Focus on TUSD - November 2007

TUSD Wrap Up
Teenage Parent Program offers HPV vaccine
The Teenage Parent Program is the first TUSD high school to offer the human papillomavirus vaccine, which is recommended for females at least 11 years old to prevent 70 percent of cervical cancer cases.

On Nov. 2, 22 TAPP students received their first dose of the HPV vaccine administered by Suzanne Boyd, TUSD's resource nurse for immunizations and refugee support. Damiana Cohen, the TAPP nurse, coordinated the clinics.

"Congratulations to these students for being proactive about their health and for taking the initiative to protect themselves against HPV and the lifelong problems it can cause," Cohen said. "By offering these free vaccines, TUSD has partnered with high school students and their parents to protect the health and safety of students."

Cohen pointed out that about 20 million people in the U.S. have HPV and each year 6.2 million new cases are diagnosed, according to the Center for Disease Control. The HPV vaccine, given in three doses, protects against the two types of the HPV virus that causes 90 percent of genital warts and against the two types of HPV that causes 80 percent of cervical cancer cases.

Photograph courtesy of TAPP.

Community Transition Program receives grant
A tile mural depicting underwater sea life will be constructed at Davis Bilingual Magnet Elementary School, 500 W. St. Mary's Road, with the help of state grants that TUSD's Exceptional Education's Community Transition Program has received.

The Learn and Serve Arizona grants -- one for $10,000 and one for $5,000 -- fund integrated community learning experiences for students with disabilities between the ages of 18 to 22, such as the Davis mural. CTP students, along with Pima Community College students at the West Campus, will help Davis fifth-graders construct the 4-by-6-foot mural that is expected to be completed this school year.

After the mural is finished, additional art projects on campus that could be grant funded will be considered.

2008-2009 Calendar Approved by Governing Board
The 2008-2009 calendar is now available. These are the important dates in the 2008-09 calendar the Governing Board approved on Nov. 13:

• Aug. 6-8, 2008--Teacher planning days
• Aug. 11, 2008--First day for students
• Oct. 10, 2008--End of first quarter (Grading Day)
• Dec. 19, 2008--End of second quarter (Grading Day)
• Dec. 22, 2008-Jan. 2, 2009--Winter break
• Jan. 5, 2009--Start of second semester
• March 13, 2009--End of third quarter (Grading Day)
• April 9-13, 2009--Spring break
• May 20, 2009--Last day for students (Graduation)
• May 21, 2009--Grading Day for teachers

Gridley Teacher Suggests Winning Name for TUSD's Wellness Program
The TUSD Wellness Program is now officially called L.I.F.E. @ TUSD=Lifestyle Improvements for Employees @ TUSD. Congratulations to Saundra Paris of Gridley Middle School, who suggested the idea. She won a $250 gift certificate that she can use to buy a healthy item of her choice.

The TUSD leadership team voted for the winning name among the varied and creative entries received. Look for upcoming wellness events and challenges on the TUSD Intranet.

International club helps Iraqi students
More than 2,000 Iraqi children will have new school supplies after exchange students and the Sahuaro High School's International Club prepared kits during Make a Difference Day on Oct. 27.

Exchange students Sara Serou from Egypt and Monika Pratiwi, from Indonesia, helped assemble 2,560 Hope for a New Day kits for village children south of the Turkish border in northern Iraq. Each box contained new items, as well as a picture drawn by a TUSD student, making every box a unique gift.

Free transportation was provided by Spirit of America, a nonprofit organization that provides humanitarian aid to American military personnel in the conflict zone. The school boxes will be distributed by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class John Ingrum, who requested help in giving children school materials not available in their war-recovering communities.

Christy Friske-Daniels, the club's sponsor and Sahuaro librarian, organized the project. She is also Monika's host mother during her stay in Tucson. Sahuaro is at 545 N. Camino Seco.

Photograph courtesy of Sahuaro.

Gridley pitches in to make a difference
National Junior Honor Society students from Gridley Middle School and area families helped improve the campus on Oct. 27 during Make a Difference Day.

In the second year of celebrating this event, workers painted a portable building, painted the library walls and added paw prints and improved the appearance of the campus. The school's PTSA served hot dogs for lunch to the volunteers. Pantano Christian Church workers also helped and Granite Construction donated crushed asphalt for the campus at 350 S. Harrison Road.

Bonillas celebrates Red Ribbon Week
Law enforcement officials brought equipment and vehicles to Bonillas Basic Curriculum Magnet Magnet School to help students celebrate Red Ribbon Week -- Oct. 23-31.

To highlight the week's drug awareness theme, agents from the Drug Enforcement Agency, Homeland Security and Tucson Police Department arrived in a helicopter and other vehicles to explain their jobs. Students walked through the helicopter, tried on bullet proof vests and helmets, held the shield of a Tucson Police Department officer, and met Gunner, the canine officer's dog.

DEA agents gave Principal Richard Romero a framed dedication in memory of Enrique Camarena, an undercover DEA agent who died trying to prevent drugs from coming into the United States. After Camarena died, his family honored him by wearing red ribbons, a practice that millions of Americans now observe to honor him and others who died in this effort.

Bonillas staff, parents and students said they appreciated the agents' efforts to keep everyone safe and for bringing their presentation to the school at 4757 E. Winsett St.

Photograph courtesy of Bonillas.

Hohokam honors veterans, military members
Hohokam Middle School began a new tradition on Thursday, Nov. 15, when students honored currently serving military members, as well as veterans, at a special program.

Hohokam Think Tank Students led the Pledge of Allegiance in three languages: John Lira in English, Rosemarie Flores in Haiaki and Osbaldo Contreras and Alex Morales in Spanish. The Cholla High Magnet School Junior ROTC Color Guard presented the flags. Dillon Harris spoke about duty, honor and dedication and Yvonne Gomez read a poem about doing "the right thing."

Think Tank students created projects to express their appreciation to the veterans they interviewed or researched in order to understand the service they gave to the country.

Veterans who attended the event were Hohokam Principal John Michel, Hohokam teacher Dave McClure, Ernesto Flores (Rosemarie's grandfather), and Dominic Esparza (Think Tank student Aaron Esparza's father).

College Night scholarship drawing winners chosen
These students won $500 each in the Tucson College Night scholarship drawing. The funds will be sent to the colleges they will attend when they register for classes next year:

• Alternative Education: Amanda Sanderson (TAPP) and Luis Rodriguez (Aztec Middle College)
• Catalina Magnet High School: Barbara Lampkin and Andrew Grant
• Cholla High Magnet School: Roxanna Castro and Yanett Serrano
• Howenstine High Magnet School: Ashley Goodman and David Rodriguez
• Palo Verde High Magnet School: Jaime Watson and Jeffrey Bushroe
• Pueblo Magnet High School: Paulina Gomez and Esteban Laguna
• Rincon High School: Rebecca Pryor and Greg Tillman
• Sabino High School: Gillian McClellan and Jason Seaman
• Sahuaro High School: Katherine Losee and John E. Williams
• Santa Rita High School: Jackie Perrin and Orlando Rascon
• Tucson High Magnet School: Chessa Peterson and Augustine Otero
• University High School: Natali Alcala-Moreno and Nicklaus Diggins.

TUSD - Proud Supporter of Small Classes

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

The deadline to submit material for the December Focus is Friday, Nov. 7. The Focus will be published Monday, Nov. 17. Email submissions to Chyrl Hill Lander or Sharon Dunham in the Communications & Media Relations Department or use the online Tip Sheet.