Starting school with a smile
New superintendent visits five schools on first day
Jordyn Olivas, a Johnson Primary School kindergartener, takes a lunch break on the first day of school, Aug. 11.
New Tucson Unified School District Superintendent Elizabeth Celania-Fagen went to school the first day right along with the children. At Banks Elementary School, 3200 S. Lead Flower, she found a bittersweet situation—staff and children excited about starting the new school year, but sad that last year's principal, Victoire VickRoy, was no longer at the school.
VickRoy died July 26, about two weeks before the doors opened. Though she had been ill for some weeks before her death, Banks still faced an adjustment period that first day.
New Principal Joe Herrmann stepped in to fill the gap, visiting every class with a matter-of-fact message: Yes, Mrs. VickRoy was gone, and yes, everyone was sad, but school counselor Veronica Vironet was on hand to talk to them. And the rest of the adults were there, too, to listen to children who wanted to talk about the loss. "Everyone here is a family," Herrmann said. "And families take care of each other. That's what families do." Read more
Helping hand at Hohokam
Hohokam Middle School may be located in the desert, but folks there are not about to let a dry spell set in at their school.
On the first day of school, Aug. 11, several staff members met parents in their vehicle in the parking lot, offering them bottles of water and a card with information offering to help them with their children's needs.
It's part of the effort at Hohokam, 7400 S. Settler Road, to present a welcoming atmosphere and promote understanding and cooperation between staff and parents. They plan to keep handing out the bottles and cards on Mondays or at least on alternating Mondays. Read more
Girls TEC Camp
Firefighting may not have been their first choice for a career, but some middle school girls who tried out the tasks at a recent camp are considering it. First, though, they have to get their panic under control if they were really were at a fire, said Vail Middle School seventh-grader Bella Chiu.
She was one of 15 girls who attended a weeklong Tucson Unified School District career and technical education pilot program intended to show girls non-traditional careers. The students in the Girls TEC Camp (Tackling Emerging Careers) were mostly from Pueblo Gardens Elementary School, Hohokam, Valencia and Vail middle schools. Read more
Department focus: Print Shop
Mike Ortiz does not run a quiet shop.
And that's the way he likes it. It's the hubbub of activity at the Tucson Unified School District's Print Shop that have turned it into a money-making operation after years of operating in the red. As the shop manager, Ortiz has solicited new business, added services and used its profits to invest in equipment. Within the district, the print shop has won the right of first refusal. If jobs can be done more cheaply outside the Print Shop, it will be contracted. Read more