District Strategic Planning Team • Meeting Dates • Agenda • Meeting Notes
Public Forums • Demographic & Market Research • Redistricting
District Strategic Planning Team
The Governing Board directed Superintendent Dr. Arthur Tate to devise a process and methodology for the public to become better informed concerning the need for change, as well as to be involved in recommending a strategic plan to enact change. Public Forums were held in February and March of 2008, and they provided a partial response to that directive. In addition, the Governing Board approved the formation of the District Strategic Planning Team, a broad-based group to provide long range strategic recommendations.
Mission
The mission of the District Strategic Planning Team is to provide the Governing Board with recommendations in three major areas:
1. The number and type of facilities needed to support the anticipated student population of the district, to include general suggestions for future bond composition.
2. The school assignment boundaries which will make the most efficient and cost-effective use of transportation assets.
3. The selection of theme or specialty schools.
Overriding Criteria
1. To assure that all students reach their achievement goals.
2. To assure district long-tern financial stability
3. To assure continued improvement in student achievement
General Timelines
The Planning Team will begin meeting on April 8 and will conduct a total of six meetings before the end of June. For meeting dates, click on meetings at the top of this page.
Public Information
As with all other formal committees, the meeting of the Planning Team will be open to attendance by the public, who is welcome to view the proceedings. Links to meeting dates and agendas can be found at the top of this page. Notes from the Planning Team meetings will be posted on this website during the week following the meeting.
Composition of the Planning Team
As a result of public forums held in February and March, and following newspaper coverage, 30 individuals filed applications to be part of the Planning Team. In order to assure that the Planning Team will have balanced representation throughout the district, a selection committee met on two occasions to review the applications. The selection committee was comprised of Dan Cassano, Mel Kessler, Pen Johnson, Curt Ritland, and Harvey Gibson.Assistant Superintendent Chris Busch facilitated the group effort. The charge to the selection team was to “suggest a Planning Team to consolidate facilities, redo attendance boundaries, and choose theme schools. The team must be balanced and represent objectively and equally all constituents, especially those underserved and normally underrepresented.” The selection committee solicited additional applicants in order to assure the requisite balance and equity.
Here are the members of the Planning Team:
Connolly Quadrant Parent Gretchen Reinhardt (Thew) Parent
John Conway (Ward/CMS) Teacher Greta Olson (CMS) Teacher Shelby Hobart (Curry) Fees Quadrant Parent Chrissy Herrera (Frank) Parent Pam Ware (Fees) Teacher Michelle Helm (Fees) Teacher Francisco Garcia (Aguilar) Gililland Quadrant Parent Julie Wilson (Holdeman/GMS) Parent Tanya Arroyo (GMS) Teacher Nevitt Teacher Teacher Justin Szymakowski (Scales) McKemy Quadrant Parent Laura Kajfez (McKemy) Parent Alisa Clyne (Broadmor/McKemy) Teacher Susan Ashcraft (Broadmor) Teacher Jill Osborne (McKemy) Middle School Principal Rick Horvath (GMS) Elementary School Principal Howard Oechsner (Meyer) Community Member Kathleen Clark Community Member Bill Hobson Community Member Beth Fiorenza TUHSD Representative Robyn Arredondo-Savage Board Member Rose Crutcher TEEA Representative Nidia Lias Classified Council Representative Mary Sorensen Chris Busch - office: 480-730-7305 email: cbusch@tempeschools.org Arthur Tate - office: 480-730-7102 email: atate@tempeschools.org
Tempe Elementary School District Public Forums
The Tempe Elementary School District leadership team shared important information about the district with school communities and other members of the Tempe Elementary District community in several public forums held in February and March 2008.
The purpose of these forums was to educate our community regarding current data about the district, the challenges we face each day in improving student achievement for all children, and maintaining financial stability in light of declining enrollment. At the same time, we face escalating costs in utilities, transportation, maintenance and operations, insurance, and providing competitive salaries to attract and retain highly qualified principals and teachers. Also during this meeting, we shared budget recommendations made by the Resource Allocation Committee to the Governing Board.Parents and community members were invited to attend these public forums that took place on the following dates:
Connolly Middle School cafeteria McKemy Middle School cafeteria Fees Middle School cafeteria Governing Board Room at Sanchez Administration Building Gililland Middle School library Two PowerPoint presentations were shown.
To download the Case for Action PowerPoint presentation, click here. (42.2 MB PPT file)
To download the FY2008-2009 Budget Recommendations PowerPoint presentation, click here. (3.8 MB PPT file)
Demographic and Market Research
The Tempe Elementary School District commissioned two studies to continue to build our collective knowledge and understanding of important factors influencing the present and future of TD3.
The findings of the studies were presented at the Study Session held January 9, 2008.
Rick Brammer, partner with Applied Economics presented a Demographic Study. Kathy DeBoer, vice-president with the firm WestGroup Research presented an Out-of District and Disenrollment Study.
To view the PowerPoint presentations from each study, click on the links below:
Demographic Study PowerPoint (5.8 MB PPT file)Marketing Study PowerPoint (560 KB PPT file)
The School District Redistricting Commission (SDRC) has reviewed all common schools districts that are not part of a unified school district and considered combining these districts into new unified districts.
As part of their review, the commission presented two plans to the Tempe Elementary, Kyrene Elementary and Tempe Union High School district governing boards. The governing boards reviewed the plans and each has written response letters with their comments. The plans and the response letter are below.
After the review, the SDRC recommended unifying Tempe Elementary School District, Kyrene School District, and Tempe Union High School District, as shown in Plan 1 below. On November 4, 2008, voters will decide if the three districts should unify.
Tempe Elementary District Governing Board Response Letter
(click here for letter) This letter has been sent to the SDRC as a response to the commission's proposals.
Plan 1 (click here for map) from the SDRC combines Tempe Elementary School District, Kyrene Elementary School District and Tempe Union High School District into one single district.
Plan 2 (click here for map) from the SDRC combines Tempe Elementary School District with three Tempe Union High School District schools (Marcos de Niza, McClintock, and Tempe High) and combines Kyrene Elementary School District with three Tempe Union High School District schools (Corona del Sol, Desert Vista, and Mountain Pointe).
Additional Information
The School District Redistricting Commission has a website with Frequently Asked Questions and other information at: www.ade.state.az.us/sdrc/
Comparison report
For more information about each of the school districts, click below to download a comparison report.
Timeline
The Tempe Elementary School District Governing Board held meetings where community members learned about the redistricting plans and shared their thoughts with Tempe Elementary Governing Board members.
TD3 Governing Board Study Session on Redistricting
6 p.m.Tri-District Study Session:
Governing Board Members from Tempe Elementary, Kyrene Elementary, and Tempe Union High School Districts with other invited guests
Sanchez Admin. Bldg.
6-8 p.m.TD3 Governing Board Meeting:
Board expected to determine response to Redistricting Commission
6 p.m.TD3 Study Session:
Board discussion and review of response letter.
5:30-7 p.m.TD3 Study Session and Board Meeting:
Board discussion and approval of response letter.
5:30-8 p.m.Responses to Redistricting Commission due Redistricting Commission submits recommendations to Governor Redistricting proposals on the ballot
Contacting Governing Board MembersYou may call the TD3 Governing Board to share your thoughts:
Karen Arredondo: (480) 730-7313, Ext. 2002
Rose Crutcher: (480) 730-7313, Ext. 2003
Jim Lemmon: (480) 730-7313, Ext. 2001
Bill Munch: (480) 730-7313, Ext. 2008
Rochelle Wells: (480) 730-7313, Ext. 2005
Community Committee
A parent unification committee met throughout the month of June 2007 to examine and discuss the current school district unification proposals for Tempe Elementary, Kyrene Elementary, and Tempe Union High School Districts. For more information about this committee, contact Dick Foreman at (602) 499-2437 or Richard.Foreman@swgas.com
The Tempe Elementary Schools serve families in three communities: Tempe, Phoenix and Guadalupe.
"Tempe, Arizona's fifth largest city, has successfully blended the dynamics of a high-tech business center, the fun and excitement of a resort, the warmth and comfort of a residential neighborhood, and the 'small town' atmosphere of a college community, to make it the progressive city that Tempe is."
City of Tempe Website
www.tempe.gov/docs1/history.htm
"As Arizona's largest metropolitan area and the nation's sixth largest city in terms of population, Phoenix is known for its weather with more than 300 days of sunshine on average per year. Winter, fall and spring offer mild temperatures, perfect for a round of golf at one of the area's more than 180 courses or a hike through South Mountain Park, one of the Valley's many mountain preserves."
For more information visit
www.phoenix.gov/NEWSREL/phxfacts.html
The community of Guadalupe is a very special place to live. Guadalupe is only a one mile radius community made up of approximately 6,400 residents who are mostly Hispanic and Yaqui people. About 40% of the population are Yaqui and this makes our town unique. Many families still observe and respect old traditions both in the Hispanic and Yaqui cultures through celebrations and fiestas. Guadalupe is small in size but rich in culture and traditions.
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