Focus on TUSD - September 2007

Looking Ahead

Pueblo Ham Radio Club will have space contact
The Ham Radio Club at Pueblo Magnet High School, 3500 S. 12th Ave., will speak to the International Space Station at 8:04 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 21, during a 14-minute contact.

"We have new antennas and radios that have been tested with NASA and we are a go for liftoff!" said Principal Patricia J. Dienz.

Snake awareness forum at Tolson
Animal experts will conduct a Snake Awareness Forum on Tuesday, Sept. 25, from 6-7 p.m. at Tolson Elementary School, 1000 S. Greasewood Road. The forum is open to the public. Tolson has had seven rattlesnakes on its grounds since the school year started. Snake sightings also have been reported at Davidson, Hudlow and Lyons elementary schools, and Cholla High Magnet School this year.

Engineering, Facilities and Planning sets in-service
Health and Safety, along with Property Management are the themes for the Annual In-Service that the Engineering, Facilities and Planning Department plans for Sept. 25 and 26.

The training will be from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. To reserve your seat, contact Peter Herran at 225-4937 or e-mail peter.herran@tusd1.org

Howenstine to receive $2,000 for safety campaign
State Farm Insurance will present a $2,000 check to Howenstine High Magnet School on Wednesday, Sept. 26, for the school's seatbelt safety campaign, titled "Snap It, Save It." Howenstine students used a variety of methods to communicate their safety message: PowerPoint, fliers, games, class discussions, and dramatizations. "We made the top 25 nationally," said Principal Jimmy Hart.

The presentation will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the school, 555 S. Tucson Blvd.

Bookmans offers discount Sept. 29
Bookmans Entertainment Exchange will offer teachers a 30 percent discount on all purchases on Saturday, Sept. 29, which is Teacher Appreciation Day. The discount reflects an additional 10 percent on top of the standard 20 percent educator's discount.

Teachers who don't have a Bookmans discount card should bring a recent pay stub or school identification to get enrolled.

"Teacher appreciation Day is our way of recognizing those current and active teachers who often sacrifice their own money to provide classroom material for their students," said Sheila Kressler-Crowley, a Bookmans representative.

For more information visit the Bookmans Web site at www.bookmans.com

GASP gallery's first show opens
The first show of the 2007-2008 season at the student-run Utterback Middle Magnet School gallery has opened. The Great Art by Students and Professions Gallery (GASP) is featuring mixed media artwork by Tucson artists Nancy Bobo and Taylor Crockett until Thursday, Oct. 11 at the gallery at 3233 S. Pinal Vista.

Sixteen students take on the gallery jobs of curator, registrar, security, docent, installer and publicist. Instructor Linda Poverman, the Utterback art instructor, leads this project.

Native American Studies involved with College Fest
Native American Studies is partnering with the Pascua Yaqui Tribe to present "College Fest," a day of activities, games and workshops for seventh- through ninth-grade students and their parents, Saturday, Oct. 6, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Education Community Resource Center, 4747 W. Calle Vicam.

Students from Arizona State University will talk about college life and career planning. "Whether you are just beginning to think about life after high school or want to start, you are invited to College Fest," says the flier promoting the event. The event is free and lunch will be served.

For more information, call Native American Studies at 225-6245; Maria Corral at 883-5054; or visit www.asu.edu/collegefest

DECA clubs will attend conference
Students from the Southern Area Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) will participate in the annual DECA Career/Leadership Conference on Wednesday, Oct. 10, at Park Place Mall. Through hands-on activities, students will explore various careers and develop leadership and social skills.
Presenters will include Scottsdale Culinary Institute, the Art Institute of Arizona, Target and Sears.

Wrightstown to receive dictionaries from Rincon Rotary
Third-graders at Wrightstown Elementary School, 8950 E. Wrightstown Road, will be presented dictionaries from the Rincon Rotary Club at the school's quarterly student recognition assembly Thursday, Oct. 11, starting at 1:30 p.m. in the school's multipurpose room. "I believe there are a handful of schools receiving this resource," said Principal Jon Ben-Asher.

Mexican Mercado to open at LIRC
A Mexican Mercado showcasing arts and crafts from Mexico will open Monday, Oct. 15, at the Lee Instructional Resource Center, 2025 E. Winsett St. John and Elinor Kirk, who in recent years have donated some of their personal collection for the education and enjoyment of TUSD students and teachers, will be honored. Everyone is invited.

In addition to the mercado, many departments housed in LIRC have assembled flowers, candles and memorabilia to create Día de los Muertos altars that will be on display from Oct. 1-Nov. 2 in the Educational Materials Center at LIRC. "Día de los Muertos" - "Day of the Dead" - is a celebration of the deceased that began in Aztec Mexico. It is observed on All Saints Day, Nov. 1, and All Souls Day, Nov. 2.

Stevie Mack of Crizmac will give a presentation on the history and tradition of Día de los Muertos celebrations in Michoacán, Mexico, starting at 3 p.m. Students from Wakefield Middle School are scheduled to bring masks they are making to wear in a Día de los Muertos parade later in the month.

Films about Día de los Muertos will be shown throughout the day in the center conference room. There also will be activity centers set up for making paper marigolds, decorating sugar skulls, or making dancing skeleton puppets, all associated with Día de los Muertos.

Howenstine sets guest speaker
Patrick Perez, an author, award-winning speaker and entrepreneur, will speak to Howenstine High Magnet School students and families on Wednesday, Oct. 17, in observance of Hispanic Heritage Month. The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. in Howenstine's multipurpose room.

Perez, an Austin, Texas, native who has mentored teenagers from single-parents as a youth minister, will combine music, dance, leadership principles and his experiences at the presentation.

Hispanic Heritage Month began Sept. 15, the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries - Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico declared its independence on Sept. 16, and Chile on Sept. 18.

Environmental training event coming up
Teachers and outdoor leaders interested in helping upper elementary students respond to environmental concerns are invited to an educational training program on Saturday, Oct. 13, organized by the Earthkeepers.

The event will be at Ague Caliente Park from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The cost is $35 and participations should bring a sack lunch.

Earthkeepers helps fourth- and fifth-graders understand basic ecological processes, develop positive attitudes about being in the natural world and use their knowledge to help change their own environmental habits.

Event sponsors are the Sonoran Desert Branch of Institute for Earth Education and Pima County Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation and the College of Education at University of Arizona.

For more information and to register contact Mike at 795-6637 or Mmayer4667@cox.net or Bruce Johnson 626-8700 or brucej@email.arizona.edu.

Digital photo contest open to students
"Digital Diary - Through My Lens" is the theme of the sixth annual digital photo contest co-sponsored by Technology and Learning, a San Bruno, Calif.-based magazine, and the Adobe Digital Kids Club. The contest is open to kindergarten students through 12th-graders. Students may digitally enhance their photos with imaging software. The best digitally enhanced photos will win a prize from Adobe. Other prizes include a digital camera and Adobe Photoshop Elements.

Twelve winners will be selected, including a first-place and three second-place winners in elementary, middle and high school. The deadline to enter is midnight Friday, Oct. 19.

For more information, rules, guidelines, tips and views of last year's winners, visit the Portraits of Learning Web site at www.techlearning.com

College Night will be Oct. 25
High school students are invited to get a jump start on college by attending the 34th Annual Tucson College Night on Thursday, Oct. 25, from 6:30-9 p.m. in the Tucson Convention Center Exhibition Hall, 260 S. Church St. Admission and parking are free.

TUSD is sponsoring the event that will feature more than 150 college representatives from around the country who will answer questions and hand out materials.

For a Tucson Convention Center parking lot map and driving instructions, go to www.tucsonaz.gov/tcc/subpages/directions.htm

Information is also available at the Tucson College Night Web site: instech.tusd.k12.az.us/counseling/college.asp.

For more information contact Beth Counts at 225-6211 or bethcounts@tusd1.org.

National science conference coming
The TUSD Science Resource Center will host a national conference from Oct. 31-Nov. 3. The Next Step Institute is sponsoring the "Advancing Instructional Leadership K-8 Science" event.

Participating five-member teams will collaborate with science educators from across the country, learn to implement instructional improvement strategies, find out about best practices and modes from nationally recognized leaders and program and strengthen plans for improving science.

The Next Step Institute began in Mesa in 1993, drawing more than 300 participants from 30 states. This year's event will be at the Doubletree Hotel at Reid Park, 445 S. Alvernon Way.

TUSD established its Science Resource Center in 1993 as a teacher initiated, grassroots effort to obtain effective science curricula and materials. Since then, the center has evolved into a refurbishment and distribution center serving approximately 44,000 kindergarten through eighth-grade science students. Insect colonies, fish and snails are cultivated at the center and more than 1,450 consumable items are purchased in bulk to reduce operational costs. The center supports research-based curriculum materials from several publishers.

Program set to get library cards for first-graders
The Pima County Public Library program, Ready Set Read, that will try to register every first-grader for a Pima County library card, begins in October and continues through March.

Participating first-graders will receive an Alizandro coloring book, an Alizandro library card and a drawstring backpack. The backpack will contain a parent voucher that can be exchanged at a Pima County Public Library for a book bag and book. Participating teachers will receive a book bag and a book for their classes. Classes with 100 percent participation will be entered in a drawing for prizes.

For more information contact Ella Gomez at ella.gomez@pima.gov.

GATE testing coming up in January
Testing for entry in the Gifted and Talented Education program for students in kindergarten through eighth-grade is set for January 2008. For testing dates, contact individual school offices and fill out a "Permission for Testing" form by Monday, Nov. 19. Testing forms are also available at the TUSD GATE Web site.

The make-up test date is Saturday, Feb. 9. Parents should contact the GATE office for reservations and complete a referral form before Nov. 19. For more information contact the GATE office at 225-6265.

Fifth-grader needs funds for forum
Anthony Pool, a fifth-grade Warren Elementary School student, is seeking funds to help pay his expenses at a People to People World Leadership Forum in Washington, D.C., next spring.

The forum helps students develop leadership skills as they learn about defining events in American history. Participants will discuss leadership in action at locations such as Capitol Hill, Gettysburg and Colonial Williamsburg.

The People to People organization was founded in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who believed that if people from different cultures could come together in peace and friendship, so, eventually, would countries. People to People has launched many international programs, including Sister Cities and project HOPE.

Pool's program tuition of $3,000 is due by Dec. 31. The fee includes transportation, accommodations, meals and educational activities. He suggests that that if 30 contributions each donate $100, he would reach his goal, but any amount would be greatly appreciated. He said he would give a speech and show his photos when he returns. He said he could also earn high school credits because of the "many educational elements in my program."

Checks should be made payable to People to People. Pool can be contacted at 312-9140 for more information.