The Pine-Strawberry School teacher whose personalized license plate reads “Bonaro” has been named the Gila County Tea… Read more
WASHINGTON – Gov. Doug Ducey touted Arizona’s first-in-the-nation universal licensing recognition law at the White Ho… Read more
The Philanthropic Educational Organization’s STAR Scholarship for 2019 went to Perla Luna, a student at Payson High S… Read more
Override
With arts classes, maintaining class sizes and nearly 10 percent of its operating budget on the line, the Payson Scho… Read more
Teacher merit pay
If everyone gets “merit pay,” does it really mean you’re doing a good job? Read more
Donations
The Mogollon Sporting Association once again came through for Rim Country’s kids, with nearly $9,000 in donations to … Read more
The Payson Unified School District’s transportation department is in turmoil, with the crash of a bus whose driver wa… Read more
Teacher pay
Recent increases in teacher pay haven’t come close to lifting Arizona to the national average, according to a nationa… Read more
political agenda
The Payson School Board really, really hopes the Arizona Legislature will resume paying for all-day kindergarten classes. Read more
Several Julia Randall Elementary students snagged a free bike on the last day of school. Read more
Eastern Arizona College Small Business Development Center presents webinar "Social Media for Small Business" from noo… Read more
Gila Community College announced the Payson honor students for the Spring 2019 semester. Read more
Thirteen students received scholarships to attend Gila Community College (GCC) this fall. Read more
State Schools budget
The state’s new $11.8 billion budget nearly doubled the reserve fund, increased spending by 11 percent and cut taxes … Read more
A concerned Kathlene Thomson kept an eye on the weather forecast. Read more
Life isn’t about beating others, but setting and then besting your own personal records. Read more
Payson High School graduates donned their caps and gowns – not for graduation – but for high fives and good vibes. Read more
The Payson campus of Gila Community College celebrated the graduation of 16 students at their 2019 Commencement held … Read more
Gila County has received $1.16 million from the 2019 Secure Rural Schools Act (SRS) funds. Read more
Tears filled Corrine VandenBerg’s eyes as she gazed at a colorful new mural that adorns the front of Payson Elementar… Read more
Override election
A fretful Payson School Board this week asked for a resolution to be brought to them at the next board meeting to see… Read more
Payson School Board member Shane Keith this week resigned his seat after the district hired his wife as an English te… Read more
Jacquelyn Oesterblad, a 2011 graduate of Payson High School, plans to attend Yale Law School this fall. Read more
Payson High School senior Kajal Daya wasn’t sure what kind of career she wanted until she volunteered at Banner Payso… Read more
Playing songs from Mötley Crüe to the ethereal Mark Williams with some jazz thrown in, the bands from Rim Country Mid… Read more
Education tax
Sen. Sylvia Allen’s (R-Snowflake) plan to raise the state’s sales tax to generate more money for education continues … Read more
Payson High School senior Olivia Hobson has been honored for her volunteer work with a Prudential Spirit of Community… Read more
Payson High senior Cole Tenney is a finalist for a National Merit Scholarship. Read more
Stipends
The Payson School board at its last meeting approved a slew of stipends for teachers who supervise extracurricular ac… Read more
Foreign exchange
New school board. Read more
Donations
Payson loves its schools. And has a generous spirit. Read more
Payson Schools
The Payson School Board last week approved a roughly 5 percent employee pay raise, with money set aside for an extra,… Read more
Just a few days remain to nominate an educator for Gila County’s K-12 Teacher of the Year award. Read more
I’m clinging to Steve Stephens, like driftwood on the ocean. Read more
Consolidation
A bill that would have forced the merger of the Pine, Tonto Basin and Young school districts into Payson Unified Scho… Read more
Jim Strogen patiently attached the hand-tied imitation caddisfly nymph to my nearly invisible fly line, while my gaze… Read more
School board wrestles with raises and capital needs
Big classes. Read more
School budget
The Payson School Board made nearly $1 million worth of employee raises and benefits its top priority in the course o… Read more
The Mazatzal Optimist Club has selected a Rim Country Middle School eighth-grader the winner of their essay contest. Read more
Audience members were transported back more than half a century last week in the delightfully colorful production of … Read more
Zoia Brouwer, a Payson High School 2016 graduate, showed five of her drawings and paintings in the 3rd Annual Element… Read more
Payson Unified School District just received recognition as a Capturing Kids’ Hearts National Showcase School from th… Read more
Tests
The federal government has rejected an Arizona plan to stop requiring all districts to use the AzMerit test to track … Read more
Payson will get a bright, shiny, new school bus, thanks to Volkswagen’s dirty air tests on diesel engines. Read more
The Payson High School Longhorn Theatre Company presents “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown” at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Apri… Read more
School mergers
A bill that could force the Pine, Tonto Basin and Young elementary school districts to merge with Payson has passed o… Read more
featured
School mergers
A bill that could force the Pine, Tonto Basin and Young elementary school districts to merge with Payson has passed out of a key Senate committee. Read more
It was far out and groovy as the Kiwanis Club of Zane Grey Country sponsored a showing of the film “Woodstock” at Payson’s Sawmill Theatres on… Read more
School survey
Experience. Read more
featured
Gila Community College student Bailee Taylor has earned a spot on the 23rd Annual All-Arizona Academic Team. Read more
The Gila Community College Governing Board met on March 22 to discuss the proposed fiscal year 2020 budget, which is not much different from l… Read more
Superintendent
Personality. Read more
College classes
The share of Payson High School students taking college-level classes remains far below the state and national average. Read more
Between February 28-March 2, 30 Payson High School DECA students traveled to Phoenix for their state conference and competitions. Read more
A year or two of spending increase can’t compensate for a decade of neglect when it comes to school financing, according to a just-released Ar… Read more
The Thomas Walling Memorial Lip Sync Contest at Payson High School Auditorium on Saturday, March 2 featured 15 toe-tapping performances. Read more
Five children attended the annual Dr. Seuss Birthday Party at the Isabelle Hunt Memorial Library (IHML) in Pine on Saturday, March 2. Read more
Payson Elementary School will have a new principal at the start of the school year. Gail Milton is leaving the district after serving for four years. Read more
Payson Elementary School is holding its Scholastic Dino-Mite Book Fair this week. The event, one of two book fairs the school holds each year,… Read more
Due to overnight cold temperatures causing the potential for icy road conditions and ice on our campuses, Payson Unified School District will … Read more
Hundreds of Payson students recently tromped through a morning of presentations at Gila Community College designed to stoke their interest in … Read more
featured
Hazel Rensch, a first-grader at the Shelby School, was one of 12 students in Arizona to be awarded a ribbon in ASU’s Rev. Dr. Martin Luther Ki… Read more
Education funding
The governor and key lawmakers finally appear ready to address the problems of one of the worst-funded public school systems in the country, s… Read more
Arizona may be facing a happy “perfect storm” when it comes to bolstering state support for one of the worst-funded public school systems in t… Read more
From finding love, graduating high school, becoming a volleyball champion and even traveling to Dubai, Payson Community Kids’ middle schoolers… Read more
State lawmakers took the first steps Tuesday to asking voters if they want to pay even more in sales taxes to support public education. Read more
The Payson Unified School District hedged its internet bet last week by joining a new coalition seeking federal help to bring high-speed broad… Read more
Once heralded as a safe alternative to cigarettes and other tobacco products, e-cigarettes failed to deliver on the promise. Instead, they are… Read more
featured
PHOENIX – Gov. Doug Ducey on Friday proposed a fiscal year 2020 budget that would double the rainy day fund to $1 billion, put aside $165 mill… Read more
school board
The Payson Unified School District needs to spend $6.5 million over the next five years to keep its buildings from falling apart, a consultant… Read more
The Payson Longhorn Theatre hopes to illuminate the dangers of drug abuse through the play “Addict,” on Jan. 17, 18 and 19. Read more
SANTA MONICA, Calif. – In the past 30 days, nearly half of U.S. college students have gone without enough to eat, according to the National Co… Read more
Are you a business person seeking new ways to maximize your success? EAC’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is offering a one evening … Read more
Gila Community College’s tuition will jump $5 a credit hour, according to the tuition schedule recently adopted by GCC’s Governing Board. Read more
Turns out, even angels need a little space — and maybe some help from the higher powers. Read more
Lani Hall’s mother had her students perform “Santa’s Workshop,” now Hall has brought back this Payson tradition to her Payson Elementary Schoo… Read more
After five years, Payson Unified School Superintendent Greg Wyman will leave the district at the end of the current school year to take the re… Read more
The Aspire Arizona Foundation seeks to triple its support to Payson High School students challenging themselves with dual credit courses to st… Read more
featured
Third- and fourth-graders warmed the hearts of audience members during the Julia Randall Elementary School Holiday Concert at Payson High Scho… Read more
featured
All the freshly sprouted kindergartners of Kristine Seeley’s class soaked up the pumpkin life cycle lesson, offered by Tonto Basin rancher Cas… Read more
Corrine VandenBerg’s face beamed with joy. Read more
After the long holiday weekend, Payson High School students returned to school Monday and were greeted with an unexpected police search. Read more
Any way you slice it, it’s an honor for a marching band to compete at the Arizona Band and Orchestra Directors Association State Marching Cham… Read more
featured
Gila Community College hosted its 12th annual Student Art Show and Sale from Friday, Nov. 16. Art classrooms were filled with creative work, a… Read more
Gov. Doug Ducey appointed Fred DuVal Monday to the Arizona Board of Regents four years after getting himself elected by blasting his Democrat … Read more
The Payson School Board honored one of the district’s most stalwart supporters at a recent meeting – restaurant owner Gerardo Moceri. Read more
featured
Despite being short-handed, the Pride of Payson Marching Band earned an “excellent” rating at the Arizona Band and Orchestra Directors Associa… Read more
The Gila Community College District Governing Board discussed a proposed a 7 percent increase to $80 per credit hour. For dual-enrollment clas… Read more
Payson Schools will get a grant-funded program to provide intensive support to boost the chance students in the seventh grade will end up not … Read more
The Pride of Payson Marching Band completed its first competition on Oct. 27 placing fifth in its category with a score of 58. Read more
The Payson Unified School District board paid off $11,222.87 in unpaid school lunch debt to comply with new federal laws and in preparation fo… Read more
