Time to go shopping! Falcon Hill Elementary PTA officers are thrilled to receive a $1,000 grant from McDonald's. Annette Riffe, president, Barbara Spinazzola, membership chair, Patty Reutter, treasurer, and Marissa Auna, vice president, requested the money for library books.    Photo by David Luna

Falcon Hill Readers Are Leaders!
The McDonald's Corp. awarded a $1,000 grant to the Parent Teacher Association at Falcon Hill Elementary.
The Readers Are Leaders grant from McDonald's will benefit the school library. The PTA presented the money to Carla Berglund, media specialist, to buy books and to thank Berglund for the library's excellent literacy programs.

McDonalds partnered with PTAs statewide to award 20 Readers Are Leaders grants.

DISTRICT NEWS

Administrative professionals
April 23 is Administrative Professionals Day. "Our district has a loyal and hard-working group of employees who run our school and department offices," said Debra Duvall, superintendent.

"They answer the phones, order the supplies, process paperwork to pay the bills and provide friendly customer service to parents and co-workers.

"A big thank you from all of us who rely on the administrative professionals who have chosen to work in our district because they care about children and education."

Free preschool registration April 30
The Mesa Early Learning Preschool program is open to children who turn 4 years old by Aug. 31.

MELP is free for families who meet federal income guidelines and who live within Mesa Public Schools boundaries.

Registration is 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 30 at First Presbyterian Church, 161 N. Mesa Drive, Mesa, for MELP preschool programs at the Early Education Center; Good Earth Montessori; and Adams, Lowell, Roosevelt, Whitman and Whittier elementaries.

Registration for other sites will be May 14 and 21.

For more information, call the automated phone line, (480) 472-0209. Or logon to www.mpsaz.org/ecped/MELP.html.

French field trip
Robin Young, district world language specialist, applied for and received a $1,000 Target Field Trip Grant.

It will benefit 60 French IV and V students from Dobson, Mesa, Mountain View and Westwood high schools.

They will attend the Phoenix Art Museum's "Masterpiece Replayed: Monet, Matisse and More" exhibit April 23. They will have lunch at Au Petit Four, a French bakery in Scottsdale, that day.

Retiree reception
On May 1, the school board and superintendent will host a reception to honor retiring staff members. This year in particular, Mesa Public Schools has many retirees who have faithfully served the district and public education for more than 30 years. There are 35 people who are retiring after more than three decades.

One person has reached the 40-year mark -- Charles Held, a social studies teacher at Dobson High School. Charles joined the school district in 1968.

SCHOOL NEWS

Carson Junior High
Students, staff, parents and the public polished their circle pins, dusted off their penny loafers and slicked back their hair for Carson's 50th anniversary party earlier this month.

The orchestra, band, dance troupe, drama club and cheer squad were on hand to entertain, along with Polynesian dancers and a mariachi band.

The party also included past yearbooks, scrapbooks, an art show, hot dogs, the Happy Birthday song and birthday cake.

Dobson High
Members of the yearbook staff traveled to Anaheim, Calif., to attend the Journalism Education Association convention.

They received one of 25 national Pacemaker Award from a field of 60 nominees and more than 380 entries.

The 2007 Equus yearbook was the only nominee and winner from Arizona. Micki Remos is the yearbook teacher

Frost Elementary
Students and staff celebrated Drop Everything and Read Day earlier this month. Two students received the opportunity of a lifetime. Mary Chavez and Chris Wolgamot were chosen to interview Beverly Cleary, the Newbery award-winning author of "Ramona Quimby, Age 8" and other well-loved children's books.

The youngsters were selected from thousands of American children and will receive a set of Cleary books. They will enjoy the quirky antics of Ramona, who squeezes an entire tube of toothpaste into the sink and empties a box of tissues one by one -- just to see what it is like.

Mendoza Elementary
The Science Discovery Fair will be 5-8 p.m. May 1 in the Multipurpose Room at 5831 E. McLellan, Mesa. Residents are invited to join students and staff.

There will be grade level competitions, and the Parent-Teacher Organization will serve food.

Students will be guided by their teachers through the scientific process using critical thinking skills. Students are expected to use an original idea. Each grade level is using their Mesa Public Schools Science kits:

• kindergarten - plant studies
• first grade - habitats, species and environmental changes
• second grade - collections: classifying and labeling
• third grade - measurable questions
• fourth grade - inventions
• fifth grade - demonstration projects: demonstrating a scientific process
• sixth grade - inquiry investigations

Robson Elementary
The 25th birthday open house -- "25 Years of Learning" -- will be 5:30-7:30 p.m. April 29 at 2122 E. Pueblo, Mesa.

All former and current staff and students are invited to renew friendships, to reminisce, to look at old photos, to enjoy entertainment and decorative door displays, and to catch up on the good old days over milk and cookies. For more info call (480) 472-6600.

Zaharis Elementary
Register now for the Summer Orchestra Program, which includes intermediate, advanced, Suzuki Transition and Junior High classes for students who will be entering fifth through ninth grade next school year.

Tuition is $60. The program is scheduled June 2-20 at 9410 E. McKellips Road, Mesa. For information and enrollment forms, call (480) 308-7247, or logon to www.mpsaz.org/musiced.