Returning to in-person instruction following CDC guidelines won’t increase student achievement significantly if teachers must teach online and in-person at the same time, writes Nogales educator Kathy Scott.

 Courtesy of Wright Elementary

Radio personality Berra hands out 200 kids’ books

Wright Elementary students received a visit and 200 books from radio personality Rich Berra from the JohnJay and Rich Show.

Wright Principal Deanna Campos called into the radio show because the hosts were asking for positives from 2020.

“They loved my energy,” Campos says. “And Rich said he was going to donate 100 books.”

He showed up at the school the next day with his publisher and 200 copies of his children’s book “The Tale of Christmas Steve.”

Berra passed out the books directly to students using the in-person learning spaces. And the following week, the rest were handed out to children during the school’s drive-thru toy give away, where Ray Flores from El Charro, Prime Leaf, Pantano Christian and Invigorate Acupuncture donated hundreds of toys.

“We gave each car gifts!” Campos said. “The street was packed and never stopped.”

Marana Cares Mobile to feed kids during winter breakThe Marana Cares Mobile will be feeding children Mondays through Thursdays during the winter break at two locations.

From Dec. 21 to Dec. 24 and Dec. 28 to Dec. 31 the bus will be at the intersection of Sandario and Anthony roads, on the southeast corner next to the Marana Congregation of Jehovah’s Witness Church from 11 a.m to noon. The bus will be at 6560 W. El Tiro Road, at the Marana Domestic Water Improvement District, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

Marana Cares Mobile was created in 2015 from a retired school bus. It offers free and nutritious meals to children during school breaks and summers and had served more than 19,000 meals, including 6,000 meals during COVID-19.

“In many cases our schools provide services to our community that extend beyond classroom instruction,” says Superintendent Dan Streeter. “Our Marana Cares Mobile allows us to continue to provide these opportunities to our community during our school breaks.

“Knowing that nutrition is critical to a child’s ability to learn and be successful, this service allows us to meet those needs during school breaks so that our students return ready to learn.”

As a precaution against the Coronavirus (COVID-19), the annual Christmas en el Barrio used a drive-thru style format to handout toys, gift cards and other items to children and families at the Tucson Rodeo Grounds, on Dec 18, 2020. At 9 a.m. when the event officially kicked off there were over 150 vehicles in line. Over a thousand were expected to come through by the end of the day.

A limited number of volunteers, which added up to just under 50, were present from Nova Home Loans and other community supporters to help welcome vehicles and organize and distribute over $1,600 worth of toys. (Josh Galemore / Arizona Daily Star)

Marana Cares Mobile is funded through private donations, corporate sponsorship, charitable foundations and the USDA Summer Food Service Program.

To learn more about donations and sponsorship, call 520-682-4756 or go to maranausd.org/mcm.

SARSEF creates virtual science fair platform

Tucson-based nonprofit SARSEF released an online platform for Arizona schools to host virtual science fairs for free, giving students an opportunity to showcase their science and engineering projects online.

School fair directors can register their schools on the SARSEF School Fairs platform, upload projects and open a virtual exhibit hall to caregivers, relatives, fair judges and friends so they can view the projects, a news release said.

“I am most proud of how it provides a free way to showcase the incredible science of Arizona students,” said Danniey Wright, SARSEF regional fair director. “In this time of strained resources, it means a lot that we are able to offer a free solution for science fairs to still have a place in schools.”

SARSEF’s regional science and engineering fair will take place virtually March 1 through March 6. Arizona’s state science and engineering fair will also be virtual from March 29 through April 3.

The School Fairs platform can be found at schoolfairs.sarsef.org. For more information about SARSEF School Fairs or SARSEF Science and Engineering Fair email danniey@sarsef.org.

Cochise County teacher wins High School Teacher Award

Willcox High School teacher David “Ty” White won the American Chemical Society’s High School Teacher Award.

In its 21st year, the award is intended to recognize outstanding teaching of chemistry that occurs in Southern Arizona high schools.

White teaches students how to research and gain knowledge, a news release said. He gets his students to collaborate with organizations and other schools.

White will receive $500, and another $500 will go to his school to be used by his class.

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Contact reporter Danyelle Khmara at dkhmara@tucson.com or 573-4223. On Twitter: @DanyelleKhmara