Focus on TUSD - July 2007

FBLA Winner
Kayleigh Hoffsmith, a Santa Rita High School student, took fifth-place in Business Procedures at the Future Business Leaders of America National Competition held in Chicago from June 26-July 2. About 7,000 students from the U.S., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Island were entered with about 100 students competing in each event. Her teacher is Mary Baker.

Transportation Department Receives $1.4 Million from ADEQ
TUSD received nearly $1.4 million of the $3.2 million distributed among 11 school districts in Pima and Maricopa counties. The grants will help districts improve air quality and reduce children's exposure to unsafe diesel emissions from school buses.

In TUSD, that means buying 11 compressed natural gas-powered (CNG) buses, 42 new diesel buses and 38 filters for existing diesel buses.

Of TUSD's 217 buses, a dozen are CNG buses. By the end of July, the Transportation Department expects to receive nearly $500,000 in federal grant money to improve the fleet, said Bill Ball, TUSD's Transportation Director. At least 75 TUSD buses have been retrofitted with cleaner engines.

In 2004, TUSD received $4.5 million through a voter bond package for cleaner buses.

The school districts receiving the grants participate in ADEQ's voluntary School Bus Idling Program. Participating school districts reduce diesel emissions by limiting bus idling near schools.

-- By Sharon Dunham
Communications & Media Relations