News

August 2020

We are so blessed to have received a summer upgrade to our campus from Shea Homes!  Read an article from our friends at Catholic Education Arizona (CEA) here.

August 2020

Christ the King Catholic School re-opening plan for the 2020-2021 school year can be reviewed here.

July 2020

Christ the King has a few staff updates to share as we prepare for the 2020-2021 school year.

Besides welcoming our new Principal, we start with the news that Mrs. Wiseman will be transitioning to teach only Science to our Jr High students. She will be missed in 5th grade but we are happy to have her stay with CTK.   Mr. Coy has moved on from CTK to pursue other interests and Mrs. Olson will continue to sub for our school.  We wish them both the best!

With that we will start our introductions of additional staff members.

Mr. Rob Pickett is the new Fifth Grade Homeroom teacher, and will also work closely with 1^st -4^th grade math students. Mr. Pickett has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Denver. He is pursuing his Catechist Certification through the Diocese of Phoenix and a Certificate in Youth Ministry from Franciscan University/LifeTeen.

The Health Office will have a new assistant Ms. Mercedes Gonzales joins us part time to assist the students.

Mrs. Shannon Dearchs will be the new Instructional Assistant for the elementary grades. Mrs. Dearchs comes to us with a wealth of classroom experience.

June 2020

Congratulations to Christ the King Catholic School on being a TreeRing Green Yearbook School! Since you’ve sold 90 yearbooks, we’ll be working with our partner, Trees for the Future, to plant that many trees in your school’s name.

April 2020

Please help us welcome CTK’s next Principal A third-generation AZ native, Ms. Charlene Krushinsky has been in education for over 27 years. She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Northern Arizona University in elementary education and educational leadership. Charlene later continued post-graduate work in Catholic School Management at the University of Notre Dame. She began her Catholic School career in the Diocese of Phoenix as a teacher at St. Thomas Aquinas Grade School and St. Francis Xavier Elementary School. Ms. Krushinsky later served as vice principal at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School and then as principal of St. Louis the King Catholic School for six years in Glendale where she saved the school from closing and increased enrollment by 85%. She most recently served as Principal at St. Mary, Help of Christians Catholic School in Aiken, SC. Ms. Krushinsky is very excited to be returning back to the desert to lead Christ the King and enjoy real Mexican Food! Her family has been involved in the Phoenix Diocese since 1921. She is a proud mother of three grown daughters who attended Catholic schools.  She believes a Catholic education provides children the best opportunity to become fully engaged in the faith so they can develop the necessary virtues they will need throughout their lives. Charlene is a faith-filled person, who has a good grasp of her job as a principal, knows the diocesan school policies and programs, can articulate clearly her vision and plans and impressed the search team as a good team leader  She has a clear vision of what to do to continue on the path set forward by the previous leadership while bringing her own experiences to the table. To her, being a principal in a Catholic school is a “calling” not just a job.” She strongly believes in Catholic education for all children and feels that “with God anything is possible”.  She is truly guided by her faith and will pull all the resources to ensure children can attend a Catholic school.  In her words she wants the children “to know, love, and serve God.”

March 2020

Covid-19 School Closure – Distance Learning 

January 2020

July 2019

Christ the King has a few staff updates to share as we prepare for the 2019-2020 school year.

We are thankful to be able to welcome back Mrs. Arcinega to our PreKindergarten Classroom. We missed her and we are so grateful in her return. Her return will allow Mrs. Rodham to return to the first and second-grade classrooms.
Some of you may not be aware that Mrs. Filler resigned at the end of the year and while she will no longer be in the front office she may return on occasion to assist on campus. There are many, many years of students that have benefited from Mrs. Fillers’ 19 years of expertise, experience, and dedication to students, Catholic Education, and CTK. We extend our gratitude for her many years of service.
Mrs. Brennan will be stepping from the classroom to the front office. With her knowledge of CTK, procedures and of the students and families here at Christ the King, we anticipate a seamless transition.

Ms. St. Louis will be the new Instructional Assistant for the elementary grades. Ms. St. Louis comes to us with a degree in education and a wealth of experience in classrooms here in Arizona and in Texas.

As Mrs. Jacquez and Mrs. Curry retired from Christ the King after many years in the health office, we have a new dynamic duo in Mrs. Stenberg and Mrs. Goetter. They will be available to the kids daily to keep our community healthy!

Mr. Chester Coy is new to Christ the King as a resource teacher. He is a past parent and has 25 years experience working as a special education teacher for Mesa and Queen Creek school district. Working part-time, he will be assigned to work with students who need additional academic support.

May 2019

April 2019

We are thrilled to inform you that our very own 7th grade Teacher and PE Coach, Kevin McCloskey has been selected as the 2018-2019 Patrol Advisor of the Year and that our student Gerard G. has been selected as the 2018-2019 Patroller of the Year.  This honor is shared only by a select group of outstanding Patrol Advisors and Patrollers each year, and recognizes Kevin and Gerard’s dedication to safety and leadership.  As a recipient of these awards, Christ the King Catholic School will be awarded an award plaque, commemorating their win. And a grant to be used for the continuation and support of our school’s Safety Patrol efforts (can be used for purchase of extra equipment, recognition materials, etc.) Awesome job Kevin and Gerard!

February 2019

We are thrilled to report that CTK was part of the 2019 Great Kindness Challenge! Thanks to our staff and trailblazing students, who collectively inspired millions of acts of kindness and was honored to be acknowledge as a Kindness Certified School.  There’s no doubt about it, KINDNESS MATTERS! We are excited to be making such a positive difference at school, in the community, and in our world.

December 2018

We once again have added to our staff here at CTK with a new Afterschool Coordinator, Ms. Marissa Leonard.  She comes to us with her Associates Degree from Mesa Community College and after a summer internship with NASA.  Here previous jobs have been with Mesa Public Schools as a Special Education Aide and she volunteers with Save the Family.

We also are very excited to announce that our recently retired (and much loved and respected) Third Grade Teacher, Mrs. Diedrick has returned to work part-time as our Harmony Teacher!

November 2018

Meet Miss Scolinos
Christine Scolinos has joined us temporarily to help while Mrs. Arcinega (PreK teacher) is on medical leave. Mrs. Rodham has moved to PreK and Miss Scolinos is serving in the 1st – 4th grades.

August 2018

Once again we start the year with grateful hearts that Fr. Rolyn Francisco and Fr. Benjamin Rivera continue to bless us with their work and give thanks for the supportive staff and faculty here at Christ the King.

Please join us for Mass celebration each Wednesday at 8 am.

Our best regards to our staff that left us for retirement this year, Mrs. Patty Diedrick, Mrs. Irene Quinonez and Mrs. Judy Witkowski.  We also wish the best to Mrs. Mary Kupitz and Mr. Andrew Kupitz and thank them for their hard work, love and dedication to our school.

Let us take this opportunity to introduce our new staff members.

Mrs. Trixie Poeschl – 2nd Grade Teacher

Mrs. Poeschl is the newest member to join the Christ the King community.  With several years experience working in the California Diocese and a Bachelors of Science degree she will certainly be an asset for our students.  She is married with children and is now a member of Christ the King Parish.

Mrs. Brooklyn Neely – 3rd Grade Teacher

Mrs. Neely will once again join the Christ the King team this time as our 3rd grade teacher.  You may remember Mrs. Neely did her student teaching here in 2015.  Along with her husband, Josh they are busy with their careers and are expecting their first child in the Fall.

Mrs. Kathy McCormick – Spanish Teacher

Mrs. Kathy McCormick has her undergraduate degree in Education from Arizona State University with a Bilingual Endorsement.  She worked in the Diocese and retired from Chandler Public Schools.  She and her husband have two grown children.

Mrs. Joanne Conroy – Counselor

Mrs. Joanne Conroy joins us as the new Counselor specializing in conflict resolution.  She earned her Master’s degree in Counseling from Loyola University and is a certified guidance counselor.  Joanne and her husband enjoy traveling and have two adult children.

Ms. Peggy O’ Neill – Co Kindergarten Teacher

Ms. Peggy O’ Neil is a long time parishioner and volunteer of CTK.  She has taught for over 20 years as an elementary teacher and just recently retired from Mesa Public Schools.  Ms. O’Neil will serve as the Co Teacher in Mrs. Sheets maternity absence.

Mrs. Janelle Rodham – Instructional Aide Primary Grade 

Mrs. Rodham returns for another year at Christ the King School this time as one of the primary grades Instructional Aide.  She worked last year as the After School Care Coordinator.  She looks forward to playing a key role in supporting the teachers, students and parents.

Ms. Ashley – After School Coordinator

Ms. Ashley joins our After School Club students for an exciting year filled with activities, learning and relaxation!

May 2018

Christ the King Catholic School is a TreeRing Green Yearbook School! Since we sold 143 yearbooks, we’ll be working with our partner, Trees for the Future, to plant that many trees in our school’s name.  For more information please review their website:

April 2018

Christ the King Robotics Team

CTK’s Robotics Team was featured in the Sentinel Shield.

Read the full Article in the Sentinel Shield CTK feature

March 2018

We would like to announce that Mrs. Judy Witkowski will be retiring at the end of the school year.  Mrs. W, as many call her, has taught in the Diocese of Phoenix since 1994 and at Christ the King since 1996.

We calculate that she has taught upwards of 500 kids in her 25 years. She is looking forward to her retirement with excitement and trepidation, wondering how she will keep busy with none of your children to look after or lesson plans to do. At minimum, she plans to spend time with her husband Vince, their children and their grandchildren.

Save the date for a party in her honor… Wednesday, May 23 beginning with Mass at 6:30 followed by a reception.

Also this year, Senora Quinonez will retire, again. Eight years ago, when she took the position offered by Mr. Graff as part-time Spanish Teacher, she had already retired once from Mesa Public Schools. Senora started at Christ the King with no materials to teach from and has done a fine job pulling together resources to make sure our students are prepared to learn a new language as they transition to High School. You will still see Senora and her husband around campus and church as they continue their ministry for the church and H.O.P.E.

Rarely does Christ the King have teachers leave us before retirement age, but this year, Mrs. Diedrick, (well-below retirement age) is also announcing that she will take time off to be available to her two high school age children. Mrs. Diedrick has been our third grade teacher for the last six years. Besides being a wonderful content area teacher, she has been instrumental in helping many students through the spiritual transformation and emotional process for First Communion and Confirmation.

On the other side of the teaching-career spectrum, Mr. Andrew Kupitz, having served as a substitute teacher and currently as a most valuable Instructional Assistant will be pursuing his Teaching Credential this next school year while enrolled in the Rio Salado Teacher Preparation Program.

February 2018

Christ the King Catholic School is excited to announce we are the Most Loved Private School Winner!  

August 2017

We have much to be excited about at Christ the King for 2017-18 School Year. Let us continue with the recognition of the blessings of Fr. Rolyn Francisco and Fr. Benjamin Rivera and their work with the staff and faculty. We are looking forward to working together to support the Faith Formation of your children.

A celebration of Mass at 8 am each Wednesday. All are welcome!

We keep in prayer our dear friend, teacher and colleague Mrs. Beth Stevason who passed away in May 2017.  We extend our appreciation to Mrs. Teresa Fisher, who has been deployed to once again serve our great nation.  We also wish the best to Mr. Pat Curry who retired over the summer.  Simply put, these folks are the lifeblood of our community. Their unique and varied contributions are vital to our school’s success.  Let us take this opportunity to introduce our new staff members.

Ms. Alissa Ramirez – 1st Grade

Miss Ramirez joins Christ the King School for the first time as the new 1st grade teacher although she is no stranger to the CTK community as she has been a parishioner for many years. She had some big shoes to fill but with over 10 years experience the last 3 being at Queen of Peace Catholic School she has transitioned wonderfully.  She greets each of her 31 students every day with a loving, genuine “good morning” welcome.

Mrs. Cyndi Luke – 6th Grade

Mrs. Luke will once again join the Christ the King team this time as our 6th grade teacher.  You may remember Mrs. Luke was a staff member prior to obtaining her Masters Degree last spring.  Along with her husband, Allan they are busy with their 3 current CTK Cougar students.

Mr. Sawyer – Jr. High Math

Mr. Sawyer is the newest member to our Christ the King Community coming from the cooler climate of Payson, AZ.  He is an ASU Alumni with a Bachelor of Science Degree, Business Administration .  He holds high expectations for his students and himself. His goal is to help students attain/reach their highest ability.

Mrs. Addy Moreno – Kindergarten Instructional Aide

Mrs. Moreno joins our Kindergarten team from St. John Bosco Catholic School after teaching Pre school for 34 years.  Her experience is valuable and such an asset for our students.  She is married with children and grandchildren.

Mr. Kupitz – 1st grade Instructional Aide

Mr. Kupitz returns to Christ the King School as the 1st grade Instructional Aide.  He is a proud CTK Cougar alumni who is continuing his education to earn his teaching degree.  He looks forward to playing a key role in supporting the 1st grade teacher, students and parents.

Mrs. Maggie Jensen – Resource Teacher

Mrs. Jensen will serve as a Resource Teacher along with our MPS rep.  She is a familiar face on campus previously working as our 4th grade Teacher and as a long term substitute.  She has taught for over 20 years as an elementary teacher in Catholic Schools throughout the US.

November 2016

Christ the King students at all ages are reflecting on the blessings they have and how they can share with others. Fifth Graders make Peanut Butter Sandwiches every week.  First Graders, under the direction of Mrs. Elizabeth Stevason, baked loaves of bread for the families of the parish.  These were distributed at Thanksgiving.  A bi-annual coat drive gathered over 200 coats that were then distributed at H.O.P.E. for men, women and children who had none.  A blanket drive continues into December.  The November $1Jeans Day raised money for the St. Peregrine Cancer ministry so they can continue their world wide reach.  The Spring elective Crochet Class makes items for Hannah’s House.  “The Chirst the King Catholic School community is incredibly generous” said the pastor, Fr. Rolyn Fransico, “they are always looking to make their education valuable to the community”

October 2016

Catholic Community Foundation calls for students to apply for the Christian Service Award, and six Christ the King students answer.  Each student performed well over 300 service hours in three different areas – parish, school and community.  Their focus and passions range from Altar Serving, mentoring a younger child, Special Olympics, and preparing food boxes at HOPE.  Applications were due October 15 and interviews will be held in December.  Whether or not each of the students receive the $8000 scholarship award, we are genuinely proud of all of our 8th graders for their committment to their faith, family and academics.

September 24, 2016

SONrise Society Breakfast a success!

Saturday September 24th morning, our parish school celebrated the beginning of another year with a free breakfast. Parishioners, parents, alumni, students and staff gathered to review the state of our school through the lens of the Catholic School advantage. Generally, attending Catholic School elementary school increases scores on academic achievement tests and increases the likelihood of high school and college graduation. The achievement gap between genders, race, and socioeconomic status is smaller in Catholic elementary schools. Students from Catholic Schools present significantly improved character formation as measured by a variety of factors including voting, honesty, participation in pro-life activities, attending church, a better understanding of diverse views, more committed to service as adults, and other prosocial and pro-ecclesial effects. As was reported at our breakfast, Christ the King Catholic School is working diligently to ensure these advantages are available to as many of our families as possible. Recognizing that it is important to start building the advantage at a young age, the focus starts in the younger grades with Prekindergarten and Kindergarten. Over the summer, with the help of parishioners, the Kindergarten room was expanded. We currently have comfortably full classrooms, with 20 more students enrolled than last year. In addition to financial donations through the SONrise Society, the state of Arizona tax credits ensure enrollment is open to everyone regardless of parents’ home language and/or socio economic status. At our breakfast, a recent alumnus reported on the value of her elementary years as she was able to hit the ground running in high school. She knew how to work hard, how to study, and understands the value of always getting her work done. She relies on and gives glory to God for her strength. A graduate from 12 years ago spoke about the community of support as she navigated high school, college, marriage and parenthood. She can trace her success back to her start here in Kindergarten at Christ the King Catholic School. Our priests, Fr. Rolyn and Fr. Scott ask for your support in continuing this Catholic School advantage for the families in the East Valley. As a successful ministry of the parish, with over 50 years of history, we are honored by the gifts that have been received by the school. Please continue to support the students and the school with your time, prayer and resources.

August 2016 

We are blessed to have Fr. Rolyn Francisco and Fr. Scott Sperry come together to celebrate another school year.  The teachers at Christ the King School have returned and are ready to begin the new school year. They are excited about their group of new students, new textbooks and resources (thanks to the auction donors), and in some cases, new and remodeled classrooms (thanks to the hard work of parish staff and volunteers). It is an exciting partnership that has made this happen, so successfully, so many times here at Christ the King. This school year at Christ the King will begin with 229 students from 151 families and 18 staff members. Besides just the numbers, it is a community that we are proud of! The average number of students per class is 21 students.  Let us take this opportunity to introduce our new staff members and welcome back returning staff.

Mrs. Mary Kuptiz – 2nd Grade

Mrs. Kupitz returns to Christ the King after a 4 year leave of absence. Mrs. Kuptiz has her BA in elementary education from ASU, has 12 years of teaching experience, including 5 years here at Christ the King. She is a certified catechist, a graduate of Christ the King, the parent of several alumni, and a parishioner. Mrs. Kupitz is very excited to be back at CTK and is looking forward to working with the children and will be teaching Second Grade starting in 2016-17 .

Ms. Peggy Brusca – Cafeteria Manager

Ms. Peggy Brusca is originally a “Michigander” but has called Arizona home for the last 20 years.  Peggy has been cooking since she was just 10 years old helping to feed her 9 siblings, no wonder she has always enjoyed cooking for a large crowd!  She has 2 adult children and a new grand baby.

Mrs. Yvonne Del Rio- Cafeteria Assistant

Mrs. Yvonne Del Rio is a long time parishioner and volunteer of CTK and a native of Arizona.  Yvonne along with her husband have 4 children all whom have attended CTK school.

Mrs. Tammy DeMello – Development 

Mrs. Tammy DeMello joined us at the end of 2015 to assist with development projects of the school, working on Catholic Education Arizona and enrollment.  Tammy with her husband, Michael have 2 children.

Year of Mercy

Christ the King students are participating in the Year of Mercy.  Following the Calendar found HERE, there are activities, announcements, discussions, reflections and a writing assignment, or picture for the younger grades.  Check out their work HERE .
Parents can follow along, teach and reinforce at home by signing up for the Year of Mercy Calendar

August 18, 2015

We have much to be excited about at Christ the King for 2015-16 School Year. Let us continue with the recognition of the blessings of Fr. Matt Henry and Fr. Scott Sperry and their work with the staff and faculty. We are looking forward to working together to support the Faith Formation of your children.

Celebration of Mass at 8 am each Wednesday. All are welcome!

We welcome back Mrs. Teresa Fisher, who has been serving our nation on active deployment the last 34 months. She will return September 1.   Let us take this opportunity to introduce our new staff member.

Mr. Regalado – Computers, Music, Technology
Mr. Roy Regalado is from the Philippines. His undergraduate degree is from Our Lady Of the Angels Franciscan Seminary and he majored in Comparative Religious Studies with a minor in Philosophy and Sociology.  He has been working in Catholic Schools for the last 13 years teaching computers and music.  He serves in the music ministry at St. Andrews, and is CEO of his own foundation, Pakil Music Program  Foundation, which helps under privilege kids learn to read and play different musical instruments.

Mrs. Looker – Art Masterpiece
Mrs. Pam Looker is a native of Arizona.  She received her Bachelor of Arts from Arizona State University.  Her post bachelor studies include art history and different art mediums such as oil, charcoal, pastels, and watercolor.  Pam comes from a family of artists and has taken lessons from the one of the best artists she knows, her mother.  Pam, with her husband Jeff, have been married for 32 years and have five young adult children. Together, Pam and Jeff run two businesses:  Looker & Cappello Architects and Acoustic Vibes Music.  They are parishioners of Our Lady Of Mt. Carmel in Tempe.

Mrs. Brender – Atrium
Mrs. Shannon Brender has her undergraduate degree in Theology from Creighton, and advanced courses from Fuller Theological Seminary.  She worked in Youth Ministry at St. Agnes for four years, and taught RCIT here at Christ the King for twelve years and leads Children’s Liturgy of the Word on Sundays.  She spent time training in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd this summer.

Mrs. McDonald – Health Assistant
Mrs. Marely McDonald will join our Nurse Mrs. Jacques as a health assistant in the Health Office.  She has spent time this summer taking classes to help manage our children’s health needs.

Mrs. Jensen – 4th Grade, Long Tem Sub

Mrs. Jensen will serve as the long-term sub for Mrs. Ward. This is Mrs. Jensen’s first year as a long-term substitute at Christ the King School. She was a classroom substitute last year at CTK and St. Timothy’s School. She has taught 20 years as an elementary teacher in Catholic Schools in California, Washington and Connecticut and at Mercer College. She has also taught internationally for three years at the highly acclaimed Hong Kong International School. She completed her doctoral dissertation on Curriculum Design: Differentiation of Instruction. She is delighted to be part of Christ the King School and looks forward to working with all the wonderful students in 4th grade.

June 6, 2015

We reached the end of another great year!

    We have hit many milestones and benchmarks this year, starting last summer with saying goodbye to Fr. Steve and Fr. Larry and hello to Fr. Matt and Fr. Scott. There were two visits to Feed my Starving Children, over 1,000 food items delivered by 220 students to HOPE on our Walk for HOPE. Our whole community attended Mass together every Wednesday, celebrated First Reconciliations, Communions, and Confirmations, and had additional opportunities for reconciliation; we prayed for others independently and through the prayer ministry in the Shrine. We spent time in adoration.   We have upgraded our technology with stronger and faster WiFi and a new, really big server. That helped run the new chrome books, and made our second year with the iPads a little bit easier- we still have some issues but many, many problems were solved.
We added IXL, Moby Max, and Khan Academy and discovered that there is more than one way to learn, and we have only scratched the surface of all the knowledge that is out there! There were 38 students in the cast of 101 Dalmations, and 75% of our students in grades 5-8 participate in sports. Students had to practice time management as they balanced their schedules. Together we weathered a few storms, including a really big storm in September.    Our teachers and our school were recognized as outstanding by those who know us, and our students became published poets, wrote whole books, and one shook hands with the Bishop at his Service Scholar Award ceremony.  We had another record-setting Fundraiser in Cheers to 50 years showing with great certainty all that can be accomplished when a community comes together for a common purpose.
We lost a dear friend, teacher and colleague when Ms. Thayer passed in Febraury. We will continue to honor her history as we celebrate her vision of CTK.  We have made new friends and enriched old friendships.  As in our mission, all of these together, with all of you, allow us to live in this world while we seek heaven above!
To the members of our community who are moving to new cities and schools – we ask God to bless you on your new adventures.  Remember all that you have learned, or shared, here at Christ the King – especially your love of the Lord, and share that joy with everyone you meet!
I personally want to thank each of you for creating such a fine community where hard work is common and a sense of humor is important.  Have a faith-filled, safe and number and reading-rich summer.  We will see you August 18th, if not before.

From the Office – April 2, 2015

We wish you a Holy Triduum, Happy Easter and relaxing Spring Break! The complete schedule for services and Masses is available on our parish Website.

Scholarship Application Deadlines

Apply at www.fairapp.com the School Code is 700 and the Password is cea700

Try the application on your own, the instructions are clear, especially if you have your taxes ready to send in.  But if you need help, attend our Scholarship Application Workshop on Monday, April 13 from 1 pm – 7 pm.Register here.
If you are willing to help others with their applications and earn volunteer hours, contact Mrs. Conner.

CEA Donations!
Now is the time.  Don’t file your taxes until you have made your donation to CEA.  For more information, check out this simple video and make your donation online.  Look at your completed tax form, line 51, 23, 11 or 61 (depending on the form…) then donate that amount CEA!

Enrollment for 2015-2016

Call now to schedule a visit and an opportunity to talk to students, parents and school staff.

See why our students love their school and why it could be the best choice for your family!

480-844-4480

State of Arizona Tax Credits can make Catholic Education affordable or FREE

December 15, 2014

A Dozen Reasons to Choose A Catholic School

1. We offer an education that combines Catholic tradition with academic excellence.
2. We partner with parents in the faith formation of their children.
3. We set high standards for student achievement and work closely with them to help them succeed.
4. We provide a balanced curriculum that includes art, music and fitness.
5. We use technology effectively to enhance education.
6. We instill in students the value of service to others.
7. We teach children respect of self and others.
8. We emphasize moral development and self-discipline.
9. We prepare students to be productive citizens and future leaders.
10. We have a 99 percent high school graduation rate, and 85 percent of Catholic high school graduates go to college.
11. We cultivate a faculty and staff of people who are dedicated, caring and effective.
12. We provide a safe and welcoming environment for all.

Catholic Schools make good sense!

December 3, 2014

In addition to the canned food for HOPE, Christ the King Catholic School students collected 232 new blankets to be distributed this winter. Thank you to all the students and the staff for their participation in this worthwhile projects.  Students continue to learn about service to others.  We had eight students apply for the Christian Service Award offered by the Catholic Community Foundation. Students who have made the first cut will particpate in interviews this upcoming weekend.

November 24, 2014

Today, our students brought 753 cans and packages of food to school to share.  That is well over 3 items/student.  All the food filled up the back of a Pick-Up truck and another little SUV and made it’s way to HOPE (Helping Other People Emerge).  Last Thursday, HOPE gave out 98 food boxes, thanks to Christ the King Catholic church and School families generosity, they can do it again tomorrow!

October 22, 2014

Congratulations to Mr. Curry, 7th grade Homeroom and Math teacher for Grades 5-8 at Christ the King Catholic School! This outstanding teacher has been named as a finalist in the Excellence in Private Education Awards for the 2nd year in a row. Additionally, HOPE (Helping Other People Emerge) has also been named as a finalist as an exemplary program. Selected out of hundreds of nominations, they will be recognized at a reception in November by the Arizona Council for American Private Education.

September 19, 2014

Sal Khan, founder of Khan Academy proposes the movement of #You can learn anything. He says, “No one is born smart, we all start at zero”. Join the 17 million learners using Sal Khan’s videos because they want to grow their body of knowledge, and, Khan Academy isn’t just for math anymore.
Our 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th graders use Khan Academy as another resource to learn Math. With extensive work to choose and then align the Khan Academy lessons to the flow of his Math Class, Mr. Curry recognizes how effort translates to growth. Regardless of how your child did on the ITBS tests this week, we won’t have results back until November. In the meantime, one of the most important things for a child to understand is that their intelligence is not fixed, but instead, dependent on how hard they work! “Work harder, get smarter” is a great mantra for every household.
Watch three of Sal Khan’s recommended videos to see how to support the growth mindset for your child: “Most people are held back not by their innate ability, but by their mindset. They think intelligence is fixed, but it isn’t. Your brain is like a muscle. The more you use it and struggle, the more it grows. New research shows we can take control of our ability to learn. We can all become better learners. We just need to build our brains in the right way.”

September 5, 2014

A wise mentor once encouraged me to believe about half of what kids say about their parents, and I don’t believe when a child says that their mom wouldn’t let them eat breakfast that morning. Still, every once in a while, a child will share that they are “starving” not too long after the school day starts, saying they just didn’t have time for breakfast, or that they ran out of time…
I am never an advocate for being late, in fact, it really messes with a child’s sense of well-being to be late, but it is worse to be on-time and hungry. There is plenty of research on how a brain works when it has no fuel (it doesn’t). Here is a great article/podcast that summarizes the research and even makes suggestions on what to serve to maximize your child’s morning. If you are the Suzi/Sam Homemaker type… make ahead, freeze and pack individually Breakfast Burritos. When you find the family is running late, throw one or two in the microwave on defrost for a minute, and your child can eat it in the car. OR- if you are not Suzi/Sam Homemaker, buy them at McDonalds the week before and freeze them.
I guess my point is that the children do so much better in so many ways when they have the nutrition to work with. Breakfast- it is the most important meal of the day! — Mrs. Conner

August 22, 2014

Thank you teachers, students and parents for the wonderful breakfast last weekend. There was over 220 people in attendance, and 50 pledge cards were returned from parents, alumni, guests, and parishioners. Thank you for your support. If you missed the event, plan on attending next year! If you like to make a pledge to add to the almost $20,000 pledged at the event, please contact Andy Romley at 480-844-4462.
We had a wonderful first week of school. The school buildings are happy again with the sounds of children’s voices! In today’s Friday Envelope is a letter from Fr. Matt. His homily for our first Mass was reported by a parent to summarize why “all families want, or should want, their children in Catholic School.” Thank you Fr. Matt.

August 15

We have much to be excited about at Christ the King for 2014-15 School Year. Let us start with our…
New Pastor and Priest
…we are blessed already by the presence of Fr. Matt Henry and Fr. Scott Sperry and their work with the staff and faculty. We are looking forward to working together to support the Faith Formation of your children.
A new time for all-school Mass
…please join us in celebrating the Eucharist on Wednesdays at 8 a.m. All are welcome
New staff
…Mrs. Ward joins us as the new Fifth Grade teacher and Mrs. Brennan joins us as a new Instructional Assistant in Kindergarten and support for the other primary grades.
New Student Council
…welcome to our elected Student Council leaders. We look forward to the events and activities they are planning for the students at Christ the King
New Ambassadors
…a gathering of 28 students, trained and ready to go to promote the difference Catholic Education makes in the lives of young people
New Chess Club
…One of the items of feedback in the survey in the spring of 2013 was a desire for extracurricular activities for students in Grades K-4. Chess Club will attempt to address that need: Friday afternoons in the Library. See the flyer and links below
New look to The Flash
… so you can read it on the go, and we can track to see if we are making progress in our ability to communicate with you.
New Families with new students
…welcome to all our new families and new students to make friends with. Please help me welcome them to our school community every time you see someone you don’t recognize!
New requirements
…actually, same requirement, but it is time to renew your safe environment training in order to volunteer in the classrooms. Please help us be 100% compliant because the safety of all children is not new.
It is a new school year, welcome back, welcome home!

June 6, 2014

We have reached the end of another great year!

We have hit many milestones and benchmarks this year: our successful accreditation visit, iPads, new gates, 4 Christian Service Scholars, the Walk for Hope, Best Private School, Best Middle School, Best Elementary teachers, published poets, a record-setting Casino Royale, monthly reconciliation, two plays, addition of STAR Math, Khan Academy, and together we even weathered a few storms. We have made new friends and enriched old friendships. As in our mission, all of these together, with all of us, centered us closer to God.

March 27, 2014

To add to the excitement this week…announced today: Christ the King voted best Private School, Best Preschool, Mrs. Thayer as Best Elementary Teacher and Mr. Curry as Best Middle School Teacher. Mrs. Stevason, Mrs. Wiseman and Miss Brown were also recognized!
See it all in the East Valley Tribune…
(Scroll through the pictures to find Christ the King)

March 5, 2014

Congratulations to our four Service Award Recipients!
Four Christ the King Eighth graders were awarded Christian Service Scholarships, valued at $8,000 each. The students were chosen from a field of hundreds of applicants based on the depth and breadth of their service to their school, parish and community. Kyle, Tori, George and Bridget were recognized by Bishop Olmsted at the ceremony at the Tempe Center for the Arts.