Dear LHUSD Families,

The new year is moving so quickly! I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your partnership in supporting our students and their education. We are so excited to see the progress our students have made so far, and we celebrate them for the effort they give each day. We are excited to see the ways they will continue to thrive as we move forward in the new year. We are also grateful for the effort our administrators, teachers and staff give to reach every student, every day, no matter what it takes! We look forward to an amazing rest of the year together!

Sincerely,

Rebecca Stone, Ed.D.

We want to welcome our newest member of the Governing Board, Ms. Sharon Harvey. We are also pleased to see Mrs. Lisa Roman as a returning member to our board. Our governing board meetings take place on the third Tuesday of every month! Please join us for our next meeting on Tuesday, February 21st, 2023 at 6pm. We look forward to seeing you there! Your voice matters!

Project improvements are also underway to replace the basketball courts at Starline Elementary. We can't wait to see the finished product!

Our "Raising Scholars" podcast is a broadcast designed for families to hear all about the mission and vision of learning which is being carried out at LHUSD for the academic and social emotional growth of students in our district. It is also a place to share tips, tools, advice, and reflections on how our schools, families, and our community can help our students learn to make the most of their potential in their K-12 learning experience.

Are you a community partner interested in learning more about our Havasu Community Schools Coalition. Our coalition is an alliance of school and community partners built to better support our schools and served the needs of our students and families in our community. Our Lake Havasu community is exceptionally giving toward our schools. Our goal for building the coalition is to create a more aligned, efficient, and proactive way in which we communicate with our community regarding the needs of the schools in our district and in Lake Havasu City.

If you are interested in being a partner in our outreach or would like to attend one of our quarterly meetings, please scan the QR code below to fill out our interest survey. If there is a business or organization that you know is interested in getting involved in this conversation, please be sure to share this information. We look forward to working together to support our school and community needs together! Please check out our Facebook page for updates on all the ways we are working together to serve our schools!

Interesting in becoming a Substitute? We still need and are looking for CERTIFIED AND CLASSIFIED SUBSTITUES, you can visit educationalservicesinc.com, or link is down below to fill out application.

https://educationalservicesinc.applytojob.com/apply/w5FB7Aft5Q/SubSource-Substitute-Position

Any questions on the process please reach out to Viviana Rowe, Viviana.rowe@lhusd.org or 928 505-6900 or for more information.

ESI can also help in the process with any questions and can be emailed at hr@esiaz.us or call 844 614-7784

In the last year, Tax Credit contributions helped raise over $440,,000 dollars for extracurricular activities — like band, sports, and kindergarten enrichment — in our schools.

National School Breakfast Week (NSBW) celebrates the importance of a nutritious school breakfast in fueling students for success. This special observance during the first week of March celebrates the national School Breakfast Program and the many ways it gives kids a great start every day.

#NSBW23 will take place March 6-10, 2023.

It's almost that time! Registration for the upcoming year at Lake Havasu Unified School District is around the corner. If you have a little one that will be starting Kindergarten in the 2023-24 school year, please be sure to join us on March 1st, 2023 at 6pm at your nearest district elementary location to register your student! Registered students may be eligible for Kindergarten bootcamp based on need and placed in classes as space allows. Be sure to bring your student’s birth certificate, Immunization record, and proof of residency with you to the registration night. If you have any questions, please call the district office at 928-505-6900. We can’t wait to meet you child and get them started on their pathway to success!

Kindergarten registration is around the corner for your little ones and the Lake Havasu Unified School District wants to invite you for a Kindergarten Preview Night. If you have a child who will be registering for Kindergarten for the 2023 school year at our registration night on March 1st, we invite you to join us at Havasupai or Jamaica Elementary School on February 27th at 4:30pm. Get a chance to tour the schools, meet some of our parent volunteers, and connect your child with some of our student ambassadors to help them get to know our LHUSD schools. Families living on the southside of town are welcome to join us at Jamaica Elementary and those on the north side may join us at Havasupai Elementary. If you have questions regarding the event, please email communications@lhusd.org or call the district office at 928-505-6900. We can’t wait to see you there!

Take a look at the article below to help identify what "readiness means" and the important ways you can get your child ready for their first day of Kindergarten!

Read Across America Day is coming! The most important determination of a student's success with reading is how often they read. So, be sure to read with your student each day. Also, you can help your student take the Read Across America Oath..."I promise to read, every day and every night. I know it's the key to growing up right."

Don't forget to ask your school how they are celebrating Read Across America during March 2nd-March 10th. There are book fairs, dress up days, and Read Ins across the district this week. So, check in with your school to see what's happening!

Happy National Counselor's Week to all of our counselors in elementary, middle school, and high school that support our students each day! We are so grateful for all you do to support students academic and social emotional growth every single day at LHUSD #1! You are an essential component of our we serve our students' needs every day!

Did you know that LHUSD has been named a National Board Accomplished District? Why is this important? Research studies have shown the most critical aspect of a child's education is a quality teacher. Check out the article below to see the effect size and impact a highly effective can make on your student's success. https://www.edutopia.org/article/understanding-teachers-long-term-impact/

LHUSD is extremely proud of the committed teachers and staff members that serve our community each day and have worked to become leaders in their field.

We are proud of all of our staff currently working toward their NBCT. We are also especially proud of our newly accomplished and renewed NBCT's throughout our district. Congratulations to them all! Thanks to the hard work of our K-12 Foundation, we have the honor of celebrating their achievements! —#education #teamnbct #LHUSD #teachers

Nicole Todd was highlighted in the Amplify mClass national newsletter this month for her excellent work at Starline! She serves a school of 600+ students through providing data based supports, lessons, and resources our paraprofessionals, resource teachers, and general education teachers every day.

We are thankful to all of our interventionists for the ways they support students daily and are thrilled to see Mrs. Todd highlighted for her efforts! Interventionists are a vital part of our school culture and academic supports at LHUSD!

FIRST LEGO League is a robotics competition that engages students in hands-on STEM experiences, building confidence, growing their knowledge and cultivating habits of learning. The FLL season starts in September with qualifying tournaments taking place in late November and early December culminating in the State Championship held in January at ASU.The Mighty Minions Robotics Team attended the tournament with lofty goals, and they succeeded. Their team placed 3rd Overall, which qualifies them to compete at the World Championships to be held later this school year. LHUSD is proud of these accomplished students and grateful for Mrs. Smith's dedication and leadership helping her students achieve their goal!

The Golden Apple award for December was presented to teacher Nicole Gray from the Lake Havasu High School. Nicole is a teacher who is dedicated to making learning engaging and fun for her students. She is also a colleague who is always willing to support her fellow teachers and serves as a mentor to new teachers at LHHS. She helps the district with professional development when needed and is a truly student focused educator, always prioritizing the needs of her students to support them each day. As her colleagues stated, "she is a beacon of hope for our profession."

Hannah Towns was awarded the Golden Apple Award in January. She is second year teacher at Havasupai and has hit the ground running working hard to support her students and team this year. Her teammates stated, "Hannah has a sweet soul, she is diligent, and a pleasure to work with. No matter what the obstacle might be Mrs. Towns is steadfast and optimistic that success is right around the corner."

"We are ALL very excited to have Hannah on staff with us here at Havasupai Elementary School, her positive attitude lights up a room."

"As a teacher new to the district last year, Hannah really stepped in and helped out in many different aspects of our school. Hannah is always there to contribute ideas, and she is a team player.

Hannah is always striving to improve her teaching practice. In addition to all of her classroom responsibilities she is in the process of National Board Certification.

We are lucky to have Hannah at our school!"

We live in a unique community and district where many of us have had the opportunity to grow and learn ourselves. As part of our mission to promote scholarship, character, and humanity; we want to recognize those alumni that are still a part of our community and who have returned back to our district to serve our students as LHUSD staff. We are thankful for all LHUSD has done to support you, and for everything you do daily to commit to our students now each day!

Susan Schendel serves the Lake Havasu Unified School District as a Computer Technician specializing in serving our district Help Desk. She is always willing to step up when there is a need, and works diligently with the technology team to help delegate and address any issues that arise to make things happen for our district team. She has worked for our district for over 33 years now, and started in the classroom with students serving as a Therapeutic Aide, then moving into a position as a Special Education Assistant for Havasupai Elementary for many years. She eventually transferred to our Technology Team in 1999 and has been serving in that department now for over 20 years. Susan is married and enjoys spending her time gardening when she is not busy helping support our district team. We are grateful for her many years of dedication to our district team, and truly value all she does to help us support our students every day!

Terry Fleming has served the Lake Havasu Unified School District for over 30 years as our Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent. She has been the voice heard by many when they call to share needs, concerns, and thoughts from with administration. She has also been a diligent recorder of history, supporting many different superintendents during her tenure and additional changes in administration over the years. She has been a supporter of our staff, a liaison to our community, and a friend to all. Terry is now blessed to be able to enjoy retirement with her loving husband, her kids, and her grandkids as she will be retiring starting at the start of the 2023 new year. The LHUSD team is forever grateful for all that Terry Fleming has given to our district. We are sad that she is leaving, but so grateful for the commitment she has given to our staff and students over the years. We are also excited for her new adventures in retirement with her family and grandchildren. Thank you Terry for your gift of friendship, service, and teamwork over the years!

Mrs. Rebecca Pehling has been a special education teacher in our district for over 25 years. Teaching is her second career; she began in psychology, criminal justice, and music. Her interests in autism and supporting families with low incident disabilities is what brought her into the education field. She is committed to helping her students access skills that will help them become productive citizens who can truly enjoy a lifetime of learning. She is always honored to have partnerships with her families and our community groups who collaborate and coordinate with us to bring the best opportunities for our students. She is blessed to be a part of a team approach in her setting and values the camaraderie and “it-takes-a-village” mentality that makes school feel like family and home. She is married to Mr. Pehling, LHUSD’s school psychologist, and proud parent of four successful children. In her free time, she loves to spend time with her children and grandchildren, discuss phonemic awareness, and enjoys cooking/ baking; her specialty is sharing her Scandinavian recipes and her colleagues especially enjoy when she brings them treats.

At LHUSD, when we think of an awesome teacher, Athena Cota always comes to mind. Mrs. Cota is compassionate, caring and consistent, she has a positive attitude, and she is always willing to help everyone that she works with. All her hard work is evident because she was voted as Smoketree’s Golden Apple Teacher of the Year.

Mrs. Cota has a degree in Elementary Education with a minor in math and science. She has taught for fifteen years. Of those fifteen years, Mrs. Cota has been teaching kindergarten for fourteen, and she has been teaching here at Smoketree for 9. She was fortunate and was able to work alongside her husband, Mr. Cota, for 5 years. Mr. Cota was an FSP. He would repair things at the school, and helped at lunch time. Mrs. Cota loves to teach all subjects, although, her favorite subject is reading.

Mrs. Cota’s favorite quote is by Maria Montessori, “Never do for a child what they can do for themselves.” She practices this quote with her students on a daily basis. Her students excel and love her class. Coworkers enjoy working with Athena Cota, and she is truly deserving of being Smoketree’s Teacher of the Year in 2021

Elizabeth (aka Libby) Carlton came to work at Nautilus Elementary this year as the school counselor. She has been with LHUSD for the past four years. Mrs. Carlton is a certified school counselor and obtained her master’s degree in School Counseling at Northern Arizona University.

We are very fortunate to have Mrs. Carlton here at Nautilus, as she supports all students academically and socially/emotionally. Mrs. Carlton presents Toolbox Lessons throughout the school year, which include learning how to manage emotions/behavior, support academic progress, and achieve skills in problem-solving, decision-making, and social interactions.

Statements made by students and staff here at Nautilus about Mrs. Carlton are: "Mrs. Carlton is someone who listens without judgment. With Mrs. Carlton, we can discuss friendship, schoolwork, and stress from home and/or personal issues. Mrs. Carlton helps with coping, study, and organization skills; and many days, Mrs. Carlton is known to be...The Reason Someone Smiles.”