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Casa Grande Elementary board recognizes students and staff, highlights $22,000 in classroom donations and attendance efforts
Summary
At its meeting, the Casa Grande Elementary School District honored students and staff from multiple campuses, noted more than $22,000 in classroom donations (mostly via DonorsChoose), and discussed attendance‑improvement efforts and upcoming state testing.
The Casa Grande Elementary School District Governing Board recognized students, staff and parent volunteers across several campuses and heard a district update noting more than $22,000 in classroom donations that district staff said were primarily driven by teachers and classroom fundraising.
Assistant Superintendent Mr. Quinones, presenting in place of the superintendent, told the board that donations listed on the agenda total "over $22,000" and that most were facilitated through DonorsChoose. He described the school as a community hub and highlighted partnerships and scholarship opportunities including the Cesar Chavez scholarship committee, Kiwanis and Rotary Club fundraising.
Board and site leaders used the meeting to recognize students and staff from multiple schools. At Casa Grande Middle School, site principal Samantha Sarnowski highlighted student achievements and extracurricular successes, including conference championships for JV and varsity girls basketball, and recognized individual students for academic and leadership examples. Staff and family volunteers were also honored; Sarnowski introduced staff members and parents being recognized for participation in family nights and community events.
At Ironwood and Mesquite elementary schools, principals and site leaders described student growth, improvements in attendance and school initiatives designed to boost daily attendance. Mesquite’s presenter described an attendance strategy that included targeted family outreach (about 47 parent meetings during conferences), monthly incentives and daily recognition events such as "dot day" where students arriving on time and staying all day can win prizes.
The board praised principals and staff for gains in attendance since COVID‑era declines, and members thanked volunteers and parents for supporting school events. The meeting also noted upcoming district events: state testing scheduled after spring break, an art exhibit at the public library on April 17 featuring student art (with the mayor scheduled to speak) and additional school‑level art shows to include more students.
No substantive policy changes resulted from recognition items; the board moved on to the consent agenda after acknowledgements and short presentations.
Provenance evidence: recognition and donations discussion begins with the agenda item for recognition of employees and students and concludes when the board moved to subsequent business.
