Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 250

SOUTHWEST VALLEY SCHOOLS 5 THE SOUTHWEST VALLEY REPUBLIC -WEEKEND EDITION, APRIL 15, 2006 Verrado High teachers will use high-tech tools 0J if WT.niirr m- students and staff. "Our goal is to provide students with up-to-date technology that will support our instructional plans and programs," Superintendent Dudley Butts said. "The way the school is set up is to be as flexible as possible." Huffman agrees. "I feel it will take our district to the next level," he said. The school also will add a technology piece for parents called "Parent Connect" The program allows parents to monitor their child's grades and attendance from their home computer.

Likewise, teachers will be able to work on students' grades from home, instead of logging into the system only while at school. Verrado's flagship program most likely will be science and engineering, with the school centered on smaller learning communities. The construction timetable has the academic portion of Verrado High School finished for the start of school. Complete completion, including the gymnasium, is slated for November. "They changed the construction sequence to focus on the academic part of the school, rather than finish a bunch of places in the building at the same time," said John Schmadeke, assistant superintendent of operations for Agua Fria.

Reach the reporter at (602) 444-4137. By Kelly Carr KElLY.CARR(aARiZONAREPUBUC.COM As construction workers build the structural look of Agua Fria's next high school, Principal Tom Huffman is shaping what the school will be like on the inside. So far, he has ordered 1,408 student desks, hired 10 teachers and secured the school's head football coach. He is waiting for the furniture he picked out to be delivered, forming a technology plan and trying to get everything in place for a full athletic program. As the months go by, the pace will pick up.

Huffman has until August. Then, his first class of about 350 freshmen will walk through the doors. "Most of this stuff they don't teach you in principal school," said Huffman, who joined the Agua Fria Union High School District as a planning principal in July. "Ifs about calling colleagues who have been through similar experiences and trying to make the best decisions you can." Verrado, Agua Fria's fourth high school, will be focused on technology. Each teacher in the school will have a laptop computer and technology cart, complete with a digital document camera, speaker system and LCD projector.

The school will have one computer lab, but several mobile labs traveling to classrooms. Verrado will be the district's first high school to have wireless Internet access for "6. Principal Tom Huffman (above) stands in natural light coming through the slitted roof at Verrado High School. At left, Assistant Superintendent John Schmadeke chats with teacher Kim Sims and special ed director Justyn Poulos. 1 TW riV PHOTOS BY MICHAEL SCHENNUM THE REPUBLIC ii.ii:wmmun-i.m4iw1i'j-iii.t-ii-wj.in.i-M-i-iTi um vvu buy uu 0 Key! Barstool is our middle name! Cvcr 1 50 styles from Lf nr r' 1 Carpet Ceramic Hardwood f.

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