End of the Year Parent Survey

The end of the school year is nearing and with that in mind, our annual Parent Survey is here. We encourage you to answer the questionnaire which seeks to learn more about your and your student’s experiences this school year. Your insights are extremely useful and your participation is greatly appreciated.

Take Survey in English Toma Encuesta en Español

No Laughing Matter … or Maybe it is

April is National Humor Month, a time to honor all those who make us laugh—family, friends, neighbors, teachers, performers, and professionals. This celebration was established in 1976 in an effort to promote public awareness of the value of laughter, which has been shown to improve health, boost morale, increase communication skills, and enrich people’s quality of life.

Preparing for Success on AzMERIT

Spring testing signals the close of the school year and can be a stressful time for all involved—students, parents, teacher, and school administrators and staff. During the week of March 28, students, from grade 3 up, across the state of Arizona will be taking the AzMERIT test; 4th and 8th graders will also be taking the AIMS Science Test.

Tax Season is Almost Over

The Deadline Looms

April 15 traditionally closes tax season every year. If you haven’t filed yet, there is still time to earn the 2015 Arizona school tax credit. Arizona law (ARS 43-1098.01) allows tax payers to receive a tax credit of up to $400 for donations that benefit students in public schools. This credit lowers your state tax debt dollar for dollar.

Women Working to Form a More Perfect Union

March is Women’s History Month, and the 2016 theme, as stated in the title of this feature, is dedicated to honoring women in public service and government. This month typically features events and efforts to recognize and focus on the contributions of women and their “consistently overlooked and undervalued” roles in national and world history. The inroads and work of women in government and activism is sometimes missed and outright ignored, especially when their attention is focused on achieving actionable goals rather than recognition.

Love of Reading 2016: Engaging in Literacy

This week, February 8 – 12, 2016, schools and libraries all over the country are celebrating Love of Reading week. We are having special readers—city officials, police officers, servicemen and women, librarians, curators, parents, athletes, and other community members—come in to share their favorite books with students. For more information, check our newsletter and calendar of events.

Literacy and literacy education remain at the forefront of parent and teacher concerns. In our increasingly digital world, literacy is an indispensable commodity. Being able to read and write fluently is vital to participation and success in the current state of our world. Between text, email, and the time we all spend online, much of the information we consume is in print, so strong reading skills are a must for success today and in the future.

Kinder Counts: Welcome To Heritage Elementary School Kindergarten

We believe that high-quality early childhood education is essential for a strong academic foundation that advocates lifelong learning.

Full-day kindergarten programs:

  • allow youngsters to develop strong academic, social, and emotional skills
  • produce better reading and math skills than half-day programs
  • yield students with higher retention and lower dropout rates throughout their academic careers

That’s why we offer FREE all-day kindergarten, plus free before- and after-school care.

Learn More About Free Full-Day Kindergarten

Thesaurus: Lexicon. Onomasticon. Reference book. Storehouse of Words.

People love to celebrate … everything. On January 18, Thesaurus Day is a celebration of the power of words. This date is the birthdate of Peter Mark Roget, who is best known for creating Roget’s Thesaurus. His name is so synonymous with this type of reference book that the publisher trademarked it. The original version of his Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases, Classified, and Arranged so as to Facilitate the Expression of Ideas was published in 1852 and contained 15,000 words; it has grown with each subsequent version. Roget’s was also the first book of this type that arranged synonymies in topical order, and it is this feature that many credit with the success of his thesaurus over others.

Scientific Flagship in Happy Jack

Scientists waited more than a decade for the science missions of the Discovery Channel Telescope to begin. This instrument is one of the most sophisticated telescopes in the world and the 5th largest optical telescope in the country. Its placement in the Coconino National Forest at a dark sky site located in Happy Jack means the telescope is situated in one of the darkest and, therefore, best places from which to view the night sky. This privately funded telescope will supplement the ability of Lowell Observatory to continue pioneering work in astronomy. DCT is expected to obtain high-quality data more than 300 nights a year because of Arizona’s climate and clear skies.

Thawing the Winter Brain Freeze

Most parents today are well-aware of the studies showing that children lose knowledge and skills over long breaks from school. The holidays are a time of fun and relaxation for most, but, with a little planning, you might just be able to halt the loss of some of those skills and engage your children in inspiring ways.

Shortest Day of the Year

Winter officially begins every year on the day of the winter solstice. Typically, this astronomical event occurs on December 21 or 22 (in the Northern Hemisphere), though it can occur anywhere between December 20 and 23.

Heritage Student Shares Peace through Art

Roberto Abram Saavedra’s poster entry for the 2015-2016 Lions Club International Peace Poster Contest won at the local level. Millions of children from nearly 100 countries have participated over the 25-year life of the Lions Club’s competition. Roberto received a $25 award for his unnamed entry and will now go on to the state, then national contest.