Real Education. Real World.

Tucson, AZ, July, 2010- On July 19, 2010

at the Arizona Career and Technical Educa-tion (ACTE) Conference the Arizona Agriculture Teacher’s Association (AATA) awarded the Pro-gram of the Year to Red Mountain High School’s AgriScience program. For a school’s agriculture program, it is the high-est recognition given by the association and is the first time the Red Moun-tain AgriScience program

has won this award. Ray Gless and Tyson Sorensen are the Agricultural instructors at Red Moun-tain High School who received the award. Skye Robertson, a graduate of the AgriScience pro-gram, was employed in the department as a para-professional giving outstanding administrative assistance to the department and the FFA. Gless is a 28-year veteran, 23 of those years with Red Mountain High School. The program was started by Gless when the school was opened in 1988 and through his leadership and vision, has helped to make Red Mountain AgriScience a top pro-gram in Arizona. On June 10-12 the Red Mountain FFA was recognized at the state FFA Leadership Conference as one of the top FFA programs in the state of Arizona by receiving the National Chap-ter Award. Also at the conference, Red Mountain FFA won three more state competitions - Chap-ter Reporter, Chapter Newsletter Publication, and Internet Website Design Career Development Events (CDE). Red Mountain FFA won six state CDE competitions during the 2009-2010 school year.

RED MOUNTAIN AGRISCIENCE

TEACHER IS HONORED AS

2010 SUPERSTITION DISTRICT

TEACHER OF THE YEAR

On July 19, 2010 at the Arizona Career and Technical Education (ACTE) Confer-ence the Arizona Agriculture Teacher’s Association (AATA) awarded Ray Gless District Teacher of the Year for the Super-stition District. Ten teachers are honored each year from the ten Agriculture Edu-cation program districts in the state. Mr. Gless has created an agribusiness dual enrollment option where students may earn 3 credit hours of agribusiness and 3 credit hours computer science their senior year through Mesa Community College. His students grow over 1800 poinsettias each year in the school’s greenhouse, which is the largest school production in the state. He uses the poinsettia crop as a “learn by doing” ap-proach to teach the concepts of econom-ics and the managing of a business from production to marketing of the product.

Red Mountain Agriscience Program Honored as Arizona’s Finest

ISSUE: 1VOLUME: 3

CTEConnections

Several CTE programs had the top score on the ADE spring 2010 end

of program assessments. The programs listed are based on having the student who scored the highest in the state on that particular program. Congratula-tions goes out to those CTE teachers who have prepared their students for these assessments. Understanding your program and knowing the stan-dards for the program is a critical piece in achieving student success.

MPS CTE Programs Boast Spring 2010 End of Program Assessment Top Scores

Top Assessment Scores in AZ by Program

Bio-Innovations Option C Mesa High

Bio-Innovations Option C Red Mountain HS

Computer Maintenance Option A Red Mountain HS

Engineering Sciences Red Mountain HS

Web Page Development Westwood HS

Mesa High’s Drafting and Design Students Bronze Medalists at National Competition

The contest was Automated Manufacturing Technology. The three man team from Mesa High’s Drafting and Design competed in June at the National Skills USA Championships in Kansas City, MO. The team consisted of Chris Udall, Nick Hansen, and Parker Schnepf. The team placed

third and took home a bronze medal in the competition. There were 42 state champions present and this was the first time that Arizona has ever medaled. Chris Udall has been in the woodworking program at Mesa High for the past 3 years. His parents stated,” We are grateful that the Mesa School District had the foresight to establish a technology based segment to the Mesa High Campus with machines and technological equip-ment that is worth over $100,000 and is utilized by Mesa Community College as well as the fortunate students that attend Mesa High School. Thank you, district personnel who approved software purchases to help make this happen for these young men.”

Mesa High Biotech Academy Students Travel to Ireland

Teach Biotech ConceptsThe Mesa High Biotech Academy was honored to be invited to par-ticipate in another international outreach experience this sum-mer. The Biotech Academy was invited to Ireland and hosted by the Atlantic Corridor. Three cur-rent Academy students and three Biotech Academy Alumni were the Biotech Teachers for 3 days of non-stop biotech outreach. They visited 9 schools. Each student was in charge of a lesson which included planning for materials and curriculum as well as teach-

ing the lesson. The schools se-lected were small rural schools that don’t typically get much attention. Two different activi-ties at each school were done, showcasing hands on science and the importance of science skills at an early age. The stu-dents extracted DNA, created Discovery Garden Cups with local plants and mosses, and made DNA bracelets by translat-ing their names into “The DNA Code.” (Continued on Page 2)

Pictured L-R: Nick Hansen, Parker Schnepf and Chris Udall

New to CTE

CTSO Schedule of Events and Scheduled Board Meetings

If your student(s) take 1st place or wins a State competition, contact Melissa Palmer at mj-

palmer@mpsaz.org. so that she can include them at the next board meeting after competi-tion. It will be YOUR responsibility to get the in-formation to her. Melissa will be the key contact person for all board meeting recognition sched-uling. The current CTSO Schedule of Events and Scheduled Board Meetings is as follows:

November 9 - FFA National Competition India-napolis, IN (competition Oct. 19-24)

March 22 - FFA State Spring Competition U of A (competition March 4)

April 12 - FEA State Competitions - ASU (compe-tition March 30-31)

April 26 - SkillsUSA Spring Competition - Phx, AZ (competition April 12-13)

April 26 - HOSA Spring Competition (competi-tion April 13-15)

May 10 - DECA International Competition - Or-lando, FL (competition April 30-May3)

May 10 - FCCLA State Spring Leadership Compe-tition - Glendale, AZ (competition April 26-27)

A total of 18 new teachers have been added to the CTE family. The CTE staff would like

to welcome them aboard.

Rebecca Abbott - Brimhall Business

Bob Hanshaw - Mesa HighInformation Technology

Donald Hosch - Dobson Industrial Technology

Michael Peterman - Mesa High - Graphics/Video

Karen Pokrandt - DobsonGraphics/Video

Other additions to the CTE family are Kath-ryn Lara-Henry - Mountain View - FACS, Jacyln Weiss- Dobson, FACS Karen Martin - Dobson, Karen Williams - Dobson FACS, Amber Blaylock - Dobson FACS, Katie Whiting - Taylor JH FACS, Mike Moon - Mt.View - Industrial Technology, Glenn Hudak - Mesa High Industrial Technology, Wayne Balls - Westwood - Industrial Technology, Jeff Chandler - Skyline - Graphics/Video, Julie Nau - Red Mtn. - Graphics/Video, Richard Kates- Red Mtn.- Sports Medicine, Ray Madrid - West-wood - Sports Medicine, Karen Martin- Dob-son Sports Medicine, Ellie McKnight - Dobson Sports Medicine, Jennifer Teeters - Mesa High - Sports Medicine, Matt Blackburn - Mt. View Sports Medicine

Beverly Peden - Westwood FACS

Carolyn Knill - Skyline - FACS

Biotech Academy con’t...

At several of the schools we were fortunate to have recitals put on for us featuring Irish dance, instrumental music, and folk songs. We were also fortunate to take a hike in the famous bog lands and learn how peat moss has become an impor-tant commodity in Ireland in the last several de-cades. We were honored to meet the President of Finance, the Mayor of Athlone, and many oth-er dignitaries at the various schools. The Biotech Academy at Mesa High made a lasting impres-sion on those students and teachers they met.

NavigatorA series of enhancements were made to Kuder Navigator to bring you a better-equipped edu-cation and career planning system for middle and high school students. Tools and resources have been redesigned to create an easier, more user-friendly experience, and new materials and instructions have been added to the system.

Samples of “Thank You” letters have been added to the Plan for Work section. Students may use these examples to create their own thank-you notes to send to potential employers after a job interview.

Every page of the system now features a widget reminding students to use their Note Taker tool to catalogue important dates and events relat-ed to education and career planning.

“Green” jobs that have been identified by the U.S. Department of Labor will be visually marked with an icon. High-demand jobs will also be identified through the icon.

Middle school students may search occupations by state average salary.

A “Print Preview” feature is now available in the Sample Job Application.

Military occupations will now be identified on students’ assessment score reports.

For more information regarding MPS Career Planning System “Navigator” contact Cynthia Coor at cjcoor@mpsaz.org

Westwood counselor Anna Cicero was honored as Arizona CTE Counselor of the Year at the 35th Annual Arizona Career and Technical Education Conference.

Anna has been a true advocate for Career and Techni-cal Education in Mesa Public Schools. She effectively communicates the benefits of collaboration between counseling and the CTE department to personnel in her school and district-wide. The MPS CTE Leadership Team and Career Pathways committee are more effective be-cause Anna has taken a leadership role by being an in-volved member of each. Her input from a counselor’s perspective is invaluable as these teams strive to make CTE program offerings accessible to all MPS students.

Westwood Counselor Anna Cicero Named Arizona CTE Counselor of the Year

Most people learn whole to part. Giving a student all the •parts is similar to giving them all of the pieces to a puzzle without a picture of what the finished puzzle is supposed to look like.

The chapter has been designed as a tool for mastering the •objectives.

The chapter has key parts that can be used as clues and cues •to better understand the material and the reading.

The habit of previewing each chapter will not usually hap-•pen if a teacher does not model the process starting with the first chapter to be read.

For more examples and information on previewing reading •assignments go to:

http://www.mpsaz.org/cte/teachers/teacher_resources/literacy

Why Take The Time To Preview The Chapter When There Is So Much To Do And So Little Time To Do It In???

<<<<Calendar of Events>>>>

September 16 Leadership Team MeetingSeptember 25 Tech Prep Science Integration WorkshopSeptember 27 OP Shop @ Mountain ViewOctober 6 Tech Prep Inclusion Strategies WorkshopOctober 7 Fall Regional Leadership @ ASU (Tempe)November 2 Fall Assessments (Red Mountain Ag)November 4 Fall Assessments (Dobson HS)November 5 Fall Assessments (Red Mountain)November 9 9th Grade EVIT TourNovember 12 Fall Assessments (Mesa High)November 16 9th Grade EVIT TourNovember 18 Fall Assessments (Mountain View)November 18 JA Finance ParkNovember 22 JA Finance ParkNovember 23 9th Grade EVIT TourNovember 24 JA Finance ParkNovember 30 Fall Assessments (Skyline)December 2 Fall Assessments (Westwood)

Pictured L-R: ADE State School Counselors Supervisor Kay Schrieber, Dr. Stan Maliszewski, Uof A Professor School Counseling Program, Executive Director Guidance and Counseling Dr. David Schuff, Westwood Counselor Anna Cicero, CTE Director Marlo Loria, Career Assessment Coordinator Cynthia Coor, School Counseling National Model Program Co-Author Dr. Judy Bowers

Perris Archuleta and Madison Clarkson from Mountain View HS FCCLA competed in the Chapter Showcase event at the National FC-CLA Convention in Chicago, ILL in July. They earned the right to compete by receiving one of the top two gold medals at the Arizo-na FCCLA Spring Conference competitions.

The Chapter Showcase event is an oral pre-sentation using either a display board or a manual to convey all of the Chapter’s Pro-gram of Work for the entire year. It represents the involvement of all chapter members, not just the two presenters. The Program of Work encompasses Leadership, Service, Public Relations, Publicity, Social, and Fund raising activities of the chapter for the year.

Mt. View FCCLA Students Bring Home Silver At National Competition

The Career Exploration Class (CE01); prepares students for their future choices with The Real Game curriculum, hands on activities such as building rockets, using 3-D software to build a house and graphics software to design their own T-shirt. Students relate ex-periences to occupational choices and explore the relationship between work and broader life roles. The capstone is a trip to Ju-nior Achievement Finance Park where students plan their adult life for a day with making life choices in budgeting from a real life job and family profile. The program has grown to over 600 students and six new schools. CTE is thrilled to support such an extraor-dinary effort to help students with career choices. Six teachers who are new to teaching the Career Exploration Curriculum are:

Carson-Randy Jarvis

Fremont - Gary Ray

Mesa Jr. - Mike Sims

Poston - Ginny Bartes

Skyline - Bonnie Hundley

Smith - Brett Zahner

The teachers from last year who have increased program enrollment are

Brimhall - Dennis Esparza

Rhodes - Tammy Tapia

Stapley - Janet Privett

Summit - Erin Madrid

Career Exploration Courses Ignite ... Over 600 Students Enrolled!

Kuder Navigator 2010 Enhancements

It also requires involvement in several State FCCLA events, such as Fall Leadership Con-ference and other meetings, and donations to the two State Service Projects, which are “Autism-Asperger’s” and “Destination Out-reach” The presentation includes explana-tion of the Chapter budget, how the Nation-al Programs were used in classrooms and in meetings, minutes from meetings, etc. The Manual required hours of work and dozens of pictures and documents compiled into an informative, accurate, attractive record.

Entrants are scored on the content and on how well they present the project to the judges.

Perris and Maddie earned 87/100 points, which is a Silver Medal, at the National Convention for their Chapter Showcase presentation.

The Education Planner has been redesigned to make it simpler and easier to use. ◊ Students are able to view a modified grid as they add courses to their education plan, enabling them to see the plan as it is created in its entirety, and steps have been streamlined to reduce the time it takes to complete the process.

Samples of “Thank You” letters have been added to the Plan for Work section. ◊ Students may use these examples to create their own thank-you notes to send to potential employers after a job interview.

Every page of the system now features a widget reminding students to use their Note ◊ Taker tool to catalogue important dates and events related to education and career planning.

“Green” jobs that have been identified by the U.S. Department of Labor will be visually ◊ marked with an icon. High-demand jobs will also be identified through the icon.

Middle school students may search occupations by state average salary. ◊

A “Print Preview” feature is now available in the Sample Job Application. ◊

Military occupations will now be identified on students’ assessment score reports. ◊

Lesson plans and a Parent Night Kit are available in the ADMS. ◊

For more information on Navigator contact Cynthia Coor at cjcoor@mpsaz.org◊