Dean’s List Scholar and CSHS Alumnus asks voters to support CCUSD

How did Cactus Shadows prepare me for my life beyond high school?  I’d say the most important thing that I learned at Cactus Shadows was what I really enjoyed doing. That was band (music in general) and economics, surprisingly enough. The band instructor, Professor Wykoff, worked tirelessly to make sure that we were at our best as a band and as a team. I learned leadership skills and the values of teamwork, all while making new friends and doing what I love most: playing music!  My economics professor, Dr. Temnick, had a great teaching style. Charisma that made me really want to push hard to learn everything she taught; interactive activities in class to boost our understanding of the course material. Both Professor Wykoff and Dr. Temnick molded in me an understanding of what I wanted to do after I graduated. So, having graduated, I decided that to be happy in my future career, I would pursue an education in business and eventually apply it to music (open my own music store).
Going on to college, I was nervous that the difficult classes and the expanded workload would be too much for me to handle. But upon my arrival, I realized that there was nothing to fear! My English professor of two years, Amy Bolling Metcalf, had none too lightly informed me that in college and the real world, I would not be coddled, and that I shouldn’t allow myself to be coddled through high school. Sage advice, indeed-I plunged hard into my work once my freshman semester started, and for all four semesters that I’ve been a member of the Barrett Honors College at Arizona State, I have made the Dean’s List.
It is important that we ensure that the Cave Creek school district continues to operate at optimal capacity and that all incoming students are given the same opportunities as I had. These kids need direction, and that requires a stable school system and great teachers. Without such professors as Gary Wykoff, Amy Metcalf, and Alice Temnick, I don’t know where I would be today. So, as voters and contributors, anything that we can do to help maintain a great school district is of the utmost importance!

– Tyler Scheven

Georgetown scholar asks community to “Vote Early and Vote YES”

My name is Alex Lazo, and I am a sophomore at Georgetown University, studying international relations in the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. The success of my undertakings at Georgetown owes much to the education I received from Cactus Shadows High School.  As a result of the pedagogical skill of the English department, I was equipped with a verbal and written dexterity that has allowed me to produce scholarship of which I am proud; in particular, they taught me the word dexterity. Cactus Shadows cultivated in me recognition of learning as an end in itself.  This understanding was the product of the comprehensive curricula of the International Baccalaureate program, constructed around a rich study of the development of human thought in a course entitled Theory of Knowledge.  The skills instilled in me at Cactus Shadows have done much to contribute to my post-secondary pursuits.

It is important to maintain great schools in the Cave Creek Unified School District for all current and future students. The override request being made by the Governing Board is small and necessary. Please vote early and Vote YES.

American University Student and Cactus Shadows Alumnus asks you to vote YES

I am Lindsey Anderson, a soon-to-be senior at American University in Washington, D.C., where I am studying journalism with minors in Spanish and International Studies.

I just finished my junior year, but already I have studied in Costa Rica and traveled to Peru with a former U.S. ambassador. I have also been published in USA Today and the Washington Post and am currently trying to figure out how to be a freelance foreign correspondent in South America after graduation.

None of this would have happened without my time at Cactus Shadows High School.

At CSHS, I discovered true friends, family and mentors. Theater director Linda Garvin coached me from shy sophomore — who could barely be heard in the third row of the Fine Arts Center — to recently elected editor of the American University student newspaper. At CSHS, I was part of the first class of International Baccalaureate graduates. Those IB teachers, like Dr. Alice Temnick, Kelly Henson, Jocelyn Raught, Amy Metcalf, gave me a chance to not only truly challenge myself academically, but also personally. When economics just didn’t make sense, Dr. Temnick met with me after class to answer whatever questions I had. When I organized a concert to raise money for Save Darfur, Ms. Henson was right there by my side.

I could say CSHS was great because of IB, because of the small classes the program allowed, because of the extracurricular opportunities I had. But CSHS was an incredible high school, a high school that made me who I am, because of the teachers and friends, because of the support system I developed. They are the people that, even years later and thousands of miles away, will always be rooting for me.

I now root for them and all students of the Cave Creek Unified School District in asking you to vote YES for the 2011 Override. Our great teachers and schools would not be what they are without your continued support.

Lindsey Anderson
Cactus Shadows ’08
American University ’12

Future Biochemist asks Cave Creek Unified constituents for their vote of support

My name is Michaela Shuler, and I am a sophomore at Boston University studying Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. I graduated from Cactus Shadows High School in 2010 with a diploma from International Baccalaureate and enough advanced academic credits to give me sophomore standing and save $50,000 in tuition. I owe much of that to the opportunities I was given in high school. The fundamentals of time management, critical thinking, and the high caliber of assignments that I worked with inside the classroom are essential to my current success in college. I quickly acclimated to the college level of writing based on the fact that I had already been writing at that level for two years. The passion expressed by the teachers both in and out of the classroom has inspired me on my own path, particularly the opportunities of attending an Biochemistry event at the University of Arizona, provided by Jennifer Reisener, and the time that Retta Ward took our biology class to explore TGen, a genomics research institute, to enrich the curriculum that we were learning about. I am appreciative of the countless hours that were spent by my teachers to prepare lesson plans, as well as the additional time and effort they took to ensure that we could also apply that knowledge in real life situations. Cactus Shadows is a great school with dedicated staff, and an educational system that allows each student to design his education to best fit his passions and goals.

Please vote YES for the Cave Creek Unified School District override in support of our outstanding teachers and students.

Vote YES – A recent CCUSD graduate’s perspective

My name is Spenser Robert, and I graduated from Cactus Shadows High School (CSHS) in May 2010. As I write this, it’s almost a year later, and I’m finishing up my freshman year at New York University. While the transition from high school to college can be challenging for many, I was fortunate enough to have had exceptional academic preparation, due to the work of incredible educators such as Erinn Ferris, Meredith Fowler and Kelly Henson (Fowler and Ferris are still at CSHS). These teachers gave me the motivation to push myself academically. Fowler encouraged me to study both French and Spanish in high school. Henson worked with me for months on my NYU application and went as far as to call the university regularly to check up on my review status. She also wrote a glowing letter of recommendation. Ferris has written me numerous letters of recommendation and was instrumental in my acquisition of a four-year scholarship from Kiwanis of Carefree. Without these educators, I highly doubt I would have made it into NYU. With recent district budget cuts, I would hate to think that the district would be forced to loose great educators like these, leaving future graduates at a disadvantage.

Because of these CCUSD educators, I have been able to succeed at one of the most competitive universities in the nation. I have maintained straight As through both semesters this year even with a heavy workload of 18 credits per semester. Despite the fact that most of my peers at NYU come from expensive, private high schools, I have never once felt at a disadvantage. For that, I am forever indebted to the faculty and administration of CSHS.

Please vote yes for the Cave Creek Unified School District Override.

Vote YES – CCUSD Override November 8th – CCUSD alumni and parent’s perspective

My wife (class of 1996) and I (1998) are both alumni of the Cave Creek Unified School District (CCUSD). I attended preschool through high school within the district. After completing our college degree programs, we moved back to the community to raise our children.

Although the district has grown substantially since we graduated from CSHS, it has adapted, remaining successful and competitive among all Arizona districts. But that doesn’t mean that continued support through voting on ballot initiatives and seeking additional sources of funding can be dismissed or taken lightly. It should be evident that raising the standards of education in Arizona will yield the highest return on investment to our community in the long run. Lawmakers are further limiting resources that are being allocated to education. Expecting our schools to succeed without the support of the community cannot continue.

Teacher’s salaries must remain competitive to retain faculty that excels. This was a problem in the mid-1990s, when we lost several of my favorite teachers to other districts. Facilities are always in need of maintenance and must be upgraded when possible. Desert Arroyo is a stark reminder of how quickly buildings can deteriorate if left unattended. Lastly, students need to be given the opportunity to acquire a challenging, meaningful and rewarding education. That’s why curriculum is continually evaluated and updated. Lesson plans and class materials utilized during my time in school, for example, are no longer relevant nor challenge students of today.

I can proudly say that if not for a safe learning environment, energized faculty and a variety of extra-curricular activities provided by CCUSD, the desire to continue my education beyond high school and challenge myself to look for the lesson in each day as a professional may not have taken root.

Please vote YES for the CCUSD override November 8th.

– Luke Kautzman

Giggle Tree Preschool
Cave Creek Elementary – Jackrabbits
Black Mountain Elementary – Bobcats
Desert Arroyo Middle School – Rattlers
Cactus Shadows High School – Falcons

Vote YES – CCUSD Override November 8th – A parent’s perspective

As the mother of two wonderful children who attend Horseshoe Trails Elementary School in the Cave Creek school district, I welcome the opportunity to share my feelings of how impressed I’ve been with the teachers they’ve had. I’ve had experiences at each end of the spectrum. My daughter, a sixth-grader, has excelled in school from the day she started kindergarten, but my son, a second-grader, has struggled – especially with learning to read. What I’ve found so remarkable is how the teachers and staff have catered to each of their needs. My daughter has been placed in honors classes and encouraged to strive for excellence by challenging her. My son has been provided with extra support through small group sessions such as RTI (Response to Intervention). His teachers have always maintained an open line of communication with my husband and I regarding his progress and difficulties. In turn, we have been better equipped to help him with his schoolwork at home. I’m so incredibly proud to say that with his teachers’ exceptional guidance, support and accessibility in what is always a positive emotional environment, my son is not only thriving at school and achieving beyond what was expected of him, but his self-esteem and confidence has been boosted ten-fold. I fear that without the passage of an override in November, the individualized attention my son and my daughter have received over the years will disappear. The override money, which currently funds 60 teachers, is essential to keeping our class sizes down and fostering the individualized attention for our students that is necessary for each one of them to succeed.

In addition, when our family was going through a personal crisis, the teachers were there for my children emotionally, which is something our family will never forget. The kindness of the teachers helped my children get through their school days at a time when things were very difficult. Isn’t that what we want to create a strong and cohesive community?

I can’t possibly thank the teachers and staff at Horseshoe Trails enough for all they have done and continue to do daily not just for my children, but all those who attend the school. If our entire country had teachers as dedicated and well-trained as those at Horseshoe Trails and the entire Cave Creek Unified School District, we’d be well on our way to solving the problems with our education system.

– Dana Blank