Fostering a Child Takes Love and Patience Option Or Local Control Permitted to School Districts Is by Teri Carnicelli from Burundi
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volume 15, issue 11 • november 2013 www.northcentralnews.net School districts seek Adoptive and override approvals foster parent Michelle By Teri Carnicelli Harrington A Maricopa County ballot election will take place plans out the on Nov. 5, at the same time that residents in Phoenix week’s activities Council District 4 will elect their new representative. with her adopt - However, those items are not on the same ballot, or at ed daughter, the same voting locations on election day, which may lead to some confusion among voters. Luz (left), and The significance of the county ballot is that four of her three foster North Central Phoenix’s public school districts— children (photo Creighton, Osborn and Washington Elementary by Teri School Districts, and Phoenix Union High School Carnicelli). District—are asking to extend budget overrides that impact residents’ property taxes. In one case, a school district is asking to raise the amount of the override; in another, a district wants to implement a new override. Arizona is an “equal funding” state for education. This means that each school district receives the same funding per student from the state. The only local Fostering a child takes love and patience option or local control permitted to school districts is By Teri Carnicelli from Burundi. “The kids are great, and the experi - an override or bond election. Michelle Harrington is not your typical foster ence is very rewarding,” she says. Arizona law allows school districts to authorize parent. Not because she is single, or because she Further adoptions aren’t out of the question, overrides up to 15 percent of the approved funding stands over 6 feet tall. What sets her apart from other Harrington adds. “I know I’m not done, but I don’t limit set by the state. Overrides generate extra dollars foster families is that she also works in the foster-care know what the makeup of this little family is going to for a district that come on top of the state’s per-pupil system as a licensing worker. look like.” allotment. State funding in support of curriculum Harrington jokes that she came into it backwards. November is National Adoption Month, and local materials, technology, equipment and buildings has She started out looking to adopt, wound up getting organizations like Arizona’s Children Association are been reduced by 73 percent since 2006-07, resulting licensed to foster children, and later became a volun - using the heightened awareness to push the need for please see OVERRIDE on page 12 teer trainer for Arizona’s Children Association, which more foster and adoptive parents in the state. eventually hired her. According to the most recent numbers released by “My intent was to adopt, to build a family,” recalls the Arizona Department of Economic Security Harrington. “I became a foster parent because the girl I (DES), there are just under 15,000 children who have 9 5 E E wanted to adopt was undocumented and the adoption Z 0 T please see FOSTER on page 15 I G A 5 D D . A T , . E T 3 process was going to take significantly longer than nor - S X D P I 1 S O I X 0 T N O E 2 A N R E mal.” By becoming a foster parent, the girl was able to P , P S E T 7 I . R S O S P A in this issue R M H . E live with Harrington during the adoption process. E P R U L B E P P M . Her daughter, Luz, who is now 15, was a surprise E L V Local agencies seek holiday support, page 3 A I O R N in more ways than one. “Teens were not a part of the E Y T A B plan,” Harrington admits. She was thinking of chil - Madison memories focus of mixer, page 4 M Y R D E E dren more in the age range of 3 to 7. Luz was 13 V T I A L E D when she came into Harrington’s home. Club members are ‘Growing Together,’ page 32 : D R E E M T Harrington decided to open her home again as a S O A Festival added to ‘Tour de Coops,’ page 42 H - M N foster parent, taking in an 11-month-old toddler and T I S O her 4-year-old brother, as well as 17-year-old refugee Two family eateries find new homes, page 48 P Page 2 – North Central News, November 2013 www.northcentralnews.net N O NG E SO TI IC G IS PR IN L W M EW E CO N N 5510 N. 4th St. 150 E. Wagon Wheel Dr. - $849,000 1320 E. Lupine Ave. - $780,000 5307 N. 32nd Pl. - $749,000 E NG E IC TI IC R IS R P L P EW W EW N NE N 302 W. Kaler Dr. - $665,000 511 W. Flynn Lane - $650,000 4176 E. Medlock Dr. - $625,000 601 E. Orangewood Ave. - $548,000 SE EA R L E O The Caniglia Group Neighborhood Stars AL R S FO David and Alicia Funkhouser are without question one of North Central's brightest stars. David and Alicia have lived in North Central since 2004 and 3213 E. Mitchell Dr. - $519,000 have three wonderful children: 509 E. Belmont Ave. - $499,000 Davey (6), Jackson (4) and G Cayla (11 months). David is an IN ST attorney in the Commercial LI W Litigation Group at Quarles & NE Brady, focusing on real property disputes, contract disputes and trust and estate litigation. Alicia is an attorney at Ely, Bettini, Ulman & Rosenblatt and focuses on catastrophic personal injury matters. 1232 E. Lupine Ave. - $450,000 The Funkhousers are active in several civic endeavors. David is cur - 321 E. Medlock Dr. - $435,000 rently President of the Maricopa County Bar Association, Co-Chairs the Maricopa County Bench & Bar Committee, is a member of the E G IC IN R Leadership Council of the Special Olympics Advocacy Resource ST P LI EW ("SOAR") group and a founding member of the Suns 88 Charities. W N Alicia is a former President of Rosie's House, a music academy for NE children, and still helps in fundraising efforts for Rosie's House. Thank you for making North Central proud David and Alicia. You are amazing! (Photo by Katie Rounds, Round Lens Photography.) 6308 N. 7th Ave. - $399,000 908 W. Flynn Lane - $270,000 IF YOU ARE THINKING OF SE A D LE L BUYING OR SELLING, R SO FO WE CAN REPRESENT YOU. NOTHING IS TOO SMALL Cindy Shelley Steve Arend Caniglia Caniglia Lic. ® ® OR TOO LARGE! 1102 W. Glendale Ave. #121 - $1,400/mo 317 E. Glenn Dr. Assistant Realtor Realtor • Top Selling, Double Diamond Female Executive in Arizona 2007 Shelley Caniglia: 602-292-6862 • Top North Central Realtors since 1982 Steve Caniglia: 602-301-2402 • Top Producing Residential Real Estate Team in North Central www.TheCanigliaGroup.Com • Top 20 Residential Real Estate Teams, Business Journal Check us out on Facebook! North Central News, November 2013 – Page 3 Enter our monthly COMMUNITY Reader 301, Phoenix, AZ 85020. Contact Rewards Mallory Lebovitz at the Foundation office to learn more: 602-331-7856 or [email protected]. For more Drawing information about the program itself, for a chance to visit www.JCL.com/adoptafamily. win a great Duet: Partners prize! in Health & Aging Duet will host a holiday party on At North Central News, we LOVE our readers! Monday, Dec. 23, for families who par - To show our appreciation for your loyalty, we will ticipate in its various kinship programs hold a drawing for a great prize every month, and support groups. These families are thanks to our advertisers and prize sponsors comprised primarily of grandparents Visit our website at who are now raising their grandchil - www.northcentralnews.net dren. Duet hopes to find community to enter for your chance volunteers to provide one gift to each to win this month’s prize: of the 125 children at the holiday party. Children range in age from birth to 15. 30-Minute NuYu Chairside Donated gifts can be dropped off at the Power Teeth Lightening Duet office, 555 W. Glendale Ave., at A woman and her two sons happily carry a food box, frozen turkey and donated Christmas the southeast end of the parking lot. (a $399 Value) gifts they received through the Phoenix Rescue Mission’s holiday help programs (photo cour - Unwrapped gifts should be dropped off from Central Dental Care! tesy of the Phoenix Rescue Mission). no later than Friday, Dec. 13. For more Keeping charity Desert Mission information, call Patricia Dominguez The winner will be announced in our Through the Adopt-A-Family pro - at 602-274-5022, ext. 44 or e-mail December issue. in the community gram, community members purchase [email protected]. Congratulations to our October As the economy continues to fight to toys and a holiday meal for struggling Reader Rewards Drawing winner! right itself, many North Central families neighbors; adopters can choose the size Esperança are still struggling to make ends meet. of the family they wish to serve. Esperança’s Christmas Angel $100 Gift Certificate from The added burden of providing even Adopters can then deliver the gifts to Program will assist families at the North Mountain Brewing : one gift for a child this holiday season them directly or bring them to the Christown YMCA who are participat - may be more than they can afford. Food Bank for the family to pick up.