Our Vision: Every child... College, Career and Community Ready. Our Mission: Our mission is to develop students with a strong sense of identity, purpose and agency, so that they leave our system as effective learners who act with purpose to achieve the conditions they desire in their own and others’ lives. Since the release of the 1983 report “A Nation at Risk” our public school systems have been challenged with the task of improving public perception regarding how we prepare students for the future. This issue of a quality of education was compounded with the accountability requirements under the No Child Left Behind of 2001, which focused primarily on one assessment.  This narrow focus on one metric as the definitive measure of school quality misrepresents the complexity of educating students and diminishes the great work of educators across this nation who make a difference in the lives of students every day, in every classroom. And though aggregate performance is a key variable for measuring success, it simply fails to tell a bigger picture of what our students have and will be able to do in the future.  For this reason we felt it critical to recast our PROFILE OF A GRADUATE within a broader narrative of student success. This new framework provides an unparalleled level of clarity that aligns our mission, vision, and the work.  This new iteration of our graduate profile picks up where our Strategic Plan left off in 2015 and drives the work forward through five competencies, key to each student’s journey towards graduation: 1). Knowledge for Learning, 2). Knowledge for Impact, 3). Creative Confidence, 4). Critical Consciousness, and 5). Self and Systems Awareness.  In addition to college and career readiness, Community Ready was added to this iteration of the work thanks to feedback we received from community members, as well as industry and higher education professionals who expressed certain intangibles that Sunnyside students brought to their organizations. Attributing to our students traits like, “community-minded”, “a sense of social justice”, “respectfulness” we felt strongly that Community Ready also provided us with a framework to bridge the gap between knowledge and agency. This framework allows our District to capture the summative experiences that mark each child’s learning journey so that personalizing the classroom is less about technology, and more about each student’s ecology.  Thank you for being a part of our journey.      COMPETENCY #1: KNOWLEDGE FOR LEARNING Our students are knowledge creators. We look to them to not only master the content, but also to transfer knowledge across disciplines: From science to the humanities, from mathematics to the social sciences—Sunnyside students are deep thinkers and well-rounded learners with a strong sense of academic identity.  We trust our students as knowledge co-creators who share their expertise with peers and teachers as part of an intentional process of collaboration. Sunnyside students understand that learning is a social and shared responsibility. By listening respectfully, students value learning from one another as they begin to develop transferable skills like responding positively and constructively, which are important skills to employers as they are assembling their teams.   COMPETENCY #2: KNOWLEDGE FOR IMPACT When Hurricane Harvey crippled the Texas coast in 2018, Sunnyside students in our JTED Construction program rolled up their sleeves, gave up their spring break, and traveled across the country to rebuild homes. When faced with the opportunity to speak at the state capitol demanding an increase in teacher pay, one Sunnyside student took to the microphone, took a deep breath and pumped up a crowd of tens of thousands.    Our students are engaged participants in their future, not merely bystanders. Equipped with deep knowledge of history and a sense of what is fair, our students are adept at using social media and student organizations to drive change. Sunnyside students are aware of community issues and possess real-world knowledge gained from internships and other experiences that put global issues into a local context.   COMPETENCY #3: CREATIVE CONFIDENCE All students are creative, and it’s our responsibility to nurture that creativity. Borrowing from the work of Tom and David Kelley (IDEO, Stanford d.School) we define creative confidence as the natural human ability to come up with great ideas and the courage to act on those ideas.  Sunnyside students take part in human-centric experiences that use empathy, systems thinking, and design thinking to unlock their creativity. Through building prototypes, using causal loops, challenging assumptions, and acknowledging that all ideas are worthy, our students learn how to take risks. More importantly, creative confidence relies on human collaboration, which is embodied in the performing arts. Sunnyside's tradition of excellence in the fine arts provides a first point of entry for students into a world of creativity that gives them opportunities to gain confidence and succeed.    COMPETENCY #4: CRITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS Workplaces, schools and colleges, and other social environments are defined by internal cultures and norms that are not always visible from the outside. Some environments are built to nurture and empower, while other systems have internal cultures that hinder upward mobility. This is why we give students the tools to identify systems that perpetuate inequality so they’re prepared to take action.  In collaboration with League of Women Voters of Greater Tucson and the YWCA Southern Arizona we host workshops that help high school students learn about running for office while deconstructing issues such as racism, discrimination, and LGBTQ rights. Fostering critical consciousness through debate empowers our students to keep up with important issues and to demand a seat at the table.    COMPETENCY #5: SELF AND SOCIAL AWARENESS Students who are self-aware have strong intrapersonal skills such as self-regulation, which develops in the early years and aids in problem solving and supports volitional behavior. Social awareness (or social intelligence) is part of an important skill set that, later in life, is what sets a transformational leader apart from an everyday boss. This profile of a graduate takes into account our students’ social and emotional development and values traits such as assertiveness, conflict resolution, positive self-talk (to name a few)—as important indicators—of self- and social awareness, which is key to our students’ ability to thrive after high school.   NEXT STEPS 1. Create a graphic representation of the Graduate Profile 2. Introduce the Graduate Profile at the 2018 Administrative Summit 3. Develop indicators for each of the Graduate Profile competency areas 4. Establish a continuum or rubrics by grade band for each indicator that will be used to support internal accountability metrics with the desired outcome of establishing our own school label system    

Please take a moment to congratulate our Star Teacher and Pride of Sunnyside honorees. The annual event was created to recognize the valuable contributions of teachers and staff. Schools select a Star Teacher and one out-of-classroom employee to represent the Pride of Sunnyside. They are honored as they reflect the finest qualities: Caring, knowledge, enthusiasm and passion for excellence in serving our students, families and colleagues.  We look forward to celebrating them in our schools and across the District. Individuals will be honored for their contributions to our learning community at a breakfast ceremony in September.   The 2019 honorees are: Apollo Middle School                    Kathy Mayorga (Star Teacher), Abigail Murrieta (Pride) B.L. Lauffer Middle School            Ricardo Garcia (Star Teacher), Francisco Lopez (Pride) Challenger Middle School             Nancy Price (Star Teacher), Ruben Pacheco (Pride) Craycroft Elementary                   Essence Calhoun (Star Teacher), Nina Rivera Barela (Pride) Desert View High School              Hector Reyes (Star Teacher), Yessica Sehm (Pride) Drexel Elementary                        Ednna Peralta (Star Teacher), Estevan Macias (Pride) Elvira Elementary                         Nicole Handorf (Star Teacher), Edith Corrales (Pride) Esperanza Elementary                  Yvette Laplander (Star Teacher), Lupita Ornales (Pride) Gallego Primary Fine Arts             Lauren Gerstad (Star Teacher), Karla Gil (Pride) Gallego Intermediate Fine Arts     Mark Zepezauer (Star Teacher), Claudia Newsome (Pride) Liberty Elementary                       Rosa Watson (Star Teacher), Norma Mazon (Pride) Los Amigos Tech Academy            Melissa Soto (Star Teacher), Julian Figueroa (Pride) Los Niños Elementary                   Elizabeth Stevens (Star Teacher), Kimberly Brancatelli (Pride) Mission Manor Elementary           Lourdes Garino (Star Teacher), Alfred Gomez (Pride) Ocotillo Learning Center               Deborah Eisen (Star Teacher), Lianna Castillo (Pride) Rivera Elementary                        Virginia Wheeler (Star Teacher), Alexis Urquides (Pride) Santa Clara Elementary                Lizbet Barrios (Star Teacher), Theresa Saltzman (Pride) Sierra 2-8 School                         Stacy Eilander (Star Teacher), Sarah Valencia (Pride) Star Academic High School           Monica Neice (Star Teacher), Dolores Ruelas (Pride) Summit View Elementary             Monique Leon (Star Teacher), Melanie Martinez (Pride) Sunnyside High School                 Melany Coates (Star Teacher), Stephanie Arnold (Pride) Central Office                               Bernadette Martin (Pride) Food Services                               Martha Flores (Pride) Maintenance                                Steve Olivas (Pride) Transportation                             Guillermo Aldana (Pride)

The Sunnyside Governing Board approved the 2019-20 Certified Salary Schedule, revised to increase the "M&O Base amount" by 5% at each level increasing our beginning teacher salary to $38,831 (up from $37,218 in 2018-19 and $33,000 in 2015-16). The increase includes Prop 301 monies. The District has EXCEEDED the 20% increase in teacher salaries proposed by Arizona Governor Doug Ducey and will further exceed it if proposed increases in the 2020-21 education budget are approved by the legislature and governor next year. As a result of additional funding from the state legislature and the commitment of the Sunnyside Unified School District Governing Board and Superintendent to increase teacher salaries, we will continue to meet and exceed the challenge to increase teacher pay—a challenge that we took on during the 2015-16 school year with the adoption of a salary schedule. Since then, increases in the have resulted in teachers moving up steps.  The average increase to teacher salaries since 2015-16 has been in excess of 30%. We recognize; however, that teacher salaries still are not what they should be and we will continue to advocate for increased teacher compensation that truly reflects the importance and value of the service and dedication that our educators provide to our children.  

TEENAGE PARENT PROGRAM SUNNYSIDE INFANT CENTER Sunnyside High School 1725 E. Bilby Road Tucson, Arizona 85706 520-545-5355 Philosophy The Sunnyside Infant Center is set up for the convenience of parenting students enrolled in the Sunnyside Unified School District. We believe that an important function of the center is to provide seNices, support, and quality care for the infants of teen parents while they attend school. We strive to establish an atmosphere in which infants are safe to explore their environment, and provide daily experiences in all areas of development, including gross motor, fine motor, sensory, social, emotional and intellectual development. We use the Arizona Infant Toddler Developmental Guidelines as a guide for lesson planning. Hours of Operation The Sunnyside Infant Center is open from 6:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday. We are open each day that school is in session. As a parent, you have access to the center any time it is open. The center does not provide transportation. Administration The Sunnyside Infant Center is regulated by the Arizona Department of Health Services and is a child care center within the Teenage Parent Program in the Sunnyside Unified School District #12, located on the campus of Sunnyside High School. The center is covered by liability insurance as required by the Arizona Department of Health Services. Inspection reports are located on site and available upon request. Enrollment Information Eligibility - Infants 2 weeks to one year of age are eligible for enrollment. If the infant is walking when he/she turns 1 year old, their last day of enrollment in the center will be the Friday of that week. If the infant is not yet walking when they turn 1 year old, they will remain enrolled until they are "steady on their feet." This means they can take several steps without falling down or holding onto anything, and/or can stand unassisted from a sitting position. However, if the one-year-old presents a safety issue for the younger infants, your child's enrollment will need to be evaluated. Infants of mothers and fathers in the TAPP program are eligible for enrollment as well as district staff, faculty, and the local community, space providing. DES is accepted. The Sunnyside Infant Center does not take drop-ins. The special needs of any infant will be evaluated on a case by case basis.  Fees - $39.00 per full day (6 hours or more) and $28.00 per part day (less than 6 hours). There is a non-refundable $30.00 fee at the time of registration. 

Dear Sunnyside Learning Community, On May 25, 1961, President Kennedy gave a historic speech calling for an ambitious space exploration program that would send astronauts to the moon. He inspired the entire country with these words: “We choose to go to the Moon…and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard; because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone…” Eight years later and fifty years ago this month, 600 million people watched as Neil Armstrong and “Buzz” Aldrin Jr. took the first steps on the moon. President Kennedy’s strong desire of landing on the moon was fulfilled and our nation stood proud of this great accomplishment. It is in that spirit of ambitious aspiration and amazing human potential exhibited five decades ago that we start our 2019-2020 school year with the goal of providing the very best educational experiences for our students! As teachers and support staff, our own "lunar landing" is to ensure that every student has the skills necessary to accomplish their dreams regardless of the challenges they may face. The Apollo 11 team of dedicated and innovative professionals believed in Kennedy’s dream and did "whatever it took" to accomplish that goal. I am confident that we too possess that same tenacity, human talent, and collaborative mindset that will help us realize our vision of Every Student College, Career and Community Ready. To this end, I am asking that we take time this year to reflect more specifically on the elusive concept of TALENT. I challenge us to think about talent not as something unique that only certain “gifted”people have, but as something special that ALL people possess. Examining the concept of talent will make it easier for you to recognize it in yourself and in the students you serve. I would like for us to think about the following throughout the year: How do you use your unique talents as teachers and support staff to facilitate better learning experiences? How do you cultivate a student’s unique talent to inspire learning and motivate involvement? As we launch into the new year, let’s be intentional about discovering and recognizing the special talents and assets of our community. I am convinced that by doing this, we will help our students develop the social capital necessary for them to make their own permanent impression on the world. This is agency in action! Thank you for accepting this mission. Have a wonderful school year! Sincerely, Steve Holmes Superintendent Click here for: Spanish Letter | English Letter function MM_setTextOfLayer(objId,x,newText) { //v9.0 with (document) if (getElementById && ((obj=getElementById(objId))!=null)) with (obj) innerHTML = unescape(newText); } #quepasa-image { display: none; }