We're looking forward to seeing you Aug. 11

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome everyone back for the start of the 2014 – 2015 school year. Although I’m sure everyone hates to see their summer vacation come to an end, there is always a certain air of excitement about the start of a new school year that you can’t help but get caught up in. It has been a busy summer for us here at the District as we work to have everything ready for Aug 11.

Superintendent Joe Quintana

On some campuses you may see a new principal or assistant principal, and on virtually every campus you’ll see new staff. Other changes are easy to see, like new roofs or air conditioning units, and revitalized cafeterias. Some changes, like improved infrastructure for technology, new lighting and improved environmental controls, are not so easy to see, but will help make our schools better places to learn and work.

We want your children to be ready to join us on Aug. 11, too. The first day of school is critical for students to get off to a good start. Teachers not only set the tone and explain class expectations and rules, but the learning process kicks off as well. Students who miss the first day are left to catch up...and that isn’t always easy.

We also hope that, like us, you’re helping prepare your children for the first day of school. Here are a few tips that might help:

• If you’re attending a new school, make it a point not only to attend Meet the Teacher night (most GESD schools have this scheduled for Aug. 7), but see if you can visit even before then so your child can become familiar with classrooms, hallways and important offices like the principal or nurse.
• If possible, find out if there are any friends, relatives or neighbors in their class. Knowing someone makes any transition easier. Class lists are generally posted near the offices at every school.
• Have your child’s health checked, including vision and hearing. And, please, make sure all vaccinations are up-to-date.
• Start a bedtime schedule one week in advance of school so that your child gets at least eight hours of sleep at night (and for younger students, 10 hours). When they wake up is just as important as when they go to bed. Make sure you’re getting them up at the same time you would for school. Getting your child into a routine before school starts is very important.
• Talk about the start of school, and encourage your children to share feelings or concerns they may have. The more excited you are about the start of school, the more excited your children will be.
• Think safety, too: make sure your child knows the rules of the road when it comes to traffic, and what to do if they’re approached by a stranger.
• For those children who take the bus, make sure they know what route they’re on and where they get off.
• Preparation is key. Eliminate any last minute rushing by having your children pick out of their clothes the night before, and have a standard place to keep their school backpack.

We look forward to welcoming all of our students back in person on Aug. 11, and thank you for honor of serving your children, and the trust in support you show in the Glendale Elementary School District.

Joe Quintana

Superintendent

GESD students getting email accounts

The digital age has taken another step. Starting this school year, GESD students will be provided with email accounts through Gaggle.

Gaggle is a safe, web-based Internet system of digital tools that allows the teacher to be in control at all times. Gaggle provides numerous safeguards that protect students from the potential problems of digital communication. Gaggle allows schools to control what level of access students have and with whom they can communicate. Gaggle also allows schools to set restrictions on accounts. All student content passes through a number of filters. Messages or posts with offensive language, questionable domains, banned file types, or pornographic images are automatically rerouted either to the Gaggle Human Monitoring System or school representatives.

Arizona’s education standards now include technology and electronic proficiency requirements, and providing students with email accounts helps GESD meet those standards. It is important for students to become proficient in the usage of digital tools in order to be successful in the workplace. Using digital tools like Gaggle in school provides students with extra practice in following the rules of writing and improve overall literacy.

Through Gaggle:

All users have a Digital Locker, or online file storage system. Files can be uploaded and accessed from anywhere, so students can work on documents anywhere they have web access, without needing a flash or USB drive.

Teachers can create class Discussion Boards or Chat Rooms for ongoing discussions or homework help, and control which students have access. All postings are filtered and any posts blocked for offensive language and images will be rerouted for review by Gaggle or the school district.

Teachers and students can create a Blog as a personal webpage or journal. Gaggle Blogs are filtered for content and images. The teacher controls access, and entries can be reviewed at any time.

Teachers and students have access to an Assignment Drop Box. Students can access and complete their assignments anywhere they have web access.

Additional features include built-in Language Translation, Spell Check, and an Auditory Feedback System that will read emails and Discussion Boards aloud to improve literacy.

“We are excited about providing these digital tools to our students, and confident that by using Gaggle as our provider, we are putting safety first,” said Dr. Donna Lewis, assistant superintendent for educational services.

Parents can visit the Gaggle Web site for more information, or go here to log on. Please contact your child’s school with any questions.

Get ready for Meet the Teacher Night

One of the best ways to get the new school year off to a good start is to attend Meet the Teacher night. Most GESD schools will host meet the teacher night on Aug. 7, and you can click here for a full schedule.

Click on image to make it larger and easier to read.

Your attendance at Meet the Teacher Night sends a clear message to your children that you believe education is a priority. When kids see that their parents are involved, they take that to mean parents care about how their doing in school. When they see that, students begin to take more pride in their school work. Research from the National Middle School Association and other sources shows that, among other things, parents engagement leads to improved educational performance, promotes better classroom behavior and improves attendance.

Another benefit of Meet the Teacher Night is that it gives you the opportunity to walk in your child’s footsteps and see the environment in which they’ll learn. You’ll know where you child will be seated, how long a walk they have from one class to the next and what coursework will be like. When you’re aware of what your child’s day will be like, and what assignments will be required, you will have a better understanding of how you can help your child succeed.

Finally, Meet the Teacher Night is also a great way for you to get to know the teachers, administrators and support staff at your child’s school. You’ll learn a little bit about the teaching style of your child’s teacher, what resources are available to support them and about ways you can take an active role as partner in your child’s education.

Dates set for monthly fingerprinting

The Glendale Elementary School District (GESD) has scheduled monthly fingerprinting opportunities for parents, guardians and community members who would like to participate in school-related volunteer activities. All fingerprinting sessions will be held at the Glendale Elementary School District Offices, 7301 N. 58^th Ave., from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. During the 2013-14 school year, volunteers can be fingerprinted on these dates:

                        Aug. 13                       Jan. 14

                        Sept. 10                      Feb. 11

                        Oct. 22*                     March 4*

                        Nov. 12                       April 8

                        Dec. 10                       May 13

Under a system introduced last year, fingerprints will not be required from all parents. The tiered system, which was developed by a group of parents and District employees, was started by GESD it order to make it easier for parents to volunteer. The goal is to lead to a more welcoming culture for parents at GESD’s 17 schools.

The B.R.A.V.O. (Building Positive Relationships and Volunteer Opportunities) system balances the need to keep students safe while using the services of parent and non-parent volunteers. It replaces a system that required every parent who wished to volunteer to be fingerprinted no matter what level of volunteer support they wished to offer. The system was lengthy, and locked out some parents because of a lack of documentation.

B.R.A.V.O. requires background checks, fingerprinting, or both based on the level of services for which a parent or community member wishes to volunteer. The system works like this:

Tier I

No background check or fingerprints  are required because these volunteers assist only with activities that do not involve interaction with students, or their interactions with children are supervised by certified staff at all times. Examples include clerical/office work, field day and campus events.

Tier II

At this level only background checks are required of parents, but non-parents must have a background check and be fingerprinted. At this level volunteer activity occurs on or off-site and may or may not be supervised by a certificated staff member. Non-parent volunteers in this category must be supervised. Examples include day field trips, parent volunteers who supervise groups of students on field trips without direct supervision, tutoring, reading with students and small group activities.

Tier III

At this level all volunteers must go through background checks and be fingerprinted. On Tier III volunteer activity occurs on or off-site with the likelihood there is not always a certified staff member present. Examples include coaches, overnight field trips, non-parent volunteers supervising small groups on field trips or after school clubs without certified sponsor.

Parents who currently have a valid fingerprint card are cleared for Tiers I and II. To qualify for Tier III, a background check is required. Parents without a social security number must present photo identification and have a background check for Tiers II and III. Non-parents who currently have a valid fingerprint card must have a background check for Tiers II or III. In addition, the District will continue to provide the opportunity to be fingerprinted monthly during the school year at the District Office, 7301 N. 58^th Ave.

Before being fingerprinted, volunteers must fill out a volunteer application at their school office. Volunteer applications must be signed by either the school’s principal or assistant principal. Everyone seeking to be fingerprinted must bring either a valid Arizona Drivers License / ID, or a photo ID. Both must include physical descriptions of the ID holder. Volunteer applicants are not eligible to participate in school-related volunteer activities until their volunteer clearance information is distributed to schools. It can take up to 10 weeks for fingerprints to be cleared, so parents and volunteers need to plan accordingly.

*This post has been updated to reflect a change in dates parents and volunteers can be fingerprinted during the months of October and March.

New principals named for Discovery, Mensendick

Parents and students from Don Mensendick and Discovery schools have new principals to meet. The appointments of Michelle Brady as principal at Mensendick and Norma Jauregui at Discovery were approved by the Glendale Elementary School District Governing Board at a recent Governing Board meeting.

Norma Jauregui and Michelle Brady

Brady has spent the last four years as an assistant principal at Challenger Middle School. She has been an educator for 14 years, beginning as a teacher in the Peoria Unified School District. Brady has also served as an instructional coach in the Dysart Unified School District, and is currently an Academic Associate in the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in management from Arizona State University, and Master’s degrees in curriculum and instruction and administration and supervision from the University of Phoenix.

Jauregui, an educator for 20 years, joins GESD from the Cartwright Elementary School District, where she served as principal at Frank Borman Elementary School since 2011. Prior to that she served four years as principal at Tomahawk Elementary School, and also worked as an assistant principal and teacher. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in elementary education, and Masters degrees in curriculum and instruction and educational leadership, all from Arizona State University.