SCV35 News

Want to help children in need and support your community? Visit Wal-Mart in Nogales on December 7, 2024 anytime between 8 am-12 pm. SCV35 staff will be collecting donations to pass around to youth around our community for the holidays! Find a list of ideas of donations down below. We hope to see you there!

Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s Coin Wars! With all of the sites combined, we raised over $4,300 to give to families in need in our community. A special thanks to Michael Garrett, Garrett’s IGA Supermarket, and the Rio Rico Rotary for helping make this all possible. We are especially grateful to Mr. Garrett who donated $10 extra per gift card to further help those in need during the holiday season!

It was a battle for the ages at the Turkey Bowl on the Calabasas field, and the staff showed they’ve still got it! Despite an incredible effort from the 6th-grade team (seriously, those kids are fast), the staff pulled off the win with skill, strategy, and maybe just a little luck.

The crowd was on fire, with students and staff cheering so loudly it could be heard across campus. Highlights included jaw-dropping plays, surprising dance moves from Mrs. Ballard, and teamwork that made this game unforgettable.

A huge thanks to everyone who participated—players, fans, and sideline hype crews alike. The 6th graders brought grit and heart, but this year’s bragging rights belong to the staff. Game on for next year, students—we’ll be ready!

Rio Rico Rotary's Staff and Student of the Month are from San Cayetano Elementary! Student of the Month goes to Victoria Basurto. Victoria is always willing to help out her classmates and always has a positive attitude. Staff of the Month goes to Irma Garcia. Ms. Garcia works tremendously hard as the school's librarian. She is always happy to see the students and always goes the extra mile for them. Congratulations to them both on behalf of SCV35!

Photo Courtesy of Kit Rendon

Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) have two exciting events coming up: the Arizona Regional Conference at Eastern Arizona College in Thatcher on January 23, 2025 and the Arizona State Leadership Conference at the Tucson Community Center April 1-3, 2025. RRHS CTE Business teacher Kit Rendon has been the sponsor of FBLA for 18 years. Over this time, she has taken students with little knowledge of business and has taught them many aspects of it, built their confidence, and turned many of them into leaders.

She explained that her role is “to coach them, motivate them, match them to the right event, and encourage them to step out of their comfort zone.”

The club currently has 40 members and eight officers: President Aaron Enriquez-Mendez, Vice President Kiara Valle, Treasurer Ruben Gomez, Recorder Raquel “Ray” Carrillo, Historian Juan Sarmiento, Public Relations Officers Iris Corrales and Gema Hernandez, and Parliamentarian Daniel Woodburn.

They performed quite well at the regional competition last January. One member after another walked across the stage to accept awards. Woodburn said, “Almost every single person got a medal. . . Everyone was getting gold and silver.”

Woodburn received three second place medals in the following categories: Graphic Design along with Andre Niebla, Introduction to Public Speaking, and Introduction to Business Communication. He has also received some other impressive awards in the past. His freshman year he received first place in Introduction to Parliamentary Procedure and last year he received fifth place at the state competition in Graphic Design.

According to Rendon, for the regional competition students pick three things: one objective test and two performance events, which they prepare for in advance.

Woodburn described the wide variety of choices, among them “graphic design, business communications, financial math, accounting, and business law” and said that you can “find what you want because there is something for everybody.”

Students also engage in role plays that, according to Rendon, require “a lot of on your feet thinking.”

She explained, “For the role plays, they walk in and have no idea. It could be sports and entertainment management. You walk in, and they hand you a prompt. For example, there is a new Dave and Busters coming to your neighborhood. How would you promote it and come up with ideas to get the community involved? You have 20 minutes to come up with your presentation, and then you present it to a judge.”

Despite the challenges of competing, students appreciate the many benefits and opportunities of the organization and find it not only rewarding but fun as well.

Woodburn explained what the club has meant to him: “I’m very grateful that Ms. Rendon has given me this opportunity. It’s been a lot of fun. I’ve definitely learned a lot, and it has made an impact on my future career choices.”

Carrillo won two second place medals at regionals in the following categories: Broadcast Journalism with Julianna Santa Cruz and Cesar Peña and Website Design with Julianna Santa Cruz.

She explained the transformative effect the organization has had on her: “FBLA is a great way for people to build their confidence. I used to be really shy in middle school, but after joining FBLA, it made me more accustomed to talking to people I wouldn’t usually talk to–getting out of my shell.”

It also influenced her career path: “It allows me to do things that I would never have gotten into and has shown me that I really do like digital design and being more creative.”

In addition, she said it is a “really fun experience because of the travel for competitions.”

Both Woodburn and Carrillo also emphasized the importance in FBLA of giving back to the community. Last year they made Easter baskets for senior citizens and also raised money for the Giving Turtle.

No doubt with this kind of talent, the FBLA members will be just as successful at their upcoming competitions this year.

Rendon expressed great pride in the FBLA members. She said they are “such a great group of kids, and that is why we do it!”

Santa Cruz Valley USD No.35 announces a partnership with Kajeet, a leading

wireless connectivity and device management provider for education, governments, and

commercial markets, to deploy its Kajeet SmartBus Wi-Fi solution to extend learning outside

the classroom for students. Utilizing funding awarded through the E-Rate program, the district

is equipping 44 of its school buses with reliable, secure Wi-Fi.

With this wireless router-based solution, students in Santa Cruz Valley USD will now be able to

access educational apps, complete online assignments, study for exams, or communicate with

their teachers – all while on the school bus. This access will be available to students while

traveling to and from school each day, as well as during extracurricular activities such as

traveling to sporting events.

Included is a CIPA-compliant filtering to keep students safe and on-task, as well as a data

management platform, Sentinel®, which allows administrators to manage devices and data

allocations, access controls, and gain key insights into program performance.

“This provides an end to end solution providing internet access to our students from home to

school and back again” said Santa Cruz Valley USD No.35 IT Manager Steve Saint-

Coeur. This initiative represents Santa Cruz Valley USD’s commitment to advancing digital

equity, providing all students – even those who do not have reliable access to Internet at home

– with an equitable opportunity to succeed.

Great blanket drive sponsored by the Santa Cruz County Health Department!

On November 5th, two committed educators from San Cayetano Elementary shared their expertise at the Aurora Institute in Colorado. Sarah Boswell and Jennifer Martinez presented an informative lecture, "The Art of Letting Go: Utilizing Learning Menus Alongside Flexible Seating." This lecture shined a spotlight on the personalized learning strategies that educators have successfully implemented in the Santa Cruz Valley Unified School District No. 35.

Two key topics that were shared were the use of choice boards and flexible seating in an elementary classroom. Boswell and Martinez discussed how choice boards prioritize student agency and engagement. They went on to share how they use flexible seating, such as bean bags and bouncy chairs, to help students focus and allow for more movement in the classroom.

"Our goal for the lecture was to provide support and reality experiences for others to take back to their school," Martinez explained.

Boswell and Martinez also shared the challenges and success the district has faced in adopting personalized learning. They discussed the district’s journey in transforming their classrooms to reflect a more student-centered environment.

Martinez advised, “It’s okay to make mistakes during this change.”

Presentations such as "The Art of Letting Go" offer valuable insights for educators who are wanting to create more student-centered learning environments. Boswell and Martinez's strategies and expertise serve as an inspiration for educators looking to enhance engagement and personalization in their classrooms.

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by Mark Dittmar

“Chess is one of the school’s STEAM Wednesday activities that promote strategic and logical thinking,” said science teacher, Mrs. Cari Kinz, who has been teaching the game to younger children for years.

Match, anyone?

The First Annual University of Arizona Community Nutrition Education Conference was held on November 18-19 in Tucson, AZ. This event highlighted the work that Santa Cruz County Cooperative Extension has been doing around the community and county to promote policy, system and environmental changes, increase in physical activity, and provide nutritional education. "It was with immense pride that we were able to showcase our partnership with SCV35 who have been such an impactful and collaborative piece to our work", said Roxie Leyva, the Community Outreach Assistant for the SNAP-ED program at the University of Arizona. Santa Cruz County showcased the "Mountain View Family Walking Club" and the "America's Healthiest Schools" awards as inspiration to participants from counties all over the state of Arizona. These stories can be found in the poster down below on the right-hand side.

SEI (Structured English Immersion) students in Ms. Lizette Arellano’s class at Coatimundi Middle School embraced the cultural richness of Día de los Muertos, a traditional Mexican holiday celebrating the lives of loved ones who have passed away. The historical origins of Día de los Muertos are fascinating, blending indigenous Mesoamerican traditions with Catholic influences. Originally, the Aztecs had a month-long celebration honoring the goddess Mictecacihuatl, known as the "Lady of the Dead." This festival was held in what we now know as August, and the Aztecs believed that during this time, the spirits of their deceased loved ones returned to earth for a visit.

Students took part in a unique and meaningful learning experience, creating their own altars (ofrendas) to honor those who are no longer with them. As part of the lesson, students explored the different elements such as air, water, earth, and fire and how they relate to the Día de los Muertos altar, including candles, flowers, photographs, and the favorite foods or items of the deceased. They learned about the significance behind each item and its connection to the celebration, which honors both life and death.

The project was especially exciting for the students, many of whom enjoyed the opportunity to collaborate with classmates and work on a hands-on assignment both in school and at home. "It was so much fun creating my altar with my family," said Alondra Pesqueira, an 8th grade SEI student. "It made me think about my grandfather and all the good memories we shared."

The hands-on project also allowed students to practice their creativity, while learning about important cultural traditions and the value of remembering loved ones. The assignment not only deepened students' understanding of Día de los Muertos but also fostered a sense of community, as they shared their altars and personal stories with one another.

Through this meaningful project, SEI students not only gained a greater appreciation for Mexican culture but also built stronger connections with their peers and families, making the celebration of Día de los Muertos a memorable and enriching experience.

AP Biology students at Rio Rico High School participated in an enriching cultural experience centered around Filipino traditions, which included traditional games and authentic cuisine. This engagement not only deepened their understanding of cultural heritage but also fostered a greater appreciation for diversity, enhancing their collaborative and empathetic skills for future international interactions. On November 2, 2024, five students—Pallak Gupta, Anthony Monge, Miranda Moreno-Urias, Enrique Rodriguez, and Emmanuelle Verdugo—joined an online conference with peers and educators from Science High School in Morong, Rizal, Philippines. The conference focused on complex biology topics like cell structure, enzymes, and photosynthesis, allowing students to explore these subjects within different cultural contexts.

During the conference, participants showcased their research through innovative methods, including role-playing videos and physical models, which facilitated a lively exchange of ideas. This collaboration extended beyond conventional biology studies, promoting a shared understanding of ecosystems and scientific practices across cultures. Students reflected on the differences and similarities between their educational systems, fostering advancements in science education. This international dialogue highlighted the universal language of science, illustrating how it can unite diverse cultures and enhance appreciation for biological diversity, ultimately inspiring students to adopt a global perspective and recognize the intricate beauty of life without borders.

Located at 1135 Circulo Mercado Ste. 1.