38 AUGUST 2017 ARCAD A NEWS By Nick Smith Phase One is about to begin for the remodeling of Hopi Elementary School. The 57-year-old school is undergoing renovations over the next year or so, thanks to a $228 million bond approved for the project by voters last November at the Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) Governing Board meeting. The plan is for the project to take place over the next 18 months, although there is not an official end date set yet. “There is no deadline for completion,” Daniel O’Brien, chief business & operations officer for SUSD, told the Arcadia News in March. “But, of course, we want to create and deliver a new campus to the Hopi community as soon as possible.” Hopi is only the first school in Scottsdale that will undergo renovation. The voter- approved bond will also be used for a rebuild of Hohokam Traditional School, which was the second school chosen after Hopi. Other schools will follow, including Pima Elementary, now working on the preliminary design plans for the renovation. The estimated cost for the Hopi infrastructure project is in the $21 million range. The end of July will see the first signs of construction, with temporary fencing beginning to be erected around the area. Phase One will include clearing the construction site and rerouting irrigation. A decision was also made in July regarding the final placement of the new Rubicon entrance. To address concerns of homeowners in the area, architects recommended off-setting the entrance from Calle del Medio. However, for safety reasons, the city of Phoenix decided the entrance must line up with the street. The new building is planned for an 800-student enrollment, although the intention is to cap it at 750. That decision will be up to the Governing Board. The choice of one building for classrooms, instead of the open-air design that Hopi currently has, came down to security for students and energy efficiency. SUSD notes that there will still be courtyard space between the classroom, the administrative and multi-purpose buildings. The vertical construction will begin in September, and the plan is for the new buildings to be open to students in the spring or summer of 2018. Hopi begins construction Existing Hopi Site Construction phase 1 Construction phase 2 Our programs are internationally-recognized - stop in and find out why! Heated indoor pool & small class sizes FREE BABY SPLASH ages 8 wks - 5 mos LITTLE SNAPPERS ages 6 - 35 mos GROUP LESSONS ages 3 - 12 yrs Our Riverview location is just 15 minutes from Arcadia HUBBARDSWIM.COM · 602.971.4044 SPLASH, PLAY & LEARN! Redefining Swim Lessons since 1998 The existing Hopi site has classrooms set up in multiple buildings as part of an open-air design. Students and faculty will continue to use the old facilities during the 2017-2018 school year, as the new classroom and administration buildings are built on the east side. During the summer of 2018, SUSD aims to remove the old buildings and replace them with new athletic fields. If all goes according to plan, the new campus should be ready to go for the 2018-2019 school year.

39 AUGUST 2017 ARCAD A NEWS By Mallory Gleich August 2017 means one thing to the kids in our Arcadia neighborhoods – it’s time to go back to school. Below are five schools and facilities geared toward ensuring your child is successful in his or her school career. The New Foundation/ Marion Burton School 1200 N. 77 th St., Scottsdale The New Foundation is a non-profit organization that has been helping kids since 1970. Designed to cater to kids ages 11-17, The New Foundation is focused on behavioral mental health issues that affect their daily lives, including addiction, depression and defiant behavior. The school offers both outpatient and residential programs depending on the level of care a child needs. The residential programs have two levels. Level I consists of mental health, substance abuse and domestic violence programs. Level II focuses on behavioral health. The Marion Burton School provides accelerated education services for children enrolled in residential care. These classes focus on meeting Arizona’s Common Core standards in crucial subjects to help children re-immerse themselves back into their community school. “The goal of The New Foundation is to help kid’s reach the goals they have set for themselves. Success is gained through progress,” said Sue Gifford, vice president of advancement for The New Foundation. For more: thenewfoundation.org. Nova Individualized Learning Center 2627 E. Thomas Road, Phoenix The Nova Individualized Learning Center is a private special education day school. The center provides classes and programs geared toward students in K-12who identify as emotionally disabled, emotionally disabled-private, specific learning disability, speech and language impaired, mild intellectual disability and mild Autism spectrum disorder. “Our high success rate is based on the supportive and caring environment we have at Nova,” said Trish Loban-Vargas, director at Nova. Nova offers two programs. The Day School Program uses individual instruction based on a child’s individual learning abilities. This program functions as a school would, with sports, school dances and social activities. The NCI program is for those students in need of short-term intervention, such as those who have been suspended for behavior issues. The instructor teaches students acceptable behaviors used in the classroom. For more: novalearningcenter.com. The New Way Academy 5048 E. Oak St., Phoenix At New Way Academy, each student’s curriculum is carefully planned through academic, psycho-educational, speech, language and motor skill assessments. The Academy offers three separate campuses for early education, middle and high school students. Based on the student’s learning abilities, the Academy offers different programs to help children excel. Transition Planning is for older students who are getting ready to move out into the world. This program offers career exploration and assessment, secondary education advising and independent living advice. Each level (lower level, junior high and high school) has a specific foundation to help children become successful in schooling. The school also offers activities such as student government, spirit assemblies and after-school care. The New Way Academy opened its doors in 1968 and has since been helping kids with learning disabilities such as dyslexia, ADHD and executive functioning difficulties. For more: newwayacademy.org. Phoenix Children’s Hospital: 1 Darn Cool School 1919 E. Thomas Road, Phoenix The Phoenix Children’s Hospital 1 Darn Cool School is designed for kids who will be in the hospital for 10 or more days. 1 Darn Cool School is there to help continue children’s education while they are in the healing process. The school program is for children from Kindergarten to 12 th grade and those with special education needs up to 21 years old. Phoenix Children’s Hospital believes that continuing education while in the healing process will lower anxiety levels and help heal mentally and physically. The teachers at PCH each hold a Master’s Degree in Education as well as a background in teaching. Programs include individualized instruction in the classroom as well as bedside, administering exams for non- standardized testing and participating in individualized education program (IEP) meetings for classroom placement outside of their hospital stay. For more: phoenixchildrens.org. Ingleside Middle School/Public Schools Locations vary Special education programs are also offered at public schools around the Valley. At Ingleside Middle School, there are two programs designed to help those with learning difficulties. The LRC program is designed to help students who have trouble with specific subjects such as math and reading. Each student has his or her own learning plan designed to help them focus on the subject at hand, as well as skills like note taking and organization. The ALC program is for students who are behind two or three academic grade levels. This program is designed to help students grow back into their level of education with specialized individual plans. Each program is based on the severity of the learning disability as well as the child’s needs within the classroom. “Our students’ success is measured in different ways, but it all comes down to the individual growth of the student,” said Christopher Thuman, Principal at Ingleside Middle School. “Their growth and success is what we aim for.” For more: concrete.susd.org. !