4 SEPTEMBER 2019 EDITOR’S NOTE By Nola Enge Parents outside Arizona may just now be buying back-to-school crayons and calculators, but Arcadia’s children have a month of school under their belts already. While it may be tempting to curtail your parental involvement in September, don’t bow out yet. Now is the perfect time to roll up your sleeves and support your child’s school success. In September, your participation can support the big projects teachers dreamed of over summer. If you’ve ever built a paper mâché whale with 25 kindergartners, planned a choir trip, or raised funds for high school teams, you know the value of extra hands. There are also plenty of things you can do from home. Here are some ideas for September participation to support your child’s school success: PRESCHOOL Preschools always welcome involvement. You might read to the class or install a sandbox pulley system. Outside of preschool, as you select (or minimize) items in your home, keep in mind younger preschoolers are in the “sensorimotor” stage, meaning they gain knowledge through all of their senses. Older preschoolers through age six or seven are in the “preoperational” stage, meaning they learn best through concrete situations (abstract concepts are still difficult). All ages benefit from parents creating a literate home. To do this, have lots of writing materials accessible to little hands; put books in reachable bins. Sing songs while you’re out and about. Point out environmental print everywhere (cereal boxes, billboards, signage). Creating a literate home involves lots of talking. Harvard University’s Center for the Developing Child offers suggestions on the brain-building “Serve and Return” technique used by many early childhood professionals (developingchild.harvard.edu). Finally, playdates are one of the best ways for preschoolers to practice friendship-making skills and an opportunity for friendships to form between preschool parents. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Your involvement contributes to good habits. Talk every day about what is happening at school. Help kids be responsible and finish tasks (make it fun, learning shouldn’t be tedious). Don’t let them hear you speak negatively about a teacher but do connect with teachers when you have concerns. Read with your child every night before bed. Support friendships with gatherings outside of school. Involvement in decision-making bodies at the school will help you feel like part of the “village” and may help align your home philosophically with the school. MIDDLE SCHOOL Homework and projects take on a grander scale during middle school. Keeping supplies and tools on hand will avoid the stress of a forgotten diorama due in the morning. Discussing the “why” of schoolwork will instill that learning isn’t just a series of hoops to jump through, or solely for a grade, but pleasurable with its own merit. Interests shift. Your elementary school reader may appear to lose interest as a pre-teen. Knowing their current interests will help you choose reading materials that will keep their faces in a book as their interests mature. HIGH SCHOOL There continues to be myriad needs at this level: The PTO, sports booster clubs, parent committees for band and dance, assistance in the office and at lunch or help with the many clubs. Think about skills you have. Perhaps you could help students prepare for the SAT, ACT, or with college applications. If you’ve employed or mentored teens, offer to write recommendation letters when they are seniors. Offer a shadow opportunity for high schoolers based on your profession. COLLEGE Parents of a departing college student will tell you they are very much still needed, albeit in new ways. Fostering independence while staying connected may now be your focus. You probably just schlepped giant Ikea duffle bags to fifth-floor dorm rooms but the actual heavy lifting was done these past 18 years. Congratulations. You’ve got this step, too! — Nola Enge, PhD, is the director at The Hills School at Shepherd of the Hills, 5524 E. Lafayette Blvd.; thehillsschool.org. Tips for school success Last month, I witnessed the true meaning of the word community when our neighborhood rallied around a young man named Michael Andaloro. Some of you might know that name, some of you might know him personally. What Arcadia did for him and his family is something they will not soon forget. Michael’s mom, Lori, noticed that Michael was was having trouble hearing with the aids he had been using for the past decade. She posted an urgent plea on the Arcadia Parents Google group asking for advice on how to raise funds for hearing aids that Michael desperately needed. Another parent suggested starting an online fundraiser with GoFundMe. In less than two days, more than $5,000 was raised so that Michael was able to receive brand-new hearing aids before he went back to college in Texas. I spoke with some of the members of the community and the love for this family and for this neighborhood is overwhelming. I might have even shed a few tears after listening to all the good things people had to say about Michael. The sheer determination and willingness to help by the residents of Arcadia never ceases to amaze me. We certainly are lucky to have this community and each other! This month we also showcase all of the traveling Arcadia did this summer with our annual Summer Vacation Photo spread. From La Jolla to Iceland and everywhere in between – we sure know how to do summer vacation right. See where everyone went on page 38. We love hearing about our awesome community, so please keep sending us your story ideas to editor@arcadianews.com and as always, thank you for reading Arcadia News . — Mallory Gleich Because caring for your health has always been our passion, we’ve made the following services conveniently available in our office. • Excellent care for all ages • Same day appointments • On-site clinical laboratory and X-rays • Dermatology services • Botox and Jan Marini skin care now available MON–WED 7AM–7PM THURS–FRI 7AM–5PM SAT 7AM–NOON 4350 E. Camelback Rd., Ste F100, Phoenix, AZ 85018 • 602.955.8700 • FPSAZ.com IN PRACTICE CELEBRATING FAMILY PRACTICE SPECIALISTS IS DELIGHTED TO WELCOME TIMOTHY GLOYD, M.D. TO OUR PRACTICE!

2019 TAVAN SCHOOL DISTRICT SALES RESULTS (1/01/2019-7/31/2019) Active Homes - 78 Homes Homes Sold - 142 Homes Average Sale Price - $627,000 Average Sold $ Per SF - $278 Average Days On Market - 92 days There is currently 4 months of home inventory. (based on 2018 sales results) 2019 home sales have increased 11% this year. (based on 2018 sales results) 2019 home prices have decreased 1%. (based on 2018 sales results) 2019 $ Per Square Foot prices have increased 3%. (based on 2018 sales results) 2019 Homes are taking 5% more time to sell. (based on 2018 sales results) 2018 TAVAN SCHOOL DISTRICT SALES RESULTS Homes Sold - 215 Homes Average Sale Price - $632,000 Average Sold $ Per SF - $270 Average Days On Market - 87 days Arcadia Real Estate Stats 2019 HOPI SCHOOL DISTRICT SALES RESULTS (1/01/2019-7/31/2019) Active Homes - 150 homes Homes Sold - 182 homes Average Sale Price - $1,359,000 Average Sold $ Per SF - $369 Average Days On Market - 113 days There is currently 6 months of home inventory. (based on 2018 sales results) 2019 home sales have increased 0% this year. (based on 2018 sales results) 2019 home prices have increased 5%. (based on 2018 sales results) 2019 $ Per Square Foot prices have increased 5%. (based on 2018 sales results) 2019 homes are taking 12% less time to sell. (based on 2018 sales results) 2018 HOPI SCHOOL DISTRICT SALES RESULTS Homes Sold - 310 homes Average Sale Price - $1,275,000 Average Sold $ Per SF - $352 Average Days On Market - 136 days visit Tommy Atkinson .com West USA Realty Cell: 602-625-6020 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 ARCADIA ESTATE 4619 N Dromedary • $ 2,195,000 • 5 Bedroom/ 5.5 Bath • 5,241 square feet ARCADIA RANCH 4543 E. Calle Tuberia • $ 999,000 • 4 Bedroom/ 3 Bath • 2,710 square feet