Focus on TUSD - April/May 2008

Awards and Recognition
Kathleen Scheppe Receives Woman of the Year Award
Gridley Middle School Principal Kathleen Scheppe received the 94.9 MIXFM Woman of the Year award in April.

Karen Arellano, the Gridley seventh-grade teacher who nominated Scheppe, said that in her 18 years of teaching, she has "never been so impressed with a principal, or anyone involved with education, as I am with Kathy. She makes herself available to the faculty, supports our endeavors without hesitation, and is first and foremost there for the children and families of our school."

Scheppe, who has been at Gridley for five years, has an open door policy, Arellano said in her nomination letter. She said that Scheppe gives teachers awards for various achievements at every staff meeting and also leaves notes in the teachers' boxes recognizing good things they have done. "I can't tell you how rejuvenating that is and how appreciated it makes us feel," Arellano said.

Scheppe has helped and supported every family at Gridley, Arellano pointed out. "The kids absolutely adore her and, more importantly, they know they can trust her with anything that may be bothering them. Several families have told me that they specifically send their kids to Gridley because Kathy is the principal. This is a marvelous statement about the kind of person she is."

Arellano said she has never heard Scheppe complain or miss a day of school. "She is pure energy and this rubs off on anyone who knows her," she commented. "Kathy is the most modest person I know and never takes credit for Gridley's accomplishments."

Except for one year, Gridley has been an excelling school each year while Scheppe has been the principal. Gridley is located at 350 S. Harrison Road

Patrick McCarty Wins State Biotech Championship
Patrick McCarty, a Pueblo Magnet High School student, took home the gold at the first state Biotechnology Championship at the Spring Health Occupations Students of America competition. The two-day event, held at the Hotel Arizona in downtown Tucson, included a written test and a skills competition. McCarty is now eligible to compete at the national championship this summer in Dallas, Texas, said Andrew Lettes, a Pueblo biology and biotechnology teacher.

Ana Gallegos Nominated for Education Human and Civil Rights Award
Lawrence Intermediate School Principal Ana Gallegos has been nominated for the 2008 Arizona Education Human and Civil Rights Award.

Gallegos took over as principal in 2006 after Lawrence had been labeled a failing school for three years. After the Arizona Department of Education and TUSD "closed" the school, Gallegos and a new staff were hired. Gallegos has "worked very hard to build a foundation of trust between her new staff and the Pascua Yaqui Nation, which borders the school, said Summer Harms, the health assistant who nominated Gallegos.

"The Pascua Yaqui people felt betrayed and distrustful and this is a nation that already had felt persecuted for many years," Harms said in the letter she wrote to nominate Gallegos. "Ana educated herself and then her staff on the cultures and traditions of the Pascua people and encouraged the people of the nation to come and volunteer at Lawrence, so that the students and parents felt supported."

This year, Lawrence received 21st Century grant money, which Gallegos used to hire a teacher to help the children learn the Yaqui language. This after-school program also offers Folklorico because the school's second highest ethnic group is Hispanic.

Gallegos has also been a prevention specialist and program facilitator at Liberty Elementary School and Hohokam Middle School. She has received many awards for her professional and academic achievement.

"In all the years that I have worked in a school setting, I have never seen a principal work so hard at having her staff gain an understanding of various cultures, encourage ethnic exploration and traditions in addition to the learning process," Harms said in their letter. "Ana Gallegos is sensitive to the needs of her students, parents, special education students and staff and is the embodiment of what all principals in the state of Arizona should aspire to be."

Cholla Students Participate in Essay Contest
Eight Cholla Magnet High School students in Roggie Ross's Career and Technical Education Financial Services Program discovered that learning about how to handle money made them some cold, hard cash.

These students participated in the Tucson Association of Realtors' "HomeWords" essay contest. Seven students won cash prizes ranging from $250 to $500 while the school earned a $2,500 check.

First-place winner Ashley Nagengast said she and her classmates wrote their essay on "My Dream Home." Many students haven't decided what to spend their money on, saying they are weighing all their options, as befits future money moguls.

Photos in the April issue by Jes Ruvalcaba of Communications & Media Relations, unless otherwise noted.

The deadline to submit material for the May Focus is Friday, May 16. The Focus will be published Tuesday, May 27. Email submissions to Chyrl Hill Lander or Sharon Dunham in the Communications & Media Relations Department or use the online Tip Sheet.