The stretch of 38th Avenue, between Wier Ave. and Roeser Rd., will be renamed “Sandomir Way” in honor of the late M.C. Cash School Principal, Lisa Sandomir. 

The Phoenix City Council approved the Laveen School District’s request to rename the street at their October 12, 2022 meeting. The request was previously reviewed by the Laveen Village Planning Committee.

Lisa Sandomir passed away October 27, 2021 after sustaining injuries in a car accident the day before. Sandomir was the principal of M.C. Cash Elementary for 15 years and had a tremendous impact on the M.C. Cash neighborhood and community. Thousands of local residents were educated under her and she saw multiple generations of families go through her school.

Under Sandomir’s leadership, M.C. Cash School adopted the Kid at Hope framework—a belief system that all children can succeed when they have anchor adults in their lives. She ensured that every M.C. Cash staff member would serve as that anchor adult if a child didn’t have one at home. This belief system drives every aspect of M.C. Cash’s operations which resulted in the school being recognized as an A+ School of Excellence.

Her work did not go unnoticed in the community that she served. She was routinely recognized by the Playa Margarita Park community organization and she received their Community Service Award in 2019.

M.C. Cash School faces this street and is the only property that is affected by the name change.

In September 2022,  Dr. Jeff Sprout launched the Superintendent’s Math All-Stars Club to all students in Grades 3-4 through a series of student assemblies.

Math All-Stars are challenged to spend 15 minutes a day practicing math skills. Students who join the club will be given a Chromebook to use at home for the duration of the school year. Participants will use the ALEKS online math program, a companion product to the district’s math curriculum. ALEKS uses adaptive tools to tailor students’ math practice to their identified needs.

Students who are in the Math All-Stars Club can earn monthly prizes for their participation.

Congressman Ruben Gallego presented the family of late M.C. Cash principal Lisa Sandomir with formal comments made during the first session of the 117th Congress, House of Representatives proceedings.

In November 2021, Congressman Gallego spoke on the House floor of the tragic loss of Ms. Sandomir and delivered the following comments as part of the official Congressional Record.

“Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life and mourn the loss of Lisa Sandomir. Ms. Sandomir was a longtime Phoenix-area educator and principal of Maurice C. Cash Elementary School for the past 16 years. She passed away tragically last week as the result of a car accident. Ms. Sanomir was beloved by students, parents, and fellow teachers. During her time as principal, M.C. Cash was named an A+ School of Excellence and she was awarded the prestigious Rodel Exemplary Principal award for her leadership. Ms. Sandomir believed in creating a positive environment where every student was given the opportunity to succeed and often reminded her students to never stop believing in themselves just as she never stopped believing in them. My thoughts are with Ms. Sandomir’s family, the students and staff of M.C. Cash Elementary School, and the entire Laveen community during this difficult time. Although Ms. Sandomir will be greatly missed, her legacy will be carried on through the thousands of students whose lives she touched.”

The congressman presented these framed comments to Ms. Sandomir’s brother, Mark, who then spoke about his sister to a small group of M.C. Cash staff members and district leaders. Mr. Sandomir acknowledged the M.C. Cash Community as being Ms. Sandomir’s first family and gifted the Congressional Record to the school for display.

Laveen’s Kids Club is now enrolling students in before/ after school care. This licensed program offers carefully planned, well-supervised activities for children in grades kindergarten through sixth.

Kids Club staff guides participants through group games, team sports, hands-on science activities, arts and crafts, music, drama, plus many other activities from which your child may choose. Each day includes quiet time for homework assistance and encouragement, plus a nutritious snack.

Program hours vary by school site. Learn more at www.LaveenSchools.org/kids-club.