Community News
Compadres Early Learning & Family Resource Center opens at San Marcos Elementary School
This project, years in the making, provides critical early-childhood services thanks to partnerships between AZCEND, the Chandler Compadres, and CUSD
3 minute read • January 31, 2025
Community News
Compadres Early Learning & Family Resource Center opens at San Marcos Elementary School
This project, years in the making, provides critical early-childhood services thanks to partnerships between AZCEND, the Chandler Compadres, and CUSD
January 31, 2025
Ribbon cutting for the Compadres Early Learning & Family Resource Center. Photograph by Chandler Chamber.
The Compadres Early Learning & Family Resource Center officially opened its doors on Thursday, January 30, 2025 at San Marcos Elementary School in Chandler, Arizona. This new extension of AZCEND, a local nonprofit dedicated to supporting vulnerable populations, will enhance family programming in the Chandler Unified School District (CUSD).
The Resource Center consists of six modular classrooms, each serving a unique purpose to support early childhood education and family resources. Three classrooms will house the preschool program Giggles, Squiggles, and Squirms, funded by the Chandler Compadres. Another classroom will serve as an AZCEND office, offering essential family resources such as SNAP benefits, rent and utility support.
The HIVE, a digital learning space for students and seniors alike, will occupy another classroom, providing access to technology education. The remaining two classrooms will host Make Way for Books, a partnership between AZCEND and San Marcos Elementary School that provides free books and reading resources.
To Chandler Unified Superintendent Frank Narducci, early childhood education is the most critical point in a student’s future success. With no state funding allocated for preschools in Arizona, nonprofit organizations like AZCEND, Chandler Compadres, and First Things First play a critical role in bridging the gap and providing young learners with a strong educational foundation.
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In Arizona, Kindergarten only receives partial state funding, covering just 2.5 hours of the school day. School districts like CUSD must use district funds to offer parents a full-day kindergarten option.
Terri Kimble, President & CEO of the Chandler Chamber of Commerce, underscored the significance of education for workforce development. “The future of our workforce begins with the investments we make in education today. Chandler Unified School District’s commitment to excellence is evident in its achievements, including 1,659 AP scholars in 2024, an astounding $199.6 million in scholarships earned, and a 92% four-year graduation rate - far surpassing Arizona’s state average of 77.9%."
(From left: Terri Kimble [Chandler Chamber President & CEO] presents a ceremonial 'buck for luck' to Trinity Donovan [AZCEND CEO])
The Chandler Chamber and AZCEND share a long-standing partnership. Last year, the Chandler Chamber Community Foundation’s award-winning Leadership Institute completed a transformative class project at AZCEND’s downtown headquarters. The project included expanding parking capacity, securing a new weighing station for accurate donation monitoring, and renovating a building to add air conditioning, lockers, and volunteer onboarding space.
The Chandler Chamber Community Foundation will continue its focus on education. In February 2025, the nonprofit will collaborate with the Gilbert Chamber Foundation and the Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce to host a Business & Education Summit on Friday, February 21, 2025, from 7:30 to 9:30 AM at Chandler-Gilbert Community College’s Agave Hall (2626 E Pecos Rd, Chandler, AZ 85225). This $15 event will feature 25 workshops on topics like affordable childcare and business-school collaboration, and a keynote by best-selling generational author Mark Perna.
With the ribbon-cutting ceremony complete, Superintendent Narducci is already looking to future enhancements of the Compadres Early Learning & Family Resource Center. If you or a colleague would like to donate artificial turf to improve the area surrounding the modular classrooms, contact AZCEND at (480) 963-1423
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About AZCEND
Since 1966, AZCEND has helped vulnerable populations meet life’s most pressing needs. People struggling with hunger, poverty and homelessness count on them for a lifeline of essential resources. Last year, more than 14,000 food boxes were distributed at AZCEND providing more than 830,000 meals. Yet food is just the beginning.
AZCEND helps neighbors in need discover what’s possible so that they experience a brighter future than they may have imagined. For more information, visit azcend.org.
About Chandler Compadres
The Chandler Compadres were established in 1980 as a non-profit organization with the sole mission of providing support for East Valley families in need. The group started with fewer than 20 members and now has over 100 active and life members.
The Chandler Compadres donate their time, resources, talents and money to help disadvantaged kids in Chandler and the East Valley. Compadre members are civic-minded business and community leaders in industries which currently include agriculture, information technology, engineering, grocery, banking, law, advertising, real estate, small business and government. For more information, visit chandlercompadres.org.
About Chandler Unified School District
The Chandler Unified School District is located in the Southeastern part of the Phoenix metropolitan area. Chandler Unified serves more than 44,000 students in grades K-12 and encompasses 80 square miles including parts of the towns of Gilbert and Queen Creek, though not all of the City of Chandler.
Reading, language and mathematics are at the core of students' education. The district has specific expectations for students in these three basic areas. Academic achievement is a high priority in the district as evidenced by test scores above the state and national averages. Our students consistently score among the top in the state on college-entrance exams.
Because of the outstanding educational programs offered, almost all of the district schools have been cited for excellence by outside organizations, including the Arizona Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Education. For more information, visit cusd80.com.
Everything happening in Chandler, AZ
The hottest Arizona events, new businesses, & local spotlights.
Everything happening in Chandler, AZ
The hottest Arizona events, new businesses, & local spotlights.
