All Things Avondale Jan. 24, 2025

Last night, our Governing Board selected three finalists to move forward in our search for a superintendent. The finalists are Dr. Gary Zehrbach, Dr. Eric Dueppen, and Ms. Norma Jáuregui.

Dr. Gary Zehrbach is currently the Deputy Superintendent of Administrative Leadership and Services in the Deer Valley Unified School District. He has taught graduate-level courses at Northern Arizona University and has been in educational leadership positions since 2004. He has served as an elementary and middle school principal and Director of Principal Effectiveness. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Notre Dame, and has a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Wisconsin.

Dr. Eric Dueppen is currently the Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning in the Creighton Elementary School District. He has been in school leadership positions since 2005. He has served as a principal, Director of Curriculum, and adjunct faculty at Northern Arizona University. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, as well as his doctorate in educational leadership from Northern Arizona University.

Ms. Norma Jáuregui is currently the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services at Glendale Elementary School District. She has been in school leadership positions since 2007. She has served as an elementary and middle school principal in three different schools, and was the Director–Districtwide Principal Coach. She has a bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University (ASU), and two master’s degrees from ASU in curriculum and instruction and educational leadership.

Members of our staff and community will have the opportunity to meet the candidates at a Meet and Greet on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, from 4-5 p.m., at the Avondale Elementary School District Office Governing Board Room, 295 W. Western Avenue. All are welcome!

Avondale ESD was nominated by the West Valley View for the “2024 Best of the West Valley” Awards; and WE NEED YOUR HELP! Vote for Avondale ESD, and ask your friends to vote too! Visit Best of the West Valley 2025 to vote. You can vote once a day from Jan. 23 - Feb. 20.

Please vote Avondale ESD, or your school, in the following categories:

Ques. #37: Best Place to Work

Ques. #85: Best Preschool

• Copper Trails, Desert Thunder, Desert Star, Centerra Mirage STEM Academy, or Wildflower Accelerated Academy

Ques. #86: Best School District

Ques. #87: Best Public School (select your school)

Ques. #90: Best Elementary School (select your school)

Ques. #94: Best Elementary Teacher

• Sandra Becker, Copper Trails School

• Breanna Madison, Wildflower Accelerated Academy

• Amanda Houser, Centerra Mirage STEM Academy

• Michelle Sanchez, Eliseo C. Felix School

Please help us defend our “Best of the West Valley” title. You may nominate Avondale ESD in all categories once every day through February 20! Be sure to set a calendar reminder each day to vote!

Get ready for an exciting week of celebration and reflection! From January 26 to February 1, 2025, we're inviting students, parents, and educators to join us in honoring the incredible experiences that make our schools special during National School Choice Week.

Each day, we have a unique question that will help us capture the heart and soul of what makes our school community amazing. We can't wait to hear your stories, memories, and moments of joy!

Our daily celebration questions include:

• Monday: Favorite teacher/staff member and why?
• Tuesday: Favorite field trip and why?
• Wednesday: Favorite sport, activity, club, or PE game and why?
• Thursday: Favorite subject and why?
• Friday: What you love most about your school

Capturing your memories is easy! Simply complete our online form and share your favorite pictures and stories each day. This is more than just a celebration—it's a chance to recognize the incredible opportunities and experiences that shape our educational journey. So grab your cameras, dig into your memory banks, and get ready to celebrate school choice and Avondale ESD. Simply click the link below to share your memories and pictures.

We held our District Spelling Bee this week and what a spell-off! Our first place winner was Olivia R, seventh grade from Copper Trails; and second place went to Isabella Fuentes, seventh grade from Michael Anderson School. These top two finishers will compete in the Regional Spelling Bee on February 8 at Youngker High School. Congratulations to all of our school winners!

Desert Star's eighth graders from Project Y.E.S. teamed up with Desert Thunder and Centerra Mirage for an exciting field trip. They had the chance to visit University High School and explore its offerings firsthand.

During the trip, students learned from University High School’s student leaders about the incredible programs and opportunities available at the school. It was a great chance for them to see what’s in store for their future and get inspired!

Lattie Coor’s incredible students are showing off their school spirit with the theme "My Future's So Bright!" It’s a fun and exciting way to celebrate all the possibilities that lie ahead.

Everyone is rocking their coolest sunglasses to symbolize the bright futures they’re working towards. What a great way to come together and shine!

Students across our district celebrated the 100th day of school in style, marking a milestone in their academic year with a variety of fun and creative activities. From counting to crafting and dressing up, students embraced the day with excitement and energy. It was a chance to reflect on all they've learned so far and to celebrate their progress with classmates and teachers.

The 100th day celebration was filled with hands-on activities that encouraged students to think critically while having fun. In some classrooms, students created posters and projects themed around the number 100, while others challenged themselves to complete tasks in groups, such as counting to 100 in different ways. It was a joyful occasion for everyone involved, with each student taking pride in reaching this exciting milestone and looking forward to the rest of the school year.

Congratulations to all of our runners who participated in our fourth cross country meet of the season! A special thank you to Copper Trails for hosting this week's race!

Team Champions

Michael Anderson

Individual Winners

Males:

1st - Gael O. 13:00 MAS

2nd - Jose P. 13:10 MAS

3rd - Larry V. 13:11 MAS

Females:

1st - Kaiyden W. 14:37 DS

2nd - Jocilyn B. 14:52 CT

3rd - Aeris M. 15:03 CM

Our related service providers recently participated in a training session as part of their ongoing professional development. Each attendee earned a two-year CPR/AED certification through the Goodyear Fire Department. The dedicated professionals who attended the training included counselors, social workers, speech therapists, speech assistants, and occupational therapists.

A special thank you to the Goodyear Fire Department for offering their expertise and helping ensure that our team is well-prepared to respond in any emergency situation. We are grateful for their support in keeping our staff and students safe!

Looking for something fun and FREE to do? Celebrate STEM with Cox, SciTech Institute, and Arizona Science Center at the launch of the:

2025 Arizona SciTech Festival

Saturday, February 8, 2025

10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Arizona Science Center

600 E. Washington Street in Phoenix

Your free registration with the Cox promo code includes a day of hands-on activities, engaging exhibits, and inspiring demonstrations for all ages. Explore STEM fields, engage your curiosity, and enjoy full access to the Arizona Science Center's world-class exhibits.

To register for your free tickets:

1. Visit Arizona Science Center Tickets and scroll to the bottom of the page
2. Change the date at the top to February 8, 2025
3. Add the promo code "STEMWITHCOX", CLICK APPLY
4. Scroll to the bottom and add the ticket/quantity titled "Group STEM Offer" to your cart/Proceed to checkout
5. Once added to your cart the price will reflect $0. Finish checking out

We hope you enjoy this free opportunity to explore the Arizona Science Center with your children, family and friends!

Spring sports tryouts for boys basketball, cheerleading, and softball (grades 5-8) are the week of February 24, 2025, after school. *Reminder ... all athletes must have a sports physical and be cleared by the school nurse prior to tryouts. We're looking forward to an exciting sports season!

AESD is proud of our amazing teachers. Parents and guardians can nominate your outstanding teacher for Arizona's Family 3TV Silver Apple Award. Nominations are accepted through March 16, 2025. Winning teachers will receive a $1,000 prize and will be featured on 3TV! Simply download the Silver Apple Nomination Form, in 100 words or less share "Why This Teacher Is Special," get the principal's signature, and email it to apple@azfamily.com. For more information, visit azfamily.com/silverapple.