4 NOVEMBER 2018 Veterans Day means a lot in Arcadia. Our community is home to both active and former members from every branch of the military, and the rest of us neighbors know how much we have to be grateful for because of their service. Arizona has a fascinating history when it comes to the military, with centuries of services in almost every American conflict you can think of. If you’re looking to explore these stories, you need to start with the AZ Military Museum at Papago Military Base (page 44). From the Spanish Conquistadors through the Vietnam War, the museum’s artifacts make the stories of our military past come alive. Did you know that Papago Park used to be the site of a Prisoner of War camp during World War II? We have a detailed map of what the camp looked like in the early 40s, along with a story of an escape that is straight out of Hollywood (page 46). We also have a list of local events if you are looking for a way to pay your respects this Veterans Day (page 28). Fall is a busy time in the sports world, and we’ve got a wide variety of teams and athletes highlighted in our sports section this month. The Arcadia High football team wraps up their regular season, while the swim and volleyball teams take a look back on their successes over the last few months (Page 58). We’ve also got a look at what Titans baseball coach Troy Gerlach did on a national stage this summer (Page 56). I encourage you to reach out to me with any story ideas, suggestions or feedback. Many neighborhood stories are made possible by readers contacting us. We hope you enjoy the November 2018 edition — and thank you for reading the Arcadia News! — Nick Smith EDITOR’S NOTE Tell us how you decided to become a teacher? I’m one of those people who always knew what she wanted to do. I grew up here, went to Desert Vista High School. I took an Aspire To Teach Class there, where we got to do internships in classrooms. I never had a moment where I made the decision, I just always knew. I remember listening to my friends talking about not knowing what their major was going to be, and always knowing I wanted to teach. Biltmore Prep is a Spanish immersion school. Was Spanish always a part of your teaching career? Definitely. I learned it when I was in school and took classes on English as a second language while getting my degree from ASU. I taught in Glendale for three years and then ended up going to Honduras to teach for two school years. I loved it and feel so lucky to have spent time there. I would speak Spanish everywhere except school when I was there, because the classroom was all English speaking. I taught 4th grade at a private school. I really enjoyed the entire experience. I met all kinds of great people and got to live two hours from the beach. It wasn’t a bad gig. What is important to remember about teaching first graders? Whenever I meet with parents on a Back to School night, I always emphasize keeping the magic alive. When children are this young, there’s such an excitement about learning, and the worst thing to do is crush that spirit in their six-year- old heart. When I teach, I want to convey that reading and writing is magical to the kids. Look how exciting it is! If we push that excitement, the kids will believe it and think it’s great, instead of looking at schoolwork as a chore. We heard a lot about Omar when you were nominated for this award. Can you tell us about him? Omar is my pet pot-bellied pig. He is going to be six in a couple of weeks. I grew up with tons of animals. Chickens, ducks, lizards, dogs and cats. But my partner Joe never had a pet as a kid, not even a goldfish. When we were deciding on a pet, we wanted one that was a little self-reliant, one that wouldn’t be sad all day when we went to work. He’s allergic to cats, so I did some research on pot- bellied pigs. It ended up being a good fit. Pigs are incredibly smart animals. Omar learns fast and he has his own personality. He can be a little ornery, and he loves snacks. His favorites are avocados and strawberries. On the last day of school, I’ll bring Omar to class. I talk him up all year, I’ll tell the kids if they are quiet, we can look at an Omar picture or video. So there was real hype surrounding his visit. Joe was the one who brought him in, and the kids recognized him from the videos and said, “oh look, it’s the pig handler!” THIS MONTH’S WINNER: Kelley Blakslee – First Grade Teacher at Biltmore Prep Nominated by: Olivia Callanen PHOTO: GREG BRUNS/ARCADIA NEWS Winning teachers receive Arcadia News gift items, a gift certifi cate for the Phoenician Spa and a gift certifi cate to Postino. All winners are invited to an end of school year celebratory luncheon. Nominate a teacher you love at arcadianews.com.

2018 TAVAN SCHOOL DISTRICT SALES RESULTS (1/01/2018-9/30/2018) Active Homes - 67 Homes Homes Sold - 172 Homes Average Sale Price - $649,000 Average Sold $ Per SF - $271 Average Days On Market - 86 days There is currently 3 months of home inventory. (based on 2017 sales results) 2018 home sales have decreased 1% this year. (based on 2017 sales results) 2018 home prices have increased 6%. (based on 2017 sales results) 2018 $ Per Square Foot prices have increased 5%. (based on 2017 sales results) 2018 Homes are taking 9% more time to sell. (based on 2017 sales results) 2017 TAVAN SCHOOL DISTRICT SALES RESULTS Homes Sold - 241 Homes Average Sale Price - $612,000 Average Sold $ Per SF - $257 Average Days On Market - 78 days Arcadia Real Estate Stats 2018 HOPI SCHOOL DISTRICT SALES RESULTS (1/01/2018-9/30/2018) Active Homes - 151 homes Homes Sold - 240 homes Average Sale Price - $1,251,000 Average Sold $ Per SF - $349 Average Days On Market - 132 days There is currently 7 months of home inventory. (based on 2017 sales results) 2018 home sales have increased 15% this year. (based on 2017 sales results) 2018 home prices have increased 9%. (based on 2017 sales results) 2018 $ Per Square Foot prices have increased 5%. (based on 2017 sales results) 2018 homes are taking 12% more time to sell. (based on 2017 sales results) 2017 HOPI SCHOOL DISTRICT SALES RESULTS Homes Sold - 276 homes Average Sale Price - $1,140,000 Average Sold $ Per SF - $332 Average Days On Market - 116 days visit Tommy Atkinson .com West USA Realty Cell: 602-625-6020 5555 E Monterosa • $ 929,000 4 bedroom/ 3 Bath • 3,096 square feet 18,274 SQ FT LOT IN ARCADIA West USA Realty Cell: 602-625-6020 West USA Realty Cell: 602-625-6020 Free MLS Access • Complete list of ALL Hopi properties for sale Complete List of ALL Tavan properties for sale