September 28, 2010

Regular meeting

Recognitions

• General Dentistry 4 Kids – This is the second year that General Dentistry has brought its mobile clinic to Sunnyside District schools to provide exams, cleaning and fluoride treatment. Last year, 500 students were served.
• AARP and Pascua Yaqui Tribe/AVA – 2011 will be the third year that AARP Arizona sponsors Noche de las Estrellas, with an annual donation of $10,000, and it will be the second year of sponsorship by the Casino del Sol’s Anselmo Valencia Tori Amphitheater. AVA also hosted the Digital Scholars celebration this year.
• Arizona Nutrition Network – The Arizona Nutrition Network has brought grants totaling more than $10 million to the Sunnyside District for improved wellness and nutrition. A new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grant, Communities Putting Prevention to Work, will bring additional millions of dollars to Sunnyside to develop wellness centers in schools.

Superintendent’s report (see Powerpoint)

• The Sunnyside District has been awarded a $61K grant from the Tohono O’odham Nation to fund netbook computers and Internet service.
• Superintendent Dr. Manuel Isquierdo was invited to become a member of the District Administration Leadership Institute and attend the Superintendents Summit 2010 September 29-October 1 in Orlando, Florida. Created by District Administration magazine, the Institute is a research and professional development organization for leading school district executives.
• The Sunnyside District’s McKinney-Vento program (for homeless students) has been awarded a $120K grant, which will be used to help fund student transportation.
• Lauffer math teacher Corissa McClain was named a Math Hero and received a $2,500 award from the MathMovesU Program sponsored by Raytheon. In addition, Lauffer will receive a matching $2,500 grant.
• Assemblies are being held at nine SUSD elementary schools to kick off MAC-Ro — Math Achievement Club sponsored by the Rodel Charitable Foundation. Dr. Isquierdo, aka the Math Wizard, is leading the kick-offs at Craycroft, Gallego, Los Amigos, Los Niños, Los Ranchitos, Mission Manor, Rivera, Santa Clara and Summit View.
• Digital Advantage rallies were held for freshmen at Desert View and Sunnyside high schools. The rallies aimed to inform students about the program and motivate them toward success.
• Dr. Isquierdo was appointed to the Governing Board of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) as the first Hispanic Serving School District representative on the Board. This is a new category at HACU; recognizing its importance, it is being allocated a seat on the 18-member HACU Governing Board. The Board approved Dr. Isquierdo’s appointment at its Sept. 18 meeting. He will serve as the representative of Hispanic Serving School Districts, one of five positions appointed by the Board itself, for a term of three years.
• Santa Clara Elementary School students were the recipients of 3,000 books donated by Fry’s and Reading Tree.
• More than 450 runners from 10 of the district’s 13 elementary schools participated in this year’s Los Mezquites Cross Country Invitational, the 10th anniversary of the elementary race and the 20th anniversary for the high school race. The winners of the elementary race are Daniel Terran, a fifth-grader from Elvira, and Aylin Younger, a fifth-grader from Santa Clara. Elvira won both the boys and girls team championships, both for the second year in a row.
• The Los Mezquites Organizing Committee inducted the Sunnyside High School 1966 Cross-Country Team into the Los Mezquites Hall of Fame on Sept. 25.  The 1966 State Championship team (the first state championship in any sport for Sunnyside High) was led by Mario Castro, Sr., who won the individual state title in 1965 and 1966.  He was named runner of the decade by the Tucson Citizen. Team members included: Mario Castro, Bert Moreno, Raúl Nido, Worth Carswell, Ron Rose, Ray Ortega, and Ralph Ortega.

Dr. Isquierdo asked for a moment of silence in memory of Liberty teacher Rose Mary Diaz and Esperanza teacher John Montaño.

Highlights of Consent Agenda

The Board approved a Memorandum of Understanding between the district and the Volunteer Center of Southern Arizona. The Experience Corps from the Volunteer Center will provide literacy tutoring at Mission Manor Elementary School for students K-3.

Gifts and donations included:

• supplies, valued at $6,132, collected through Tucson Values Teachers, for SUSD schools
• 50 computers, valued at $12,500, donated by Pima Federal Credit Union, to be used for credit recovery classes

Highlights of General Functions Agenda

Javier Baca, executive director of information technologies, reported that six elementary schools have received netbooks and fifth-grade students are now using them in class. Teachers have received two days of training and will receive additional training in October.

A group of Mission Manor fifth-graders presented an update to the Board, demonstrating how they are using their netbooks for research, class assignments and projects. They also presented flowers to their teachers in appreciation for their efforts.

The Board approved the refinancing of $1.9 million of bonds which will become due on July 1, 2015.

A report on Marketing was tabled.

Following executive session, the Board approved the appointment of Carlos Franco as Transportation Supervisor.  Mr. Franco reports to Director of Transportation Art Basurto.