Hello, my name is Louie Ramirez. I'm the Principal at Los Amigos Tech Academy. Thank you for considering us as your child's academic foundation. We know it's never too early to begin thinking about where your future engineer, teacher, entrepreneur, journalist, athlete or musician will graduate from. 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. We hope to have you and your child join our Sunnyside Community. Want to know more about our school? Join us Wednesday, February 17, 2021 from 9:30 am - 10:30 am for a Live Cafecito Chat at https://meet.google.com/bnj-uxup-ber   Enroll Your Student Today!  

Sunnyside Unified School District is partnering with Health 1st Solutions and Arizona Bilingual to offer free COVID-19 testing for our students, staff and members of the community.  Open to all SUSD staff, students and community on the following dates:   Wednesday, February 24 11:00 am - 8:00 pm Sunnyside High School, East Gym No appointment necessary   Wednesday, March 3 11:00 am - 8:00 pm Sunnyside High School, East Gym No appointment necessary   Tuesday, March 9 11:00 am - 8:00 pm Sunnyside High School, East Gym No appointment necessary   Thursday, March 11 11:00 am - 8:00 pm Desert View High School, Gym No appointment necessary   Tuesday, March 16 11:00 am - 8:00 pm Sunnyside High School, East Gym No appointment necessary   Thursday, March 18 11:00 am - 8:00 pm Desert View High School, Gym No appointment necessary   Tuesday, March 23 11:00 am - 8:00 pm Sunnyside High School, East Gym No appointment necessary   Thursday, March 25 11:00 am - 8:00 pm Desert View High School, Gym No appointment necessary Parking will be available in the front administration parking lot. Security monitors will be on site to guide you to parking and to the testing area. Please download, print and fill out the form prior to attending the testing event. | Download Form Blank forms will be available on-site if you are not able to print out your own form.​ Testing is AVAILABLE for ages 5 and up. Anyone under the age of 18 needs to be accompanied by a parent/guardian OR have a signed consent form. This test is an anterior nasal swab. Results will be provided within 48 hours and will be delivered directly to the individual via email or phone call. The lab uses personal protective equipment (masks, gloves, and gowns), cleans, and disinfects when finished.  

Do you have concerns about your child’s development or progress in school? What Is Child Find? Child find is a component of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA ’04) that requires states to locate, identify, and evaluate all children with disabilities, ages birth through 21 years, who are in need of early intervention or special education services. This includes children who are highly mobile, such as migrant or homeless children, children suspected of having a disability even though they are advancing from grade to grade, private school students, and homeschool students. The Arizona initiative for child find is referred to as AZ FIND. Developmental and Educational Services for Children Ages Birth through 21 Years Some children have more difficulty learning than others. They may have trouble achieving milestones in one or more of the following developmental or academic areas: Vision and Hearing Motor Control or Coordination Behavior or Social Skills Speech or Communication Skills Cognitive or Academic Skills A referral for early intervention or special education services can come from a parent, guardian, foster parent, family member, teacher, counselor, or the student who finds learning difficult. The earlier you express your concerns, the sooner your child’s needs will be identified and the sooner he or she will receive the help needed to succeed. Help for Infants and Toddlers Children ages birth to 2 years 10 1/2 months are screened through the Arizona Early Intervention Program (AzEIP) to determine if early intervention services are needed. Early intervention brings professionals, working in partnership with parents and families of children with special needs, together to support infants’ or toddlers’ growth, development, and learning. If you have questions about your child’s development, an AzEIP specialist will talk with you about your concerns and observe your child. If your child is found eligible, a plan will be designed to include strategies, activities, and supports to achieve desired outcomes related to your child’s needs. Make an online referral at www.azdes.gov/azeip. For more information, call (602)532-9960. Help for Preschool and School-Aged Children Your local school district, or the charter school your child attends (for school-aged children), screens children ages 2 years 10 1/2 months through 21 years. Public schools use an informal screening process to check your child’s development and academic progress. Screening must be completed within 45 calendar days of the date you notify the school of your concerns. When a concern is identified through screening procedures, you must be notified within 10 school days and informed of procedures to follow up on your child’s needs. For example: Your child may be referred to the school’s child study team for pre-intervention services;or, If screening results indicate your child may have a disability, a comprehensive evaluation will be necessary to your child’s determine eligibility for special education and related services. A team, of which you will be a member, will meet to begin the process. Screening and evaluation are free. All information contained in the screening or evaluation is confidential. Contact your local school district or the charter school your child attends. For children attending private schools, contact the principal at the school district in which the private school is located. Be Involved! Family engagement has a positive influence on your child’s academic success and emotional development. Set high expectations and establish goals. Communicate frequently with teachers to monitor your child’sachievements. Ask for ideas and materials to help your child learn at home. Reward progress and celebrate accomplishments. Volunteer for classroom and schoolwide activities. Attend community events and workshops that promote learning and social growth. Contact Irma Gomez-Sanchez (520) 545-3600 Ocotillo Early Learning Center 5702 S Campbell Avenue  Tucson, AZ 85706 AZFIND@azed.gov or www.azed.gov/specialeducation/parents  or call 1-800-352-4558 or 928-637-1871   Downloads: AZ Find Flyer (Eng) AZ Find Flyer (Spa) Giraffe Flyer (Eng) Giraffe Flyer (Spa)

PCHD - Free COVID-19 Testing Schedule : Regular Public Testing Locations Kino Event Center "Monday through Saturday *closed 12/24/20, 12/25/20, 1/1/21" Times: 10am - 7pm Address: 2805 E. Ajo Way, Tucson, 85714 Pre-Registration/ Appointment Required How to Register: "www.labfinder.com/paradigm 855-452-2346 For results: patient portal or call 520-901-2969" Ages: 5 and up Test Type: nasopharyngeal PCR (anterior nares for children) Type of Site: Brick and mortar Sponsors: Pima County Testing Vendor: Paradigm Laboratories   Morris K Udall Center "Tuesday through Sunday *closed 12/24/20, 12/25/20, 1/1/21" Times: 8am-5pm Address: 7200 E. Tanque Verde Road, Tucson, 85715 Pre-Registration/ Appointment Required How to Register: "www.labfinder.com/paradigm 855-452-2346 For results: patient portal or call 520-901-2969" Ages: 5 and up Test Type: nasopharyngeal PCR (anterior nares for children) Type of Site: Brick and mortar Sponsors: Pima County, City of Tucson Testing Vendor: Paradigm Laboratories   El Pueblo Community Center "Monday & Wednesday Saturday" Times: "5pm - 8pm 7am-Noon" Address: 101 W. Irvington Road, Tucson, 85714 Pre-Registration/ Appointment Required How to Register: Call El Rio Health 520-670-3909 Test Type: nasopharyngeal PCR (anterior nares for children) Type of Site: Brick and mortar Sponsors: City of Tucson, El Rio Health Testing Vendor: El Rio Health   Ellie Towne Center "Wednesday 12/9, Friday12/11, Sunday 12/13 *closed from December 23rd to January 1st" Times: "7am - 12pm Sunday hours are 7am-1pm" Address: 1660 W. Ruthraff Road, Tucson, 85705 Pre-Registration/ Appointment Required How to Register: "https://asubioempportal.pointnclick.com/ Log in or “Sign Up For New Account” Agency code: SALIVATEST" Ages: 5 and up Test Type: saliva PCR Type of Site: Brick and mortar Sponsors: Arizona Department of Health Services Testing Vendor: ASU Biodesign Institute   West Congress Parking Garage "Thursdays *closed from December 23rd to January 1st" Times: 6am-9am Address: 400 W. Congress, Tucson, 85701 How to Register: "https://asubioempportal.pointnclick.com/ Log in or “Sign Up For New Account” Agency code: SALIVATEST" Ages: 5 and up Test Type: saliva PCR Type of Site: Drive-thru Sponsors: Arizona Department of Health Services Testing Vendor: ASU Biodesign Institute   Downtown "Monday, Wednesday & Friday *closed 12/24/20, 12/25/20, 1/1/21" Times: 10am - 2pm Address: 88 E. Broadway Blvd., Tucson, 85701 How to Register: "www.labfinder.com/paradigm 855-452-2346 For results: patient portal or call 520-901-2969" Ages: 5 and up Test Type: nasopharyngeal PCR (anterior nares for children) Type of Site: Walk-up Sponsors: Pima County, Downtown Tucson Partnership, TEP Testing Vendor: Paradigm Laboratories   Tucson International Airport - Baggage Claim "Friday through Monday (Starting 11/20/21) *Closed 12/24/20, 12/25/20, 1/1/21" Times: 11 am - 6 pm Address: 7250 S. Tucson Blvd., Tucson, 85756 Pre-Registration/ Appointment Required How to Register: "https://www.labfinder.com/TUS/ 855-452-2346 For results: patient portal or call 520-901-2969" Ages: 5 and up Test Type: nasopharyngeal PCR (anterior nares for children) Sponsors: Pima County Testing Vendor: Paradigm Laboratories   Pima Community College West Campus "Mondays (Starting 11/16/2020) *Closed 12/23/20-1/1/21" Times: 9am - 1pm Address: 2202 W. Anklam Road, Tucson, 85709 Pre-Registration/ Appointment Required How to Register: "https://asubioempportal.pointnclick.com/ Log in or “Sign Up For New Account” Agency code: SALIVATEST" Ages: 5 and up Test Type: saliva PCR Type of Site: Drive-thru Sponsors: Pima Community College Testing Vendor: ASU Biodesign Institute   Pima Community College Desert Vista Campus "Wednesdays (Starting 12/2/2020) *Closed 12/23/20-1/1/21" Times: 9am - 1pm Address: 5901 S. Calle Santa Cruz, Tucson, 85709 Pre-Registration/ Appointment Required How to Register: "https://asubioempportal.pointnclick.com/ Log in or “Sign Up For New Account” Agency code: SALIVATEST" Ages: 5 and up Test Type: saliva PCR Type of Site: Drive-thru Sponsors: Pima Community College Testing Vendor: ASU Biodesign Institute   Pima Community College East Campus "Fridays (Starting 12/4/2020) *Closed 12/23/20-1/1/21" Times: 9am - 1pm Address: 8181 E. Irvington Rd., Tucson, 85709 Pre-Registration/ Appointment Required How to Register: "https://asubioempportal.pointnclick.com/ Log in or “Sign Up For New Account” Agency code: SALIVATEST" Ages: 5 and up Test Type: saliva PCR Type of Site: Drive-thru Sponsors: Pima Community College Testing Vendor: ASU Biodesign Institute

FREE MEAL PROGRAM HAS BEEN EXTENDED SUSD will continue to provide free meals to all children under the age of 18 (no lunch application needed). Parents or students may stop by a school or designated bus stop Monday–Friday (excluding holidays) to receive a school lunch and a breakfast to go for the following morning at the following times: Schools – 10:30am – 1pm Bus Route – 11am – 12pm     Meal Distribution Starting November 30th Please note that meal distribution at schools and bus locations will continue once we transition to remote learning. Below is a list of bus routes and school sites that will distribute meals daily starting on November 30th.   School & Weekend Meal Distribution Sites You may pick up grab-and-go breakfast and lunch at one of the school locations listed below, Monday – Friday 10:30am–1pm. In addition, all sites will now distribute weekend meals. This means that on Fridays you may now pick up a total of six meals per student: 2 Friday meals, 2 Saturday meals and 2 Sunday meals.  Apollo Middle School Billy Lane Lauffer Middle School Craycroft Elementary School Challenger Middle School Desert View High School Drexel Elementary School Elvira Elementary School Esperanza Elementary School Gallego Primary Gallego Intermediate Liberty Elementary School Los Amigos Elementary School Los Ninos Elementary School Mission Manor Elementary School Ocotillo Learning Center Rosemarie Rivera Elementary School Santa Clara Elementary School Sierra 2 - 8 School Star Academic High School Summit View Elementary School Sunnyside High School Mobile Meals – Bus Distribution Sites Below is a list of sites where school buses will distribute grab-and-go breakfast and lunch from 11am–12pm. All school buses will continue to be equipped with mobile hotspots. For detailed information for each location, click on the bus icons on the interactive map below. S. Masterson Ave & E. Behan St. (SE Corner) S. Fontana Ave & E Delta Rd. (NW Corner) Fairy Duster & Silverweed (Rancho Valencia Rest Area) Old Vail Rd & Country Club (park on Vail Rd)  * this route will now be delivering meals at E Bantam Rd & Via Noche Buena Desert Shadows Park (on Greenway Dr.) Ponderosa & San Xavier Rd @ Ramada Santa Clara Ave. and Melridge St. 9776 S. Nogales Hwy (near Family Dollar) San Xavier Education Center Felix and Lansing Strav.    

January 27, 2021 Dear Sunnyside Families — Today, I would like to share important updates with you regarding our target date for a return to in-person hybrid learning. Regrettably, COVID-19 rates in Pima County continue to remain high, and the Pima County Health Department metrics used to indicate a safe reopening of schools have not been met. Throughout this pandemic, our decisions on opening schools have remained consistent with Pima County Health Department’s recommendations. Although other districts have opened schools, our 85706 and 85756 community zip codes remain “hot spots” for COVID transmission. For this reason, our Governing Board voted last night to postpone in-person hybrid learning to March 1, provided the metrics from the Pima County Health Department indicate that it is safe to do so. This means we will remain in remote learning for the month of February, and have set a target date to return to in-person hybrid learning on Monday, March 1. We recognize it is essential to students' learning and social/emotional wellbeing to be back in the classroom and we want nothing more but to have your students here with us. As such, we will continue to communicate closely with the health department over the next couple of weeks so that we are informed of the current trends in public health metrics and on any other proposed recommendations that may come about based on new guidelines by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). If this results in a sooner return date, we will communicate accordingly. COVID Testing Event This Friday, we will offer COVID-19 tests to the community free of charge. Testing is also open to SUSD students and will take place at Sunnyside High School on January 29th from 11am – 4:30pm. Please check our click here for all the details. Steve Holmes Superintendent View or Download the PDFs sent to parents:  January 27, 2021 January 13, 2021 December 10, 2020 November 11, 2020 September 9, 2020 July 2, 2020 Jun 19, 2020 May 21, 2020

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    

July 29, 2020 Dear Sunnyside Learning Community, A lot has happened since we closed our doors for traditional schooling on March 23rd. Over the last few months we have seen our Nation grow more divided on the public health impact of this pandemic, which has placed school reopening at the center of a political debate. Although starting school remotely is not ideal, scientific evidence along with recent guidance from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Pima County Health Department suggests that the high level of community transmission supports the need for schools to remain closed for in-person instruction. It is most certain that we will stay in a remote learning situation minimally until after Labor Day. As educators, we are accustomed to using data to inform our decisions and will continue to do so in making decisions for in-person learning moving forward.  However, the COVID-19 virus is not the only issue of debate our Nation is contending with. The killing of George Floyd has exposed long-standing racial inequities in every aspect of American life and has forced a deep reckoning across society. From mass protests to intimate conversations with family and friends, conversations about race and equity are part of a national dialogue. For this reason, schools must find their place in the conversation and look at ways to improve the systems that perpetuate inequalities for children.  I would like for us to reflect on the following questions throughout the year as we have further discussion on equity: What are systemic patterns or practices in our schools or departments that foster inequalities and limit students’ future opportunities for success? What biases (unconscious or conscious) do we hold about the community and students we serve that may impact our approach to student learning? For those of us who don’t interact with students, how can we examine some of our own internal biases to create a work environment that is more inclusive of all? The conversation on equity is not new to the Sunnyside Learning Community. Equity is the foundation of our Graduate Profile and is central to the formative assessment process we have been implementing for the past few years. Drawing meaning to our work in the context of equity must be more intentional as we dive deeper into our own personal improvement of practice regardless of the position we hold in the organization.  On a personal level, much of my family conversation about race this summer took place while watching the movie version of the Broadway musical, Hamilton. The significance of diversity in the cast (led by mostly Black and Latino actors) and music (hip hop and R&B), and historical backdrop provided for rich discussions on multiculturalism and institutional issues of race that I know were critical and important for my family to engage in given the events that were happening across the globe.  As we embark on this year of many unknowns, I ask that we look at the opportunities that lie ahead for the students we serve. My hope is that we seek not to return to normal- which implies going back to the status quo - but that we learn from this experience and challenge our system to provide better and more equitable educational opportunities for the children in our community. As Hamilton would say, let’s “not throw away our shot”! Let’s seize the moment to revolutionize our students’ experiences so that they are College, Career, and Community Ready. In solidarity with you, Steve Holmes Superintendent