April 26, 2011

Study session

Chief Financial Officer Hector Encinas presented information on the impact of recent state legislation on the budgets for this fiscal year as well as Fiscal Year 2012 (see attachment).

Regular meeting

Superintendent’s Report
Dr. Manuel Isquierdo presented the Superintendent’s Report (see PowerPoint).
The Sunnyside District Governing Board received a 2011 Magna Award at the National School Boards Association conference in April 2011. The award honors the Governing Board’s leadership of Project Graduation: The Digital Advantage.
 
The National Hispanic Caucus of School Board Members of the National School Boards Association presented Governing Board member Eva Carrillo Dong with the Abrazo Award in honor of her outstanding leadership, dedication and commitment to providing opportunities for all students and Hispanic students in particular.
 
Superintendent Dr. Manuel Isquierdo received the 2011 ASPRA*tions Award for Superintendent for Contributions to Public Relations from the Arizona School Public Relations Association (ASPRA). He was honored April 21 at the ASPRA Superintendents’ Luncheon and ASPRA*tions Awards.
 
The Sunnyside School District Alumni Association received a 2011 ASPRA*tions Award from ASPRA for its contributions to public education. Scholarship America named the Alumni Association the Regional Chapter of the Year for 2011.
 
The Sunnyside School District Alumni Association awarded $56,000 to 37 graduates of the Class of 2011. The Learning Community Leader Award was presented to Daniel Hernandez, Jr. at the Dollars for Scholars scholarship reception April 20.
 
Congratulations to all SUSD schools on the smooth administration of AIMS tests. Special thanks to Hans Schot, district testing coordinator, for his efforts to ensure testing protocols and securities were in place.
 
Through the district’s partnership with GEAR UP, Desert View and Sunnyside high schools celebrated College Week April 11-15, 2011. Activities included a door decorating contest, Alma Mater Day, Dress for Success, Class Color and Map Your Future. The “Lanzate al Futuro” Gear Up for College Family Conference was held at the University of Arizona Saturday, April 16.
 
Sunnyside District students swept the Valencia Poetry Festival, with all seven awards going to Desert View and Sunnyside high students. Desert View winners are: Sadiya Buta, Alyssa Shestko, Luis Borboa and Santos Flores (Joanna Peled Award). Their teacher is Maria Elena Wakamatsu. Sunnyside High winners are: Araceli Montaño, Jennifer Schmidt and Alexia Vazquez. Kurt Fischer is their teacher. Six STAR students were among the 50 students selected to participate in the festival. Their teacher is Eileen Alves.
 
The Learning Communities Coalition will hold its national conference in Tucson May 4-6, 2011. The conference will include a session at Challenger Middle School on Thursday, May 5, when the four sites will share best practices. Superintendent Dr. Isquierdo will report on Project Graduation: The Digital Advantage, and the University of Arizona will report on College Academy for Parents.
 
Recognitions
The Governing Board recognized:
The Prevention and Safety Department; Desert View administrators, security monitors and office staff; and Tucson Police Department officers for their exceptionally well coordinated effort during the lockdown April 14 at Desert View High School. Their outstanding professionalism ensured the safety of students during the lockdown and the process of students leaving school.

The Apollo Middle School Special Olympics basketball team on winning their fourth state championship. Under the direction of Coach Kathy Killen, the team is building a tradition as a powerhouse.

Alejandro Ochoa, academic interventionist for Mission Manor Elementary School, and Anna Schwartz-Warmbrand, instructional coach for Craycroft Elementary School, on being named Rodel Aspiring Principals for 2011-12 by the Rodel Charitable Foundation of Arizona.

Sunnyside District staff members for their recent honors from the Arizona Hispanic School Administrators Association. Alejandro Ochoa, academic interventionist for Mission Manor, was named Outstanding Aspiring Administrator. Dr. Lily DeBlieux, principal of Mission Manor Elementary School, received the Outstanding Administrator Award. Steve Holmes, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, received the Innovative Leader Award. Raúl Aguirre received the Outstanding Community Member Award, and Governing Board President Louie Gonzales was named Outstanding Board Member.
 
Highlights of Consent Agenda

Sunnyside District families can receive free booster seats at a special event May 17. Tucson Medical Center donated 1,200 booster seats to be given away. The event takes place 4:30 – 8 p.m. in the Sunnyside High School west gym.

Gifts and donations include:
$3,000 from Gen YOUth Foundation to Elvira Elementary School and $600 to Lauffer Middle School for Fuel Up to Play 60
$16,666 from the Snell & Wilmer Charitable Foundation to Ocotillo Preschool for supplies
$10,000 from Joseph Stanley Leeds Charitable Foundation to Parents as Teachers to increase services to teen parents attending school
$1,980 from the Community Prevention Coalition to Sunnyside High School for the prom
$1,500 from Tucson Police Deparmtent to Sunnyside High for prom tickets

Highlights of General Functions Agenda

Technology initiative update
Javier Baca, executive director of information technologies, reported on two technology initiatives (see PowerPoint):
The district will increase Internet access for SUSD families as part of the district’s focus of transforming the community through technology. The Tohono O’odham Nation donated $75,000 to provide Internet access to families. A Request for Proposal has been posted for Internet service providers. Criteria are being developed to select families, who will be asked to contribute approximately $100 per year for two years of service.  These payments may qualify for a state tax credit for extracurricular activities. The goal is to serve at least 300 families for the next two years. 

The district is exploring the establishment of an elementary school as a technology academy magnet school.

Bond/override update
Monique Soria, director of public relations, presented information on the proposed November 2011 election for reauthorization of the Maintenance & Operations override and a new $88 million capital bond (see PowerPoint). Bond funds would be used for technology ($28 million), new busses ($10 million), upgrades to athletic facilities ($10 million), and facility upgrades ($40 million) including security and energy conservation improvements. Bond funds for technology would sustain the momentum of the district’s technology programs, from Project Graduation to one-to-one computing. It would fund the refresh purchase of laptops for students, upgrade the technology infrastructure, install classroom computers for students in grades K-4, equip 21st century classrooms, move to a paperless educational and business model, provide classified employees with laptops, and refresh laptops for certified employees.

Reauthorization of the override would maintain the services funded by approximately $8 million per year. If not reauthorized in November, override funding would be phased out beginning with a one-third reduction in 2012-13. The average taxpayer cost for the owner of a home with assessed value of $100,000 currently pays $158 per year for the override and $138 per year for existing bond debt. Reauthorization of a 10% override and a new bond would not increase the secondary property tax currently paid. The state now allows a 15% override, which provides the opportunity to generate an additional $4 million per year; a 15% override would increase the secondary property tax by $79 for the owner of a home assessed at $100,000.

The Governing Board will take action by June 14 on calling for bond and override elections in November. A bond advisory committee will meet from May until June 14, when the committee will be dissolved. The committee will provide input for the facility improvements at sites throughout the district.
Voters must be registered by October 10 to be able to vote in November. Election Day is November 8.

Freshman academies design and implementation
Steve Holmes, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, led the presentation on freshman academies for Desert View and Sunnyside high schools (see PDF). The district collaborated with the International Center for Leadership in Education in the development of the academies, which focus on personalization for freshmen and smaller communities that combine academic and technical curricula around career themes. The five top reasons for freshman academies are to: improve attendance and academic achievement, support students with integrated learning opportunities linked to core standards, allow for relevant learning experiences through community service, connect all students to caring adults who guide them and help them plan for present and future, and ensure preparation for college and career readiness and incorporate 21st century skills.

The pillars of freshman academies are academic success, relationships, data-driven and instructional strategies. Strategies include early interventions, mandatory tutorials, individualized education plans and continuous weekly monitoring.

Implementation for each school includes upgrading an assistant principal position to associate principal, 15 full-time freshman teachers, and the addition of a prevention specialist and parent involvement assistant. The Board approved the Freshman Academy design and budget.

Open enrollment/marketing campaign
Dr. Jeannie Favela, assistant superintendent for student services, presented information on the district’s open enrollment policy (see PowerPoint). There will be no deadline for out-of-district students to apply for open enrollment. The district will explore the possibilities of providing transportation to open enrollment students.

Mary Veres, assistant director of information technologies, reported that the district’s Choose Sunnyside campaign was very successful, bringing in a record-high 642 students through open enrollment.

To maintain the momentum of attracting enrollment, the district is considering the expansion and development of elementary magnet programs: the expansion of Gallego Basic Elementary School (the school currently has 184 students on a waiting list), the establishment of a gifted and talented magnet elementary that would have full-day gifted and talented classes, and a prototype K-5 Tech Academy.

Dr. Sharon Hooker, director of the gifted and talented program, reported that placement in the magnet school will be based on ninth stanine standing and 97th percentile on ability tests. Year One will serve students in grades 3, 4 and 5. Gifted and talented services will be expanded in two directions – for self-contained classes as well as pull-out service.

The technology academy magnet school will serve as a prototype that can be extended to other schools. It will have one-to-one computing for students in grades 3-5, and a 2:1 ratio of computers for students K-2.

Project Graduation: The Digital Advantage replication
The Governing Board approved moving forward with the district establishing a partnership with National Academic Educational Partners for the replication of Project Graduation: The Digital Advantage.

Special board meeting
The Board scheduled a special meeting for evaluation and discussion of extension of Dr. Isquierdo’s contract. The meeting will be held Monday, May 2 at 5:30 p.m.

Action following Executive Session
The Board approved the appointment of Glenn Posey as varsity football coach for Sunnyside High School.