A Look Back at the School Year by Dr. Manuel Valenzuela

At the end of each year, one of the most asked questions I receive is, “How did this school year go?” Without hesitation, I have been responding with clarity and conviction. This year has been one of the most rewarding and successful years in my thirty-four (34) year career as a professional educator. Yet, it has also been one of the most challenging. The issues currently facing the USA and the entire world, such as inflation, supply chain issues, and staffing challenges, do not stop at the schoolhouse gate. We all recall the bus service challenges last fall, and the delay in the initiation of the State high school construction projects correlated with pandemic era enrollment shifts. However, like we always do, we rally as a community, to find common ground, find solutions, and work together to advance this noble mission of delivering a great education for every student that we are honored to serve.

Through this shared commitment and resolve to make our local schools and community the best that they can be, our schools, students, and staff continue to shine in many ways. For example, we have successfully launched the “Pima First-Sahuarita WINS!” scholarship. This provides significantly enhanced postsecondary education access to many Sahuarita HS and Walden Grove HS graduates. The scholarship funds up to two years of full time tuition to Pima Community College.The Sahuarita WINS! Partnership worked across sectors to develop significant resources to get this scholarship off the ground. Besides the Sahuarita USD, it was only possible through the collaboration of Pima Community College, Pima Foundation, Sahuarita Educational Enrichment Foundation, and the local Masonic Lodge. This scholarship opens the door to higher education and high skill professional certifications at an affordable price. It exemplifies the power of mission focus, striving for shared purpose, and working together to get things done. Already about twenty(20) graduates are in the inaugural cohort of this scholarship.

We are graduating twenty-two(22) high school students from Sahuarita Digital Pathways Academy (SDPA), our newest, fully accredited, fully online school. One of our newest Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, in health professions medical assisting, is a n Superintendent, see page 12

JUNE