Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 174

5 THE SOUTHWEST VALLEY REPUBLIC WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2006 SOUTHWEST VALLEY SCHOOLS Verrado High showcases 'digital' classrooms System expected chance to post blogs. Huffman plans to have his own blog once he gets his Web site online and the school is finished. Work is scheduled to be completed this week. The grand opening is Oct 25. Until then, most of the campus remains a "hard-hat only" area as finishing touches are put on the auditorium, library and teacher workrooms.

The auditorium, another room with few walls, is open to the cafeteria and workroom areas. It will seat 550 and include wireless Internet access for the audience. Its lighting will be on electric lifts, eliminating dangerous scaffolding that is seen in theaters. Installing the new technology during construction made it much easier and cost effective, according to Phil Denette, the district's technology director. "Older schools would have to be retrofitted (for wireless) at a huge expense," he said.

For Verrado, it cost about $5,500 per room. Having only three walls per classroom was another big help. "Concrete walls really put the kibosh on wireless," Denette said. Science teacher Cyndi Messieha is excited about the new software. "I've never used a document camera before," she said.

"There are some things we're trying to get over, but it's making sense." to raise learning By Michael Famiglietti MICHAEL.FAMIGUETTIiciiAfttZONAREPUBLIC.COM Among the plastic barricades and open holes, innovative things are being installed at the new Verrado High School in Buckeye. As construction continues at the school, which opened last week, its 311 freshmen are learning in three-wall "digital" classrooms that have the latest in wireless technology. Wireless laptops, DVD players, digital projectors, satellite television, wireless microphones and smart boards are installed or on the way. Verrado Principal Tom Huffman walks through the hallways at his school proudly pointing out the open environment "You're using it (the technology) to make a difference in the classroom," he said. In a traditional school, students learn about geography from a single globe, but here, "you have every map in the whole world at your fingertips," he says.

Huffman thinks the environment will get students more involved in the classroom. "If we just stand up here and lecture JOHN SEVERSONTHE REPUBLIC Technology director Phil Denette (left) and teacher Dan Phillips are happy with the "digital classrooms" and other campus facilities available at Verrado High. Agua Fria Union High School District, expanded its online network this school year. The additional server space will allow file sharing online between teachers and students and give instructors a and have students write it all down, they're going to think, 'Hey, I can do this on my LPod or my wireless If the way business is done today," he said. Verrado, along with the rest of the How Tolleson made graduation rate soar SCHOOL NOTES Lil' Squirts can splash around at pool party Buckeye Aquatic Center, 207 N.

Ninth is throwing a pool party for children ages 5 and under. The Lil' Squirts Pool Party will offer music, games, prizes and a fun for children and parents. The party will be held in the beachfront area from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday. Admission is $3 for children and free for parents.

The center requests an adult accompany each child. Information: Miranda Bear-den, (623) 386-2588, Ext 29. Curbside trash pickup focus of block party Goodyear will host a Neighborhood Block Party on Thursday at Loma Linda Park at 430 E. Loma Linda Blvd. The city's singing group, Curby and the Collectors, will be performing its four hip-hop songs at the free party from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

There will be food, giveaways and information on the sanitation program available for families. Information: (623) 882-7165. Hawaiian pool party planned for teenagers Teens can temporarily leave their back-to-school blues behind Saturday at the Buckeye Aquatic Center, 207 N. Ninth St The End of the Summer Hawaiian Luau is the last celebration of the year for the Teen Scene Pool Party series. Youths ages 12 to 17 can participate in a limbo and Hula-Hoop contest to compete for CDs, gift certificates and other prizes.

The party will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Admission is $3, and snacks are available for purchase. Information: Miranda Bear-den, (623) 386-2588, Ext. 29. Notes compiled by Michael Famiglietti and Beth Cochran.

students each year. Green said these are seniors who use the program to complete their graduation requirements. The district overall has about 1,800 seniors. "Just by CEA offering a different venue, a different structure, for kids who had either by choice or certain circumstances had begun to enter adult life, this allowed them another choice," he said. "They didn't have to choose between parenthood or education." Although Green said they haven't found a fix-all for the problems facing education, he said they have found one approach that works well for them.

"I've taught a long time, and I saw things we could improve on," he said. "Public education has to continue to do a better job. That's a moral issue. But time is the best solution we have come up with." Flores said the district will continue to strive to keep graduation rates high but will shift its attention toward increasing academic achievement "We want to see where our deficiencies are," he said. "All of the schools are going to be focusing on AIMS and quality education." allows students a 15-day extension to meet graduation requirements, but students first have to demonstrate a desire to learn.

"We know that of all of the research and all educators will agree that not all youngsters learn at the same rate," Flores said. "But schools design their classes for one fits all. So we tell those youngsters that can't complete their work we will provide them an extra 15 days to complete it And ifs not for students that don't come to school. Ifs for students that come to school and really are trying." The other factor Flores tied to the higher graduation rates is the alternative education program at the James A. Green Continuing Education Academy, named after the director, who is a retired teacher passionate about student success.

"Ten years ago, Dr. Flores asked me to come over and implement an alternative" program," Green said. "The dropout rate was at 16 percent, and within three years we got that to below 3 percent" The academy, which opened in August 1998, averages nearly 600 By Beth Cochran BETH.C0CHRANWARIZ0NAREPUBLIC.COM Graduation rates are the highest the Tolleson Union High School District has ever seen, and educators credit two programs designed to give students more time and support for the increase. "Our district average was 84 percent. Our attendance is absolutely fabulous," Superintendent Kino Flores said.

"If the highest ever in the history of the district Our dropout rates are the lowest they've ever been." In 1996, when Flores took over, the dropout rate was 58 percent; it now is 4.1 percent. Flores said the graduation rate has improved for "two major reasons." "One is that our continuing education campus has provided youngsters that come to the district either behind in their math or reading or other content areas, or simply come to us with bad learning habits, with time and support," Flores said. "The other one is that four years ago, we implemented a program that we believe helps students that are coming in slightly behind." The Credit Retrieval Program.