Recent Press

Osborn School District #8

District News 

Superintendent Wilma Basnett is pleased to announce that the Osborn Ballet Program has received the Arizona School Board Association Golden Bell First Place honors. The Osborn Ballet is a very unique program which offers professionally oriented ballet training free of charge after school for Osborn boys and girls with related studies, activities and fieldtrips bridging into the school day. Currently in its seventh year, it has contributed to improved student achievement and added additional depth and breadth of education and experience. The program annually attracts in excess of 60 fourth through sixth graders from Clarendon School with an additional 50 third grade students from sister school Encanto and continuing seventh and eighth grade students from Osborn Middle School. The expected outcome is that all participants benefit from Ballet training, with improved fitness, coordination, concentration, confidence, cultural education, and an opportunity to pursue serious study. Already students have earned the privilege of auditioning with professional dance companies and receiving scholarships for further study. An unanticipated outcome has been the exuberance of teachers to use ballet as a teaching tool, creatively extending the Program into the school day curriculum. For example, in November sixth grade ballet students joined Clarendon’s fourth and fifth grade classes at the rehearsal and Act 2 of Swan Lake performed at Symphony Hall on November 5th. The classes had the opportunity to read the story and listen to the score prior to attending the performance. Ballet Teacher Camden Lloyd organized the trip and provided the books and CD to the classes beforehand from the Ballet Library. Most students went away wishing to see Act 3 as well. The Ballet Program is supported in part by Tax Credits to Clarendon School at www.OsbornSchools.org and the Osborn Educational Foundation, which qualifies for the Working Poor Tax Credit (visit www.OSBORNNET.org/OEF).

PHOTO: “Osborn Ballet Program wins Golden Bell Award”

Mollen Clinic partnered with the Osborn School District to host the valley’s first immunization clinic for students. More than 800 seasonal flu and H1N1 flu vaccinations were administered in Osborn schools at the beginning of the month. This School Based Immunization Program is designed to assist schools and communities in implementing the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for influenza vaccination in school districts across the country. The Mollen Clinic will be back in the first week of December for the second round of immunization shots necessary for children under the age of 10. Parents were able to register online.

The Osborn After School Sports Volleyball Tournament was held at Osborn Middle School on November 7. All student played very well and exhibited great sportsmanship.

·   4th & 5th grade Boys: 1st place – Montecito, 2nd – Clarendon, and 3rd – Solano

·   4th & 5th grade Girls: 1st place – Solano, 2nd – Longview, and 3rd – Montecito

·   6th grade Boys: 1st place – Montecito, 2nd – Clarendon, and 3rd – Solano

·   6th grade Girls: 1st place – Solano, 2nd – Clarendon, and 3rd – Montecito

Osborn After School Sports program is supported by the Price Kong & Co Annual Charity Golf Event to be held on December 7, 2009 at Troon North. More information is available on the Osborn Educational Foundation website: www.OSBORNNET.org/OEF.

PHOTO: “Solano Sixth Grade Girls Celebrate their Victory”

Close to 350 sixth grade student in the Osborn School District contributed to an international project called World Water Monitoring Day (WWMD). In the 6th annual WWMD event at Steele Indian School Park, students did water testing at the park's Bird Lake using kits testing for such things as Oxygen level, PH level, turbidity and temperature. They also worked through other learning stations on the watershed model, bio-assessment and groundwater. Students loved identifying all the pond creatures they found in the water. The results of the water monitoring are entered in a global database. George Couch, State Public Affairs Specialists with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services coordinated the event. City of Phoenix Water Conservation Education Program from the U of A Cooperative Extension and Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, Natural Resource Conservation Services and Gateway Community College involved students in hands-on activities at each of the learning stations.

PHOTO: ‘Longview sixth grade students participating in the Groundwater Model at the World Water Monitoring Day’

Congratulations to the following teachers who have been selected as mini-grant recipients by the Osborn Educational Foundation: Longview Art Teacher Panthea Begay’s project Totem Poles will purchase air dry clay to augment a lesson on North Coast Indians. OMS Music Teacher Kevin Eberle’s project Band and Choir Music for Hollywood Concert will purchase sheet music specific to combined Band & Choir providing opportunities for Band and Choir students to work together. Montecito PE Teacher Debbie Fields' project Hiking Our Phoenix Rural Back Yard will take fourth grade students hiking at North Mountain trail. Longview Teacher Aimee Graefe and Tina McMillion’s project Phonics - A Firm Foundation will improve phonics skills for students. Solano Music Teacher Nancy Heath’s project Holiday Music will purchase musical plays for younger students and music pieces for the fifth and sixth grade Choir. Longview Kindergarten Teachers Irma Garcia, Maui Taylor, and Collaborative Peer Teacher Mark Pfister’s project Insta Learn will purchase materials for students to work more independently. Clarendon Art Teacher Barbara Middleton’s project Model Magic Gargoyles will augment a lesson on the purpose of gargoyles in medieval architecture- students will study and use clay sculpture techniques to create a gargoyle of their own. Clarendon School Based Family Counselor Rachael Post’s project Clarendon's Kindness Campaign promotes positive problem-solving and bulling prevention through acts of kindness. OMS Teacher Amber Struthers’s project Rockets! Physics In Action will purchase model rockets, engines, and a launch system to study Newton's Laws of Motion in regards to projectiles. Longview Librarian Meg Williams' project Battle Of The Books will purchase books to promote reading with a fun, Family-Feud style competition.

Osborn’s Garden Café hosted the Parent Summit this year for parents, staff and community members organized by District Liaison Roberta Figueroa. Parents and community members learned about the progress with the Bond issue which is completing under budget, the importance of upcoming override ballot issue on maintaining special programs and class sizes, and the district’s marketing campaign. Parents were then asked to share what the district can do to continue improving. The Summit will reconvene in February to assess progress. The Garden Café was developed by Child Nutrition Director Sheri Ottersen to serve as a demonstration kitchen / café for students and parents. Guests were served a delicious nutritious meal and given a short nutrition lesson.

Photo: ‘Superintendent Wilma Basnett speaks with parents in Osborn’s Garden Café’

HandsOn Tutoring Program provides volunteers to Osborn classrooms as academic tutors and mentors to students. HandsOn Greater Phoenix requires volunteers to work with students a minimum of 2 hours per week. HandsOn provides pre-service and ongoing workshops and training for their volunteers and when they place volunteers at a school they place a cohort of 6-10 volunteers per school. For more information contact Mary Pistor at 602-707-2019.

Clarendon School (4-6)

Clarendon sixth grade students had the chance to see “Funky Farmworks,” a live Mad Science stage show at the State Fair. This show explored the science of agriculture and the incredible advancements that have revolutionized life on the farm. The show was interactive and entertaining. The classes then went through the agriculture buildings and discussed how the new technologies may have been used to help raise the animals and to grow and harvest the foods that they saw in the exhibits. The students were also able to see how the 4-H clubs sheared sheep, raised poultry of different varieties, pet pigs, cows, goats, and talked about raising animals for show and competition.

Jeff Goodman President and Owner of BlabberMouth was Principal for a Day at Clarendon. Mr. Goodman’s company works with social media as a means of advertising. One of his major clients is Expect More Arizona, a non profit organization which promotes Education as a priority in Arizona. While Mr. Goodman was at Clarendon he was sending messages on twitter to document and share his experience.

Sixth grade students in Kristi Wilhelm’s classroom created an “Egypt Museum.” Students worked in teams to write reports, create models, and prepare digital and oral presentations. Students from other classes toured the “Museum” to learn about Ancient Egypt. Students were quick to speak about Pharaohs, deities, mummies and the mummification process, the different types of pyramids, etc. Students in this classroom also prepare “Museums” for China and Greece later in the year as they study those cultures.

PHOTO: “Terrance M. models homemade headdress for King Tut while teammate Antonio R. looks on”

Encanto School (PK-3)

Encanto hosted a Booster Seat Safety and Free Give-away event on November 13. Nation-wide statistics of misuse of car seats is 70%, however, in Maricopa County there is an overwhelming 85-90% misuse of child safety seats! The Learning Institute of St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center gave away 60 booster seats for children ages 2-9 to Encanto families, and instructed parents receiving the seats on proper installation and safe usage. Thanks to the coordination efforts of Parent Liaison Marisol Barajas, After School Programs Coordinator JaNae Altepeter, and the Learning Institute’s Community Education Specialist Brandyn Speckman.

Longview School (PK-6)

Kindergarten through fourth grade will have “Classroom Concerts” this month.  Each class will give its own concert at during normal music class time, and parents are invited to attend and hear prepared pieces, then participate in a sing-along.  Students will sit with their families for the sing-along. 

Longview’s Holiday concert will feature the Longview Band and a debut from the new Choir. Music Teacher Helena Elling has done an stellar job preparing the students to show off their talents.

Montecito School (PK-6)

On October 30, 24 Montecito 6th graders participated in the Phoenix Suns-APS Quest for Quality Student Recognition Program at the Phoenix Suns opening game. The Suns won that night which made the evening even more spectacular.

PHOTO: “Sixth grade students at the Suns’ Opening game”

Montecito Community School has implemented a positive behavior program focusing on peace and anti-bullying for the past three years. Each year the theme slightly changes to focus on a specific aspect of peace. In 2007 they began, “I am part of the puzzle; I keep the peace.” The next year they focused on, “I am part of the puzzle; I spread the peace.” Finally, this year the theme is, “I am part of the puzzle, I am the peace.” As the program has evolved, so has the culture at Montecito. Teachers and students take an active role in creating art projects and participating in community service projects to spread peace. Teachers focus on a specific character trait in Community Circle, which is then practiced and reinforced throughout the week. Discipline and academic data clearly indicate that students are spending less time out of class for misbehaving and more time engaged in active learning. Tuition Tax Credits to Montecito School are welcomed to support this unique character education program. Visit www.OsbornSchools.org.

Carma Dillon, the author of the forthcoming Science Fiction book Saardu: The Adventure Begins will read and speak to the Montecito Girl Scouts on December 3, 2009.

Osborn Middle School (OMS) (7-8)

Osborn Middle School has been selected to receive a photovoltaic (PV) solar system installed by SRP as part of their Solar for Schools Program in selected Arizona schools. These systems will provide a clean, inexhaustible source of energy . The middle school was one of fourteen schools selected from 125 applicants. “SRP's goal in educating students about renewable energy has been to keep the technology and applications fresh and stimulating. Ultimately, these systems will allow schools to offset their energy usage while providing a valuable educational tool” says Lori Singleton, Manager of Sustainability Initiatives and Technologies. The system will include an installed conventional, fixed, flat-panel solar PV system that produces at least 10 kilowatts; a 10-year maintenance contract for the PV system; educational materials and educator training related to solar energy; and a data acquisition system to allow students and staff to monitor system output. This program will augment Osborn’s outstanding Science and Honors Science curricula.

Osborn Middle School teaches tenth grade Geometry. thanks to the hard work and dedication of Teachers Shannon Green and Sarah Saiz, more OMS students passed the ninth grade Algebra Qualifying Test for Phoenix Union High School District last spring than from any other middle school in Phoenix. This year, these 67 qualifying former seventh and eighth graders will be taking tenth grade Geometry. The 23 eighth graders who qualified last year as seventh graders take Geometry at OMS this year! Osborn has the only middle school teaching Geometry in Phoenix—a fine example of fitting the curriculum to the needs of the children. 

OMS Social Studies students were treated to a visit from honorable Raul Castro, an ex-governor of AZ. Mr. Castro is 90 years young and devotes his life to influencing young adults to achieve at the highest standard possible. Approximately 100 OMS students gathered in the library to listen to Mr. Castro tell stories of his childhood, detail the obstacles that stood in his way, and how the strength of his convictions helped him to overcome these barriers to become the top political leader in the state. The main theme of his presentation was “Excuses are not accepted – Get the job done!” Thanks to Phoenix College and Don Jensen-Bobadilla for arranging an event that had such a positive impact on students.

Choir students sang in the 27th annual Greater Phoenix Invitational Music Festival. Ten 8th grade students selected from the OMS Choirs joined other middle school choir students from across Phoenix to rehearse and perform during festival on November 7. Students selected were Marilyn R., Domenique I., Victoria W., Sally J., Jasmine C., Perla C., Debbie K., Jocelyn M., Tina P., and Elizabeth P. This event was held at Central High School concluding with a free concert. Thanks to Band, Choir, and Drama Director Cat Hilgers for her hard work and finding special opportunities for students. Tuition Tax Credits to Osborn Middle School can support this Music program. Visit www.OsbornSchools.org.

OMS hosted Cox's Take Charge! Program, with special guest Attorney General Terry Goddard. The program was designed to educate parents and guardians about the importance of Internet safety and to help families get the most out of mass media in the home. It provided resources to help parents manage what their children’s use of the TV, Internet and wireless devices -- from instructions on setting parental controls, to a guide to the lingo teens use online, to tips for more constructive conversations between parents and kids. Teaching young children and teens how to stay safer online is a major element of the Take Charge program.

PHOTO: “Attorney General Terry Goddard with Superintendent Wilma Basnett”

OMS is offering three new classes: Automotive Club will be taught by volunteer, Ben Levine, an Engineer for Ford Motor Company and assisted by his wife, Reading Teacher Debbie Levine. The class will teach students about automotive service, maintenance, and repair and will possibly spark a career path for some of our students.

Cosmetology Club will be taught by Attendance Clerk Griselda Felix and Collaborative Peer Teacher Loril Gibson. The class will focus not only on make-up application, skin care, and hair design, but also the history of cosmetology.

Photography Club is taught by Social Skills Teacher Gwen Barlow

Solano School (PK-6)

Solano first and second grade students welcomed ChildsPlay theatre to perform their adaptation of “Ferdinand the Bull”. The students and teachers were enthralled with the performance.

Language Acquisition Specialist Noemi Cortez was guest reader for the October KidsRead event. She read a book entitled, My Nana’s Remedies in both English and Spanish. As she read the book she recalled her mother practicing some of these actual remedies with her when she was not feeling well. Several of the parents were able to relate to some of these as well. We are grateful that Eileen Bailey Driscoll brought KidsRead to Osborn Schools 13 years ago. It remains one of the major programs of Osborn Educational Foundation. KidsRead gives thousands of books to third graders in the Osborn District each year. The Osborn Educational Foundation qualifies for the Working Poor Tax Credit. We invite you to visit www.OSBORNNET.org/OEF for more information.

Stories, Cookies & Milk is a celebration for the Students of the Month in Kindergarten through second grade.  Each month the homeroom teachers submit the name of a student from their classroom who exemplifies a great Solano student.  We gather together for forty-five minutes and the students eat cookies while Principal Karen Epps reads several books to them.  They receive a certificate and a bumper sticker.