Unorganized area residents to meet CCUSD staff

CAVE CREEK – Residents from the unorganized territory south of the Cave Creek Unified School District can meet district teachers and administrators as well as tour facilities during an open house Oct. 5.

Residents from the unincorporated area south of town will vote in November on whether to join CCUSD or start a district of their own. The event takes place at 7 p.m. in the Sonoran Trails Middle School Media Center, 5555 E. Pinnacle Vista.

For information, contact Linda Schaner, the executive assistant to the superintendent and governing board, at (480) 575‑2016.

CCUSD to host community celebration

CAVE CREEK – Desert Foothills YMCA & Community Center will present a Community Kickoff Celebration called “Building Community Connections” Nov. 13 at the Cave Creek Unified School District Fine Arts Center.

Food, activities, entertainment and information will be provided at the event, which runs from 6‑8 p.m. at the FAC, 33606 N. 60th St. Presentations will be given by the Foothills Community Foundation, Valley of the Sun YMCA, and Paradise Valley Community College.

Childcare is available. Call (480) 595‑6468, or e‑mail to dfycc@vosymca.org.

Astronomy club forms

DESERT FOOTHILLS – Educating the public about light pollution and participating as a resource for sky watchers is the focus of the new Desert Foothills Astronomy Club, according to club president Dan Heim.

The community is invited to the group’s first official meeting in the Career Center at Anthem’s Boulder Creek High School from 7 to 9 p.m. on Sept. 27. Heim will give a multimedia presentation on the topic of light pollution and what can be done to protect the dark night sky as a precious resource.

Heim writes the weekly “Sky Lights” astronomy column in The Desert Advocate.

For more information, visit www.dfacaz.org.

PTSO rounds up family night

TRAMONTO – A Family Round Up Ice Cream Social offers an evening of activities Sept. 28 at Sunset Ridge Elementary School.

The Parent Teacher Student Organization has organized a bicycle rodeo and book fair in conjunction with the ice cream social, from 6‑8 p.m. Attendees can build their own sundaes for $3.

The Reading Rainforest Scholastic Book Fair, which runs from 8:45 a.m.‑4 p.m. Sept. 25‑29 at the school’s media center, will also be open from 6‑8 p.m. on Sept. 28.

Local firefighters and McGruff the Crime Dog will provide safety information and child safety seat checks. For information, call the school at (623) 445‑7800.

CCUSD awarded transportation grant

CAVE CREEK – Cave Creek Unified School District last week received a $91,140 grant from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality to retrofit 11 buses with low emission equipment to reduce harmful diesel emissions. District director of transportation Cathy Erwin said CCUSD was one of 11 school districts in Arizona honored with a grant.

Diamond Canyon shows colors

ANTHEM – Diamond Canyon Elementary School’s fifth‑graders honored Constitution Day last week by writing letters and collecting care package donations for U.S. troops fighting in Iraq. The school’s band performed a selection of patriotic songs on campus Sept. 15 to celebrate the day.

New River names officers

NEW RIVER – Student council officers from the New River Elementary School have been elected. The are: Noah Christianson (president), Alex Gutierrez (vice president), Samy Leggitt (secretary), and Storie Simpson (treasurer). The council meets twice a month to plan school spirit activities and participate in community service projects.

North Valley Arts Council holds scholarship competition

The Arts Council of the North Valley (ACNV) announces its second annual competition for Creative Arts Awards and Scholarships for students who have shown a desire to further their study and expertise in the creative arts. College‑bound seniors at Barry Goldwater, Boulder Creek, Cactus Shadows, Mountain Ridge, Sandra Day O’Connor and Sunrise Mountain high schools are eligible for awards of $1,000, $500, and increments thereof. Home‑schooled students and those who live in the North Valley communities specified in the application are also eligible.

Applications can be obtained at www.acnv.org, by e‑mailing info@acnv.org, or from participating high school fine arts teachers. Applications are due Nov. 13.

Winners will be announced at the 3rd Annual Anthem Festival of Fine Art and the ACNV Black Tie Gala on Jan. 13, 2007. Details about the Festival and Gala can be viewed at www.anthemfineart.com. For council information, visit www.acnv.org or e‑mail info@acnv.org.