All Things Avondale May 16, 2025

Avondale ESD proudly celebrated the achievements of our students and staff at this year’s annual awards night. The event honored a wide range of excellence across our district — from student-athletes and psychology intern graduates to National Board Certified Teachers, Teachers of the Year, Principal of the Year, retirees, and recipients of longevity awards recognizing years of dedicated service.

The evening was a heartfelt celebration of our Avondale ESD family. We cheered on our district champion girls softball and boys basketball teams, along with our all-conference athletes in cheer, softball, and basketball. We also took time to recognize the outstanding efforts of our staff, whose daily commitment to our students makes Avondale ESD a truly exceptional place to learn and grow.

We are proud to be the District of Choice for so many incredible students and staff.

Summer means more time at friends’ and relatives’ homes — and your child may encounter environments where firearms are present. This presentation equips parents and caregivers with simple language and the Top 5 Gun Safety Tips to start age-appropriate, effective conversations.

Join our local first responders and learn how to prepare your child to stay safe: If they see a gun, stay away, don’t touch, leave the area, and tell an adult!

Thursday, May 29, 2025

6:00 p.m.

Avondale ESD Governing Board Room

295 W. Western Avenue

*Spanish translation will be available

Our schools honored the achievements of 72 exceptional students who have been inducted into the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) this year! This prestigious recognition honors students who not only excel academically but also demonstrate a strong commitment to leadership, service, citizenship, and character.

The NJHS induction ceremony was a special moment for each of these students, who have consistently shown their dedication to academic excellence and their communities. These students have gone above and beyond, not only achieving high marks in their studies but also actively contributing to the well-being of their schools and neighborhoods through service and leadership.

The core values of NJHS—scholarship, leadership, service, citizenship, and character—are the foundation of everything these students stand for. Their ability to balance rigorous academics with meaningful contributions to their school and community speaks to their maturity, responsibility, and commitment to making a positive impact.

We are incredibly proud of these young leaders and excited to see all that they will continue to accomplish in the future. Their hard work and dedication serve as an inspiration to their peers and are a testament to the strength of our district's students.

Please join us in congratulating these outstanding students for their remarkable achievements and in wishing them continued success as they strive to make a difference in the world around them!

Avondale Middle School students recently hit the road to share their hard work and innovation at the district’s Computer Science Showcase. During a special field trip to the district office, the robotics class presented the impressive robots they’ve been building throughout the year.

Students demonstrated their machines in action, highlighting their programming skills and the creative solutions they developed to tackle complex design challenges. Their work drew praise for both technical ability and ingenuity.

A round of applause for these talented young engineers—their dedication and problem-solving skills made a lasting impression!

Centerra Mirage School was buzzing with excitement as kindergarten through fifth grade students enjoyed a fun-filled field day packed with games, races and plenty of laughter. At the same time, sixth through eighth grade students took on the ultimate gauntlet challenge testing their limits with obstacle courses, team competitions and endurance activities.

Throughout the day, students demonstrated strong teamwork, sportsmanship and determination. It was a celebration of energy, effort and community spirit—great job, everyone!

We are excited to announce that Copper Trails' fourth grader Savanah won first place in the statewide “Save Water with Wayne Drop” sticker design contest, hosted by Water – Use It Wisely. Her creative, original design stood out among entries from across Arizona and will be printed and shared as an official Water – Use It Wisely sticker.

Thanks to Ms. Barcala, fourth grade science teacher, all of the fourth graders were able to participate. She organized materials, guided students and submitted every entry.

Savanah received a framed certificate, a roll of her winning stickers and a $50 Amazon gift card. Ms. Barcala was also awarded a $200 Amazon gift card for classroom supplies, as well as stickers to share with the class.

Congratulations, Savanah—and thank you, Ms. Barcala, for making this opportunity possible!

Desert Star’s eighth grade class recently marked a special milestone with a memorable trip to Knott’s Berry Farm. The day was filled with thrilling rides, fun games, great food and plenty of laughter shared among classmates and teachers.

As these students prepare for promotion, the trip served as a well-earned celebration of their hard work and achievements. This remarkable group will be truly missed—once a Scorpion, always a Scorpion!

Mr. Garcia's fourth grade class at Eliseo C. Felix School made math memorable with a hands-on activity that turned fractions into wearable art. Students used a t-shirt dyeing project to explore mathematical concepts, dividing their shirts into sections and applying fractional thinking to determine the color layout.

The project blended creativity with learning, giving students a vibrant way to apply their math skills in a real-world context. It was a colorful reminder that math can be both engaging and fun.

Ms. Valle's kindergarten class at Lattie Coor has been diving into geometry with an imaginative approach. Students have been manipulating basic shapes to form entirely new ones, transforming triangles into trapezoids and squares into stars.

This engaging activity highlighted both creativity and critical thinking, as young learners explored how shapes can change and combine in exciting ways.

Michael Anderson’s second graders are wrapping up the school year with excitement and creativity as they count down the final ten days. One highlight of the celebration was Crazy Hair Day, where students showed off their most imaginative and wild hairstyles.

Their energy and school spirit were on full display, bringing smiles and laughter throughout the campus. It’s a fun way to end a fantastic year of learning and growth!

STAR Academy’s youngest readers have reached an impressive achievement—they’ve read 400 books this school year! To celebrate this incredible milestone, kindergarten and first grade students enjoyed a celebration with balloons, new books and plenty of excitement.

These dedicated readers are building their knowledge and love for learning, one page at a time. We’re proud of their hard work and enthusiasm for reading!

Miss Yoney’s seventh grade class at Wildflower is taking graphic novels to the next level by giving the characters their own voices! Students are practicing expression, fluency and creativity as they bring dramatic villains, quirky sidekicks and vibrant stories to life through reading aloud.

It’s been an exciting and engaging way for students to deepen their connection with the reading material while having fun with their voices and imagination.

*AI DISCLAIMER: Some content in this document was generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools. All content has been reviewed and approved by Avondale Elementary School District staff prior to publication.