MORRISTOWN - Broken dishes, shattered glass, rusted nuts and bolts as well as bits and pieces of outdated and out-of-style jewelry - it’s the kind of stuff recycling bins seemingly are made for... (read more)
Story: Really ‘Cool Junk’ Soon to Line Walls of Morristown School’s Community All-Purpose Room/Gym

STATEWIDE - The Arizona Educational Foundation (AEF) is proud to announce exemplary programs in seven Arizona public schools have been selected for the A+ Exemplary Program award...(read more)
Story: Arizona Educational Foundation Announces Arizona’s 2010 A+ Exemplary Programs

TUCSON - Catalina Foothills High School's Science Olympiad team won the state tournament Saturday for the third straight year...(read more)
Story: Foothills High wins state Science Olympiad

PHOENIX - Excel Ortega's brush sways across the page as he writes his name in Chinese calligraphy...(read more)

Story: Valley schools beginning to add Chinese language option

Movie tickets for one entire class from Know 99 Television

Know 99 wants to know! How would you train your dragon?

Teachers: for your chance to win screening passes for you and your students to the new film How to Train Your Dragon 3D, have your class send their top 5 dragon training tips to phoenixfreemovies@yahoo.com. The class with the most creative tips will win a special prize.

Please see the online flier for full details at http://www.phoenix.gov/know99/htd.pdf.

The deadline to enter is Friday, March 12 at 5pm.

Bring your kids to the Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival

Middle and high school students are invited to come out to the PSA-Wexler Hall, Tempe Campus ASU from 9:30 to 5pm on March 13 with a teacher or parent chaperone. Fifty of the most engaging professional mathematicians from across the country will converge to run a math festival for students in the Phoenix metro area.

For more information or to register, visit the website https://secure.msri.org/activities/specials/festival/index_html.

Do you know an Innovation Hero?
If so, Science Foundation Arizona wants to hear from you.

Innovation Heroes are educators and students who are making significant strides in science, technology, engineering and math education. Innovation Heroes are from schools anywhere in Arizona, in metro or rural parts of the state, and can be nominated by anyone - fellow students, teachers, parents, administrators or members of the community.

Innovation Heroes is one of Science Foundation Arizona's most popular community outreach programs, as winners are not only recognized for their outstanding achievements, but also awarded a monetary prize for their work ($500 for teachers/educators and a savings bond worth $1000 for students). It is a way for us to highlight STEM successes in our state and showcase the schools and individuals responsible for great things that are happening in Arizona education every day.

For more information about the criteria and to submit a nomination, please visit the SFAz Web site and download the Innovation Heroes form. Click Here to Download

Simply fill it in, complete the brief essay portion and send it back to us at hwilkinson@sfaz.org. The program is ongoing and statewide, so the more nominations we receive, the more winners we can honor.

The Arizona Center for STEM Teachers Spring 2010 Short Course at Biosphere 2

Systems Synergy: How are Earth's systems interrelated? Through an interdisciplinary approach using Physics, Biology, Chemistry, and Earth/Space Science, leading researchers and educators will share their knowledge and promote hands-on, classroom applications in the exciting field of Earth System Sciences. Come discover the connections found within the systems of Water, Air, Land, and Life.

When: April 23rd - 25th, 2010

Where: Biosphere 2

To apply on-line, and for more information, please click here http://www.az-stem-teachers.org/geospheres.html



Want an Art Project in Your Community?

Artist Juanita Hull-Carlson is currently looking for "Artist in residency" assignments for the 2010-11 school year. Her work on two community art projects with Morristown School is highlighted in the story above [Click Here].

Hull-Carlson would love to talk with any school or community organization about the possibility of doing an art project in their community. She can be reached via her website, www.zenzibar.com/juanita  .



Register now for Celebrating Opportunities Conference Focus is on new approaches to educating diverse student populations

The Arizona School Boards Association will host this year’s Celebrating Educational Opportunities for Students of All Cultures Conference, March 25-28 at the Arizona Grand Resort in Phoenix. This event, which brings together public school leaders from four states, is designed to give attendees information about new approaches in successfully educating their diverse student populations. Programs, projects and strategies that have proven successful will be highlighted. Three excellent keynote speakers will challenge and motivate attendees to meet the educational needs of students of all cultures:

• Jacob Moore is the former president of the Arizona State Board of Education and also serves as tribal relations coordinator for the Arizona State University Office of Public Affairs, where he helps to coordinate the American Indian Newly Elected Official (AINEO) program.
• Arturo Vargas, a nationally recognized expert in Latino demographic trends, electoral participation, voting rights, the Census, and redistricting, is the current executive director of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO).
• Joe Prince is an author, special educator and head track and field coach at Sahuarita High School in southern Arizona, who overcame mild autism and cancer to achieve his dream of inspiring and motivating young people.

ASBA encourages Arizona school board members and administrators to take advantage of this unique opportunity to network with governing board members and school staff, engage in courageous conversations about what can be done to meet the educational needs of all children, and hear about ways to create pathways to success for both students and staff. For details and to register, click on the Celebrating Opportunities link in the What’s New section of the ASBA home page: www.azsba.org

Arizona PTA is looking for volunteersto assist with the upcoming State Convention to be held June 4-6. Please contact Lisa Blackhorse, Convention Chair, at Lisa.Blackhorse@yahoo.com

 
Ask your friends and colleagues to log onto www.azschoolsmakeadifference.org and sign up to receive our weekly newsletter. They will be one of the first to hear about good things happening in public education around the state.

 
We are looking for impressive stories about how Arizona's teachers, students and schools are making a difference every day. Log onto www.azschoolsmakeadifference.org and submit your stories.