"When parents come to school regularly, it reinforces the view in the child’s mind that school and home are connected and that school is an integral part of the whole family’s life.” Michigan Department of Education – Parent Involvement Fact Sheet.

Some parents may be wondering how to keep their young child’s time occupied with summer on its way.

1. On May 9 police took a report of criminal damage in the 13600 block of south 44th Street. The victim told police he had a 2001 two-door Honda that his son usually drives parked on the street overnight. When his son went to go to work in the morning he noticed a scratch down the side of the car.

The Ahwatukee Community Network (ACN) is bringing passionate people together again, this time on the topic of children in foster care.

The 2013 legislative session began with a unanimous vote in the House and the Senate to appropriate emergency funding for additional Child Protective Services staff. With that vote, lawmakers affirmed child safety as a top priority.

Senate Republicans are proposing a nearly $8.8 billion spending plan for the coming year, a tiny -- 1.6 percent -- hike over current levels.

Mother-daughter team Stephanie and Carley Barton spent the Saturday before Mother’s Day together at the salon, but the duo wasn’t there just to be pampered. They’ve both been growing their hair out for years to be donated to Locks of Love.

It’s no secret that Arizona offers some of the best and most luxurious AAA Four and Five Diamond resorts in the country. However, many travelers don’t realize that many of these properties also feature kid camps that aim to please even the pickiest pint-sized traveler. This provides mom and dad with a guilt-free way to indulge in some much-needed couple time, while allowing kids to make friends and create memories of their own.

Gloria A. Poulin of Ahwatukee Foothills, 86, born Sept. 10, 1926, in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, passed away May 2. She devoted her life, love and energy to her family and raised her children instilling virtues and values.

Another school year is drawing to a close — so if you have young children, they’re one year closer to the day when they head off to college. And both you and your children need to prepare for that day. Your kids can do so by developing good study habits. As for you, it’s never too soon to start preparing for the high costs of higher education.

Joss Bates was dropped off at his Ahwatukee home last weekend to find 114 notes hanging around his front yard, displaying quotes, words of comfort, love and encouragement written on them from friends and family.

With the onslaught of Oscar contenders that debuted last November, there’s a good chance that a little-seen indie gem, “Starlet,” managed to fall off your radar during its short, theatrical run. Winner of the Special Jury Prize at the 2011 SXSW film festival, “Starlet” explores the unlikely friendship between a cheerful, aspiring actress (played by the winsome Dree Hemingway) and a cantankerous, elderly widow (the late Besedka Johnson).

The 94th annual Children’s Book Week, the national celebration of books for young people and the joy of reading, officially starts May 13, but youngsters can join activities sooner at Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe:

The Chandler Children’s Choir is presenting its spring concert, “Dancing Around the World,” a collection of songs representing different nationalities and cultures in different languages.

Keystone Montessori • 1025 E. Liberty Lane

Dear Mikey,

A medical marijuana dispensary in Ahwatukee Foothills was on the agenda for a city zoning adjustment hearing Thursday but the meeting was postponed.

"Had I known about the crime problems around Arizona State University I would have never let Kyleigh move to Tempe.” Those are the words of Karen Montenegro, the mother of murdered ASU student Kyleigh Sousa.

Principal Shelley Conner said she’ll miss camaraderie the most at St. John Bosco in Ahwatukee.

Gov. Jan Brewer signed legislation Thursday to allow foster children to be placed in homes with youngsters who are not immunized.

Phoenix police arrested Arizona Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington Friday morning after he was accused of assaulting an ex girlfriend in Ahwatukee Foothills on Wednesday night.

Phoenix police investigators are interested in talking with Arizona Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington after an alleged domestic violence incident on Wednesday afternoon.

Besides pulse, respiratory rate, and blood pressure, a patient’s temperature is also considered a “vital sign.” The thing that makes a person’s temperature vital is that the body’s homeostasis, or ability to maintain all functions optimally, depends upon a certain range of heat. Most everyone can recite that the average body core temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit with a healthy range being anywhere from 97 to 99 degrees. Temperatures that vary below or above this average create an internal atmosphere that is not conducive to the various systems’ functioning. The term “fever” generally refers to anything over 99 degrees. In order to maintain the healthful range, the body has a regulating system that kicks in much like any thermostat. If the core temperature starts to rise, we begin a cooling mechanism through sweating. If the core temperature starts to decrease, shivering will initiate warming through muscle contractions.

Back by popular demand, the Harlem Globetrotters will be in the Valley in the beginning of June for their “Summer Skills Clinic,” where they will coach, motivate and entertain kids ages 6 through 12. Kids of all basketball levels are encouraged to participate.