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Congratulations to several world language students from Phoenix Collegiate Academy who attained national recognition for excellent performance on the 2013 National Spanish Examinations.

Students from Phoenix Collegiate Academy earned a total of two gold medals (Catherine Parker and Marco Quezada), five silver medals (Atsiry Parra, Angelica Rodriguez, Ricardo Cordova, Jennifer Carrasco and Jennifer Ramirez), and one bronze medal (Crystal Hernandez). There were also twelve honorable mentions given (Alysia Castro, Amber Stewart, Manny Merino, Karen Arias, Alejandro Barrientos, Kelly Crute, Luis Hernandez, Sailyn Parra, Jose Diaz, Josh Nido, Yulissa Castro and Efren Vargas).

“Attaining a medal or honorable mention for any student on the National Spanish Exams is very prestigious,” said Kevin Cessna-Buscemi, National Director of the Exams, “because the exams are the largest of their kind in the United States with over 156,000 students participating in 2013″.

Students put forth a very successful showing in their first year participating in the examinations and were taught by their Spanish teacher Tiffany Sandoval.

The National Spanish Examinations are administered each year in grades 6 through 12, and are sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese.

It has been a while since our last newsletter and we have been hard at work. Check out our latest edition to learn about some exciting developments on PCA’s horizon!

http://www.phxca.org/Newsletters/PCA%20Summer%202013%20Newsletter.pdf

The Building Excellent Schools Network has awarded Phoenix Collegiate Academy the Inflexion Fund, a grant program created to assist high quality charter schools develop into high quality charter management organizations (CMO), while not compromising academic performance. PCA was selected as a recipient for this substantial award based on our ability to demonstrate strong academic results, sound organizational practices, and to close the achievement gap in our community.

With grants awarded by the inflexion fund, PCA will be able to take our proven model of excellence and expand it to other communities so we can change the lives of ever greater numbers of children. Onward PCA!

The full press release can be found at the link below.

http://www.phxca.org/press_releases/InflexionFund_02282013.pdf

PCA has been nominated as a deserving example of excellence in Expect More Arizona’s Excellence Tour. The Expect More Excellence Tour will be making stops at exemplary educational institutions around the state to highlight our shared vision for a world-class education for all.

PCA needs your votes! With your support, we can be spotlighted on the tour. To visit our profile on the Expect More AZ website, click here and cast your vote in support of PCA. You can cast one vote a day.

A delegation of teachers from Panama toured PCA last month as part of an exchange program designed to give teachers from the U.S. and Panama, the opportunity to learn more about each other’s respective cultures and natural environments. Many members of the Panamanian delegation had never seen a desert before and were treated to tours at ecological attractions such as the Boyce Thompson Arboretum and the Rio Salado Audubon Center.

During their tour of PCA, our Panamanian visitors dropped in on Ms. Sandoval’s Spanish class to engage in a cultural exchange with our ninth graders. Pics below:

PCA has partnered with Rosie’s House: A Music Academy for Children to offer free violin lessons at PCA. Through a generous private donation, Rosie’s House is able to offer our students loaned instruments and lessons entirely free of charge!

Rosie’s House is an after-school music academy that offers free lessons and instruments on loan to low-income students in woodwinds, brass, strings, piano, choir, and mariachi. For more information, visit www.rosieshouse.org.

Students try out their violins!

Students learn about the parts of the violin.

Rachel Yanof accepts the 2012 Charter School of the Year Award.

Rachel Yanof with Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction John Huppenthal and ACSA President Eileen Sigmund.

CBS 5 reporter Elizabeth Erwin featured Phoenix Collegiate Academy and Executive Director Rachel Yanof in this piece on charter school enrollment. Check it out!

CBS 5 – KPHO

The Arizona Public School Tax Credit is a unique program that gives Arizona taxpayers the opportunity to contribute to the extracurricular programs at the public school of their choice and receive a dollar for dollar credit on their state tax liability. In 2012, married couples filing jointly can contribute $400.  Individual filers can contribute $200.

Here’s how it works: say you have a remaining state tax liability of $1,800, if you donate a $400 tax credit in 2012, you immediately reduce that figure to $1,400.  That’s the final amount of state tax you owe. If you are due a refund from the state of $200, if you donate a $400 tax credit in 2012, you immediately increase that figure to $600.  As long as you have a state income tax liability greater than $400, that’s the final amount of your state refund check to you.

Additionally, you may claim the Public School, Private School, and Working Poor Tax Credits simultaneously. This is a terrific way to reduce your tax liability while supporting organizations that help to make Arizona a better place to live.

For more information about the public school tax credit, to download a tax credit form, or to donate online, please visit our website at www.phxca.org/Donors.

More information about tax credits can be found on Andrea Hilland’s blog at AZCentral at:

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/AskedAndAnswered/173286

Or you can consult the Arizona Department of Revenue’s publication on Arizona Tax Credits:

http://www.azdor.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=lyMlhtowOpw%3d&tabid=240

If you have any other questions, contact Rachel Bennett Yanof with any questions at ryanof@phxca.org.