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Outstanding
Teachers
Acacia Kindergarten
teacher Sharon
Michael was selected
as Outstanding
Mentor Teacher in the
ASU Mary Lou Fulton
Teachers College
iTeachAZ program.
Sharon was nominated by her teacher candidates
Christina Chaira and Laura Hinz, as well as
her iTeachAZ site coordinator Michele Amrein.
Sharon was selected among approximately 455
iTeachAZ mentors statewide for going above
and beyond in support of her student teacher.
Sharon was one of two chosen to receive this
honor and will have the opportunity to sit on the
stage during the May 13 convocation ceremony.
Sharon is the third WESD teacher to receive
this honor in the last two years. Ryan Rodgers,
fourth grade teacher at Sahuaro, won the honor
in 2014. His wife, Melissa, a second grade
teacher at Sahuaro, won in December 2015.
The iTeachAZ program more than doubles the
amount of time most future teachers spend in
the classroom. Seniors in the program spend an
entire academic school year student teaching
in a preK-8 school and district with a mentor
teacher. Within iTeachAZ, students and their
mentor teachers plan and deliver academic
content in a variety of formats including small
group, one-to-one and whole class.
Outstanding Community
WESD is now home to more than 360 refugee
families. On April 9, WESD’s Refugee Parent
Partnership event aimed to inspire parent
involvement and share information on the
resources available in their new community.
Coordinated by Social Services, the Refugee
Parent Partnership event drew more than 100
adults and children to the Alta Vista Elementary
School campus for a keynote address as well
as breakout sessions on safety, education,
health and self-sufficiency. WESD Translation
Services provided translators for the six primary
languages spoken by our refugee families.
William Pay Tuoy-Geil, M.Ed., County Director
of the Relief Organization for South Sudan and
USA and Executive Director of the Nile Institute
for Peace and Development, was the keynote
speaker. He shared his story of being a refugee
from South Sudan and living in refugee camps
in Ethiopia and Kenya before emigrating to the
United States in 2001. Mr. Tuoy-Geil delivered
an inspiring message of hope for the future,
urging parents to get involved in their children’s
education and investing in the future: “If your
own child becomes successful… Your dream for
the future will continue.”
Outstanding Parent
Involvement
On April 6, Cholla Middle School celebrated the
graduation of 40 Charger parents from a 10-week
ASU American Dream Academy class funded
through the 21st Century Community Learning
Center federal grant. The ASU American Dream
Academy partnered with Family Links to
provide parents with skills to better equip them
to increase their child’s student achievement and
to support families by inspiring them to pursue
higher education. Topics included how to make a
difference, being a partner with your school, and
self-esteem and motivation.
Outstanding Programs
Abraham Lincoln Traditional School – A
WESD Signature Program
Located near 39th Avenue and Peoria Avenue,
Abraham Lincoln Traditional School is a K-8
school of choice with students from throughout
the WESD boundaries as well as neighboring
school districts.
Many parents choose Abraham Lincoln
Traditional School because it provides a learning
environment that stresses high academic
standards and student achievement while
focusing on academic subjects. The school is
steeped in traditional values such as honesty,
integrity and patriotism pride in our country.
The school’s philosophy centers on four
cornerstones: parent involvement, dress code,
discipline policy and basic skills curriculum.
These cornerstones are used as a framework for
all decisions made at the school.
To find out more about Abraham Lincoln
Traditional, visit their Web sites (you can access
them through wesdschools.org), “like” the
WESD on Facebook at wesdschools, or “follow”
us on Twitter at @wesdschools.
Outstanding Student Success
Orangewood Robotics Team Wins
State Award
The Robocougars of Orangewood School (K-8,
Washington Elementary School District) won
the STEM Research Award at the VEX IQ
State Finals Competition. The research project
centered on water sanitation and purification
and covered what is being done worldwide to
improve and develop safe drinking water. The
fifth and seventh grade Robocougars built a
model of the Omni Processor being developed
by Bill Gates and demonstrated to judges how
this model could improve life for people around
the world. The judges were impressed with
the students’ depth of knowledge and polished
presentation skills.
This is the third year in a row the Robocougars
have won the STEM Research Award. The
group’s coach, Dr. Dianna Bonney, was recently
named Elementary School Science Teacher of
the Year by the the Arizona Science Teachers
Association.
Orangewood has also been accepted into
Arizona’s first STEM Community of Practice.
CANYON CORRIDOR CONNECTION 2016
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From the Desk of
Superintendent Dr. Stanton
Washington Elementary School District
Paul Stanton
Refugee Parent Partnership Event held on April 19—
great opportunity to get involved
Robot Cougars win the STEMResearch Award
Educat ion