Focus on TUSD - Summer 2008

TUSD Wrap Up
Pfeuffer elected new EEF board member
Retired Tucson Unified School District Superintendent Roger F. Pfeuffer is one of the new board members of the Educational Enrichment Foundation, along with a TUSD elementary school principal and a Transportation Department staff member.

Pfeuffer will join Alex Bendyna, the ombudsman from Transportation and Ana Gallegos, the principal of Lawrence Intermediate Elementary School, 4850 W. Jeffrey Road. The other new board members are Stephanie Friend, a realtor with Zip Realty; Matthew Gaspari with Tucson Federal Credit Union and Colleen Niccum with Raytheon Missile Systems.

Officers for the 2008-09 fiscal year elected at the June board meeting are President Kathy Hebb, Vice President Del Arvayo, Treasurer Fred McConnell and Secretary Linda Schloss.

EEF supports TUSD by raising funds for TUSD students and programs. Its executive director is Robert Padilla.

Sabino wins Intel award for math excellence
Sabino High School, 5000 N. Bowes Road, is one of six winners of the 2008 Intel® Schools of Distinction Award. The Tucson Unified School District high school was recognized for mathematical excellence by the Intel Foundation, based in Santa Clara, Calif. Award winners were named June 3.

The annual awards recognize U.S. schools that implement innovative math and science programs and serve as role models for other schools. The foundation and sponsoring companies distribute $1 million in grants and awards to winning schools. 

Sabino Principal Valerie Payne said in an e-mail, "I could not be more proud of my math department for their efforts in bringing this wonderful distinction to our school. As a Professional Learning Community, the cross-curricular work that all of the Sabino teachers do, as well as the collegial peer support that they offer one another, are contributing factors not only to our math department's tremendous success, but also to the successes of our entire school." Catherine Yslas is the chair of Sabino's Mathematics Department.

"The rewards that we will receive (financial and other) as a result of being named an Intel School of Distinction will be accepted with great pride and appreciation. It will be an honor for our PLC to put the Intel grant and other rewards to use in ways that most effectively continue to enhance student achievement and best teaching practices here at Sabino High School," Payne wrote.

Each of the six winning schools will receive a $10,000 cash grant from the Intel Foundation and an award package that includes curriculum materials, professional development resources, hardware and software valued at more than $160,000. Award sponsors include Dell, DyKnow, eInstruction, Scantron, SMART Technologies and Spectrum K12.

Representatives from the winning schools will attend an awards celebration on Sept. 9 in Washington, D.C., where one of this year's six honorees will be named "Star Innovator," and will receive additional prizes including a $15,000 grant from the Intel Foundation. In order to earn "Star Innovator" honors, the school must have a comprehensive program incorporating innovative and effective use of technology, parent and community engagement, professional development and teamwork, and consistent achievement of high academic standards.

One elementary, one middle and one high school are chosen as winners in each of the two categories from hundreds of applicants.

Sabino High School is amongst the highest scoring schools in Arizona on the AIMS mathematics test. A 92 percent mastery rate for 10th-graders taking the test for the first time has helped Sabino earn an "Excelling School" ranking for the past five years. Teachers at Sabino employ traditional classroom methods as well as new teaching methods using technology to enrich student learning, said the school's application for the award.

Institute for Transformative Education
The Tucson Unified School District's Mexican American/Raza Studies program is joining the University of Arizona's College of Education to co-sponsor an institute this summer to help educators improve their classroom instruction.

In the tenth year for the Institute for Transformative Education, the conference from July 15-18 brings together professors, teachers, students and other professionals to learn from experts from across the county.

"We're really, really happy with our partnerships with the College of Education," said Augustine Romero, TUSD's senior academic director for ethnic studies. "When the college's dean, Ronald Marx, came on board, he was really looking for different ways to establish a stronger relationship. What it means for us is this stronger connection between the College of Education and TUSD."

TUSD developed the institute to improve cultural sensitivity in teaching while enhancing classroom instruction. The conference now focuses on a broad range of topics relevant to student populations, particularly those who are African American, American Indian and Hispanic.

"We can't ignore that there are shifting demographics, especially in the Southwest," Romero said. "Given that shift in the demographic, we have more students of color in our schools, especially in our urban schools. So it is critical that our teachers and administrators start to develop a different lens."

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

The deadline to submit material for the September Focus is Friday, August 15. The Focus will be published Monday, August 25. Email submissions to Chyrl Hill Lander or Sharon Dunham in the Communications & Media Relations Department or use the online Tip Sheet.