This year's Raytheon Leaders in Education Award winners all happen to be Sunnyside teachers!! Zachary Kadera, a 3rd-grade teacher at Elvira Elementary School Jackie Nichols, 6th-8th grade STEM/social studies/honors science teacher at Billy Lane Lauffer Middle School  Larissa Peru, an 11th-12th-grade math teacher at Desert View High School Congratulations winners and finalists!! Tucson Values Teachers will honor these educators at Stand Up 4 Teachers on Nov. 7 at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort. Purchase individual tickets here: https://standup4teachers2019.eventbrite.com

Mr. Steve Holmes received the "La Estrella" award from Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, this award is a singular honor given to an individual based upon exceptional service to the Hispanic community in the border region of southern Arizona or Northern Mexico. Congratulations Mr. Holmes.

A Message from our Superintendent As I addressed our outgoing senior class on graduation night, I found myself looking back-and-forth between the faces of our graduates and their younger siblings in the audience with a mix of nostalgia and disbelief. In the blink of an eye—our elementary students became middle schoolers, only to finish high school right in front of our eyes. I think about this through line each day I come to work. I returned to the District that raised me because of a deep sense of responsibility and a need to give back. I’m guessing many of you flipping through this magazine are graduates of the District or have a connection to one of our nearly 2,000 employees. I’m even willing to guess that many of you are serving our District as teachers, bus drivers, librarians, cafeteria staff, or as volunteers. Like Raytheon, Intuit, Pima County and other large employers in our backyard, Sunnyside is investing in its people, because together we create economic prosperity. We’ve redesigned the high school experience through our College and Career Academies; we’ve stayed the course, thanks to a Coherence Framework focused on enhancing the relationship between the student and teacher in the presence of the work; we’ve launched a Graduate Profile to drive our strategic plan; and we’ve invested millions in Bond Projects, thanks to taxpayers who trust us as good stewards of public dollars. As I enter my fifth year as Superintendent it’s become clearer to me that our District plays a critical role in creating better communities. So as you learn about our work over the last year, I invite you to imagine Sunnyside as a destination District where together we invest in our students and our people. Sincerely, Steve Holmes Superintendent Click here for a Spanish version of our Generations Magazine. Printed copies in Spanish are also available at any SUSD school.  

WHAT IS THE BUDGET INCREASE? A maintenance and operations increase, or override, allows Sunnyside Unified School District voters to approve additional funding above what the state provides. The requested budget increase would allow the District to exceed its budget by an additional $9.3 million. The proposed increase in the budget would be in effect for seven years and will help SUSD fully implement our strategic plan, which is focused on providing innovative educational experiences that accelerate performance outcomes for student success. HOW WILL THIS INCREASE SERVE SUSD STUDENTS? Provide professional development for our staff to improve student test scores Provide resources to attract and retain top talent Improve the quality of students’ educational experience Adjust our classified wage schedule to address minimum wage compression Maintain after school tutoring and co-curricular enrichment programs Preserve fine arts, physical education & library services in elementary schools DID YOU KNOW? Sunnyside students compete with and even outperform students from other AZ Districts Our graduates are merit scholar, world-class athletes, industry leaders, and brave members of the U.S. armed forces Our High School graduation rates are at an all-time high Our 6 world class career and technical education academies prepare students for cutting edge industries like aerospace and bioscience AUDITOR GENERAL REPORT (2017-2018 Spending per pupil by operational area) Dollars in the classroom have steadily increased since 2014 WHAT HAPPENS IF THE OVERRIDE DOESN'T PASS? If the override is not approved, the District may have to make cuts or eliminate programs and services for students. HOMEOWNER IMPACT The additional cost of the 10% increase would be 17.33 per month, or $208 per year. Based on assessed home value of $100,000 and an estimated tax rate of $2.08  

UA SAID "YES!" 135 Sunnyside High School Seniors received their acceptance letters to The University of Arizona this morning at a surprise assembly. Special guests Dr. Kasey Urquidez, Dean of UA Undergraduate Admissions and Blue Devil Alumni and now UA Freshman, Patrick Robles, helped us deliver the exciting news to students and their families. Congratulations Class of 2020!! 

For More Information: Marisela Félix, Director of Public Information Sunnyside Unified School District (520) 545-2228 mariselafelix@susd12.org Ana Luisa Terrazas, Director of Marketing & Communications University of Arizona College of Education (520) 626-3473 anat@email.arizona.edu   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA PARTNERS WITH SUNNYSIDE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT TO LAUNCH PATHWAYS TO TEACHING PROGRAM   TUCSON, AZ, September 18, 2019—The Sunnyside Unified School District and University of Arizona College of Education have created a pathway for people affiliated with the Sunnyside District to enter the teaching profession via a 17-month, fast-track degree program, Pathways to Teaching. Upon completion, Pathways participants earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education with a K-8 teaching certificate and English as a Second Language Endorsement. The first cohort starts in January 2020. The program is open to anyone with an affiliation with Sunnyside Unified School District including former students, parents, community members, and District employees. The program covers tuition and includes a monthly stipend.  “Pathways to Teaching addresses Arizona’s teacher shortage by providing a clear pathway to teacher certification for employees and any others who have a connection to the Sunnyside District. These future teachers will be familiar with Sunnyside families and the community and will be able to draw from their experiences and relationships to design truly effective learning environments for their students,” said UA College of Education Department Head and Associate Professor Marcy Wood. Equity, innovation, and disruption are at the core of this initiative. “This program disrupts the traditional teacher education model by investing in people who are familiar with our school community and dedicated to serving students as a career. This place-based approach is a must in a competitive era where there is a shortage of adults committed to the teaching profession,” said Sunnyside Superintendent Steve Holmes. “Our employees devote so much time and passion to our students, what better way to support them than through a top-notch program like the one at the UA College of Education?” While tuition is provided at no cost to those in the program, students are responsible for nominal fees associated with fingerprint clearances and state exam study guides. District employees must step down from their current position to enroll in Pathways to Teaching. Students receive a $1,000 monthly stipend from the UA College of Education for the duration of the program. The future teachers will work in Sunnyside classrooms throughout this program, building a steady pipeline of qualified teachers for the district.   ### Established in 1921, the Sunnyside Unified School District is the second largest district in Southern Arizona, serving more than 16,300 students and families. Located in a culturally-diverse community and surrounded by two First Nations—the Tohono O’odham and Pascua Yaqui Tribe, our learning community is flanked by an aerospace and innovation corridor, such that our District is positioned to lead our students into the 21st century through excellence in pedagogy, world-class career and technical education, and a legacy of athletic excellence and passion for the fine arts.   The UA College of Education is at the forefront of research on the global challenges that confront education today. Through our research, instruction, and outreach, we generate new knowledge about education, teach the next generation of educators and leaders, and engage educational and community groups in discovery and improvement. Not only are we are responsible for the vast majority of teacher education on campus, we collaborate across education and business sectors and with government and nonprofit agencies to leverage resources to make a difference in the lives of many. An education degree can serve as the foundation for a career in law, nursing, writing, and so much more — just ask our alumni!

District Parent Council (DPC) brings parents together from every school across the district to help serve as an advisory group to the district and superintendent. DPC provides an opportunity for parents to join the conversation and strengthens our partnership by ensuring open lines of communication regarding the Education of their children. DPC commitment is 1 x per month for 1 hour. PARENTS WE NEED YOU! DISTRICT OFFICE -GOVERNING BOARD ROOM 2238 E. GINTER RD 5:00-6:00PM 2019 - 2020 MEETING DATES: September 18 October 23 November 20 January 22 February 26 March 25 April 22 For more information please contact Andrea Foster 545-2027 or andreaf@susd12.org

The Sunnyside Alumni Association will host the 2019 Hall of Fame dinner. This year's event will take place on November 16th at Gallego Intermediate Fine Arts Magnet School at 5:00 p.m. The annual dinner is the signature fundraiser for the Alumni Association/Dollars for Scholars, which last year awarded close to $70,000 in college scholarships to graduates from Sunnyside, Desert View and Star Academic High School.  The Hall of Fame awards were established to honor individuals or groups who have made notable contributions to the Sunnyside educational system, the community, or their chosen profession. The awards also honor those who have exhibited leadership and innovations that have contributed to academic success and the quality of life for the Sunnyside community. Congratulations to the 2019 Sunnyside Alumni Association Hall of Fame Inductees:  Pam Betten Debbie Dimmett Fred Hambly Rudy McCormick Chris Suarez Sgt. Wil Corrales  

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.  Click here to view photos from the event.   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 Ornelas (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)

October 3, 2019 Dear Sunnyside Unified School District Families, In light of the social media threats our neighboring school districts have received this week, we feel a responsibility to address our Sunnyside community on this matter. The trust you place in us to educate and care for your students is not taken for granted. Please rest assured that all threats that come to our attention are taken seriously. Our District has an efficient working relationship with local law enforcement. We have three off duty officers  and one school safety resource officer (SRO) who work with their respective law enforcement agencies and us to determine if threats are viable when we receive them. It is through this collaborative effort with law enforcement that we make decisions to address and respond appropriately. The presence of officers on campus allow us to implement protocols so that we can quickly respond to incidents that improve the overall safety of our schools. Safety is our number one priority. It is important to be clear about the consequences of posting a threat on social media. These actions can and will be punishable by law and may also lead to expulsion. We all have a shared responsibility to educate our students about their actions on social media – especially when posting about a threat to an educational institution that mentions or includes a picture(s) of weapons. Although at times students’ intention is to use this as a prank/joke, it leads to interrupting the educational system. We encourage you to open dialogue with your children around school safety and the severe consequences of social media posts. Equally important, please reassure your children that it is safe to “say something when they see something.”  If you or your student come across a social media threat, please call 88CRIME or 911. Our District also has a school safety line where incidents like these can be safely reported to (520) 545-4444.   Sincerely, Steve Holmes Superintendent   3 de octubre de 2019 Estimadas familias del Distrito Escolar Unificado de Sunnyside: A la luz de las amenazas de las redes sociales que nuestros distritos escolares vecinos han recibido esta semana, sentimos la responsabilidad de dirigirnos a nuestra comunidad de Sunnyside sobre este asunto. La confianza que deposita en nosotros para educar y cuidar a sus estudiantes no se da por sentado. Tenga la seguridad de que todas las amenazas que llegan a nuestra atención se toman en serio. Nuestro distrito tiene una relación de trabajo eficiente con la policía local. Tenemos tres oficiales fuera de servicio y un oficial de recursos de seguridad escolar (SRO) (por sus siglas en inglés) que trabajan con sus respectivas agencias policiales y con nosotros para determinar si las amenazas son viables cuando las recibimos. Es a través de este esfuerzo de colaboración con las fuerzas del orden público que tomamos decisiones para abordar y responder adecuadamente. La presencia de oficiales en las escuelas nos permite implementar protocolos para que podamos responder rápidamente a incidentes que mejoren la seguridad general de nuestras escuelas. La seguridad es nuestra prioridad número uno. Es importante ser claro sobre las consecuencias de publicar una amenaza en las redes sociales. Estas acciones pueden y serán castigadas por la ley y también pueden conducir a la expulsión. Todos tenemos la responsabilidad compartida de educar a nuestros estudiantes sobre sus acciones en las redes sociales, especialmente cuando publicamos sobre una amenaza a una institución educativa que menciona o incluye una foto (s) de armas. Aunque a veces la intención de los estudiantes es usar esto como una broma, conduce a la interrupción del sistema educativo. Le animamos a que hablen con sus hijos sobre la seguridad escolar y las graves consecuencias de las publicaciones en las redes sociales. Igualmente importante, asegúreles a sus hijos que pueden "decir algo cuando ven algo". Si usted o su estudiante se encuentran con una amenaza en las redes sociales, por favor llame al 88CRIME o al 911. Nuestro distrito también tiene una línea de seguridad escolar donde los incidentes como estos se pueden informar de forma segura al (520) 545-4444.   Atentamente, Steve Holmes Superintendente

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.