30 AUGUST 2020 By Rachael Bouley Kiva Elementary School is moving forward with plans to remodel the school campus. As one of 15 elementary schools in the Scottsdale Unified School District, Kiva serves 455 students pre-K through sixth grade. By the time construction commences, it will be the school’s first major remodel since it was built in 1957. The long-anticipated renovations became a reality on October 1, 2019, when the SUSD Governing Board voted unanimously to select Kiva as the sixth school to be renovated through a 2016 voter-approved bond proposal. A recommendation for rebuilding/ renovation resulted from the SUSD annual school capacity analysis. In March 2020, Principal Alice Spingola announced a 23-member Visioning Committee to collaborate in re-imagining the school’s campus. The committee members included Kiva’s parents, teachers, staff and neighbors. They have met several times each month to go over project goals, designs and building plan analysis. “This will be a total modernization project, so our entire campus will be updated,” Spingola said. “Our campus needs a major remodel to accommodate the needs of today’s learner.” The Visioning Committee is working with architect firm Orcutt Winslow to develop the overall vision and project design, with construction expected to begin in spring 2021. The contractor’s phasing plan will determine the project completion date, but the work could last for up to a year. The school is preparing for the big overhaul, which will cover classrooms, common areas and the historic main building itself. Kiva has welcomed students for more than 60 years and everyone at the school is eager to see what’s to come. “The Kiva community is very excited, and they want to be involved,” Spingola said. “Kiva is a true community school, and the Kiva community has waited for the modernization for a long time. I am most excited that the students will have a new learning environment.” Early polling and research found that some of the changes the community wants to see include larger classrooms, a better performance space and improved parking and traffic flow. Design elements that Kiva families hope will be included are natural light, open layout and environmentally- aware education spaces. Spingola and the Visioning Committee believe there will be many positive changes to the school in the months and years to come. As the project start date approaches and the design discussions develop further, Kiva’s leaders are determined to make a difference for the students they are so proud of by adding more support and opportunities. “We want to continue to provide an exceptional education for our students, one that provides students skills that prepare them for tomorrow’s world,” Spingola said. “Our goal is to develop those life skills necessary in society, including citizenship, communication (receptive, expressive, digital), creativity and critical thinking.” Renovations ahead for Kiva Elementary School The 2021-2022 remodel will be the first for Kiva, which was built in 1957. PHOTOS COURTESY OF AMY BOLTON

31 AUGUST 2020 By Jennifer Marshall This summer, Echo Canyon and Ingleside Middle School underwent extensive renovations, designed to improve their students’ and staff’s overall well-being. Thanks to a 2016 Scottsdale voter- approved bond, Echo Canyon was able to redesign its front office, increasing safety and security. “When school starts this fall, anyone coming on campus will have to sign in and be cleared,” Echo Canyon Principal Kat Hughes said. “Visitors will no longer be able to enter through the back door and freely roam the campus.” According to Hughes, this relatively simple modification involved adding some doors and removing a few walls. These changes now mean students and admin can access the office without having to pass through an electronic door. “We also installed an electronic marquee,” Hughes said, “which is great for safety, security and communication.” Thanks to a brand-new paint job, Ingleside Middle School is also unveiling a fresh, new look. “We painted the inside and the outside of the school building,” Principal Christopher Thuman said. “Hallways, stairways, fencing, railings and windows – the entire campus shines and blends in better with the surrounding neighborhood. We now have a better combination of colors than what was previously there.” Ingleside also remodeled their cafeteria and constructed a new stage complete with upgraded lighting, curtains and sound system. Like Echo Canyon, Ingleside also revamped their front office for enhanced campus security. “We have wireless access for all the staff,” Thuman said, “and we can better control who’s on campus and when.” The classrooms received attention, too – new clocks, which all sync with the school bells, were installed. And school officials invested about $150,000 on modern chairs, desks, tables and whiteboards. New state- of-the-art equipment was also purchased for the robotics and fine arts departments. “Everything we’ve done this past summer results in a better learning environment and more safety for our students,” Thuman said. Echo Canyon and Ingleside Middle School have a new look From left: Echo Canyon’s new lobby, Ingleside’s new tables and cafeteria, complete with a new stage and lighting. PHOTOS COURTESY OF KAT HUGHES AND CHRIS THUMAN REPRESENTED BUYER 9 0 9 E COCHISE DR | PATIO HOME AT TAPATIO COVE! 3745 E BE THANY HOME ROAD, PAR ADISE VALLE Y | $2,525,000 SOLD eawhitwell@gmail.com www.fengshuibyemily.com www.EmilyWhitwell.com Laryn@LarynCallaway.com www.PropertyResultsAZ.com