JULY 14, 2019
SOUTHEAST EDITION
Mesa school bus drivers have positive impact BY MESA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
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us drivers play an important role in student success. They are often the first and last contact in a student’s school day, extending a positive school climate beyond the classroom. Jacque Dana began her career as a bus driver in 2005 so she could raise money for her sons to participate in a church mission. She stayed because she loves her students. “All my students are good kids and I care for all of them as they are my own,” Dana said. “But my elementary students are my favorite. It’s where you find the warm, fuzzy moments. Their exuberance and zest for life is contagious.” For all Mesa Public Schools employees, safety is a top priority. Dana starts her morning inspecting her bus from top to bottom before she picks up high school students on her first route.
Mesa Public Schools buses will soon be rolling through the city and motorists are reminded to use extra caution when they do and obey the law. (Special to the Tribune)
After they’re safely at school, she begins her elementary route. Dana also drives for field trips, sporting events and helps with overflow routes due to the current
driver shortage. Due to the nationwide bus driver shortage, district driver training happens all year long.
you leave at the gate is the same smiling student we have in our classroom a few minutes later. Keep a happy photograph of your child within view to remind yourself that they’re having a great time. 2. Set up new routines. Designate special areas in your home for backpacks, folders, shoes and jackets. Not having to rush around looking for materials will take some of the stress out of your mornings. 3. Find breakfast items that are nourishing and easy to prepare – and that your kids will eat. Students struggle to learn when their little tanks are empty. Whether your child brings lunch from
home or eats in the cafeteria, they will most likely not finish their lunch (even with prodding, extra time and encouragement by adults), especially at the beginning of the year. This is for myriad reasons, but mostly because eating in the cafeteria is a new and exciting experience. Be prepared for them to be ready for a snack and a nap when they get home. 4. Keep open lines of communication with your child’s teacher. You are an expert on your child. Knowing your child’s background, development, likes and dislikes can help your child’s teacher build rapport.
Supervisor Jose Villarino Fierro oversees safety and training for all district drivers. He works with his team of transportation team members, trainers and supervisors to ensure Mesa maintains its statewide reputation as the gold standard of training. Trainers teach a variety of courses in the classroom and behind the wheel, such as CPR and first-aid. Special education equipment training ensures drivers are comfortable with onboarding wheelchairs and meeting the unique needs of their students. Trainers also conduct post-accident education, mountain safety driving, as well as van and golf cart training for employees and students. Refresher courses are also available for drivers who switch routes. Bus drivers are some of the most highly trained, tested, specialized and scrutinized
Help your child survive the first year of school BY SAMANTHA CALISE Tribune Guest Writer
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bout to send your first child off to kindergarten? Follow these five tips from a kindergarten teacher to ensure a successful first year. 1. Convey calm and enthusiasm about school, and your child will follow suit. Make goodbyes at the bus stop and the dropoff line as quick and painless as possible. Believe it or not, the tearful 5-year-old
see BUS page 6
One year a mom told me that her son loved his dog, Cookie. There were times where he would get shy and quiet. Then I’d ask, “How is Cookie doing?” His whole face would light up. 5. Finally, this time is fleeting, so soak it in! Write down the funny anecdotes and stories they bring home from school. It’s also not a bad idea to stock up on tissues for the first day and the last day. You and your child’s teacher will need them! Samantha Calise is a National Board Certified kindergarten teacher at Brinton Elementary School in Mesa.
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EV tutoring service aims for family-friendliness BY CECILIA CHAN Tribune Staff Writer
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ractions and long division didn’t come easy for 9-year-old Emily Hernandez. It came to a point when Diana Hernandez realized that the help she was giving her 5th-grade daughter wasn’t enough. So, she turned to Tutor Doctor East Valley. “She’s showing progress on math at home when she practices,” the Gilbert mom said. “She is enjoying math, which makes me happy.” Emily has been meeting with her tutor twice a week for nearly a month. What’s different about Tutor Doctor is the instructor will come to a person’s home and a key point is the tutor is matched to the learner based on learning style and personality. “I think the single most important element is the match,” said franchise owner Kimberly Selchan, a Gilbert resident. “Whether it’s a college student being matched with the subject or a tutor to a kid who’s lost motivation or confidence and a tutor comes in and believes in them and starts to get results. It’s amazing.” Selchan opened her franchise in Janu-
Tutor Doctor East Valley owner Kimberly Selchin matches tutors to client’s personalities. (Special to the Tribune)
ary and currently employs over 40 tutors – mostly teachers or college students who are subject-specific, such as calculus. The tutors’ backgrounds and academics are vetted thoroughly. Tutor Doctor started 15 years ago and has locations serving more than 200,000 families in 15 countries across the world, according to the company’s website.
Welcome back, students! School Begins July 24, 2019 https://www.qcusd.org/
Selchan’s franchise has 38 students from Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa and Ahwatukee in all age ranges, from a 4-year-old to a 53-year-old Mesa mom who went back to college and earn a biochemistry degree. Tutor Doctor customizes a learning plan based on a comprehensive assessment of the student’s strengths and weaknesses. Besides learning a particular subject matter, students also are taught skills such as working memory, sustained attention and performance monitoring to become better learners. For instance, Selchan said, if students are missing deadlines to turn in assignments, they are taught time-management skills. “We’re not just tutoring in math without giving them the approach to tackle it,” she said. Selchan regularly meets with her tutor and so she knows them, which is important when pairing them with a student. In turn, she asks students during the assessment qualities of a teacher they’ve enjoyed and other information to get clues of the person they would respond to the best. For instance, she may have a student who thinks no one understand him or her and thus is not willing to be open to listening to anyone. She would match that stu-
En r To oll da y!
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dent with a college student, who may have gone through that phase not too long ago. The tutor becomes more of a mentor and guide for the student, Selchan said. “If you get a tutor who inspires them, they will get over the hurdle,” she said. “They will not progress unless they find a purpose.” Emily was matched with an older tutor named Chuck. “She thinks he’s super-nice and he is very patient with her,” Hernandez said. “She talks about him like a grandpa.” How often students meet with a tutor depends on their schedule and how far behind they are academically. “If they are in the 6th grade but the assessment is closer to 4th grade, which is really common, they’d need three to four sessions a week,” Selchan said. “If they need a little edge, the average is twice a week.” Majority of the students prefer the tutor come to their homes for instruction, according to Selchan. The big thing is the convenience factor and families realize their children have already tried the institutional learning model in the classroom and need something more, Selchan said. For Hernandez, she’s having the tutor meet with Emily at a library because there’s too much disruption at the home with two younger siblings. Tutor Doctor’s subject offerings include math, science, language arts and test preparation. Selchan said if she gets requests for a subject currently not offered she would consider adding it such has in the case when she received a couple of requests for help with thermodynamics. She ended up recruiting a polytech student as a tutor. The business also provides tutors for special-needs students and for online tutoring. Math, with calculus at the college-level, is the most requested by students for tutors, according to Selchan. Another popular request is test preparation for the SAT and ACT, she added. Although Selchan comes from a sales career spanning over 20 years, Tutor Doctor was a good fit for her, she said. Her skills in building strong teams and delivering the best to clients and employees translated well into her new gig. “I want to help those who want help,” Selchan said. “For kids, their job is school. We teach kids to understand how to do their job better and find its value. And when we have families that want that service and are willing to commit to the education process, the model was a win.” Information: tutordoctor.com/gilbertnorth/contact-us/ or 480-530-8029.
THE SUNDAY EAST VALLEY TRIBUNE | JULY 14, 2019
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drivers on the road. The district’s commercial drivers license (CDL) prep training for newly hired drivers is one example of the its exemplary training measures. “This course sets our program above others,” Fierro says. “We provide the tools that drivers need. We help them study and train to be successful in attaining their permit.” Although the state requires 35 class and behind the wheel training hours, Mesa Public Schools provides 97 for its drivers. Drivers also pass a biennial Department of Public Safety physical performance test designed to evaluate a driver’s strength, agility and speed in an emergency. According to Fierro, school districts across the state send their employees to Mesa for training, hoping to bring back knowledge to improve their own programs. “Some of the best compliments come from hires that have commercial licenses from out of state,” Fierro said. “They tell us that our program is much more comprehensive than their previous experiences. Some states only require a written test and do not provide the behind-thewheel component.” Interested in becoming a Mesa Pub-
Best Charter 2018-2019 Best Preschool 2018-2019 Best Childcare Center 2019
Brady Wald Principal
brady.wald@leonagroup.com
Liberty Arts Academy
Like her counterparts Mesa school bus driver Jacque Dana makes sure her young passengers are safe and secure. (Special to the Tribune)
B.A.R.K. to Excellence Brave Attentive Responsible Kind
lic Schools bus driver and making a lifechanging impact in a student’s life? Along with competitive pay, a comprehensive benefits package is available for full-time drivers. Apply online at mpsaz.org/careers.
Our mission, At Liberty Arts Academy, we do Whatever it Takes for students, families, and the community. Our school is dedicated to provide an innovative, creative, and project-based approach through music, art, technology integration, blended learning, movement & fitness, and research-based strategies that promotes active engagement, critical & deeper thinking, and collaboration.
• Pre-School thru 8th grade school • Finland Educational Model Strategies (Education, Play, Family) • Award-winning full-day Pre-School & Pre-K Programs ($500 / month) • 2019 Recipient of the KaBOOM! Playground Grant • 2019 Recipient of the NFL Play 60 Grant • 7 Specials a week (2-PE, 2-Art, 2-Music, 1-Library) • 3 Recess / daily • Sensory / Interactive room for ALL Students • Computers / Smart Boards in every classroom • Free full-day Kindergarten • Free bus Transportation • Before & After care (YMCA) • After school clubs (Harry Potter, Legos, Sports, Dance, and much more) • ABC program with community partner, Gabriel’s Angels
We hope to see you soon at LAA as we are enrolling students for 2019/2020 school year!
3015 S Power Rd | Mesa, AZ 85212 | 480-830-3444 | libertyartsacademy.com
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THE SUNDAY EAST VALLEY TRIBUNE | JULY 14, 2019
Welcome back! We look forward to another great year of teaching and learning! School starts August 6 Learn more at mpsaz.org/success
mpsaz.org | 480.472.0000 |
@mpsaz
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BACK TO SCHOOL 8 THE SUNDAY EAST VALLEY TRIBUNE | JULY 14, 2019