I have a son with autism.

My goal has been for him to grow up as a happy, fulfilled person, based on who he is, not defined by a label.

It’s been an amazing road.  He’s 19 now. Living a life that he seems pretty content with.

I mean how many kids do you know who write up a 30-year life plan when they are 16.  My kid did, and at that point, I stopped worrying.  He covered the kind of work he wanted to do, where he wanted live, what his house would look like, getting married, and more.

However, living with someone who has autism can be challenging, frustrating, and freaking amazing, and sometimes, all at the same time.

Matt got himself a job at Home Depot. Something he’d been focused on and talking about for a long time. He’s been there over a year and loves its. He grown up so much, and is so much more responsible.  Sometimes I wonder how it goes for him, for his boss, co-workers, and customers though.

Yet, like any parent I’ve had to let go, and let him learn his own life lessons.

Today, I received an email from SEPACS (Special Education Parent Advisory Council of Scottsdale). The email shared the follow info about an upcoming theatre event put together by the Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center (SARRC). I bought tickets. I want my son to see it. I want some of his friends to see it.  I wish the world could see it…

Because, you see people with autism are “Just Like Everyone Else”.

Like Everyone Else

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 08:28 PM PDT

Wow!  This looks like a “can’t miss” event!

The Theatre for Social Change Class at the Arizona School for the Arts, under the direction of Phoenix Theatre, has partnered with the Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center (SARRC) to create an original theatrical production based on true stories of youth and young adults living with and/or affected by autism spectrum disorders.

This spectacular event will take place at Greasepaint Youtheatre at 7020 E. 2nd St. in Scottsdale on Sunday June 5, 2011 at 2pm.

For tickets and information:  www.brownpapertickets.com/event/154595

SARRC Theatre Project   http://www.autismcenter.org/

Scottsdale is known for a lot of things: golf, shopping, car shows, horse shows, great weather, beautiful desert location, and more….

It’s has low crime rates, high ranking schools, a ton of outdoor activities,  and access to the arts.

Sunset magazine has just named Scottsdale as the “Best City to Raise Your Kids”.  It’s definitely one of the many reasons I live here!

Related Posts and Web Sites:

• Scottsdale Schools (and Students) Win! 2010 Bond Approved
• Scottsdale Unified School District
• Scottsdale School Boundary Map
• History of Scottsdale School District

Chaparral High School Administration Building - New building was part of high school renovation program approved in prior bond election

 From SUSD.org, web site of the Scottsdale Unified School District: 

Scottsdale Voters Approve 2010 Bond Program 

Thank you for supporting education! On November 2, Scottsdale voters approved the Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) 2010 Bond Program. 

The election results as of this posting are: 

33,044 – yes
19,711 – no
_________
52,755 – Total votes cast 

The 2010 Bond Program will rebuild four middle schools and make necessary mechanical and electrical upgrades and renovations to nine elementary and middle school sites.  These renovations will save SUSD $410,000 in operating costs annually and provide our children with safe, modern learning environments. 

This is the second of three phases of construction. The first phase was high schools, and elementary schools will be the final phase. The elementary school phase will be carefully reviewed for school utilization and neighborhood impact. 

There are many reasons that Scottsdale attracts home buyers and the quality of the public schools is one of them. The district has open enrollment and attracts students from around the valley. 

For more information on Scottsdale Schools: 

• Scottsdale Unified School District
• Scottsdale School Boundary Map
• History of Scottsdale School District
• Arizona Department of Education

I know it seems a little odd to talk about Scottsdale schools starting back into session, when many kids in other parts of the country are still finishing up the school year. 

However, Arizona schools start early, and if you are planning a move here and want your kids to be there are the first day of class, it’s important to know that most schools are back in session in August.

In the Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD), schools start August 9th, 2010.

If you are thinking about a move to the city, here are several links to get you started with your Scottsdale public school research:

• Enrollment Information for New SUSD Students
• Scottsdale School District Calendar 2010-2011
• Scottsdale School Start Times
• Scottsdale School Boundary Map
• List of Scottsdale Schools and Maps
• Open Enrollment Information for Students Living Outside the SUSD District Boundaries

My son is going to be a senior in high school this year, and has attended six Scottsdale schools all over the city.  I also was very involved with the Special Education Parents Advisory Council for quite a few years.  Now, I sit on the SUSD Bond Oversight Committee, which has given me more insight into the school budgeting process, as well as additional contact with the school administration. 

If you have questions about the Scottsdale schools, let me know and I’ll help you get your answers.

Historically, Scottsdale schools have started at different times, requiring bus drivers to complete three runs, morning and afternoon, one each for elementary, middle, and high schools.  Effective next fall, that will change.  Middle and high schools will start earlier and at the same time. Elementary schools will start later and all at the same time.  District officials project that this change will save the district half a million dollars annually.

The announcement letter reads:

Governing Board Approves a 2-Bell Schedule – Update
Saves SUSD $500,000

At the April 13th Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) Governing Board meeting, the Board voted to approve a 2-Bell Schedule which will save SUSD $500,000 annually. “We assembled a task force to study the use of time. They examined research, realities and the factors of teaching and learning. Tonight we recommend to you what we believe is best for students in our school district,” said Superintendent Dr. Gary T. Catalani.

The start times for the 2010-11 school year are 7:45 a.m. for high school, 7:45 a.m. for middle school and 8:45 a.m. for elementary school. The start time for the three K-8 schools is still being determined; the time will either be 7:45 a.m. or 8:45 a.m. Desert Mountain High School and Mountainside Middle School will start at slightly different times to accommodate the shared parking lot at the schools. The exact times will be announced shortly.The only school not affected by the 2-Bell Schedule is Sierra Vista Academy because students attend school four days a week, and SUSD does not provide transportation for these students.

“While this recommendation is driven by the impact it will have on teaching and learning, it will also save the District $500,000. During these very hard financial times, we cannot ignore this savings,” said Superintendent Dr. Gary T. Catalani. The $500,000 savings is from the elimination of 16 buses and the costs associated to operate and maintain these buses. In addition, there will be more bus routes. Middle school and high school students will ride separate buses.

A 2-Bell Schedule will help streamline and increase the ability for collaboration District-wide among all staffing levels. With all elementary and all secondary schools on similar schedules, there is an increased ability for staff members from various locations to work together to improve all aspects of education in SUSD. The 2-Bell Schedule change will also help reduce attendance concerns for high school students who are involved in school-based activities, including athletics and performing and fine arts.

The 2-Bell Schedule change will take effect on August 9.  In addition, SUSD’s Community Schools department will continue to offer before and after school programs at its current sites and will incorporate morning and afterschool program at the remaining elementary sites and all middle schools. The before school programs will run from 6:30-8:45 a.m., and the afterschool programs will run until 6 p.m. The fee for the before school program will be $60 a month. The after school fee will vary by number of days and dismissal time. Nobody will be turned away for financial reasons. For more information about before and after school programs, please contact Karen Hearn, director of Community Schools, at 480-484-8614.

photo credit: woodleywonderworks

From the Scottsdale Unified School District Community Connection newsletter, dated August 28, 2009:

The K-3 Override is a continuation of an existing override approved initially by voters in 2005. The K-3 Override reduces Kindergarten class size to a District-wide target of 21 students to 1 teacher. These funds also allow us to reduce class sizes in grades 1-3 below current staffing ratios. Additional funds are used for instructional assistants in Kindergarten and first grade as needed. The override raises about $3.4 million per year.

To view a complete Fact Sheet about the K-3 Override, please visit www.susd.org.

Since this is a continuation of a previously passed override, taxes will not be increased.

As a result of my involvement sitting on the citizen’s committee that provided input for the school district’s technology initiatives, I now sit on the Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) Bond Oversight Committee.  We meet at least quarterly review the school district’s schedules, plans and spending.  Over the summer, the district and governing board committed to expediting the classroom technology plan, which is outlined in the following communication:

Technology Classroom Upgrades

Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) is excited to announce that construction is starting for our classroom technology updates!

The updates to a typical classroom include a ceiling-mounted projector, a document camera, a wireless audio system and an interactive white board.
Construction begins at Supai Middle School on July 20th and then continues at each school until it is complete. We plan to have construction and implementation complete at 10 schools by the time school starts on August 10th. The amount of time each site will take to complete varies depending on construction requirements and what technology they currently have in place.

Another exciting thing about this process is that you can now follow us on Twitter, where we will be providing ongoing updates. To sign up, visit http://twitter.com/ScottsdaleUSD.

There are also two other ways to stay abreast of our progress on technology implementation. We will have updates in our regular newsletter, Community Connection, as well as a dedicated page on our District Web site that will contain lots of additional information. To sign up for the newsletter, visit http://www.susd.org/district/communications/emss.cfm.

We anticipate that the implementation will be done so that all classrooms meet the standards established by the District’s Technology Plan by the end of the fall semester.

Sincerely,

Tom Clark
Executive Director for Technology and Information Systems

Good news that Scottsdale citizens, parents, and school staff are all committed to making sure our kids (and future leaders) are getting access to and staying up with the technology that will be so much a part of their future!