Lowell School – The School of Choice!

Parents have many choices when it comes to schools; however, the best choice is Lowell. Lowell has a rich tradition of educating students from all over the greater Phoenix area, and we are proud to be continuing this tradition today with a strong focus on science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. The STEAM program is being redeveloped to ensure our students can be successful in all of their educational endeavors.

This past year Lowell has participated in:

• The Future City project where a group of students developed a city of the future that ran on renewable energy, and they presented their project. This helped students enhance their language arts skills, better understand the science behind green technology, and use their creative skills to build a model of their city.
• The MESA regional and state competitions helped students learn about engineering and technology. Students competed at Arizona State University and the University of Arizona against other state elementary schools in competitions that included the development of a prosthetic arm, air-powered rocket, a solar car, roller coaster, and an on-site challenge of building a catapult. The students learned how to use various scientific theories and teamwork to accomplish their projects.
• The 7th Grade students participated in a language arts project with the Arizona Latino Arts and Cultural Center (ALAC). The students learned about the Lowell Community, and they wrote vignettes about their own experiences in the community. They wrote about their name, their house, their mom or dad, what they want in the future, and a topic of their choice. Working with the ALAC staff, they wrote and refined one vignette, which they presented at ALAC. It was a very meaningful activity that helped students think about themselves and where they want to go in life.
• Lowell re-launched their commitment to STEAM with the first annual parent-student rocket launch. After receiving the all clear from Sky Harbor Airport, the rockets build by parents and their children reached new heights. It was a huge success as the entire community participated in learning more about rocketry.

In the coming year, Lowell will continue to build on its commitment to educating all students.

• Lowell supports all-day kindergarten free to the community. We know the importance of early childhood literacy, and full-day kindergarten has a strong focus on English and Math literacy through science and social skill development. The district office has approved an additional staff member to help us grow Lowell as the Science, Math and Technology Signature School. Mr. Barnes will teach an engineering elective to sixth, seventh and eighth-grade students to continue their understanding of the sciences. He will also be instrumental in building relationships with the community to foster the love of science.
• Next year all third-grade students are required to read at grade level in order to be promoted to the 4th grade. This requirement is being called Move On When Reading, which is based on Arizona State Statute. Lowell will continue to support reading with two interventionists to ensure all students are reading at grade level. Ms. A. Lupercio will be working with parents each Wednesday from 8:40 to 9:40 to give parents information on how to help their children at home.
• The Common Core State Standards adopted by the Arizona Department of Education in 2010 will soon be assessed just like AIMS. We will have one more year of AIMS, and in the Spring of 2015, students will take the PARCC Assessment. This assessment is going to test the students’ depth of knowledge. In order to facilitate this, the grade levels will be working to become experts at one or two subject areas to increase their understanding of the standards and expectations. This will allow the teachers to more effectively teach your children.
• The PEER program, which provides free after-school care, will be of interest to working families. Space is limited, so do not hesitate! Come to meet the Lowell PEER staff this summer, and register your child for this educational and entertaining experience. PEER hours are 6:30 am to 6:00 pm Monday through Friday.
• The Urban League and Phoenix Elementary School District jointly run a Head Start and preschool program for students to help with early childhood development. Research shows that the sooner children start learning about reading and math, the more successful they will be throughout their educational careers.
• The district office has approved an additional staff member to help us grow Lowell as the Science, Math and Technology Signature School. Mr. Barnes will teach an engineering elective to sixth, seventh and eighth-grade students to continue their understanding of the sciences. He will also be instrumental in building relationships with the community to foster the love of science.
• Lowell believes in educating all students in order to succeed to the next level of their education, and with a strong community, the students of Lowell will be our future leaders. If you are not already a member of the Lowell community, we encourage you to stop by and visit our strong community of learning.

If your students already attend Lowell, we encourage you to continue to be involved in your child’s education, and help us develop our programs to further add to our list of accomplishments making it a clear choice for all families when looking for the highest level of education for their children.

Sincerely,

Tyson J. Kelly
Principal