School briefs

 MCCCD to get $271K rebate from APS

The Maricopa County Community College District will receive a $271,558 rebate check from APS next week following the district’s efforts to implement energy-efficient programs. Energy-efficient motors, chillers, lighting or refrigeration were installed at Paradise Valley, Estrella Mountain and Glendale Community College’s North Campus. The district predicts that it will save $2.7 million on its electric bills over the life of the equipment. That effort helped the district earn the rebate check as well as cut thousands of kilowatt-hours off its annual electricity use, according to a press release.

A.J. school district now registering

Apache Junction Unified School district is registering students for the upcoming school year, which begins Aug. 12. To enroll in kindergarten, children must be 5 years old prior to Sept. 1. Parents must present a birth certificate, immunization record and proof of residency (utility bill, rent receipt, etc.), as well as photo identification of themselves. Immunization requirements are available at the Pinal County Health Department at 575 N. Idaho Road, Suite 301, or by calling (480) 982-0230. Free immunizations for children are available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Anyone new to the area and unsure of which school attendance boundaries they reside in can call the AJUSD Transportation Department at (480) 982-1110, Ext. 2202.

Freshman orientation at A.J. High School

Freshman orientation will be held from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 8 at Apache Junction High School. All incoming freshmen and their parents are urged to attend. Activities will include a welcome, introductions, a pep assembly, a campus tour, refreshments and an opportunity to meet teachers. Administrators and counselors will be available for questions. For more info, call (480) 982-1110, Ext. 2303 or 2300.

Salvation Army drive seeks school supplies

The Salvation Army has launched the Pack to School Drive to benefit 30 Valley schools. The drive for school supplies runs until Aug. 4. Two elementary schools in the Chandler Unified School District and two from the Mesa Unified School District are the recipients. The community can support the effort by donating school supplies at any Bank of Arizona, Fry’s grocery store or Mountainside Fitness location. The Salvation Army is seeking contributions of basic school supplies such as backpacks, crayons, colored markers, pens, pencils and more. For more information about the drive, please visit www.salvationarmycares.org or call (602) 267-4289.

Recent grads chosen for trip to China

Graduates of Tempe’s Desert Vista and Corona del Sol high schools were selected to participate in the Presidential Scholars China Trip this month. The students join 10 other scholars for a two-week study tour to China with the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations. Desert Vista High School graduate Booyeon Han and Corona del Sol High School graduate Vishal Maini also met with Vice President Joe Biden and attended National Recognition Week in Washington, D.C. in June.

Mesa school district now registering

Classes resume Aug. 12 in the Mesa Unified School District. Parents can register their children at schools from Monday through Friday. Parents must provide a birth certificate, proof of Mesa residency (such as a utility bill) and immunization records. Immunizations are available at a number of locations, including Mesa Immunization Clinic, 635 E. Broadway Road. The clinic is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. It is closed for lunch from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. For information, call (602) 263-8856. Another clinic will be held from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 12., at the Mesa Fire Department, 1105 E. Second Ave. Parents should bring current shot records.

Web site has info on health, emergencies

The Mesa Unified School District has launched a new Web site to provide communication to parents and families regarding health issues and emergency preparedness. The site, http://www2.mpsaz.org/beprepared, includes information on H1N1, the virus known as swine flu, as well as information on how to create a family emergency plan. As school starts, the district will keep the site updated with information about the flu and other issues. Parents can register to receive e-mail updates from the district on its Web site.

District has several kindergarten options

The Mesa Unified School District is offering a number of options for young learners when classes resume Aug. 12. One option is a tuition-based KinderPrep program. Students will attend for two and a half hours a day, five times a week, in a kindergarten preparatory program. The monthly fee is $240. DES child care subsidies may be used for KinderPrep tuition. The second option is to have children tested for kindergarten readiness. Children accepted into regular kindergarten will be expected to move to first grade the following year. The last option is to have children participate in a prekindergarten program for children ages 3 1/2 to 5. These classes are sponsored by the district’s Community Education Department and will be available at various sites. For information, call (480) 472-7250.

Mesa district board to meet Tuesday

The Mesa Unified School District governing board is scheduled to meet 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in an executive session, with a regular board meeting to follow. The meetings will be held at 549 N. Stapley Drive. The agenda includes a discussion and possible vote on salaries and benefits for all employee groups and a presentation on possible citywide extracurricular activities.

Activities offered at Chandler schools

The Club CUSD catalog is available online for students in the Chandler Unified School District. Several program options are available for youth in all grade levels, from the before-and-after-school care program called Kids Express to classes in basketball, art, karate, tennis and more. The 55-page handbook can be found at www.cusdcommunity.com. Activities have start dates throughout the district’s fall semester. Classes resume Monday in the Chandler Unified School District, which has on a modified year-round schedule.

Parent orientation at Hancock Elementary

Chandler’s Hancock Elementary School, 2425 S. Pleasant Drive, will hold parent orientation at 6 p.m. Aug. 4. Parents will meet in the multipurpose room for staff introductions and an update from the first few days of school. For more information, call (480) 883-5900.