, the community and innovation. The recipient of this year’s Lou Ella Kleinz Award of Excellence is the Governing Board of Maricopa Unified School District. In September 2013, the Maricopa County School Board approved a strategic plan targeting four ambitious goals. They focused on improving student learning, expanding learning opportunities, recruiting and retaining high quality staff, and improving technology opportunities for students. Soon, using community input, this strategic plan came to life. It was evident the district was moving forward. AIMS testing in 2014 resulted in a district-wide grade of B. Student scores have increased for two consecutive years! Maricopa’s board continued to emphasize a district culture of high expectations and high performance. Beyond Textbooks, a K-12 curriculum framework, offered by the high achieving Vail School District, was introduced to students. The board’s shared vision paved the way for innovative

opportunities inside classrooms, too. They included integrating blended learning over the past three years and a Bring Your Own Device option for students. Strong community partnerships have been a priority of Maricopa board members as well. Solid partnerships were formed with Central Arizona College Foundation, which led 69 students to receive the Promise for the Future Scholarship last year, a grant program funded by the Ak-Chi Indian Community, which was instrumental to the installation of a wireless network at each school and academic turnaround projects, a grant partnership with the city to fund two additional school resource officers for the district, and a mobile clinic sponsored by Banner Health for uninsured children living in and around the city . Many may ask, what is Maricopa’s recipe for success? The mystery is over. The essential ingredients are clearly vison, commitment, collaboration and a board and district culture that puts student success at the forefront of every decision! Congratulations to this year’s Lou Ella Kleinz Award of Excellence winners.

About the Award

ASBA’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 once explained 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.”


All-Arizona School Board Award

Left to right: Ernest Hubbell, Elizabeth Sanchez, Michael Hughes, Jim Thomas and Shawn Watt

Ernest Hubbell, Sanders USD Ernest Hubbell has held to the singular practice coached to him by Navajo elders serving in leadership to their people. His ability to build lasting and positive relationships and efforts to treat all people right, like he wanted them to treat him, has enabled him to call upon individuals for support in achieving progress in the Sanders Unified School District. He serves on multiple committees, boards and elected positions that have been instrumental in making many crucial improvements including electrification and access to water for 150 homes within the school district, promoting the demolition and construction of a bridge spanning a key artery creating access for school buses, updating school facilities and working with the Hopi-Navajo Land Commission to provide a smooth transition of people being displaced from homes and homelands.

Elizabeth Sanchez, Alhambra ESDMrs. Sanchez has many strengths, but most importantly, she has the gift of love for people. She truly cares about the students in Alhambra, and is committed to doing what is right for children. She is conscientious and knowledgeable in educational procedures. During her time on the board, Mrs. Sanchez has supported the AZ College and Career Ready Standards and has overseen the rollout of these new standards as well as providing students with 21st Century technology opportunities that include SMART Boards and high-resolution projectors, iPads, and iPods on every campus for one-to-one student learning. She has also advocated for funding new programs and before and after school opportunities through local, state and national grant partnerships. Throughout her years of service, Mrs. Sanchez continues to keep education in the forefront and bases her decisions on what is right for children.

Michael Hughes, Mesa USD As the senior member of the Mesa Public Schools Governing Board and past president of ASBA, Michael Hughes has always served as a model of integrity and excellence in governance to students, staff, parents and community. Michael is not afraid to identify issues and work toward solutions. He helped the district weather the years of declining budgets with an eye laser-focused on the classroom. He has asked the community to approve bond and override ballot questions with clear plans and strong reasoning, which it has at every turn. He worked with employee groups to design a sustainable compensation plan that all could support. Most importantly, he has earned the trust of the community through his words and actions, proving he has been the best steward of all resources - financial, physical and human.

About the Award

The 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-Arizona School Board Award

Jim Thomas, Florence USD Jim Thomas understands the essential role he plays on the Florence Unified School District. His attention to detail and ability to focus on the legal complexities are a strength. He brings balance to the board and is analytical, caring and maintains high expectations for excellence. During his service on the board, Jim was instrumental in assisting the district in finding land for schools needed due to a rapid growth period in Pinal County. He worked closely with district administration and the Arizona School Facilities Board to prepare for and build six additional schools. Jim and district administration worked with housing developers to negotiate the donation of land for school sites, which rarely occurs anymore, but that did not discourage Mr. Thomas and the Florence Unified School District.

Shawn Watt, Litchfield ESD Shawn Watt’s greatest strength is his passion for supporting public educators in their work, so that all children can achieve their highest potential. His passion and commitment have empowered staff, students and parents in the Litchfield Elementary School District to withstand the challenging times, and emerge as a stronger and more effective school district and community. Mr. Watt’s ability and commitment as a respected voice for public education is his greatest contribution to the district. His respect in the community has been developed through extensive service to all students and neediest citizens.

Nominate Your Program for 2015

For more than three decades, ASBA has put the spotlight on those districts with a proven record of achieving excellence through their academic programs by awarding the prestigious ASBA Golden Bell Award to the educators and administrators who create and implement these programs.

Awards are presented in four categories: Elementary (pre-k through grade 6), Middle Years (grades 4-9), High School (grades 9-12), and District-wide Curriculum Delivery and Accountability.

Completed nomination/entry materials will be due Friday, Oct. 30, 2015.


Total Board Award

About the Award

The 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.

Dysart USD

Chevelon Butte ESD

Fort Thomas USD

Linda Blosser, PresidentCheryl Rife, ClerkDeynice Bondurant, MemberRebecca Johnson, MemberDon Peterson, Member

Traci Sawyer-Sinkbeil, PresidentBonnie Schroader, Clerk

Blossom Tande, MemberJennifer Tanner, Member

Myron Moses, PresidentMcCoy Hawkins, ClerkBeth Hinton, MemberPat McEuen, MemberRose Rope, Member


Total Board Award

Sanders USD

Vernon ESD

Payson USDBarbara Underwood, PresidentRory Huff, Vice PresidentShirley Dye, MemberJim Quinlan, MemberDevin Wala, Member

Kathy Hoogerwerf, PresidentDiana Dunlap, ClerkDustin Hartle, MemberMike Humphrey, MemberDeanna Hunt, Member

Arnold Goodluck, PresidentAnita Watchman, Clerk

Lomardo Aseret, MemberErnest Hubbell, Member

Daisy Slim, Member


Master of Boardmanship with 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.

Second Cluster (160-219 Ceus)

Luis Marquez, Gadsden USD

Barb Mozdzen, Chandler USD Hal Borhauer, Peoria USD

Marvin Marlatt, Antelope UHSD

Bob Dailey, Florence USD John Williams, Altar Valley ESD

Kathy Knecht, Peoria USD Steve Vital, Concho ESD Susan Kramer, Douglas USD Anita Watchman, Sanders USD


Brenda Bartels, Glendale ESD

Barbara Underwood, Payson USD

Eric Giffin, Sunnyside USD

Patty Kennedy, GUHSD Carole Siegler, Catalina Foothills USD

Linda Blosser, Chevelon Butte ESD

Mary Worker, Tuba City USD

Dr. Jeffery Crandall, Tombstone USD

Helen Freeman, Camp Verde USD

Claudia Anderson, Vail USD

Steven Chapman, Tolleson UHSD

Rosie Sekayumptewa, Holbrook USD

Master of Boardmanship with Clusters AwardThird Cluster (220-329 CEUs)Second Cluster (220-329 CEUs) con't


Marilyn Rollins, Osborn ESD

Cayci Vuksanovich, Globe USD

Barry Sharp, Ash Fork Joint USD; Vicki Johnson, Glendale UHSD; Dodie Montoya, Winslow USD; and Jesus Rubalcava, Gila Benda USD

Rory Huff, Payson USD

Chris Isabel, Altar Valley ESDSam Gardner, GIFT

Christy Agosta, Deer Valley USD

Barry Sharp, Ash Fork Joint USD

Ernest Hubbell, Sanders USD Marvin Marlatt, Antelope UHSD

Master of Boardmanship with Clusters AwardFifth Cluster (400 CEUs or more) Honor Roll Awards


The “Stars for Students Connection Program” at Benson High School, motivates students with high expectations, a positive school culture and a personalized approach. In 2010, perception surveys were conducted to provide the initial drive behind the school culture program to improve results. While student achievement is the focus, building relationships and making student connections was the research-based approach utilized to move the needle of learning. In 2014, U.S. News and World Report ranked Benson High School as one of the best high schools in the country. A National Model School designation was given by the International Center for Leadership in Education, an A+ School of Excellence designation by the Arizona Educational Foundation for program achievement, and Principal Rodriguez was named National Principal of the Year by the National Association of Secondary School Principals.

CATEGORY | High School | Grades 9-12

FIRST PLACE: Stars for Students Connection Program Benson High School, Benson USD

Golden Bell Award

About the Award

This year celebrates the 32nd 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


The Perry High School STEM Diploma Program is a comprehensive college readiness program for students who will major in STEM related fields in college. The program offers two types of diplomas; STEM Diploma and a STEM Scholar Diploma. Formed partnerships have been created with Chandler Gilbert Community College, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, and ASU Polytechnic campus. Additional program components include summer workshops offered at Perry High School and ASU Polytechnic campus, a job shadowing requirement and a dedicated STEM counselor. The program encourages women and underrepresented groups in the STEM field. Currently 33% of the students are female and 51% are underrepresented.

CATEGORY | High School | Grades 9-12

RUNNER UP: STEM Diploma Program Perry High School, Chandler USD

Golden Bell Award

Isaac School District recognizes that in order for students to be successful in the 21st Century, they must be f luent in math, science and technology. District leadership together with a talented Teach for America math teacher from Pueblo del Sol, were able to NOT only make the accelerated math program a reality, but a success for 7th and 8th grade students. All students create a “Path to Greatness” plan to map their future math courses through high school to college and career. Students and parents take practice exams, learn about financial aid and participate in mock interviews. The Accelerated Math Program has been replicated at all 3 middle schools, and an accelerated science program was introduced this year using this model! As a result of increasing number of Isaac advanced math students, Phoenix Union High School now offers Calculus and AP Calculus. This is what we like to call a “two-for-one” accomplishment, we are impacting middle school and high school students simultaneously!

CATEGORY | Middle Years | Grades 4-9

FIRST PLACE: Accelerated Math – A Path to Greatness Program Pueblo del Sol Elementary School, Isaac ESD


Golden Bell Award

This program focuses on STEM-related enrichment seminars, where students select their own enrich ment seminars each semester. Unique components also include intervention tutorials and assigned advisors that meet with students monthly. All eighth graders take the EXPLORE Assessment. Based on these results, advisors assist students in developing a plan for high school and post-secondary education.

For the past 16 years, ASU and Osborn have joined forces to improve teacher and administrator quality, with a specific focus on three current programs. The TeachAZ program develops effec-tive teacher candidates through a rigorous teacher preparation experience that includes a senior-year residency program in a K-12 school. The Arizona Ready-for-Rigor Project provides support and professional development for in-service teachers and administrators to impact student achievement. And the third program, iLeadAZ offers aspiring educators with a 15-month principal leadership development program, with a full time 10-month residency opportunity. The diligent work of this partnership has contributed to Osborn School District's unique distinction as the only urban Phoenix public school district in which all schools earned an “A” or “B” rating in the Arizona Department of Education A-F Letter Grade System for 2013-14.

CATEGORY | Middle Years | Grades 4-9

RUNNER UP: iChoose Excellence Program Glassford Hill Middle School, Humboldt USD

CATEGORY | District-Wide Curriculum Delivery & Accountability

FIRST PLACE: Excelling Educators with iTeachAZ, Arizona Ready-for-Rigor Project, and iLeadAZ ASU Teachers College and Osborn ESD


Golden Bell Award

The components of the Washington Blended Learning Model are a collection of well proven instructional practices combined to provide students with both quality and differentiated instruction. The schedule and instructional pro-grams blend into a 21st Century digital learning experience. Students receive instruction from two content-specific teachers; one specializing in English Language Arts and Social Studies, and the other in Math and Science. A quarter of the student's academic time takes place in the instructional lab, which is designed to provide digitalized instruction, guided/independent practice, and assessment. All interventions and pull-outs take place during the instructional lab period. In doing so, this provides students with increased direct instruction and cooperative learning within the classroom.

Senita Valley staff believes that EVERY student should be enriched and challenged to move beyond what is normally expected. E3 (Everyone Exploring Enrichment) starts in the heart of the school – the library. When students walk into the library each week, they anxiously await E3 where they will get to create planes, write letters to presidents, draw maps, or build Egyptian pyramid models. Rigorous student learning centers such as these, introduce and reinforce important learning objectives and standards in math, writing, tech-nology, art, and more! A program that helped launch an A school to an A+ school, E3 is where all students explore high-interest lessons that make real-life connections to a vibrant social studies curriculum.

CATEGORY | Elementary | Pre-K through Sixth Grade

FIRST PLACE: Washington Blended Learning Model Washington School, Prescott USD

CATEGORY | Elementary | Pre-K through Sixth Grade

RUNNER UP: Everyone Exploring Enrichment Program Senita Valley Elementary School, Vail USD


Arizona Superintendent of the Year Dr. Denton Santarelli, Peoria USD Dr. Denton Santarelli’s leadership skills can be articulated best through his focus on student success and the qualities and abilities of each employee in Peoria Unified School District. This suburban district located in the Northwest Valley educates more than 37,000 students in 34 elementary schools, seven high schools and one non-traditional high school. This prominent district prides itself on excelling schools, award-winning teachers, high AIMS test scores, specialized Signature programs, and championship athletic programs.

Peoria Unified has earned the distinction of being an “A” rated district by the Department of Education and boasts a 95% high school graduation rate, among the highest in the state and nation. In Santarelli’s words, “Building trust in a system is what we are all about in Peoria Unified and changing to best meet our students’ and families’ needs. We thrive because everyone gives their best and is committed to supporting student success.”

Small District Seth Staples, Ash Fork Joint USD Seth Staples is known and widely respected for his natural talent for generating ownership from all stakeholders in a common pursuit of excellence. He has created a school the entire community is proud to call their own. He has invested heavily in the professional development for his staff, and due to his vision and leadership, Ash Fork was named the #1 district in Arizona by the Arizona Department of Education. The district is strong with support from the board, increased communication, a focus on instruction and a thriving community.

Superintendents Award

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 AwardMedium District David Lykins, Sedona Oak Creek USD David Lykins’ strengths and talents are clearly recognized in his charismatic personality and goal-oriented leadership who always keeps the end results in mind as he sees the “big picture.” His natural style is showcased through his high standards set both for himself and others and he uses his organizational skills, communication skills, and ability to collaborate with students, staff, families and the community as true assets. Business savvy is a strength of David’s as well as clearly articulating the needs of the district which successfully ensured the passage of a $73 million district bond and a full 15% district override. The community endorses the work of the schools and district because David has taken the time to build trusting and supportive relationships with the Governing Board, students, staff, families and the community at large.

Large District Dr. Doug Wilson, Marana USD Dr. Wilson is known as an outstanding superintendent who cares deeply about putting staff, families and students first. He took Marana School District to the forefront with his strong and effective leadership skills. Continuous improvement is what the cornerstone of Marana district is all about. The leadership is evident daily and the work it takes to accomplish improving and maintaining district facilities. He believes in “promises made and promises kept” to the community as is evidenced by the recent passage of the $125 million dollar bond with a 61% approval rating. The District prides itself on excelling and A+ schools, award-winning students and staff, high test scores, and a variety of specialized learning opportunities within safe and supportive learning environments. Every decision is guided by two questions: What is best for our kids? And what is best for our employees? These questions have set the tone daily as Marana lives its vision in everything it does, “Inspiring students to learn today and lead tomorrow.”


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1GPAMike Chouteau1910 W. Washington St.Phoenix, AZ 85009602-327-3735

ABM Janitorial ServicesWade Moffet2632 W. Medtronic WayTempe, AZ 85281480-968-8300

Accelerated Construction TechnologiesLori Bennett22425 N 16th St.Phoenix, AZ 85024602-272-2000

AD-Ucation MediaPeter Maher55 E. Sumner St.Hartford, WI 53027

ADM Group, Inc.Sara Martin2100 West 15th StreetTempe, AZ 85281480-285-3832

Adolfson & Peterson ConstructionGeneral contractorJaime Vidales5002 S. Ash Ave.Tempe, AZ 85282480-345-8700www.a-p.com

Ameresco (formerly APS Energy Services)Energy conservation, renewable solutionsSarah (Helmer) Price60 E. Rio Salado Pkwy., Ste. 1001Tempe, AZ 85281480-499-9200www.ameresco.com

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

ArcadisInfrastructure, environment, buildingsRichard Carr, Jr. 410 N. 44th St. Ste. 1000Phoenix, AZ 85008602-438-0883www.arcadis-us.com

Arizona Correctional IndustriesRick Kahn3701 W. Cambridge Ave.Phoenix, AZ 85009602-388-7260www.aci.az.gov

Arizona Gym FloorsFloyd Shelton11058 E. Onyx Ct.Scottsdale, AZ 85259480-361-5494

Arizona Public Employers Health PoolAaron Genaro333 E. Osborn Rd. #300Phoenix, AZ 85012

Arizona Technology CouncilDeborah Zack2 N. Central Ave., Ste., 750Phoenix, AZ 85004602-422-9449

ASBAIT(Arizona School Boards Association Insurance Trust) Mike Hoffman or Mark Thurston1 East Camelback, Suite 840Phoenix, AZ 85012602-249-2031www.asbait.org

Assessment Technology Inc.Electronic learning assessment resourcesCraig Mayhew6700 E. Speedway Blvd. Tucson, AZ 85710877-442-5453www.ati-online.com

Auto Safety HouseSchool bus sales and serviceDel Anderson2630 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

Blue Cross Blue Shield of ArizonaDave Moen8220 N. 23rd Ave., Building 2Phoenix, AZ 85021602-864-4044www.azblue.com

BoardBookScott BallewP.O. Box 400Austin, TX 78767888-587-2665www.boardbook.org

Chartwells School Dining ServicesRandy Waugaman22121 17th Avenue SE, #E227Bothell, WA 98021 435-731-6278

Climatec, LLCJoellen Stingley2851 W. Kathleen Rd.Phoenix, AZ 85053602-674-1292www.climatec.com

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

Dairy Council of ArizonaPatricia Johnson510 S. 52nd St., Ste. 101Tempe, AZ 85281480-966-8074www.dcaz.org

Debra Raeder ConsultingDebra Raeder5810 W. GeldingGlendale, AZ 85306623-512-2124

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

Diversified Human ResourcesAnita Grantham3020 E. Camelback Rd. Ste. 213Phoenix, AZ 85016480-941-5588

DLR GroupKaren Heck6225 N. 24th St., Ste. 250Phoenix, AZ 85016602-381-8580www.dlrgroup.com

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

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

EdgenuityJennifer Dunn8860 E Chaparral Rd #100Scottsdale, AZ 85250877-202-0338

Edupoint Educational SystemsRichard Lessard1955 S. Val Vista Dr., #200Mesa, AZ 85204480-833-2900www.edupoint.com

ASBA Affiliate Members


Arizona School Boards Association appreciates the support for public education shown by its organization affiliate members.

EMC2 Group ArchitectsArchitects, plannersDave Gornick1635 N. Greenfield Rd., Ste. 144Mesa, AZ 85205480-830-3838www.emc2architects.com

Facility Management GroupAllison SurianoPhoenix, AZ

Family Voice AdvocateCarrollynn HenshawP. O. Box 2597Quartzsite, AZ 85346509-209-4687

FCI Constructors, Inc.Shirley BarkerP.O. Box 2176Litchfield Park, AZ 85340623-772-7400

First Financial Group of AmericaBenefit Plan Administration, Independent Insurance and Investment ServicesMatt Lewis2201 San Pedro Dr. NE, Bldg. 1, Ste. 1201Albuquerque, NM 87110 800-365-3860www.ffga.com

Futures HealthCoreSheila Breen136 William St.Springfield, MA 01105602-920-4622

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

Grand Canyon UniversityBrian Schwertfeger3300 W. Camelback Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85017602-639-7168

Gust RosenfeldRobert HawsOne East Washington St.,Ste. 1600Phoenix, AZ 85004602-257-7422

H2 Group LLCJeff 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

Holbrook AsphaltMichael Carbone3806 S 16TH STPhoenix, AZ 85040602-456-7153

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

Hunt & Caraway ArchitectsTamara Caraway1747 E. Morten Ave,. Ste. 306Phoenix AZ 85020 602-595-8200www.huntcaraway.com

Immedia EduDaniel Leis7661 E. Gray Rd.Scottsdale, AZ 85260480-483-3399www.immediaedu.com

Kennedy Partners LLCAllison Suriano5415 E. High St., Ste 410Phoenix, AZ 85054623-374-2478www.kennedyprtnrs.com

Konica Minolta Business Solutions, USADavid Radcliffe4415 E. Cotton Center Blvd.Phoenix, AZ 85040602-798-7225www.hc-km.com

LaSota & PetersDonald Peters722 E. Osborn, Ste. 100Phoenix, AZ 85014602-248-2900

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

McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.Tara Malloy6225 N 24th St, Suite 200Phoenix, AZ 85016602-790-2886

McKinstryDaniel Musgrove7000 N. 16th St. Ste., 120Phoenix, AZ 85020602-466-3191

Maricopa County Office of Nutrition And Physical ActivityChristine Hicks4041 N. Central Ave. Ste., 700-CPhoenix, AZ 85012602-506-9322

Mangum Wall Stoops & WardenFranklin HooverP.O. Box 10Flagstaff, AZ 86002928-779-6951www.flagstaffattorneys.com

Maricopa County Community CollegeDr. Rufus Glasper2411 W. 14th St. Tempe, AZ 85281480-731-8823

Midstate EnergyRon Stalica1850 E. Riverview Dr.Phoenix, AZ 85034602-452-8700www.midstate-energy.com

MiTek CorporationCynthia Marchant4545 E. BaselinePhoenix, AZ 85042480-559-3837

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

Mohave Educational Services Co-opDeborah Sandoval625 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 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 85016602-808-5423www.piperjaffray.com

PracticeMax Inc.Medicaid billing for special education servicesChuck Engelmann 9382 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 Leone2435 S. 6th Ave.Phoenix, AZ 85003480-963-3416www.regionalaz.com

Ridenour, Hienton & Lewis PLLCLegal servicesErnest Calderon201 N. Central Ave., Ste. 3300Phoenix, AZ 85004602-744-5712

Rodel Charitable FoundationJackie Norton6720 N. Scottsdale Rd., Ste. 380Scottsdale, AZ 85253480-367-2920www.rodelfoundationaz.org

Sletten Construction CompanyLiz Gaona2501 E. University Dr.Phoenix, AZ 85034602-273-1474

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

SodexoSolomon Sile10255 E. Via Linda Rd.,Unit 2078Scottsdale, AZ 85258480-313-8804www.sodexo.com

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

Stifel Nicolaus Financial servicesBryan Lundberg2325 E. Camelback Rd., Ste. 750Phoenix, AZ 85016602-794-4007www.stifel.com

Summit Food Service Dave Brewer2703 Broadbent Pkwy. NE, Ste. FAlbuquerque, NM 87107505-341-0507www.summitfoodservice.com

Sunland AsphaltAsphalt, concrete, sport courts, tracks, turf and bleachersJohn McCormack775 W. Elwood St.Phoenix, AZ 85041602-323-2800www.sunlandasphalt.com

TCPN – The Cooperative Purchasing NetworkVictoria Stringham2100 N. Central Ave. #220Phoenix, AZ 85004480-415-6300www.tcpn.org

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

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

TraneDave Palty850 W. Southern Ave. Tempe, AZ 85282602-258-9600www.trane.com

The TrustJane Schemers333 E. Osborn Rd. #300Phoenix, AZ 85012602-200-4911www.the-trust.org

Udall Shumway PLCDenise Lowell-Britt1138 N. Alma School Rd., #101Mesa, AZ 85201480-461-5333

VALIC (formerly AIG Retirement)Group retirement plans, individual financial servicesMichael Lager11201 N.Tatum Blvd., Ste. 100Phoenix, AZ 85028602-674-2603www.aigvalic.com

Valley SchoolsMgmt. GroupPatrick DittmanP.O. Box 41760Phoenix AZ 85080623-594-4370www.vsit.org

Western States Fire ProtectionSara Brisky4346 E Elwood Street Suite 100Phoenix, AZ 85040888-274-8595

Wholesale Floors LLCDan McShane8855 N. Black Canyon Hwy.Phoenix, AZ 85021602-741-4552www.wholesalefloors.com

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

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PRSRT STDUS POSTAGEPAIDPHOENIX AZPERMIT NO 4605

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

Spring Legal Webinar Series

ASBA’s Spring Legal Webinar Series will provide a series of three interactive sessions by legal and policy experts on timely and evergreen legal topics, delivered to you live in convenient online sessions or re-broadcasted as on-demand versions. Register to learn more about the following topics:

Legal and Legislative Update Accommodating Transgendered Students Can I Opt Out? Parental Rights Under FERPA, Arizona’s

“Parental Bill of Rights” and the Arizona College and Career Ready Standards

When OCR Comes Calling… Employee Rights in the Discipline and Non-Renewal Process In Loco Parentis: Does It Still Exist and, If So,

How and When?

View as an individual or in a group – Live or on demand!

WednesdayFebruary 25, 2015

FridayMarch 6, 2015

FridayMarch 27, 2015

9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Register now at:www.azsba.org/events

Documents

ASBA Winter Journal 2015