May, 2012 - Tucson Unified School District

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 . 



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. 



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 


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!” 


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 


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 


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 


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. 



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 



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 


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 


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 


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 


“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 


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 


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 


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 


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 


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 


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/ 


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 


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!

May, 2012 - Tucson Unified School District

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