Page 46 July 2014 Arizona opens first autism charter school this fall By Alessandra Dagirmanjian Arizona takes a step forward in education for students with special needs as the state’s first autism charter school for elementary students opens this fall. The community of volunteers and organizers dedicated to the construction of Arizona Autism Charter School (AZACS) celebrated its opening with a ribbon cutting and playground unveiling on April 30. AZACS will open its doors to 90 students from kindergarten to fourth grade this coming August. AZACS stands out as the first approved tuition-free school in Arizona centered on educating students with autism and related disorders. Diana Díaz-Harrison founded AZACS in an effort to better educate children with autism like her son. She first noticed Arizona’s need for this kind of specialized education when enrolling him in kindergarten. “I didn’t really feel like the staff in public schools had adequate training to help him learn,” said Díaz-Harrison. A former teacher with a Master of Education, Díaz-Harrison worked at Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center, where she gained the skills and knowledge to bring together a group of professionals in the community to start a school. With small class sizes and a student-to-staff ratio of three-to-one, AZACS hopes to give students individual attention to allow them to reach their full potential. “It’s a focused approach with individualized attention and that’s really what students with autism need to make progress, because they have serious deficits in language and communication as well as social interaction,” said Díaz- Harrison. AZACS is founded on a method of education endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics as well as the Surgeon General called Applied Behavior Analysis or ABA Strategies. A board- certified analyst will work with the highly trained teachers at AZACS to ensure that the strategies are used correctly and effectively every day. Díaz-Harrison stressed the ability of such strategies to recognize and record the advancement of students at AZACS. “It’s data driven so that every day, students are making progress that is measurable,” said Díaz-Harrison. The charter school has already enrolled enough students for the fall to reach full capacity with a wait list for additional students. Local parents have fully embraced the opening of the school and are excited for the opportunities it offers their children. “My son was recently asked to leave his school due to his autism and the school’s lack of knowledge and tools to support him. I was greatly relieved to find the Arizona Autism Charter School, because the ABA curriculum and additional therapies they will provide are exactly what my son needs for the best chance to succees in his education and life,” said Carineh, mother of a six-year-old child with autism. Both private donors and volunteer contractors have supported the opening of the school as well. Díaz-Harrison feels positively about AZACS and is already planning for the future. “We’re central right now, but there’s a lot of need in the West Valley. Our goal would be to open another site once we get this one up and running as efficiently as possible.” What’s Happening, Arcadia? Slammin’ in Suburbia: A Creative Expression and Spoken Word Workshop Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art July 19 – 1 p.m. A creative expression and spoken word workshop, this event is a truly artistic experience. Join “Phonetic Spit” for spoken word poetry and a tour of SMOCA’s exhibition, Bill Owens: Suburbia. smoca.org/event/slammin- suburbia-creative-expression- spoken-word-workshop Phoenix Writers Club Bluewater Grill 1720 E. Camelback Rd. July 19 – 12 p.m.-2 p.m. Join Phoenix Writers Club for lunch and member stories. Members and the public are welcome. For cost info and to RSVP by July 16, send an email with “Phoenix Writers Club” in the subject line to: Juneneeliepubl@aol.com. Diamondbacks Star Wars Day Chase Fields 401 E. Jefferson St. July 20 – 1:10 p.m. May the Force Be With You, as we once-again salute Luke, Leia, and the whole Star Wars crew. Each ticket package will include a custom Josh Collmenter Star Wars Bobblehead. All fans dressed in character will be brought onto the field for a pre-game parade. arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/ ari/ticketing/special_events. jsp#starwars Family Day at the MIM Musical Instrument Museum July 26 – 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Children can explore their musical talents with instruments, hands-on activities, comic videos and more. Kids and families from everywhere are welcome to join the fun! mim.org/exhibits/all-events Individualocracy: Urban Sprawl in Phoenix Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art July 31 – 7 p.m. Learn more about how and why people choose to live in Phoenix with architect Matthew Salenger and professors John Risseuuw and Dan Mayer at this free event. smoca.org/event/individualocracy- urban-sprawl-phoenix Arcadia News Book Club Saguaro Library 2808 N. 46th St. July 31 – 6:30 p.m. The Arcadia News Book Club meets at the Saguaro Library to discuss the book of the month as well as to Skype with the author. For more information, email amanda@ arcadianews.com. Target Free Summer Sundays Heard Museum July 1 – 29 – 11 a.m.-5 p.m. The Heard Museum is able to offer free admission to visitors each Sunday this month with the support of Target. heard.org/events/festivalsevents.html Farmer’s Market Old Town First Street and Brown Avenue Every Saturday 8 a.m. Get seasonal specialties from local growers and specialty food producers. Well-mannered pets are welcome! downtownscottsdale.com/events Food Truck Caravan Fifth Avenue and Goldwater Boulevard Every Saturday 6:30 p.m. Come taste a wide range of food from around the world as five to eight trucks out of 30 in the valley gather, connecting cultures and traditions. downtownscottsdale.com/events Summer Concert Series Kierland Commons 15205 N. Kierland Blvd. Every Saturday 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Come out for this free concert series featuring a different group each Saturday. Space is first come, first serve and guests are welcome to bring chairs and blankets. kierlandcommons.com/Events/ SummerConcert_2014 ArtWalk Main Street Every Thursday 7 p.m. Come downtown for a free artwalk along Main Street. Free trolleys and horse- drawn carriage rides are available to take you through the town as you explore restaurants and museums. downtownscottsdale.com/events J U L Y 2 0 1 4 E V E N T S To have events considered for the Calendar, submit information to calendar@arcadianews.com by the 15th of the month prior to publication. Calendar listings may be edited and published by Arcadia News as space allows and at the discretion of the editorial team.

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