Focus on TUSD - September 2007

TUSD Wrap Up

Enrollment forums for parents held Sept. 18, 19
TUSD hosted parent forums to discuss various topics, including the decades-old desegregation order; plans for new attendance boundaries; recent and future changes in enrollment procedures; and expanding student choices for magnet and other focus programs.

Parents, students, TUSD employees and interested community members were invited.

Reading Celebration held Sept. 8
Children's book author Lola Rainey, a Tucson High graduate, met families and shared her new book, "Sad Sam, Glad Sam," at a Reading Celebration on Sept. 8, for 36 families participating in TUSD's Family Reading Initiative. The two-hour celebration was at the Woods Branch Library.

The FRI literacy project provides supports and incentives to families who have committed to reading together for 15 minutes each day and to spending one hour a week in family "hang time," playing games and doing activities together without the TV or electronic games.

A copy of Rainey's book was given to each family at the celebration, which was sponsored by the African American Studies Department in collaboration with the Tucson-Pima Public Library.

The Family Reading Initiative is supported by these community organizations: The Tucson Chapter of the Links, Inc., which provided copies of Rainey's book for participating families; FRY'S Marketplace, World Care, the University of Arizona's College of Humanities' Africana Studies Program; the UA Business Affairs office; Reading Seed; PRO Neighborhoods; Grace Temple and Rising Star Missionary Baptist churches; the Friends of the Tucson-Pima Public Library; and many others who advocate for literacy.

Teaching careers explored at Santa Rita
Santa Rita High School students interested in a teaching career took the first steps on Sept. 12, in a TUSD program designed to recruit and prepare new teachers. Approximately 40 students attended the opening activities.

The Eagle Education Professions Fellowship Program will be offered at Santa Rita High School, 3951 S. Pantano Road, starting in the 2008-09 school year, in a partnership with Pima Community College, The University of Arizona, and the Grow Your Own Education Professionals Foundation.

At the opening session, Santa Rita students participated in five focus groups led by TUSD administrators. Discussions focused on qualities of highly effective teachers, the 21st century classroom, and the 21st century teacher. Information gathered from the focus groups will be used to revise/create relevant teacher preparation courses at the high school and college levels and to recruit teacher mentors for program participants.

The Grow Your Own Education Professionals Foundation will provide scholarships to eligible students to pay for their UA College of Education tuition in return for a three-year commitment to teaching in TUSD. In addition:

• Juniors and seniors will take concurrent education-related courses with Pima Community College that will transfer credit to the university.
• Juniors and seniors will participate in an internship program that will give them experience in four levels of education: preschool, elementary, middle school and high school
• Freshmen and sophomores will participate in education-related workshops and seminars that will show them opportunities and trends in education careers.
• Teacher mentors will be assigned to all program participants
• Students will be able to participate in the Santa Rita Future Educators of America Chapter, beginning in the spring.

Hilton Inn committee donates items to Whitmore
Whitmore Elementary School was selected by the Hilton Inn Care Committee as its recipient for assistance this year. Representatives from the committee visited Whitmore on Sept. 12 to present the items collected for the staff.

"They contacted me and asked for a list of items staff here would like for their classrooms - and said they would provide as many items as possible, said Principal Kristine Hansen.

"I understand they have been doing this for the past seven years. I really don't know a great deal about this, but was thrilled to participate. The list we generated was rather eclectic and included items ranging from flats of plants and flowers, to dress up clothes, to CD burners, to book sets."

Hohokam helps dedicate H.A.W.K. signal
Hohokam Middle School students participated in a ceremony to dedicate the new H.A.W.K. pedestrian signal at Camino de Oeste and Tetakusim Road on Sept. 7.

Seventh-grader Anysa M. Rangel led the Pledge of Allegiance and eighth-grader Ismael E. Jaimez spoke. Officials from Pima County, the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) and area residents attended

H.A.W.K. stands for High-intensity Activated CrossWalk. The traffic signal installation has been nominated for the "Common Ground Award" by the Metropolitan Pima Alliance.

The $300,000 project was funded by the RTA, in collaboration with the county's Transportation and Traffic Engineering Department; the Pasqua Yaqui Tribe; TUSD; KE&G Contractor; and Kimley-Horn Consultant.

Mariachis de Cholla entertain at Mrs. America pageant
The Mariachis de Cholla entertained at the Mrs. America beauty pageant held in Tucson this month at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort.

Principal Marcia Volpe from Cholla High Magnet School, said that the master of ceremonies, actor Alan Thicke, was "duly impressed with the Chargers and spent some time talking to them after the contest. He even commented publicly on how beautiful their trajes were."

Band members were treated to a complimentary dinner at the resort's Flying V Bar & Grill, where they could order anything from the menu. "They were mesmerized by all the glamour of the Mrs. America contests, but more so of the beauty of the resort, the view of the Catalinas and the honor of performing at this," Volpe said. "I am so proud of our students.

Grijalva Elementary celebrates 20th anniversary
In honor of the TUSD School that bears his name, Rep. Raul M. Grijalva attended the 30th anniversary of Grijalva Elementary School on Aug. 28. About 120 well-wishers gathered at the school at 1795 W. Drexel Road, including the first principal, Diane Quevedo, who is now the Bloom Elementary School principal.

Grijalva said he was excited to attend the celebration. "To know that youth who have attended and succeeded at a school that is named after me is humbling and only strengthens my confidence and expectations for an even greater future for current and future students of Grijalva Elementary," he said.

While Grijalva served on the TUSD governing board from 1975-86, he supported teacher and employee rights, civil rights and public education, said staff in his office.

At the 90-minute celebration, Mariachi Aztlan de Pueblo High School performed and former teachers and students joined the current staff in remembrances. Principal Anna Rivera said one of the highlights of the evening was the song performance containing the lyrics the first staff wrote for the Oct. 29, 1987 dedication. These words were set to the music of "My Favorite Things" from the musical "The Sound of Music":

"Raul Grijalva spent time in the board room
And brought many changes we see in our classroom
With Diane Quevedo our school really swings
These are a few of our favorite things."

Burr film staring TUSD students wraps up
Students from Vail, Secrist and Doolen Middle schools, and Rincon, Sabino, University, Tucson High Magnet and Palo Verde High Magnet schools, collaborated on the film "Burr," an independent project that was filmed in Tucson and produced by Bottleneck Film Co. in conjunction with TUSD and the Opening Minds through the Arts program.

The students, who either had acting roles or worked as crew members, will earn fine arts school credit for their participation. Bottleneck Film Co. is an award-winning production company out of New York and Los Angeles.

Filming was done at Maxwell Middle School and Project MORE. The western-inspired film follows two middle school friends who organize a unique way to settle a score with the school bully. The soundtrack was composed by Rueben Loya, a Mariachi teacher at Tucson High Magnet School.

Following its completion, the film will be submitted for screening at national and international festivals, including the Sundance, Arizona International Film Festival and the Tucson Film and Music Festival.

The Loft Cinema has agreed to host the red carpet screening of the film early in 2008. On the day the extras had their scene, many students could be heard discussing what outfit they would wear to the gala.

Bravo to all of the students, parents, principals and teachers for their talent, labor and participation. We'll see you next on the red carpet!