Even without a pool: School board to consider high school swim team

The Sahuarita school board tonight will consider ways to have a high school swim team without a pool and will acknowledge a donation by Freeport McMoRan Copper and Gold, of $22,000 to the School Resource Officer Program.

The Governing Board meets at 6:30 p.m. at the District Auditorium, 350 W. Sahuarita Rd.

The Freeport donation is a major one toward the estimated $50,000 annual cost of the program, because the state has dropped funding. School officials praise Sahuarita Police Officer Mike Blevins for finding ways to educate and encourage students both in the traditional role of a police officer and as an instructor in the Street Law class.

The agenda also includes an item for: reconsideration of a High School Swim Team.

Other items include: a CTE/JTED (Joint Technological Education District) Presentation - Claudette Welch; Quality Focused Survey Presentation - Dr. Manuel O. Valenzuela; Approval of the Artist in Residence Program; Middle School Promotions; Request For Proposal No. 2009-9 District Network Infrastructure Redesign and Implementation; AT&T Cell Tower Lease; 40th Day Count Update - Discussion Only, and ADE BUDG-25 Expenditure Analysis for FY 2009.

Recognition of Staff, Students and Community includes the November “Leaders in Character” Honorees: Jesus Triana, third Grade, Sopori; Haley Sorrell, second Grade, Anza Trail; Rachael Fox, first Grade, SPS; Nicole Poligala, fifth Grade, SIS, Ryan Bell, sixth Grade, SMS, and Dakota Chapman, 12th Grade, SHS.

A Friend of Sahuarita Award will be given to Sherwin Williams.

The board will approve a 2009 Governing Board Meeting Schedule.

Gifts and Donations to be considered include:

Greater Green Valley Arts Council, $2000 to Sopori School; Lifetouch, $706 to Sahuarita Intermediate School; miscellaneous donations of $467 to Anza Trail School; Wells Fargo Support Campaign, $115.38 to Project Inspire; and Wells Fargo Foundation, $492.10 to Sahuarita Intermediate School, and the Freeport McMoRan donation to the School Resource Officer Program.

Among out of district travel to be considered: The SMS Science Olympiad Students and Erin McDonaugh are to travel to Toyon Bay, Catalina Island, Catalina Island Marine Institute from Feb. 19 to Feb. 22, 2009; SHS Varsity Cheerleaders Katrina Powell and Colleen Antonovich to compete at the AIA State Qualifiers on Nov. 14 and 15 at Barry Goldwater High School in Phoenix; SHS Principal Dr. Mark Neish to attend the ASBA Legislative Conference from Dec. 9 to Dec. 10 in Phoenix; and Governing Board Member-Elect Kris Ham to attend the ASBA Annual Conference and New Board Member Orientation in Tempe from Dec. 10 to Dec. 12.

Use of Facilities has been requested by the following agencies:

The Town of Sahuarita and YMCA, the Sahuarita Intermediate School gymnasium from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each Saturday from Jan. 31, 2009 to April 4, 2009, and June 13 to Aug. 15, 2009 for youth basketball; the United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona, Sopori School Library to prepare free tax returns starting Jan. 28 to March 25, 2009, excluding Spring Break, from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m., as an Official Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Site; the Child Evangelism Fellowship of AZ, Inc. (Pima County Chapter), for the Sahuarita Primary School gymnasium on Thursdays from Nov. 20, 2008 to April 30, 2009 to hold Good News Club Meetings from 2:15 to 3:15 p.m. and for the Anza Trail School Wrestling Room on Wednesdays from Nov. 19, to April 29, 2009 to hold Good News Club Meetings from 1:35 to 2:35 p.m.; and the Town of Sahuarita, the SIS gymnasium on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. for a Middle School Basketball Tournament and the First Church of Christ, Scientist of Green Valley, for Pod B in the District Auditorium for a religious lecture on March 14, 2009, from 9 a.m. to noon in Spanish and 1 to 4 p.m. in English.

Student Fundraising requests include: SHS Girls Soccer Team to sell tickets at Wal-Mart, Fry’s, and Safeway for their annual Pancake Breakfast on Nov. 5 to 7, from 4 to 6:30 p.m.; SHS Cheerleaders to sell Octopus Car Wash Coupon Books through Dec. 28 to raise money to attend the Universal Cheerleaders Association Competition; and SMS to be a drop off site for Toys for Tots from Nov. 17 to Dec. 17.

pfranchine@sahuaritasun.com | 547-9738