TROJAN UPDATE
May, 2012 Volume II No. 4
http://edweb.tusd1.org/Catalina
Congratulations, Class of 2012
Valedictorian Wendolin RodriguezAceves congratulates
her classmates at our May 23rd commencent, at which more
than 160 seniors switched their tassels from left to right
and became proud Trojan alumni.
See more photos at edweb.tusd1.org/Catalina
Catalina Magnet High School 3645 E. Pima Tucson, AZ 232-8400 Fax 232-8401
Dear Families and Friends of Catalina-
Many thanks to all of you for everything you did to make sure that we had another terrific school year at
Catalina! When we return to classes on August 2 nd , we will be working hard to build on the successes of
the past school year and ensure that every student at Catalina is treated like the unique learner and person
he or she truly is. Here is a preview of some of what you can expect in the year to come:
We are always concerned with the fact that most students who leave Catalina do so because they are not
“on track” for graduation. To help those students, we will have three sections of PLATO credit recovery
built into the master schedule so that credit-deficient students have on-campus, teacher-supervised options
for making up credits from classes they have failed in previous years.
The Impact Team will meet weekly and will play a more central role in following
up with students with academic, attendance, and behavioral problems. Impact
Team members include administrators, counselors, and other concerned staff
members at our school. Our focus is to discuss individual students, the problems
they may be experiencing, and how to help them to be more successful in school.
We will have one full-time counselor working directly with English language
learners and certain recently “reclassified” English language learners to help
them with their graduation plans. These students now account for close to 40%
of our student population.
Principal Rex Scott
An administrator on special assignment will be working at our school on a part-time basis. His role will be
to work primarily with certain academically “at risk” students, their families, and their teachers on addressing
any problems that are impeding academic success.
We will have an “Algebra retake” course in place for students who fail this foundational math class. It will
be individually paced and the classes will be small so that students can get a lot of time and attention with
the teacher and tutors assigned to the class.
We intend to expand the use of our Response to Intervention classes to all grade levels, not just freshmen
and sophomores, and to base the work in these classes on building skills that will lead to success on the
state-mandated AIMS tests and in students’ classes.
Two instructional coaches will be working with our teachers to support them in their goals for professional
growth. We know that the academic success of our students is tied in with our efforts to improve
the quality of instruction in every Catalina classroom.
Many student errors in any classroom can be traced back to the fact that students are not well-versed
in “the language” of the course they are enrolled in. If every teacher at our school made more concerted
efforts to pre-teach, teach and assess student knowledge and use of course-specific vocabulary, that one
approach could help more of our students to better understand and master the content being presented
to them. It is crucial that students be given opportunities to use those words and terms in context. We
also know that teachers need to check for understanding on a frequent basis and that our students need
to be actively engaged in those checks. When students are asked to summarize in their own words what
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TROJAN UPDATE May, 2012 Page 2
has been presented to them, both they and their teacher have a better sense that they “get it.” Any written
summary required of students is made even more helpful if students are asked to use course-specific vocabulary
when they write them. Schools across this nation that have been more purposeful and systemic
in focusing on the importance of course-specific vocabulary and student summarization have seen large
gains in student achievement and confidence. If we implemented the use of a “vocabulary and summarization
log” in all our classrooms, they could serve as a true “running record” of a student’s work in each
of their classes. Our two instructional coaches will be able to provide assistance and support to teachers
with creating these logs for their students.
I will be scheduling monthly parent meetings so that you can share your concerns with me on a regular
basis. It will also be my goal to have a guest speaker, or topic at every meeting that will appeal to parents
of teenagers.
Our Student Council is organizing a student “pep club” called The Trojan Army that will do more to promote
student attendance and involvement at our athletic contests.
The student-run Trojan Advisory Group will continue its work to promote intercultural awareness on our
diverse campus and to schedule activities that celebrate the many different cultures and languages represented
on our campus.
There is always a lot to do during the summer to get ready for the coming school year, especially this year
because of the new calendar adopted by TUSD. Please be sure to check out the 2012-2013 calendar at
http://tusd1.org/contents/distinfo/calendar.html. If I can answer any questions about the new calendar,
or anything else, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Rex Scott
Principal
Fine Arts
The 2011-2012 school year has been a very good, albeit
busy, year for Fine Arts. In January, we celebrated
our remodeled Auditorium, Little Theater, and Fine
Arts classrooms with the Curtains Up! afternoon highlighting
student and alumni creative and talented
work. Throughout the year, Fine Arts students explored,
learned, celebrated, and shared their work in
a variety of forms.
CLASS NOTES:
- Kaitlyn Matney - Ahreum Choe
Ms. Tammy Stewart - Mariachi Los Aventureros, the CMHS mariachi group, has finished the year in a whirlwind
of performances! In collaboration with our FEAST program, we performed at A & B lunches while
the teachers enjoyed a fabulous Mexican meal to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. We also enjoyed the awards
presentation at the 25 th Anniversary of the LEARN program’s “Celebrate Literacy.” The Davis Elementary
school mariachi group, directed by Jaime Valenzuela, joined us for a school wide Cinco de Mayo assembly
on May 4 th .
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TROJAN UPDATE May, 2012 Page 3
The Trojan Pride Wind Ensemble enjoyed a fabulous field trip to the Musical
Instrument Museum in Phoenix. It was fascinating to see all the instruments
from different countries, as well as the Arizona Centennial exhibit. In the “Experience”
room, students enjoyed playing many different instruments and experimenting
with a theremin and Nickelodeon player pianos.
The Trojan Pride Marching Band is anxiously awaiting arrival of NEW band
uniforms! The uniform design is spectacular!
Ms. Jill Bastin - The last quarter has been a busy one. The Clay/Ceramic classes
have been working hard on final projects. The projects are very exciting and
the students’ choice. Each student has designed and constructed her own final project using the knowledge
and skills she has been learning all year. Guitars, teapots, cakes, bears, and cartoon characters are all
among the outstanding final projects. The Beginning Art classes are working on weaving projects as we
end the year. It has been a great year for the art classes.
Mrs. Mary-Claire Ketchum - Crafts classes have been involved in a variety of projects implementing a range
of techniques and materials including hand sewn, bound books. The fabric book covers were decorated
with student designed stamps.
Digital Photography/Printmaking students concluded their work with the “Three Me’s!” project. Based
on traditional triptychs, their finished work implemented an array of
information about the student artists with their self-portrait photograph as the central piece of the triptych.
The two side panels included a favorite quote, the student’s birth date and anticipated Graduation
date, self-descriptive words and their autograph.
Advanced Art students explored a mixed media project for their final project “What About Me?” Their work
represented vocabulary, images, memories, and plans for their future visually in hand drawn collage form.
- Mary-Claire Ketchum, Art Dept. Chair
TU notes with sadness that Ms. Ketchum has retired and will be having fun at
home with a brand new printing press. We love you and will miss you, MC!
Michael McGlynn,
Math Dept. Chair
From the Math Department
Mathematics is a sequential subject. The first year of Algebra is very important
as most of the other math classes use the knowledge gained from Algebra 1 as
their foundation. It is for this reason that we require that a student pass Algebra
1 before going on to Algebra 2 or Precalculus.
Next year the class of 2013 must have 4 years of Math credits to graduate. I
would like to recommend the course “Financial Algebra.”. This course will deal
with much of the math that you will encounter in “real life,”, things like loans,
banking, and taxes.
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TROJAN UPDATE May, 2012 Page 4
We would like to remind you of the importance of homework, note taking, and good study habits.
Homework is a very important part of mastering math skills. Math is a very complex subject, and it is
important that the skills learned in class are reinforced as soon as possible. Parents, most math teachers
will assign work every day, so please ask your child to show you their homework, at least occasionally.
You can also check your child’s progress by using the TUSD parents portal on the districts web site, grades
should be updated weekly.
It is usually helpful to do your homework in a quiet, well lit place with minimal distraction. It is also helpful
to set up a routine of doing your homework at a certain time each day. If you keep up with your math
homework, the class will be easier and your grade will benefit.
If you find that you are struggling with the math we have tutoring available before school, after school and
at lunch.
You can also make arrangements with your regular math teacher for help before or after school. Help is
always just a question away. Don’t be shy.
If you are planning to go to the U of A or Pima College, you will need to take a placement test for your
math classes. This is a comprehensive test so it is important that you study before the exam. There will
be material on the test that you may not have worked with for quite awhile.
See a math teacher if you need help. All you have to do is ask.
Anat./Phys. Students
Practice Dissection
Once again the students of Anatomy and Physiology
and Mr. Abate would like to thank the
Catalina High School Foundation for the minigrant
that allowed us to enjoy another awesome
week of fetal pig dissections. This year’s grant
provided the monies needed to purchase new
dissection tool kits. The tools are of higher quality
and thus allow for safer dissections.
Through the continued support by this foundation
our students gain a richer experience and
appreciation for the complexities of life and the relationship that all living entities share. Mr. Abate, the
Science Department, and all of the Anatomy and Physiology students are grateful for this wonderful learning
opportunity.
- Bill Abate, Anatomy/Physiology Teacher
TROJAN UPDATE May, 2012 Page 5
CMHS Cited for Outstanding Athletic Program
Athletic Director Ken Harcus proudly shows off our award
for hosting one of the finest athletics programs in TUSD
Great news! Catalina placed third in
the First Annual Superintendent’s Cup
Award competition. The award recognizes
the TUSD high schools that receive
the most points for success in sports at
state tournaments, individual awards,
sportsmanship, and team academics.
Courtney Pitts and Anthony Adun were
recognized as Catalina’s Athletes of
the Year for 2011-2012. Anthony was
also recognized for the “Reach Higher
Award,” for his work in overcoming obstacles
and adversity.
For most of this year, Catalina’s teams
were in resilient mode, springing back
into shape. Our teams had few seniors,
which meant that each new team member
had to establish a role on the team. Ever wonder about what coaches talk about after the game? A
long meeting usually means that roles are being re-established.
It was great watching your son or daughter from the best seat in the house, the bench. I watch the game
to see how team members contribute to the team’s goal of becoming a community of leaders. The main
lesson from Team Success 101 is “play like you practice”!
Throughout the summer, please continue to check the Catalina webite for athletics updates. We are waiting
to hear from the district if the sports participation fee will be increased from $50 to $65. Thank you
for your support and for coming out to cheer on your Trojans! Have a great summer!
ASL Grads Get Collector’s Item
Class t-shirts, sports t-shirts, team shirts -- we have all
kinds of shirts at Catalina that scream Trojan Pride, but
here’s one we’ve never seen before. It’s sure to become a
collector’s item.
American Sign Language teacher Natasha Escalada-
Westland congratulated the graduating seniors from our
ASL program with t-shirts printed with this clever logo,
written in SignWriting. What’s it say? “CHMS 2012” and
“Congratulations, Graduates!”
TROJAN UPDATE May, 2012 Page 6
Finding Voice Publication Celebration
On May 10, 2012, the international students of Catalina Magnet High
School filled the Catalina auditorium with their poetry, essays, dance, song,
fashion, hopes, and dreams. The annual Finding Voice Publication Celebration
was a tremendous success this year, drawing one of the largest
audiences ever. It was wonderful to see so many family members, Catalina
and Finding Voice Project alumni, and community partners and volunteers
in the audience. Thank you to everyone who participated and to everyone
who attended.
Etsehiwote Hunegnaw
Thierry Chibasa and Joseph Leonidas, two of the Finding Our
Voice Club officers, did a great job as MC’s. Zeljka Klipic, club vicepresident,
was wonderful in terms of helping to organize everything
and working closely with Bonnie and Ron Morlock, our outstanding
technology team. Special thanks also to Snehapriya Nalli
and Carine Kosseke for welcoming people and for being in charge
of magazine sales. And our biggest thank you to every one of the
amazing students who shared their life, their art, and their culture
in a presentation at this event: Omar Azat, Patricia Cole, Layth
Dakhil, Uma Dhimal, Dulce Diaz, Muzakeye Emmanuelina, Soraia
Briana Lalimo & CA Marshallese Dance
Fazya, Goma Gautam, Krishna Gautam, Carmen Gutierrez, Weijian
(Alex) He, Sharifa Hematkhel, Jian Ping Huang, Etsehiwote Hunegnaw, Zuberi
Idy, Filimon Kahsay, Krishna Katel, Shreejana Katel, Carine Kosseke Briana
Lalimo and her CA Marshallese dance group, Bisi Leonard, Joseph Leonidas,
Dawazam Magar, Kedar Magar, Mashel Nabi, Mursal Nabi, Zaroon Nasir, Bambi
Ndjibu, Egide Nduwimana, Devota Ntahuga, Mihad Rahal, Muna Timsina, and
Jose Velazquez.
Jose Velazquez
These students were professional and courageous. They are future
leaders and we are so proud of the progress they’ve made both in
terms of language development and personal growth. They have
increased their confidence and established a sense of belonging in
their new homeland, the United States.
We hope you will pick up a copy of the 2012 Finding My Voice magazine.
They are only $5 and can be purchased from Julie Kasper in
Room M219 or Susan Curtis in the Family Wellness Center. We also
Bambi Ndjibu & Carine Kosseke hope you will purchase a copy of our new project book – the cover is
not the book – online by visiting www.blurb.com.
And, finally, we really hope you will join us for special
events like this next year. Visit our project website – www.
Zaroon Nasir
findingvoiceproject.com – or the Catalina website for information
about previous projects and future events. Catalina
is the international heart of Tucson; join us to learn about
and celebrate the world!
- Julie Kasper, ELD Dept. Co-Chair and Finding Voice Founder
TROJAN UPDATE May, 2012 Page 7
2011-2012 Future Business Leaders
of America (FBLA) and Link Crew
Finishing up my first year as the FBLA/Link Crew Advisor is bitter-sweet. I
had many of my seniors as freshmen in Success class, so it has been an honor
being able to welcome them to Catalina four years ago and now bidding them
farewell to pursue their dreams. I will miss the many seniors who will be
graduating and moving on to bigger and better things; I have no doubt that
each and every one of them will be successful.
As the year comes to an end, we can look back and feel proud of what we
accomplished this year; the year really did fly by, but FBLA and Link Crew
students completed a wide variety of tasks. We continued helping Ms. Curtis,
in the Wellness Center, with the bread delivery which in the end helped many
of our students and staff.
Connie Lawson
FBLA Advisor
Link Crew Teacher
Link Crew continued with their lesson delivery, saying their goodbyes in April. Many of the freshmen
students have said they will miss their Link Leaders very much. Link Crew also hosted a recruiting
luncheon for next year’s Link Crew. I did something new this year and got teacher recommendations
for students they felt would be strong leaders and a positive addition to Link Crew. Link Crew students
created flyers and delivered them to 98 students. We actually had 67 students show for the Eegees
luncheon. From those 67 students, I have 38 students who said they are interested in being part of Link
Crew next year. What a great showing!
FBLA and Link Crew students continued fundraising activities. One of the best ideas that the students
came up with was to decorate and sell crowns for the senior assembly. The students really enjoyed
decorating the crowns and I have never seen just a beautiful display of headwear. The crowns were worn
with a great deal of pride and they really stood out at the assembly.
Two of my FBLA students attended the first annual Eller Business College High School Analytics
Challenge. Love Francis, Esmeralda Rodriguez, and I traveled to the University of Arizona where we met
with other Arizona high school students and Eller Business College Personnel. The students were given a
marketing project and had one hour to figure percentage increases, develop a marketing plan, and create
a PowerPoint presentation. Each student then had to present a portion of the project to a panel of U of A
judges. The day ended with a fabulous lunch and student connections that would not have happened had
it not been for this incredible opportunity. As we were leaving for the day, Love Francis was approached
by one of Eller’s Admission’ Deans who said Love did an outstanding job on her presentation. The Dean
said Love has what Eller is looking for and gave her a business card. I was so proud!
At the beginning of May, eight Link Crew students helped give campus tours to incoming freshmen and
parents. One of the highlights of the evening was getting to show off our Be Kind mosaic in the cafeteria.
I still can’t believe how quickly this year has gone by, but I am looking forward to next year. Good luck to
all my seniors; I will miss you!
- Connie Lawson, FBLA Advisor, Link Crew Teacher
TROJAN UPDATE May, 2012 Page 8
End-of-Year Cuisine and Cocina
One of the fun aspects of learning a foreign language is learning
about LA CUISINE/LA COCINA.
So, for the end of the year, Mr. Cyr’s French classes are having
authentic French pastries for breakfast, “pains au chocolat” and
“danoises,” special-ordered from Le Delice bakery on the East
Side of Tucson.
Throughout the school year, Ms. Lara’s Spanish classes have
learned about foods associated with different holidays and
traditions in the Spanish speaking culture. For example, on
November 1 st and 2 nd students learn about Dia de los Muertos
(Day of the Dead) and partake in the traditional pan de muerto
(bread of the dead).
On January 6 th , el seis de enero, students sample
the rosca de reyes, a ring shaped pastry which is
typically eaten on this day. Finally, around Cinco
de Mayo, students visit a local restaurant, “Las
Margaritas,” and use their knowledge of foods
vocabulary and basic grammar to interact with
the waiters and waitresses in Spanish.
Bon apetit! ¡Buen provecho!
- Alicia Lara, World Languages Dept. Chair
Nurse Cindy Says “Beat the Registration Rush!”
Parents and guardians, did you know that you can reduce the amount of beginning of the year
paperwork you need to complete for registration? You can! By now you should have received a packet
of registration materials to complete for your Catalina student for next year. Complete it now and
return it to school. Please remember to sign the emergency card prior to turning it in!! If your child
needs immunizations, you will receive notice in the mail. It will include information on immunization
clinics which will be held this summer. Be smart—get it done early. Students must be current on
immunizations in order to start school in August.
- Nurse Cindy
TROJAN UPDATE May, 2012 Page 9
LEARN Center Marks 25 th Year with
Celebrate Literacy Evening
The LEARN Center’s Celebrate Literacy Evening
was held on May 3 rd , in the Ballroom of the
Doubletree Hotel. More than 400 students,
parents, business & community partners,
dignitaries, volunteers, and mentors attended
the event. This year’s program celebrated
the achievements of our current students and
highlighted some of our LEARN Center alumni.
The LEARN Center is 25-year partnership of
the Arizona Supreme Court and TUSD. We were
extremely honored to have Dr. John Pedicone,
Superintendent of TUSD, Catalina Principal
Rex Scott and Mr. Dave Byers, of the Arizona
Supreme Court in attendance to share some brief comments with us. Mr. Dave Byers started the Catalina
LEARN Center with Justice Frank X. Gordon for the AZ Supreme Court, in 1987. Interestingly, Dr. Pedicone
was not at TUSD at that time, but knows all about the LEARN Program because he was a Marge Gould’s
professor in her Master’s Degree program, and he attended our first Open House in 1987, and followed
the progress of the program over the past years.
Following the opening of the program, there were many happy and exciting surprises. All of Ms. Kasper’s
and Ms. Gould’s students were presented with Certificates of Achievement, and 80 students also received
flash-drives, earned by accomplishing the Challenge. Sponsored by our Mr. Steve Santa Cruz, our business
partner, and benefactor of 25 years, the Challenge requires students to have no unexcused absences,
Stretch Themselves, and work hard every in every class to improve their achievement.
The following students were presented scholarships from the Pima Community College Foundation:
Adrianna Lambe, Arnoldo Delgado, Pita Kafley, Diego Garcia, Bisi Leonard, Esmeralda Rodriguez, Fatuma
Adem.
Three students received Herman Gould Memorial
Scholarships of $500 each for Pima Community
College: Angela Valdez, Juan Gonzalez, Krishna
Subedi.
The following students are this year’s laptop
recipients: Francisco Danese, Angela Valdez, Juan
Gonzalez, Sumitra Timsina, and Adrianna Lambe.
Francisco will attend the University of Arizona, and
plans to study Aerospace Engineering. Angela will
attend Pima Community College and plans to transfer
to U of A to earn a Bachelors Degree in nursing.
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TROJAN UPDATE May, 2012 Page 10
Juan Gonzalez will attend Pima Community College and transfer to U of A to study civil or aerospace
engineering. Sumitra Timsina will attend the University of Arizona and transfer to a university which
offers courses in dentistry. Adrianna Lambe will attend Pima Community College and to prepare to
become a Probation Officer.
Highlights of the program were the success stories presented by 4 of our alumni who graduated between
1993 and 1998. Jose Villalobos is now a Senior Systems Engineer taking college courses and celebrating
his 15 th year at TMC. Monica Monge spent 15 years in pharmacy at TMC. Daniel Camacho has a
Bachelors Degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology with a minor in chemistry. He received an internship
at the National Institutes of Health, doing research on Cancer. For the past 3 years, he has been doing
Cancer Research at the U of A Cancer Center. Shannon Roberts (now Dr. Shannon Roberts) received a PHD
in Human Resources. Shannon is the Director of Employee Relations and Chief Negotiator for TUSD
The Catalina ROTC Honor Guard opened the evening by presenting colors and with Cadet Rumor Jensen
leading us in the Pledge of Allegiance. The Saber Team created an arch of honor with their sabers for
the scholarships and laptops recipients to walk through to receive their awards. The fabulous Catalina
Mariachis, under the direction of Ms. Tammy Stewart, treated us to beautiful, festive music as everyone
enjoyed goodies and lemonade during the reception following the program.
- Marge C. Gould, LEARN Center Teacher
IT’S A WRAP!
This has been an action packed year for our dance classes!
First semester we were busy with ballroom dance. The basics of the Tango, Triple Time Swing, Bachata,
Salsa and Foxtrot were taught. Choreography for these dances was put together for each dance, and our
dancers performed some of these choreographed pieces at our first school assembly.
In January, 40 dance students attended a Creative Dance Workshop which was featured in our last newsletter.
I also attended a two day Creative Dance Workshop. Both workshops were paid for by the Barbara
Mettler Foundation, sponsored by TUSD. It was a wonderful learning experience for both me and our students.
Because of cost and transportation issues, most of our students would not have been able to attend
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TROJAN UPDATE May, 2012 Page 11
this educational workshop, so when this fantastic opportunity came up, we snatched it! Instructor Carole
Marlowe was great, and it was wonderful to work in Ms. Mettler’s historic studio. We really enjoyed it.
In April, Anne Pollack, Capoeira instructor at the University of Arizona, brought a couple of her students
to give each class a one day workshop in Capoeira, a form of Brazilian dance and martial arts. Students
were introduced to a variety of Capoeira skills and movements. Ms. Pollack also gave us a brief history of
its origins, along with demonstrations of musical instruments used and music history. Capoeira is very
challenging and fun. Students got a “kick out of it!”
Throughout second semester, I had two guest hip hop teachers, come in to work with my each dance class.
These two young men, Rhey Orme and Matthew Love, were both products of TUSD schools. In their own
words, “we love to dance!”, and “someone taught us, and we want to do the same for your students.” For
both Rhey and Matt, dance is a passion and a profession. And that was evident based on their dedication
to our students. Each session was challenging and different. They taught choreographed work pieces. In
fact, they choreographed 5 separate dances, one for each class. And as many of you know, our students
performed at the last school assembly in April. It was great having Rhey and Matt teach a genre that is
very popular with our youth. If everything goes as planned, in the near future, we’d like to create a dance
team; one that will prepare students to compete against other dance teams throughout Tucson. We
haven’t had a team in quite a few years, so if enough students show interest, we’ll give it a try.
To add to what was mentioned above, students were taught a variety of fun social dances. Included were
some of the more popular line dances, such as The Boot Scootin’ Boogie, The Cotton Eyed Joe, Tush Push,
etc. Of course, we can’t have a dance class these days without The Electric Slide and The Cupid Shuffle.
And thrown in for good measure, students got a taste of a few old fashioned square dances, such as The
Virginia Reel and also a variety of international folk dances. Before finals started, I even went as far as to
teach an oldie but goodie, The Hustle, a disco dance from the 70’s! “Stayin’ Alive!!”
Earlier this month a handful of students attended a free workshop taught by Pima Community College
Dance students. Following the workshop we were treated to a dress rehearsal of Pima’s “The Four Season’s”
performance. The show was amazing and inspirational. Who knew that Pima CC had such a great
dance program?!? We were fortunate enough to meet Pima and U of A dance instructor Aurora Goncalves-
Shaner. She, as well as Pima students, choreographed the 17 dances which were in their fall and spring
performances. One of my students, Angela Valdez, who’s enrolled at Pima, was so impressed and inspired,
giving her confidence and courage, has decided to continue with her dance education while at Pima. No
pressure, but I can picture Angela on stage, performing in a future dance production in Pima’s Creative
Arts Center.
Dance is not only a great form of exercise, but it inspires and can help bring out your creativity. Dance has
given many of our Catalina students the opportunity to work with their peers and also with members of
our Tucson community. Together with exhibiting appropriate dance etiquette, politeness, kindness, personal
responsibility, good attendance, cooperation, communication, memorization, problem solving and
patience, combined with learning how to choreograph and perform in front of an audience, my students
made this a very exciting and rewarding semester.
Students, families and faculty, have a great summer. Stay in shape!
- Rosa Lara, PE Dept. Chair and Dance Teacher
TROJAN UPDATE May, 2012 Page 12
He Did It! He Helped 80% Get Into College!
Hello from your friendly College and Career Readiness Coordinator! What a great year I’ve had helping
students from all grade levels prepare themselves for college! Again this year we have over 80% of our
senior class planning on attending post secondary education. Forty-five of our seniors have been admitted
to 4-year colleges and universities including UA, ASU, NAU, New Mexico State, Western New Mexico,
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Johnson & Wales University, and Vanguard University. Our seniors
have racked up a total of $3.5 million in scholarships and grants for college.
On Saturday, April 21 st I coached our Financial Face-
Off team at the event sponsored by the UA Credit Wise
Cats. Our team of students was comprised of members
from Ms. Gould’s English for the 21 st Century
Workplace class (Rumor Jensen, Angela Valdez, Marina
Cervantes, Francisco Danese, Johana Nunez, and
Silviano Vasquez). We had a fun day playing games
and answering questions about personal finance and
purchasing a home. Although we didn’t finish in first
place we brought home a trophy, $100, and learned a
lot!
Safio Mohamed
I also have had the great honor of attending award
ceremonies for two of our seniors this past month. Safio
Mohamed was honored by the Tucson Women’s Club at
a luncheon where she was awarded a $1,000 scholarship
for the UA. Joseph Leonidas was given the San Xavier
Kiwanis Club “Student of the Year” award at a special
breakfast held Saturday, May 12th. Among many other
special college scholarships awarded to a number of
our seniors this year, one of the most prestigious is the
Raytheon Tucson Management Club scholarship. Ms.
Jaclyn Pulliam will be honored at a dinner given by the
RTMC on June 21 st where she will be awarded $8,000 to
be used towards her college career at the UA.
You may have heard me say before “I love my job”. It is
true! I love helping students plan for college, apply for
college, and most importantly find the money to pay
for it! It is never too early to come see me about your
college plans (that means you freshmen and sophomores!).
If you or your student will be a junior or senior
next year please come see me as soon as you return to
school next fall so we can put your plan into action.
Joseph Leonidas
- Mark Hanna, College and Career Readiness Counselor
TROJAN UPDATE May, 2012 Page 13
HOT! HOT! HOT!
It has been a wonderful year in the Beginning FEAST classes. This year we learned a lot, cooked a lot, and
had a lot of fun doing it. As the year closed we showed off our new talents by competing in a class Salsa
Competition. We used our knowledge of knife cuts, cooking techniques, safety and sanitation, teamwork,
and time management in this team cooking competition.
The final products were full of flavor, colors and textures, some
really packed a punch. Awards were given for Hottest Salsa, Best
Presentation, Most Flavorful, Most Likely To Buy, and Best Named
Salsa. We did not make it easy on our judges; each salsa was delicious
in its own way, using unique combinations of flavors and
ingredients.
“Jamaica Blazin’”
Hottest salsa of the day was awarded to “Jamaican Blazin” which
used ghost chilies and boy were the judge’s months blazing after
tasting Tanner Giessuebel, David Howe, Cooper Watsons, and
Yahya Rheinhardt’s creation.
Senior Toni Ruiz won two awards for her “Chili Coronation”. She
was awarded Best Name and Best Presentation. Toni taped into
her creative side while plating her salsa in the form of a red hot
chili pepper.
Chef Yim and the judges really enjoyed Tropical Mango Salsa
created by John Boese, Daniela Paz and Marquis Wellington of
her first period class. Judges comments included “Great with any
meal”, “Great for a BBQ” and “Very colorful and appealing to the
eye”.
“Chili Coronation”
My personal favorite of the day was a pineapple mango salsa created
by Ada Licea, Fernanda Mendoza, Alex Daniel, and Kenedy
Rhode in my fourth period class. This fruity salsa was the perfect
combination of sweet and citrus flavors complimented with lot of
heat at the end from the habanera peppers that were added.
We would like to thank Mrs. Encinas, Mrs. Lawson, Mrs. Dunn,
Mrs. Morse, Mr. Berry, Mr. Madrid, Mr. Harcus, and Mr. Naegel for
taking the time out of their busy schedules to help evaluate our
culinary delights. A very special thank you goes out to Cesar Navarro
and Rudy Valencia who won the award for Best Guest Judge.
“Pineapple Mango Salsa”
Chef Yim and I could not be prouder of our young chefs; they all
did an excellent job. We are looking forward in continuing the fun
next year.
- Stacie Rios, FEAST teacher
TROJAN UPDATE May, 2012 Page 14
Changes to the Library this Past Year -- and
Looking Ahead
Such a fantastic year at the Catalina Library! I can’t believe it is already over. So many wonderful things
were accomplished since I started here. I have to give big thanks to all the library aides who worked in
the library this year as we never could have accomplished all that we did without them. They worked and
worked and worked, most of the time with a smile. They are the greatest!
As you know one of the main goals of a library is that it be clean and
well organized. This makes access to resources quick and easy for all
using the library. In various “storage” areas of the library were old
audio visual equipment, maps, and books that hadn’t seen the light of
day for years. So old they had the aides asking, “Miss, what is this?”
We went through these areas and all their contents to decide what
to keep and what not to keep. The aides cleaned and cleaned. We
removed so much old, outdated equipment and paper junk that we
now have areas that can be used for other more important functions
such as workspace, study space and meeting space. Our collection
had been continuously updated with new books for staff and students and new videos for classroom
instruction.
One of the biggest changes to the library was the district’s “refresh” of all the old computers to brand new
ones. Many thanks go to our in-house computer tech Bonnie Morlock and her always helpful husbandvolunteer,
Ron, who help keep our computers and technology running. Due to their combined efforts the
library now has a “Lab” in the back of the library that full classes can schedule to support their curricular
work. Many of our students do not have access to technology in their homes so this is a huge benefit to
their overall education.
As a centralized school, Catalina is used quite often for all sorts of district and community meetings. Use
of the library by various groups from both inside the school and outside the school including tutoring,
Catalina Foundation, Professional Development workshops for district staff and various other district
trainings and organizations has expanded greatly. We try to make sure the room is presentable for all
who come to use it.
Looking ahead, I always hope that the library is looked at as an open, available and friendly place for
all who want to use it. I think we have accomplished that fairly well this year. I like knowing that
resources the students and staff need to support their curriculum and pleasure reading needs are things
we can make available. Sometimes this is hard to do when school budgets keep getting slashed but the
administration at Catalina values their library tremendously and they do all they can to provide much of
what we need. I applaud them for that.
Thank you to everyone here who welcomed me into the Catalina family this year. I am excited to be
returning next year! Enjoy the summer!
- Kate Gallion, Librarian
TROJAN UPDATE May, 2012 Page 15
“An Amazing Year at Catalina” - Ms. Morse
It has been an amazing year at Catalina. Students have made tremendous progress toward creating a
community and campus, which is celebrated. Response to Intervention, freshmen houses, Superintendent’s
Student Advisory Council and Trojan Advisory Group are all facets of Catalina that have made this
year truly remarkable.
In its first year of implementation, Response to Intervention
sought to provide support to students in reading
and math. The dedication of its teachers, Ms. Beran and
Mr. Greco, alongside the effort of students chosen for the
program, demonstrated how strong relationships and differentiated
instruction work together to improve student
progress. Over 200 students received services through the
course this year, and we expect to see long lasting results
from their participation, which will be evident in both current
and future academic success.
After its second year as a revamped structure, freshmen
houses also proved to be a powerful tool in assisting student
achievement. Four house teams, Griffin, Pegasus, Phoenix and Terra Firma, worked diligently to
address students’ needs through weekly teacher meetings, student and family conferences and regular
communication between the school and home. On May 16 th , houses came together to celebrate their successes.
In addition to games, music and prizes, this celebration recognized six student from each house
for their overall outstanding performance this year. Congratulations to all award recipients!
The work of the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council (SSAC)
made a permanent mark on the Catalina campus this year, after
partnering with the Ben’s Bells Foundation to promote a kind
campus. During the week of April 22 nd , TUSD’s Community Transition
Program, SSAC and a remarkable number of Catalina students
worked meticulously over the course of two days to install a 10’x10’
mosaic in the cafeteria. (See photos on this page.) The mosaic is
adorned with the message to be kind and symbolizes the efforts of
a truly kind and collaborative community.
Trojan Advisory Group (TAG) is yet another amazing example of
student interest in making Catalina great. Although students invested
in TAG only began meeting in February, their excitement and
dedication to the cause speaks volumes. Preparations are already
underway to organize and facilitate a multicultural celebration
week in the ’12-’13 school year. Under the leadership of President,
Zeljka Klipic, Vice President, Love Francis, and Junior Representative,
Amber Hall we anticipate outstanding community events,
which promote Catalina’s vision, for next year.
- Mary Morse, Learning Support Coordinator
TROJAN UPDATE May, 2012 Page 16
2011-12 Social Studies
The Department is losing Bruce Murchison so he can take a year off for law school studies at ASU. He has
been at Catalina for five years and has always had dreams of law as a profession and has constantly been
concerned with issues of the legal field in his Mock Trial and Criminal Justice classes. Good luck, Mr. Murchison!
A wish for parents of our Social Studies students: if your student’s grades are in question call or e-mail
their teacher and get involved. Check his grade out online at TUSD Stats and ask the teacher first what is
going on in some cases and then talk to your child. Students should do well if they are completing work
on time, trying their hardest, asking questions, and paying attention to classwork and assignments.
Expect your student to get an “A” or “B” in all of their courses and let them know your expectations!
Booster Club Awards Scholarships
At the annual Honors Night for seniors two outstanding athletes each received
a $500 scholarship. Jaclyn Pulliam plans to attend U of A to pursue a
career as a pediatrician. Luke Wood-Hromidko plans to attend Pima, study
criminal justice, and become a border patrol agent. Both these students finished
the year in Catalina’s top 25, have outstanding recommendation letters
from their coaches, and are involved in amazing community service projects.
The Booster Club was immensely impressed with each and every application
we received. We have some amazing students here at Catalina and we are so
very proud of them.
- Cindy Dunn, Booster Club and Staff Member
- Mark Shaffer, Social Studies Dept. Chair
Link Crew members Fernando Zazueta,
ZamZam Hirsi, and Rodrigo Elenes teach a
lesson to freshman Phoenix House students
in Ms. Nabours’s third period Entrepreneurship
class.
Catalina’s Link Crew, led by CTE Department
Chair Connie Lawson, has worked
relentlessly this year to help freshmen with
their transition from middle school to Catalina.
- Lysa Nabours-Childree,
Entrepreneurship Teacher
TROJAN UPDATE May, 2012 Page 17
Catalina English Department Looks to
2012-2013
The Catalina English Department is excited to offer thematic courses again this coming
year! Juniors and Seniors may choose to focus their English studies on psychology and
philosophy, mythology or war, instead of taking regular English 11 or English 12. All
courses, as always, meet the same objectives and prepare students for the requirements of
college and career.
Mythology and Folklore is a course offered to both juniors and
seniors. It is an elective that will provide one English credit to
the student that successfully completes the course. The course
content will focus on a variety of myths, legends, folktales, and
fairy tales from many cultures. The initial focus will center
around Archetypes, the Greeks, as well as Norse myth, and the
modern influence of mythology on our culture. There will also
be a variety of investigations of persisting modern myths, fairy
tales, folktales, and legends. The classic text, Mythology, by
Edith Hamilton, will be a primary text, but other more modern
texts will also be used. We’ll also look at the influence of
popular culture and myth’s influence on popular culture. Film
study and the analysis of mythsys will also be incorporated. The creative student has the
chance to thrive here with many opportunities for enrichment awaiting them.
War has been part of the human experience since time immemorial; war has tested
humans in every way, causing pain and suffering, defining heroism and cowardice. In the
Literature of Holocaust and War class, we will be reading works addressing aspects of
witness, survival, genocide and heroism.
Psychology and Philosophy of Literature will use modern and classic stories and poems to
explore major schools of thought in the cognitive sciences. The first portion of the class
will survey a history of psychology, theories of intelligence and development, the normal
and abnormal personality, and memory and perception. The philosophy semester will dig
in to philosophical reasoning and arguments, the mind/body issue, morality and ethics,
and existentialism. This in an honors class, students will be expected to read and write
each day outside of the classroom. An absolute must-have class for anyone interested in
the art and science of the mind and brain.
- Heather Pohlmann-Reilly, English Dept. Chair
TROJAN UPDATE May, 2012 Page 18
Catalina Foundation Update
DIRECTOR BRINGS SKILLS TO FOUNDATION
Sarah Lavetter McCraren ‘91 has a unique combination of professional experience which spans across a
wide range of industries and businesses.
Sarah spent eight years at the Kimberly-Clark Corporation in their Global Health Care manufacturing
sector, and she has been a small business owner in both service and manufacturing industries. She was an
administrator for three years.
Sarah joined the Catalina High School Foundation to lend support to its objectives. Her business skills in
budgeting, cost analysis, and management will benefit the Foundation. Sarah volunteers her time at her
son’s school and supports fundraising activities for his youth football organization. In Sarah’s free time, she
continues to develop her yoga and meditation practices. The Board welcomes Sarah and appreciates her
many talents.
CHSF STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE CHOSEN
Junior Amber Hall, the Catalina Foundation’s new student representative, is a busy gal. She will be taking
pre-calculus and honors third-year Spanish as well as third-year culinary classes next year. Amber passed
the AIMS test as a sophomore. She volunteers at PetSmart most Saturdays with an organization called Save
Animals from Euthanasia (S.A.F.E). “I play varsity golf and soccer. Soccer is my passion and I plan to play
on club teams while I’m in college. I’m not sure what I will study in college, but it will be with dogs and
cats.” Amber is a member of the Catalina TAG committee. Amber is “very excited” about being a part of the
Foundation. Welcome to the Board.
- Margaret-Ann Fangmeier, Class of 1958, CHSF Board Member
Life Skills Activities
Our Life Skills class offers a variety of learning
opportunities, such as art, health, cooking
classes and nutrition, computer, fitness, and
much more. The unique quality of our program
allows us to fulfill each student’s individual
needs. This semester we collaborated
with Flowing Wells High School, and we participated
in many social activities. Among our
activities were a Staff Appreciation Picnic at
Flowing Wells, Pima County Fair, Prom, bowling,
and a graduation party. We also received
tennis tackets and balls and some lessons from
Mark Swenson, USTA South Arizona Community
Program Coordinator. Thanks, Mark! This will get us ready for Special Olympics tennis next year.
Wishing all a good summer -- see you next year!
- Jackie Fortier, Ex Ed Teacher
TROJAN UPDATE May, 2012 Page 19
1 Credit and $10 an Hour - Trojans to the Rescue
Students in Monica Holden’s Lifeguarding class receive certification in CPR, First Aid,
and lifeguarding. But many students earn even more -- jobs with the City of Tucson as
lifeguards at our public pools. Congratulations to our Trojans and Tucson summer
lifeguards -- Robert Beal, Cade Borel, Krystlynn Creedon, Tuan Do, Kristy Encinas, Michael
Gard, Colin Judstra, Cole Kowalski, Jaymz Lewis, Alexis Lujan, Brittney Milhoulland,
Andrue Rodriguez, Robert Switzer, and Stephen Zadro-Young! And a big shoutout
to Ms. Holden!
CMHS Pilots and Mechanics Reach New Heights
It’s been wonderful, rewarding and trying within the Aerospace program
this year. On the flight side of the program, Nick Petropoulos and Nathan
Reyes received their private pilot certificate by overcoming a grueling schedule
set upon them. I am truly proud of all the student pilots (Dustin Desilets, Amy
Federico, Alan Garcia, and Paul Robledo) for all the hard work and time they put
forth. We have started interviewing for next year’s pilots and see nothing but
greatness coming from them. Good luck!!
This year in the structures area the students have started putting an engine in our Pitts aircraft
under the guidance of former program graduate Jason Lees. We are hoping to have it running before the
school year ends. I want to congratulate the following juniors -- Moises CuellarValenzula, Edward Federico,
Daniel Feuerbach, Gabriel Hopkins, Philip Marlin, Dennis Nguyen and Carlos Rios -- and the following
seniors -- Andres Aldaz, Reginald Demic, Cody Erickson, Luis ValenzulaGardoni, and Fernando ZazuetaCarino
-- for passing their state assessment test and beating the statewide average. Way to go guys!
I want to say thank you and good luck to all the seniors departing the Catalina halls to embark on
their next adventure. I have truly enjoyed the past four years with you and look forward to hearing about
your successes. I look forward to the classes of next year and what they will teach me!
- Matt Trumbull, Aerospace Instructor
TROJAN UPDATE May, 2012 Page 20
Dropout Prevention Helps Keeps Eyes on Prize
I wish you could see the faces of a senior student when
he or shee sees the caps and gowns for graduation. All
of the hard work and effort is evident in the royal blue
and white attire. You can see a change in the faces and
the shoulders are suddenly squared and a young person
sees the future on a hanger. They made it and soon
they will walk across the stage and move on to the next
chapter in their lives.
Here at Catalina we have bunches of caps and gowns
that we lend to the students for that special night of
celebration. With the help of the Catalina Foundation
and others we have built a supply of graduation attire.
Right now we have a rack all ready to go to students.
The names are attached and the tassel enclosed. They
will thrill their parents, inspire their friends, and remind
us all why we do what we do on a daily basis.
The next time our students wear a cap and gown will
be when they graduate from college and I hope they remember
the high school that got them to that momentous
day. For now I think I will hang a cap and gown in
my office to remind the students how wonderful it is to
wear the school colors and celebrate a graduation.
Congratulations, seniors, and thank you to all the hardworking
people at Catalina. A huge than you to the
Catalina Foundation for all the support it offers.
- Susan Curtis, Dropout Prevention Specialist
TROJAN UPDATE May, 2012 Page 21
ELD Students are Readers -- and Authors
Ms. Samorano’s students have put together the second issue of their magazine, “Stories from the Heart
and Mind: Say It With Poetry!” Please enjoy the whimsical poetry and the fun pictures we have taken
throughout the year at http://issuu.com/cmhs/docs/magazine2
Students have been learning about poetry, figurative speech,
research, and career planning. Many students met the class’s
Sustained Silent Reading requirement and read 200 pages
this semester. Quite a few students exceeded that requirement
and participated in the SSR contest. The winners were
Limbert, who won first place by reading 1164 pages, Neelam,
who came in second with 921 pages, and Amanuel, who
placed third with 847 pages. Congratulations!
I also want to congratulate the following students for receiving
recognition and awards for their academic excellence:
Limert, Abdirahman, Esteban, Purna, Sharifa, Devota, Dawazam,
Amanuel, Shamam, Ngan, Harira, Mihad, Neelam, Sabitra,
Anjan, Layth, Krishna, and Maddiel.
- Ari Samorano, ELD Teacher
2012’s “Under the Big Top” a Big Success
Thanks to the efforts of dozens of
parent, staff, and student volunteers
and the hard work of a committee that
spent the year planning, Catalina’s
Grad Night, “Under the Big Top,” was
a big success. From just after graduation
until 5:30 a.m. the next morning,
seniors enjoyed fun, games, food, acts,
and fellowship with their friends from
the Class of 2012.
See more photos of the fun through
the link at our website, http://edweb.
tusd1.org/Catalina/
TROJAN UPDATE May, 2012 Page 22
Exceptional Education Department News
As the year draws to an end, we will bid farewell to several students who are leaving us and graduating.
Some will be moving into community programs and others on to post-secondary sites. It is exciting to
reflect on the growth each student made in his/her time with us. We wish them well as they move on to
the next chapter in their lives. Although we need to finish this year, we need to remind parents that for
any returning student with an IEP, it will be necessary, if they have not done so, to complete the enrollment
paperwork for next year immediately to insure transportation is in place for the first day of school
in August.
Our teachers are working hard to complete IEP paperwork before the end of the
year. Parents should expect to receive a copy of their child’s IEP progress report
the week after school is out, if not sooner. Many teachers are having end of the
year activities to celebrate their students’ successes!
We will have some changes in our department next year in staff and classes. Ms.
Ezzo will be moving to a resource position for English, and we will have a new,
yet to be determined, teacher in her former classroom for students with multiple
disabilities. Additionally, we will have a new resource teacher who will be focusing
on working with general education teachers to modify curriculum for our students and supporting
academics with academic core classes. This is new position for us. We are working with general education
teachers to develop a plan to have an “inclusion” class in each core academic area next year in which
a resource teacher will be in the classroom to assist with accommodations.
We wish everyone a safe, relaxing summer!
- Marilyn Calhoun, Exceptional Education Dept. Chair
Chemistry Experiments with Mr. DipHin
Students in Mr. Diffin’s Chemistry
classes identify the pH
of common household items
using anthocyanin, a chemical
found in red cabbage.
Anthocyanin changes colors at
different pH’s and is the reason
for some of the color variation
seen in plants.
- Bernie Diffin,
Chemistry Teacher
TROJAN UPDATE May, 2012 Page 23
We Will Miss You!
As the 2011-2012 school year closes, we bid a fond and sad farewell to four wonderful colleagues,
each of whom brought rigor, humor, care, and kindness to her classroom and leaves
us now for the fun of retirement.
Anne Bedford, ESL Teacher
Her colleagues will miss her kind and unassuming demeanor, behind
which lies years of experience and expertise in teaching ESL. There
are hundreds of non-native English speakers, Trojan alums, who are
leading successful lives because of Ms. Bedford’s wisdom. Thank you,
Ms. Bedford, from all of us!
Susan Bellamy, Math Teacher
A respected member of Catalina’s Terra Firma community, Ms. Bellamy
has taught some of our toughest math classes to many of our
college-bound students. She’s known for her high standards and
incredible math expertise. Best wishes and thank you, Ms. Bellamy!
Mary-Claire Ketchum, Art Teacher
When her retirement was announced just before graduation, the
entire Class of 2012 rose to its feet as one, turned to the back of the
auditorium where she quietly sat, and gave her a loud and heartfelt
ovation. What can we write to equal that?
Cathy Pishos, Science Teacher
Site Council leader, Science Department chair, environmentalist,
wonderful mentor to new science teachers, and a relentless
student adovocate, Ms. Pishos will leave a hole in our school
and in our hearts that will not be quickly repaired.
The puppies’ gain is our loss!
TROJAN UPDATE Vol. II No. 4 May, 2012
The Trojan Update is a quarterly publication of Catalina Magnet High School. All
rights reserved. View this quarter’s newsletter in living color at our website,
http://edweb.tusd1.org/Catalina. Produced on a Mac, of course, using Adobe
PhotoShop, InDesign, a brand new coffee pot, and with huge thanks to all the Catalina
staff members who took the time to contribute articles and photographs!
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