Page 44 February 2016 By Christina Surrano After a rigorous and labor-intensive process of application and evaluation, Tavan Elementary School earned the Arizona Educational Foundation’s prestigious A+ School of Excellence designation for academic years 2012-13 to 2015-16. Principal Margaret Serna has spent 18 years leading Tavan in excellence and has no plans to rest on her laurels. Tavan’s application for renewal of the designation will begin this summer. What did it take to earn an A+? Trying to summarize what earned Tavan the designation is like trying to summarize the Constitution of the United States. Every line is important and contributes to the whole. The application itself had no fewer than 82 authors and was accompanied by a 2 1/2- inch thick binder of supporting documentation. It included innovative ways in which Tavan not only excels in serving the students directly, but also indirectly through outstanding continued education and skills enrichment of the staff. Included were descriptions of the many well-attended school events, some specifically designed to include parents and caregivers who otherwise might not be involved. Both every-day and grand examples of ways in which the staff serves the social and emotional needs of the students were cited. A recurring theme throughout the application was caring for the whole student and community and the school motto of doing “whatever it takes.” According to the AEF, “Winning schools are recognized for their superior ability to identify and meet the academic and nonacademic needs of their student population.” The AEF selection panel evaluates applications and conducts site visits. The panel consists of award-winning administrators, educators and community leaders. Site visits include interviews with staff, parents and randomly selected students. The individualized student attention that helped earn Tavan the distinction is ongoing. It is regimented through a structured routine of quarterly assessment and review. The teachers administer students testing, one- on-one. Staff members cooperate during meetings to set goals and a plan of action for each student, and address his or her academic, social and emotional needs. It is a system designed so that no student can go unnoticed. Teachers communicate directly with parents via email weekly, and some daily, regarding what specifically is going on in the classroom. Academic expectations are high and everyone is kept abreast of each student’s progress, including the students. “The progress of a child is not a secret. It’s a celebration or an intervention… or an acceleration!” declared Principal Serna. Devon Reiter shared how the designation impacted his motivation as a Tavan student. “It feels like you’ve accomplished something…like you are on top of academics. Because we did well on the test and found Prestigious A+ Award earned by Arcadia’s Tavan Elementary Five of Tavan’s elite teachers, one of whom was presented with last month’s Arcadia News Teachers We Love Award . PHOTO BY AMANDA GOOSSEN RSVP required. Call 623-580-5800 or visit HonorHealth.com/healthyheart . Scottsdale Healthcare and John C. Lincoln Health Network have merged and are now HonorHealth. We’re still your locally owned, non-profi t, healthcare partner. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. But it can be prevented and treated. HonorHealth provides education and resources such as events and screenings or consultation, working together to give you the power to combat and prevent heart disease. Event Name Date Start Time Location Heart of a Woman Support Group Feb. 2 10:00 a.m. Scottsdale Shea Medical Center 9003 E Shea Blvd, Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Heart Strong. Benefi ts of Cardiac Rehab Feb. 3 2:00 p.m. HonorHealth Cowden Center 9202 N. Second St. Phoenix, AZ 85020 Heart Screenings Feb. 9 8:00 a.m. Scottsdale Shea Medical Center 9003 E Shea Blvd, Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Matters of the Heart: HeartMath and Feb. 11 6:00 p.m. Scottsdale Shea Medical Center Chest Compression CPR 9003 E Shea Blvd, Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Be Heart Smart. Ask a Cardiologist Feb. 16 6:00 p.m. HonorHealth Cowden Center 9202 N. Second St. Phoenix, AZ 85020 Knowledge is power. And the key to a healthy heart Let us share ours with you.

All Faiths Welcome • Pre-K through Eighth Grade • Indexed Tuition Available • All Saints’ Episcopal Day School • 6300 North Central Avenue • Phoenix, Arizona 85012 • 602.274.4866 • www.aseds.org • www.facebook.com/PhoenixASEDS All Saints’ Episcopal Day School admits students of any race, color, or national origin. Call today to schedule a tour 602.274.4866 Educating Children Head to Soul Since 1963, All Saints’ Episcopal Day School has offered a top-tier education while encouraging students to realize their highest potential as lifelong learners, artists, athletes, and leaders of the future. Our teachers teach what they love. We employ 17 specialists in the areas of music, Spanish, physical education, band, art, religion, library, and technology. We also have a full time school counselor, a Learning Resource Coordinator, and Technology and Design Thinking Specialist. In recent history, 99% of our graduates were accepted to their first-choice high school. Come see why 90% of alumni respondents rate their overall satisfaction with All Saints’ as “high” or “very high.” — Independent Alumni Survey You've talked the talk and walked the walk ... now it's time to Shop the Shops! Open Monday-Saturday 10am - 5 pm • Sunday 11am - 4pm 1030 E. Cameback Road • 602-277-1030 www.theshopsoncamelback.com Home & Garden Furnishings and Accessories The Shops on Camelback Feb 16:Layout 1 1/20/16 1:35 PM Page 1 Page 45 February 2016 out that we were an A+, it encouraged me to work harder on my other tests in homeroom, in math, in science and everything else.” Tavan boasts a diverse student population. Currently over 50 percent of their students are out of district and attend Tavan via open enrollment. At least 10 different languages are spoken. Some students come from affluent homes and about 76 percent of the student population live at or near poverty. About 75 percent of the students receive either intervention or enrichment. Tavan has students who benefit from their full-time reading specialist and students who receive instruction from their full-time gifted specialist. Serving the individual needs of each unique “scholar,” as they are commonly referred to at Tavan, is a challenge that staff members feel is their calling. “Working with the kids, I find out that there is always more to know,” said Tavan’s reading specialist and national board certified teacher, Dedra Cannon. In 2012-13, the academic year that Tavan applied for the AEP designation, 117 of their 809 students had limited English proficiency, there was a transience rate of over 22 percent, and many students had come to Tavan performing below grade level – even several grades below. The following academic year, the so-called Arizona’s Move On When Reading law, Arizona Revised Statue § 15-701, came into effect. It required the retention of third-grade students whose scores rated as “Falls Far Below” on the AIMS reading assessment. Only one Tavan student was retained that year. “We have the highest expectations of all of our children,” said vice principal, Julie Ballard, “It’s based on expectation, how children achieve. Here, the expectation is that you will be on grade level or higher by the end of the school year.” According to Principal Serna, Tavan’s reputation of successful intervention has attracted more students needing extra help. To that, Serna laughs good-naturedly, and says, “Every child who walks through that door is going to learn to read.” Vice Principal Ballard added, “[The students] are very much loved. The teachers are here for a reason. They are just amazing people who come here every day and want to do whatever it takes to help these kids. We are very lucky.” Creating a learning community that is both supportive and supported takes more than tenacity and creativity. It also takes funds. In the face of painful budget cuts the schools have suffered during the past couple of years, the Tavan community has reached out to local businesses, private individuals and pursued grants to successfully support their programs. The Arizona Department of Education has its own A-F school rating system that is based on the student academic test scores and how they compare to standards. It is a measure of student performance rather than progress. Because a number of the students who first come to Tavan begin their journey performing below grade level, the superior progress they are likely to make might not translate into a high ADE grade. The AEF describes the A+ School of Excellence Program as a ‘comprehensive school assessment that celebrates outstanding schools and brings to light the positive stories and successes happening in public schools every day.’ This designation has presented an opportunity for school and community members to acknowledge and celebrate Tavan’s hard work, putting a spotlight on the administration, teachers, and students.