Frank Moraga
Frank Moraga's Latest Posts
Victim Witness Services Coconino County: Help crime victims by taking a survey!
Victim Witness Services of Coconino County has partnered with Northern Arizona University to consider community resources and to ensure that you can get the help you need, when you need it.
To help improve our services, please take a moment to complete a quick online survey by scanning the QR code below with your phone’s camera, or by visiting this website
Children’s Action Alliance update — Great News on the Child Care Front
Great news for Arizona children and families! As a part of the state budget recently passed, the legislature finally granted the Department of Economic Security (DES) the authority to expend $56 million in new annual federal child care money.
DES moved at lightning speed to begin using these new dollars to increase scholarship rates and to serve more children. Thank you to all the parents, champions, and partners who called for investment of these funds in these three changes:
First Things First update for June 24 — Extension for Eddie Basha Award for Service and Leadership Nominations
You still have time to submit a nomination for the Eddie Basha Regional Partnership Council Excellence Award as the deadline has been extended until Sunday, June 30, 2019.
The award recognizes a First Things First regional partnership council for inspiring its local community to come together and promote positive and lasting change in support of young children.
Arizona Center for Afterschool Excellence (AzCASE) update for June 24 — Want Priority Seating for your staff at the Conference?
Want Priority Seating for your staff at the Conference?
Announcing our NEW Group Registration Special
Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy graduate now pro backup dancer. See more local education news here
Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy graduate Darrion Gallegos, 26, is currently dancing his way through the east coast on Ariana Grande’s “Sweetener” tour.
Gallegos said working as a backup dancer for “Ari,” as he affectionately calls the pop star, is a dream come true.
Why people are worried about a census citizenship question. See more state education news here
Many Arizonans are concerned a Census 2020 citizenship question could make immigrants, noncitizens, Latinos and other minority groups less likely to respond, leading to an undercount.
That means Arizona would receive less than its fair share of more than $675 billion in federal funds each year that impact public schools, families and communities.
Accurate Census data is key for determining political representation as well as allocating federal funding to jurisdictions based on their demographic characteristics, needs and assets, said Lizette Escobedo, director of national census program for NALEO, the National Association of Latino Elected Officials.
Students in the ‘homework gap’ struggle to complete online homework assignments. Here’s what you need to know. See more national education news here
A new report indicates up to 3 million students in the United States struggle to stay on top of homework because they have no access to the internet at home.
According to The Associated Press, these students exist in a “homework gap,” where 17 percent of students in the U.S. don’t have access to a computer at home, while 18 percent of students don’t have access to the internet.
Education Spotlight — Multiple School Governing Board Seats seeking applicants
Coconino County Superintendent of Schools Risha VanderWey is seeking applicants for appointment to four school districts. One seat is open in Coconino Community College District 5 in Page, Coconino Association for Vocations, Industry, and Technology (CAVIAT) Education District in Fredonia, Fredonia-Moccasin Unified School District and two seats are open and Maine Consolidated School District.
CCC&Y Contributes to ‘2019 Town Hall Strong Families Thriving Children’ Report
The Arizona Town Hall has created the comprehensive report “Strong Families Thriving Children,” that discusses various aspects of family life including the systems that exist to support them, ways families can have more positive experiences, and some of the struggles families face that compromise their life experiences.
Arizona Town Hall officials expect the report to be used a resource on this topic for years to come.
Virginia Watahomigie, M.ADM, executive director of the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth, contributed to the “Community Capacity” section that begins on page 84 of the report.
“Arizona nonprofit agencies play a crucial and cost-effective role in the state’s prevention strategies and response to child welfare issues. Generally, missions of nonprofit agencies are geared toward meeting the long-term needs of our children and families, making nonprofits a strong defense and response system for the needs of our communities,” Watahomigie reported.
Arizona Capitol Times Guest Opinion — State agency turns its back on kids who need support
One of the guiding principles listed on the Arizona Department of Child Safety website is: “All Arizona’s children are safe and protected from harm.” But DCS’s actions make clear that the agency has a funny definition of the word “all.”
This legislative session, DCS successfully lobbied for a law, a floor amendment to SB 1539 introduced by Sen. Nancy Barto, that encourages the agency to cherry pick which children they will protect. The law gives the agency the chance to argue in court why children who have had run-ins with the juvenile justice system should not have the opportunity to be cared for by a foster parent.
