Welcome to the Creighton Community Newsletter. The purpose of this monthly newsletter is to keep our families, partners, and community up-to-date on important education related issues, upcoming events, and topics that impact you and your families.

Dear Creighton Families and Community Members:

I am deeply appreciative and thankful to our families, community and partners who make it possible to support teachers and learning in our schools. Your support is critical to the functioning of our schools in service to our students. It really does take a village.

We all, in various forms, deal with the daily pressures and unpredictability that comes with educating or raising children. And as a result, we hustle, improvise, pivot, and reassure, even when patience and energy levels are on empty, simply because we care.

I see that care in the faces of teachers who are working tirelessly to provide our students with engaging lessons to promote learning growth; the care of our staff who transport our children safely, provide a healthy meal, and ensure our campuses are ready for learning; and the care of our families when they engage with their child’s school or applaud their children’s progress and support them through the challenges they encounter.

I genuinely hope that you get some time during the holiday break to connect with loved ones and rest. I am personally headed into break energized by the progress being made every day and excited to return in 2024 to hit the ground running! See you on Monday, January 8, 2024.

The annual Creighton Community Education Holiday Toy Drive was a big success! Community partners like Every Kid Counts, CHASSE, McCarthy, Right Toyota, staff and individual donors provided over 800 TOYS to bring some holiday cheer to kids in need. Thank you for your support of our students and community.

Excelencia Middle School students, Tigireda Kibrom and Arlyn Aguilar Hernandez are featured on the December cover of Epic Kids for their award winning art at the Arizona State Fair! Read their interview below! Way to make us proud, ladies!

Creighton Superintendent, Jay Mann was named a Superintendent to Watch by the National School Public Relations Association for being a superintendent who demonstrates dynamic, fast-paced leadership with strong communication at its core. Jay is one of 25 Superintendents recognized nationwide and the only Superintendent from Arizona! Way to go!

The Creighton Kids Congress is made up of two middle school representatives from each of our schools. These students meet quarterly to provide valuable input on timely district topics. At the latest meeting, students reviewed the progress on the District Strategic Plan goals and gave feedback on the ongoing development of each goal and the indicators for success. Student voice is essential as we grow together as a district.

The Creighton District hosted their quarterly Native American Family Night where families were treated to dinner, time with friends and communty, as well as a drum making class. It was a ton of fun and the drums came out great.

Don't miss our next Parent Connection on January 25, 2024 from 5:00-7:30 pm at The Creighton Academy in the Cafeteria. All caretakers will participate in a workshop about Internet Safety and Managing/Reducing Screen Time presented by Russell Deneault, Creighton's Director of Information Systems & Technology. Students will learn about the cultural significance and history of dreamcatchers, then create their very own! Esther Nystrom, owner of Bitterwater Design, Native American Culture & Historical Educator, ASU Elder-In-Residence, will lead this hands-on craft with our youth.

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a new federal benefit to help households pay for high-speed internet and devices.

You qualify if someone in your household participates in at least one of these programs:

• Free and reduced-price school lunch
• WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) or SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) • Medicaid, SSI (Supplemental Security Income), Federal Public Housing Assistance
• Lifeline and more

Learn more about how to qualify with the flyer below.

Creighton Superintendent, Jay Mann co-presented on equimetrics and Technology Director, Russell Deneault presented on cyber security. The ASBA Annual Conference hosts school board members and superintendents from across the state of Arizona. Way to represent!

All Creighton Schools have wrapped up participation in the YES! event. The intention of YES! is to create a shared experience for students that strengthens our school-based community, not only in the moment, but in a way that extends throughout the school's culture. So proud of our students for their displays of kind-hearted leadership.

Did you know Creighton District has a partnership with Care Solace? Care Solace navigates the mental health care system to find available providers matched to specific needs.

With a network of over 350,000 providers and services, Care Solace will help you find the right help, at the right time, 24/7/365, at no cost to you. They will connect you with providers accepting all medical insurances, including Medicaid, Medicare, and sliding scale options for those without insurance.

You can access Care Solace in three ways:

• Call 888-515-0595 at any time. Multilingual support is available 24/7/365. A dedicated care companion will help you every step of the way to research options, secure appointments, and follow-up to make sure it is a good fit.
• Search anonymously to get matched with an extensive list of care providers at Caresolace.com/Creighton.
• Contact your school health professional, and they will submit a referal on your behalf.

No matter what you are experiencing there is hope and help. We are confident that our new partnership with Care Solace will help us build a healthier, more vibrant school community

A new school year can sometimes mean new information. At Creighton District we communicate with our families through email, text messages, phone calls, and social media updates. Please ensure our front offices have your email and phone number on file so you don't miss any important information.

Help Creighton youth see their potential! We would love to keep in touch with our alumni and show our community all you’ve accomplished. Please fill out the Google Form below if you are interested in being featured to our students and community!

The Creighton School District is hiring for positions ranging from teacher, custodians, cafeteria staff, paraprofessional, nurse, psychologist, bus driver, etc! If you are looking for a career that makes a difference in the lives of children in a family like atmosphere, Creighton is the place for you. You can see a full list of open positions and apply online by clicking here.