Education Notes: Initiative connects educators with community partners

The Pima County School Superintendent’s Office and Tucson Values Teachers are teaming up on an initiative that connects PreK-12 educators and students with community partners.

Pima CommunityShare was formed to bridge the gap between classrooms and the broader community, bringing real-world expertise, mentorship and support into the learning environment. By fostering partnerships with businesses, nonprofits, and individuals, the program seeks to ensure educators have the tools to inspire and engage students while helping young people discover pathways to success.

THS jazz musicians headed to NYC

Tucson Jazz Institute has been named one of the Top 30 high school jazz bands in the nation and selected to compete in the 30th Annual Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival hosted by Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City.

The competition, scheduled for May 7-11, will feature workshops, jam sessions and performances, culminating in the final concert at the Metropolitan Opera House.

The Essentially Ellington program and resources for students and band directors are free of charge and aim to elevate musicianship, broaden perspectives and inspire performance through the music of jazz icon Duke Ellington.

Essentially Ellington Festival events, including the final concert featuring the top-placing bands and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, will stream live on jazzlive.com. Tickets will be available for purchase in the coming months. For more information, visit jazz.org/ee.

Salpointe reopens fire-damaged wing

Salpointe Catholic High School recently celebrated the completion of the Stevens Wellness Center.

The Stevens Wellness Center, a state-of-the-art facility, combines both academic and wellness spaces. It houses 11 new English classrooms designed to foster collaboration and creativity among students. Additionally, the center boasts a dedicated Wellness Center, offering a variety of spaces designed for mindfulness, relaxation and holistic well-being.

This event comes after a fire in July 2022 that destroyed the 700 wing of the campus.

Go to www.salpointe.org for more information or to support the school.

Back to homepage

Subscriber Login

Keep reading with a digital access subscription.

Subscribe now

Pima JTED to showcase programs

The Pima JTED Program Showcase will welcome thousands of students and their families to explore 32 Career and Technical Education Programs.

Attendees will have opportunities to speak with current students and instructors about the opportunities available through Pima JTED. Students will also be showing off their skills and inviting others participate. Information will be available for anyone interested in employment with JTED, as well as tours.

The event is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, at 3300 S. Park Ave.

For more information, contact Craig Mills at cmills@pimajted.org or (270) 339-8351.

TUSD board elects officers

Tucson Unified School District Governing Board members elected officers at its meeting Tuesday night.

Jennifer Eckstrom is the governing board’s new president.

Dr. Ravi Shah was elected board clerk.

Tucson Unified’s next governing board meeting is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 28, at Duffy Community Center, 5145 E. Fifth Street. The meeting will begin with an executive session. The public meeting is slated to begin at 5:30 p.m.

Included on the docket next Tuesday is a public hearing for the district’s 2023-2024 annual report. The annual report is available for public view at https://deseg.tusd1.org/annual-reports.