February 2012

Ofelia Piña, sophomore from West Phoenix High School, was recently named as one of two Arizona winners of the 2012 United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) which will be taking place from March 3 – 10 in Washington, D.C.

Ofelia Piña is her school’s student body president; she is also a student athlete and captain of the cheerleading team. In ad-dition to her leadership at school, she has sought to further her understanding of the criminal justice system by studying con-stitutional law and participating in police ride-a-longs. Her ultimate goal is to become a federal prosecutor and politician.

This is the second consecutive year that a West Phoenix High School student has earned USSYP honors. Last year, West Phoenix High School senior José Garcia was chosen as one of Arizona’s two winners.

The USSYP, established in 1962 by U.S. Senate Resolution, is a unique educational experience for outstanding high school students interested in pursuing careers in public service.

“Back-to-Back” Senate Youth Scholarships at West Phoenix

Ofelia will be joining two student leaders from each state, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Education Activity, to spend a week in Washington experiencing our national government in action. Student delegates will hear major policy addresses by senators, cabinet members, officials from the Departments of State and Defense and directors of other federal agencies, as well as participate in a meeting with a justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Alta Vista High School Recognized as a 2011 NCEA Higher Performing School

The National Center for Educational Achievement (NCEA), a department of ACT, Inc., recognized Alta Vista as a 2011 NCEA Higher Performing School. Alta Vista High School received Higher Performing (HP) recognition in reading as measured by growth.

The Higher Performing Schools, formerly known as Just for the Kids Schools, are identified by two measures: consistent improvement in student achievement from previous years (growth) and/or absolute student achievement using the school’s exceeds performance results on the spring 2010 Arizona AIMS.

Dr. William Coats, Chief Executive Officer for The Leona Group

Matthew AmackerElaine BohnPam BollierDavid BugalloVernida CaseyNina CastilloDanielle ClarkEva ColemanCynthia ColesBarbara ContrerasJohn CooperMichelle CranfordDarla EddyTeresa EnriquezAnna FragosoMolly FraileAngelica GarciaJaqueline GarciaLaura GerkenSylvia GradillasFrancine GreshamCathy HirschAntonio HitchcockJan HowellShannon KaneMarlene Kaye

Students from Liberty Arts Academy in Mesa, AZ, raised money and planted the school’s flower garden as their Service Learning Project. They will continue to maintain the garden as well.

Congratulations to Don Ash, Midwest finance director Don recently received the Auditor of State Award. He and his finance team were commended for their excellent record keeping, timely reporting and fully clean audit report based on a recent financial audit of South Scioto Academy in Columbus, OH.

Terri KnickJessica KutschAmy KwiecienElizabeth LakeMaria Landin MagallanesFrances LowePamela MainsIndira MartinezStephanie MendezCesar MonroyFredrick OvertonTheresa PerrySuzanne RoccaMelissa RossElia SalinasJameelah SavageSvetlana ShakhovaDebra SmithLakesha SpearsFred StoffletEddie WheelerJoanie WilliamsDennis WilsonPaula WilsonAnita Winn

Celebrating 10 years with Leona Group this school year are:

“ The future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious.” ~ John Scully

School board members are dedicated community volunteers who come from many different backgrounds and bring a wide array of strengths and talents to the school’s govern-ing body. It is the school’s board that drives its vision and mission. It is with much gratitude for the time, talent and vision each charter school board member brings to the school he or she serves, that we recognize Board Appreciation Month.

Of special note we would like to recognize the following board members who celebrate 10 years of service this fiscal year:

Dr. Frances Brockington, Joy Preparatory Academy

Cassandra Hester, Pierre Toussaint Academy

A Community of LearnersEach day Leona educators focus on individual achievement, providing students with the tools needed to succeed. This critical component helps students to experience academic improvement toward a greater goal. The bigger picture is the community of lifelong learners that results – more than memorizing facts and performing on state assessments, education today is about creating learners who are prepared for a world of opportunity and change. Being just a few short months from graduation season, we are reminded of the small individual successes that culminate in the Class of 2012 as they prepare to go out and make their mark in the world.

Excellence is more than a nameIn 2008, the Community Charter School of Excellence (CCSE) opened its doors to 90 students in grades K-5. The fledgling school has not looked back since, growing and out-performing its traditional public school counterparts.

The Tampa charter school is a great example of what can happen when parents demand choice, opportunity and quality for their children.

“Parents were looking for a school that would provide the structure, discipline and consistency that their children needed,” shared Chuck Malatesta, school leader. “They found that at CCSE.”

Satisfied parents requested expansion and the school obtained a charter for a middle school, which now serves grades 6-8. By its second year of operation, CCSE had more than doubled its enrollment and now serves 355 children. CCSE will offer grade 9 next year, becoming one of only a few K-12 school options in the state.

“Parents appreciate the convenience of being able to have all of their children attend one school,” said Malatesta.

The elementary and middle schools are currently housed in one building and the high school will open in a second building on the same property.

Malatesta says the school’s recipe for success is his staff. Every staff member goes above and beyond as part of his/her commitment to the children. Ninety- two percent of CCSE students receive free or reduced-price lunch.

Five years from now, what can we expect from CCSE?

Malatesta would like to add a pre-K program and be fully operational in grades K-12, “educating as many students as possible the very best way we know how.”

“ The kids we teach are the ones that need us most. One word or sentence you say to any child can impact their lives forever. If you can teach here, you can teach any- where. That’s how you know you’re a good teacher.”

~ Chuck Malatesta, school leader

John Drag Jr., school leader at Bro-ward Community Charter Schools and Discovery Middle in Coral Gables, FL, joined 50 school principals and super-intendents from across the nation who journeyed to the Dominican Republic in December as part of the Lifetouch Mission Project.

“ When they called and asked if I wanted to help, I immediately knew this is something I wanted to do,” said Drag Jr., whose party helped to construct a two-story, 16 classroom school in Costanza, Dominican Republic.

Drag Jr. made his mark, bringing with him as many art supplies as he could carry to donate to the new school and art work from his own students. This was not the first time that his education and volunteer efforts have taken him away from home. He has taken teachers to Costa Rica to study the rainforest, trained teachers in the Bahamas and spent one year running a housing camp near Baghdad with the U.S. Army as a member of the military reserves.

Students, parents and staff at Traverse City College Preparatory Academy, MI, participated in a recent Habitat for Hu-manity build in Kalkaska. The build was in preparation for a larger mission – to enhance the students’ leadership skills.

A GREENER ABT Following a November pep rally, students at the Academy for Business & Technology in Dearborn, MI, were excited about making a difference and leading greener lives. Students learned what recycling means and are eager to participate in the schools green initiative. Every month the school receives an ecological report which shows how many pounds of material was recycled, how much landfill was saved, how many trees saved and other very interesting facts.

Contact us!The Leona Family Times is a quarterly newsletter published throughout the school year for Leona Group employees. If you have comments, suggestions or story ideas, send them to:

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On the front panelH Havasu Preparatory Academy is proud of grade 6 student Faith Mendoza who competed in the Mohave County Spelling Bee and won! Mendoza will go on to compete at the Arizona State Spelling Bee. H Congratulations to Dezirae Black, grade 9 student at Eagle Academy, who placed first in the Voice of Democracy writing contest held by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. H Israel Romero, who transferred to Alta Vista High School from Madrid, Spain, as a freshman, won a Gold Medal in the Tour of Tucson this year. His completion time in the 111 mile race was 5 hours 42 minutes. H The Desert Hills High School Future Business Leaders of America chapter kicked off its annual ‘Bank For Babies’ Penny War fund drive in January. The effort encourages students and staff to bring in coins and change for collection, to benefit the March of Dimes organization. H Families at Gilbert Arts Academy supported kindergarten students in a pajama drive. The school collected 96 pairs of beautiful, brand new, warm pajamas in all sizes and colors to benefit children in need in the community. H Saginaw Preparatory Academy was presented with a plaque from the Saginaw County Rescue Mission for their efforts in collecting $422 in donations, which was the largest dollar amount raised by participating schools in the Saginaw area.

Anthony Bell, a paraprofessional at Northpointe Academy in Toledo, OH works with kindergarteners Casanova King and Haley Brackett.