AZ LEARNS ranks three schools as ‘Highly Performing’

• Desert Vista Elementary School—Highly Performing (up two rankings)
• Gold Canyon Elementary School—Highly Performing (up two rankings)
• Peralta Trail Elementary School—Highly Performing (maintained)
• Four Peaks Elementary School—Performing Plus (up one ranking)
• Superstition Mountain Elementary School—Performing Plus (maintained)
• Desert Shadows Middle School—Performing Plus (maintained)
• Thunder Mountain Middle School—Performing Plus (maintained)
• Apache Junction High School—Performing (maintained)
• Mountain Shadows Education Center—Performing (up one ranking)

AZ LEARNS is a statewide school assessment system utilized annually by the Arizona Department of Education to give communities and schools themselves an indication of how they are doing compared to other schools in Arizona.

See A-1 and see AJ Schools, A-3

New Boys & Girls Club Set To Open Wednesday
New location is in former Four Peaks School
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The News
The Boys and Girls Clubs of the East Valley, Apache Junction Branch, will be bustling with kids on Wednesday, August 12, as the facility is slated to open its new location in the former Four Peaks Elementary School.
   Starting Tuesday, August 11, parents can register their children at the new, 15,000-square-foot location at 1755 N. Idaho Road.
   “This is the center the community built,” said Judy Borey, branch executive.
 The furniture for the teen center was donated by the Chandler Public Library. Borey cited numerous volunteers— Goldfield Ghost Riders, the Apache Junction Mounted Rangers, Christa Rizzi, John Kantowski, Janice Stenglein, Shannon Flynn, Clint Frisbie, Toyota Financial, board members—who helped bring the new building to life. Carole Bailey donated a 36-inch color TV to the center.
   “It just takes so many hands to make this happen,” Borey said. “We love our kids and we want a really good, safe place for them to be. I always say, it’s better to build children than to repair adults.”
   The center will offer numerous programs ranging from drama to Jazzercise. Some of the programs that were offered outside of the former location at 1215 S. Winchester Road, will be held indoors on a giant stage that the building houses.

See A-1 and see Boys & Girls, A-3

Police Warning
Men knock on doors, rob victims
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The News
The Apache Junction and Mesa police departments are warning residents of current scams that involve strangers knocking on doors and robbing victims.

There are three scenarios: • A suspect knocks on the door of a residence and asks the victim if they would like to sell their car. The victim’s car is not for sale, so suspect asks if they can use their bathroom. Two suspects then enter the home and one waits with victim while first suspect heads to bathroom, but actually sneaks into a bedroom to look for items to steal. Second victim discovers suspect in bedroom and both suspects immediately leave the residence. They get into a black four-door passenger car which contains two more suspects.

• A suspect knocks on the door of a residence and tells the victim that they recently moved into neighborhood and needs to use their phone to call SRP. The suspect is accompanied by two more suspects whom he claims to be his sons. Suspect again asks to use bathroom, but goes into bedroom where he is discovered and all suspects leave the residence. They get into a black four-door passenger car.

• A suspect knocks on the door of a residence and tells the victim that they recently moved into neighborhood and needs to use their phone to call SRP. The suspect is accompanied by two more suspects whom he claims to be his sons. Suspect again asks to use bathroom, but goes into bedroom where he is discovered and all suspects leave the residence. They get into a black four-door passenger car.

• The victim is in garage working when three suspects approach and ask to use bathroom. The victim allows them into home and two suspects stay with him in living room while first suspect heads to bathroom. He comes back and they all leave in newermodel black Chevy Silverado with chrome rims and temporary tags. The victim goes into bedroom and discovers missing items.

See A-1 and see Robberies, A-5

Football Is Back!
By Chuck Baker
The News
With their first games of the 2009 season just eighteen days away, two local high school football teams chose to tackle the scorching temperatures in different ways.
   The Apache Junction Prospectors, who open their season hosting Prescott Valley Bradshaw Mountain on Friday, August 28, at Davis Field, opted to hold their team practices in the evenings.
   The Apache Trail Wolfpack, who open their 2009 campaign hosting (Yuma) Harvest Prep on August 28 at Prospector Park, opted for early morning team practices.
   Temperatures soaring above one hundred and ten degrees can and have taken its toll on high school football players in past years. Coaches today are far more knowledgeable and conscience about heat-related issues and potentially dangerous, even deadly consequences.
   The Prospectors, members of the 4A-I Desert Sky Region, began team practices at 7 p.m. on their practice field adjacent to Davis Field last week and then moved over to Davis Field under the lights and continued practicing until close to ten o’clock.
   The Wolfpack, members of the Arizona Charter Athletic Association “B Division,” started their team practices at 6:00 a.m. at Prospector Park and worked until around 9:00 a.m.
   Following is an early season look at both the Apache Junction Prospectors and the Apache Trail Wolfpack.

See page B-1 and see Football, B-6

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