East Valley Tribune - Back to School

Later start for schools urged as cost-saving idea

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 23:06:51 -0700

Arizona should look at a statewide school calendar with classes beginning around Labor Day to help save energy and cut power bills, according to one Scottsdale school board member.

Apache Junction middle school checks visitor IDs

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 11:04:29 -0700

All visitors - even parents - who want to get inside Desert Shadows Middle School must hand over their driver's license, or some other state-issued ID, for a background check. Without it, they're not getting into the Apache Junction school.

Effect on taxes part of school budgets

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 11:01:00 -0700

It's your money.

School taxes are typically the largest portion of a homeowner's tax bill. Public education eats up 46 percent of the state budget.

Campus crime is public record

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 10:59:23 -0700

Getting your children to school safely is only half the battle. How do you know they'll be safe on campus?

Some governing boards allow public comment

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 11:46:32 -0700

Parents addressing a school board for the first time are frequently perturbed to learn board members cannot respond to their concerns. Though school boards aren't required to allow public comment at their meetings, most of them do.

Help high-schoolers be successful

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 11:00:13 -0700

Standing among some 3,000 teenagers streaming into their mega-high school can make a parent feel a little insignificant.

A starter kit for school public records

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 10:48:25 -0700

Parents seeking information about their child's school have a powerful tool they can use: Arizona's open records law.

When and how to seek extra help

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 10:56:31 -0700

Teachers spend far more hours on their students' education than the children's parents can ever hope to.

Choosing a preschool program

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 10:46:22 -0700

Choosing a preschool program can be overwhelming. School districts, private schools, churches and cities all offer programs. So how can parents find the right one to get their children's school years off on the right foot?

Parents can check teacher's experience

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 11:02:02 -0700

If you want to know about a teacher's professional background, all you have to do is ask. Schools are required to keep information on a person's teaching background on site, said Chris Thomas, director of legal services for the Arizona School Boards Association.