Many family members and people whose lives were touched by Sylvia Encinas gathered Sunday at an elementary school in Chandler to see it be rededicated to their friend, who was well-known for her kindness.

Sylvia Encinas, the former secretary of Hartford Elementary School and Chandler’s own “Mother Teresa” of sorts, died Tuesday afternoon following a bout with cancer. She was 62.

Sylvia Encinas, the former secretary of Hartford Elementary School and Chandler’s own “Mother Teresa” of sorts, died Tuesday afternoon following a bout with cancer. She was 62.

Chandler’s Hartford Sylvia Encinas Elementary, 700 N. Hartford St., is asking the community to support families in need by bringing in bags of rice. The school needs 900 bags by Friday for Thanksgiving and 900 more for Christmas, due Dec. 10. The efforts are being coordinated by Chandler Unified School District’s Chandler Care Center, 777 E. Galveston St. Donations of toiletry items, such as diapers, baby wipes, toothbrushes, tooth paste, paper towels, and toilet paper, are also needed.

Chandler Mayor Jay Tibshraeny will continue his “listening tour” to hear concerns from residents 7 p.m. Tuesday March 13 at San Marcos Elementary School, 451 W. Frye Road.

Fourth- through sixth-grade students at Chandler’s Hartford Sylvia Encinas Elementary School recently attended a Genre Super Bowl ice cream sundae party. The students qualified by reading books from five different genres during the month of January. This annual event is sponsored by library media teacher Carol Cooper and was funded this year by a mini-grant from the Chandler Education Foundation.

A Hartford Elementary School worker is asking for donations for a Chandler family that lost three of its members in a car crash Tuesday. One of those killed was a student at the school.

February 13, 2005

The name of Chandler’s oldest elementary school will be changed, but not the way that some residents wanted.

The name of Chandler’s oldest elementary school will be changed, but not the way that some residents wanted.

Chandler plans to hold two public meetings in the coming weeks for potential participants in a program to turn foreclosed homes into affordable housing.

Tensions are brewing at Hartford Elementary School in Chandler over how to honor the legacy of a former school secretary ailing from cancer.

Do you have extra technology items sitting around your house? Unsure of what to do with them?

The Chandler Unified School District has received $320,000 through the First Things First program to provide scholarship opportunities for its preschool program, according to district spokesman Terry Locke.

For Juan Gutierrez, the biggest losses in a May 5 fire that destroyed his Chandler home were the things that can’t be replaced.

The Chandler Unified School District governing board on Wednesday night voted 5-0 to close Erie Elementary School as a neighborhood school in the 2012-2013 school year and use the site for another purpose in the future.

Chandler plans to hold several workshops, beginning Thursday, to familiarize residents with the city's program to buy up foreclosed homes in the 85225 ZIP code and convert them into permanent affordable housing.