The Coconino County Education Service Agency and I, as Coconino County Superintendent of Schools, are excited to welcome family, community and students back to school for the 2019-2020 school year.
The Coconino County Education Service Agency (CCESA) consistently provides educators with high quality professional development opportunities to support exceptional instructional practices in literacy, mathematics and science. Current professional development opportunities can be found in our course catalog at coconino.az.gov/1833/Professional-Development-Offerings.
These include Building Bridges, Youth Mental Health clinic and the year-round Student Agency Learning classes.
Building Bridges is a professional development project between preschool teachers and kindergarten teachers to increase development in early literacy. Participants learn foundational components of early literacy, print development and developmental stages that build written and oral language skills, develop approaches that enhance writing growth and strategies and gain confidence and competence in identifying student’s development toward literacy.
The Youth Mental Health, with the CCESA, is hosting a Youth Mental Health First Aid training for school personnel in Flagstaff and Leupp. It is an eight-hour, single-day course that introduces participants to the unique risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems in adolescents, builds understanding of the importance of early intervention and teaches how to help an adolescent in crisis.
Student Agency in Learning classes are also available year-round in all areas of the county. Classes are geared toward developing skills in using formative assessments to clarify student learning, developing a classroom culture to support student agency, eliciting evidence and interpreting evidence of learning, and using evidence of learning during instruction. These classes are available online, face-to-face and in study groups.
Special education services are provided to all public schools, charter schools and private schools in Coconino County. We contract occupational therapists, speech therapists, psychologists, special education teachers, special education directors, nurses, special education consultants, mental health counselors, homebound education and crisis plan developers.
The Coconino County Accommodation School District is also gearing up for another school year. Ponderosa High School in Flagstaff and Tse’Yaato’ High School in Page provide students with an opportunity to complete their high school education in a non-traditional setting to become productive and successful citizens of their communities. For more information, contact ccasdaz.org or call 928-526-5570.
As we look forward to 2020, we encourage community members, parents, educators and students to start thinking of the hardworking, exceptional teachers for Teacher of the Year and Rookie Teacher of the Year. This is an opportunity for people to thank the educators in your community.
As school starts, remember childhood immunizations protect children from 16 serious diseases and are an important step toward ensuring long-term health. Arizona school immunization law requires children to receive needed immunizations before entry to school. Immunization appointments are available from 8-11 a.m. and noon-5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the CCPHSD Clinic, 2625 N. King Street in Flagstaff and during back-to-school events this summer. Call 928-679-7222 to learn more or to make an appointment.
Welcome back! FBN
By Risha VanderWey, Ph.D.
Risha Vanderwey, Ph.D., is the Coconino County superintendent of schools.