11 2 2013stsn p32 38 youth

Rock The Block! celebrates the community on Nov. 9

BY LYNETTE CARRINGTON

The Achen-Gardner Construction

Rock the Block! Presented by MarkTaylor is called the biggest and best party in Chandler.

This year, the event will take place on Sat., Nov. 9, in downtown Chandler and will boast two performance stages—a main stage featuring artists from Arizona’s music scene and a community stage with the Chandler’s Got Talent competition.

There will also be a large beer garden and the SanTan Sun News is proud to sponsor the Kids Zone at this year’s event. Keep your eyes peeled for several of the Arizona Rattlers who are scheduled to attend.

“This year will be similar to the

previous years,” says Marnie Brookins, special events manager for Downtown Chandler Community Partnership.

“We have over 100 vendors, artists, farmers market vendors, kids activities, inflatables, the zip line is coming again this year, and great food.”

Bourbon Jacks Bar and Grill of Chandler is sponsoring the main stage.

“The main stage talent lineup includes A Boy Named Sioux, who is headlining, also Chuck E. Baby, Western Fusion and 2 Bit Shotgun,” Brookins explains. “The community stage includes Wikked Rev and The Bracken School of Irish Dance, along with many others.”

Five judges will score Chandler’s Got Talent, which will feature singers, dancers and others who will perform, she says.

“You’ll see a little bit of everything from kids to adults.” Prizes will be gift certificates to various downtown Chandler merchants.

At noon, the Korean War Veterans will present the colors and sing the national anthem.

“Because it is right before Veterans Day, we felt it was very important to have a salute to the military,” notes Brookins.

The Kids Play Zone activities are being provided by Arizona Bounce Pro and are sponsored by SanTan Sun News.

“We will have a Mickey Mouse bounce house, shark slide, rollercoaster

obstacle course, a human gyro, human hamster balls, laser tag, a castle bounce, bungee trampoline and a couple of slides. There will also be a mechanical bull and zip line in another location and a trackless train that just goes throughout the event,” Brookins explains.

Individual tickets are needed for the kids’ activities, or the best value is an all-day wristband for unlimited kids’ attractions. Ticket prices for the Kids Play Zone are $1 or an all-day wrist band is available for $20. The wrist band will not include the zip line attraction.

Food vendors are always a big draw at Rock the Block and many of the unique and family-owned businesses of Chandler turn out to showcase their culinary styling. The farmers market will feature locally made products. Various artists from Chandler’s Art Walk will be at Rock the Block!

Firehouse Kettle Corn is participating for the first time this year.

“It’s a business that’s run by Chandler firefighters and hits very close to home,” says Brookins. “They actually do fire safety while you’re waiting for your kettle corn to cook.”

Rock the Block! will take place in downtown Chandler on Arizona Avenue between Chandler Boulevard and Frye Road from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The event is produced by the Downtown Chandler Community Partnership and Steve

Levine Entertainment with support from the city of Chandler.

Admission to the event is free. Attractions, food and merchandise are available at an additional cost. For more information about Rock the Block!, visit chandlerblockparty.com.

Lynette Carrington is a freelancer for the SanTan Sun News. She can be reached at lynette@santansun.com

Youth

Chandler school honors vets at annual Veterans Day ceremony

BY KIMBERLY HOSEY

For many kids, Veterans Day is just a November holiday. They might wonder if they get to stay home from school; some might remember to thank a veteran, especially in their family. And that’s it.

The students and staff at Navarrete Elementary School in Chandler see it differently. Navarrete gears up for Veterans Day starting at the beginning of the school year. Songs are rehearsed, decorations are made, essays are drafted, lessons are learned in history and in life. And come Veterans Day, Navarrete gives back to local veterans—and teaches kids a lesson in patriotism that will stay fresh long after school lets out.

Since 2008, the school has honored veterans, active service members, and those who have died at its annual Veterans Day Ceremony. This year’s ceremony on Fri.,

Nov. 8, is expected to host about 100 local veterans.

“It’s grown to a pretty big event,” says music teacher Heather Niederer, who took over spearheading the event from Navarrete’s previous music teacher, Lauren Romero, who was inspired to start the celebration by members of the military in her own family. The ceremony is open to the community but is primarily to honor military members of Navarrete’s families.

The event grew from a school assembly into something more. In the weeks and months leading up to Veterans Day, Navarrete sends out forms for students and their families to include service members—active members of the military as well as veterans—and veterans who have lost their lives.

On the day of the event, local members of the military are honored with stars on a large flag, bearing their names and branches of service, in what Navarrete calls its “Wall of Honor.” Those who attend are recognized individually by name.

The school also displays flags in a field as an area of remembrance to commemorate servicemen and servicewomen who have died.

Veterans who come at 9 a.m. are signed in by parent volunteers and treated to a light breakfast in their honor; the main event follows and lasts from 9:45 to about 10:30 a.m.

Perhaps almost as touching as honoring veterans are the involved roles Navarrete’s students all play in the day.

“This is like the main event of our school year right now, and we have all the students involved in it in some way,” Niederer says.

Each grade level, from kindergarten through sixth, contributes something to the ceremony. Many grades work in curriculum and lessons they’re already learning: second-graders, who are learning letter writing, hand craft cards and write thank-you notes inside, to be presented to veterans at the end of the ceremony. Kindergarteners and third-graders, working through Art Masterpiece (a volunteer-run art enrichment and literacy program), make laminated stars to hang and watercolor poppies for a “field” near the event’s podium, respectively.

Sixth-grade students, focusing on writing in class, draft essays discussing patriotism and thanking veterans and soldiers. Three sixth-graders will read their essays at the ceremony.

Fifth-grade students make a quilt. Each student makes a patch symbolizing something important about America or veterans, and parent volunteers assemble it into a paper quilt to be displayed.

First-grade students learn and recite the Pledge of Allegiance in sign language.

And specially featured are fourth-

graders, who learn patriotic songs and music, thanking veterans and active service members, like “Thank You Soldiers” and an Armed Forces medley, in which each branch is invited to stand and be honored during the song.

“They already study patriotic music in their curriculum, and what’s better than talking about our veterans and thanking them?” says Niederer, who says the school’s extracurricular choir, with fourth through sixth grades, will also perform.

Students will come away with lessons, too.

Ret. Capt. Richard Fulton of the Air Force will speak. A former pilot, brother of a Navarrete teacher and former teacher himself, Fulton will share experiences with

Youth

Unlocking the power of high expectations

Part five of a five-part series on

BY CAROL ELIAS

The

debate

rages about how much parents should expect of their children. Do high expectations elevate or hinder children’s behavior and performance?

A digest of a recent Harvard Family Research Project Study has confirmed what we learned over the past 35 years of teaching children of all abilities, namely:

A strong form of parent involvement is setting high expectations. Parents who hold high expectations for their children, communicate those expectations clearly and encourage children to work hard in order to attain them, can make a huge difference in their child’s long-term success. Children, just like all of us, will not always achieve expected goals and falling short of the mark could lead to discouragement and frustration. So, how do we help children avoid these impediments yet benefit from the advantages of holding high expectations? Here are a few tips:

Establish milestones and celebrate hard work. Whether it’s grades in school, goals in scouting or achievements in sports, striving for a “personal best” brings about progress in any pursuit. Think about weight training. The key to being able to increase upper body strength is to set a high goal, establish milestones along the way and then move steadily with

tools for effective parenting

persistence in that direction. Each time you lift more weight than the day before you have surpassed your “personal best” and are better for the effort.

Shoot for long term but focus on short term. If your expectations for your child include a college education, it is good to talk about it from time to time. But ignoring the need to study for the history quiz this week would be counterproductive to that long-term goal of college. So the short-term stepping stones are very important to achieving the long-term goal.

Learn from setbacks. Help your child learn how to move forward in spite of occasional failures. This is a critical life skill that will help them more successfully navigate their future.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we do fail.” Help your child address setbacks and failures as valuable learning experiences.

Celebrate successes. When small steps are taken toward goals (like an “A” on the history test), it’s important to celebrate this event as a notable victory. When children make strides toward their own high expectations, let them know how pleased they should be and how happy you are for them.

Be willing to adjust to changing circumstances. What begins as a realistic expectation can, with unforeseen circumstances, become unrealistic. Perhaps the long term goal of an “A” in the class becomes unrealistic if your child gets an “F” on the first test. The goal of winning in a sports competition becomes unrealistic if your child suffers a broken arm. Holding doggedly to an

expectation when circumstances change is a formula for continual disappointment.

As we help our children learn how to be successful, high but realistic expectations are an important tool. Setting high expectations for our children and helping them learn how to achieve success is a skill all parents should aspire toward.

For previous columns, see:

Partoneinfive-partseries: “Unlocking the Power of Empathy in Raising Responsible Children:” newvistasblog.com/blog/ unlocking-power-empathy-raising-responsiblechildren/

Parttwoinfive-partseries: “Unlocking the Power of Example in Raising Responsible Children:” newvistasblog.com/blog/ unlocking-power-example-raising-responsiblechildren/

Partthreeinfive-partseries: “Unlocking the Power of Experience in Raising Responsible Children:” newvistasblog.com/blog/powerexperience-teach-life-lesson/

Partfourinthefive-partseries: “Unlocking the Power of Encouragement in Raising Responsible Children:” newvistasblog. com/blog/power-encouragement-raisingresponsible-children/

Carol Elias is director of New Vistas Center for Education, which was named a Top 10 School by Johns Hopkins University CTY. Founded in 1979, New Vistas is located at: 670 N. Arizona Ave., Suite 35, Chandler, AZ, 85225. New Vistas is celebrating its 35th anniversary.

students.

First-grade teacher Karen Ross’ son, Spc. Randy Ross stationed at Fort Bliss in Texas, will attend with fellow soldiers as well.

“It’s really all about both honoring active service member and veterans, and just our Navarrete families,” says Niederer.

Jimmy Barrios, brass captain in the neighboring Basha High School band, will play out the ceremony with taps in a role he’s played for several years now.

“It’s a really touching moment for everyone,” Niederer says. “Even the kids all get it; they’re like ‘Wow.’”

“That’s really emotional. He’s around the corner with a trumpet and everybody’s silent … it really, really is moving,” agrees Principal Sam Merrill.

“This is really something our school prides itself on: recognizing the men and women that have been serving our country and putting their lives on the line. We know how important that is to our country and to each one of us and our freedoms,” says Niederer.

Kimberly Hosey is the section editor for Community and Spirituality. She can be reached at kimberly@santansun.com.

1:30 p.m., teachers’ lounge

Nov. 8: Jamba Juice Fun Friday; smoothies

$3 each

Nov. 14: Family Food Night at Chick-fil-A, 5-7 p.m., Gilbert and Germann roads —Lora Robinson

WINNING IDEAS: Preschool and first-grade teachers at Carlson Elementary celebrate their Chandler Education Foundation mini grants for the implementation of special academic programming for their students. Priority Preschool teacher Shauna Scheffner earned the “Moving to Learn” grant, which will allow her and her colleagues to incorporate physical fitness and movement into their curriculum for pre-literacy, math and motor skill development. First-grade teachers, led by Ivi Montano, were awarded the “Informative Text for Everyone” grant, providing each student his or her own text to delve into per Common Core standards. Submitted photos

CTA-Independence Hawks

Fun Run – The Apex Fun Run 2013-14 will be held Nov. 4 through 15. All pledge money collected will be used to purchase security items for the school, such as radios for each classroom. Race Day will be Fri., Nov. 15.

Running Club – Running Club signup continues until Nov. 8. Students should be dropped off at the west gate at 7:40 a.m. for practice beginning Tue., Nov. 12; practice will be held every Tuesday and Thursday morning until 8:10 a.m. Running Club students will then be dismissed to recess.

Dress code – Families are asked to make sure their students’ attire complies with CTA’s dress code. With cold weather approaching, jackets worn inside the building must comply with the dress code: plain red, blue or white; no logos. Jackets worn outside the classroom may be any color. The students’ name should be written somewhere on the jacket in case it is lost.

Tax credits – CTA-Independence families and friends can visit the school website and click on the “Our School” tab for information on tax credit donations. Donations can easily be made online; every dollar donated is returned at tax time. Donations go directly to the school and are used to support clubs and fieldtrips. Thanks for donating.

Nov. 6: Kindergarten Information/ Spalding Information Night

Nov. 8: Picture retakes

Nov. 11: No school

—Wendi Olson

• Autism/Asperger’s?

• Dyslexia/Dysgraphia?

• Dyscalculia? • Pervasive Developmental

Hancock

Heat

Character Counts – For the months of November and December, Hancock focuses on the character trait of “Caring”: be kind and compassionate, express gratitude, forgive others and help people in need.

Tax credits – Hancock families are asked to consider donating to the school through the extracurricular tax credit program, and to encourage friends, neighbors and relatives who live in Arizona to also donate. Donations can be made in any amount or in increments; married couples can donate up to $400 or singles up to $200. The full donation will be returned in the form of a tax credit.

—Guia Lehr

Hull Heroes

News flash – “Like” Hull Elementary on Facebook for updated PTO information and check out the PTO blog at hullelementary.blogspot.com.

—Kristen Boyd

Patterson Pride

Fall Fiesta – Charlotte Patterson Elementary hosts a public Fall Festival Fiesta from noon to 4 p.m. Sat., Nov. 2. Entrance fee is $10 for unlimited games and bouncers; adults are free if not participating on the bouncers. Train rides are an additional $3 per person. The event will feature a large variety of food items available for purchase, including Jamba Juice and Kona Ice, as well as games,

vendor booths, themed raffle baskets and silent auction items. All proceeds benefit the PTO.

—Anne Keefer

Tarwater Toros

Fall fieldtrips – Kindergarteners recently visited Vertuccio Pizza Farm, where they learned about nutrition and that every ingredient on a pizza is from a farm; each child also picked a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch. Thanks to Tarwater families whose tax credit donations made this trip possible. Tarwater kindies also engaged in many college and career readiness skills by visiting Stuffington Bear Factory, where they learned about sequencing, retelling, nonfiction bears and the history of the Teddy bear. Giving a hand – Toro Ambassadors recently visited Feed My Starving Children in Tempe, a nonprofit organization where volunteers can hand-pack meals specifically formulated for malnourished children, which are then shipped to nearly 70 countries around the world. In one 90-minute visit, the Toro Ambassadors packed 36 boxes, more than 7,000 pounds and fed 20 students for a year. Science camp – Earlier this fall Tarwater sixth graders gathered in Prescott to celebrate science in the most memorable way possible. Tarwater’s sixth-grade team, with the support of Principal Jeff Hensley, spent three action-packed days and two nights at Prescott Pines Camp. Students experienced outdoor classes like Survival, Forensics, Owl Pellets,

Personality Super Powers, Archery and more. Working as groups, 104 students practiced their leadership skills, forged new friendships and made lifelong memories. This fabulous trip would not have been possible without the support of the Tarwater community, the sixthgrade families and the brave and loving chaperones.

Class notes – Big thanks to Tarwater parent Mrs. Alwin, who came in to teach Mrs. Meyer’s third-grade social studies class how to create an explorer boat with textured water. Fifth graders at Tarwater participated in a science experiment on gravity and motion, in which students had to determine whether the height of an object affected the distance it traveled. First graders have mastered routines and procedures, and recently learned about liquids, solids and gases, participating in a science experiment involving dry ice, water and the creation of gases.

—Robyn Kelly

Football fun – Congrats to Perry High student Marcus Pane, No. 54, on winning the Hammer Award for the Pumas’ football game against Chandler High.

—Denise Hanson

CTA-Freedom Falcons

Frontier Day – The school’s annual Frontier Day is 5-8 p.m. Fri., Nov. 8. The event includes music, inflatables,

a climbing wall, pony rides, a petting zoo, dunk tank, train rides and multiple classroom game booths. Wristbands and wooden coins will be available for purchase to gain access to all the fun activities. Meals are also available for purchase. A huge silent auction will include gift certificates to local businesses and more.

Music notes – Third graders will perform the African folk tale “Anansi the Spider” at 6 and 7 p.m. Tue., Nov. 19 in the cafeteria. The concert will feature African songs and a shadow puppet play under the direction of music specialist Karen Sejkora.

PTO – Our annual Frontier Day event is 5-8 p.m. Fri., Nov. 8. This event includes music, multiple inflatables, climbing wall, pony rides, petting zoo, dunk tank, train rides, and classroom game booths. Wristbands and wooden coins will be available for purchase to gain access to all the fun activities. Meals are also available for purchase. We also have a huge silent auction which includes gift certificates to local businesses and much more! Robotics Club – The Freedombots will participate in their first competition on Nov. 23 at ASU’s Polytechnic campus.

—Erin Canter

CTA-Goodman Gators

Project “IF” - CTA-Goodman Go-Getters partnered with National Honor Students at Basha, Perry and Chandler high schools, the Chandler Unified School District Nutrition Department and The Grove Bible Church for Project IF (Intersession Food). Students collected and distributed

EVENING HOURS AVAILABLE!

Now open until 8 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday.

food for students in the community who may have gone hungry during the intersession break when the school breakfast and lunch programs were not available. More than 1,400 people were served breakfast and lunch because of the contribution made. Thanks to the community for its support.

Nov. 4: Flag ceremony presented by fourth grade, 8 a.m., Amphitheater

Nov. 5: Site Council meeting, 3:15 p.m., Media Center

Nov. 8: Veterans Day Assembly, 1:45 p.m., Multipurpose Room

Nov. 11: Veterans Day holiday; no school Nov. 14: Geography Bee, 9:30 a.m., Media Center

Nov. 15: Progress reports sent home; PTO Cookie Dough pick-up, 3:15-6:00 p.m., Multipurpose Room

AWARD WINNER

AWARD WINNER: Horizon Community Learning Center’s elementary physical education teacher Staci Smith was named the 2013 “Health Teacher of the Year” by Arizona Health and Physical Education. She received the award at a conference held recently at the Phoenix Convention Center. Submitted photo —Melissa Hartley

Knox Knights

Family fun – Knox’s Fall Festival will be held from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Fri., Nov. 8 and will feature bounce houses from AZ Air Bounce, a rock wall, pony rides by Carter’s Farm, face painting, a rock wall from Rock-It-Up, toy vendors, a DJ and karaoke, games and more. The Knox Raffle 2013 includes a basket from SanDisk valued at $500, LEGO, Nerf, movies, Hot Wheels and Disney and more; raffle tickets are $1 each or $20 for a pack of 25. Live entertainment on the main stage will include performances by Knox Chorus, Ballet Folklorica, Stacy J Dancing and Yo-Yo Factory. Food will be available for purchase from Chandler BBQ, Hungry Howie’s Pizza, Jamba Juice, Kona Ice, What’s Poppin’ Kettle Corn; cotton candy and soda will also be sold. Huge thanks to Party City for donating over $500 in prizes for the festival this year. Tickets and wristbands will go on pre-sale after fall break. Contact knoxelementarypto@ gmail.com for more information or visit knoxpto.com to print an order form. Shop and earn – Visit knoxpto.com and click on the Amazon link to shop and earn referral fees for Knox. Families can also link Fry’s Food cards to Knox 81212 by visiting fryscommunityrewards.com to earn dollars for Knox with every purchase at Fry’s.

Nov. 4-8: Book Fair

Nov. 5: PTO Meeting, 3:45 p.m. Nov. 8: Fall Festival, 4:30-7:30 p.m. —Jacqueline Bartrim