LAUNCH Flagstaff News – Page 3

Teaching in Arizona

October 18, 2018October 19, 2018
by Paul Kulpinski

Film Focuses on Teaching Profession

FLAGSTAFF October 28, 2018

A standing room only crowd packed the McGee Auditorium last night for the Northern Arizona premier screening of the documentary film Teaching in Arizona. The film follows three Tucson educators in an intimate portrait of what it’s really like to be a teacher in Arizona today, torn between their love for the children they teach and the realities of living on some of the lowest teacher salaries in the nation.

The film was produced by Tucson Values Teachers (TVT) and directed by Lisa Molomot, a documentary filmmaker and professor at the University of Arizona. Read more “Teaching in Arizona” →

Early Learning CAN

Literacy Acceleration Data

October 15, 2018October 30, 2018
by Paul Kulpinski

Data Team Reviews Literacy Data

PHOENIX October 15, 2018

The first phase of the LAUNCH Flagstaff Literacy Acceleration Project began today with a Data Analysis Institute hosted by Read On Arizona in Phoenix. The Flagstaff project is looking at a cohort of schools participating in the multi-LEA implementation of the Kindergarten Developmental Inventory (KDI). Those schools include: Killip, Kinsey, Marshall, Mountain, PEAK and Sechrist Elementary schools. The team looked at a variety of data ranging from population demographics to reading proficiency. The team discovered several patterns of interest related to 3rd grade reading scores: Read more “Literacy Acceleration Data” →

LAUNCH Flagstaff News

Funding for LAUNCH renewed

September 24, 2018September 26, 2018
by Paul Kulpinski

Funding for LAUNCH Renewed

FLAGSTAFF September 24, 2018

The Arizona Community Foundation of Flagstaff (ACFF) at their 21st Annual Grants Presentation today renewed their funding for organizational infrastructure and staffing of LAUNCH Flagstaff. This is the third year of investment by ACFF into the collective impact work of the LAUNCH partnership.

Earlier this year, the Wharton Foundation announced an expansion of their investment in LAUNCH Flagstaff. Together with the ACFF investment, this funding supports the staffing of a Partnership Director through October 2019. The balance of funding for LAUNCH Flagstaff’s operations comes through the backbone support of the United Way of Northern Arizona. Read more “Funding for LAUNCH renewed” →

LAUNCH Flagstaff News

Results that matter

September 21, 2018September 26, 2018
by Paul Kulpinski

Getting Results that Matter for Kids

PHOENIX September 21, 2018

A team of LAUNCH Flagstaff partners participated in a two-day training on the topic of results based facilitation, convened by the Valley of the Sun United Way in Phoenix. The outcome for this training was to help participants better facilitate partnership meetings that move from just talk into collaborative action.

The foundation of the collective impact work of LAUNCH Flagstaff is to serve as the neutral facilitator of conversation in meetings that produce actionable outcomes. In the practice of results based facilitation, this neutrality is key. Read more “Results that matter” →

Early Learning CAN

Read On Acceleration Zone

September 6, 2018September 7, 2018
by Paul Kulpinski

LAUNCH Flagstaff Selected for Read On Arizona Acceleration Zone Project

FLAGSTAFF September 6, 2018

Read On Arizona, thanks to partial funding and support provided by the Arizona Community Foundation and the Arizona Department of Education Early Childhood Unit, recently launched the Acceleration Zone Project focused on exploring how targeted communities throughout state can accelerate progress towards the goal of eliminating the literacy gap for economically disadvantaged students in Arizona.

“We are pleased to announce that Flagstaff has been chosen as one of six communities in Arizona to participate in the Acceleration Zone Project,” said Arizona Literacy Director for Read On Arizona, Terri Clark Read more “Read On Acceleration Zone” →

LAUNCH Flagstaff News

Financial Literacy Team Formed

August 14, 2018August 15, 2018
by Paul Kulpinski

Financial Literacy Team Formed

FLAGSTAFF (AUGUST 14, 2018)

One of the greatest obstacles that hinder the transition from high school to post secondary training and education is a lack of financial literacy amongst students and their parents. There is a lack of quality financial literacy programs and awareness of the few programs that do exist is scant.

This was one of the conclusions realized by members of the LAUNCH Flagstaff Post Secondary CAN in their effort to increase the number of high school students completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) during last school year. Read more “Financial Literacy Team Formed” →

Early Learning CAN

KDI Implementation Update

August 8, 2018September 3, 2018
by Paul Kulpinski

KDI Team Making Progress

FLAGSTAFF (August 8, 2018)

The multi-LEA (local education agency) that formed to pilot implementation of the Kindergarten Developmental Inventory (KDI) has made steady progress since being granted approval from the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) to begin their work.

The team of local early childhood educators and administrators received training through out the spring of 2018 in use of the KDI from Teaching Strategies, the company contracted by the ADE for implementing the KDI. Read more “KDI Implementation Update” →

LAUNCH Flagstaff News

Community Grad Night Shines

June 10, 2018September 3, 2018
by Paul Kulpinski

Community Grad Night Shines

Submitted by Renee Henry, Flagstaff Community Grad Night volunteer organizer

On Friday, June 1, 2018, the Flagstaff community joined together in an amazing show of support at the 26^thannual Flagstaff Community Grad Night. Local businesses, community members, volunteers, parents, and teachers hosted an exciting and engaging celebration for the high school graduates in Flagstaff. Over 500 students from all of the local high schools and homeschools enjoyed casino games, henna tattoos, inflatables, live entertainment, dodge ball, music, food, prizes, and more. The grand prizes included a custom longboard, $500 cash, a Rocky Mountain Fusion mountain bike, a Dell Inspiron laptop computer, and a 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid!! Throughout the evening, almost $20,000 dollars in prizes were given away to the graduates!! Read more “Community Grad Night Shines” →

LAUNCH Flagstaff News

Arizona Science Standards Revisions Raise Concerns

May 25, 2018April 25, 2019
by Paul Kulpinski

Arizona Science Standards Revisions Raises Concerns

FLAGSTAFF (May 25, 2018)

In September 2016 the Arizona Department of Education began a review of the Arizona Science Standards for K-12 education. The education standards along with proposed revisions were made public in late March 2018 and have generated a strong reaction by many educational subject-matter experts.

Three changes in particular are primary sources of the greatest concern:

The “scientific method” is replaced with “science and engineering practices”
The theory of evolution gets a new definition and is framed in a context of “belief”
“The Big Bang” is removed entirely from the Earth and Space Sciences section

LAUNCH Flagstaff News

World-Class Education Funding for Flagstaff and Arizona

April 25, 2018August 13, 2018
by Paul Kulpinski

Our Statement for World-Class Education Funding in Flagstaff and Arizona

FLAGSTAFF (April 25, 2018)

The mission of LAUNCH Flagstaff is to advance world-class education for every child in Flagstaff from cradle through their career. We accept our shared responsibility in reaching this goal.

The following partners of LAUNCH Flagstaff support our children by reinvesting in our teachers and schools. Through seeking a permanent educational funding solution, we can ensure our education system is capable of achieving world-class status. We desire that all community sectors engage in this conversation and find the common ground that will produce the educational results we all want. Read more “World-Class Education Funding for Flagstaff and Arizona” →

Category: <span>LAUNCH Flagstaff News</span>

Film Focuses on Teaching Profession

Data Team Reviews Literacy Data

Funding for LAUNCH Renewed

Getting Results that Matter for Kids

LAUNCH Flagstaff Selected for Read On Arizona Acceleration Zone Project

Financial Literacy Team Formed

KDI Team Making Progress

Community Grad Night Shines

Arizona Science Standards Revisions Raises Concerns

Our Statement for World-Class Education Funding in Flagstaff and Arizona