Four East Valley Schools Awarded for Excellence: Kyrene, Mesa Campuses Among 13 Honored in State
Posted on: Saturday, 22 April 2006, 18:00 CDT
By Jennifer Pinner, The Tribune, Mesa, Ariz.
Apr. 22--Four East Valley schools were named A+ Schools of Excellence by the Arizona Educational Foundation this week.
The award, which is valid for three years, identifies and recognizes schools for their excellence in areas such as student focus, teaching and learning, and community and parent involvement.
Two schools in the Kyrene Elementary School District as well as two Mesa schools were among 13 chosen from across the state. The schools receive $500, a banner and promotional items stating that the school is an A+ school.
Georgia Shimkus, principal of Kyrene's Monte Vista Elementary School, said the efforts of parents, staff and students make the school outstanding.
"I'm very proud to win that award and show off what we do here," Shimkus said.
During the selection process, site judges interviewed separate panels of staff members, parents and students to determine if there was strong parent involvement and if information provided by the schools in the application was true.
Last year, Stapley Junior High School in the Mesa Unified School District submitted the necessary paperwork, but was not selected, said principal Ken Erickson.
The situation "gave us an opportunity to go back and examine our practices and make sure that we were truly doing the best we could," Erickson said.
Stapley was finally awarded the A+ designation this year.
"I'm really proud of the whole community, students, parents and staff for coming together and demonstrating excellence this year," he said.
A+ results
East Valley schools honored by the Arizona Educational Foundation:
--East Valley Institute of Technology, Mesa
--Cielo Elementary School, Kyrene Elementary School District
--Monte Vista Elementary School, Kyrene Elementary School District
--Stapley Junior High School, Mesa Unified School District
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Source: The Tribune
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