Our Mission
Asian Pacific American Student Services' mission is to empower students and families to advocate for themselves and their communities.
Our department will partner with TUSD schools, the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) and larger communities, and with higher educational institutions to equip our students and families with purposeful support to help our students actualize their dreams.
Vision
APASS serves a diverse community; our students speak 39 different languages, with many unique needs, but our common goal is to support students and families with targeted and intentional support.
APASS will work with you to:
- Restore dignity to families
- Build community and voice
- Develop leadership in students
- Grow a global sense of identity and understanding
Services
We provide a wide range of services for District students, families, community members, and staff, including the following:
- advocate on behalf of all API students and families
- facilitate parent meetings
- plan and collaborate with the community to support students and families
- partner with the UofA and Pima to equip students with resources and skills to pursue higher education
- train and support students to serve their communities
- facilitate professional development
- work with schools and the community to build global relationships
Q1. What populations does Asian Pacific American Student Services serve?
Answer: We serve all Asian and Pacific Islander (API) students and families in TUSD. Our two highest language populations are Vietnamese speaking and Butanese-Nepali refugees.
Q2. What services do you provide?
Answer: We advocate on behalf of all API students and families; facilitate parent meetings; plan and collaborate with the community on challenging issues; collaborate with the community to serve our students and schools; partner with higher education to meet our students' needs, and much more.
Q3. What are some of your main programs?
Answer: Some of our current programs include parent and community advisories, student advisories, university campus visit, U.S. Citizenship Classes, Origami for our Troops, and the Tucson-Korea Ambassador program.
Q4. For what languages does your department provide translation services?
Answer: Our staff members provides translation for the following languages:
- Korean
- Nepalese
- Vietnamese
Q5. I'd like to volunteer with Asian Pacific American Student Services. How can I get started?
Answer: Please contact the Asian Pacific American Student Services Office at (520) 232-8614. More information about volunteering with TUSD is available at Volunteers
Need help?
Please call the following number for your language. Leave a message, including a phone number where we can call you back. Thank you!
- 520-225-6591 = Swahili
- 520-225-6592 = Arabic
- 520-225-6593 = Kirundi
- 520-225-6594 = Somali
About Our Students
We have over 800 refugee students in 33 elementary schools, 18 middle and K-8 schools, and 11 high schools. Our refugee students represent 52 countries and speak 38 different languages.
The five most common languages spoken at home are Nepalese, Arabic, Somali, Kirundi, and Swahili.
The Mentor Model
Refugee Services uses the mentor model for our K-12 students and families. Mentors work with the students and families to help them learn about the educational system and develop an educational plan to meet the individual needs of students as they navigate the school system and new culture. Our goal is for every student to be successful in school and to graduate from high school.
Mentors
- conduct home visits, help with school registration
- monitor academic progress, attendance, discipline
- provide tutoring and interventions to targeted students
- Refugee Services Staff
- provide direct assistance to families to help them understand and communicate
- work with schools and agencies to ensure the student’s needs are met
- refer students for tutoring, AIMS tutoring, credit recovery
- translate for IEPs, child studies, evaluations, parent/teacher conferences, disciplinary issues, parent workshops
- participate in Saturday math tutoring
