Read our Cheatham News for November. Archived issues can be found under the “About Us” tab.
Cheatham Revives Campus Gardens with Help from Community Partners
On October 16 Cheatham students spent some time outdoors revitalizing their campus gardens with some new plants and seeds. It was a project that involved numerous community organizations to get off the ground with a long-term vision of creating a community-based school.
“Cheatham is working on establishing a school that works collaboratively with the community to provide a safe space to learn and grow,” Principal Kristi Pashley said. “A perfect place to start is in the existing garden area. It is a beautiful spot that with a little love can open the door to an array of learning experiences and community partners.”
The school partnered with GreenDesert.org, an organization that teaches self sufficient lifestyles, to get the project started. GreenDesert.org founder Quita Jackson reached out to the Arizona Worm Farm which donated six 5×5 garden beds. Arcadia Color Garden Nursery donated the plants and seeds, “We love to see them get their hands in the soil, see the sprouts come up, watch the plants develop and make the connection of growing plants that show up on the dinner table,” Arcadia’s operations manager Bill Jones said.
“This is real life science… School gardens lead to home gardens which leads to more people making our environment a priority,” said Jackson. “Gardening brings so many rewards and life lessons. If I had it my way, there would be gardens in every school and community. It’s just a start.”
“A strong garden will eventually play a significant role in supporting the physical and emotional well-being of our Cheatham family and beyond,” Pashley said. “The garden may begin at Cheatham, but our hope is to see its effects throughout the Laveen community.”
October 2020 School Newsletter
Read the October issue of the Cheatham News. Previous issues can be found under the “About Us” tab.
Laveen Shares Local Health Benchmark Data, Reopening Updates
As we look forward to safely reopening our schools for in-person, on-site instruction, Laveen is following guidance provided by the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) and the Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH). Both agencies recommend that school districts meet three benchmarks for two consecutive weeks before offering the option of on-site instruction.
On September 3, MCDPH released data that shows Laveen trending towards meeting the public health benchmarks. We will monitor the data for another few weeks to ensure the trend continues.
We are hopeful that we can safely begin the on-site instruction option after Fall Break (October 12).
Read More: www.LaveenSchools.org/Return-to-Laveen
September 2020 School Newsletter
View our school newsletter for September 2020.
Immunizations Required for 11-Year-Olds
The Arizona Department of Health Services requires that all 11-year-old children obtain two adolescent vaccines, Tdap and Meningococcal (MCV4), or provide a valid exemption. These new immunizations are important as they will provide protection against serious illness.
Tdap is a combination vaccine that provides protection against three bacterial diseases — Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (Whooping Cough). Meningococcal prevents against four types of bacterial meningitis.
Parents should review their child’s immunization records. If these vaccinations have not been received, the child should obtain the vaccination at either their doctor’s office or an immunization clinic. Proof of immunizations will need to be received before the student can begin school.
Children who are not yet 11 will be required to get the new immunizations once they turn 11.
Learn More about Laveen’s Online Learning Plan
Classes start on August 3 for all students through online/distance learning. Laveen has created a number of resources for parents to better understand how this will work.
Be sure to watch our Distance Learning Overview video and check out our formal Distance Learning Plan.
Learn more about our Back to School plans for August 3 at laveenschools.staging2.juiceboxint.com/back-to-school
Cheatham to Distribute Chromebooks and Materials July 30 and 31
Cheatham School will be distributing Chromebooks and instructional materials on July 30 and 31 during the following times.
| Date | Time |
| Thursday, July 30 | 8:00 AM-10:00 AM |
| Thursday, July 30 | 1:00 PM-4:00 PM |
| Thursday, July 30 | 5:00 PM-7:00 PM |
| Friday, July 31 | 8:00 AM-11:00 AM |
For more details on Laveen’s Back to School plans, visit www.LaveenSchools.org/Back-To-School.
Laveen Shares Information for the Start of School
The 2020-21 school year begins Monday, August 3 with all Laveen classes being provided through online/distance learning. View our Back to School Page for more details.
Return to Laveen: Information Related to the Return to On-Site Learning and COVID-19 Updates
On June 23, Laveen’s Governing Board approved the recommendations provided by the district’s Reopening of Schools Task Force for the 2020-21 school year. These recommendations were based on results from the recent parent and teacher surveys. The following schooling options were approved, giving parents a choice on the program that best suits their child.
- Full-Year Online Learning (Laveen Online Academy)
- Flexible Distance Learning (Distance Learning with Transition to On-Site)
- Daily On-Site Learning (Full-Day, Every-Day at School)
- Estrella Foothills Global Academy (Grades K-6, capped class sizes)
Please visit the Return to Laveen webpage for details of these four plans as well as public health updates.