News

Girls on the Run integrates fitness training with life skills — inspiring girls to celebrate their unique identities, recognize their inner strength, make good decisions, and stand up for themselves and others.

The school board and superintendent presented Mike Pope the district's Volunteer of the Month Award in October. Pope, a Boeing retiree, works with fifth-graders at MPS Flight Centers.

October winners in the district's Take Time for People recognition program are Elsa Eberling of the Special Education Department, Susan Flores of Longfellow Elementary and Gary Ingle of Mendoza Elementary.

The school board proclaimed Nov. 12-16 as American Education Week in Mesa to honor parents, educators, support staff and substitute teachers.

Air Force Junior ROTC cadets are collecting new, unwrapped toys at the Westwood High School office, 945 W. Eighth St., Mesa. All donations will benefit Maricopa County children and charities in need. 

See moon rocks, meteorites and more. Participate in hands-on space science activities. View the night sky with the East Valley Astronomy Club. Join us from 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 15 at 2433 E. Adobe St., Mesa. 

Skyline High School's Nancie Lindblom, American history and government teacher, is one of five finalists in the 2013 Arizona Teacher of the Year competition. The winner will be announced Nov. 14.

Mesa students will present two concerts at the Day of the Dead celebration Oct. 27 at the Mesa Arts Center. Enjoy great performances on the Shadow Walk at 10 a.m. and in the Piper Theater at 11 a.m.

The clinic will be conducted by the Mesa Fire Department for all adults and children 6 months and older.

The Boeing Company presented a $115,000 grant to Mesa Public Schools to enhance interest and achievement in science, technology, engineering and math.

Advanced high school choirs and the renowned Sonoran Desert Chorale will perform at 7 p.m. Oct. 22 in the Ikeda Theater at the Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St., Mesa. Everyone is welcome. Admission is free.

The U.S Department of Education honored Skyline High for its eco-campus, nature adventure, natural classrooms, and health and fitness projects.

Observe National School Lunch Week with us Oct. 15-19. Our students enjoy well-balanced, high-quality, low-cost or free meals daily. Good nutrition is key to learning and growing.

Join MPS in observing National School Bus Safety Week. Oct. 22-26 is a great time to thank those who keep our children safe as they travel to and from school.

The district's transition to propane is the first of its kind in Arizona. MPS is reducing fuel costs and air pollution.

All MPS parents are invited to attend a class on Positive Behavior Supports, presented by Raising Special Kids, from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 25 at SHARP School, 7302 E. Adobe St., Mesa. Reserve your place by Oct. 19.

Teachers nominated Rayos for her years of dedicated service to students, staff and parents at Salk Elementary.

Winners represent Madison and Whittier elementaries, Fremont Junior High and the Health Services and Audiology Department.

This year's National Merit semifinalists represent Dobson, Mountain View, Red Mountain and Westwood high schools. The district's National Achievement semifinalist attends Mesa High.

Deanna Villanueva-Saucedo, Mesa Public Schools community liaison, won an Exemplary Leadership Award in the Profiles of Success: Pioneers for Progress program. 

Plan for life after high school graduation. Go shopping for opportunities at Op Shop — 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 15, at Red Mountain High, 7301 E. Brown Road, Mesa. All parents and teens are welcome. 

Mesa is Arizona's newest college town. Learn more at the Mesa Higher Education Conference and Expo, sponsored by Mesa Counts on College. Find out about Mesa's four new higher education institutions. And don't forget our long-time favorites, including Arizona State University, Mesa Community College, A.T. Still and others.

Parents and guardians are invited to attend at 6 p.m. Sept. 25 in the school district's Student Services Center, 1025 N. Country Club Drive, Mesa.

Free Parent University classes begin soon. We offer a wealth of workshops to help you make the most of the joys and challenges of raising children — whether you have toddlers to teens! Preregistration is required.

The 2013 Music for All National Concert Band Festival will feature the Dobson High Wind Symphony, directed by Jon Gomez.

"If you think public education in America has lost its edge, think again. All across the nation, schools are finding ways to engage students, families and communities inside the classroom by thinking outside the box." — Scholastic Parent & Child magazine

Lowell Elementary celebrated the start of school with Target and Raising a Reader activities and donations for the library, students and parents. See the video.

Paid tutoring positions are available in the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) Program at junior highs and high schools.

Walt Temme, Arizona's 2011 Music Educator of the Year, and his Mountain View High program are featured in "A Forward-Moving Orchestra" published by the national School Band and Orchestra magazine.

The grant, titled 21st Century Libraries for 21st Century Students, is funding $50,000 worth of ebooks to boost English language arts skills districtwide.

Register for the school district's Fall Girls League of Mesa Youth Volleyball now through Sept. 15. Matches begin Oct. 20. Coach a team, and your child's registration fee will be waived. Save $10 by enrolling online.

Parents of ninth-graders are invited to attend at 7 p.m. Aug. 15 in the Mesa High Auditorium Wing No. 201, 1630 E. Southern Ave., Mesa. Parents of seventh-graders are invited to attend at 7 p.m. Aug. 21 in the Kino Junior High Auditorium, 848 N. Horne, Mesa.

The Mesa Public Schools demonstration nurse was named this year's National Outstanding School Nurse for Special Needs Students.

Dobson High, Mesa Community Action Network and Chicanos Por La Causa received $19,000 to help MPS students complete post-secondary schooling.

Mesa High football players will focus on tradition and school spirit as they honor past generations of alumni and one legendary quarterback.

Sign up for the school district's Mesa Youth Basketball season now through Sept. 8. The Boys League is open to students in grades three through six; the Girls League, grades four through eight. 

Students, staff and parents at nine campuses will welcome new principals from near and far.

The Community Education Department has openings in prekindergarten programs for teachers and instructional assistants.

Grants of up to $7,500 will be awarded to increase college completion among Mesa's low-income youth. Online applications are due by June 22.

Seniors in Mesa Public Schools were offered the highest amount of scholarships and awards in district history — nearly $5.6 million more than last year.

Highland Elementary's Sammy Hermosillo, Myra Norton and Anne Perkinson answered every question correctly to capture the team championship trophy for their school. The voluntary program for fifth- and sixth-graders promotes reading through team competition.

The Summer Meal Program is offered at 60 sites. It's free for all children 18 and under. Adults may buy breakfast for $1.25 and lunch for $3. Don't go hungry this summer. Enjoy friends, fun and free food!

Mykella, who is profoundly deaf, is in the International Baccalaureate program at Westwood High. Ranked fifth in the senior class, Mykella has netted $236,500 in scholarship offers.

SchoolMatch is honoring Mesa Public Schools with the 2012 What Parents Want Award. Only 16 percent of the nation's schools were recognized for meeting the needs of families.

The celebration is set for 8:45 a.m. May 23 under the ramada in the intermediate playground at Patterson Elementary School, 615 S. Cheshire, Mesa.

Alex Roesler, Mountain View High School senior, is among Arizona's 22 Flinn Scholars. Alex will receive an in-state college scholarship and additional educational benefits worth more than $100,000. 

U.S. News & World Report ranked high schools nationwide based on student-teacher ratio, college readiness, and achievement in math and reading.

The Red Mountain High teacher is being honored for contributions to the performing arts, and for her inspirational leadership, advocacy, innovation and enthusiasm.

Read this year's award-winning narratives, poems, class books and essays by MPS students and staff.

Attend the reception and ribbon cutting at 5:30 p.m. May 9 in the Salt River Project History Center. The public is invited to view award-winning entries that celebrate Arizona's centennial.

The 43rd annual Exceptional Student Services Awards presentation is set for 7 p.m. May 18 at the Mesa Convention Center. 

Growing vegetables at school contributes to healthy habits and family fun with kids in the kitchen.

STEM Camp, June 4-8, is for fourth- through sixth-graders. Robotics Camp, June 11-15, is for fourth- through eighth-graders. Both camps are from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Engineering Lab at Red Mountain High, 7301 E. Brown Road, Mesa. Students throughout MPS are welcome. Registration is open.

Band and orchestra classes for students in grades four through 12 start May 29. Beginning, prep, intermediate and advanced students are welcome. We accept online, mail, fax, walk-in and drop-box registrations.

After winning the most trophies in the unit's history and logging more than 1,600 hours of community service, 2011-12 cadets received the Distinguished Unit With Merit Award from Air Force Headquarters.

Valerie Segerson, a Montessori teacher at Johnson Elementary, was surprised by KEZ-Radio's Marty Manning and Rio Salado College's Delynn Bodine. They presented Segerson's Excellence in Education Award. She was nominated by parent Lynn Cormier.

Mary and Paul Whitlock of Kerr Elementary are MPS Volunteers of the Month. The school board honored them in April. 

Winners were recognized for outstanding teaching and support services that make a difference in the lives of MPS students and staff.

Teacher Appreciation Week is May 7-11. National Teacher Day is May 8. MPS invites everyone to acknowledge the lasting contributions of teachers to our community and our country.

The celebration's set for 6 to 7 p.m. May 10 on the campus at 5005 E. Southern Ave., Mesa.

On April 24, the Governing Board approved calendars for the 2013-14 and 2014-15 school years.

Whittier Elementary and Shepherd Junior High won A+ School of Excellence Awards from the Arizona Educational Foundation.

The Performing Arts Department presents "Hairspray" April 18-21 in the auditorium at 1501 W. Guadalupe.

The public exhibition is open from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 16-20 in the library at 7301 E. Brown Road, Mesa.  

They represent Emerson, Highland, Holmes and Patterson elementaries; Brimhall Junior High; the Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies; and the district's Science Department.

The Rhodes Junior High Jazz Ensemble placed first in its division and received the highest total score.

East Valley students and their families are invited to meet with representatives from about 40 government agencies, community organizations, colleges and universities. The focus? A wealth of information on programs and services for future high school grads.

A reception for alumni, family, friends and employees will follow a dinner for current and former faculty and staff. Come and commemorate the closure of the Brimhall Bobcat campus.

Red Mountain and Skyline high school students are receiving $2,500 National Achievement Scholarships.

Computer Recycle Day is 8 a.m.-noon, Saturday, April 21. Drop off your old computers and components at Mesa High, 1630 E. Southern Ave., Mesa. Your donations will be used by technology students to learn new skills.

Highland Elementary, Smith Junior High, Mesa High and Educational Technology Department staff members are March winners.

State legislators honored the district for its proactive environmental efforts in school bus transportation.

Parents and students can view grades and attendance records on smartphones and other mobile devices.

Students from Rhodes and Smith junior highs won Superior Awards for their portfolio presentations and mock legislative hearings at the Project Citizen Showcase. Students will advance to state finals in May.

Ingrid Medlock of Skyline High volunteers in classes taught by her son, Jeff, a national award-winning choral director who chairs Skyline's Performing Arts Department. Jeff and Ingrid are an incredible combo. And they are members of a remarkable Skyline family.

It's free. It's fun. The workshop features music, dance, pop culture, clothing, origami and Japanese snacks.

The four-day family event, March 29-April 1, features big rides and big bands. Discount early-bird tickets for unlimited rides are available online now. Proceeds benefit student athletes at Red Mountain High. 

The ninth-annual event is 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. March 31 at Westwood High, 945 W. Eighth St., Mesa. Admission is free. Everyone's welcome.

This free workshop is for parents of disabled children who are about to turn, or have reached, age 18.

Gregg Baumgarten, a leader in education and sports for the disabled, took to the mound at a Cubs game.

The Red Mountain High teacher and softball coach was honored as the best in the West.

Everyone's invited to attend from 5:30 to 7 p.m. March 26 on the campus at 4840 E. Adobe, Mesa.

Volunteer now to help the Planning Committee coordinate a successful 60th anniversary celebration.

The tournament is set for April 21 at Apache Wells. We invite players and sponsors to contact us now. Proceeds will benefit student athletes. Please sign up soon!

Choral Director shines the spotlight on Jeffrey Medlock as one of our country's 11 top teachers.

Seventh- and eighth-graders are invited to a fun, exciting hands-on program June 4-14 at Falcon Field.

Donna Miller of Red Mountain Ranch Elementary was honored by the school board, the superintendent and the Mesa Foundation for Educational Excellence.

Celebrate Zaharis Elementary's past, present and future from 5 to 7 p.m. March 22. Everyone's welcome.

The Coach Jesse Parker Legacy Foundation awarded Mountain View $1,000 in Curt Canaday's honor.

Join us at 6 p.m. March 2 on the campus at 705 S. 32nd St., Mesa. Don't miss the luau, hula dancers, fire dancers and much more. Dinner reservations are required by Feb. 28. Everyone's welcome.

Mesa Academy champions, and city and state runners-up from Taylor Junior High, qualified to compete in the National Academic League's Championship Tournament of Academic Excellence this spring.

Don't miss the smash hit Broadway musical Feb. 29 through March 3. Buy tickets now or at the door.

The district's Harp Ensembles and the Center Street Harp Duo will present their Arizona Centennial Concert at 7 p.m. Feb. 27 in the Historic Irving Auditorium, 155 N. Center St., Mesa. Admission is free.

This spring, the district's Governing Board will adopt calendars for the 2013-14 and 2014-15 school years. The board welcomes comments from students, staff, parents and the public.

Walt Sword, has been inducted into the Natural Athlete Strength Association's Hall of Fame.

The Administrative Services Center will close at 1:30 p.m. at the request of the Mesa Police Department.

Read award-winning narratives, poems and essays by kindergarten through 12th-grade students.

Four Red Mountain High School football players signed national letters of intent.

Join current and former students, staff, families and friends at 10 a.m. Feb. 25 on the campus at 738 S. Longmore, Mesa.

For Hale Elementary fifth-graders, Dream Day at the Tournament Players Club in Scottsdale was the best field trip ever!