The Governing Board opened the first meeting of the
academic year by welcoming new members of the 2001-2002 Leadership
Cohort Team and recognizing the outstanding contributions of several
members of the TUSD community.
New principals are: Sabrina Cruz, Brichta; Leonora
Velasquez, Carrillo; Mary Ann Jackson, Henry; Abel Ramirez, Keen;
Marco Ramirez, Pueblo Gardens, Kristine Hansen, Whitmore; Ruben
Ruiz, Maxwell; Joyce Dillon, Corbett; Kathrene Castrillo-Fitzgerald,
Doolen; and Angela Julien, Rincon. In addition, John Michel is the
new acting principal of Hohokam and Ellen Schartz now serves as
assistant director of Exceptional Education in Central Services.
The Board also recognized two administrators and a
volunteer for extraordinary efforts on behalf of TUSD.
Roland Carranza, executive director of Financial
Services, was honored for receiving a Certificate of Achievement for
Excellence in Financial Reporting for last fiscal year's
comprehensive annual financial report.
Doug Crockett, natural resources manager in
Facilities Management, was congratulated for receiving a Clean
Cities Transportation Energy Award from the Tucson-Pima County
Metropolitan Energy Commission and the Tucson Regional Clean Cities
Coalition on behalf of TUSD.
The district was recognized as the first school
district in Arizona to utilize compressed natural gas (CNG) school
buses and was the first school district to become a stakeholder in
the Tucson Regional Clean Cities Program.
Finally, Steve Meyers, retired electrical contractor
and longtime volunteer with the Habitat for Humanity/High School
Building Program, received Board recognition and praise for his
dedicated service to students at Santa Rita, Sabino and Howenstine.
For the past three years, Steve has taught students
how to wire a home properly and, in so doing, has helped at least
one student previously involved in gangs learn a profession and
break free from gang life.
At the recommendation of the staff, students and
parents of Accommodation Middle School, the Governing Board agreed
to rename the school Joyce M. Drake Alternative Middle School.
The late Joyce Drake was a teacher and counselor
with TUSD for 25 years, most recently at Accommodation Middle
School, until cancer took her life last December.
Joyce was a star performer in all the roles she
played at TUSD, as evidenced by the glowing evaluations written by
her administrators and by the poignant and touching testimonials at
ceremonies held before and after her death.
Perhaps her greatest contribution to TUSD was as
lead teacher/coordinator of Accommodation Middle School, a
responsibility she assumed in 1995 at a time when the program needed
strong direction.
Joyce designed a highly structured, safe and caring
learning environment that held students, parents and staff
consistently accountable for student behavior. She never let a day
go by without encouraging each student and raising students'
expectations for success. It was an exhausting job that required
dedication, determination and devotion far beyond the call of duty.
Her efforts were so successful that TUSD created
three other alternative middle schools in the past few years using
the "Joyce Drake" model.
Several new funding proposals were approved for
submission at the August Governing Board meeting.
Funding by the Arizona Commission of the Arts will enable Tucson
Arts Connections consultants and teaching artists to enrich and
expand the TUSD curriculum through arts integration, specifically
through participation in the UApresents Matinee Series.
If approved by the U.S. Department of Education, a Physical
Education for Progress Program grant will allow TUSD to convert
sport/game-based physical education instruction to a
student-centered/health-based model. This new model will help
teachers meet the outcomes of the state standards in physical
education and health.
Project SHINE!, if funded by the U.S. Department of
Education, will allow TUSD to develop six new 21st Century Community
Learning Center programs in inner-city neighborhoods throughout
Tucson. The goal of the programs is to transform six impoverished
TUSD schools into creative, stimulating and safe learning
environments.
In addition, a service agreement between TUSD and Arts Express
was approved for the provision of services to Project SHINE!,
described above.
Math, Science and the World Wide Web, if funded by the
Washington Mutual Foundation, will provide online math and science
resources to teachers and students at the middle and high school
levels.
TUSD continues to strengthen ties with local governmental
agencies on behalf of the district's students.
For example, at the August meeting, the Governing Board approved
a license agreement with Pima County for use of land in Tucson
Mountain Park for educational programming at the Camp Cooper
Environmental Education facility.
This agreement allows TUSD to utilize a portion of the existing
pedestrian trail system within Tucson Mountan Park along West Trails
End Road.
The land is adjacent to TUSD's Cooper Environmental Science
Campus (Camp Cooper), which operates environmental education
programming for students.
TUSD will allow only Camp Cooper staff, program participants and
invited guests to use the property.
In addition, the district agrees to protect and preserve the
park's sensitive natural and cultural resources and to keep the site
in clean and orderly condition.
Dr. Becky Montaño, Associate Superintendent of Education, and
Marla Motove, Southwest Regional Assistant Superintendent, provided
an overview of the current status and future plans for Hohokam
Middle School at the August meeting.
Prior to the opening of school, administrators worked with Dodge
Middle School Principal Glynda Underwood and former Booth-Fickett
Principal John Michel to seek input from teachers, counselors,
resource personnel and members of the community to address the
critical issues of recruitment and retention of staff and their need
for ongoing professional development opportunities.
Staff then participated in a number of professional development
workshops, including an eight-step instructional process designed
for StAAR schools, diversity competence training, and the Pascua
Yaqui Education Summit. Ongoing trainings are planned throughout the
year to address other important issues to the teaching and learning
process.
In addition, Mr. Michel agreed to stay on at Hohokam as Acting
Principal to continue his work with the school community and build
on the momentum begun over the summer.
Partly as a result of these efforts, the school reported that
student enrollment at Hohokam the week before school began was up
significantly from last year's pre-term enrollment.
Parent volunteers also increased, underscoring a critical
component of the school's success: parent involvement and Shared
Decision Making.
The Governing Board recently adopted a resolution supporting
renewed implementation of the Resources Efficiency Awareness Program
(REAP), which manages TUSD's $12 million annual budget for
electricity, natural gas, water and solid waste and plans for the
scheduled elimination of excess utilities in 2009.
The Board supported REAP with initial staff funding in February
1991. Since that time, the program has demonstrated the following
results:
- Saved more than $3.5 million in avoided utility costs;
- Raised more than $1.8 million in outside matching funds for
related conservation projects;
- Paid back $386,196 in capital dividends to schools and support
sites that demonstrated energy and water conservation;
Board Report, continued...
For
more information contact: