Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • A3

3 Z2 MIDWEEK, 08.09.17 Many students in public school districts around the West Valley headed back to class this week, with a handful starting last week. We asked several districts to tell us new this year. Here are some of the responses: Agua Fria Union High School District New principal: Kristen Tiffany, Verrado High School. She previously served 10 years as an administrator at two high schools in the district. Notable: The fifth high school, Canyon View High School, is under construction for the 2018-19 school year.

Buckeye Union High School District New principals: Will Seward, Buckeye Union High School. He previously was an assistant principal at the school. Leslie Standerfer, Estrella Foothills High School. Rob Roberson, Youngker High School. He previously was an assistant athletic director at the school.

Karen Sanders, The Learning Center. Deer Valley Unified School District New superintendent: Curtis Finch joined DVUSD as superintendent. He hails from Michigan and has spent 24 years in administration. New principals: Anita Stulc, Barry Goldwater High School. She is entering her 28th year in education, including 18 years as an administrator in the Paradise Valley Unified School District.

Brittany Sutton, Boulder Creek High School. She is entering her 17th year in education with 13 years spent in the classroom as a high school language arts teacher and a high school director of theatre and International Baccalaureate theatre. She directed THE REPUBLIC AZCENTRAL.COM New leaders, changes in West Valley school districts Want to have your best school year yet? Well, so do your teachers. We asked six Valley educators how students and parents could upgrade their education, and they handed out assignments for everyone: Students 1. Get a full sleep.

Every night. 2. Eat a good breakfast (because hard to pay attention when your stomach is grumbling). 3. Bring everything asked to bring, even on the first day.

That means pencils, pens, notebooks and books. If assigned a laptop or tablet, bring it the charger, too. 4. Smile. Michael Buist of Knox Gifted Academy in Chandler said the most important thing students can bring is a positive attitude.

Even if you know what doing, he promised, be in a good mood and be in a good 5. Make new friends. for the kids who are by advised Shannon Moxley of Tarwater Elementary School. to them. Offer to sit with them.

If you have recess, play with 6. Be a student first. is basically your said Eden Lewkowitz, who teaches at Arizona School for the Arts in Phoenix. know a lot going on in your lives, but your education needs to be the most important thing because the key to everything want to do 7. Ask questions.

The secret to learning, said Moxley, is willing to admit you know everything, which nobody does even the teacher. When we ask questions, when we really start 8. be afraid to be wrong. It makes for a boring class when students clam up rather than risk making a mistake, said Lewkowitz. Instead, he advised, break the silence and just try.

be more fun and learn more, too. 9. Get involved. an activity connect you with other suggested Theresa Ratti of Westwood High. a service club or choir or sport, a positive group of friends can make even a big school seem 10.

Make time for fun. Watch a goofy movie, dance around your bedroom or just do stupid kid stuff. can be under a lot of explained Melissa Kuhlman of the Arizona School for the Arts. ask, do you do for And often, their is a high- pressure sport or organized activity. But kids really need a release just total, unstructured However, try flipping your water bottle in class, said Ratti.

It work out the way you think it will. Parents 1. Establish a routine. Set a consistent dinnertime, bedtime and deadline for completing homework. And no sleepovers on school nights, warned Moxley: be up until 3 a.m.” 2.

Make sure your students have all their supplies and that organized. If you think too busy to oversee binder setup, imagine the teacher faced with dozens of them. wishes for pupils, parents ANDREA GALYEAN SPECIAL FOR THE REPUBLIC TOM REPUBLIC Parents drop off their children at Kenilworth Elementary School in downtown Phoenix. Teachers say active involvement by parents is a key toward a success in school..