July 2014

Yavapai County Education
Service Agency
News
Our Mission: To provide quality leadership, services, and support in response to identified
and anticipated needs that will ensure the highest quality education for students.
Our Vision: The “First Choice” for Responsive Educational Services
Volume 8, Issue 7
July 2014
VOTING IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY
2014 - 2015
Events
2014
Jul 7
Governing Board candidates– FIRST
date to file nomination petitions/
papers with County School
Superintendent's Office
Jul 28
LAST day to register to vote in
August primary
Aug 6
Governing Board candidates– LAST
date to file nomination petitions/
papers with County School
Superintendent's Office
Aug 28
Primary Election VOTE!
Sep 24
Countywide Administrators Meeting,
Prescott area TBA, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Nov 4
Election Day VOTE!
Jan 28
Countywide Administrators
Meeting,Verde Valley area TBA, 8:00
am - 4:00 pm
2015
Apr 29
Countywide Administrators Meeting,
Prescott area TBA, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Education Needs Your Support in Primary Election
It's critical that all educators and education advocates vote in the August
26, 2014 Arizona Primary Election! That's the message Dr. Chuck Essigs,
Director of Governmental Relations for the Arizona Association of School
Business Officials (AASBO) is getting out. You need to vote in the Primary
Election to get the best Democratic, best Republican and best Independent
candidates on the November 4, 2014 General Election ballot. Essigs stresses
that the makeup of the legislature is usually determined by the results of the
Primary Election. If you want candidates that are supportive of our public
schools, you need to vote in the Primary so that we have those candidates
who support K-12 education on the November 4th General Election ballot.
Many legislative district winners of the Primary are virtually guaranteed a seat
at the Capitol, according to Dr. Essigs.
All registered voters may vote in the Primary Election. At Primary
Elections, there will be a separate ballot for each party entitled to participate in
the primary. Each “recognized” political party shall have a separate ballot for
partisan primary elections. In Arizona, the recognized parties are
AMERICANS ELECT, DEMOCRAT, LIBERTARIAN and REPUBLICAN. If you
are registered as one of the Recognized Parties, you will receive your party's
ballot. If you are registered as INDEPENDENT, NON-PARTISAN or as a
member of a Non-Recognized political party, you may choose ONE and only
ONE, of the available recognized party ballots to vote.
If you are not registered, do so today! The deadline for voter registration is
July 28, 2014. You can register or check your registration status at
www.servicearizona.com. Go to “Voter Registration” and click on “Voter
Registration” then “Status of Your Registration”. If you are already registered,
your recent voting record is provided. If you need to register, click on "Begin
Voter Registration".
Please share this information with other potential voters. Essigs reminds us
that “voting is not just a right…voting is a responsibility.”
Source: Chuck Essigs, AASBO
Hotshots Memorial Education Fund Still Accepting Donations
As we remember the devastating Yarnell fire a year ago, please know that the Prescott Granite
Mountain Hotshots Memorial Education Fund is still available for your donations. Arizona's
leading education organizations launched this fund as a long-term, statewide, community-giving
effort designated to provide for the educational needs of the hotshots families, primarily with a
focus on K-12. The sponsoring consortium for this includes the Arizona Association of County School Superintendents
(AACSS), Arizona School Administrators (ASA), Arizona Education Association (AEA), Arizona Association of School
Business Officials, (AASBO), Arizona Business Education Coalition (ABEC) and the fiscal agent, the Arizona School
Boards Association (ASBA). There are two other funds focusing on higher education needs.
To make a tax deductible donation, send your check in any amount to the Prescott Granite Mountain Hotshots
Memorial Education Fund, in care of ASBA, 2100 N. Central Ave., Suite 200, Phoenix, AZ 85004. Thanks for helping
the Hotshots’ families.
Source: Tim Carter, Yavapai County Superintendent
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Updates from Chuck
ADE SEEKS
REVIEW AND INPUT
Director of Governmental Relations for the Arizona Association
of School Business Officials (AASBO) keeps us informed...
On December 26, 2013, the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB)
published the long-awaited federal
budget “supercircular,” formally
known as the “Uniform Administrative Requirements,
Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal
Awards” in the federal register.
District Additional Assistance and ASRS Contributions Rates With the 2014-15 budget approved,
there are reductions in the District Additional Assistance (DAA) and Charter Additional Assistance (CAA)
funds. For FY 2014, the current year, the reductions
are $238.9 million for DAA and $15.6 million for CAA.
That DAA cut results in a statewide reduction of
53.6%. The CAA cut is a 5.4% reduction statewide.
The reductions for FY 2015 will remain at these
amounts. Also, effective July 1, 2014, the retirement
and long-term disability contributions for the Arizona
State Retirement System (ASRS) will increase from
the current 11.54% to 11.60%.
The Arizona Department of Education (ADE) knows
these changes will impact them significantly. The
changes will also have an impact on school districts,
charter schools and other sub-recipients and direct
recipients of federal dollars.
ADE is asking all superintendents, charter holders, and
business managers to review the SIGNIFICANT
CHANGES IN UNIFORM ADMINISTRATIVE
REQUIREMENTS, COST PRINCIPLES, AND AUDIT
REQUIREMENTS FOR FEDERAL AWARDS document
from the Office of the Superintendent of Public
Instruction. This document summarizes the changes
and seeks comments and feedback about areas of your
concern and areas where you are not concerned.
Please forward any comments or suggestions you have
to [email protected] .
If you did not receive the ADE request for input, please
contact Tim Carter, Yavapai County School Superintendent at 928-442-5146 or [email protected].
Source: ADE Fiscal Manager’s Work Group
Arizona's spending per student ranks 47th The
annual publication from the U.S. Census Bureau,
Public Education Finances: 2012, reports that Arizona
spent $7,559 per pupil in FY 2012. Arizona ranked
47th with only Oklahoma(48th), Idaho (49th), and
Utah (50th) spending less per pupil. The national
average is $10,608 per student, making Arizona
spending $3,049 less per student than the national
average. Spending in Arizona would have to increase
by just over 40% to move us to the national average.
With over one million students in Arizona, this would
require a spending increase of over $3 billion. In fact,
Arizona is moving away from the national average. In
FY 2011, we were $2,894 below and for FY 2012, we
are $3,049 below.
Source: Chuck Essigs, AASBO
GET TO KNOW CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR
Education Funding, Standards, and Vouchers
Christine Jones
Scott Smith
Barry Hess
Fred DuVal
Nine candidates for Arizona governor said
they wanted to improve the state of K-12
education at a forum hosted by The Arizona
We Want Institute, and sponsored by
Azcentral.com, but they outlined different
ways of doing so. AZEdNews.com offers a
review of what the gubernatorial candidates
have to say as well as some short videos of
their responses.
The candidates participating in the June 6th
event were Republicans Ken Bennett, Doug
Ducey, Christine Jones, Al Melvin(since
withdrawn from the race), Frank Riggs, and
Scott Smith; Democrat Fred DuVal;
Libertarian Barry Hess; and Independent
John Lewis Mealer. They answered
questions about education funding, common
core, and vouchers.
Ken Bennett
John Lewis Mealer
Doug Ducey
Frank Riggs
To see what they had to say, visit
http://tinyurl.com/qjs8k58 .
Source: AZEdNews.com, June 11, 2014
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Spotlight on…
Graduation Rate Task Force Report Available
For the Class of 2012, the graduation rate for all Arizona high
schools stood at 76.7%. What this means is that, of the 77,247
students who were in the cohort group for the Class of 2012,
23.3%, or 18,039 students, failed to graduate in the expected
four-year period. With Gov. Brewer's goal of raising the state
four-year graduation rate to 93% by 2020, Arizona Ready
Education Council's Graduation Rate Task Force (GRTF) took
on the challenge. The GRTF recently released the report culminating the two years of work and discussions.
Some highlights of the report's conclusions show that from
2006 to 2012, the rate had increased by approximately 8%.
Even if, in the next 7 years, this trend continues, the 2020 rate
would fall short of the Arizona Ready Education Council's
target. Additional measures will be needed to meet the goal.
The GRTF report identified key areas of focus:
Personalized Access and Progress
1. Increase the number of Arizona high schools providing
flexibility in the awarding of course credits (competency vs.
seat time); and
2. Expand dual-credit, concurrent enrollment, and industry
credential programs—with no cost to the student—for earned
credit.
Rigorous Models
3. Expand the number of state-approved career and technology education (CTE) programs for core academic credit;
and
4. Provide incentives to expand effective drop-out prevention
and recovery programs.
Pathways Based on Interest, Aptitude, and Knowledge
5. Provide a process by which information from the Arizona
Commerce Authority, business, and industry on strategic
“areas of growth” is made available to schools and school
systems ;
6. Provide supports for schools to fully implement Education
and Career Action Plans (ECAP); and
7. Create early warning data systems within and between
districts with high dropout rates.
Higher Quality Early Childhood Experiences
8. Support the development and implementation of a
Kindergarten readiness assessment tool that will help
teachers develop individualized instruction for Kindergarten
students; and
9. Provide for more high-quality, voluntary education programs
to preschool-aged children in the state.
The GRTF report states that great collective impact can be
made even without state-level policy decisions. It says it will
come by collectively setting goals, leveraging existing
initiatives, and forming strategic partnerships. Organized
voices can take action now to expand opportunities for
students, without legislation, regulation, or a budget change to
move forward. They only require human capital, leadership,
and community support, according to the GRTF report.
To download the full report, visit
www.arizonaready.com/grtaskforce.
Source: Dale Frost, Policy Advisor and Director of Gov. Office of Education Innovation
Valley Academy for
Career and
Technology
Education
Lois Lamer, CEO of Valley Academy for Career
and Technology Education (VACTE), is proud
that the JTED is showing its hard work and
success through the CTE student
achievements. The Verde Valley students who
benefit from the classes VACTE sponsors have
represented the area successfully and with
great pride.
Students placed in the state SkillsUSA
competition, with gold medals going to the
Mingus Union High School welding fabrication
team. Other awards included a silver in
individual welding and two bronzes in welding
sculpture and technical drafting. Mingus
Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)
competed for the first time and they brought
home 5 top 10 finishes with a 1st place in
business procedures and 2nd in cyber security.
The Future Farmers of America (FFA) of Camp
Verde and Mingus continued the JTED honors.
Camp Verde had a student who competed in
the Agriculture Education Career Development
Event and was honored for her project as well
as achieving the highest score on the online
test. Congratulations, too, to Mingus for having
a student selected to be the State FFA
president.
Lois points out that the list of students
completing their program areas and winning
honors goes on and on. She's proud of the
outstanding students who work hard preparing
for their futures and represent VACTE well.
Source: Lois Lamer, VACTE CEO
Free Black-Footed
Ferret Workshop Offered
Arizona Game and Fish Department is hosting a free workshop
for educators on Saturday,
September 13, 2014, on blackfooted ferrets. Held in Seligman, the training
session will teach the history and habits of the
ferret and share classroom educational
resources. The participants will then get a
chance to help with the annual spotlighting
effort.
Registration for the workshop is required and
it's expected to fill up quickly. Details and
registration can be found at
www.azgfd.gov/i_e/ee/workshops/bff.shtml.
Source: Eric Proctor, AZ Game & Fish Department
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ARIZONA OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR GENERAL
UPDATES
Source: Arizona Office of the Auditor General
The Arizona Auditor General Office's Accounting Services Division has issued a revised
Advice of Encumbrance.
In accordance with A.R.S. §15-906, districts
not participating in the Accounting Responsibility Program that have liabilities payable for
levy funds as of June 30, 2014, must complete
the Advice of Encumbrance and submit it to the
County School Superintendent by July 18,
2014. Additional information on the Advice of
Encumbrance is included in USFR Memorandum No. 188 on the Auditor General's
website at
www.azauditor.gov/manuals_schooldistrict.htm.
If you have any questions, please contact
Amanda Winn or Chris Votroubek, at
[email protected] or 602-553-0333.
Other school district reports and publications
issued by that office are available on the
website: www.azauditor.gov.
In accordance with A.R.S. §15-213(A), the Office of the Auditor
General is required to review and the State Board of Education
to adopt procurement rules for school districts. The school
district procurement rules were recently revised and adopted by
the Board. These rules are effective as of July 1, 2014.
The new rules include statutory changes since the last school
district procurement rule revision. The definitions and terminology, applicability, and procedures for several of the existing
rules have been revised. Further, as part of the rule revision,
several sections were moved and renumbered. Some significant
changes to the rules include procedures for reverse auctions,
guaranteed energy contracts, and minimum procurement file
requirements. School district procurement professionals are
advised to review the revised rules to ensure their districts are
following the most current procurement procedures. If a
procurement is started after the effective date of July 1, 2014,
the revised rules apply.
The Arizona State Board of Education School District
Procurement Rules are online at http://tinyurl.com/pdv9bcd .
If you have any questions, please contact the Accounting
Services Division at [email protected] or 602-553-0333.
New Leaders in Yavapai Districts
Familiar Faces in New Roles
Yavapai Accommodation School District has a new leader. Dr. Kristen Rex
is not new to Yavapai County education, however. She has been the Principal
of Humboldt Unified School District's Glassford Hill Middle School for 11 years
and Superintendent/Principal at Seligman Unified School District for the last 3
years. Dr. Rex started her teaching career in Marana, AZ, in the district where
she attended K-12. With a Bachelor's from NAU in Elementary Education and
Journalism, she went on to earn a Master's in Educational Leadership at NAU
and principal and superintendent certifications. Completion of a Master's in
Humanities and Doctorate in Education has rounded out Dr. Rex's formal
training before joining YASD as its Director of Instructional Services.
In her words, “Every day is an adventure in education. I look forward to working
with and serving the students and staff YASD.”
Diane Pritchett is the new Superintendent of Seligman Unified School
District, replacing Dr. Kristen Rex. Mrs. Pritchett has been with Seligman
schools for over 20 years, serving as a K-12 music teacher, a grades 3rd-4th
combination class and 4th grade teacher, a reading specialist and coach, a
school improvement coordinator, and a K-12 principal. She is proud to have
worked under the Reading First initiative to improve early literacy and
instruction, moving Seligman Elementary School from underperforming status.
With a School Improvement grant, Mrs. Pritchett guided Seligman High School
in instructional improvements that helped move it from underperforming status
to one of only three schools statewide to meet all goals and be released from
underperforming status.
With husband Fred, Mrs. Pritchett has four children who have all graduated
from Seligman schools. It's clear that she is totally invested in the district! She
looks forward to continuing the progress that Seligman USD has started.
...and other new
administrators...
Sedona-Oak Creek Unified
School District announces Jay
Litwicki as the new Principal at
Big Park Elementary School.
The new Principal at Camp
Verde Elementary School is
Sara Marcum.
Northpoint Expeditionary
Learning Academy will have
current Assistant Director
Charles Mentken stepping in
as the new Director.
There really IS an app for that,
whatever “that” may be. Need
help taking notes or staying
organized? Whether you want a
resource for reference, early
learning, math, science–the list
goes on and on.
“See what’s APPening in
education” offers a look at
some of the best apps for
education.
Check out this resource
www.eschoolnews.com/2014/07
/03/100-apps-education-673/2/
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Arizona Loses Dedicated Public Servants
Arizona education lost two of its hardest working, well-respected public servants in
June. Gladys Gardner and Barbara Robey were both long-time friends of public
education in Arizona. Our deepest condolences to their family, colleagues, and friends.
Gladys Gardner was a native Texan, but grew roots as an Arizona rancher. She served for over
20 years as a member of the Arizona House of Representatives and on the Yavapai County
Board of Supervisors. Active in the Republican Party, Mrs. Gardner served many roles at
various times, including as president of the Republican Women of Prescott, county party chair,
and party delegate to the national convention in 1984. Mrs. Gardner began her career as a
teacher in one-room schools in Texas and always cared for teachers. She was a founding
member of the Yavapai County Education Foundation in 1993, leaving a legacy that will
continue to inspire and provide funding for potential teachers.
Barbara Robey was a public education champion as the long time lobbyist for the Arizona
School Boards Association (ASBA). Her public life involved serving on the Litchfield Park City
Council and as its Mayor, as well as a Litchfield ESD Governing Board member for 20 years.
Her leadership roles included being a member and president of the ASBA Board of Directors,
where she became the first full-time lobbyist and director of governmental relations for 17
years. Mrs. Robey was also instrumental in the developing and growing of Arizona School
Boards Association Insurance Trust (ASBAIT). Her vision, commitment and generous spirit
have marked K-12 education in Arizona.
Check Out Arizona’s Online Colleges
Affordable Colleges Online, an organization dedicated to providing free higher education tools for current and
future college students and their families, recently published research on all the not-for-profit universities and
colleges in Arizona that offer online college programs. Historically, online programs have only been offered
by for-profit institutions. Today, many of the most established not-for-profit state colleges and national
universities have launched programs that provide flexibility and lower tuition prices for students.
A few of the key features of this online service are:
· a list of accredited not-for-profit institutions offering online programs, sorted by affordability;
· spotlight interviews provided by many college deans with the institution's philosophy on online
learning; and
· direct links to the specific online departments, or e-campus, of each institution.
Access this college guide at www.affordablecollegesonline.org/online-colleges/arizona/.
Contributed by Dan Schuessler, Affordable Colleges Online
Future Teachers Awarded Scholarships
Current university students, all from Yavapai County, who are planning on future teaching
careers each received $1,900 scholarships from the Education Scholarship Endowment-Yavapai County during the 14th annual awards luncheon recently. Recipients include Rachel
Harold, Rebecca Kepner, Christie Olney, Candy Shaft, and Claren Fraher of Prescott; Kayla
Marston, Katie Ringe, and Laura Ventura of Chino Valley; Jessica Adkins of Prescott Valley;
Alex Anderson of Dewey; and Devon Adtrip of Cottonwood.
The 11 students were selected from among dozens of applicants from throughout Yavapai County. Funds to support
the scholarships are from a non-profit philanthropic endowment founded by recently passed Prescott resident Gladys
Gardner and administered by a volunteer board of directors. Since its founding, the foundation has distributed more
than $200,000 in scholarships.
Congratulations to these future educators!
Source: Prescott Daily Courier, June 23, 2014
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12 Things You Should Never
Ever Say to Teachers
Source: Upworthy.com
1. “We've all been to elementary school, so aren't we all kind of
experts on it?”
Umm, no. You've been sick before--does that make you a
doctor?
2. “When I retire, I still want to do something, so I think I might
take up teaching.”
Teaching is not a hobby, like gardening or sailing. Teaching will
likely make your old job feel like a vacation.
3. “Have you ever thought about making your class more fun?”
No, I do my best to make it as boring as I can.
4. “If you really cared about kids, you wouldn't worry about the
salary.”
I love my students. I love teaching. I also love being able to
support my family and feed my kids.
5. “If you managed your time at school, I bet you wouldn't need
to plan lessons and grade on the weekends.”
OK, I'm a little busy at school. I teach and work with students
almost every moment of the day. Spending 20 hours a week
outside of school on prep and grading is normal for me.
6. “You'll never be a truly great teacher until you have your own
kids.”
Actually, yes I will. The relationship between teacher and student
is quite different from that of parent and child.
7. “Why do you make them read so much and write so many
essays? Why do you give such hard grades?”
Because it's my job. Because my students are here to learn.
Because they'll need these skills to survive in the world. How
many reasons do you need?
8. “I pay taxes in this district, so technically you work for me.”
Sorry, we're not your minions. That's not how it works. Taxes
support public goods and services--such as the fire department,
police, parks, and yes, public schools--for the community as a
whole. And by the way, teachers pay taxes, too.
9. “Ohh, you teach kindergarten. That must be fun--playing and
singing all day.”
Yes, my life is just like a Disney movie. I sing and the children
and the little animals of the forest come running. Actually, in
kindergarten, we teach our students the foundational literacy
and math skill--as well as the social and emotional skills--that
set them up for success in every grade to follow.
10. “Why are you so strict? They're just kids.”
We make plenty of time for laughter and fun in my classroom.
But rules and routine are not only necessary, they help children
to feel safe, secure, and valued in the classroom community.
11. “How hard can it be? You have all summer off.”
A longer summer break is one of the benefits of choosing
teaching as a career. But keep in mind, it's not all summer. I
spend weeks every July and August on professional development and curriculum planning. And during the school year, I
work 12 hours a day all week long and at least one day every
weekend. Add it up and our vacation days are about the same.
12. “Teaching is nice, but don't you want to be more successful
and make more money?”
I teach because I want to make a difference. I teach because
what I do every day matters for kids.
Cut Costs on
Everyday
Expenses
From groceries to gas, the basics are
getting more and more expensive. That's
why it is important to save money where
you can, now more than ever. The following
are some quick tips on how to cut everyday
expenses.
Start couponing. Don't underestimate the
cost-saving benefits of couponing. Though
the savings provided may only be a few
cents, it can add up to be a lot in the long
run. Take a few minutes before you run to
the store and check out the local coupons
available both in newspapers and online or
through the grocery store's own app. If you
make time for couponing on a weekly basis,
you will see your savings grow.
Buy used. For everything from clothes to
kitchen utensils, thrift stores are definitely
worth a look. While it may take a little more
time to find exactly what you're looking for,
you'll save money and have the comfort of
knowing you're helping our environment at
the same time.
Buy in bulk. Buying in bulk from warehouse stores can help you save money on
everyday food items. If you're worried that
the bulk amounts will be too much for you,
try splitting the goods (and the bill) with
family or friends for an even lower price.
Look for discount days. Certain places,
like grocery stores or movie theaters, may
have certain days of the week or month
when prices are discounted. For example,
grocery stores may offer double coupon
rewards to seniors who go grocery
shopping on specific days and times. Look
in your local newspaper and online to see if
any stores near you have such days.
Maintain to save. Keep your car in tip-top
shape to help cut your gas expenses.
Paying special attention to your engine and
making sure your tires are properly inflated
can help you get more miles out of a tank.
Use online Bill Pay. Using Bill Pay will not
only save you money on postage, it can
ensure that your bills are paid on time and
could prevent you from incurring late fees.
Credit Union West offers it free to its
members. Visit their website at
www.cuwest.org to see how you can start
saving money. Remember a penny saved
is a penny earned.
Contributed by Janet Humphrey, Credit Union West
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