CCUSD Returns with Excellence

By Debbi C. Burdick, Ed.D., Superintendent of the Cave Creek Unified School District After a summer of meetings and discussions with parents, staff, and experts, CCUSD had its academic plans for Returning with Excellence as well as its Logistics Plan fo

September 2, 2020

Flu in a World of COVID-19: Why This Year’s Flu Shot is Critical

By Dr. Tara Ostrom It’s 100+ degrees out, so you may not be thinking about flu season. However, there are sporadic cases of flu here in Arizona, according to community health data from Maricopa County, and already doctors are recommending people make

September 1, 2020

Tortilla Flat: A Piece of Arizona’s Old West History

By Jamie Killin While Arizona has come a long way from its Old West roots as Phoenix becomes one the country’s largest and fastest-growing cities, there are still places that hold a piece of Arizona’s timeless history and transport its visitors back

September 1, 2020

Superhero September: Hope is Stronger Than Fear

By Michelle Talsma Everson An award-winning law veteran, Sean Reavie is the founder and president of the board of directors of Put on the Cape: A Foundation for Hope. This month, and all year-round, Reavie and his team of real life superheroes raise fun

September 1, 2020

Resources for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

By Michelle Talsma Everson Sunday, September 13 is National Grandparents Day, a special time to recognize the grandparents in our lives and all that they do. With the COVID-19 pandemic, celebrations may look a little different this year though as famili

September 1, 2020

Peoria Unified School District Bond and Override Initiatives Added to November Ballot

By Jessica Gonzalez, member of Support Our School PAC Voters will be asked to decide on two funding measures for Peoria Unified School District during the November election – a 13% maintenance and operations override renewal and a critical needs bond.

August 3, 2020

Visiting National Monuments in Arizona

By Jill Frier Arizona is known for its abundant natural beauty and majestic scenery. Many of our fantastic natural resources and awe-inspiring historical sights are specially preserved for the public as National Monuments. While National Parks are creat

July 31, 2020

Art, Culture, and Science for Local Kids

By Jill “MamaBug” Frier As parents and caregivers, we are constantly looking for opportunities to help our children grow and learn in creative, innovative ways. This is especially true these days while kids are largely stuck at home during the ups a

July 31, 2020

The Importance of Summer Reading

By Michelle Talsma Everson A recent study of children in the third to fifth grades showed that students lost an average of 20 percent of their school year gains in reading and 27 percent of their school year gains in math during summer break, according

June 1, 2020

CCUSD and the Community Come Together During Unprecedented Times

The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly allowed us all to do things differently and adapt our lifestyles and habits, whether we wanted to or not. In the Cave Creek Unified District (CCUSD), we started adapting in mid-March when Governor Ducey and Superintenden

June 1, 2020

Home Spun Fun to Beat the Stuck at Home Summertime Blues

By Jill “MamaBug” Frier Are you at your wit’s end trying to come up with ideas to entertain your kids at home while you try to get work done? After spending two months in quarantine, the thought of trying to plan even more fun activities for summe

June 1, 2020

Tips for Positive Family Communication During COVID-19

By Michael Aurit, JD, MDR, and Karen Aurit, LAMFT Families are facing some very difficult conversations now that Arizona has re-opened. A range of strong opinions about social distancing and safety precautions may cause family conflict if communication

June 1, 2020

Goldfish Swim School to Open Locally, Registration Now Open

Goldfish Swim School Franchising, LLC, the premier learn-to-swim franchise concept, has announced rapid expansion plans for Arizona with goals to bring 10 locations to the state over the next several years, specifically targeting the greater Phoenix area.

June 1, 2020

Visiting the Mogollon Rim

By Jill Frier Looking for some less frequented spots in Arizona where you can see stunning views and tall pine forests? Head north of Fountain Hills on State Route 87, the Beeline Highway, and take a road trip to Rim Country. The inspiration of early 20

June 1, 2020

Virtual (And Fun!) Educational Offerings for Kids

Compiled by Michelle Talsma Everson The kids have been indoors for more than a month now, and maybe you’ve run out of things to do. To help, we’ve rounded up some online adventures perfect for students of any age and interest. Better yet? The option

May 1, 2020

CCUSD Superintendent’s Current Letter to the Community

We are so fortunate to live in a community where so many people and entities in our community graciously support our schools in so many ways. One of our newest partnerships this school year is with the Town of Carefree. Titled Carefree Cares, it was develo

January 2, 2020

Cactus Shadows High School’s “Shadows” Literary Magazine and CS Press won Crown Awards

The Columbia Scholastic Press Association announced its Finalists for their Crown Awards. Both Cactus Shadows “Shadows” Literary Magazine and the student run newspaper, CS Press have won Crown Awards. They will find out in March if they are Silver or G

December 3, 2019

CCUSD Welcomes 14 International Teachers & Interns

Cave Creek Unified School District Governing Board members met 14 new international teachers and interns that teach Spanish, French or Mandarin Chinese to preschool through 12th grade students. The recently arrived teachers introduced themselves, shared wh

October 31, 2019

Movie Reviews - March 2019

By A.D. Beal Velvet Buzzsaw A group of art traders and exhibitors face the consequences of greed when a collection of art pieces is found to be cursed. Dan Gilroy took what is essentially a slasher film under the cover of a high brow horror that’

February 28, 2019

How to Find the Right Summer Camp for Your Kid

By Jill Frier The summer months are coming soon and parents all over the Valley are scrambling to find ideas for ways to keep their kids busy or provide weekly childcare while they are out of school. One solution many parents take advantage of is summe

February 28, 2019

Route 66: Traveling the Mother Road in Arizona

Route 66. The Mother Road. The Great American Highway. No matter what you call it, U.S. Route 66 is a valuable part of American history and we are lucky to have ready access to some of the best spots to see along the historic highway right here in Arizona

February 28, 2019

Desert Foothills Theater: The Perfect Stage for Community Theater

By Jennifer Marshall “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players,” said William Shakespeare. Community theater is one of the best venues for testing, challenging and growing your thespian skills. That’s why we’re so

February 1, 2019

New Middle-Grade Novel “Woot!” Stars Racing Pigeon and His Best Friend

Most people don’t know that pigeon racing is a sport or that there is a large breeding industry producing fancy pigeons that compete on looks alone. Janice Lipsky, an Arizona marketing executive and psychologist, got a crash course in all things avian a

February 1, 2019

Two New Desert Ridge Marketplace Tenants Coming Fall 2019

Desert Ridge Marketplace’s collection of destinations is growing! Fall 2019 will see the additions of H&M and ComicX. H&M is the global leader in fashion, sustainability, design and quality. It will occupy more than 20,000 square feet and wi

January 31, 2019

Movie Releases - February 2019

February 1 Miss Bala Arctic (Limited) February 8 The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part Cold Pursuit The Prodigy What Men Want Everybody Knows (Limited) February 13 Isn’t It Romantic Birds Of Passage (Limited) February 14 Alita: Battle Angel Happy

January 31, 2019

Movie Reviews - February 2019

By A.D. Beal Vice The story of Dick Cheney and his rise through politics, leading to his run as Vice President under George W. Bush. Writer and director Adam McKay’s anger seethes throughout this movie, and the fury affects the style, editing and

January 31, 2019

Visiting Southern Arizona

By Jill “MamaBug” Frier It’s always surprising to hear how many Phoenicians have never spent time in Tucson. Just a short distance south of the Phoenix metropolitan area is a charming gem of southwestern sights to see. Tucson is home to the Unive

January 31, 2019

23rd Annual Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival

For the past 23 years, the Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival (GPJFF) has celebrated Jewish culture through film, bringing an exciting lineup of films to Arizona honoring Jewish traditions and heritage. From February 10-24, 2019, the 23rd Annual Greater

January 1, 2019

Scottsdale Philharmonic Receives Grant from Scottsdale League for the Arts

The Scottsdale Philharmonic recently received a $1,000 grant from the Scottsdale League for the Arts. The funds will be used to meet the Philharmonic’s expanded mission of focusing on children’s knowledge and awareness of classical music. The expanded

January 1, 2019

Arizona Fine Art EXPO Begins January 11 in North Scottsdale

A parcel of desert in north Scottsdale will magically transform into a vibrant arts community for 10 weeks as renowned artists from across the globe set up their studios and create original pieces of fine art in what has come to be known as one of Arizona

January 1, 2019