Did you know, ACA has adopted a schoolwide Strategic Plan? This plan was created in collaboration with Administration, school leaders, teachers, parents and community members.
To see the details of the plan, please review the image below…
Students in Arizona Charter Academy’s Musical Theatre Summer Camp to Perform ‘The Little Mermaid Jr.’ on Friday, June 14
Around 30 Students in Fifth Through Eighth Grade Will Take Part in the Intensive 10-Day Camp, Which is Back After a Hiatus Due to COVID-19
SURPRISE, Arizona—On Friday, June 14 at 12:30 and 5:30 p.m., students in Arizona Charter Academy’s Musical Theatre Summer Camp will take to the stage to perform “The Little Mermaid Jr.” The shows will take place in the ACA gym. Members of the public are welcome to attend the 5:30 p.m. performance; tickets are now available for $5 online or $6 at the door. To purchase tickets please visit: https://www.azcharter.com/littlemermaid.
The performances will not only be the grand finale to the 10-day intensive Musical Theatre Summer Camp, which will take place from June 3-14. As Sharesa Uher, the K-8 general music teacher and 5-8 theater elective teacher at ACA noted, the shows will also celebrate the greatly anticipated return of the popular camp, after a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The amount of excitement and enthusiasm the students have expressed over the past few weeks is phenomenal,” Uher said, adding that she is directing the summer camp, along with the help of assistant director and first grade teacher Kate Mitchell.
Around 30 students, ranging from incoming fifth graders to incoming eighth graders, will take part in the camp. To accommodate the large group, and showcase the student talent at the school, Uher decided to have two casts for the show.
“We also have a Crew Club, where students Bryson and Parker Miller will lead a team of students and volunteers in creating the set and orchestrating set changes,” Uher said.
“Our camp will be a summer intensive program, which means we are learning the entire show in two weeks. Students will rehearse Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., culminating with the two performances on June 14. Uher said the students have already met to read the script as a group and sing through some of the music.
“I saw this as an opportunity to get the actors off on the right foot in terms of practice at home,” Uher said.
“Most of the students have never been on stage, but there are a few who have had a small introduction to theater. I am really excited to show students that they can create magic while telling a story on stage by working together.” Uher said she is excited to watch students develop their characters on stage and grow their confidence delivering their lines in front of others.
“I am also looking forward to seeing students form connections across grade levels and become friends,” she said. “Theater is truly an inclusive environment, and the development of social skills is one of the many benefits of children’s theater. Theater also teaches students to have empathy for others on stage and off stage. Social and emotional learning is something that we truly focus on at ACA, so Kate and I are happy to help develop these skills through our program.”
Melissa Montenegro, Director of Talent and PR at ACA, agrees that the Musical Summer Theatre Camp is about much more than singing, dancing and acting. “It’s about igniting passion, fostering creativity, and empowering our students to explore new horizons with confidence. Through the transformative power of the performing arts, we’re dedicated to shaping our students’ young minds as well as nurturing their talents.”
The administration and staff at Arizona Charter Academy are pleased to announce that the school recently received the A+ School of Excellence designation from the Arizona Education Foundation.
As Principal Jordan Beckman noted, the A+ rating is a prestigious award that dozens of schools in the state apply for each year. The designation will last for 4 years.
“This year, only 37 schools across the entire state of Arizona won this award, and ACA is one of only two charter schools receiving this distinction this year,” Beckman said, adding that ACA also received the designation in 2019.
As Melissa Montenegro, Director of Talent and PR noted, the staff went through a lengthy application process to earn the A+ rating.
“There was a 50 question application, where the vast majority of questions were in narrative form. We had input from our entire staff over a course of 6 months to complete the application,” Montenegro said.
“We held meetings to garner examples of programs, projects, clubs, sports, curriculum, teams and so much more that exemplify an A+ school. It’s a very deep dive into the very make up and structures of our school.”
Some of the programs that helped solidify ACA as an A+ school, Montenegro said, include: Solutions Room; Schoolwide Culture Rubric; Bulldog Parent Committee; Zearn Math; School Participatory Budgeting, and Student Ambassadors.
After submitting the application, ACA was chosen for the second round, which included a site visit that lasted 2 days.
Montenegro said she, and the rest of the entire ACA community were incredibly excited to learn the school had once again earned the A+ designation.
“It was also a sense of relief almost because we know we have something really special here at ACA with our academics, our community and our overall culture, and it’s so nice when others can see that and can honor it as well,” Montenegro said.
“We are so proud to offer an A+ School of Excellence as an option to families within the original town site and El Mirage communities. Our school community is special and our ‘We can and we will’ mentality helps us achieve these recognitions.”
Beckman said she is very proud of the hard work the staff, students, and community put in to earn the A+ rating.
“I am also so grateful that others across Arizona are now able to see that we have earned this rating as well,” she said.
Arizona Charter Academy is pleased to announce our participation in the Summer Food Service Program. We will be offering free breakfast and lunch to all children and teens ages 1-18 throughout the month of June.
Program Details:
Important Information:
Summer Meal Continuation:
While our program concludes on June 28th, we understand the importance of continued access to nutritious meals throughout the summer. You can find a list of additional free summer meal locations HERE.
Arizona Charter Academy se complace en anunciar nuestra participación en el Programa de Servicio de Alimentos de Verano. Estaremos ofreciendo desayuno y lonche gratis a todos los niños y adolescentes de 1 a 18 años de edad durante todo el mes de junio.
Detalles del Programa:
Información Importante:
Continuación de las Comidas de Verano:
Aunque nuestro programa concluye el 28 de junio, comprendemos la importancia de continuar teniendo acceso a comidas nutritivas durante todo el verano. Puede encontrar una lista de lugares adicionales de comidas de verano gratuitas aqui https://www.azhealthzone.org/freesummermeals/
By Meeting Each Student “Where They Are” and Taking a Team Approach to Learning, Kindergarteners’ Reading Ability Has Markedly Improved
Fostering a love of reading goes hand in hand with ensuring students are taught with the best methods to become fluent readers.
At Arizona Charter Academy these best practices start from Day One.
“Our kindergarten students are growing, and we have the numbers to prove it,” said Michelle Miller Instructional Coach at ACA.
“After diving into the data, we really wanted to make sure our kinder students had the skills to be successful readers later on,” Miller said, adding that she credits the ACA administration and highly trained kinder teaching staff with their ability to meet each student where they are as they are for this improvement in reading scores, noting that they value team effort and collaboration.
“Our results do not come in isolation, and our team of teachers, admin and intervention teachers have really encompassed what it means to work as a team. We shifted our focus in the 2022-2023 school year as a team and created school wide goals. We stuck to our goals and adjusted our plans as the data continued to shine.”
As Heather Henderson, Chief Academic Officer noted, the team approach to learning has definitely contributed to the success of the kindergarten reading program.
“Through the use of data and tried and true strategies that work for all kids, teachers are working with both instructional coaches and administrators to set students up for future academic success,” Henderson said.
Miller said she and the entire kindergarten team at ACA, are thrilled with the tangible results in reading abilities, as well as how this skill will bode well for the students in the future.
“We know that getting kindergarten students in the highly proficient range will increase the student’s chances of becoming fluent independent readers that are reading high level text by third grade,” she said.
As Melissa Montenegro, Director of Enrollment at ACA noted, the school now has five kindergarten classes led by five outstanding teachers. The school is now enrolling for the 2024-2025 school year, and parents are welcome to submit applications.
“We offer one on one tours of the campus for any families interested in learning more, we take them around to the kinder classrooms and show them what a daily schedule for an ACA kindergartener looks like,” Montenegro said.
Any family that enrolls in ACA’s Kindergarten program will receive a free Kindergarten Readiness Kit.
“These kits were curated by our very own ACA Master Teachers full of helpful worksheets and activities parents can do at home to help prepare their child for Kindergarten. In addition, it grants parents access to a whole series of short video tutorials done by our very own Kinder teachers on topics like building motor skills and diving into phonemic awareness at home with easy activities,” Montenegro said.
We are excited to introduce a new way to celebrate your child during their birthday week at ACA. Bulldog Birthday Shoutouts!!
We will be offering shoutout ads that will display on our large LED sign that hangs on our building facing Dysart Rd. The ads will be visible from Sunday-Sunday of your child’s birthday week, so they will be up for a whole 7 days!!
Here is how you can purchase an ad for your child for their birthday.
Must Purchase the Month Before
Ads must be purchased and the form completed no later than the last day of the previous month. For example, for all February birthdays, you must submit your form and payment no later than January 31st at 5pm.
How Much?
Each Bulldog Birthday Shoutout ad costs $30
How?
All you have to do is submit this form and pay by the last day of the previous month. We will always have the link available in our Weekly Outlook as well as on the parents tab of our website.
What Will They Look Like?
Click HERE and select the “Play” button to get a preview of what each shoutout will look like on our large screen
FAQ’s
Who can submit a shoutout?: Only parents/guardians can submit a shoutout for the child
What type of picture will be displayed on the shoutout?: Any picture you upload to the form or email to us we will display. The photo MUST be school appropriate and cannot show any other students in the photo.
What if I have more questions? Please feel free to reach out to our front office with any questions. Acafrontoffice@azcharter.com.
How can I see the shoutout? Just drive by our sign that faces Dysart Rd. and Market st. You’ll likely have to be patient because the screen has to advance through a large number of slides including all of the shoutouts ads for that current week.
What if my child’s birthday is during a break or summer break? We will continue to run ads during breaks, including summer breaks. So, if your child’s birthday is in July, you will still need to submit the shoutout by the end of June.
Estamos emocionados de presentar una nueva forma de celebrar a su hijo durante su semana de cumpleaños en ACA.
¡Dedicatoria de Cumpleaños del Estudiante Bulldog!
Ofreceremos anuncios de cumpleaños que se mostrarán en nuestro gran letrero LED que cuelga en nuestro edificio frente a Dysart Rd. Los anuncios serán visibles de domingo a domingo de la semana de cumpleaños de su hijo, ¡así que estarán disponibles durante 7 días completos!
Aquí está cómo puede comprar un anuncio para el cumpleaños de su hijo.
Debe Comprarse el Mes Anterior
Los anuncios deben comprarse y el formulario completarse a más tardar el último día del mes anterior. Por ejemplo, para todos los cumpleaños de febrero, debe enviar su formulario y pago a más tardar el 31 de enero a las 5 pm.
¿Cuánto cuesta?
Cada anuncio de Dedicatorio de Cumpleaños Bulldog cuesta $30
¿Cómo?
Todo lo que tiene que hacer es enviar este formularioy pagar antes del último día del mes anterior. Siempre tendremos el enlace disponible en nuestro Outlook Semanal, así como en la pestaña de padres de nuestro sitio web.
¿Cómo serán?
Haga clic AQUÍ y seleccione el botón “Play” para obtener una vista previa de cómo se verá cada saludo en nuestra gran pantalla.
Preguntas Frecuentes
¿Quién puede enviar un saludo?: Solo los padres/guardianes pueden enviar un saludo para el niño.
¿Qué tipo de foto se mostrará en el saludo?: Cualquier foto que suba al formulario o nos envíe por correo electrónico la mostraremos. La foto DEBE ser apropiada para la escuela y no puede mostrar a otros estudiantes en la foto.
¿Qué pasa si tengo más preguntas? No dude en comunicarse con nuestra oficina principal con cualquier pregunta. Acafrontoffice@azcharter.com.
¿Cómo puedo ver el saludo? Simplemente conduzca cerca de nuestro letrero que da a Dysart Rd. y Market St. Probablemente tenga que ser paciente porque la pantalla tiene que avanzar a través de un gran número de diapositivas, incluyendo todos los anuncios de saludos de esa semana.
¿Qué pasa si el cumpleaños de mi hijo es durante un receso o las vacaciones de verano? Continuaremos mostrando anuncios durante los recesos, incluyendo las vacaciones de verano. Entonces, si el cumpleaños de su hijo es en julio, aún deberá enviar el saludo antes de finales de junio.
Get ready for an exciting adventure in reading! Our upcoming Read-a-thon is not just about books; it’s a fantastic opportunity to ignite your child’s passion for reading. Our Read-a-thon starts Monday, January 29 and ends Monday February 12th, this event will be sure to captivate your reader’s imagination.
Next week, before the Read-a-thon kicks off, we’ll provide instructions on how to activate your reader’s personal page. This special page allows you to witness and record their incredible progress.
Don’t wait! Activate your reader’s account today by clicking HERE and following the simple instructions. K-4 students will register with their homeroom teacher. 5th-8th students will register with their Academic Focus cohort. Don’t worry, if you don’t know their cohort, we will send all of that information home next week.
We’ve chosen the Read-a-thon because it’s a quick and enjoyable way to boost your child’s love for reading, all while strengthening their reading skills.
Join the reading frenzy – we hope EVERYONE participates!
The Read-a-thon is hosted by our amazing Bulldog Parent Committee so please email shaberkorn@azcharter.com with any questions.
Lunch with Leaders is a staple of ACA. This program started when we had a high school as a way to highlight for students different avenues and career paths that they had ahead of them as they prepared to head off to life after high school. Upon moving to a K-8 school we decided that this was a great program to bring to our middle school students – as this would help them decide what electives and programs that they would like to participate in as they prepared for high school.
Our Lunch with Leaders program is held monthly during lunch for both 5/6 and 7/8. Students come on a 1st come and 1st served basis and get to enjoy pizza during the presentation. Presenters have included community members of all walks of life including Surprise and El Mirage city council members, former military members, and West Valley bankers, to name a few. Each month this is a sell out event and students come out feeling energized and excited about potential career and education opportunities.
As mentioned in previous blog posts, ACA is excited to be partnering with Responsibility Centered Discipline for the 2023-2024 school year. This is a program that focuses less on timebound consequences for student behaviors, and more on students owning and taking responsibility for their behavior. This includes students reflecting on their behavior and the actions that they will take to prevent these behaviors from happening in the future. This is all done with the support of ACA staff. Ideally, this occurs in the classroom between the student and the teacher, but if needed, when students prove to not be coachable, this occurs in the Solutions Room.
The Solutions Room is ran by Mrs. Gore and Ms. Johnson. When students go to the Solutions Room they have time to think about their behavior, cool down, and come up with a plan. The plans have to be unique to the student and should ultimately be driven by the student. For example, a student that was having difficulty managing his awareness around shouting out and interrupting the class came up with the plan to do square breathing when he started feeling the need to shout out. Square breathing is when he would inhale for 8 seconds, hold his breath of 8 seconds, exhale for 8 seconds, and hold his breath of 8 seconds. He said he would do this 3 times as it helps calm him down and helps him reset. He then shared his plan with an administrator who approved the plan. Once students have their plan approved they then go back to class. An administrator then facilitates a Close the Loop conversation between the student and the teacher so all parties are aware of the plan and are working together to help coach the student in the future as the student starts to take responsibility and control of their behavior.
We have found this to be incredibly helpful and have shared out success with the Solutions Room with other school leaders in the Surprise area. We are noticing a change in student behavior that is palpable in the classroom and on our school campus. As we continue to work through Solutions with students we expect to see a continued increase in positive student behaviors on campus.
Following consistent routines and have schoolwide expectations has long been a standard at ACA. We are able to make this possible through consistent use of our School Culture Rubric. We have found this tool to be invaluable as it supports all of our staff and students in having the same expectations. Students thrive on consistency and staff appreciate knowing that all teachers and staff members are upholding students to the same set of expectations.
One example of our student culture rubric in action is our routine called Threshold. This is where all teachers greet each student at the door by name every single day. For Middle School students this includes every period. This is a great way to set the stage for a positive interaction during the school day. Students know that they are valued and that their teacher is excited to have them in class. For staff, it allows you a quick check in with students, and often we can tell when a student is having an off day and check in with them more frequently.
Other schools have visited ACA and are impressed with the Student Culture Rubric. Recently Mrs. Henderson had some Superintendent’s from around the state visiting ACA. They all were impressed with what they saw in the classrooms and said they could see the Student Culture Rubric in action. A few have even reached out to her since and asked for a copy so they can try and implement this in their districts! We are constantly revising this document and are always looking for ways to improve. The Student Culture Rubric is a great tool to help use achieve excellence!
We kicked off Bulldog Adventures, our before and after school tutoring program, as part of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant on Tuesday, September 5th. Since then, we have enrolled over 90 2nd through 6th-grade students in our extended day program. This out-of-school time is a powerful time for students to engage in targeted academic support in a small group setting.
Our program runs from 7:00-7:45 a.m. and 3:00-4:30 p.m. with academic tutoring on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and enrichment on Fridays. Enrichment is a time when students participate in character building classes such as art, Legos, and kindness club. If you would like to learn more about the program please reach out to your child’s teacher or email Amy Waples, at awaples@azcharter.com.
We love welcoming parents back on campus and enjoy seeing families together during our parent lunches. After 2 months of parent lunches that have proved overwhelming successes, we are continuing to perfect our model, as we always do here at ACA. There will be a few BIG adjustments to our parent lunches going forward so please be sure to read all of the details below…
In order to ensure we are able to provide safety for all students during the lunch times and since we have had overwhelming interest in parents attending it has put a strain on our resources of staff monitoring all students at lunch time we have come up with a solution by breaking up which grade levels will have open lunches each month. It will alternate going forward.
On Tuesday November 28th, we are happy to welcome families of 1st Grade and 5th-8th grades to come have lunch with their child/ren. We still ask families to RSVP below if they plan on coming to eat with their child.
**NEW ENTRANCE- We will now have parents enter through our Middle School queuing lane gate which is accessed through Market Street. We’ll have our white ACA flag at the entrance to show you where to go.
We have a few new guidelines for the lunches as well, so please read below:
We enthusiastically request you do not sign your child out of school after the lunch as there is MUCH learning taking place afterwards especially after Kinder lunch since it’s so early in the school day. **NEW
Below are guidelines that have already been in place but we want to reiterate in case there are any questions:
If you child/ren is in 1st Grade and 5th-8th grades and you plan to attend the upcoming parent lunch on Tuesday November 28th, please RSVP HERE.
We’re excited to invite our 1st Grade and Kinder families to our Literacy Nights, a special event dedicated to enhancing your child’s reading journey. For Kindergarten parents, join us on Tuesday, November 28 from 4:45 PM to 5:45 PM, and for 1st-grade parents, we welcome you on Wednesday, November 29 from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to learn and engage in activities that will help your child flourish in their literacy skills.
Be among the first 20 parents each night to check out our specially curated reading packs! Plus, every student will receive a free book to encourage a lifelong love for reading.
Hope you can join us for an evening filled with fun, learning, and valuable insights on how to support and enhance your child’s reading journey at home.
Parents Will Learn:
We hope to see you there!
At first glance the Bulldog Parent Committee plans ‘the fun stuff’. Our dedicated group of parents plan and successfully execute two dances, a schoolwide carnival and is adding a schoolwide movie night this year. Beneath the surface, however, we are continually striving to identify needs within our ACA community and try to fill those needs. We do this through parent surveys and partnering with staff and administration.
These post Covid years we identified the need for our school to become a community again. We needed to open the campus, focus on parent teacher communication and community building activities. We are constantly collaborating with administration as well as other committees such as PBIS and the Interact Club. We brainstormed with administration ways we could open re-open the campus to parents. One outcome of those meetings is the monthly lunch with parents. This has been a huge success making the parents feel connected to the ACA community again.
The dances and carnival are specifically designed to bring our ACA family together. During the last father daughter dance, I heard multiple dads setting up playdates with their daughters as they were making connections as parents for the first time. It’s moments like these that cultivate community building not only staff to family but also family to family.
Another facet of our group is the parent connection within our group. We have grown to support each other through parenting and major life events. Having a platform for parents to discuss homework, teachers, and parenting frustrations allows parents to work together to positively problem solve and help each other which in turn helps with the retention of our families. In fact, many of the parents in our group end up working for ACA in some capacity, an added unexpected bonus of our committee.
Through all the events, fundraising and meetings what shines the most in our group is the true passion and love for ACA in each of our members. The pure desire to continue to make ACA a thriving community. When I asked the members what the group meant to them, they simply said, “family”. There is no truer statement.
Zearn Math and ACA
Let’s talk about Math! Math often times, can be considered a frustrating activity for students and parents – but it doesn’t have to be! ACA has adopted the Zearn Math curriculum; which combines digital and in person learning. Students are broken into 2 groups and half of the students are learning the digital lesson while the other half are being given direct instruction by their teacher. Then, halfway through the period the 2 groups flip. This allows students to interact with the material in a variety of ways – discussion based and with feedback from their teacher, sometimes using manipulatives, and ultimately in a digital setting with immediate feedback.
One of the things that makes Zearn so neat is that it differentiates for students. Some students need more support than others, and that can happen in a variety of ways. If a student in struggling in a current lesson, the digital lesson will give them direct step by step instructions. IF a student struggles with an overall concept, Zearn has a guide which will allow the teacher to drop the student back to other grades to get the foundational skills built up.
As a parent, you have constant access to your child’s Zearn – you can log in through Clever and see their progress. Even better, if your child is stuck, you can watch parts of the lesson to help them and even learn the math yourself! We love that this empowers parents and students alike. Math is fun and with Zearn it doesn’t have to be a headache!
One of the programs that we highlighted in our A+ Application was our Intervention program. ACA has hired a skilled set of former principals and administrators who pull small groups of K-4 students in order to close the Achievement Gap and help improve reading. In this current academic year we are in the 3rd year of the program and the data has been showing GREAT gains.
We have seen tremendous success with our students with over 96% of Kinder students being on or above grade level last year, and more than 85% in both 1st and 2nd grade. Last year was also our best year for students in the 3rd grade ELA AASA, showing a 12% gain in proficient students from the prior year. This program uses designated lessons that directly align with the Reading curriculum used in K-2. It has been so awesome to watch our students grow academically and see ACA living out it’s mission to close the Achievement Gap. We can and we will!
ACA Middle School has been participating in School Participatory Budgeting since the spring of 2023.
School Participatory Budgeting (SPB) in Arizona is an innovative civic learning tool designed to improve student agency, collaboration, and critical-thinking skills and prepare young people to be active, informed, and engaged participants in civic life for the long term. Students “learn democracy by doing” through a process of participating in a SPB steering committee on campus, gathering ideas from their peers, developing proposals, and campaigning and voting to fund improvement projects that build stronger school communities
ACA students were given $5000 to use to improve the school. A committee of interested students was formed and they set out by generating ideas of improvements they would like to be seen implemented around the school. Students then narrowed this list down to their top 3 improvements and had the 5-8 student body vote. Students overwhelmingly voted to improve the bathrooms in 5-8.
The next steps will be meeting with the school’s CEO, Melissa Holdaway, and developing an action plan and budget – then we will get to making the improvements! This is a great way for our students to learn real life money and project management skills. We cannot wait to see the final results!
Arizona Charter Academy has implemented an exciting program this year called Responsibility Centered Discipline, better known as RCD. Responsibility Centered Discipline is a proven program that reduces discipline in the classroom. It is focused on helping students take responsibility for their actions, learning about what caused their behavior, and how the student is going to take responsibility for their actions in the future and change their behavior.
Teachers learn how to coach students through this and work closely with the student as their ally. ACA has invested in the program for the next 3 years and has an onsite master certified trainer come out to train the staff in August, and he will be back in October. The best part is – you can use RCD at home and he is going to do a parent session for all of you on Tuesday October 17th @ 5pm in our Design Thinking Lab! Truly, this is something that you will not want to miss out on.
Together, we will make an impact on our students and community.
We hope to see you on Tuesday October 17th at 5pm.
The goal of our schoolwide initiative of Cleaning with Meaning is to build a community within ACA where students respect and care for their personal learning spaces. Students are incentivized to ensure their learning spaces are cleaned up at the end of the day. Our cleaning team rewards the classrooms that meet the expected cleaning with stickers on their reward board. The cleaning is basic and minimal and includes things like:
We provide pictures of exemplar classrooms and then the rest is in the student’s hands. It’s been a fantastic initiative, and the cleaning team looks forward to rewarding the classes with stickers. Once a class has received a certain number of stickers, they are rewarded with classroom parties. For Kinder through 2nd grade classes, we host Bubble Parties which include bubble machines, and extra recess and snacks! For 3rd-8th grades they receive an extra recess with a provided snack. An added bonus is the teacher receives a break during this time since our cafeteria staff are the ones hosting and monitoring the recess.
ACA is a PBIS school, and this initiative runs in conjunction with that program, and it has helped develop a respect and care for our learning spaces and we are more than happy to reward students with a bonus recess. Everyone wins!
El objetivo de nuestra iniciativa escolar de Limpieza con Sentido es construir una comunidad dentro de ACA en la que los alumnos respeten y cuiden sus espacios personales de aprendizaje. Se incentiva a los alumnos para que se aseguren de que sus espacios de aprendizaje están limpios al final del día. Nuestro equipo de limpieza recompensa a las clases que cumplen con la limpieza esperada con calcomanías en su tablero de recompensas. La limpieza es básica y mínima e incluye cosas como:
Proporcionamos fotos de clases ejemplares y luego el resto está en manos de los alumnos. Ha sido una iniciativa fantástica y el equipo de limpieza está deseando recompensar a las clases con calcomanías.
Una vez que una clase ha recibido un determinado número de calcomanías, se les recompensa con fiestas en el salón de clase. Para las clases de Kinder a 2º, organizamos fiestas de burbujas que incluyen máquinas de burbujas, ¡y recreos y meriendas extra! Para las clases de 3º a 8º reciben un recreo extra con un snack proporcionado. Una ventaja añadida es que el profesor recibe un descanso durante este tiempo ya que nuestro personal de cafetería es el que organiza y supervisa el recreo.
The Grant Money Will Be Used to Provide Kindergarten Readiness Kits at Arizona Charter Academy and Offer Academic Intervention Programs to Kindergarteners
SURPRISE, Arizona—The administration and staff at Arizona Charter Academy are pleased to announce that the school has been awarded an 18-month, $200,000 grant called the A for Arizona Expansion and Innovation Fund.
As. Dr. Charlotte Pullins, Director of Inclusion at Arizona Charter Academy (ACA) noted, the grant money will be used in very specific and crucial ways to support the school’s youngest learners.
“The grant will allow ACA to directly support our kindergartners by providing researched interventions that have the potential to increase student academics,” she said.
“Also, the grant provides preschool programming that supports our preschools in the community by bridging and strengthening the transitions from preschool to kindergarten.”
In addition, Dr. Pullins noted, the grant will enable ACA to leverage teacher expertise and develop professional development and to engage the community.
The staff at ACA was inspired to apply for the grant based on the school’s desire to help incoming kindergartners and their families be as ready for school as possible, as well as to help reverse the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on the school system.
“Based on the community needs, ACA proposed a community-wide initiative to strengthen the development of preschool aged children to close the academic and behavioral gaps that exist among incoming kindergarteners. By engaging the community, we can work collaboratively in private-public community partnerships to help our children become resilient and ready to learn,” Dr. Pullins said.
The grant money is already being put to use; for example, ACA gave away close to 400 Kindergarten Readiness Kits to help promote early learning, in alignment with the grant.
“Through our relationships with close to 10 area preschools and community centers we were able to connect with Pre-K families and provide free kits to all of their 4 year old students, Dr. Pullins said.
“In addition, we raffled off free kits to families at local community festivals in El Mirage and Surprise and every incoming ACA Kindergartner also received the kits.”
The kits are full of supplies like safety scissors, construction paper, counting cubes, playdough, jumbo pencils, craft sticks, motor skills crayons and ACA’s custom curated activity packet created by ACA’s kindergarten teachers. The kit also includes a QR code that parents are encouraged to access and allows them to sign up for quick instructional videos created by ACA’s kindergarten teachers with activities and tips on things like number sense, motor skills, reading basics and more.
In addition to the Kindergarten Readiness Kits, ACA hosted an Early Childhood Educators Conference as well as a Parent Reading Workshop.
“Similar and more events are scheduled for the coming 2023-2024 school year,” Dr. Pullins said, adding that it was very exciting and gratifying to learn that ACA had been awarded the grant.
“Receiving the grant was of tremendous importance to ACA following the effect of COVID on the school system. This grant allows ACA to provide high-quality academic support to the children within our community to address the significant impacts of COVID on our current students and incoming kindergarteners,” she said.
“Most of all, this grant allows ACA to be a proactive intervention to address student needs.”
ACA is continuing a great program within the last few years for our 6-8th grade students called Student Ambassadors!
The Student Ambassadors program is a leadership experience for our ACA students. It offers students the opportunity to explore their leadership and service potential through volunteering as representatives of ACA Core Values. Ambassadors serve in a variety of ways and participate or assist Arizona Charter Academy by providing support for ACA events, reading and mentoring to younger ACA peers, assisting with fundraising events, assisting/leading peer mediations, volunteering in the Surprise and El Mirage Community, and promoting school wide student culture.
The Ambassadors selected each year exhibit the following qualities:
You can spot an ambassador in our hallways with their ACA Student Ambassador polo’s. If you see them give them encouragement to continue their service-oriented behavior and show them how proud of them you are.
ACA continúa con un gran programa de los últimos años para nuestros estudiantes de 6º a 8º grado llamado ¡Estudiantes Embajadores!
El programa Student Ambassadors es una experiencia de liderazgo para nuestros estudiantes de ACA. Ofrece a los estudiantes la oportunidad de explorar su potencial de liderazgo y servicio a través del voluntariado como representantes de los Valores Fundamentales de ACA. Los embajadores sirven de diversas maneras y participan o ayudan a Arizona Charter Academy brindando apoyo para eventos de ACA, leyendo y asesorando a pares más jóvenes de ACA, ayudando con eventos de recaudación de fondos, asistiendo/liderando mediaciones de pares, siendo voluntarios en las comunidades Surprise y El Mirage, y promover la cultura estudiantil en toda la escuela.
Los Embajadores seleccionados cada año exhiben las siguientes cualidades:
Puedes ver a un embajador en nuestros pasillos con su polo ACA Student Ambassador. Si los ve, anímelos a continuar con su comportamiento orientado al servicio y muéstreles lo orgulloso que está de ellos.
We’re excited to announce ACA has applied for the Arizona Education Foundations (AEF) designation as an A+ School of Excellence again! This is a prestigious award that is granted to a select group of schools annually. ACA was previously awarded this designation during the 2018-2019 school year. The process includes a lengthy application with multiple questions to respond to in narrative form – from there, AEF reviews all applications and determines schools that will move onto the 2nd round – the school site visit. If ACA were to be awarded a visit it would be in either November, December, or January.
We are looking forward to hearing soon if ACA has been selected for a site visit!
One of the awesome things about the A+ application is that we get to highlight a variety of programs that make ACA unique. Here are a few of the programs that were highlighted:
We will be highlighting these programs over the next few weeks, so you, parents, also have a better idea of what happens during the day at ACA. We are excited to share all of these programs with you!
The staff at Arizona Charter Academy are excited to welcome you to a new school year filled with opportunities to learn and engage!
Getting into the habit of daily attendance is more important than ever. It helps to:
We are working to make our school environment a place where everyone can be safe, healthy and learning. This year we have created an attendance recognition program for our K-2 grade students called Attend and Accelerate. Listed below are two attendance incentives starting Sept 1, 2023.
We will do our best to listen and partner with you so that our children have a successful year. Do not hesitate to reach out to me with questions or concerns. Please call us if you need help with attendance at 623-974-4959 ext. 107.
Our K-4 specials teachers have gone above and beyond by curating an impressive collection of links for parents to enjoy with their children during the summer break. These handpicked resources are specifically tailored to engage and entertain students in grades K-4. These links offer a variety of fun activities that foster learning and exploration. A big thanks to our dedicated specials teachers.
Specials might be over for this year, but never fear! Your specials team has put together some activities to keep your mind growing all summer long! With your parent’s permission, enjoy these links!
K-2 updated “Hey K-2 musicians! Sing through the summer with these campfire songs!”
Singing through Summer – Google Slides
3-4 “Hey 3rd and 4th grade musicians! Celebrate the Fourth of July with Francis Scott Key’s music!
The Star-Spangled Banner – Google Slides
The Kids Should See This
https://thekidshouldseethis.com
If you have Disney+ check out – Shop Class on Disney+
For our younger artist
https://artforkidshub.com/
And our younger readers. Read aloud stories
Storytime Castle – YouTube
Cosmic kids yoga!!
Nuestros maestros especiales de K-4 se han esforzado al máximo al seleccionar una impresionante colección de enlaces para que los padres disfruten con sus hijos durante las vacaciones de verano. Estos recursos seleccionados están especialmente diseñados para involucrar y entretener a los estudiantes de los grados K-4. Estos enlaces ofrecen una variedad de actividades divertidas que fomentan el aprendizaje y la exploración. Un gran agradecimiento a nuestros dedicados maestros especiales.
¡Las actividades especiales pueden haber terminado para este año, pero no te preocupes! ¡Tu equipo especial ha preparado algunas actividades para que tu mente siga creciendo durante todo el verano! ¡Con el permiso de tus padres, disfruta de estos enlaces!
“Hola músicos de K-2! Canta durante el verano con estas canciones alrededor de la fogata!”
Singing through Summer – Google Slides
¡”Hola músicos de 3º y 4º grado! ¡Celebra el 4 de julio con la música de Francis Scott Key!”
The Star-Spangled Banner – Google Slides
The Kids Should See This:
https://thekidshouldseethis.com
Si tienes Disney+, echa un vistazo a “Shop Class” en Disney+.
Para nuestros jóvenes artistas:
https://artforkidshub.com/
Y para nuestros jóvenes lectores. Historias leídas en voz alta en Storytime Castle – Storytime Castle – YouTube
¡Cosmic Kids Yoga!
On Thursday, May 18th, our school gymnasium transformed into a vibrant hub of scientific discovery and innovation. Our annual science projects brought together students from 3rd to 8th grade. We were able to showcase the 4th-8th grade projects and they were quite impressive! Let’s dive into the
exciting event and celebrate the exceptional winners from each grade level.
A Remarkable Display of Young Talent:
The science fair welcomed participants from 4th to 8th grade, offering an inclusive platform for budding scientists to explore their interests and present their findings. The 3rd graders, despite being non-competitors and non-exhibitors still displayed enthusiasm and creativity by conducting their own science experiments.
A Showcase of Scientific Ingenuity:
The gymnasium buzzed with excitement as the projects of 4th to 8th graders were proudly presented to fellow students, teachers, and parents. From innovative experiments to thought-provoking demonstrations, the breadth and depth of scientific exploration were on full display.
Recognition for Outstanding Achievements:
The science fair also included a highly anticipated judging process, where some amazing teachers evaluated the projects and selected the top three winners for each grade level. The winners’ names were met with cheers and applause, highlighting their remarkable accomplishments and dedication to scientific inquiry.
We congratulate all of our young scientists that put their learning into action and would like to say a special congrats to our grade level winners below…
Celebrating the Grade-Level Winners:
3rd Grade Winners:
1st Hazel Allen
2nd Liliana Sandoval
3rd Jaxyn Garcillano
4th Grade Winners:
1st Korbin Langston
2nd Abigail Hoyt
3rd Sebastian Durand
1st place: Jaylee Diego
2nd place: Nathanael Perez
3rd place: Jaylah Ruiz
5th Grade Winners
Andy Butanda- Volcano
Mateo Hernandez- Day and Night
Aiden Cassidy- Gummy Bears Dissolve
6th Grade Winners
1st Emma Tran- Moon Phase Demonstration
2nd Isabella Vasquez- Thermal Expansion
3rd Leilani Noriega and Liliana Gomez- Fertilizer Project
7th Grade Winners
1st Anais Burgher- Freezing Time
2nd Brandon Ward- Inflation Effect
3rd Camden Turner, Isaiah Mansaray, Mekhi Malone- Trajectory
8th Grade Winners
1st Riley Sanborn- Cheap vs. Expensive Potting Soil
2nd Nelly Cuevas- Boiling Water
3rd Giovanni Lopez and Amanda Verdin- Abuelita Chocolate
El jueves 18 de mayo, nuestro gimnasio escolar se transformó en un vibrante centro de descubrimiento científico e innovación. Nuestros proyectos científicos anuales reunieron a estudiantes desde 3er hasta 8vo grado. Pudimos mostrar los proyectos de los grados 4to a 8vo y ¡fueron bastante impresionantes! Sumérgete en el emocionante evento y celebra a los excepcionales ganadores de cada nivel de grado.
Una Exhibición Notable de Joven Talento:
La feria de ciencias dio la bienvenida a participantes de 4to a 8vo grado, ofreciendo una plataforma inclusiva para los científicos en ciernes para explorar sus intereses y presentar sus hallazgos. Los alumnos de 3er grado, a pesar de no ser competidores ni expositores, mostraron entusiasmo y creatividad al realizar sus propios experimentos científicos.
Una Exhibición de Ingenio Científico:
El gimnasio vibraba de emoción mientras los proyectos de los alumnos de 4to a 8vo grado se presentaban con orgullo a los demás estudiantes, maestros y padres. Desde experimentos innovadores hasta demostraciones que provocan reflexión, la amplitud y profundidad de la exploración científica estaban a plena vista.
Reconocimiento por Logros Sobresalientes:
La feria de ciencias también incluyó un proceso de juzgamiento muy anticipado, donde algunos increíbles maestros evaluaron los proyectos y seleccionaron a los tres mejores ganadores de cada nivel de grado. Los nombres de los ganadores fueron recibidos con aplausos y vítores, destacando sus notables logros y dedicación a la investigación científica.
Felicitamos a todos nuestros jóvenes científicos que pusieron en práctica sus aprendizajes y nos gustaría decir unas felicitaciones especiales a los ganadores de nuestros niveles de grado a continuación…
Celebrando a los Ganadores de Cada Nivel de Grado:
3rd Grade Winners:
1st Hazel Allen
2nd Liliana Sandoval
3rd Jaxyn Garcillano
4th Grade Winners:
1st Korbin Langston
2nd Abigail Hoyt
3rd Sebastian Durand
1st place: Jaylee Diego
2nd place: Nathanael Perez
3rd place: Jaylah Ruiz
5th Grade Winners
Andy Butanda- Volcano
Mateo Hernandez- Day and Night
Aiden Cassidy- Gummy Bears Dissolve
6th Grade Winners
1st Emma Tran- Moon Phase Demonstration
2nd Isabella Vasquez- Thermal Expansion
3rd Leilani Noriega and Liliana Gomez- Fertilizer Project
7th Grade Winners
1st Anais Burgher- Freezing Time
2nd Brandon Ward- Inflation Effect
3rd Camden Turner, Isaiah Mansaray, Mekhi Malone- Trajectory
8th Grade Winners
1st Riley Sanborn- Cheap vs. Expensive Potting Soil
2nd Nelly Cuevas- Boiling Water
3rd Giovanni Lopez and Amanda Verdin- Abuelita Chocolate
Want a free ACA shirt?! Want to be a Bulldog Parent All-Star??
If you tell a friend or family member about ACA and they come and take a tour you can claim a FREE ACA shirt right away!
We are still running our same Bulldog Bucks incentive as the past, this is a new and NOW approach. If you refer a family and they come and take a tour between now and the beginning of next school year you can take your pick of a FREE ACA shirt!!
We are open during the summer and our Enrollment Department does tours daily, so there is no shortage of opportunities. Word of Mouth has always been the #1 way people hear about ACA.
We still have spots open in most grade levels so give your friends and family members the gift of sharing ACA with them! In return, you get a free ACA shirt!
What kind of shirt?
Take your pick! A uniform polo shirt or spirit shirt for your child OR get a spirit shirt in adult sizes for yourself.
For every family you refer that takes a tour, YOU get a free shirt!
What’s Bulldog Parent All-Star?
If you refer 5 or more families to take a tour between now and the beginning of the next school year, that earns you Bulldog Parent All Star status! What does that get you?
How to sign up for a tour?
The easiest thing to do is to forward them this email!
Enrollment Dept. Direct Phone: 623-302-5736
Direct Email Address: Admissions@azcharter.com
Or submit a tour request online at: https://www.azcharter.com/request-a-tour
¿Quieren una camiseta de ACA gratis?! ¿Quieren ser un Super Padre Bulldog??
Si le cuentan a un amigo o familiar sobre ACA y vienen a realizar un tour, ¡pueden reclamar una camiseta de ACA GRATIS de inmediato!
Todavía estamos ejecutando nuestro mismo incentivo de “Bulldog Bucks” como en el pasado, este es un enfoque nuevo y ACTUAL. Si refieren a una familia y vienen a hacer un recorrido entre ahora y el comienzo del próximo año escolar, ¡pueden escoger una camiseta de ACA GRATIS!
Estamos abiertos durante el verano y nuestro Departamento de Inscripciones realiza tours a diario, por lo que no hay escasez de oportunidades. El boca a boca siempre ha sido la forma número 1 en que las personas se enteran de ACA.
Todavía tenemos espacios disponibles en la mayoría de los grados, así que ¡denle a sus amigos y familiares el regalo de compartir ACA con ellos! A cambio, ¡obtienen una camiseta de ACA gratis!
¿Qué tipo de camiseta?
¡Elige la que quieras! Una camiseta de uniforme o camiseta de espíritu para tu hijo O obtén una camiseta de espíritu en tallas para adultos para ti.
¡Por cada familia que refieres y realiza un tour, TÚ obtienes una camiseta gratis!
¿Qué es Super Padre Bulldog?
Si refieres a 5 o más familias para que hagan un recorrido entre ahora y el comienzo del próximo año escolar, ¡eso te hace ganar el estatus de Super Padre Bulldog! ¿Qué obtienes con eso?
¿Cómo inscribirse para un tour?
¡Lo más fácil es reenviarles este correo electrónico!
Teléfono Directo del Departamento de Inscripciones: 623-302-5736
Correo Electrónico Directo: Admissions@azcharter.com
Solicita un tour en línea en: https://www.azcharter.com/request-a-tour
If you’re considering a charter school for your child, you may be wondering how it works and what benefits it offers. We’ll do our best to explain how a charter school functions and why it may be a great choice for your child.
Charter schools are public schools that operate under a charter or contract, granting them greater autonomy and flexibility than traditional public schools. This means that charter schools can design their own curriculum, hire their own teachers, and create unique learning environments that cater to the needs of their students.
Charter schools are free and open to all students, and cannot charge tuition. They receive state and federal funding based on the number of students enrolled, just like traditional public schools. This means that your child can receive a high-quality education without the added financial burden of private school tuition.
One of the biggest advantages of charter schools is their flexibility in creating academic programs that meet the needs of individual students. Charter schools can specialize in certain subject areas, such as STEM, the arts, or language immersion, and may offer unique approaches to learning, such as project-based or experiential learning. This means that your child can receive a tailored education that aligns with their interests and learning style.
Charter schools also have the ability to hire highly qualified and motivated teachers who are passionate about their subject matter and committed to helping students succeed. This means that your child will be taught by teachers who are dedicated to their profession and invested in their success. Furthermore, charter schools are also subject to strict accountability measures, ensuring that they meet certain academic and financial standards. If a charter school fails to meet these standards, the charter may be revoked. This means that charter schools are highly motivated to provide a high-quality education and to ensure that their students succeed.
In conclusion, a charter school can provide your child with a high-quality education that is tailored to their needs and interests. With greater flexibility in creating academic programs, highly qualified teachers, and emphasis on parental involvement, a charter school can help your child reach their full potential. So, if you’re considering a charter school for your child, I highly recommend exploring the options in your area and finding the best fit for your family.
The K-6 Spring Carnival was a huge success this year, thanks in large part to the hard work and dedication of the Bulldog Parent Committee. They planned, organized, and ran the event, ensuring that everything ran smoothly and that everyone had a great time. With middle school student volunteers and staff volunteers helping out, the carnival was a true community effort that brought everyone together.
One of the highlights of the carnival was the food. In addition to the traditional carnival fare like cotton candy and popcorn, there were also local family-owned food trucks and food/beverage vendors selling a wide variety of delicious treats. From tacos to ice cream, there was something for everyone to enjoy.
All in all, the K-6 Spring Carnival was a great community event for the whole ACA community to come together and celebrate the end of the school year. We can’t wait to see what the Bulldog Parent Committee has in store for next year!
We are excited to announce the upcoming school carnival that will be held on April 29th from 10am to 1pm at ACA. This carnival promises to be a day of fun, games, music, and food for the whole family!
The carnival is open to Kinder-6th grade families and admission is free for all adults. For students, we have two ticket options available: pre-sale tickets or at-the-door tickets.
Pre-sale tickets will be available from April 10th through April 21st
$2 per student with a maximum of $10 per family
At-the-door tickets
$5 per student with a maximum of $20 per family.
We are also looking for volunteers to help with the carnival. Volunteers will receive 2 tickets and can enjoy the carnival after their shift is complete. If you are interested in volunteering or have any questions, please contact Mrs. Haberkorn at shaberkorn@azcharter.com.
Don’t miss out on this fun-filled day for the whole family. Mark your calendars for April 29th and join us for a day of family fun!
¡Nos complace anunciar el próximo carnaval escolar que se llevará a cabo el 29 de abril de 10am a 1pm en ACA! ¡Este carnaval promete ser un día de diversión, juegos, música y comida para toda la familia!
El carnaval está abierto a las familias de Kinder-6to grado y la entrada es gratuita para todos los adultos. Para los estudiantes, tenemos dos opciones de boletos disponibles: boletos de preventa o boletos en la puerta. Los boletos de preventa estarán disponibles del 10 al 21 de abril y costarán $2 por estudiante con un máximo de $10 por familia. Los boletos en la puerta estarán disponibles por $5 por estudiante con un máximo de $20 por familia.
También estamos buscando voluntarios para ayudar en el carnaval. Los voluntarios recibirán 2 boletos y podrán disfrutar del carnaval después de completar su turno. Si está interesado en ser voluntario o tiene alguna pregunta, comuníquese con la Sra. Haberkorn en shaberkorn@azcharter.com.
¡No se pierda este día lleno de diversión para toda la familia! ¡Marque sus calendarios para el 29 de abril y únanse a nosotros para un día de diversión familiar!
Recently, our school hosted a Kinder-4th Grades Art and Music Festival and it was an absolute blast for families! The event was designed to showcase the artistic talents of our young students and provide an opportunity for families to come together and enjoy some creative fun.
The evening kicked off with an impressive display of artwork from our students. The walls of the school were adorned with colorful paintings, drawings, and crafts that the students had created in their art classes. Parents and students were amazed at the creativity and skill on display, and it was clear that the students had put in a lot of effort and hard work into their pieces.
Our Music Teacher, Ms. Uher had a bucket drumming room along with a Karaoke Room. But the fun didn’t stop there! There were also hands-on art activities for families to participate in. Families were able to create their own masterpieces and take them home as a memento of the evening.
Overall, the Kinder-4th Grade Art and Music Festival was a great success. It was a fantastic opportunity for families to come together and celebrate the creativity and talent of our young students. The event not only showcased the hard work of our students but also highlighted the importance of the arts in our education system. A big thank you to Ms. Pelletier and Ms. Uher for organizing a wonderful event!
Our Bulldog Parent Committee hosted our ACA Sweetheart Dance (Father/Daughter Dance) this past Friday. It was a roaring success with close to 200 in attendance. Father/Daughter couples enjoyed dancing together, having snacks, taking pictures and even doing some crafts together.
Our ACA Bulldog Parent Committee works tirelessly to plan and orchestrate this event every year. The Parent Committee is made up completely of ACA parent volunteers that are interested in participating in and growing the overall ACA community.
For all those in attendance, they can surely attest the atmosphere was so endearing and sweet to see Fathers and Daughters creating fun memories together. Once father put it this way, “I haven’t seen that many grown men with tears of joy in one setting in a long time.”
For any parents interested in joining our Bulldog Parent Committee, they are welcome and encouraged to reach out to the Committee Coordinator, Sheri Haberkorn, an ACA Teacher and ACA Parent shaberkorn@azcharter.com
ACA is excited to be applying for the 21st century grant again. This is an after-school grant worth about $500,000 to help fund a dynamic after school program for students K-8. We are excited to go for this opportunity to build up our after-school programming for our students. As we progress through the application we will keep you posted on the results. If any parents have any questions about the grant or what type of programming they would like to see at ACA, they are encouraged to submit comments HERE.
Integrated Academy of Studies Program at Arizona Charter Academy Teaches Students How to be Leaders with the Help of Hands-On Activities
Students Who are Enrolled in the Leadership Elective Class Organize and Plan School Assemblies, the School’s Monthly Lunch with Leaders, and More
SURPRISE, Arizona—Since the day it opened its doors over a decade ago, Arizona Charter Academy has strived to build leadership qualities in its students.
One tangible way the school has done this is by offering a leadership elective class for students in the Integrated Academy of Studies program, as well as through a Student Ambassador Program.
As Alondra Salazar, middle school Grade Level Lead at Arizona Charter Academy noted, the school’s mission “To empower all students to be responsible, productive and global citizens” truly inspires her and other staff members.
“We really do want to empower our students to be responsible, productive and global citizens. Creating our Integrated Academy of Studies program for middle school pushed us to ensure we have elective offerings that are well rounded,” she said.
ACA currently has 56 leadership students and about 30 Student Ambassadors, in grades 5-8.
In addition to learning about the importance of being leaders, the leadership elective offers hands-on opportunities for students.
For example, students organize and plan the monthly assemblies for their grade levels, Salazar said, and they also plan and run semester activities like a fifth/sixth grade afterschool carnival and a seventh/eighth grade dance.
Leadership elective students also assist with events that help to deepen the community within the middle school, including the monthly Lunch with Leaders event.
“We invite a leader to come and speak to a group of about 40 students during their lunch period. They share their story, their adversities they’ve faced and how they’ve overcome to be the successful individual they are today,” Salazar said.
As Dr. Charlotte Pullins, ACA’s Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging and staff advisor to the Student Ambassadors notes, the Student Ambassadors also make a positive difference in the lives of other students.
“Our ambassadors ensure new students feel welcome and included at ACA by making sure they have someone to eat lunch with their first few days of school and at least one person to help them acclimate in their classes,” she said, adding that students truly enjoy having a say in what goes on at their school.
Both the leadership elective and the Student Ambassador program have given students back the great activities that build community after the isolation the students experienced during COVID, Pullins said.
“These leadership opportunities also give students a chance to give voice to their abilities and viewpoints. They can begin developing talents and abilities to help mold them into the leaders of tomorrow,” Pullins said.
“Students are seeing what an impact their efforts can provide. The sense of accomplishment the leadership team felt after they successfully planned and executed their first ever assembly was palpable.”
The Excellence is Civics award recognition is based on a school demonstrating knowledge and effective implementation of the six proven practices in civic learning: classroom instruction in civics and government, history, economics, geography, law and democracy; service learning linked to classroom learning; experiential learning; learning through participation in models and simulations of democratic processes and procedures; guided classroom discussion of current issues and events; and meaningful participation in school governance.
This is our second year receiving the School of Merit award. Only 30 schools were chosen and ACA was one of four charter schools to receive a Civic Engagement Award. Our strength lies in our service learning projects through NHS, Mentor Club and Rotary Clubs. ACA has also seen growth in experiential learning through our Capitol Scholars program, Step Up poll workers program, Teen Court and our annual voter registration drive.
ACA takes pride in the civic engagement of our students and the opportunities we can provide to our students to have an active voice in their community and their futures.
Melissa Holdaway was voted “Alumnus of the Year” by members of Leadership West and surprised with the honor at the Class XIX Graduation Ceremony.
The award is granted to an alumnus of the organization who is visibly and successfully leading in the West Valley and significantly contributing to the success of Leadership West.
Holdaway, who graduated from Leadership West in 2010 with Class XVI, is the co-founder and CEO of Arizona Charter Academy, which has received many awards, including the Phoenix Business Journal’s one of the Valley’s Best places to work, and Arizona Business magazine’s “Arizona’s Most Admired Company for 2010, 2011 and 2012. The Academy was also ranked in the “Top 100” companies in Arizona in 2012 by BestcompaniesAZ.
Holdaway serves the community as a Commissioner for the General Plan Commission in Surprise, Chair of the Arizona State Charter Association Advisory Board Business Committee and Serves on the West Valley Youth Leadership Council. She is an active member of the Surprise Rotary, Sun City Elks, The Arizona Association of Business Officials and the Dodie Londen Excellence in Public Service Program. She also serves on various committees for the Arizona Department of Education.
Despite graduating nearly four years ago, Holdaway continues to stay very engaged with Leadership West, contributing to the 501(c)3, speaking at the education-themed instructional day and serving on a variety of committees including one that is preparing for the organization’s twentieth anniversary celebration in October. She has established a significant number of community partnerships for her Academy through relationships established among her classmates and alumni.
“Melissa is an exemplary alumnus of Leadership West,” said Executive Director, Kathy Knecht. “Smart, effective, always smiling, she has friends in virtually every class. She is a role model among West Valley Leaders and has put her Leadership West experience to use in more ways than could have been imagined.”
At her core, Melissa Holdaway is an entrepreneur.
As chief operating officer of Arizona Charter Academy, a K-12 school serving about 800 students in Surprise, Holdaway is always searching for new ways to broaden the experiences of her students.
Whether it’s community partnerships, grants for innovative programs or classroom sponsorships, Holdaway seeks out opportunities for students and allows her staff to dream big.
Because Holdaway’s innovation and the strong foundation she’s paved for Arizona Charter Academy, Holdaway is our 2015 Business Leader of the Year.
Nearly 15 years after founding Arizona Charter Academy, Holdaway has emerged as one of the most influential charter school leaders in the state, with the passion for her school, community and the statewide charter school movement driving her decisions.
“What makes Melissa unique is her approach to integrating community into her organization,” said Arizona Charter Academy Board Member Melissa Montenegro. “She is an influential leader in her community, raised several thousand dollars and provided countless opportunities for the students and staff.”
The money Holdaway saves from community partnerships and contract negotiations, goes directly to the classroom. She works with her staff and vendors monthly to review budget reports, and has streamlined financial reports to help her two principals stay on budget.
This effort has not only helped Arizona Charter Academy gain extra money through grants and budget savings, but it’s also helped the school maintain an ‘A’ rating with a high poverty student population.
Holdaway is also integral to expanding relationship between charter schools and the city of Surprise.
Earlier this year, Holdaway worked with Surprise city officials and other charter school leaders to secure a $72,000 federal grant to study safer routes to school for their students.
Holdaway said the ability for the charter schools and city officials to work together provides a huge benefit to the community, and will help the ultimate success of the charter school movement and its students.
“They know we all stick together,” Holdaway said. “If we want to move forward as a movement, we have to be unified.”
For the fourth year in a row, Arizona Charter Academy has been selected as one of Arizona’s “Most Admired Companies.”
The Surprise school was chosen along with 39 other businesses from nearly 300 nominations for the honor. Arizona Business Magazine and BestCompaniesAZ teamed up to recognize the contributions and impact that local companies bring to the state and the award is based on employee, customer and community opinions.
Chief Operations Officer Melissa Holdaway said: “It is our teachers and staff members who make the difference, and we work hard to make sure our staff is acknowledged, celebrated and feel valued.”
“The entire staff at Arizona Charter Academy is thrilled that we have been chosen as one of the most admired companies for the fourth year in a row,” said Pricilla Hernandez, one of the school’s teachers and English Language Learner coordinator.
“Every day, every single one of our teachers and other staff members work hard to offer a positive and encouraging environment for our students that respects and welcomes diversity of all types. For our school to be recognized four times in a row for our efforts is extremely gratifying for all of us.”
Examples of the school’s outstanding commitment to the community, Holdaway said, include annual trips to an impoverished area to build a home from the ground up for a family, monetary donations from students for various causes, community cleanup events and shared decision making and leadership opportunities for staff.
Since the day Arizona Charter Academy first opened its doors, the administrators have done everything possible to help ensure that the charter school offers an outstanding and supportive work environment.
Arizona Charter Academy was recently recognized for its commitment to its employees when it was named as one of the CareerBuilder Top Companies to Work For in Arizona. CareerBuilder, The Arizona Republic, azcentral.com and BestCompaniesAZ recently launched the new statewide workplace awards program, which recognizes organizations that are creating quality jobs and work environments.
Although the teachers and staff at Arizona Charter Academy were thrilled to learn that the school had received such a wonderful honor, they said they were not completely surprised about the award. After all, they firsthand how the school is such an outstanding place to work.
Gloria Ramos, student services coordinator, has worked at Arizona Charter Academy for nine years. She said she especially likes the way the staff is not only dedicated to the students, but to each other as well.
“Arizona Charter Academy is a great work place to work for because we are really a true team dedicated to education,” Ramos said. “We’re all passionate about kids and education and the belief that a zip code will not determine a child’s education.”
Although this is just Lori Townes’s second year at Arizona Charter Academy, the reading specialist said she already sees clearly how the school puts the needs of its students first.
“While I was excited to work in an evolving reading intervention program, I was pleasantly surprised with the positive working environment and dynamic staff,” Townes said, adding that she feels very fortunate to work with a team of people who truly put the needs of kids first, and make all decisions based on what is best for the kids.
For Minette Klenner, who is starting her fifth year teaching junior high and high school history at Arizona Charter Academy, she has words of praise for everyone at the school.
“The collaboration among my peers is amazing, and the administration is extremely supportive,” she said, adding that her principal Stephani Olson is both “amazing and supportive.”
“Most of our students have been here for elementary through high school and they are polite, respectful overall great kids.”
Arizona Charter Academy, 16011 N. Dysart Road, was recognized Sept. 5 as one of Arizona’s “Most Admired Companies” during a ceremony held at the Ritz Carlton in Phoenix. This is the third straight year that the school has received this prestigious honor.
Arizona Business Magazine and BestCompaniesAZ teamed up to recognize the contributions and impact that local companies bring to the state. Special Spotlight Award categories included Workplace Culture, Leadership Excellence, Social Responsibility and Customer Excellence.
Chief operations officer Melissa Holdaway said the award is based on employee, customer and community opinions and focuses on companies with more than 25 employees.
“We are both proud and humbled to have been chosen as one of the most admired companies for the third year in a row,” she said. “Every day, both the teachers and staff strive to create a positive culture for our students that embraces racial and economic diversity in a safe and welcoming environment. To be recognized for our efforts three times is truly very gratifying and affirming to everyone who works here.”
Examples of the school’s commitment to the community, Ms. Holdaway said, include annual trips to an impoverished area to build a home from the ground up for a family, blood drives, monetary donations from students for various causes, community clean up events and shared decision making and leadership opportunities for staff.
In her work as Elementary Principal of Arizona Charter Academy in Surprise, Heather Henderson enjoys making a difference with her students. “I love watching the next generation of students become critical thinkers who can articulate their viewpoints backed with evidence and make a difference in their community,” Henderson said, adding that she also truly enjoys working with a dedicated staff who cares about what is best for kids.
Henderson’s commitment to Arizona Charter Academy and its students and staff recently caught the attention of the Rodel Foundation of Arizona. Last week, Henderson was selected as one of eight Rodel Exemplary Principals in Arizona. Henderson was the only charter school principal in Arizona to be selected for this elite award.
Henderson, who was also recently named as 2014 Transitional Leader of the Year by the Arizona Charter Association, credits Arizona Charter Academy’s strong culture of setting high expectations for students and staff as a key part of her success.
“The support of the parents, students and staff who believe in me as a leader and want what is best for the students has been really influential,” she said.
Melissa Holdaway, chief operations officer for Arizona Charter Academy, said that Henderson embodies everything that the Rodel Exemplary Principals award is about.
“Mrs. Henderson is an amazing instructional leader and has led the charge in transforming ACA to a high rigor, top performing school. She truly cares about every student and staff member and this is only the beginning of what ACA is becoming”
Henderson said that she is both “honored and humbled” by the award from the Rodel Foundation of Arizona. She is also grateful for the many people who have supported her vision for Arizona Charter Academy as well as her leadership ability.
“Many people focus on how lonely it can be in a leadership position, but what I have and am learning is how supported I am by an amazing group of staff, students, parents, governing board and my own mentors,” she said.
“The community is strong, supporting and believe that the next generation will make a difference in our community.”
The ACA Bulldog Parent Committee was so excited to bring back the Mother and Son Dance this year. This years theme was “An Evening Under the Stars” where we invited all K-4 Mother and Son couples to join us for a fall evening event filled with dancing, games, food and flannel wear!
We had an amazing turnout and the parent committee completely transformed our back patio and playground with twinkle lights, bales of hay, an awesome DJ, good food, bouncy houses and so much more!
Sheri Haberkorn, our Bulldog Parent Committee leader, led the charge for the committee and has this to say “The main goal of the Bulldog Parent Committee is to rebuild our amazing ACA community after the pandemic. We chose a K-4 mother son dance to allow moms a special night out with their sons as well as give moms a chance to connect with other parents. I personally have a fourth grader and was there as a participant. My son and I had such a great time and I know he felt so special. One of the things I was most excited about was that I got to connect with my son’s very good friend’s mom. We were able to swap numbers and can now do play dates! This is what building ACA community looks like. Don’t worry, we will be having a Dance for our K-4 girls in February, and we can’t wait to see you there.”
Dr. Charlotte Pullins from Arizona Charter Academy Was Selected to Present at the National Charter School Conference in Washington D.C.
Dr. Pullins, Who is the Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging at Arizona Charter Academy, Spoke about the Positive Impact of Students Seeing a Teacher that Looks Like Them
SURPRISE, Arizona—Dr. Charlotte Pullins, the Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at Arizona Charter Academy, was selected to present a session at the National Charter School Conference in Washington D.C. The conference took place in June.
Dr. Pullins based her research and presentation on the positive impact of students seeing a teacher that looks like them. For instance, she noted, Dee (2004), Egalite et al. (2015), and Yarnell and Bohrnstedt (2018) all found positive academic benefits including increased academics and graduation rates when students shared the same race as teachers.
“With the student population of students of color approaching 50% in the past decade, only 16% of teachers follow suit,” Dr. Pullins noted, adding that in addition to recruitment, research also shows teachers of color are leaving the field at a higher rate than their white counterparts.
“For teachers of color, nearly 20% of beginning teachers leave the teaching field, compared to only 15% of non-minority teachers. With more teachers leaving teaching than entering each year, schools with a majority of high poverty, high minority students have a 70% greater turnover rate than Non-Title 1 schools.”
To look at the impact of student achievement, Dr. Pullin’s session at the conference highlighted the strategies and techniques used to not only recruit Black teachers to school districts, but how to keep them there.
The session also discussed how to build a more diverse teaching staff, highlighting the need for school districts to incorporate strategies to retain teachers of color. During the session, discussions were centered around research-based strategies and qualitative experiences of teachers of color in today’s work environment. Special attention was paid to the heightened racial climate in society and what that meant for working with colleagues who are of different races and ethnicities.
***ADDITIONAL PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST***For more information about Dr. Charlotte Pullins’ presentation at the National Charter School Conference, and/or to learn more about her work at Arizona Charter Academy, please call Melissa Holdaway at 623-974-4959, extension 334.
About Arizona Charter Academy:
Arizona Charter Academy is an A rated, K-8 public charter school in Surprise, AZ, whose mission is to provide outstanding education to enable students to create positive change in their community, country and world. ACA accomplishes this by promoting and expecting excellence, embracing diversity, teaching students to effectively express their viewpoints backed with evidence, and serving our community. ACA has intentionally small classrooms, with a 24:1 student/teacher ratio, promotes personal student attention, and supplemental and enrichment programs including STEM, Art, Music and wide variety of clubs are available to students at no additional charge. For more information, please visit https://www.azcharter.com