Focus on TUSD - October 2007

Looking Ahead

EEF minigrant applications due Jan. 15.
The deadline to submit applications for Educational Enrichment Foundation (EEF) minigrants is Tuesday, Jan. 15, by 4 p.m. TUSD educators are encouraged to apply for this funding that can be used for special classroom or library projects. EEF looks for projects that enhance classroom experiences, stimulate interest in learning, and explore concepts, ideas and principles beyond the core curriculum.

Applications and guidelines are available on the EEF Web site. Applications should be mailed to Educational Enrichment Foundation, 3809 E. Third St., Tucson, AZ 85716.

For more information call EEF at 325-8688, email eefin@theriver.com or see the EEF Grant Program Web page.

Members sought for task force on boundary changes, new school sites
If you want to help TUSD plan and create neighborhood schools, promote diversity and offer school choices, consider joining a new task force that will plan how district facilities will be used for the next five to 10 years. Parents, District staff, community members and others who are interested and experienced in public education are invited to apply for membership on the Educational Facilities Strategic Plan Task Force.

Before March 2008, the task force will offer recommendations to the TUSD Governing Board on optimal school size, boundary changes, school additions and closures, and new school sites in developing areas.

The deadline to apply is Wednesday, Oct. 24. Applicants may complete an online form, or submit a printed application to Bryant Nodine in the Engineering, Facilities and Planning Department, 2025 E. Winsett St.

For more information, call Nodine at 225-4948 or TUSD Communications & Media Relations at 225-6437.

Townsend 50th anniversary celebration will be Nov. 15
Townsend Middle School, 2120 N. Beverly Blvd., will celebrate its 50th anniversary on Thursday, Nov 15, from 5-8 p.m.

The celebration will feature a hula-hoop contest and sock hop in the '50s decoration theme. In addition, the sixth-grade hall will feature decorations from the 1960s, the seventh-grade hall will be decorated in 1970s themes, and the eighth-grade hall will have decorations depicting the 1980s. The elective hall will depict the 1990s and the library will have the "present" theme. Room 23 will be the "futuristic" theme.

For more information contact Townsend at 232-7900.

Magee Spanish classes will celebrate Dia de los Muertos
Spanish classes at Magee Middle School, 8300 E. Speedway, will make "papel picado," which are perforated paper banners, and skeletons and masks to decorate their classroom for Dia de los Muertos. The decorations will be hung on Wednesday, Oct. 31, and Thursday, Nov. 1. On Friday, Nov. 2, students will serve special food, share memories of relatives and friends who have died, and listen and sing along to Mexican music.

TUSD Charity Golf Classic Oct. 28
The Fourth Annual TUSD Charity Golf Classic, which raises money for the Rainbow Foundation, tees off at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, at Forty Niner Golf & Country Club, 12000 E. Tanque Verde Road.

The Rainbow Foundation provides at-risk, homeless and underprivileged students with scholarships, cultural activities, clothing, books, athletic fees and minigrants.

The individual entry fee is $95 with $50 of that tax deductible. Corporate sponsorships of $2,500, $1,000, $500, $250 and $100 are also available. Checks should be made payable to the Rainbow Foundation and mailed or delivered to 440 S. Park Ave., Tucson, AZ 85716. For more information contact Robert Mackay, the foundation president, at 225-2600 or e-mail him at Robert.Mackay@tusd1.org.

Pueblo offers drug workshop for parents
Stickers in a teenager's room may look innocent, but drugs could be concealed on the sticky side, waiting to be licked off.

That's the kind of tip community drug officials will give parents and students at an informational workshop Wednesday, Nov. 28, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Pueblo Magnet High School auditorium, 3500 S. 12th Ave. Confiscated drugs and paraphernalia will be displayed at the workshop that will include a PowerPoint presentation in both Spanish and English.

Lt. Kathy Gutierrez from the TUSD's Department of School Safety & Security and Officer Yvonne Billote of the South Tucson Police Department will offer tips to audience members on how to recognize signs that children could be involved in gangs or may be using drugs. Officials will also answer safety concerns from the audience, such as the security measures schools provide.

For more information contact Evelia Lopez, Pueblo's Student and Family Mentor specialist and workshop organizer, at 225-4525.

Ohio State representatives to visit TUSD
Representatives of Ohio State University will attend the TUSD Native American Studies Family Dinner and College Visit on Wednesday, Oct. 24, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Tucson High Magnet School cafeteria.

Scholarship information for Pascua Yaqui and Tohono O'odham students will be available. Call the Native American Studies Department at 225-6563 if you plan to attend.

Rogers Elementary to celebrate 50th anniversary
Rogers Elementary School will celebrate its 50th anniversary on Wednesday, Nov. 7 from 5-7 p.m. at the school at 6000 E. 14th St.

Principal Cricket Gallegos said there will be a school orchestra performance, open-microphone for sharing memories, a school tour, a large screen slide show, refreshments and artifact viewing.

If you or any of your family members attended Rogers and would like to share photographs or memories, call Rogers at 584-7100, so that items can be included in the display.

Pueblo Magnet High School anti-meth PSAs take a different tack
Two anti-meth PSAs produced by Pueblo Magnet High School for the city of Tucson and the Meth Free Alliance will debut at a premiere party Thursday, Oct. 25, from 6-7 p.m. at Doolen Middle School, 2400 N. Country Club Road.

The PSAs feature Doolen students. They depict the use of positive peer pressure and drug refusal skills and will begin airing locally on Oct. 26 in television programming targeted to teens between 12 and 17 years of age.

The party will include presentations by the Tucson Police Department and a special behind-the-scenes look at the production process in March 2007. The audience will include students, parents, educators, community members and elected officials.

Doolen Principal Charlotte Patterson said the PSAs give the students an active, hands-on opportunity to promote an anti-meth message.

Pam Shapiro, Pueblo Magnet High School's communication arts coordinator, said she and her class knew very little about meth before several members of the Meth Free Alliance and the Tucson Police Department paid a visit to her classroom.

"We really felt that we needed to approach this project from an informed perspective but had to get some background on meth first. We had no idea that the meth problem is as bad as it is," said Shapiro.

The students learned about the link between meth and crimes such as homicide, burglaries and fraud, and also heard frightening stories of addiction from Andrea Santa Cruz, a former meth addict who shared with the group how meth ruined her life.

Pueblo Magnet High School Principal Patricia Dienz said it has been exciting to see the PSA project evolve over the last few months. "Our students have had the opportunity to receive some great hands-on, real-world experience in working with the Meth Free Alliance and the Tucson Police Department," Dienz said.

The Pueblo PSAs are the last in a wave of public education messaging initiated by the city of Tucson that began in November 2006. The Tucson Police Department secured funding from a federal grant that was used to produce the spots and purchase local television airtime targeting teens as well as adults.

Primary goals of the campaign were to promote education, enforcement and awareness of the negative impacts of methamphetamine in the Tucson community.

"While methamphetamine threatens the quality of life in our neighborhoods throughout the city, nothing is more pressing than the threat of a young person losing their future to drug addiction," said Capt. David Neri of the Tucson Police Department.