Holiday Greetings to you and yours!

A tax credit donation to your neighborhood school is a wonderful gift to your children as well as students across the Creighton School District. This year’s deadline for tax credit contributions for your 2009 Arizona state taxes is December 31, 2009. A tax credit of $400 for those filing personal taxes as Married, Filing Jointly; or $200 for those filing Single or Head of Household will add funding to Creighton School District programs that are important to you as parents or patrons. You’ll also benefit from the dollar-for-dollar return on your Arizona state taxes.

To donate to your local school, stop in the front office today or click here to get to the Tax Credit Information page to make your donation. Thank you for your continued support.

If you have a fraud watch, fraud alert, or credit awareness program on your credit card, your credit card company may not allow the online credit card deposit to go through. If your credit transaction errors out without completing, or gives you a report with a deposit amount of $0.00, please contact your credit card company (1-800 number on the back of your card) and ensure that the donation can be authorized online. Thank you.

What’s Inside:

Early Start Schools 7:30 a.m. – 3:10 p.m. All Grades K- 8
Gateway School
Larry C, Kennedy School
Loma Linda School
Papago School
Squaw Peak Traditional Academy

Late Start Schools 8:30 a.m. – 4:10 p.m. All Grades K-8
Creighton School
Excelencia School
Machan School
Monte Vista School

Squaw Peak Traditional Academy opened the 2009-10 school year (previously Squaw Peak Elementary School). It is a neighborhood school with a traditional focus. The school combines two powerful forces – parents and educators – to provide a high quality academic environment for ALL students. For additional information, contact Arnette Wessel, Principal awessel@creightonschools.org.

Monte Vista School added 7th grade this year, on its way to becoming a K-8 school in 2010-11. For additional information, contact Mike Madison, Principal mmadison@creightonschools.org.

Free Breakfast and Lunch for any child 18 years of age or younger
Adult Meals $2

Schools Dates Breakfast Lunch
Gateway 6/1 – 7/31 7:15 – 8 a.m. 10:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Larry C. Kennedy 6/1 – 7/24 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

For more information, contact Linda Daugherty, RD, Creighton Food Service Department, (602) 381-6048.

In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability.

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (202) 820-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Innovation

Lindsey Danskin, Loma Linda School, for her work with Positive Behavior Interventions and Support, helping students to focus on the three “bees”: Bee Safe, Bee Respectful and Bee Responsible.
Excelencia 6th Grade Teachers Michelle Brezek, Elizabeth Donat, Tracy Naylor and Holena Lebron, for planning “Coffeehouse Evenings” to increase parent involvement.
Jayme Ofsthun, Information Systems and Technology, for keeping the district current and often far ahead of other school districts in the newest technology.
Officer Bruce Cox, Gateway School, for running the Wake-Up Club for 8th grade students to learn about violence prevention and community service.

Excellence

Karen Bramble, Gateway School, for going above and beyond in being Gateway’s media specialist, computer teacher, 21st Century and Title I coordinator.
Dolly Monroe, Squaw Peak, for her knowledge and experience with special education.
Connie Witte, Director of Curriculum, for her vision for curriculum and instruction, collaboration and communication.
Manuel Pelayo, Papago School Student Advisor, for his decision-making in the best interests of students.
Cathy Shupp, Papago School, for her efforts to improve instruction and foster positive relationships between the school and families.

Customer Service

Carolyn Benson, Information Systems and Technology, for being courteous, ready, willing and able to help co-workers, vendors and the general public.
Andy Gutierrez, Larry C. Kennedy Assistant Principal, for always being available and handling situations with empathy, compassion and wisdom.
Martha Potzler, Excelencia School, for continually assisting staff, students and community.
Creighton School Reading Specialists Dr. Irene Serna, Berenice Tapia-Fuentes, Mercedes Hernandez, Suzanne Kusel and Maricela Barrera, for providing service to eight different sections of students at various grade levels.

Larry C. Kennedy School Multi-Purpose Room

3609 N. 27th Street

Creighton School District will present an overview of the challenges the district faces in developing a balanced budget for 2009 - 2010. We invite you to attend and hear the action steps the district is proposing to address the possible funding shortfalls created by the state financial crisis and the district's financial issues, including declining enrollment and escalating costs. Please attend and share your comments and ideas.

• Balance the district budget with as little impact to classroom instruction as possible
• Support our partnership with WestEd
• Support highly qualified staff
• Make efficiency and effectiveness everyone’s goal by reassessing job responsibilities to maximize efficiency and standardize across the district.

We face difficult challenges over the coming months, and we appreciate the support of our staff, parents and community as we work through the budget process. We welcome cost savings ideas from you. If you have suggestions, please email them to ideas@creightonschools.org

Dr. Charlotte Boyle
Superintendent