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Excellence in Arizona Public Schools Recognized During ASBA/ASA Superintendents' Division Annual Conference
PHOENIX - December 15, 2009 - Nearly 500 school board members, superintendents and other public school leaders representing district and charter schools throughout Arizona gathered at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix on Dec. 9-11 for the 52nd joint annual conference of the Arizona School Boards Association (ASBA) and the Arizona School Administrators (ASA) Superintendents' Division.
During the conference's first two days, participants attended numerous educational sessions addressing issues critical to public school leadership. Many of the 32 sessions focused on aspects of "The Art of Leadership" - the theme for this year's conference.
In addition, Arizona's public school leaders were inspired and entertained by special presenters at the conference, including Sherman Alexie. Alexie, a National Book Award winner and bestselling author, film director, screenwriter, comedian and poet discussed the role education played in his journey from the Spokane Indian Reservation in Wellpinit, Wash., to the national stage. Joining Alexie was Tony Wagner, co-director of the Change Leadership Group at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (an initiative of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation). Wagner shared his thoughts on "The Seven Survival Skills for Careers, College & Citizenship in the 21st Century."
Annual Awards for Excellence in Public Education
The people and programs in Arizona's public schools that exemplified excellence in education in 2009 were also honored by the ASBA and ASA during the conference. A complete list of award winners follows:
ASBA Awards
♦ Barbara Robey Lifetime Achievement Award: Charlotte Patterson, retired teacher and former member of the Chandler Unified School District Governing Board.
This award honors an individual who has made outstanding contributions in support of public education and ASBA's mission through servant leadership over an extended period of time.
♦ Lou Ella Kleinz Award of Excellence: Vail Unified School District Governing Board
(Randy Kinkade, Margaret Burkholder, Anne Gibson, Debbie King and Jim Coulter)
This is highest honor the Arizona School Boards Association bestows on a governing board.
♦ All-Arizona School Board Award:
- Maxine Radtke, Osborn ESD
- Jim Love, Flowing Wells USD
- Mike DeLaO, Safford USD
- Anne Gibson, Vail USD
- Susan Kartchner, St. David USD
This is highest honor the ASBA bestows on individual governing board members.
♦ Total Board Award:
- Chandler Unified School District
- Crane Elementary School District
- Florence Unified School District
- Fountain Hills Unified School District
- Kayenta Unified School District
- Nadaburg Unified School District
- Osborn Elementary School District
- Parker Unified School District
- Prescott Unified School District
- St. David Unified School District
- Vail Unified School District
- Winslow Unified School District
This award is granted to a governing board when at least a quorum of members has attained the training level of Certificate of Boardsmanship, which requires 36 training hours.
♦ Master of Boardsmanship Cluster Awards: Forty-eight school board members will receive cluster awards for having completed more than 120 hours of training throughout their years of board service. Charles Wahler, who serves on the Grand Canyon Unified School District governing board, has the highest total training hours (400); he will receive the Master of Boardsmanship Fifth Cluster Award. For a complete list of Cluster Award winners, contact ASBA.
♦ Golden Bell Awards:
Elementary (pre-K through grade 6)
First Place: "Stinger City," Sycamore Elementary Staff, Vail USD
Runner Up: "Fathers Matter Project," Sunnyside USD
Middle Years (Grade 4-9)
First Place: "Osborn Ballet Program," Encanto and Clarendon Schools, Osborn ESD
Runner Up: "Project-Based Learning: Capstone/Career Exploration," Desert Arroyo Middle School, Cave Creek USD
High School (Grades 9-12)
First Place: "The Academies at Hamilton," Hamilton High School, Chandler USD
Runner Up: "Biotechnology Academy," Mesa High School, Mesa USD
District-wide Curriculum Delivery and Accountability Program
First Place: "Peoria Access to Technology at Home (PATH) Program," Peoria USD
Runner Up: "LEAD: Leaders in Education, Achievement and Data," Alhambra ESD
♦ Jack Peterson Scholarship
$2,000 award: Monique Streit, Grand Canyon High School, Grand Canyon USD
$1,000 awards: Briahna Preston, Antelope Union High School (Wellton), Antelope Union HSD; and Jisella Rose Williams, Blue Ridge High School (Lakeside), Blue Ridge USD
♦ Jack Peterson Student Photography Contest (not embargoed):
Color Category:
1st Place: "Havasu Falls," Lauren Madden, Senior, Fountain Hills High School, Fountain Hills USD
2nd Place: "Elusive Superstitions," Veronica Harrison, Senior, Desert Ridge High School (Mesa), Gilbert USD
3rd Place: "Frame the View," Megan Thrall, Junior, Hamilton High School (Chandler), Chandler USD
Black-and-White Category:
1st Place: "A Walk in the Park (Havasupai Nation)," Matt Brewer, Senior, Prescott High School, Prescott USD
2nd Place: "Windmill Sonoita," Ron Lilman, Junior, Amphitheater High School (Tucson), Amphitheater USD
3rd Place: "Horses," Leslie Schonhorst, Senior, Amphitheater High School (Tucson), Amphitheater USD
ASA Awards
♦ Arizona's representative for the American Association of School Administrators National Superintendent of the Year program
Dr. Nicholas Clement, Flowing Wells USD (Tucson)
♦ All-Arizona Superintendents Awards
Large district (5,001 or more students): Dr. Henry Schmitt, Humboldt USD
Medium District (1,001 to 5,000 students): Dr. Ronald Dickson, Laveen Elementary School District
Small District (1,000 or fewer students): Douglas Roe, Altar Valley ESD |
