James Christensen of Gateway Bank has been named 2013 board chairman of the Mesa Chamber of Commerce.

In recognition of World Understanding Month, the Mesa Sunrise Rotary Club dedicated a Peace Pole in front of Mesa City Plaza. Each Peace Pole is a handcrafted monument that displays the message "May Peace Prevail on Earth" on each side of the pole written in different languages reflecting the community’s population.

Lizett Segura’s son was enrolled in kindergarten at a neighboring district when she walked into Mesa’s Keller Elementary School looking for employment about five years ago.

After nearly a year since a committee was made to explore the idea of a Montessori high school for the Tempe Union High School District (TUHSD), school officials are taking the next steps toward making that idea reality.

The Gilbert Chamber of Commerce will celebrate the impact women have had on the local business community over the last year when it hosts its annual Business Woman of the Year awards luncheon Wednesday afternoon.

One of the most noted charter schools in the country hopes to open its first Mesa campus later this year.

It’s lunchtime for the older 2-year-olds at Mesa’s Montessori International School. Three young children eat at a table about a foot tall, while their classmates settle down on their mats for naptime. A girl in pigtails spears a blueberry with her fork. A young boy peels a banana.

The children of Ahwatukee Foothills Montessori School have been bringing in their change for their love light banks in each classroom. The children raised more than $600 and Mrs. Meaghan McClung matched it. The school used this money to buy new toys for children whose families need help for the holidays.

The act of giving clearly doesn’t go out of style.

Siobhan Silks

The Montessori High School Exploratory Committee will give a report to the Tempe Union High School District Governing Board 6 p.m. Nov. 14 at the district office, 500 W. Guadalupe Road, Tempe.

Arizona has often been viewed as the state with the most options for school choice.

Thousands of Ahwatukee Foothills students started a new chapter Monday as bells rang and doors opened for the first day of the 2012-13 school year.

Parents will find few states that offer families as many schooling options as Arizona does. A longtime leader in the national school choice movement, Arizona has an education marketplace with a school for just about any income, interest or situation. And nowhere in the state do options abound like they do in the East Valley.

Parents will find few states that offer families as many schooling options as Arizona does. A longtime leader in the national school choice movement, Arizona has an education marketplace with a school for just about any income, interest or situation. And nowhere in the state do options abound like they do in the East Valley.

Montessori Educare Academy has announced that it will be remaining in its current location at 1244 E. Chandler Blvd. They are currently enrolling students ages 12 months to 6 years for fall.

Plans for the first Montessori high school in Ahwatukee Foothills are coming together for Desert Garden Montessori.

It took almost half her life to grow it out, but that didn’t stop Ahwatukee Foothills resident Jade Buzinski from cutting off a significant portion of her hair on Saturday morning.

It took almost half her life to grow it out, but that didn’t stop Ahwatukee Foothills resident Jade Buzinski from cutting off a significant portion of her hair on Saturday morning.

Amy Bartko knows that moms everywhere should know what options are out there for their children when looking for preschools, day cares or summer camps.

Amy Bartko knows that moms everywhere should know what options are out there for their children when looking for preschools, day cares or summer camps.

New or slightly-used children's books suitable for preschool through junior high students will be collected during the eighth annual book drive Feb. 14-March 16.