Posts Tagged ‘Roosevelt School District’
Posted by South Mountain Villager on December 15, 2011
Tax credits are a great way to provide RSD students with access to extracurricular activities
Are you looking for a great way to get a tax credit while helping out the students of the Roosevelt School District? You can still get your last minute tax credit for 2011. All you have to do is fill out the form to your right and you’ll be helping out our students while helping out yourself as well.
Getting the tax credit is simple. A tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar reduction in the actual tax amount owed. For example, if you owe $800 in state income taxes and you donate $400 to a public school for extracurricular activities, you may subtract the $400 from your tax bill and pay the state just $400. If you anticipate a refund from the state, it would increase by the amount of your contribution, assuming you had that amount withheld.
According to state law, these donations must be used for extracurricular activities. With your help, Roosevelt School District is able to offer tutoring, band, music, art, recreational activities, and much more. Extracurricular activities help children develop qualities such as leadership, team play, and cooperation, as well as provide safe, supervised activities after school hours. Thanks to you, these programs could be available to all Roosevelt students.
All Arizona taxpayers are eligible to take advantage of this tax credit regardless of whether or not they have children in our schools. A married couple filing jointly may contribute and receive a tax credit up to $400. A single individual may contribute up to $200. Donations must be received by December 31 in order to be eligible for the tax credit this calendar year. A receipt will be provided for tax purposes.
For more information, call 602-243-4800 or visit our website at www.rsd.k12.az.us to download a copy of our tax credit brochure.
Posted in Community, Education, kids, positive news, RSD, SoMo Village | Tagged: extracurricular activities, Roosevelt School District, tax credit | Leave a Comment »
Posted by South Mountain Villager on September 28, 2011
Community Information and Resource Fair
We are your neighbor. The Southern Baptist Temple Church. 6520 South Central Avenue. We are having a Community Information and Resource Fair October 22nd. 10 AM- 2 PM. Come on over, have a free hot dog, chips and drink. Meet your old friends, make new friends and get information on services available in your community for when you need help. Free games and prizes for the kids, goodies for the adults, entertainment for all. Some of the services offered: Southern Baptist Temple Church, Unlimited Potential, Arizona Humane Society, South Mountain YMCA, Foundation for Senior Living, South Mountain Community College, Rio Vista Baptist Center, South Mountain Community Center, Victory High School, South Pointe High School, Roosevelt School District, Ocotillo Library, Duet Elderly Program, Burning Bush Ministries, Works Drug Program, Ballet Folk Lorico Del Camino Real, Know Your Mountain and much more. You’ll find something for everyone.
Posted in Community, Events, kids, non-profit organization, positive news, SoMo Village | Tagged: Arizona Humane Society, Ballet Folk Lorico Del Camino Real, Burning Bush Ministries, chips and drink, Duet Elderly Program, entertainment for all, Foundation for Senior Living, Free games and prizes for the kids, free hot dog, goodies for the adults, Know Your Mountain, Ocotillo Library, Rio Vista Baptist Center, Roosevelt School District, South Mountain Community Center, South Mountain Community College, South Mountain YMCA, South Pointe High School, Southern Baptist Temple Church, Unlimited Potential, Victory High School, Works Drug Program | Leave a Comment »
Posted by South Mountain Villager on September 5, 2011
Roosevelt School District names Dr. Jacqueline Jackson as new Superintendent
Jacqueline Jackson
Phoenix, AZ – The Roosevelt School District Governing Board has named Dr. Jacqueline Jackson as the new Superintendent of the Roosevelt Elementary School District. Dr. Jackson has her Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale. In addition, Dr. Jackson holds a Master of Education in Educational Administration and Supervision from Arizona State University, West Campus, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Chicago State University. Her previous experience includes Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning at Roosevelt and eight years as a Principal in the Washington Elementary School District.
“My parents were two of the first African-American Shell Oil service station franchisees in the Chicago area. They operated four Shell stations in the late sixties, in addition to a used car dealership,” said Dr. Jackson. “My parents taught me that hard work leads to personal success. That was a valuable life lesson.”
“I was quite lucky to grow up with many loving, excellent adult role models in my parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles,” said Dr. Jackson. “It is well-known that children will follow the lead of the important adults in their lives.”
Dr. Jackson added that no other job can give you the kind of satisfaction you can get from working in a public school organization. “No other job can help to mold a future generation of competent, successful, contributing adults,” said Dr. Jackson. “That is the nature of the important work that we do! That is the nature of a public school system.”
Posted in RSD, South Mountain Villager | Tagged: Jacqueline Jackson, Roosevelt School District | Leave a Comment »
Posted by South Mountain Villager on April 1, 2011
Roosevelt School District selling engraved bricks for new P.L. Julian School
As part of a fundraiser for P.L. Julian School and the Roosevelt School District, the District is selling engraved bricks. The bricks will be used as part of a design element near the flagpole area of the new P.L. Julian School, set to open for the 2011 – 2012 school year. Any member of the community may purchase a brick with a personalized message. The bricks are being sold for $35.00 and messages can be up to three lines with 17 characters per line, including spaces and punctuation. The idea for selling the bricks came out of the P.L. Julian Taskforce Committee, a committee made up of South Phoenix residents who have ties to the old Julian School, either as teachers, administrators, former students or as parents of current students.
“This is a great way for the community to have a part in celebrating a new school with a deep and rich history in South Phoenix,” said Superintendent Mary Beyda.
The engraved bricks will be sold through May 31, 2011. To order a brick, call the Roosevelt School District’s Community Relations Department at 602-243-4807 to request an order form or send an e-mail to Joseph.Ortiz@rsd.k12.az. You can also go to the District’s website at www.rsd.k12.az.us and download an order form. Forms are also available at the P.L. Julian School front office located at 2149 E. Carver, Phoenix, AZ. 85042.
P.L. Julian Alumni asked to submit their photo memories for school’s dedication
Do you have class photos from your days at P.L. Julian School? If so, we want to see them! Please drop off your photos anytime during the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the Roosevelt School District Office, 6000 S. 7th St., Phoenix, AZ. (SW corner of 7th St. and Southern), attention Mr. Kelly Solomon. Photos can be free standing but if you are able to scan photos onto a CD, even better. Either way, we want to see your school memories. Photos must be unframed, and no larger than 8 x 10 and no smaller than 3 x 5. We cannot accept entire photo albums and photos must be in an envelope that is able to be sealed. Please write the following information legibly on the outside of the envelope: name, phone number, address, and e-mail address if you have one. Some photos will be used to update the P.L. Julian School website. Photos will be returned to you within one to two weeks. The Roosevelt School District is not responsible for damage done to old and weathered photos. Built in 1948, P.L. Julian is the District’s oldest school. For more information on submitting your P.L. Julian photo memories, please contact Kelly Solomon at 602-243-4958 or via e-mail at Kelly.Solomon@rsd.k12.az.us.
Posted in Community, Education, kids, positive news, RSD, South Mountain Villager | Tagged: fundraiser, P.L. Julian School, Roosevelt School District | Leave a Comment »
Posted by South Mountain Villager on February 22, 2011
Roosevelt School District Teacher Receives Prestigious
Rodel Exemplary Teacher Honor
The Roosevelt School District is proud to announce that Patricia Perkins, a third grade teacher at Cloves Campbell School, has been named one of eight Rodel Exemplary Teachers in Maricopa County. This is a unique program that not only honors outstanding teachers in Arizona’s high-need schools but also enlists them to train the next generation of educators. Ms. Perkins is one of eight teachers, along with five in Flagstaff and Tucson, who will receive $10,000 in savings bonds and be honored at an awards banquet in March. Most importantly, each will mentor six student teachers — one each semester — for the next three years, beginning next fall.
“We celebrate the smallest accomplishments of each student,” said Ms. Perkins. “This helps my students become confident and feel proud of themselves.”
Her advice to new teachers is to always begin each day with a positive attitude. “Remember that every days is a new day,” Perkins added. “We learn from our mistakes as well as our triumphs.”
Posted in Education, positive news, SMCC | Tagged: Patricia Perkins, Rodel Exemplary Teachers, Roosevelt School District | Leave a Comment »
Posted by South Mountain Villager on February 19, 2011
Roosevelt School District to host
Arts and Academics Event
on March 26 at John R. Davis School
On Saturday, March 26, the Roosevelt School District (RSD) will hold its second annual 
Arts and Academics in RSD at John R. Davis School, 6209 S. 15th Avenue, Phoenix, from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. The event kicks off with a community breakfast from 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. The event will include interactive tables where children can create art projects in addition to academic displays from each of the schools in the district. Choir, band, dance and cheer groups will be performing throughout the day. Many of the schools will be selling snacks, drinks and other food items as fundraisers for their respective schools. In addition, there will be several community booths providing information that is of importance to children and their families. Please mark your calendars for this great event next month.
Event Information:
What: Arts and Academics in RSD
Where: J.R. Davis School
6209 S. 15th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85041
When: Saturday – March 26, 2011
Arts and Academics Event (9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.)
Posted in Community, Events, kids, positive news, RSD | Tagged: Arts and Academics Event, band, cheer groups, Choir, community breakfast, create art projects, dance, Roosevelt School District | Leave a Comment »
Posted by South Mountain Villager on June 19, 2010
Roosevelt Provides Free Meals & Immunizations for Community Children
It takes a lot to keep children healthy. In a tough economy with many people out of work, it is nice to know that families can rely on the Roosevelt schools to provide help for their children. That is why we want the community to know about two unique programs being offered. First, Roosevelt is providing a free “Summer Meal Program” for all children. Second, the School District continues to offer a free immunization clinic.
This summer the Roosevelt School District is serving over 25,000 free lunches. The 
District’s Child Nutrition Services Department is offering healthy balanced meals to any child under the age of 18 (Children do not need to be enrolled with Roosevelt as students to receive free meals through this program). These high quality meals will be provided 4 days a week (Monday–Thursday from June 16 through July 17).
Both breakfast and lunch will be available at 12 school locations. Black, Bush, Campbell, Chavez, Conchos, and Jorgenson will serve children free breakfast from 7:00 am to 8:00 
am and free lunch from 11:00 am to12:00 pm. Lassen, Pastor, Rose Linda, Sierra Vista, Southwest, and Valley View will serve children free breakfast from 7:30 am to 8:30 am and free lunch from 11:30 am to12:30 pm. All children are welcome.
Roosevelt’s “Summer Meal Program” is part of a larger nationally funded and state operated program to ensure that no child goes hungry. The United State Department of Agriculture sponsors the program as a way to partner with local communities.
“Children are always growing, so we can’t afford to take the summer off with regards to nutrition. I am excited to be providing such high quality meals for free through our community schools,” said Jim Hemmen, Roosevelt’s “Top Chef” and Child Nutrition Supervisor.
Eating good food is just part of keeping children healthy. Families know another way to protect children is to immunize them from diseases. So the Roosevelt School District has been providing immunizations to the children in our community, for free, for many years now.
This past school year, the district provided 1,187 immunizations to 424 children. Retired Roosevelt School District Nurse Hordis (Jordy) Wallace has enabled us to keep our clinic up and running all these years. We are very thankful for all she has and continues to do to keep our children properly immunized.
Roosevelt’s immunization clinic is run out of the Student Support Services building (located at 6218 S. 7th St., Phoenix, AZ. 85042). The free immunization clinic will begin again on July 28. Roosevelt will be accepting walk in patients on July 28 and 29 from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm and July 30th from 8:30 am – 1:00 pm. The week of August 2-4, we will be open 8:30 am – 4:30 pm. After that, the free immunization clinic will be open every Tuesday (2:00 pm – 4:30 pm) and Wednesday (8:00 am – 10:00 pm), except during school holidays.
Posted in City of Phoenix, Community, Education, positive news, RSD, SoMo Village | Tagged: children, free meals, Roosevelt School District, RSD | Leave a Comment »
Posted by South Mountain Villager on May 29, 2010
Tax Payer Money Building New Schools in Roosevelt
You may have noticed a little dust around the schools in Roosevelt over the past year. That is because the District has been busy with 16 major remodeling projects; renovating existing facilities and breaking ground for two new campuses. Many of these projects have already been completed (on time and on budget), and the remaining improvements are scheduled to be done by the summer of 2011.
While most of Arizona’s school districts are cutting back, Roosevelt has been building new gymnasiums, art studios, band rooms, computer labs, and whole wings of classrooms. New bus bays, basketball canopies, performance stages, restrooms, and patio areas were developed, too. In addition to completing major landscaping and paint jobs at several campus sites, many roofs have been repaired and lots of new air conditioning units have been installed.
All of this activity is possible because the voters approved a $60 million bond initiative in 2007. Thanks to the District’s excellent financial planning, taxpayer’s in our South Mountain community are also saving another $10 million in interest costs on those bonds. Roosevelt got the bonds covered under the United States Federal Stimulus Package last year because the District’s projects were “shovel ready.”
Here is a quick list of Roosevelt’s major projects:
Percy L. Julian ($12.9 million) new school
T. G. Barr ($14.3 million) new school
C.O. Greenfield($3.7 million) new gym
Valley View ($3.4 million) new gym
Amy L. Houston Academy ($2.4 million) 6 new classrooms including an art room
Cloves C. Campbell Sr. ($2.4 million) 6 new classrooms including a band room
Southwest ($2.2 million) wing of new classrooms & bus bay
Bernard Black ($1.7 million) 6 new classrooms, computer room, & canopy
Sunland ($1.2 million) new air conditioning units & roof repairs
Martin Luther King Preschool Center ($1.8 million) renovations
Rose Linda ($950,000) new air conditioning units, roof repairs, & restrooms added
Ed and Verma Pastor ($850,000) new air conditioning units & roof repairs
V. H. Lassen ($845,000) new air conditioning units, roof repairs, & restrooms added
John F. Kennedy ($800,000) courtyard, performance area, air conditioning, & restrooms
C. J. Jorgenson ($700,000) new air conditioning units, roof repairs, & restrooms added
Maxine O. Bush ($415,000) performance stage & sitting area
Posted in City of Phoenix, Community, Education, positive news, RSD | Tagged: new schools, Roosevelt School District, Tax dollars, upgrades | Leave a Comment »
Posted by South Mountain Villager on March 17, 2010
Preparing Our Students to Do Their Best on AIMS: Simple Test Taking Tips
April may bring spring showers, but in Arizona, it also means AIMS testing for our schools.
From April 6-17, Roosevelt students in grades 3-8 will be tested in the core subjects of math, reading, writing, and science. The results of these standardized tests are utilized by the Arizona Department of Education to determine a school’s performance level, both for AZ Learns and Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).
For 2009 more than 95% of Roosevelt’s Schools were classified as performing. Over 60% of the District’s schools earned the “performing plus” label. On average, across all grade levels tested, Roosevelt scored 9% better in math and 10% better in reading. While the students and teachers are proud of their accomplishment last year, they have been working hard to do even better this on this year’s tests.
In order to continue that academic achievement, Roosevelt has implemented several diagnostic tools and benchmark exams. The Success For All reading program and the Superintendent’s Math club have helped provide structured practice for students. Each day the Roosevelt District’s 
teachers prepare new lessons to help our students gain a mastery of the subject matter in all of their classes. At school the students are working hard to learn as much as they can.
However, everyone in the community has an opportunity to help the children do well on these tests. Here are a few suggestions for supporting our students:
–Make sure that your child is in school during the testing sessions.
–Do not plan any medical or dental appointments on test dates.
–Make sure that your child arrives at school on time. Late students
will not be allowed to enter a classroom after a test has started.
–Encourage your child to listen carefully to all test-taking directions given
by the teacher and to ask questions about any directions that are unclear.
–See that your child gets the proper amount of sleep before the tests and is well-rested.
–Make sure that your child eats a nutritious breakfast on the day of the test.
Hunger can detract from a good test performance.
–Encourage your child to do his or her best.
We wish all the students good luck with their AIMS tests (the kind of luck that is “earned” as golfing professional Lee Trevino described it): “The more you practice and prepare, the luckier you seem to get!”
Posted in kids, RSD | Tagged: AIMS, kids, Roosevelt School District | Leave a Comment »
Posted by South Mountain Villager on February 9, 2010
Roosevelt School District
Innovative Educator Joins Roosevelt Team
District Welcomes Dr. Jacqueline Jackson as New
Associate Superintendent of Teaching & Learning
Phoenix, AZ – Recently, the Roosevelt Elementary School District welcomed Dr. Jacqueline Jackson with a Community Breakfast. The event was hosted by the P.R. Club at the V.H Lassen School.
Dr. Jackson will serve as the District’s new Associate Superintendent of Teaching and Learning. She has won numerous awards, honors, and recognition for her outstanding work as an educator. Her credentials include a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University, a Masters of Educational Administration from Arizona State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Chicago State University. Teaching in Illinois, Arkansas, and Arizona, Dr. Jackson has experience working with children from grades K-12. She also has school leadership and district administration experience as a principal at multiple sites and directing the Title I Federal Grant Programs in the Washington Elementary School District.
The Arizona Cardinals Preparatory Academy is a good example of Dr. Jackson’s innovative leadership. Under her guidance the school maintained smaller class sizes and extended additional learning opportunities for students. She also developed partnerships with the University of Phoenix, Arizona Cardinals Football Club, and Communities in Schools. These partnerships allowed for special enrichment programs and parent involvement, making the school a family center for education.
With her research on professional learning communities in high and low performing schools, it was fitting that Dr. Jackson’s welcome ceremony was hosted at the P.R Club. “Positive Reflections” is an extra-curricular entrepreneurial program at the Lassen School that has been operating for over 20 years in the Roosevelt School District. Students earn a food handlers card, figure out budgeting for the bakery, and balance the restaurant’s check book. Middle school children from 5th-8th grade learn money management while delivering a tasty product and friendly service every Friday morning from 7-8am.
Dr. Jackson stated that “The P.R. Club is a model program which encourages independent thinking. I am excited to be in a leadership role in the Roosevelt School District; working with a progressive, innovative, and collaborative team of educators and support staff to ensure that all students receive exceptional learning experiences. I look forward to meeting and engaging with students, staff, parents, and community members across the District.”
We welcome Dr. Jackson, and look forward to her tour of community events throughout the Roosevelt School District over the next few months.
Posted in City of Phoenix, Community, positive news, RSD | Tagged: Roosevelt School District, RSD | Leave a Comment »
Posted by South Mountain Villager on January 23, 2010
Holiday Presents Come Early for Outstanding Teacher
What if a magic cube showed up at your door? What could fit into a box measuring 1 meter high, 1 meter wide, and 1 meter long?
Earlier this year the children at V.H. Lassen School wondered about these questions. The 5th graders also giggled and chatted outside of their classroom in anticipation of surprising their teacher. You see, they were helping their principal and a crew from Office Max deliver a special gift.
Their teacher, Irma Payan, was selected for “A Day Made Better.” Principal Hamed El-Afandi nominated Ms. Payan for this program because of her dedication to the children. Office Max looks for teachers who are committed to student achievement. “Every year Ms. Payan spends so much of her own money to provide supplies for the students. I thought it was time to give something back to her after 28 years of excellent service to the Roosevelt School District.”
Fortunately, Office Max helps 1,300 teachers across the nation each year by delivering all of these special boxes on the same day. Each box is packed full of school materials to keep the teacher’s classroom well supplied. Their “Day Made Better” program was founded in direct response to the fact that collectively across the United States, over 3.2 million teachers spend $4 billion of their own money annually to provide necessary materials for their students. Through these generous donations, Office Max works to “erase teacher funded classrooms.”
However, part of the fun is that Office Max surprises the winners. So no one knows who will get that magic cube at their door. They also don’t know exactly what will be inside the box. It is kind of like Santa Claus coming early. Should we see what Ms. Payan and her class of students got?
The local Arizona Office Max “Impress” Team packed this gift box full of the following items: chair, printer, digital camera, flash drive, dry
erase board, computer paper, colored paper pens, pencils, markers, crayons, clips, folders, post-it notes, and lots of other knick knacks.
When asked for her initial reaction, Ms. Payan said “I just told the kids that I am going to get a new chair and printer after school today.” So the timing and contents were perfect for this special gift box because it truly did make her day better.
We thank all of the teachers and staff throughout the Roosevelt School District for their continued dedication to the children. Each student is like a magic cube because you just never know what each child will grow up to become. The Roosevelt educators make a difference in our neighborhoods every day by doing what is necessary to provide for student learning (unlocking the special contents inside each child).
Posted in Community, Education, Events, kids, RSD | Tagged: Roosevelt School District | Leave a Comment »
Posted by South Mountain Villager on August 27, 2009
The number of Valley homeless children is at an all-time high;
McCarthy’s Education Services team stepped in to help
McCarthy Heart Hats, the community involvement arm of McCarthy Building Companies Inc., led by employees
L to R – Roosevelt School Superintendent Chris Brown; McCarthy Project Director Justin Kelton, Project Director, McCarthy Business Development Manager Tara Malloy and McCarthy Project Director Mark Snider.
from the McCarthy Education Services team in Arizona, recently donated 15 large boxes filled with schools supplies to the Roosevelt Elementary School District’s Homeless Education Program in Phoenix.
As part of its Homeless Education Program, the Roosevelt Elementary School District provides tutoring, uniforms, personal hygiene items, transportation, backpacks and other school supplies to children in need. Last year, the need quadrupled to more than 800 identified homeless children, compared with 180 children the previous year. Donations became even more important and the McCarthy Heart Hats committee stepped in to help collect supplies, which included binders, notebooks, backpacks, pens and pencils, personal hygiene items and snacks, among other items.
“Donations are truly valued as they impact the quality and level of assistance we provide to homeless students. As a result of donations, Roosevelt School District is able to enhance the efforts and support to students who are homeless so they can fully benefit from their educational experiences,” said Cynthia Bryant, Director of Federal Programs for the Roosevelt Elementary School District. “These donations truly impact our delivery of a very comprehensive homeless program.”
The McCarthy Heart Hats community outreach program is dedicated to ensuring real community needs are being met through hands-on activities and financial support. Last year alone, more than $1 million in financial support, in-kind and hands-on building contributions were made through the program.
“The Homeless Education Program is incredibly valuable in our community and it’s extremely important we help support them,” said Bo Calbert, president of McCarthy’s Southwest region. “We are grateful to all who contributed and feel privileged to be able to donate these much-needed school items, especially in these tough economic times when the need reaches new heights.”
The McCarthy Heart Hats community outreach program is dedicated to encouraging, supporting and recognizing McCarthy employees’ volunteer efforts in a variety of causes where employees work, live and play. McCarthy employees are as passionate about building better communities as they are about construction. The McCarthy Heart Hats committee hosts an annual fundraising golf tournament and is currently accepting nonprofit grant applications: http://www.mccarthy.com/locations/phoenix/. McCarthy employees are also encouraged to take part in community outreach individually and through company-sponsored activities, including a company-wide paid volunteer day.
About McCarthy Building Companies
Ranked among the “Best Places to Work” by The Business Journal, McCarthy has helped define the Arizona landscape for more than 30 years. Founded in 1864, McCarthy is one of the oldest and largest privately held construction firms in the nation. McCarthy’s Southwest Region has a divisional office in Las Vegas and operates in Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah. The company is the nation’s 10th largest domestic general contractor (Engineering News-Record, May 2008). In addition to the firm’s offices in Arizona and Nevada, McCarthy also has offices in Newport Beach, San Diego, Sacramento and San Francisco, Calif.; St. Louis; Dallas; and Atlanta. McCarthy is 100 percent employee owned. For more information, visit www.mccarthy.com.
Posted in RSD, Volunteers | Tagged: donations, Roosevelt School District, school supplies | Leave a Comment »
Posted by South Mountain Villager on June 15, 2009
How was your summer, slick? “Keen.” Rumor has it that you did summer school. “Yes, my parents thought I should get ahead.” (Excerpt from the opening of the Dead Poet’s Society)
What would happen if every classroom had a teacher as dynamic as the “Mr. Keating” character played by Robin Williams in this classic movie about education? School would be a lot more fun, and the children might learn a lot more both in and out of the classroom. In fact, kids might even want to attend summer school.
This summer the Roosevelt School District offered an incredible learning experience for students. Children who registered for the month long summer school program (from June to July) had the opportunity for intensive instruction in reading and math. The kids got small group and individual level attention that is normally not possible during the regular school year. To help motivate the students a host of prizes were given away including popsicles, ice cream sundaes, free movie tickets, special field trips, and free dress day coupons (which allow students to wear something other than their school uniforms for a day).
In addition to educating the students, Roosevelt’s summer school program helped train new teachers. For the second 
consecutive year, the District was selected by Teach For America (TFA) to host a training institute. TFA is a national service organization (part of Americorps) which recruits outstanding recent college graduates and working professionals to teach our nation’s youth. As one of TFA’s six national institute sites for new teacher training, Roosevelt students benefited greatly from this collaboration. TFA Phoenix Executive Director Pearl Chang Esau commented that “we are very excited to be partnering with Roosevelt again this year. The Phoenix Institute will allow us to train more teachers to service several Teach For America regions across the country. We want our teachers to be prepared to teach, mentor, and inspire students throughout the United States.”
TFA corps members participate in a rigorous five-week summer institute, during which they develop the foundational knowledge, skills, and mindsets needed to be highly effective beginning teachers. At the institute, new teachers engage in opportunities for practice, observation, coaching, careful planning, and thoughtful reflection while working under the guidance of a team of veteran educators to provide a quality education to local summer school students.
The TFA Phoenix institute is partnering with Roosevelt Elementary School District, Agua Fria Union High School District, and Arizona State University. Amanda Burke, ASU’s Director for Education Innovation and Policy, explained that “ASU is thrilled to be hosting the Phoenix Institute on its Tempe campus. ASU fosters career development for Teach For America alumni living and working in Arizona, including access to ASU graduate school fellowships and scholarships.”
Over 3,000 students will be taught by the 650 corps members attending TFA’s Phoenix Summer Institute. Roosevelt students will know their math facts better, and be able to read with increased fluency and comprehension thanks to this new teacher training partnership. Fortunately, Roosevelt has many highly qualified faculty who will serve as advisors and coaches guiding the new teachers in their classrooms. Along with ASU, TFA, and their Agua Fria collaborators, the Roosevelt teachers are focusing the curriculum around the highest academic areas of need for each grade level of students. In this way, everybody wins—students, teachers, and the wider community.
So even though “it is summertime and the living is easy,” the Roosevelt School District is encouraging its students to “Gather ye rosebuds while ye may . . ., Carpe Diem . . ., and Seize the Day!” (as Mr. Keating from the Dead Poet’s Society would say)
Posted in RSD | Tagged: Roosevelt School District, students, summer | Leave a Comment »
Posted by South Mountain Villager on June 10, 2009
Health Fair Just One of Many Successful Programs Offered by Roosevelt Schools
On May 9th the Ignacio Conchos School hosted its First Annual Community Health Fair. Free health and nutrition information was distributed by 31 different health provider agencies who attended the fair. For example, children and adults got information and services for their teeth in the dental bus. At the blood drive van adults were able to donate blood and get a mini physical. Hearing and health screenings were also available for families in the “Safari bus.” Fresh and Easy donated lunches to both vendors and volunteers. To keep things fun, students and their parents enjoyed a kids maze, the Suns gorilla, and a DJ playing music, too.
The community health fair is just one example of the events happening in the Roosevelt Schools. Many schools host Fall and Spring festivals or carnivals associated with seasonal holidays such as Halloween and Cinco De Mayo. Children parade in costumes, play games, step dance, do crafts, and get their faces painted. Students and their families can participate in the Red Ribbon week drug prevention program or weekend “Serve-A-Thons” and service learning projects where they give back to the community by volunteering their time or helping with food drives. Various classes also present plays, shows, demonstrations, concerts, and sporting events for the community to observe, while teaching the students to express themselves through poetry, art, science, music, or athletics.
The Roosevelt District also hosts business luncheons and legislative dinners to build support for our public schools. Roosevelt partners with several different organizations in the process of educating our children: The South Mountain and Laveen Chamber of Commerce, Roosevelt Education Association, Be A Leader Foundation, Arizona State 
University, Teach For America, Campfire USA, City of Phoenix, Pearson’s Publishing, John’s Hopkins Center for Data Driven Education Reform, and Ear Candy are just a few. These partners ensure that Roosevelt students have the best programs, resources, and technology available. Every classroom will eventually have an interactive white board thanks to their help and the donations of many other businesses and individuals (not to mention generous development grants). These partners also offered community leadership with a $60 million bond. That money is now funding a new west side campus, in addition to Bernard Black, as well as a full remodel/renovation of the Julian, Barr, and Amy Houston facilities.
All of these efforts are aimed at improving the quality of education for our students to ensure academic excellence. Some children participate in the Success for All Reading program. Teachers use innovative and flexible grouping strategies to instruct children beyond the basic classroom. Others get involved with the Superintendent’s Math Club. These kinds of programs offer fun ways for students to practice critical academic skills. Workbooks with local references allow the whole family to help out at home and reinforce what is being taught at school. At the end of the school year some kids even earn prizes such as a new bike based on their participation. Other programs such as Teen Court and the PR Restaurant Business Club allow students to apply what they have learned in real world settings. Maybe that is why Roosevelt students’ reading and math AIMS scores have significantly improved over the last 5 years, increasing more than 6 times the state’s average gains in each of these subjects.
According to the Arizona Department of Education, over 90% of Roosevelt’s 21 Schools are ranked as performing or performing plus. The Roosevelt School District was also recently recognized for “outstanding leadership and support of school based research with children,” earning an award from the Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center at ASU. As the school year comes to a close, we thank the community for standing behind the public schools and pushing Roosevelt to achieve academic greatness!
Posted in RSD | Tagged: learning, Roosevelt School District, students | Leave a Comment »
Posted by South Mountain Villager on May 7, 2009
Roosevelt School District – May 2009
Growth, improvement, and innovation are taking place in the Roosevelt School District. As the current school year winds down, the District is preparing to address the educational needs of children and their families for the next several years.
Innovation comes to the District through the Roosevelt Community Technology Center (RCTC). The City of Phoenix recently approved a $975,000 community development grant for the RCTC whose mission is to aid and enhance existing educational and community programs by offering free access to computers, the internet, and multimedia learning for all ages.
This community partnership ensures that the students of the Roosevelt Elementary School District do not stop learning when they leave school. Services and programs are provided in conjunction with the Be A Leader Foundation, and they focus on educational and professional development. The RCTC is a safe haven and a venue for children and families in the South Mountain community. The RCTC is located at 6029 S. 7th St., Phoenix.
As the South Mountain community grows, so does the school district. During the week of March 23-27, 2009 the District conducted Kindergarten registration events. Parents were invited to attend a special presentation at their neighborhood school to receive assistance with the registration process. The District partnered with the United Way to provide School Readiness Kits to each family that registered their child. These kits contain books, a CD with children’s songs, number and letter teaching tools, a Kindergarten handbook, and other materials to aid in preparing children for school.
Community growth also leads to construction and improvement to District schools. Currently there are three new schools under development, including: (1) new campus to replace Julian, which will serve students living within the Julian and King boundaries; (2) new campus to replace Barr, which will serve students living within the Barr and Sierra Vista boundaries; and (3) new school on the west side at a location to be determined in the area between 29th Avenue to 35th Avenue and Baseline Road to Broadway Road.
The District prides itself on small classroom sizes and comfortable space for students to learn; therefore, new schools for Julian and Barr are necessary because Julian and Sierra Vista are nearly 60 years old. The west side school is being built to address anticipated growth in that area already witnessed by overcrowding at Bernard Black.
Please call your neighborhood school or the Roosevelt School District Office at 602-243-4800 for more information regarding student registration for the 2009-10 academic year.
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