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Notice of JTED public meeting
We previously published information about the first JTED governing board meeting (See "JTED developments" article below.) Now there will be an introductory workshop meeting held on January 7 at 1 p.m., at the County Building in Kingman. Both the 1/7 and 1/14 meetings are open to the public. Agenda
Another great year for the tax credit program
In spite of the bad economic conditions in our nation, state, and community, support for Lake Havasu Unified's tax credit program remains strong. Contributions have gone up each year since the program began, and it looks like 2008 will not be an exception. When program coordinator Jackie Taylor locked the office doors at 3 p.m. on January 31, contributions were $64,357 over what they were at the same time last year. She expects contributions still in the mail or collected by payroll deduction but not turned in yet to send the final 2008 total over last year's figure of $568,689.39. The last person to pay in person at the district office on the 31st was Diane Terenti. She asked that her contribution help support a student's participation in Lake Havasu High School's Educational Tour Group. Lake Havasu Unified says thank you to Diane and all the students, parents, staff, and community members who help make our schools the best they can be.
The tax credit program lets you decide how some of your tax dollars will be spent, and it keeps those tax dollars in Havasu. It is not too soon to be thinking about tax credit 2009. If you would like to know more about the tax credit program, click the Tax Credit link to the right.
Pictured (left to right): District office employee Alice Opie, tax credit participant Diane Terenti, and district staff members Mary Heronema and Jackie Taylor. Alice and Mary helped Jackie process the high number of tax credit contributions received during the last two weeks of the year.
"What did you do over the weekend?"
"I hung out in the video games section over at Hastings, how about you?"
"I got grilled in public about the U.S. Constitution by the mayor and a couple of lawyers."
"What?" Read more...
JTED developments (updated 12/29)
The first public meeting of the WAVED governing board will be January 14, at 6:30 p.m., at the Bullhead City campus of Mohave Community College. That is at 3400 Highway 95 in Bullhead City. We will publish the meeting agenda as soon as it becomes available.
With seven candidates to choose from, four members of the Lake Havasu Unified governing board deliberated and unanimously selected James Gray and Pamela Meyers to be the Lake Havasu City representatives on the governing board of the new Western Arizona Vocational Education District.
James Gray- Currently marketing manager for the Havasu Partnership for Economic Development. Moved to Havasu from Oregon in 1998. He has a bachelor of science degree from Oregon State University. LHUSD superintendent Malay characterizes him as "a mover and shaker" and someone who "thinks about and plans for the future."
Pamela Meyers- Currently works as a group fitness instructor at the London Bridge Racquet Club and serves on the board of the Havasu Foundation for Higher Education. She has a Ph.D. in health and nutritional science and a strong background in education and training in the medical field. Superintendent Malay describes her as, "intelligent, hard working, a lifelong learner and supporter of education."
The decision was made at a special board meeting held on 12/4. LHUSD board member Pat Rooney said that he was looking for candidates who are "free thinkers with no preconceived ideas." He also stressed that he wants the new WAVED board to be successful. LHUSD board president Becky Goldberg did not attend the special meeting or vote because she was one of those being considered for a position on the new board. The appointed WAVED board members will serve until the November 2010 general election when voters will select members. More...
Dr. Meyers and Mr. Gray will be formally introduced at the next regularly scheduled LHUSD board meeting on December 9. The candidates for the two WAVED board positions were
Martha Bennett (Connecting Havasu Committee)
Pam Meyers (Havasu Foundation for Higher Education)
Becky Goldberg (LHUSD governing board)
James Gray (Lake Havasu City Partnership for Economic Development)
H. Bruce Wallace (educator)
Liz Marr (physical therapist)
Shawna Schneikart (Lake Havasu High School career and tech education coordinator)
At the November elections, voters in Mohave and La Paz counties gave their approval for formation of a joint technological education district that will benefit students from high schools in Lake Havasu City, Bullhead City, Kingman, and Parker. This new district will be called the Western Arizona Vocational Education District (WAVED). WAVED will have its own governing board. Two members of the board will come from Lake Havasu City. The WAVED governing Board will have its first meeting in January.
There are high expectations for this new district. A November 9 editorial in the Lake Havasu City Today's News-Herald newspaper summed it all up. "WAVED will pave the way for a better future for education in the Colorado River communities it will serve." LHUSD wants to thank all those who worked to get the word out about JTED. We also want to thank the hard-working, dedicated members of our Governing Board. Finally, we want to thank our staff, students, their families, and the members of our community who help us provide the best education possible. As superintendent Malay would say, education is a team effort. Thank you all for your help and your support. More about JTEDs
Western Arizona Vocational Education District . . . Catch The WAVE!
Reception for outgoing board members and recognition of employees
The 12/9 governing board meeting was preceded by a reception for outgoing Lake Havasu Unified governing Board members John Creason and Becky Goldberg. Unless there is a special meeting of some sort called for later in the month, tonight's 6 p.m. board meeting was their last. New members Nancy Iannone and Randal Troyer will start in January. District employees with 5, 10, 15, 20, or 25 years of service were recognized at the Board meeting which followed the reception. More about the meeting...
As members of the Lake Havasu Unified School District Governing Board, Mr. Creason and Mrs. Goldberg have served their community well, helping our school district through an override election, formation of the joint technological education district, and many other important tasks. A graduate of Lake Havasu High School, Mr. Creason is never afraid to speak out, bringing his blue collar perspective to all debates, and always making sure the district is serving the needs of all students. He has been our maverick. Mrs. Goldberg is a working mother whose concern for her own children lead her to become involved in their education by working at the school level and finally running for governing board so she could work at district level and make sure all Lake Havasu Unified students received the best education possible. She has been our hockey mom. They were not looking for higher office, but just wanted to serve their community. They both have our respect and our thanks.
Coyote tracks at Daytona
Thanks to local contractor Progressive Painting for adding large orange coyote tracks to the sidewalks and driveway of Daytona Middle School. The coyote is the school mascot, and Coyote Tracks is the name of the school newsletter. Picture
Nautilus Elementary recruits heroes
Nautilus Elementary School gives normal, everyday types of people a chance to be heroes—at least a hero to one particular child—through its Reading Heroes Program. More...
A real world assignment for LHHS Graphics Communication students
Matt Scott teaches Graphics Communication at Lake Havasu High School. He tries to make his classes relevant to what students might be asked to do out in the real world if they were working in the graphic design or advertising field. He recently set aside his formal lesson plan so students could work on a special, real world project complete with tight time constraints. More...
2007–08 AZ LEARNS School Achievement Profiles released
Last year's ratings were good. This year's are even better. More...
Nautilus Elementary has BATS (and Mrs. Olsen is to blame) More...
Don't forget about the Lee Barnes Stadium Renovation Project. The K-12 Foundation is helping a Lake Havasu High School student pursue her dream. More... (This link will take you to the K-12 Foundation website. The Foundation works with, but is independent of LHUSD.)
Good news!
Lake Havasu Unified School District has recently received three pieces of good news.
Item #1- The Mohave County Economic Development Division surveyed 130 county businesses asking them to rate their level of satisfaction with various county organizations and services. The resulting report comes with the disclaimer that it summarizes the perceptions of survey respondents and is not intended to measure performance. According to the report, the K-12 schools of Lake Havasu City received higher satisfaction scores than those of Kingman and Bullhead. Read entire report
Item #2- As part of its AZ LEARNS school evaluation program, the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) released to district administrators a new ranking of state school districts. Districts were scored on assessment results, measures of academic progress (student improvement over time), graduation rates/attendance, and a parent satisfaction survey. The ADE then ranked 212 districts based on their overall score. The highest score was 86 and the lowest 26. You can look at the results a couple of different ways. Lake Havasu Unified is eighteenth on the list. However, many of the districts have the same score. For instance, five districts had a total score of 81, and they are listed second through sixth on the list. Eighty-one was the second highest score of all districts evaluated, so you could say those six are all tied for second place. With a score of 70, Lake Havasu Unified tied with two elementary districts for ninth place. Whether you look at us as being eighteenth or ninth, on a list of 212 we did very well. Superintendent Malay said, “These results are what happens when people work together as a team.”
Item #3- LHUSD students continue to beat county and state averages on the AIMS test. The headline in the 8/6 edition of the local newspaper read, “Havasu kids beat curve on AIMS test.” More...
Jamaica Elementary awarded A+ rating
Jamaica Elementary School has been recognized as an A+ school by the Arizona Educational Foundation. AEF is a private, non-profit corporation whose board is comprised of business, community and education leaders whose mission is to foster excellence in education. AEF's A+ School Recognition Program has three goals:
To identify and give public recognition to outstanding public schools in Arizona.
To make available a comprehensive framework of key criteria for school effectiveness that can serve as a basis for participatory self-assessment and planning in schools.
To facilitate communication and sharing of best practices within and among schools based on a common criteria related to success.
Jamaica Elementary is one of 19 state schools selected for the A+ rating in 2008. (Lake Havasu High School was recognized as an A+ school in 1996.) Congratulations to Jamaica staff and students.
If you have any school security or emergency response planning related questions, you may read our tips, contact your child's school, or contact our emergency planning coordinator, Aggie Wolter (928-505-6938).
District successful at getting money into classrooms
Once again, a new report from the Arizona Auditor General's office says LHUSD#1 is successful at getting money into classrooms. The fiscal year 2007 report ranks us 28th out of the state's 229 school districts for the percentage of funds spent in the classroom. Having a higher percentage of classroom dollars is usually looked on as a sign of a financially responsible district. Our governing board and staff always try to make the best use of your tax dollars, and we are proud the Auditor General's report places us in the top 13% of Arizona school districts for dollars spent in the classroom.
More
stories about our schools, staff, and students in our archive.
Another great year for the tax credit program
JTED developments (updated 12/29)
To identify and give public recognition to outstanding public schools in Arizona. 
