by Staff Reporter | May 11, 2024 | Education, News
By Staff Reporter |
Charter school students are making a name for Arizona schools nationwide: two BASIS Charter School students were named presidential scholars by the Department of Education.
The department selected only 161 high school seniors for the honor, and two of the three came out of Arizona charter schools: Matteo Huish from BASIS Mesa, and Sruti Peddi, from BASIS Scottsdale. The third student, Vivian Saavedra, attends Chaparral High School.
There are an estimated 3.7 million students expected to graduate from high school this year. Out of that total, over 5,700 candidates qualified for the scholars recognition.
The three Arizona students were selected out of 144 Arizona candidates total, and 19 semifinalists from the state. This year’s presidential scholars announcement marks the program’s 60th anniversary.
In a press release, BASIS Charter Schools CEO Carolyn McGarvey said she was proud of Huish and Peddi for their hard work and talent.
“Their achievements reflect the rigorous academic standards and commitment to excellence that define BASIS Charter School campuses nationwide, and particularly here in our home state of Arizona,” said McGarvey.
11 of BASIS Charter Schools were recently ranked in the top 100 public schools out of 24,000 schools in America by U.S. News & World Report, including the number-one school in the country overall: the BASIS Peoria campus. Both Huish and Peddi’s campuses were among the 11 ranked.
Semifinalists represented Bell Academy Homeschool, BASIS Scottsdale (three students), Brophy College Preparatory, Primavera Online High School, Paradise Valley High School (two students), BASIS Mesa (two students), Desert Mountain High School, University High School, BASIS Phoenix, BASIS Chandler (two students), Chaparral High School, The Jones-Gordon School, Arcadia High School, and Northland Preparatory Academy.
Presidential scholars are not selected on an application basis; the recognition comes through invitation only.
Eligible students must have scored exceptionally well on either the SAT or ACT. The Department of Education takes the top 20 male and female scorers in each state, and reaches out to them to submit candidacy materials such as essays, self-assessments, secondary school reports, and transcripts. The department evaluates the candidate materials on academic achievement, personal characteristics, leadership and service activities, and essay content.
Each Chief State School Officer — in Arizona, the superintendent — may also nominate 10 male and 10 female candidates, and partner programs may nominate up to 40 candidates.
Semifinalists were selected by an independent national committee of educators convened by the Commission on Presidential Scholars.
The Department of Education also recognized three Arizona teachers for distinguished teaching paired with their respective 2024 Presidential Scholars: Sadie Puerner, a chemistry teacher out of Chaparral High School nominated by Saavedra; Charity Taylor-Antal, an English teacher out of BASIS Scottsdale nominated by Peddi; and Greg Thorson, an economics teacher out of BASIS Mesa nominated by Huish.
The department also recognizes presidential scholars in the arts as well as career and technical education. This year, however, Arizona didn’t have any scholars listed in those categories.
BASIS Charter Schools has had one or more Presidential Scholars in seven years since its inception in 1998: 2023, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, and 2013.
The network of charter schools has 40 campuses serving over 24,000 students in Arizona, as well as Louisiana, Texas, and Washington, D.C.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | May 10, 2024 | Education, News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Arizona’s school’s chief is taking on the state’s fentanyl crisis.
Earlier this week, Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne announced the creation of “an initiative to supply schools with the anti-overdose drug Narcan and a statewide task force to address this crisis.”
According to the press release issued by the Arizona Department of Education, “among all age groups, Arizona recorded more than 1,800 opioid-related deaths and more than 4,000 overdoses in 2023.”
In a statement to accompany his announcement, Horne said, “Sadly, overdoses are a reality for school-aged children throughout Arizona. Fentanyl can kill students within minutes of an overdose. It is vitally important that all schools have Narcan available to help save student lives if it should happen on campus. With the establishment of the STOPIT task force, we will work to get Narcan into schools and assist with training for its use. I am also endorsing the work of The Sold Out Youth Foundation, which has excellent resources to address this ongoing crisis.”
The School Training Overdose Preparedness and Intelligence Taskforce (STOPIT) “will include representatives from schools, health care, law enforcement and other interested stakeholders,” as per the information received from Horne’s office. Terros Health and the Mayo Clinic have expressed support for the taskforce.
Dr. Holly Geyer, Addiction Medicine Specialist at Mayo Clinic Scottsdale said, “There has never been a greater need to prepare the next generation with the knowledge and tools necessary to combat the opioid epidemic. With more than 50 percent of U.S. fentanyl being trafficked directly through our state, we are ground zero. It’s time to bring solutions as big as the problem to the table. This taskforce has assembled a wide array of proven thought leaders whose collective expertise can and will change the landscape of our state’s opioid overdose trends.”
Dr. Karen Hoffman Tepper, president and CEO of Terros Health said,”Terros Health is honored to join the STOPIT task force. Too many young people are being impacted by the harmful effects of fentanyl. Our team has been on the front lines, educating thousands of Arizonians on when and how to use Narcan and we have seen it save lives. We look forward to working collaboratively to make this life-saving tool available in every school and community.”
In addition to the initiative and task force, Horne also endorsed an effort to get free anti-drug awareness materials into all Arizona schools.” He shared his support of the Sold Out Youth Foundation, which “provides interactive online materials warning of the dangers of illegal drugs, proven Accredited Fentanyl Education Curriculum and online platform and promoting health and wellness and fitness education.”
Sold Out President Roman Gabriel III said, “Sold Out is committed to partnering with K-12 public schools attacking our countries current youth drug, alcohol, and mental health crisis. The SOYF Program is saving lives by equipping school staff, parents and students with a comprehensive program that includes a PLA Accredited Fentanyl Education Platform. The emphasis is on education and awareness for parents and students to understand the grave dangers that this deadly poison poses, and in turn saving lives.”
The Republican Superintendent added, “The American Medical Association reports that overdose deaths nationally among adolescents has doubled since 2019. Fentanyl is responsible for more than three-quarters of those deaths and Arizona is not immune from this scourge. The rise of illicit fentanyl and its trafficking via social media is having a disproportionate impact on our children. This is a tragedy beyond words, it shows no sign of abating and schools are a vital resource to educate children on these dangers.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Elizabeth Troutman | May 8, 2024 | Education, News
By Elizabeth Troutman |
Parents are taking back the power over their children’s education, according to a new report, and Arizona is the second-highest on the parent power chart.
For the first time in two generations, programs and policies that give parents more power over their children’s education are accelerating across the United States, according to the 2024 Parent Power! Index from the Center for Education Reform.
“Not since the beginning of the education reform movement when, between 1991 and 1999, states created 36 new laws providing parents power over their children’s education have we seen such a rapid expansion in an accelerated period of time for education innovation and opportunity,” Jeanne Allen, CER founder and CEO, said in a statement.
Florida is first on the parent power chart, followed by Arizona and Indiana.
Between 2021 and April 2024, 26 new and expanded laws governing parental options, additional flexibility to innovate, and education transparency have taken effect. At least another 600,000 students gained access to a variety of learning approaches across all education sectors.
Recent U.S. migration trends show that three of the top five states in the 2024 Parent Power Index are also among the top five states where people are moving — Florida, Arizona, and North Carolina. More than one million students left public schools to pursue other education opportunities in states with more options for parents.
“Whenever parents are engaged, change occurs,” Allen said. “Time and time again, we’ve seen that information in the hands of parents is power. When parents are able to make informed decisions about their children’s education, and states and communities are permitted to offer a myriad of pathways to enable those decisions, education works better for all students.”
State rank and policy environments are improving overall, particularly in states that have tended to embrace education freedom in general, such as Iowa, West Virginia, Ohio, and Arkansas, the data shows.
Elizabeth Troutman is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send her news tips using this link.
by Elizabeth Troutman | May 6, 2024 | Education, News
By Elizabeth Troutman |
The principal of Corona del Mar Middle & High School in Newport Beach, Calif., issued a statement on the death of University of Arizona student Erin Jones, who was shot and killed last Sunday.
Jones, a 2022 graduate of Corona del Mar, was shot and killed while attending a house party in Midtown Tucson.
Principal Jake Haley said he was at a loss for words about the untimely loss.
“Erin was a well-known student on the Corona del Mar Campus and the ripple effect of the loss will be felt by many, especially our soccer community where Erin was an active member,” Haley said. “We are providing a space of gathering on campus this week for athletes and others who are directly impacted by the loss of Erin.”
Jones was a sophomore at the University of Arizona.
Police said officers were called to the 3200 block of E. 5th St. after several people called 911 to report the shooting.
Officers found University of Arizona student Erin Jones, 20, outside the home. Jones’ friends said she was waiting for an Uber when she was fatally shot, CBS News reported. She was taken to Banner University Medical Center where she died.
No arrests have been made in the shooting.
“Details are extremely limited at this time, and investigators are actively working on what led up to the shooting,” a Tucson Police Department press release says. “They believe there was a large gathering at the residence before the shooting took place, and several witnesses left the area prior to police arriving.”
Elizabeth Troutman is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send her news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | May 2, 2024 | Education, News
By Staff Reporter |
Arizona Department of Education Superintendent Tom Horne advised K-12 schools to look to Arizona State University (ASU) and University of Arizona (UArizona) for how to respond to Gaza protesters.
In a press release issued on Monday following a long weekend of higher education protests against Israel in Arizona and nationwide, Horne praised ASU and UArizona leadership — specifically presidents Robert Robbins and Michael Crow — for their handling of the mass protests compared to other universities, which he characterized as antisemitic.
“Robert Robbins and Michael Crow deserve exceptional praise for standing up to antisemitism on their campuses. This stands in stark contrast to how many colleges, universities and ideological faculty members have kowtowed to disruptive pro-Hamas demonstrations,” said Horne. “It is also an excellent template for K-12 schools in Arizona to follow should any attempt be made by students to copy the type of protests that have shut down portions of college campuses and caused Jewish students to feel unsafe.”
Horne warned that history would repeat itself, should those in leadership not be proactive with handling protests. The superintendent cited several incidents of violence that broke out at other campuses nationwide, including rocks reportedly thrown at Jewish students at Columbia University and a pole with a Palestinian flag being stabbed into the eye of another Jewish student at Yale University.
“Our DNA is no different from the DNA of Germans in the 1930s, and Nazis started with young thugs attacking people on the street,” said Horne. “We need to be vigilant.”
Law enforcement for both campuses were swift to deter and move out protesters as they attempted to establish encampments.
Of the two institutions, UArizona had the calmer turnout in terms of protestors. At ASU, over 70 arrests were made, 15 of whom were students, after protesters set up an illegal encampment as part of their protest.
UArizona protesters also set up an encampment on Monday, but later dispersed. After those protesters left, officials barricaded the campus mall to prevent further encampments.
Law enforcement had to drive out the protesters and relied on assistance from fraternity members to assist in cleanup.
However, by Tuesday protesters returned to encamp again elsewhere on campus.
A majority of the Gaza protests were concentrated along the upper east coast. The following higher education institutions have experienced Gaza protests over the last few weeks:
- California: California State Polytechnic Institute, Stanford University, University of Southern California Los Angeles;
- Colorado: Auraria Campus;
- Connecticut: University of Connecticut, Yale University;
- D.C.: George Washington University;
- Delaware: University of Delaware;
- Florida: Florida State University;
- Georgia: Emory University, University of Georgia;
- Illinois: Northwestern University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign;
- Indiana: Indiana University Bloomington;
- Massachusetts: Emerson College, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northeastern University, Tufts University;
- Michigan: Michigan State University;
- Minnesota: University of Minnesota;
- Missouri: Washington University.
- North Carolina: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill;
- New Jersey: Princeton University;
- New Mexico: University of New Mexico Albuquerque;
- New York: City College of New York, Columbia University, Cornell University, Fashion Institute of Technology, the New School, New York University, University of Rochester;
- Pennsylvania: Swarthmore College, University of Pennsylvania;
- Ohio: Ohio State University;
- Rhode Island: Brown University;
- South Carolina: University of South Carolina;
- Texas: Rice University, University of Texas at Austin;
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Elizabeth Troutman | Apr 29, 2024 | Education, News
By Elizabeth Troutman |
Update: The Scottsdale School Board passed Superintendent Scott Menzel’s contract renewal in a 3-2 vote. Board Members Libby Hart-Wells, Zach Lindsay, and Julie Cieniawski voted to renew the contract while Board Members Amy Carney and Carine Werner voted not to renew the contract.
The Scottsdale Unified School District Governing Board is expected to be asked to renew controversial Superintendent Scott Menzel’s employment contract during its meeting on Tuesday.
Three of Menzel’s biggest allies on the Governing Board, Zach Lindsay, Libby Hart-Wells, and Julie Cieniawski, will not seek reelection and will vacate their seats on Dec. 31. Outgoing boards are usually reluctant to extend employment contracts for administrative positions during an election cycle, but a renewal of Menzel’s contract seems unlikely with any future board.
Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne called for Menzel’s removal after “unacceptable” comments made by Menzel were revealed last February.
“Critical race theory has no place in Arizona schools,” Horne said at the time. “Superintendent Scott Menzel’s comments are unacceptable. Superintendent Horne joins Scottsdale legislators and parents calling for the removal of Superintendent Menzel.”
Menzel had claimed “white identity” is “problematic.”
“There’s a misperception that educational equity is really only for ethnically and racially diverse districts. But White people have racial identity as well, and in fact [it is a] problematic racial identity that we typically avoid,” Menzel told David Spitzley of the Torchlight in 2019.
Arizona state legislators and parents joined Horne in calling for his removal.
State Sen. John Kavanagh and Representatives Joseph Chaplik and Alexander Kolodin, who all represent Legislative District 3 that includes Scottsdale, wrote an open letter to members of the Governing Board condemning Menzel for “offensive and hateful comments he made in a 2019 interview.”
The Scottsdale Unified School District Governing Board unanimously approved a three-year contract with Menzel in March 2020. The Board unanimously approved a $205,000-plus contract, to run through June 30, 2023.
The Board renewed Menzel’s contract in May 2022 to run through 2025 with his base annual salary increased to $216,000.
Under Menzel’s leadership over the past three years, Scottsdale Unified enrollment has dropped by more than 1,500 students. Science scores have dropped 24%.
Less than 50% of 8th grade students are proficient in math, but 94% of students in the district graduate.
Members of the public can email the board in opposition to the extension at govbrd@susd.org.
Elizabeth Troutman is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send her news tips using this link.
