#ThisIsWhoWeAre

As we do each year, PXU selected one graduating senior from every school and showcased them in an article to outline the various ways our students have prepared for college, career, and life. PXU.org/ClassOf2024 features all of these articles, as well as information on scholarships our students have received, including all of this year's Million Dollar Scholars.

Visit PXU.org/ClassOf2024 or click the button below to view the Class of 2024 webpage:

See the graphics above or visit PXU.org/Graduation to see the full graduation schedule and information regarding safety at graduation.

Seth Beute, principal at Phoenix Coding Academy, was awarded the prestigious Exemplary Principal Award from Steve Watson, Maricopa County School Superintendent. Watson is recognizing leaders who understand the connection between a thriving school culture and high levels of student achievement and teacher retention. These leaders intentionally and strategically nurture school environments where teacher and student voices set and realize the school's vision. They lead schools where students achieve academically and emotionally, and teachers are inspired to remain at the school and in the profession. Award recipients undergo a rigorous evaluation that involves a superintendent nomination, application, teacher survey, video interview, site visit and extensive data review. Awards are then presented during a surprise event. The criteria principals are selected on is based on their ability to:

• Actively engage staff, parents and community members in developing an effective school culture
• Utilize data to guide instruction and decisions regarding staff development
• Consistently demonstrate high teacher retention
• Successfully develop and inspire others

“On behalf of the Phoenix Union family, I want to congratulate Mr. Seth Beute for being recognized as a 2024 Maricopa County Exemplary Principal. Mr. Beute has served as the principal of Phoenix Coding Academy since its inception in 2016. His steadfast leadership and love for his students and staff are things we all admire at PXU. Congratulations, Mr. Beute, for earning this well-deserved recognition.” Superintendent Andrade said.

“It is an honor to recognize Seth Beute as an Exemplary Principal. Seth is a strengths-based, transformational leader who has built a thriving community at Phoenix Coding Academy. He has worked collaboratively with his team to create a dynamic learning environment where innovation, shared leadership, and relationships are priorities, and risk-taking is highly encouraged and celebrated. He has thoughtfully and intentionally created an inclusive culture with high trust and respect. As a result, all staff know they are essential to the team and refer to each other as “our Coding family.” Maricopa County Superintendent Steve Watson said.

Congratulations, Mr. Beute!

Mr. Gabriel Robles, teacher at Carl Hayden, was surprised by Chicanos Por La Causa with the news that he is one of this year’s Esperanza Latino Teacher Award recipients. Each year, CPLC selects 4 teachers from across Arizona for this award. Here is Mr. Robles' bio, pulled directly from the Esperanza Award website:

Since childhood, Mr. Robles’s passion for running motivated him to succeed academically. But it wasn’t until his junior year of college that he found out he didn’t have average grades because he was “dumb”—he was dyslexic.

Today, he doesn’t see this as a disability, but as the superpower that has allowed him to empathize and connect with his students. From waking up at 3 am to pick up his students for morning practice, to buying them shoes, to tutoring his ESL students during his lunch, Mr. Robles is determined to help his students achieve academic success and personal growth.

Mr. Robles is also teaching his students to be proud of their heritage by teaching US History through a Mexican American perspective and pioneering the first high school dual language program in Phoenix.

Congratulations, Mr. Robles!

The Falcon Esports Varsity SSBU team battled hard and played smart, but in the end the Corona Del Sol HS team came out on top.

They placed second in the State of Arizona out of 79 actively competing Varsity teams, brought home a really nice runner-up trophy and some pretty cool medals, and they managed to knock last year’s champions Hamilton HS out of the running. Their captain, Brandon Zuniga, defeated CDS‘s top player, Zane (widely recognized as one of the top 10 players in the state). Add all that to achieving the first esports scholarship in Carl Hayden history, and today adds up to a pretty good day at the end of a pretty good year for Carl Hayden Falcon Esports!

Mr. Marmolejo told the students that if they brought home a championship, he would be able to retire happy, having accomplished all of his bucket list goals as an educator. They will be back next year, and they've got their eyes firmly on first place and continuing to build Carl Hayden into a recognized Esports powerhouse!

Congratulations to the Student Government Sustainability Challenge winners! This year we had over 2500 students participate throughout the challenge.

Here are the winners of the 2024 Lettuce Reduce Waste Sustainability Challenge:

Small schools:

First Place – Bioscience High School

Second Place – Wilson College Prep

Large Schools:

First Place – Metro Tech High School

Second Place – Camelback High School

Yanees Muhammad, senior at the Academies at South Mountain, was recently surprised by Dr. Sian Proctor, the first black woman to pilot a space craft. Yanees is a part of the flight program at South, and has already completed solo flights, flying completely by herself. She is on her way to receiving her private pilots' license, and looks up to Dr. Sian Proctor.

View the video above to see the surprise, captured by ABC 15.

This quarter, around 50 PXU students and staff attended the Link Crew Conference. They brought back a lot of enthusiasm and strategies to help PXU's 11th and 12th graders get freshman connected to high school. We are excited for what our PXU Link Crew teams will accomplish next!

This quarter, Linda Abril Educational Academy students launched a publication, the LAEA TeenZine (a magazine FOR students BY students), that seeks out and publishes poetry and artwork that represents the LAEA community. Click the button below to view the first edition of the LAEA TeenZine:

On April 18, Linda Abril's very own Rising Melodies Music Club held their spring concert, performing for their community. It was a great success, and they rocked it hard.

Way to go, Rising Melodies Music Club!

Linda Abril Blue Planet Society was very active this school year! The Blue Planet Society members volunteer their time every Thursday after school. They go around the entire school and collect papers, bottles, and other recyclable supplies. It sounds simple, but it takes time and collaboration from the entire school. The members do not get any class credit for staying in the club. Blue Planet students are excellent role models, club members show the school that they should care about the environment and that something as simple as recycling can make a huge difference. They are getting new members each year, and their goal is to spread the Blue Planet Society to other schools at the district! Their second goal is to inform the community about recycling and its positive impact on society. They meet every Thursday immediately after school to pick up the recyclable materials.

Metro Tech Film Students Jacqueline Reyes, Thet Htar Swe, and Noemi Silva Vazquez were awarded Honorable Mention in the 2024 C-SPAN StudentCam documentary competition. Their video examines the influence of religion in government policy, the impact on minority groups, and the recent trend of book banning in public schools. They interviewed individuals including Senator Lela Alston, and Representative Analise Ortiz.

Congratulations, ladies!

Hanna Allen, student at Metro Tech High School, has competed in different Olympic-style weightlifting events across Arizona, and qualified for Nationals. View the video above to see 3TV's feature on her!

Way to go, Hanna!

Recently, a group of Trevor G. Browne sophomores had presentations at Phoenix Raceway recapping their experiences in the ASU Sports Innovation Lab program they have participated in this school year. This program introduces students to many different careers in the sports industry, and helps prepare them for life beyond high school.

After completing their presentations, the students took a lap around the track at the Raceway in the TGB bus.

We are proud of these students for preparing for their future!

Recently, Cesar Chavez's Champion Racing team traveled to Tucson to compete.

Congratulations to the 1st Solar Electric Go-kart Racing Team! They competed at Racing the Sun in Tucson and brought home 1st Place Trophies for New Team of the Year and Innovation.

Team members include: Oscar Tonche, Isaiah Davis, Samai Rankin, Daniel Reza, and Vincent Castro.

On Thursday, May 2 and Friday, May 3, Alhambra hosted our on-campus Liontown camp for 48 student delegates. Liontown is a leadership program that supports students' understanding of their and other's identities, promotes justice and equity, and encourages students to create positive social change in their communities, on and off campus.

Fifteen certified and classified staff attended and assisted, and directors from Anytown AZ organization facilitated programming on Thursday. Friends from Bioscience joined us to help as student counselors, too! Thank you to all admin and staff who assisted to make our students' experiences amazing and memorable!

Phoenix Public Library has worked with Alhambra this quarter to help their pre-emergent students get connected to all the incredible resources the library has to offer, and has worked to get them signed up with their very own library cards!

Thank you to Phoenix Public Library for helping engage our students.

The Academies at South Mountain recently hosted a Law Day on campus, which was featured by 3TV! Click the button below to view the story.

Ms. Denis Alvarez, freshman science teacher at South, was accepted into the Teacher Innovator Institute through the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum.

As a part of the two year program, she attended a two-week professional development session focused on exploring the connections between informal STEAM education and authentic learning. During those two weeks, they are exposed to different ways of incorporating hands on lessons as well as working on their own professional growth plan (PGP). Her growth plan involved integrating more engineering, design, and technology in the classroom. Through this program, she also received a stipend that allowed her to buy the materials necessary to complete the goals she set for herself in the PGP. For the 4th quarter, her students designed and built mini golf courses and coded Sphero Minis (an app enabled robotic ball) to get through the golf course. She is excited to go back to DC for the completion of the program this upcoming summer. She also notes that she was the only member from Arizona attending.

Congratulations, Ms. Alvarez!

On May 7th an exciting announcement was shared with families of the Camelback High School and Corckett Elementary community. The Rosztoczy Foundation has made a promise to every 3rd grade student at Crockett Elementary School that if they attend their local public school and finish at Camelback High School, their college tuition will be paid for by the foundation. Over 90 3rd graders and their families gathered to hear about the promise and make their commitment to finish High School and head to college. This promise by the Rosztoczy Foundation is incredibly impactful and will provide a pathway to college for students of families who cannot afford to pay. Camelback High School Principal, James Arndt was on site to congratulate families and make sure they knew they would be supported every step of the way once they reach High School!

Recently, the Camelback Camera Club took a field trip to Arcosanti to practice their photography skills with the interesting architecture and ambiance. What an incredible opportunity for cool photos!

Camelback high school DECA participated in the DECA State Leadership Development Conference with over one hundred participating Arizona high schools, as well as several PXU Schools. PXU had a good showing and the Camelback DECA Students had good success. CBHS received 9 total medals, 7 testing medals and 2 finishing medals. Their focus going in was to increase their testing scores as the base level for a testing medal was increased from 75% to 85% this year. They had 15 over the 75-point threshold and 7 over the 85-point threshold with two high scores of 94 and 96 respectively.

They are also fortunate to have had 1 student qualify for the DECA International Leadership Conference (ICDC) in Anaheim, California, taking 3rd place. Omar Hernandez was 3rd place and scored an amazing 96 on his test and 84 high on his role play event.

Congratulations to all the DECA Participants for their dedication, focus, and hard work. Most are returning next year and the potential for increased success is extremely high.

S.C.D.C. .Medal Winners:

1. Zabiullah Mohammadi

2. Samuel Mortensen

3. Manuel Lopez

4. Omar Hernandez Munoz

5. Richard Torres

6. Clayton Barnes

7. Lizbeth Aguilar Vargus

8. Aliyah Roman Galindo

I.C.D.C. Finalist:

1. Omar Hernandez Munoz

Recently, over 400 PXU students participated in the ASU Next Steps Signing Day event. At the event, they completed their orientation, received FAFSA support, confirmed housing and meal plans, attended a resource fair, and met with their academic colleges.

What an amazing turnout and opportunity!

Senior Raheek Aljnabi’s painting “Battle on the Sea” just won first place in Congressman Gallego’s 2024 Congressional Art Competition!

Raheek won two plane tickets to DC for the Art competition reception and her painting will hang in the halls of the House of Representatives for one year, alongside the winning pieces of the other districts from around the country. Raheek's award winning piece is currently on display in the Student Art Show in the Fairfax 500 building. If you are able, you can see her work before it travels to Washington D.C. Congratulations, Raheek!

Tyler and Jesse Johnson are students at Betty Fairfax High School who, outside of school, are Sport Mod racers. They were featured in a publication called Outside Groove. Click the button below to view the story:

Recently, the Betty Fairfax High School Spirit Line attended the grand opening of the new Raising Canes location in Laveen. While there, they were presented with a $500 check from Canes.

Congratulations, Fairfax Spirit Line!

On April 2, Fairfax Basketball, Cheer, and Key Club were all invited to the Support my Club Philanthropy Bar. They had many amazing moments, including interactions with Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego.

What an amazing opportunity!

The Betty Fairfax Key Club was also featured recently by ABC15 after receiving a $1000 gift card courtesy of them and Valley Toyota Dealers! Click the button below to view the story:

On May 3rd, 26 Visual Arts students from Betty Fairfax High School spent the day touring ASU’s School of Art, Art Museum, and ate lunch at the MU. The students and staff had a great time. The students said the experience makes going to ASU in the future less intimidating. What a great opportunity!

Congratulations to Maryvale High School Principal Mr. John Doherty for receiving the 2024 Patty & David Meyers Elevator in Education Award. He was recognized at a luncheon on April 18. This award is given to educators who demonstrate dedication and passion for students and their futures. We are grateful for Mr. Doherty's commitment to his school and students.

Britney Cereceres and Hoyse Buchanan, Maryvale High School sophomores, both placed as silver key winners in the Scholastic Writing Contest for their regions. Britney and Hoyse competed against students from six states for their region, and only eight percent of students who enter the regional contest receive the silver key distinction. The Scholastic Writing Contest has been around since 1923 and is considered the most prestigious writing competition for high school students. Previous winners include Stephen King and Amanda Gorman, and previous jurors who review the student work include Langston Hughes and Judy Blume. Over 300,000 teenagers submitted writing and artwork to the Scholastic Writing and Art Contest’s twenty-nine categories in 2023 throughout the various regions in the country. The jurors look for works that represent Scholastic’s core values, including originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal voice or vision.

Congratulations, Britney and Hoyse!

Recently, the Maryvale Creative Writing Class and Voracious Readers Club attended the musical play Tuck Everlasting at Grand Canyon University. What a great opportunity!

Recently, Carl Hayden High School Falcon's Folklorico de MEChA. and Maryvale High School Mariachi Panteras de Oro were among the participants of Phoenix College's Mariachi Festival. This festival was featured by AZCentral. Click the button below to view the story:

This month, we have a lot of amazing news coming from the PXU Visual and Performing Arts Department! First, the Betty Fairfax Vocal Ensemble traveled to Washington D.C. to perform in the prestigious WorldStrides Heritage Festival. The ensemble competed with high school ensembles all across the United States and participated in performances and clinics with top educators in the field of choral music education.

The choir received a GOLD first place award in the Concert Choir category, a GOLD second place award in the Chamber Choir category, and a SILVER second place award in the Vocal Jazz category.

Congratulations to them!

The good news from Fairfax does not stop there! The Fairfax Theatre Troupe recently earned Silver Performance Ranking, which is a first for Fairfax. What an incredible accomplishment!

Lastly, this year, 87 students received the Art Seal on their diploma. These students completed 4 credits in an Arts class with no grade lower than a "B," and at least 80 hours of arts-related extracurricular activities. They also developed and completed a Capstone Project that demonstrated proficiency in the four Artistic Processes of Creating, Performing/Presenting, Responding, and Connecting. This achievement will be noted in their transcript, and all students will receive Honor Cords to wear at Graduation. The cords are Pink (representing Music), White (representing Visual Arts), and Brown (representing Dramatic Arts and Dance).

The amount of students receiving the seal has grown significantly over the past few years. Congratulations to the PXU Visual and Performing Arts Department!

Click the button below to view the students who received the Art Seal.

This month, we have a lot of great news coming from PXU JROTC! First, Maryvale Principal John Doherty represented PXU at the Annual 2024 Educator Workshop at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, New York. This workshop presents an opportunity for leaders in education and key community stakeholders to engage with the USMA Director of Admissions and gain valuable insights into the opportunities and resources available for students considering a future at West Point.

Mr. Doherty participated in briefings about West Point, its programs, academics, and professional opportunities. He was able to spend time with USMA Cadets, faculty, and staff. He also received briefings from the West Point Leadership, toured Trophy Point, Athletic Facilities, and ate lunch with the Cadets in Historic Washington Hall. What a great opportunity!

Next, on April 26, the 5th JROTC Battalion from The Academies at South Mountain departed for their Senior trip to Grand Canyon, AZ. Upon arrival at the Grand Canyon Village just outside of the entrance gate to the Grand Canyon, the Cadets watched a 35-minute educational IMAX movie detailing the history of the Grand Canyon and its significance as a National Treasure. After completion of the movie, departed for Mather Campground in the Grand Canyon National Park.

The Cadets issued priorities of work and set-up their bivouac site and reviewed their itinerary for the next day. On Saturday, 26 April, the Cadets moved to the Grand Canyon visitor center where they started the 2.5 mile walk from the visitor center to Bright Angel Lodge where they stopped at numerous locations along the route for history lessons and picture taking. Upon arrival at Bright Angel Lodge, the Cadets loaded buses back to Mather Campground for lunch.

After completion of lunch, the Cadets went back to Bright Angel Lodge and loaded buses to continue to other observation locations along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The bus tour took approximately 90 minutes stopping at predetermined destinations for history lessons and picture taking. After the Cadets returned to camp and after darkness set-in, conducted a lesson on constellations and pointed out various star formations, most notably pointing out the Big Dipper and the Milky Way.

The next morning, the Cadets packed up their campsite and departed along the south rim toward Cameron, Arizona, stopping one final time at the Desert View Watchtower, where the Cadets were able to climb the 85-stair tower and view the Grand Canyon, and read about the history in the museum. Once complete, departed and returned to Phoenix, completing the Senior trip around 1600 hours.

What an amazing and well-planned trip!

Finally, on May 9, Carl Hayden Community High School JROTC Cadets presented their Service-Learning Brief to the Senior Army Instructor LTC Timothy Johnson and the South Mountain Community College Dual Enrollment Program Director Dr Bruce McHenry. Phoenix Union JROTC LET 3 Junior Cadets and LET 4 Senior Cadets are eligible to take Dual Enrollment college courses from several Phoenix area community colleges. The brief explained the Cadet Service-Learning project at the Saint Vincent De Paul Neighborhood Support Project.

In the fall, Cadets received classroom instruction on project planning, management skills and the importance of community service. The Cadets then developed a plan to support the project. After coordination with Saint Vincent De Paul and scheduling dates, the Cadets assisted at the main Saint Vincent De Paul center for the evening meal they provide to the community. On three separate occasions in the spring, Cadets prepared meals, served dinner, and played games with kids at the center.

Thank you for helping your community, Cadets!

PXU's ESS Department had another Guardianship Night at Camelback High School! They had 22 parents for the English workshop and 31 in attendance at the Spanish workshop. Parents who attended the workshop learned about how they are able to be involved in their students life after turning 18. The workshop included how parents can stay involved in decision making with schools, power attorney, and obtaining guardianship for families of children with disabilities.

What a great turnout!

There is still time to join the PXU Libraries Staff Summer Book Club! If you need a physical copy of the book, please reach out to your School Librarian.

If you have any questions, please contact Roxie (blackson@phoenixunion.org) or Monica (mlourenco@phoenixunion.org).

Carl Hayden Handball had a very busy quarter full of games and fun. First, on March 28, they held singles advisory tournament with 34 student sign ups. Next, they went to Tucson to participate in the USHA Hall of Fame Tournament on April 13. For that tournament, they brought 9 students. While there, they had a mini clinic provided by David Fink, one of the team's biggest supporters. Last but not least, on April 25, with an incredible turnout to play, as well as spectators.

Keep up the great work, Hayden Handball!

To stay connected with them and see their tournament results and photos, click the button below:

PXU is proud to launch a new Dual Language Program at Carl Hayden beginning in the 2024-2025 Academic Year! The dual language program will provide an immersive experience for students in both English and Spanish. Students will receive direct instruction for half of their core classes in each language. The initiative aims to provide students with an enriching educational experience that not only fosters bilingualism but also equips them with the skills necessary for success in college, career, and life.

Learn more by visiting PXU.org/HaydenDLP or clicking the button below.

Don’t wait! Apply for reduced fare now

Valley Metro is introducing a new fare system this summer for riders to purchase fare and more easily get around metro Phoenix. The school fares program will remain in place but if you want to ride outside of the academic year, you are likely eligible for reduced fare.

With our fare system update, reduced fare riders, including youth ages 6-18, will be required to have a Valley Metro account to purchase most fare types. If you already have a reduced fare card, call 602.253.5000, option 3, to update it.

If you don’t have a reduced fare card, you can apply for reduced fare online at valleymetrofares.org. Once your account is activated, and the system has launched, you’ll be able to purchase all fare types using the Valley Metro app or a reloadable reduced fare Copper card.

Introducing Smart Fare: Smart Fare is also coming this summer, which will make paying fare more convenient and save you money the more you ride. The main benefits of Smart Fare are that you don’t have to pay the full cost of a pass upfront and you only pay for the trips you take!

Here’s how it works: Riders will need to choose between paying with the Valley Metro app or a Copper card. Load value to the account before boarding bus or light rail. Scan the app on your phone or tap your Copper card every time you ride. Smart Fare is a pay-as-you-go system. It determines your fare based on your trip history. For youth, once you reach your reduced fare daily maximum of $2, weekly maximum of $10 or monthly maximum of $32 you won’t pay any more for additional trips during that time period. To access Smart Fare, you must have a reduced fare account.

Have more questions? Want to apply for reduced fare in-person? You can learn more about the new fare system at a series of town hall events Valley Metro is hosting. After the presentation and FAQs, you’ll have a chance to ask questions and apply for reduced fare in person. If you plan to apply, visit valleymetro.org/reducedfaredocs for the required documentation.

Upcoming town halls:

Scottsdale Civic Center Library: Sat., May 18, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd., Scottsdale, AZ 85251

Avondale Civic Center Library: Tue., May 21, 4 p.m.-5:30 p.m., 11350 Civic Center Dr., Avondale, AZ 85323

South Mountain Community Center (Spanish): Wed., May 22, 5:30-7:30 p.m., 212 E. Alta Vista Rd., Phoenix, AZ, 85042

Sunnyslope Community Center: Sat., June 1, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 802 E. Vogel Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85020

Since Monday April 22nd, Carl Hayden students, staff and community have had access to a fully functional medical clinic. The clinic brings healthcare directly to where students spend most of their time, ensuring easy access to essential medical services. All major insurance plans accepted, sliding fee options available. It is open to all members of the community regardless of ability to pay or legal status. No appointment needed but it's preferred. This clinic is available until June 24. This is open to anyone. Please share this information widely!

Are you looking for sports photos taken by the district? Visit PXUSports.org to view the library of sports photos taken by PXU. This library is updated as sporting events and seasons occur.

PXU Family, if you notice something regarding safety that you want to report confidentially, dial 602-764-SAFE (7233) to report it.

As you know, at the beginning of the year PXU launched our Strive for Less than Five campaign encouraging our students to have less than five absences each semester. We also launched the Strive For Five campaign at Phoenix Digital Academy, to promote online class engagement five hours, five days a week each quarter. Since the launch of both campaigns, we have seen amazing things happening at each campus. Both students and parents/guardians have received a variety of information about our attendance expectations and new initiatives. Keep up the good work!

You can find many attendance tips, tools, and resources on the Attendance Works website: https://www.attendanceworks.org/.

Do you or a PXU Employee you know need any support? PXU has Health and Wellness Clinicians on staff to support our staff with difficult times. If you or a colleague are in need of emotional or mental health support, please click the link below to be directed to a form for support. A Staff Health and Wellness Specialist will respond to you within 24 hours (Monday thru Friday).

Click here to be redirected to the Employee Support Form

ElevateEdAZ is an initiative of the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation focused on aligning classes and curriculum with workforce needs, creating opportunities for students to apply academics through work-based learning, and increasing student exposure to career pathways. ElevateEdAZ is designed as a model for Arizona schools to better integrate high wage, high demand, high skill career pathways into the K-12 education system. With College and Career Coaches already embedded at the Academies at South Mountain, Metro Tech High School, and Phoenix Coding Academy, ElevateEdAZ looks forward to providing many impactful experiences to students and educators this coming school year.

We encourage you to share with your networks and encourage students to seek out the resources that ElevateEdAZ provides!

We love hearing from you! If you have good news to share with the District, email Vanessa Herb at vherb@phoenixunion.org with your good news. Follow us on social media as well to stay updated on all the great things we have happening across the District!

Email: vherb@phoenixunion.org
Website: pxu.org
Location: 4502 North Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ, USA
Phone: 602-764-1528
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/phoenixunion
Twitter: @phoenixunion