FUSD Newsletter
March 2022
A PDF version is available
Oscar Landa Samano, state champion of 2022 Arizona Poetry Out Loud competition
Coconino High School senior Oscar Landa Samano is the new reigning state champion for the Arizona Poetry Out Loud competition which was held March 15 in Phoenix, Arizona.
READ MORE, click HERE
Superintendent Michael Penca visits with students at Leupp Elementary School during a site visit for Effective Learning Environments Observation Tool or eleot on March 24, 2022, in Leupp, Arizona.
March 2022
As FUSD students and staff returned to our schools last week after spring break, I thought back to the events of two years earlier at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2020, when we said goodbye and wished our students a great spring break, we did not anticipate at the time that our students would not return in-person for a full calendar year.
In the last two years, we have learned and refined our practices for leveraging technology to engage students in learning, communicating and partnering with families, and caring for and supporting one another through the implementation of mitigation measures.
But most of all, we have learned not to take for granted the opportunity we have each day to support students’ growth with in-person learning and services. I am hopeful and excited about the possibilities that lie ahead for us in this final quarter of this school year.
Michael Penca
Superintendent
Leupp Elementary School students learn leather crafting in after-school program
Students at Leupp Elementary School have a new after-school program that is as unique as it is fascinating. Students have the opportunity to take a class once a week with leather craftsman Deon Chee, and learn how to stamp and carve leather.
READ MORE, click HERE
Flagstaff’s own Avery Rhoton is juggling a music career and completing high school
Being part of the 2022 graduating class of Coconino High School means a lot to high school senior Avery Rhoton, and being an up-and-coming country music artist with an exploding music career also means a lot to “Avery Anna” as she is better known in the music business.
READ MORE, click HERE
Melissa Deschenie, president of the Indian Education Committee, advocating for FUSD’s Native American students
Melissa Deschenie is in her second year serving as the president of the Indian Education Committee, an important and rewarding role for advocating for Native American students attending Flagstaff Unified School District.
READ MORE, click HERE
"Friday Feature" highlights student, class recognition at Cromer Elementary School
Cromer Elementary School’s music teacher, Owen Davis, has been instrumental in keeping assemblies at the school going despite limitations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
READ MORE, click HERE
Libby Miller confirmed principal of Flagstaff High School
Libby Miller was appointed principal of Flagstaff High School (FHS) for the 2022-2023 school year by the governing board of Flagstaff Unified School District on March 8, 2022. Miller has been serving as the interim principal for FHS since January 3, 2022.
Miller has a Bachelor’s degree from Northern Arizona University, a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Portland State University, and she is currently working on her doctorate in Educational Leadership from Lewis & Clark College.
She recently relocated back to Flagstaff from the Portland, Oregon-area after spending 25-plus years working in public education. In Oregon, she worked as the executive director of Middle School Programs at North Clackamas School District, and she also served as principal and vice principal with the Oregon City School District.
Miller is focused on student success and she leads with an equity lens. She is collaborative, takes price in listening, and connecting with stakeholders. She is excited to continue working with the administrative team and staff to support the strong programs and traditions of Flagstaff High School.
Flagstaff High School Lady Eagles, 2022 4A State Girls Basketball Runner-ups
Congratulations to the Flagstaff High School Lady Eagles, they ended their season as state runner-ups with an overall record of 17-3. They played the Salpointe Lancers in the 4A State Girls Basketball Championship game with a final score of 65-48.
View more photos on Flickr, click HERE.
Free tutoring for FUSD students
Did you know FUSD offers FREE tutoring for all of our students? Click the QR Code to learn more and to sign up for a tutoring session at the Family Resource Center.
Don’t see the course you need? Call (928) 774-1103 and we will set up a tutoring session for that class!
For more information, click HERE.
"The World Needs More Purple People" read to students at Thomas Elementary School
Thomas Elementary School students were read “The World Needs More Purple People” for Read Aloud during the week of March 7, 2022. Books were purchased for each classroom and a lesson plan was prepared for readers. It was a great event!
View more photos on Flickr, click HERE.
FUSD Foundation’s Micro Grants issued to recipients
FLAGSTAFF UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
3285 East Sparrow Avenue, Flagstaff, AZ 86004
(928) 527-6000 | www.fusd1.org