Focus on TUSD - May 2007

Coaches Reward Myers-Ganoung Fourth-Graders for Math Accomplishments
Doing extra math work, and lots of it, added up to a special visit from Arizona Diamondbacks baseball coaches for fourth-graders at Myers-Ganoung Elementary School last month.

The morning clinic was a reward for nearly 100 percent of the students participating in the Mathematics Achievement Club sponsored by the Rodel Foundation, which selected Myers-Ganoung as one of four schools in the state for the visit.

Coach Rick Bundy joked with the players, calling one student, Francisco Leon, "Mr. Durazo," a reference to former Diamondback player Erubiel Durazo, who attended Amphitheater High School and Pima Community College. Bundy told Francisco he looked like a young Durazo. "I don't know you well enough to call you by your first name," he said, "so you'll be Mr. Durazo today."

Another student, Ruai Ruai, who moved to Tucson from Egypt three years ago, said the hour-long drills and practice session was "like the best time of baseball for me. Baseball is fun. I want to play on a real team now."

That comment pleased coach Brent Scheffler, who said that it's surprising how many children don't play organized ball. "Once you show them how to hit a ball, they pop them out, hitting line drives. It's a matter of telling them, 'See the ball, hit the ball.'"

But before the fledgling players hit the baseball diamond, the coaches took them through warm-up drills and informal games. Principal Barbara Gonzales said that soccer is "big with students, but baseball is fun for them."

Students in Steve Makielsky's and Carlos Cardona's classes shared the first session followed by Mike Lumerson's class. Scheffler said by the end of their sessions, players had formed one big team. "If there's one thing they take away, they should learn about teamwork, that we're all in this together," he said. "It's a win, win, win situation and we have fun. They did their part with math, the teachers do their part, and we do our part."

The Rodel Foundation provided math materials for the program and a budget to reward students, which was $1 a month per student. This is the second year Myers-Ganoung has used the MacroMath program, a math achievement club that provides additional math practice and strengthens students' math skills through a workbook and a supplemental homework program.

Gonzales said these students' teachers are confident that the extra time devoted to math will be positively reflected in their AIMS scores and daily math activities. She said teachers appreciated having the parents make sure homework assignments were completed.
Bundy, a retired teacher who was a physical education and health teacher at Sahuarita High School for 31 years, told the students before they went back to classes, "The reason you're here is the most important reason you have for getting up in the morning. The reason is your education. In the Diamondback training we say that it's more important to be a major league person than a major league baseball player."

-- By Sharon Dunham
Communications & Media Relations

TUSD - Proud Supporter of Small Classes

All photos in the May issue by Jes Ruvalcaba of Communications & Media Relations.

The deadline to submit material for the June Focus is Friday, June 8. The Focus will be published Monday, June 18. Email submissions to Chyrl Hill Lander or Sharon Dunham in the Communications & Media Relations Department or use the Focus Online Submission Form.