Seventh Grade Abstinence Education Lessons on 60 Day Review

Kyrene School District is near the end of a 60 day review process of adapted lessons from the “Worth the Wait” program for use with 7th grade for the 2011-2012 school year. These lessons support instruction of the Kyrene Expanded Health Curriculum Strand 9 (Growth & Development) and Strand 10 (HIV/AIDS/STIs). If these lessons are approved by the Kyrene Governing Board, trained instructors from Pima Prevention Partnership will deliver the instruction to seventh graders during the spring of 2012. As a reminder, parents must provide written permission for students to participate in these lessons. Alternate lessons are provided for those students whose parents choose for them not to participate.

All resources for the lessons and activities used during instruction are available for viewing during regular business hours at the Kyrene District Office, Curriculum and Learning Services Department until Tuesday January 3, 2012. Special evening viewing hours will be held on Tuesday, December 6 from 5-7 PM before the Kyrene Governing Board meeting and Wednesday 4-6 PM before the Traditional School parent meeting. Parents, teachers, and community members are encouraged to view and provide feedback related to the lessons. The feedback will be reviewed by the Kyrene Health Steering Committee and the Kyrene Governing Board. For questions please contact Moira Turner 480-783-4118 or mturne@kyrene.org

Kyrene Informational Meetings

You are invited to attend any of the following Parent Information Meetings on Kyrene’s Choice Programs 

Kyrene Traditional Academy- Sureño Campus – for students K-6^th grades

Wednesday, December 7^th 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Meeting will be held at:

Kyrene District Office

8700 South Kyrene Road, Tempe 85284

College Bound Dual Language Academy –for  K, 1^st and 2^nd grades

Monday, December 5^th 9:00-10:00 a.m.

Meeting will be held at:

Kyrene de los Niños

1330 E. Dava Drive, Tempe 85283

Kyrene Prep Program (on Kyrene Middle School Campus) for 6^th – 8^th grades

Wednesday, February 1^st 6:30 p.m.

Meeting will be held at:

Kyrene Middle School 

1050 E. Carver Road, Tempe 85283

As you know, Kyrene is a highly successful school district.  Reasons include low administrative overhead and high dollars in the classroom, a national award winning technology program and achievement results higher than the state average on the AIMS tests.  The mission at Kyrene is to ensure continuous academic achievement and personal growth for every student.   To that end, Kyrene provides school learning choices for families to address the unique talents and needs of  students.  The choice programs below allow parents options when deciding on a learning environment for their child.

· C.A.S.A. Vida (Homeschool enrichment)

· College Bound Dual Language Academy

· College Preparatory Academy

· Kyrene Prep Program

· Leadership Academy

· Kyrene Traditional Academy

· Early Learning Options - All of our early learning options incorporate age-appropriate activities that help children reach their full potential cognitively, socially, physically and emotionally. They include: Bienvenidos Kids Club, Early Learning Centers, Montessori Kids Club and Kyrene Preschool.

To learn more about any of these options go to www.kyrene.org or call 480-783-4000. 

Kyrene is a highly successful school district, from administrative overhead versus “in the class­room” dollar figures to the national award winning technology program to achievement results much higher than the state average on the AIMS test.   

Kyrene’s mission states…ensure continuous academic achievement and personal growth for every student. We take this very seriously and believe that Kyrene schools are up to the task just as we have been for the past 120 years

Kyrene provides additional learning opportunities and choices for families because of the unique talents and needs our students possess.  The choice programs below allow  you choose the best route for your child. We encourage students to learn at their own pace and at the same time allow for advanced opportunities.

» C.A.S.A. Vida (Homeschool enrichment)

» College Bound Dual Language Academy

» College Preparatory Academy

» Kyrene Prep Program

» Leadership Academy

» Traditional Academy Concept

Early Learning Options - All of our early learning options incorporate age-appropriate activities that help children reach their full potential cognitively, socially, physically and emotionally. They include: Bienvenidos Kids Club, Early Learning Centers, Montessori Kids Club and Kyrene Preschool.  More on Early Learning Options.

Override Election Results are IN!

Message from Kyrene Superintendent Dr. David Schauer

 

Thank you to the Kyrene School District community!  The results have been tabulated and Kyrene’s override election was successful!

The capital override is a continuation of an existing secondary tax that has been in place for the past 7 years. This allows the district to raise additional funds above and beyond what’s granted by the state specifically for the purpose of supporting technology needs. Those items include several parent communication systems, payroll and transportation software, productivity programs like email, excel, powerpoint and tools for the classroom. What the continuation of this funding effectively does, is allow the primary state dollars to be used for things like teachers, learning supplies and utilities. 

Thanks to the many community volunteers who stepped forward providing time and energy educating voters on this initiative. The Political Action Committee that worked on this effort, was led by Mitzi Epstein, former Kyrene Board member, and we thank her.

Kyrene remains committed to increasing the academic growth of all students. Your support of this vital funding helps us in that work.

David K. Schauer, Superintendent

Kyrene Foundation & Hot Air Balloons

The Arizona Balloon Classic welcome the Kyrene Foundation! Family, friends and colleagues are all invited to attend this spectacular event. It's a win-win for all as a portion of all proceeds benefits the Kyrene Schools Community Foundation! You won't want to miss the action, so buy your tickets now! See you on the field!

General Admission Event Pass
Good November 18th - 20th 2011

Wild Horse Pass / Rawhide
5700 West North Loop Road
Chandler, AZ 85226
Rain or Shine
Visit www.azballoonclassic.com for schedule of events

Five Simple Steps to Order your Tickets:

1. Click Here (opens in a new window) to go to the Ticket Order Site.
2. Enter your special offer code: KYRENE (all caps)
3. KYRENE specialty tickets provided flexibility in attending any one (1) single event throughout the weekend (reentry is not permitted).
4. See www.azballoonclassic.com for a detailed schedule of activities.
5. All tickets will be placed in will-call for pick up upon your arrival (ID and credit card corresponding with purchase required at pick up).

Rice & Bean Drive

Student Council is holding a RICE & BEAN drive benefitting the Kyrene Resource Center.

The grade level with the largest donations wins Spirit Points for the next Pep Rally!

Donations should be taken to the student’s Academic Lab classroom now through December 9th!

ATTN: Twilight Fans

A private sneak peak preview of

The Twilight Saga:

Breaking Dawn Part 1

Date: November 17th^, 2011

A Day Before Opening Night!

Location: Harkins Chandler Fashion Mall

Time: 8:00 pm (approximate movie time)

Cost: a minimum $15 donation

www.vampiresforcharity.org buy tickets online!

With your donation, you will receive a movie ticket and also be entered into an opportunity drawing.

Drawing will be held prior to the movie.  Need not be present to win.  No cash value.

If you can’t join us for the movie below, you can still support KYRENE FOUNDATION  by eating this same evening at the following locations near the Harkins Theatres at Chandler Mall:

BJs Brewery

Buffalo Wild Wings

California Pizza Kitchen

Chick fil A

See www.kyrenefoundation.org for details and flyers.

To reserve your spot please contact:

MarJean Steinkamp msteinkamp2001@yahoo.com 602-751-7823 or

Michelle Fulton  michellefulton@gmail.com 480-248-7884

Checks payable to Kyrene Foundation

www.kyrenefoundation.org

Override Election, Tuesday, November 8th

http://www.youtube.com/kyreneschooldistrict#p/c/2/BcpfOjsRmNw

Parents,

Please click on the link above to view the 3 minute video from Dr. David Shauer, our superintendent. He shares some helpful information about what this override money is used for in our schools.

I have paraphrased the topics he covers in the notes below. Please use this as a reference and not a replacement for viewing the video yourself.

If the link does not work, copy and paste it into your browser.

Thank you,

-Tammy Schick, PTO

Video by Dr. David Shauer, Superintendent of the Kyrene School District, Regarding Override Election

· To continue funding previously voted into place in 2005

· Wording on the ballot says, “Allow district to exceed budget limit”

· Rest assured that the district is required by law to balance budget every year

· Will not spend any more money than they have

· It is a continuation of support

Dr. Shauer walked through classrooms in district and witnessed:

· Examples of Technology in the classroom

· Technology makes “Learning come alive” for students

· Students using document cameras, smart boards

· Students benefit tremendously from technology in the classroom

· Funding from override provides training needed to allow teachers to effectively integrate these technology tools into their classrooms

· Provides systems allowing the district and parents to be effective and efficient; such as Parent Portal (access & monitoring student progress, grades)

REMEMBER - Election November 8^th: Express your point of view by voting

For more information:

http://www.kyrene.org/budget/BudgetElection.htm

Can We Talk? Parent Workshop Series

“Can We Talk?” is a fun, interactive workshop that helps parents enhance their role in their children’s sexuality and health education.  Parents will learn skills to help them better communicate with their children about self-esteem, puberty and sexuality, mixed messages, peer pressure, and other real-life issues children face each day.  Parents will learn non-confrontational communication skills to make “talks” more meaningful and ongoing.

Series: Thursday’s – November 3, 10, 17

Location: Aprende Middle School – Media Center          

5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

777 N. Desert Breeze Blvd, Chandler, AZ 85226            

Snacks provided                

Cost: This training is being offered FREE for parents through the Pima Prevention Partnership. 

A $25 gift card will be provided by Pima Prevention Partnership for each parent who attends all 3 workshops in the series.

Please REGISTER for this workshop series by contacting Jennifer Hargreaves at 480-783-4060 or emailing jhargreaves@kyrene.org

Eat at Cold Stone!

Tonight 10/18/11

6pm-9pm at the Ray & 56th Street Location

Print and bring the attached flyer for Pueblo to receive credit. Give one to a friend ~ Pueblo earns 25% of all sales with flyers!

Budget Increase is actually a Continuation

The ballot looks like this:

Please keep in mind that the “Budget Increase” is actually a continuation of the funding currently in place (passed by 2/3 in 2005). This money is used by the district to fund our fantastic TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS!

With budgets decreasing statewide. This is not money we want to lose!

Mailed ballots are in the hands of voters now. Everyone else should be certain to stop in and vote on November 8th!

FREE Book

Most LA teachers offer Scholastic Book orders to their students. I received the below email with details on how to get a free book.

This fall, give your child the opportunity to choose and own books through a special offer from Scholastic Book Clubs and Kellogg’s!

Research shows that letting kids choose their own books is key to raising readers. Nine out of 10 children say that they are more likely to finish books that they choose themselves.*

Thank you!

Scholastic Book Clubs

Visit www.scholastic.com/kellogg for more information about this special offer and to redeem your $5 Book Coupon(s).

THANK YOU Einstein’s!

Another local business supporting our school!

Einstein’s at Rural and Ray generously donated bagels and cream cheese for Courage Council Meetings!

It’s great to have the community supporting our kids this way -

Please stop by and THANK THEM for their support. Together, We can make a difference!

What you need to know before Nov 8th

On November 8th, Kyrene voters will be asked to approve the continuation of the current Capital Override.

IMPORTANT FACTS:

• The ballot will say “BUDGET INCREASE” but it is in fact a renewal for the override passed in 2005. This wording is required by law.
• This money funds Kyrene’s technology program
• Since 2007, state funding for education has been cut by 18% (according to AZ Legislature’s JLBC)
• This would continue taxes already in place – NOT AN INCREASE
• Currently, for a $225,000 home, taxpayers are paying around $6 a month to support this initiative (about the price of a Happy Meal – and much better for our children!)

The 2005 Capital Override was used to fund things such as:

• Instructional curriculum, Word, Excel, Power Point and other software licenses for
10,000 computers supporting 18,000 students plus 2,000 teachers and staff

• Training for teachers to effectively integrate the technology as a tool to increase student
engagement and collaborative learning

• Student Achievement measurement tools for data collection

• Enrollment and Attendance software to efficiently track trends

• Classroom projectors and laptops

• Genesis System. Parents can view student grades and attendance

• Emergency Parent phone notification system

• Scheduled replacement of identified fleet vehicles over a 7 year period

 

For more information on the Ballot request to continue the current override in Kyrene see the Voter Information Pamphlet at http://www.kyrene.org/budget/BudgetElection.htm

FREE Workshops for parents & teens/tweens

No Parent Left Behind Workshops

ALL WORKSHOPS ARE FREE

TEENS/TWEENS ARE WELCOMED AND ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND

GOAL SETTING & SELF-ESTEEM: Wednesday, Oct 19, McClintock High School, Room 520. Refreshments 6pm/Workshop 6:30pm-8pm. Presenter: Paul Santa Cruz – 2011 MdN Summer Bridge Coordinator (see flyer below)

KEVIN’S LAST WALK: AN INSPIRATIONAL STORY OF A FATHER WHO LOST HIS SON TO ALCOHOL POISONING: Tuesday, Oct 25, McClintock HS, Auditorium, Pod B. Refreshments 6pm/ Workshop 6:30pm-8pm. Presenter: Barry Adkins – The Speaker’s Movement (see flyer below)

THE REAL DEAL ON TURNING KIDS AROUND: BULLYING, TEASING AND NAME-CALLING: Wednesday, Nov 9, Corona del Sol High School, Lecture Hall B. Refreshments 6pm/ Workshop 6:30pm-8pm. Presenter: Ron Glodoski- National Expert on Bullying, Author adn Motivational Speaker

FACEBOOK 101: TACKLING THE SOCIAL MEDIA BEAST: Tuesday, Nov 29, Marcos de Niza High School, Room 255. Refreshments 6pm/ Workshop 6:30pm-8pm. Presenter: Michael Hunter – The Speaker’s Movement

Registration:

Online- http://tinyurl.com/nplbreg

Phone- 480-838-3200 x40074

Email- kcosner@tuhsd.k12.az.us

Protect your child with a FREE Child ID kit!

Saturday October 22nd

from 8am until 11am

10 S Twelve Oaks Blvd Chandler, AZ 85226 – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Offered to the neighborhood: a pancake breakfast and Child Identification Kit (fingerprints, photos, etc.) - while supplies last.

A child disappears in a crowd at the fair. A toddler wanders out an open door. A teen doesn’t return from the mall. Every year, hundreds of thousands of kids in the U.S. are reported “missing." Here’s one important suggestion: have information that helps identify your child ready to hand to law enforcement the instant you report your child missing. The FBI recommends a kit that includes: Fingerprints, Cards detailing your child’s physical descriptions—including a body map for pointing out scars, birthmarks, and other identifying features, a current photo, an easy-to-use swab which stores a small DNA sample.

Come to the event where they will help you process your child's information in a free kit which you take home and keep in a safe place and provide the information to law enforcement agencies only in case of emergency. The Chandler Fire Department is planning on attending and bringing one of their engines.

There is no charge for the breakfast or the kits. We ask those who are able to donate non-perishable food items at the event which will be delivered to St. Mary's Food Bank.

Notification from the District:

Received 9/10/11

Friday afternoon you received a community alert that two Kyrene Middle School students had been approached by a stranger.  Tempe Detectives have identified, located, and arrested the suspect. Thank you to the Tempe Police Department for all of your work today to keep our children and community safe!

If additional information becomes available we will post it on our website at http://www.kyrene.org/911/.

Received 9/9/11

This afternoon you will be getting a phone call to notify you that this morning two female students from Kyrene Middle School were approached by a white male in his 20’s or 30’s driving a silver, Toyota Limited Edition RAV 4 SUV near Waggoner Elementary School bus drop off near Terrace and Lakeshore. As you may be aware, there have been other community reports of this nature in recent weeks. The police request that the community report any suspicious activity by immediately calling 911.

We are sending you this message so that you can remind your children once again about safe practices when traveling to and from school.

If additional information becomes available we will post it on our website at http://www.kyrene.org/911/.

Family Fitness 5K – An Official Chandler Centennial Event!

A BIG Congratulations goes out to our amazing Family Fitness 5K Committee – we have officially become a Chandler Centennial Event!

The City of Chandler Website: http://chandleraz.gov/default.aspx?pageid=1027 

The Official Family Fitness 5K Website: http://familyfitness5k.blogspot.com/

Look for more information about this annual event in the very near future. All proceeds from this event directly benefit healthy initiatives at both Kyrene de la Paloma Elementary and Kyrene del Pueblo Middle School. Last year this event raised over $2,000 for Pueblo’s ABC (Action Brain Connection) program while creating a healthier community!

BIG NEWS for this year’s run:

CHIP TIMING!

Save the date – Sunday, January 22, 2012

Volunteer @ the School Store

The school store is a student favorite around campus and you will really enjoy interacting with these great young adults!

We need one adult and up to two students to work during each shift. At this time, the student volunteers are limited to 7th and 8th graders only and each individual student is limited to volunteering for 2 shifts.
Please follow this link to sign up:

www.mysignup.com/pueblo_school_store_2011

All parent volunteers must be trained before signing up. If you have not been trained, email us for additional information.

Let us know if you have any questions by emailing Pueblo-PTO@hotmail.com

We can't do this without parent support - we truly appreciate you!

Children helping Children – Kyrene Foundation Fundraiser

All funds raised will directly benefit each of the 25 Kyrene Schools (elementary and middle schools) through the Kyrene Family Resource Center, teacher mini-grants, and student scholarships.

Please join the Kyrene Foundation for a breakfast fundraiser to help children and families in our own community

The “Children helping Children” event is

Saturday, August 27,
9:00 – 11:00 a.m. at The Castle at Ashley Manor.

Bring your family and enjoy breakfast, a children’s fashion show, sponsored by the GAP at Casa Paloma and live entertainment for all ages.

Children Helping Children is the newest fundraiser to benefit children and families of the Kyrene School District. This event is designed to get children involved in helping other children in their own community while having fun with family and friends.

Tickets for the breakfast are available for $20 per person or $50 per family.

To buy tickets, donate tickets for families in need, or for more information visit, www.childrenhelping.org We hope to see you there!

The Kyrene Foundation, is thankful for the support of The GAP at Casa Paloma, as they are donating time, clothes and many resources to make this event a success.

Information provided by:

Nancy Dudenhoefer, Community Relations Manager

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Offering additional explanations about events/opportunities listed in the most recent email.

Library Enhancement Committee:

We want to brighten the look of our library and increase our book offerings. We need some great parents to help us with this endeavor. If you are interested in helping, and/or have contacts that can help us with book donations, please contact PTO www.hotmail.com]

2010-2011 PTO Donations to Pueblo:

Teacher Appreciation/Hospitality	$ 956.82
Teacher Breakfast/Hospitality	$ 223.31
Pueblo Excellence Awards	$ 50.00
Special Events-Table Cloths	$ 21.75
Paper Shredder/Front Office	$ 159.98
Teacher Gifts	$ 450.00
Weekly Readers-Top Dawgs	$ 216.00
Composition Notebooks-Falcons	$ 58.50
Stop Watches-8th Grade Science	$ 203.85
Lynn Walker Character Award	$ 800.00
WII Consoles (5K Run Funds)	$ 655.76
Safety Mirror/Poster Board Strips	$ 407.25
Donation to Library for Books Purchased	$ 998.57
Science World Magazine	$ 365.76
Soft Capital	$ 7,000.00
TOTAL DONATIONS	$ 12,567.55

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Offering additional explanations about events/opportunities listed in the latest email.

Curriculum Nights: Please contact your teachers if you have questions. This information is from a past parent’s perspective.

The 6^th grade Curriculum Nights differ from the 7^th/8^th grade night. The 6^th grade teams meet separately and typically hold one large meeting with all parents. Sometimes students are invited (Spirit Dogs) but unless your team specifies that students are invited, you should assume that the meeting is geared toward the parents.

ALL of the 7^th and 8^th grade teams hold their Curriculum Nights together at the same time. Parents are encouraged to come with a copy of their student’s daily schedule. Parents meet in their child’s first period class and proceed to follow their child’s schedule throughout the evening meeting in each class for about 5 minutes. The bell will ring letting parents know when it’s time to switch classes. Students need not attend.

Courage Retreats:

Sponsored by Pueblo’s Administration, these retreats help our students find the Courage to stand up for what they believe to be right. They address bullying and how harsh words can affect others. This year we will have Courage Retreats are for our 6^th grade students in August and similar “Awareness Days” for our 7^th grade students later in the year. Our 8^th graders have the opportunity to participate in “Minitown”. For additional information about the Courage Retreats, please read a post from our blog written last year. You can find it by following this link: http://pueblo-pto.blogspot.com/2010/09/what-is-courage-retreat.html Your donation of small treats will provide students will a snack for these events.

Family Fitness 5K:

This is a professionally run event which offers our community a 5K or 1 mile run/walk. This year our event has been selected as an official Chandler Centennial Designated Event. With the city celebrating their 100 year birthday in 2012, they will be including our event in their advertising. This run generated over $4,000 last year. We combine our efforts with our sister school, Paloma to provide our community with this fun event. At Pueblo, we donate all funds earned through this run to our ABC (Action Brain Connection) program. This program helps encourage healthy, active kids at our school. If you are interested in helping to plan this event, the first meeting is at 3:00pm this Saturday, August 13^th in the Sunset Library’s Community Room.

Restaurant Nights:

Pueblo PTO hosts monthly Restaurant Nights. We like to call them “Eat for Pueblo Nights”. Everyone has to eat right? So why not take the night off and let someone else do the cooking and earn money for our school at the same time? You just need to show the flier when you order. This month we are eating with Jimmy & Joes Pizza just east of McClintock and north of Ray. The flier is attached.

School Store:
This is the 2^nd year that PTO has managed the school store. It’s a great place to stop in for all of your school spirit needs. The store is located in room J-8 and is open for business every Wednesday and Friday before school. Students should stop by and check it out. We also provide basic school supplies. Look for an online list of products and pricing coming soon. The school store also provides our NJHS students an opportunity to earn In-School service hours. We ask for 2 students and 1 adult to volunteer each day. Student Volunteers are open to 7^th & 8^th graders only. Look for signup information coming soon. PARENTS: Get your Pueblo windshield decal and show your school pride!

STAY TUNED: We are in the process of creating a website to replace our blog. Look for that information soon~

“A” & “B” Schedule Explained

We have lots of questions regarding the “A” & “B” Schedule. We hope the following will be helpful:

Every Monday and Thursday will be an “A” Day

Every Tuesday and Friday will be a “B” Day

Wednesdays will rotate weekly between the A and B Days. Week 1 will be an A day. Week 2 will be a B day. Etc.

The only classes affect by the switching are the electives. Students attend all core classes each and every day regardless of the A or B schedule.

The schedule is listed in the Student’s Planner as a reference. Fortunately, the kids are better at these types of things than we are! They will catch on quickly :)

The teachers and school are amazing. They will help the kids along the way. This is the 2nd year that our district has implemented this rotation. It went extremely smoothly last year and I expect the same will occur this year!

If you have additional questions, the front office can help.

Welcome!

If you’re new: Welcome!

If you’re returning: Welcome Back!

Pueblo is a great family and we look forward to welcoming our newest members into the fold :)

Please add your name to our Email Distribution List if you haven’t already. It is how we communicate with our parents about upcoming events at the school (PTO and otherwise). Just shoot us an email: Pueblo-PTO@hotmail.com and ask to be added.

Handouts don’t seem to make it into the hands of our parents and announcements are long forgotten by the time the kids get home. The email Distribution List is a great way to stay “Tuned In” to what’s happening around campus.

~See everyone at~

Meet the Teacher Night

Wednesday, August 3rd

5:30pm-7:30pm.

Stop by the PTO table and say HI!

Letter from the Superintendent

If you are not already on Kyrene’s listserve, you will want to be! Important information is relayed via the system. This is some of that information. (Refer to the previous post for how to add your email to the list)

June 2, 2011

Dear Kyrene Community:

In last week’s edition of “Kyrene Communicates”, I outlined the recent budgetary challenges Kyrene has been experiencing. As I met this spring with parents, staff, school board and community members, I have been filled with pride as people describe the quality of the Kyrene Schools and the programs that they are passionate about. 

As you know, over the past three years Kyrene’s funding from the state has decreased by 10 percent.This year, our deficit is over 4 million dollars. With these reductions, we simply must adapt to new ways of doing things. We are unable to provide exactly the same education as in the past. Staff, parents, community and school board members have had challenging conversations on balancing the budget for the upcoming school year. 

The recommendations for 2011-2012 are:

• Over $700,000 in administration reductions

• Adjustment to the schedule for elementary classes in Library, Art, P.E. and Music. 
Each subject will be taught 45 minutes per week.

• Class size ranges will increase by 1 student in kindergarten, 2 students in first and second grade, no change to third, fourth and fifth grades and 1 student in sixth through eighth grade.  (See table below)

• Akimel A-al, Centennial, KMS and Pueblo on 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. schedule, Altadeña and  Aprende on 8:15-3:15 schedule to save $500,000 in transportation costs

• Reductions of some social services/ prevention

• Reductions in district department budgets

• Reductions in school supply budgets

• Reductions in utility expenses

• Reductions in academic intervention

• Pursue revenue enhancements including web and bus advertising, field naming rights, increased preschools and other business partnerships.

 

CLASS SIZE INCREASES

Grade Level / Current (2010-2011) / New (2011-2012)

Kindergarten / 21-23 / 22-24

Grade 1 / 22-24 / 24-26

Grade 2 / 23-25 / 25-27

Grade 3 / 26-27 / 26-27 – no change

Grades 4 & 5 / 28-30 / 28-20 – no change

Grades 6, 7 & 8 / 30-32 / 31-33

 

As we look to the future, we  must leave no stone unturned and  will continue to examine efficiencies in every area of district operations from transportation to administration. Statewide, Kyrene is recognized as a district that maximizes dollars in the classroom and spends the least on administration. These priorities will continue. School districts across our nation are struggling to compensate for lost funding for education.

In Arizona the situation is particularly acute and we anticipate these challenges to continue for another few years. Thankfully, we are in a better position than other districts that have closed schools and/or completely eliminated programs like library, art, music and P.E.

We encourage parents, business leaders and others to suggest creative solutions that may result in budget savings. To provide your input or get more information, go to: Kyrene School District - Budget Update. Working together, I know that Kyrene will continue to be a premier place to educate Arizona’s youth as we move into the next part of the 21st Century.

Sincerely,

David K. Schauer, Ed.D.
Superintendent

Stay IN THE KNOW

Stay connected with Kyrene’s email system! One of the most important ways to be involved is to be informed.

Dear Kyrene,

As a community member or parent, you can stay up to date on what¹s happening in your public school district by signing up for our E-newsletters at   http://www.kyrene.org/ksdportal/list/index.htm.

It’s best to choose your child’s school and also the Kyrene Community news so you can stay informed on district-wide issues.

Special note to:  PARENTS of incoming 6^th Graders remember to sign up for the middle school newsletter as your child  transitions from 5th to 6th grade.

Some schools will be sending out important information in July so we urge you to remind other parents of this important communication tool.  (Hard copies will be made available to those who do not have regular internet access.)

Nancy Dudenhoefer, Community Relations Manager

Volunteer Appreciation

Calling all Pueblo

Volunteers!

Allow us to appreciate all that you have done for Pueblo this year by attending our Volunteer Appreciation this Thursday, May 19th from 6:30pm-7:30pm.
We will hold a very short PTO meeting to vote in our 2011-2012 PTO Board and approve spending of the remainder of our income from this year. We will then have a casual, fun evening. Refreshments will be served.
Please RSVP by 10pm TODAY, Wednesday, May 18th so that we may prepare a special, little thank you for each of you! RSVPs should be sent to:

 Pueblo-PTO@hotmail.com

See you Thursday!

Cutting $5.3 million

The Parent Network is a non-profit organization, serving parents of Kyrene Elementary, Tempe Elementary and Tempe Union High School Districts.

They are providing us with critical district budget information that will affect our children beginning next school year. We are sharing this information with you so that parents are not caught off guard with the changes in our schools.

There are many updates. The Parent Network is suggesting that if you do not have time to read through all the updates, you may want to concentrate on the first three major changes listed below facing the Kyrene Elementary School District. There are also additional details provided in the attachments.  We realize the following is a lot of information, but we wanted to pass it along to our PTO network.  Also, at the end of this email is a list of upcoming meeting dates, so if you are interested in learning more and/or having a chance to ask questions of District officials, this is your chance.

Total M&O Budget Reduction/Deficit for 2011-2012 = $5.3 million

(In other words, $5.3 million needs to be CUT from the budget for the upcoming school year)

Proposed Reductions or Cuts for 2011-2012

1. Raise Class Size (lose teachers) grades K-3: increase by +2 students, grades 4^th-8^th: increase by +1 student

SAVINGS: $1,350,000

2. Change 4 middle schools start time to 9:00am. [PUEBLO, Akimel A-al, Centennial, Kyrene Middle School] (lose 14-15 bus drivers)

SAVINGS: $540,000

3. Change grades K-5 Specials [includes music, PE, art & library] (Note: library will now be considered a special in the rotation and be the same at all schools)

Current Specials Scheduling in Kyrene Schools:

· PE- twice a week for 30 minutes each

· Art- once a week for 40 minutes

· Music- twice a week for 30 minutes

· Library- varies among schools

THERE ARE 3 OPTIONS FOR THE GRADES K-5 SPECIALS SCHEDULING CHANGES:

OPTION 1:

Music, Art, PE and Library will be ONCE a week for 50 minutes each.

Teacher Hours-

· PE teachers go from 25 to 17.6 hours

· Music teachers go from 24.3 to 16

· Art teachers go from 15.6 to 17.6 hours

· Library goes from 19 to 17.6 hours

(total loss of teachers: 13.5)

SAVINGS: $756,000

OPTION 2:

Music, Art, PE and Library will all be ONCE a week for 45 minutes each.

Teacher Hours-

· PE teachers go from 25 to 16 hours

· Music teachers go from 24.3 to 16

· Art teachers go from 15.6 to 16 hours

· Library goes from 19 to 16 hours

(total loss of teachers: 19.9)

SAVINGS: $1,121,120

OPTION 3: (Hybrid)

PE stays like it is – twice a week for 30 minutes each

Music – once a week for 30 minutes each

Art stays like it is – once a week for 40 minutes each

Library would be once a week for 40 minutes each

Teacher Hours-

· PE teachers stay the same at 25

· Music teachers go from 24.3 to 16

· Art teachers go from 15.6 to 15.5 hours

· Library goes from 19 to 15.5 hours

(total loss of teachers: 11.9)

SAVINGS: $666,400-$722,400

4. District Office Reductions includes reduction in positions, budget & benefits

SAVINGS: $600,000

5. Prevention Services: Loss of Prevention Specialists at KMS & Centennial and Loss of Social Workers (from 4 positions)

SAVINGS: $220,000

6. Limit on Substitute Budget (not benefits)

SAVINGS: $500,000

7. Elementary School Gifted Program: combine 4^th and 5^th grades (already being done at some schools)

SAVINGS: $250,000

8. Grades K-3 IA Allocation – 15% reduction in allocation (pertains to use of aides)

SAVINGS: $150,000

9. Transition additional campuses to contracted custodians (will retain those long-term custodian employees. Note: some campuses already use contracted custodians)

SAVINGS: $120,000

10. Resource sharing among schools (for example, if a school needs 20 more desks, a search would be made throughout the district to find these, rather than order new ones)

SAVINGS:$75,000

11.Changes Temperature Settings for Heating and Cooling (raise in summer, lower in winter)

SAVINGS: $62,000

12: School Budget Reductions (includes non-personal budgets by 5% and change in allocation based on differentiated needs-based model)

SAVINGS: $141,000

13: Substitute Costs (eliminating stipend and require administrators to substitute)

SAVINGS: $40,000

14: Maximize Capital Override (some expense in personnel in technology will be shifted to Capital Override)

SAVINGS: $260,000

TOTAL SAVINGS: $4,874,000 - $5,329,000 (rounded to nearest $1,000 range because it depends what option is chosen for specials)

Additional information from last Kyrene Governing Board Meeting provided by The Parent Network:

Last night (4/26), at the Kyrene Governing Board Meeting, a list of 40 teachers to reduce in force was given to the board to approve.   The meeting lasted over 4 hours and at the end of the meeting, the vote was to approve.
    K to 6th grade: 27
    7th -8th grade Language Arts: 2
    K to 8th grade PE: 5
    K to 8th grade Music: 5
    K to 8th grade Art: 1
Under the budget agenda item there were approximately 15 speakers from the audience. (Note, this is Sandy Lowe's summary.)

· 4 Cielo parents in support of the Hybrid specials model

· 2 Librarians supporting Library as a "special" and consistent at all schools

· 2 social workers/prevention specialists supporting keeping these critical services at Centennial and KMS

· 3 PE teachers supporting the Hybrid specials model. One suggested a revenue generating idea of collecting a small amount of money from families to offset cuts.

· 1 classroom teacher supporting the process of the sub-committee made up of teachers, who brought recommendations to the K-8 committee regarding the Specials options

· 1 KMS parent asking for process involving shareholders in the community begin earlier than late April.

· 1 parent who was asking questions clarifying reasons for changes and offering revenue enhancement solutions as a possible alternative to cutting programs.

· 1 community member asking for consideration in providing more information about possible changes earlier in the year.

What's Next:

May 3rd at 4:30pm at District office:

K-8 program committee meeting with the governing board to discuss budget options. 

This would be an excellent meeting for parents to attend to understand what changes are being considered and to see how governing members are responding to the proposals.

Kyrene continues to have meetings with school communities:   

April 28th:

· Paloma 3pm

· Sureno 3:30pm

· Waggoner 5pm

May 2:

· Akimel A-al 1pm

May 3:

· Sierra 9am

May 4:

· Lagos 3:15pm

· Kyrene District Office –COMMUNITY MTG 6:30pm

· KMS 8:15pm

May 5:

· Estrella 7pm

May 6:

· Brisas 7:15am

May 9:

· Norte 7pm

May 12:

· Centennial –COMMUNITY MTG 6:30pm

Letter regarding district budget concerns.

Dear Kyrene Community,

As you probably know, the Kyrene School District is nationally recognized for its excellent reputation.  The District is located in established vs. growing neighborhoods and has experienced declining enrollment in the past. State funding is based mainly on student enrollment.  However, for the first time in many years enrollment is stable and on the increase.  This is a positive development but, due to the state’s economic crisis, the Kyrene budget has decreased by over 10% in the past three years. In 2008-09 it was approximately $107 million and is predicted to be approximately $95 million for 2011-12.

You can learn about the 2011-12 budget at Governing Board Meetings and upcoming Community Forums: 

• Tuesday, 4/26 at 7:00 p.m. – Next Governing Board Meeting, District Office Ben Furlong Center Board Room, 8700 South Kyrene Road, Tempe, 85284

• Wednesday, 5/4 at 6:30 p.m. - Community Forum, District Office, Ben Furlong Center Board Room, 8700 South Kyrene Road, Tempe, 85284

• Thursday, 5/12 at 6:30 p.m. -  Community Forum, Centennial Middle School, 13808 S. 36th Street. Phoenix, 85044

While other districts have closed schools and eliminated special programs like Art, Library, Music and P.E., Kyrene values experiences for children in all content areas including the special area classes.

Kyrene has been able to avoid cuts like these by:

• freezing employee wages

• using available Cash Reserves (savings account)

• reducing staff

Kyrene has had amazing community support to raise funds through bonds and overrides. These funds help us:

• reduce class size

• provide state-of-the-art technology learning tools that are integrated into children’s learning, making Kyrene’s technology program a national model

• secure our campuses

• maintain our buildings

• purchase buses

During the Kyrene budget process, over 130 efficiency ideas were brainstormed.

Which of these considerations would specifically affect your child’s school?  Things being considered include:

1. Cuts to Administration

2. Program Reductions/Efficiencies

a. Elementary School Special Areas scheduling**

b. Transportation – Middle School Start & End Times

c. Gifted Program scheduling

d. Prevention Services

e. Substitute Budget

3. Class Size Range Adjustments*

Other ways to gather information on the budget process include:

• Governing Board Meetings and Study Sessions in person or via video - (Next meeting is Tuesday, 4/26)

• The Superintendent/Kyrene parent Video Sessions

• The Budget Pages (which include FAQ’s, Facts and Myths and a Feedback section)

• Talk with your Parent Superintendent Council (PSC) representative.  (On a monthly basis each school sends a person to a meeting with me and we have provided them with facts on the budget)

Thank you for being a part of the Kyrene Elementary School District. While budget struggles have forced us to operate with reduced revenue for some time now, we are working hard to ensure that, despite those reductions, the community can continue to be proud of the education our children receive.

Sincerely,

Dr. David Schauer

Superintendent

*Class size is determined by ranges (Kindergarten is 23-25, 1st grade is 25-27, etc.) and if we raise that range by one or two then some classrooms could be larger.  However, we do have some dollars that will be applied specifically to the primary grades to lower class sizes in K-3.

**We are studying possible changes in scheduling for Elementary Library, Music, Art and P.E.  However, none of these programs will be cut out of the student experience.  For more information on this study, visit www.kyrene.org/k8

PUEBLO SUPPLIES: How to donate a free ream of paper! (Act by this Saturday, 4/16)

Public schools increasingly rely on donations for many basic school supplies.  While everyone's pocket-book is feeling the economic pinch, you have a way to help donate that won't end up costing you a cent. 

Now through this Saturday, April 16th, Staples (the office supply company) is offering a rebate that covers the entire cost of a ream of multi-purpose paper.

Here are the easy steps to follow:

Link to Staples Coupon
1) click on the link above-- this will redirect you to a Staples webpage (note: you may have to temporarily allow pop-ups on your computer);
2) print out the "FREE HP multipurpose paper ream, 8-1/2 x 11" coupon;
3) redeem the coupon at any Staples store & purchase the specific $5.99 ream of paper;
4) go online (or mail-in) following Staples rebate instructions;
5) turn in the ream of paper to your child's AcLab teacher (you will make them very happy!)
6) pat yourself on the back for taking the time to do something to help our school, while you wait for your rebate check to arrive in the mail from Staples!

Thank you for supporting Pueblo!

Seussical theater experience for grades 4 - 8

Students in grades 4 - 8 can participate in Kyrene School District's summer production of Seussical the Musical Jr., whether as a cast or crew member. It will be a memorable experience!

Auditions are coming up April 25 and 27 at Akimel Middle School in Ahwatukee. Performances are June 28 and 29 at KMS. All who audition will be part of the production.

Details:

http://www.kyrene.org/commedfhb/SummerTheater.html

Stock Up!

Our librarians have shared a great opportunity for families to buy books for their personal collections or to DONATE TO THE LIBRARY! :)

The sale advertised below is a great way to get new reading materials for the summer months. Please also consider a donation to our library. With ZERO FUNDING this year, they would love the opportunity to update the library with the latest and greatest books for our kids.

PTO will gladly facilitate donations to our library. Just send in a check made payable to: Pueblo PTO and put library donation in the memo line. We will get the money to our librarians before the sale. Allowing them plenty of time to get great books at great prices.

The flier does not seem to be working! The sale is May 4-7 & 11-14 at the A+ Book Fair Warehouse (45 N Sunway Dr, Gilbert, AZ 85233) open 9am-5pm Wed-Fri & 9am-noon Sat. BONUS BOOK WITH EVERY $25 SPENT. 480-632-0440 or www.aplusbookfairs.com

This sale DOES NOT benefit Pueblo, the library or the PTO. We are just passing along information shared with us from our amazing librarians!

HELP Kyrene 8th Grade Girls

One of the four initiatives of the Kyrene Foundation is clothing for needy students.  Wishes Come True is a project in which several 8^th grade girls from each of our middle schools will be invited to come to the D.O. on Friday, April 29 to pick out a summer dress to wear to their 8^th grade promotion activities.

Everything will be donated, including gently-used dresses and new accessories such as simple jewelry, nail polish, lotion, hair ribbons, gift cards to Claire’s Boutique at the mall, etc.  Please bring in any items to donate during the week of April 11 - 15.   Donations will be accepted during regular business hours  (7:30 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.)  at Kyrene District Office, Ben Furlong Center, 8700 S. Kyrene Road, Tempe 85284. 

If you have questions about the work of the Kyrene Foundation go to www.kyrenefoundtion.org,  email kfvolunteer@cox.net, or call 480-783-4070.

Clarification on My Coke Rewards

We wanted to clarify HOW to donate your Coke points to Pueblo. There are 4 options:

1. Go to www.mycokerewards.com/schools and look for the “Find a School and Donate Points” area about halfway down the page. Enter in our zip code: 85226. Scroll through the list that appears and click on “KYRENE DEL PUEBLO MIDDLE SCH – Registered” and select “Continue”. Look under “SCHOOL FACT SHEET…” to sign in and donate your points. Everything you enter will be credited to Pueblo.

2. Drop the actual codes off in Pueblo’s front office

3. Email the codes to Amy Dawson adawson@kyrene.org

4. Email the codes to PTO and we’ll get them to the correct person Pueblo-PTO@hotmail.com

Volunteers will enter all codes turned in using option 2,3 or 4.

Thank you for helping Pueblo!

Help Pueblo’s Extended Resource Dept

Pueblo hosts a yearly District-wide Extended Resource Field Day. It is a great learning experience for our ER kids as well as the many student helpers that participate in this magnificent event. Many of the supplies needed to make this event a success are earned through the “My Coke Rewards” program.

You can easily donate your points to Pueblo by following the instructions included in the flier below (click to enlarge). You earn points by going online and entering the code found on participating Coke products. It is a quick and easy way to donate to a great cause in our community.

Spread the word to your family and friends.

Together we can

make a difference!

If you have any questions, please contact Amy Dawson our Extended Resource Teacher. adawson@kyrene.org

Family Open House at Pueblo

Attention all current Pueblo

Families & incoming 6th

Grade Families:

Join us

Tuesday, March 29

6:00pm-7:30pm

at Pueblo’s

Spring Open House

Enjoy live music preformed by our band and orchestra as you stroll the grounds enjoying art by our very own Pueblo Student Artists.

To help welcome and ease the transition of our incoming 6th grade families, the 6th grade classrooms will be open allowing for some reassuring exploration!

Enjoy a yummy scientific experience by purchasing ice cream from Subzero. $2.50 for a 6oz cup

Stock up on the latest and greatest Pueblo necessities from the school store and Student Council.

Come enjoy the beautiful weather,

great music and meet new friends at

Pueblo’s Open House!

 

Used Sock Drive @ Pueblo

(information from above flier)

USED SOCK DRIVE

The Pueblo Middle School Green Club is sponsoring a used sock drive through the end of April. This drive is to benefit animals at no-kill shelters.

· The socks will be used as stuffing to make beds for the animals.

· We are asking you to please donate used, tattered, and one-of-a-kind socks lying around the house.

· Please have your child put the socks in the barrel by the front office or take them to room H3. Please make sure the socks are clean.

Thank you!!!

Youth Academy~

Need Spring Break Options for Keeping Your Teen Busy? Consider Officer Dieu's Youth Academy!
Please read the important message below from Pueblo's School Resource Officer Dieu.  This wonderful program runs Monday-Friday, March 14-18 -- coinciding with Kyrene's Spring Break week.   More details are provided below, but the highlights are this program is NO COST .... open to kids aged 12-17 ... lunch is included each day ....space is limited, so follow-up ASAP if you want to enroll your child.

 

The Chandler Youth Academy is a one-week program, which gives Chandler residents, age requirements are strictly 12-17, the opportunity to learn about various jobs and functions within the Chandler Police Department. Officers from the Traffic Unit, Patrol Division, Bike Team, K-9 and Community Resources and Training Section instruct students. Students get involved with hands-on activities which provides  them with a valuable learning experience and insight into police procedures, such as use of force, forensics, crime scene investigation and much more.

The Youth Academy was created to develop citizen awareness and understanding of the role of law enforcement. The Youth Academy is designed to educate students that working together can promote a safer community.

The Youth Academy is held one week during the Chandler Unified School District’s intercessions. The Academy runs Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

There is no charge for the Academy, and lunch is provided. Space is limited.

For questions or to enroll in the next Youth Academy, contact Kat Smart in the Crime Prevention Unit at 480-782-4521 or you may use the online application below.

Next Academy

Youth Academy
Monday, March 14, 2011 to Friday, March 18, 2011
9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Youth Academy
Monday, July 11, 2011 to Friday, July 15, 2011
9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Youth Academy
Monday, October 10, 2011 to Friday, October 14, 2011
9:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Citrus for the Hungry

Lions Club Arranges Citrus Disposal to Feed the Hungry   Saturday, March 5th  Between 10am and Noon
The Ahwatukee Lions Club has organized a Citrus Drive to A. help you get your trees cleaned off, and B. feed the hungry. You are invited to bring your edible citrus fruit to either St. Benedict's Catholic Church, 16223 S. 48th St. (between Chandler Blvd. & Frye Rd.) in partnership with St. Vincent de Paul or at Ahwatukee Assembly of God, 11832 S. Warner-Elliot Loop (next to Lomas Elementary School) for distribution from their Food Pantry. The date/time is Saturday, March 5th between 10 a.m. and Noon. If you would like to volunteer to help pick fruit at the homes of some of Ahwatukee's seniors, call Pam Hahn at 480-704-1232 for information.

Free Teen Event this Friday!

The City of Chandler

is hosting a FREE "I Love the 80's" Teen (7th & 8th grade) Dance this Friday at the Tumbleweed Recreation Center from 6-9pm.

Contact: Susan Fenton for more information 480-782-2908

Skateland

Come Skate/Rollerblade with your friends at

Skateland

Friday, February 25th
5pm - 8pm
$2.00 Admission
$3.00 for Skate or Rollerblade rental
Payment at the door on February 25th
Concession stand will be open

Skateland is located just west of Alma School on the south side of Ray Road.

5K / 1Mile Participants Congratulations!

We hope you are celebrating your success and feel proud of your accomplishment.

Thank you -  Thank you for being a part of our Third Annual Family Fitness 5K and 1 Mile Running Event.  We sincerely hope you had an enjoyable experience and will want to participate again next year.  We consider the event to be a huge success. 

Race Results  - Race results are posted on our website.  They will also be posted on www. Athlinks.com. 

http://www.palomapta.org/Running_Event.html

Photos – Also on our website, we have posted links to more than 2200 pictures.   Choose your favorite, order it, and pick it up at your neighborhood Walgreen’s, or ship it directly to your home.

Survey – We are already thinking of ways to improve our event for next year.  We would love to hear what you think.   Please take this short, 5 question survey.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2J56FQH

Thanks again for making it a great event.

Cheryl Thompson & Committee

What is PTO up to???

A quick recap of what PTO has been doing the past little while:

PTO gifted delicious handmade chocolates to every staff member as an appreciation for all their hard work first quarter

PTO will be donating $300 to help with Loretta Clayborne’s travel expenses. Read about Loretta and her amazing story here: www.lorettaclayborne.com or better yet – ask your child. All students have seen her inspiring video. She is a motivational speaker and will spend time with each team beginning February 7th. 

PTO will provide a breakfast for Loretta Clayborne and the Avi8tor team. The Avi8tors were key in initiating the visit from Loretta.

PTO will cover the expenses for Weekly Readers for the Top Dawgs team.

PTO will donate $150 (in the form of a Zoo Membership to be auctioned off) to the Taste of Kyrene event. This event supports the Kyrene Foundation. Learn how this foundation supports our kids: www.tasteofkyrene.org

There are many other things that the PTO does to support our school. We couldn’t do this without the generous donations and participation of our families at Pueblo.

Thank you for helping us Make a Difference!

Fitness Fun with Pueblo!

Saturday, January 22nd

FAMILY FITNESS 5K

5K Run/Walk – 1 Mile Run/Walk

Join us for this amazing day! Our neighboring grade school Paloma has been hosting this successful run for years and have graciously included Pueblo in this year’s event.

This isn’t a silly little run – this is THE REAL DEAL! Everyone from experienced runners to beginners will enjoy the professionalism and positive encouragement you will experience while participating in this event.

Not a runner? What a great way to kick off 2011 with a healthier you! Bring your family and friends and create a new habit together.

All proceeds benefit the school of your choice. Discounted pre-registered prices include the race, a medal and t-shirt.

DISCOUNTED

REGISTRATION

ENDS

JAN. 13TH!!!!

Click on the form to print or email Pueblo-PTO@hotmail.com for a copy.

You can also register easily online by going to www.active.com

QUESTIONS? email: FamilyFitness5k@gmail.com