Back to School, Back to Campus
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Hello ASA Alumni!
At last, the ASA community is together again for the first time since March 2020!
The new school year opened with 100% in-person learning and a level of normalcy we haven’t experienced in a while. The Class of 2022 ran through the Tunnel of Love, the 5th graders made new friends and experienced ASA for the first time, parents were invited to Meet the Team Night (with an in-person or virtual option) and ASA merch flew off the rack. With almost 80% of our eligible student body vaccinated, weekly testing, a mask requirement, and additional layers of mitigation in place, we are all doing whatever it takes to stay together and in-person this year. So far, these measures have resulted in a very low number of reported COVID-19 cases on campus.
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Although masks are not ideal for social interaction or comfort, students, faculty, staff, and guests are pulling together to keep campus safe. We are even looking forward to our first performances in a long time (in late October) and this season’s theatre production of The Little Prince.
Heading into Fall Break, I am filled with gratitude for a return to relative normalcy and cooler temperatures (OK, low 90s feels great) and fully enjoying the creative energy that fills ASA campus life!
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Leah Fregulia
CEO/HEAD OF SCHOOL
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25+ Years of Inspiring
Creative Thinkers and Leaders
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Arizona School for the Arts will celebrate a vision for the future by looking back and highlighting 25 of the thousands of students who have turned their tassels as ASA graduates in our first 25 years! Visit goasa.org/alumni for more alumni features and updates.
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EMILY NEBEL
ASA Alumni
Emily Nebel is a violinist who enjoys a varied career playing chamber music, performing recitals and leading orchestras. Attending ASA from Middle School to 10th grade, after which she attended a music conservatory in Cleveland and completed her academic studies online, her studies and various festivals over the years have taken her all over the world, but now her home is in London with her husband Michael, who is also a violinist.
"When I was at ASA, the academics were quite rigorous (as I’m sure they still are); as a result, when it was time for the arts classes in the afternoon, they always felt like a reward. The Arts + Smarts model has helped me to become a well-rounded person, for which I am grateful."
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ALEX NUNEZ-THOMPSON
Class of 2012
Alex Nunez-Thompson is a STEM educator, a maker, a cyclist, a researcher, a volunteer, a hobby woodworker, a gamer, a friend, and a dog-dad (in no particular order).
"Get involved in everything. Put yourself out there. And don’t worry if you don’t have everything figured out in the future. You have no idea what you will take away from ASA. But when you get there (wherever ‘there’ may be), you’ll be able to look back and see how everything connected to get you right where you need to be."
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JESSICA (HERNANDEZ) WOOLEY
Student Support Specialist
"We have so many incredible student-led clubs that focus on activism within our community and wonderful staff to support those programs. It has been really cool to see how ASA has evolved to support the needs of our students and the community at large.”
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ASA’s newest Student Support Specialist is not new to ASA; Jessica Wooley grew up at Arizona School for the Arts. Being the child of an employee, her roots are deep and Jessica had exposure to the school’s culture long before she began attending in sixth grade. Upon graduation in 2013, Jessica was awarded one of two National Hispanic Merit Scholarships and attended Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. |
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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) Strategic Plan
When the Arizona School for the Arts Board of Directors adopted the school’s Commitments to Equity last year, it also included Action Steps to remain accountable to our commitments so that we would all know that these were not just words but deeds to create a more inclusive and reflective environment for all of our stakeholders, especially our students, parents, and faculty of color.
With the knowledge that this is ongoing work and not a quick fix, ASA hired outside consultants with strong backgrounds in equity work to assess the culture, policies and curriculum at the school through desk reviews and interviews with an array of Board members, staff, faculty, students and parents. After the findings were presented to the Board, a strategic plan was developed by these same consultants to establish a multi-year plan that coveys ASA’s commitment to equity and articulates strategic goals, objectives, and action plans for implementation.
The plan is centered on three primary long-term goals:
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Culture and Climate - Advance efforts and initiatives to create and foster an inclusive and equitable culture within Arizona School of the Arts.
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Recruitment and Retention of Staff and Students - Cultivate and foster strategies that support the recruitment and retention of a diverse faculty, staff and student body at ASA and ensure the school has a reputation of being inclusive and welcoming of diverse populations.
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Academic and Arts Curriculum and Creative Programming - Engaging faculty in developing and implementing strategies that actively provide forums for mutual respect of differences.
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It would not be a new school year without a reminder that as a non-profit public charter school Arizona School for the Arts receives operational funds from the State of Arizona, but the first-class arts education that you received, and ASA still continues to provide, is not fully covered by these funds. The school makes up the shortfall through private contributions provided by the ASA community in great and small ways. READ MORE
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Hey ASA Student and Parent Alumni!
Take Part In The #WhyIGive Campaign
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As an ASA Alumni, you play a vital role in ensuring that incoming students have access to the same opportunities and experiences that were offered to you, while attending ASA. Through your Annual Fund and/or Tax Credit gift, ASA is able to provide current students new and countless opportunities for personal growth, innovative performing arts curriculum and exceptional academics that build the foundation for their years beyond ASA.
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Thank you for giving back to ASA! |
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Get Involved
Exciting Opportunities!
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We love to see our alumni come back to Arizona School for the Arts for a visit or even something longer. Right now, we have some situations that might appeal to you. Both Harmony Project Phoenix and Arizona School for the Arts have some new and fulfilling full and part-time employment opportunities on the ASA campus assisting the artistic and academic development of our young people. And speaking of our students, the enrollment portal for the 2022-2023 academic year is open.
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Harmony Project Phoenix - Site Coordinator. Arizona School for the Arts is a proud partner with Harmony Project Phoenix, a research-based multi-year mentoring program for underserved youth, ages 5–18+ that uses music as a means of positive development and social inclusion. To see the full duties and qualifications, please use this link and if interested in applying, please send your resume and cover letter ASAP to: info@harmonyprojectphx.org
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ASA is seeking to fill two new positions to support a positive learning environment for our students and provide supervision while a classroom of students works independently on IXL (math intervention/enrichment targeted specifically to individual student’s skills) and participate in silent sustained reading (SSR). This dedicated time fits within the academic class schedule allowing students to build skills within their school day. The Digital Learning Lab Instructor is a part time position requiring full days, 2-3 days per week while the Digital Learning Lab Instructor/Classroom Aide is a full time position that includes duties as a Classroom Aide and possibly some administrative support and/or substitute teaching. Please read the linked job descriptions, and apply if you are interested.
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With our full return to campus, we are so excited to announce the return of live performance at Arizona School for the Arts! The schedule is set for each of the arts disciplines, so if you are in town, please join us in supporting our students in their artistic endeavors.
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STAY INFORMED: If you have classmates with whom you are in touch but we may not be, please forward this newsletter to them and let them know we would like to hear from them! Sign-up to join our alumni mailing list via the Alumni Connection Links at goasa.org/alumni.
JOIN THE ASA PARENT ALUM FACEBOOK GROUP: This group is for parents or caregivers of Arizona School for the Arts alumni only and is not open to student alumni (unless they are now parents of alumni), current ASA students, or other relatives of ASA alumni. Join now!
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Arizona School for the Arts inspires creative thinkers and leaders through providing an innovative concentration in college preparation informed by the performing arts. |
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© 2021 Arizona School for the Arts |
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