The Boarder
A Summary Report of the February 12, 2019
C F S D Governing Board Meeting
Deep Learning Showcase
The governing board premiered a deep learning
showcase at its meeting that included a video,
Celebration of Learning. It featured Ventana Vista 4 th
grade Teacher Sandy Martinez and Students Cecilio
Hayashi and Ian Huber who explained the writing process
for turning their realistic fiction into iMovies.
Superintendent Mary Kamerzell shared the following staff
and student achievements.
Teacher Honors
CFHS theatre teacher, Norm Testa, was named Pima
JTED's Satellite Legendary Teacher. The term "satellite"
refers to any JTED career technical education programs
delivered at the area high school and not at a central
campus with programs delivered by the JTED. Mr. Testa
has taught in CFSD for over 20 years. His technical
theatre students have performed at the highest levels in
regional and state competitions, and many of them are
now engaged in related professional careers.
CFHS Director of Bands, Renee Shane-Boyd, was named
the 2018 Music Educator of the Year, sponsored by the
Arizona Music Educators Association. Ms. Shane-Boyd
has taught for 36 years in CFSD at the three levels of
elementary, middle, and high school.
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Since the opening of CFHS in 1992 under Renee's
leadership, the instrumental music program has grown
from twenty-two (22) students to almost six hundred (600)
students.
Sunrise Drive teacher, Laura Pennington, is a newly
renewed National Board Certified (NBC) Teacher. The
renewal requirements are rigorous, making sure that the
teacher continues to demonstrate that she meets the NBC
professional standards and is up to date on the
knowledge and skills for accomplished practice.
The CFSD Foundation has announced its 2018-
2019 Teachers of the Year and Distinguished Educators.
Teachers of the Year are XI (Lucy) Lin, kindergarten
Chinese immersion teacher at Sunrise Drive, and Patricia
Moore, music teacher at Canyon View. Distinguished
Educators are Teena Clark, 5th grade teacher at Canyon
View; Travis Michalak, English teacher at Orange Grove;
and Melissa Taylor, 1st Grade teacher at Sunrise Drive.
CFSD Spelling Bee Winners
The 2019 CFSD top speller is Esperero sixth grader,
Bryan Zhang. He will represent the district at the Pima
County Spelling Bee on February 16. The second and
third place CFSD winners are Romina Karam, 3rd grade,
VV, and Lilly Abdelmessieh, 2nd grade, SD.
Theatre Awards
The following CFHS theatre students earned Superior
ratings at the Southern Arizona Festival of Theatre, a
regional division of Arizona Thespians: Miriam Arden
(Acting Monologue); Miriam Arden and Liam Moher (Duo
Acting); Emma Burkhart (Musical Solo); Joshua Guise
(Acting Monologue); Liv Leonard (Musical Solo); Liv
Leonard, Liam Moher, Danielle Muller, and Miriam Arden
(Group Acting Scene); Danielle Muller (Stage
Management); Emily Murphy (Sound Design); Anne
Roche (Costume Design); Piper Runge (Acting
Monologue); Abigail Wood (Sound Design).
The following CFHS technical theatre students won
awards at the SAFT Regional Technical Theatre
Challenge event: 1st Place - Brennen Sharpe (Lighting
Quick Hang); Abby Wood (Riggings/Knots QuickTie); CF
Backstage Badgers 2 (First Place Overall Team and
Cable Coiling Team of Jason Carrick, Kierra Garland, and
Abby Wood). 2nd Place - Emily Murphy (Rigging/Knots
QuickTie); and CF Backstage Badgers 1 (2nd Place
Overall Team of Emily Murphy, Annie Roche, and
Brennen Sharpe). 3rd Place - Jason Carrick (Lighting
quick Hang); and CF Backstage Badgers 1 (Cable Coiling
Team).
Their teacher coaches are Amy Byroad and Norm Testa.
First Tech Challenge (FTC)
CFHS's First Tech Challenge (FTC) team, Foothills
Pioneer 327, participated in the Queen Creek Qualifying
tournament and earned 4th place in a field of 22 teams
from Arizona and California. The team was recognized
with the Think Award (removing engineering obstacles
through creative thinking) and as a runner up for the
Control Award (mastering robot intelligence). The team
will advance to the state tournament this month. Team
members are Wesley Chiu, Danil Clayton, Michael Gross,
Nicholas Gruber, Giuanluca Tenino, Jackson Tint, and
Jeremy Wang. Their coaches are Charlotte Ackerman
and Mark Haye.
FIRST Lego League (FLL)
At the Arizona FIRST Lego Championships at Arizona
State University on January 19, a CFSD middle school
team came in third place overall and won second place in
the Robot Performance category. In their research
project, Intergalactic Sous Chefs cooked up a device that
can unzip food bags safely in a zero-gravity environment.
Team members are Conner Bates (OG), Braden Cantor
Golden (EC), JD Donnelly (OG), Cooper Kruk (OG), Sam
Moreno (OG), Luke Sadalla (OG), Spencer Schiller (EC),
and Bryan Zhang (EC). Their coach is Charlotte
Ackerman, and their parent mentors are Michael Kruk and
Aaron Bates.
Manzanita's team and one of the youngest at the
competition, Biofilm Busters, had a top 10 robot score out
of 48 teams. Team members are Alexis Bates, Jake
Brandt, Eli Hanna, Alex Lehrman, Isaak Martin, Madison
McCoy, Matthew Meislin, Nathan Wu, and Aiden Zhou.
Their teacher coaches are Charlotte Ackerman, Kelly
Taylor, and Donna Fisher, and parent mentor Aaron
Bates.
CFHS seniors Sean Bergan and Andy Liaupsin won the
Vivian Chen Adult Coach/Mentor Award. Sean and Andy
are longtime FLL participants and team members, but this
was their first year to coach a team on their own.
Academic Decathlon
The CFHS Academic Decathlon team competed in
regionals last month and will advance to state
competition. Team members are Chris Brinkley, Jadin
Desai, Ryan Fordyce, Liam Hart, Andy Liaupsin, Brenden
Little, Quinn McClish and Ryan Palm. Their teacher coach
is Carissa Boyd.
Girls Soccer
The CFHS Soccer team won the regional championship.
Team members are Sachiko Bean, Dania Ben Shabat,
Flavis Burrell, Rebecca Burrows, Veronica Bush, Hannah
Draper, Caiden Dwyer, Sophie Fell, Jaye Goodrich,
Katelyn Kelch, Tatianna Lizarraga, Sophie Luzader,
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Caitlyn Maher, Zoe McLaughlin, Paulina Medina, Solei
Moton, Emma Nance, Samantha Peebles, Sierra
Rabenneck, Ellie Robinson, Sania Tuli, and Anna
Wright. Their coaches are David Lemon, head coach,
and Cathal Ledgewith, Tom Balderama, and Alexis
Balderama, assistant coaches.
Jazz Band
Two CFHS students, Gabriel Stultz and Keven Ravellette,
performed in the All-State Jazz Band on January 31.
Gabriel placed 1st on Jazz Guitar in the state, and Kevin
placed 1st in the state on Tenor Saxophone. Both
students auditioned in early January, beating out
hundreds of students who auditioned to participate in the
top All-State Jazz Band. The band members will work with
famed jazz performer and faculty member of jazz at the
Lincoln Center, Jerome Jennings. Their CFHS teachers
are Renee Shane-Boyd, Ramon Sepulveda, Tina Walton,
and Alex Meredith.
Speech and Debate
Several CFHS speech and debate students placed at the
Wildcat Cup tournament held at the University of Arizona
on February 1-2. Results include: 2nd Place - Gianluca
Tenino and Joshua Tint (Big Questions); Danielle Muller
(Poetry); Romit Banerjee and Joshua Tint (Duo
Interpretation); Yusuf Rahman (Informative Speaking);
Kristi Price and Jory Leaver (Duet Acting); 3rd Place -
Bella Wexler (Prose); Romit Banerjee (Dramatic
Interpretation); Jake Martin and Martin Wallis (Duet
Acting); 4th Place - Yusuf Rahman (Original Oratory);
Jake Martin (Congressional Debate); 6th Place -
Maxmillian Sigsworth (Impromptu Speaking). Their
teacher coaches are Angela Hill, DeeAnn Perez, and
Amanda Kimberly.
KEYS Internship Program
Four CFHS students have been selected for the
University of Arizona's KEYS Internship Program for
summer 2019. They are Eliza Johnson, Stephen Pryor,
Mira Raju, and Jeremy Wang. KEYS is a seven-week
program for motivated high school students who have a
strong interest in bioscience, engineering, environmental
health, or biostatistics. They work side-by-side with top U
of A faculty in research labs.
Approval of Revisions to Policy JLF Reporting Child
Abuse/Child Protection (second reading)
Dr. Kamerzell presented the second reading of the
proposed revisions to the district’s current policy. The
revisions show the district’s longstanding practice of
mandatory reporting of physical injury, abuse, child
abuse, reportable offense or neglect by calling law
enforcement at 9-1-1. The proposed revisions from the
first reading of the policy were not modified. The
governing board approved the policy, as presented.
Consideration of High School Course, Advanced language changes to Policy JJE. The board will review the
Theatre Production Internship, for 2019-2020 School policy for a second reading at its next meeting on
Year February 26.
Associate Superintendent Mary Jo Conery proposed
adding an internship opportunity as a course for the 2019 Arizona Legislative / Governmental Activity
school year 2019-2020 through the Career and Technical Board members discussed information regarding the
Education / Joint Technological Education District expansion of vouchers. Senate Bill 1320 proposes the
(CTE/JTED) programs at the high school. Students transfer of oversight of the Empowerment Scholarship
enrolled in Advanced Theatre Production will have the Account (ESA) program from the Department of
opportunity to take part in a theatre production internship Education to the State Treasurer.
under the leadership of an instructor. She reported that
students will be assigned to a period during the school Consent Agenda Items
day to help with Theatre Production classes and/or work The governing board approved the following consent
independently, as well as adding after-school hours at the agenda items.
high school or at a local theatre program. The board
recommended a minor wording adjustment in the course • January 22, 2019, regular governing board meeting
description for clarification. The board approved the minutes memorandum
course, as amended. • Expense voucher memorandum
• Field trip request memorandum
Consideration of Revisions to Policy JLCB and • Fundraising request memorandum
Exhibit JLCB-E Immunization of Students (first • Personnel memorandum
reading) • Gift and Donations memorandum
Dr. Kamerzell presented the proposed revisions to the • Stadium field restoration work 2018 GMP to Concord
policy and exhibit. For clarity, unnecessary language in General Contracting, Inc., for restoration and field
the policy was removed because the language in the improvements at Catalina Foothills high school
exhibit identified required immunizations. Language was memorandum
revised regarding the 5-day wait after enrollment of
homeless students. The board will review the policy for a Upcoming Board Meeting
second reading at its next meeting on February 26. The next regularly scheduled governing board meeting is
Tuesday, February 26, 2019, 6:30 p.m., at the
Consideration of Revisions to Policy JJE Student Professional Learning Center at Valley View Early
Fundraising Activities (first reading) Learning Center.
Dr. Conery presented the proposed revisions to the
district’s current policy. She reported that a bulleted
• Super Volunteer Recognition
statement was added about students not using their
• Approval of Revisions to Policy JJE Student
personal devices to take part in school-sponsored
Fundraising Activities (second reading)
electronic fund-raising activities and/or solicitations. She
also added to the list of cross references, Policy IJNDB • Approval of Revisions to Policy IJNDB and
and Regulation IJNDB-R, Use of Technology Resources Regulation IJNDB-R Use of Technology Resources
In Instruction for clarification. The board provided in Instruction (second reading)
feedback and recommended language for clarification of • Approval of Revisions to JLCB and Exhibit JLCB-E
the policy. The board will review the policy for a second Immunization of Students (second reading)
reading at its next meeting on February 26. • Pima County Board / Superintendent Collaborative
Meeting Report
Consideration of Revisions to Policy IHNDB and
Regulation IJNDB-R Use of Technology Resources
in Instruction (first reading)
Dr. Conery presented the proposed revisions to the
district’s current policy. She reported that there was a
need to revise the policy to align with Policy JJE, Student
Fund-Raising Activates. The language “proper use of
personal devices” was added about safety regarding the
use of the Internet along with a minor wording change for
clarity. Dr. Conery also added Policy JJE to the list of
cross references at the end of the policy. Dr. Conery
reviewed the minor wording additions and deletions to the
regulation. She also reviewed the bulleted statement that
was added about students not using their personal
devices to take part in school-sponsored electronic fund-
raising activities and/or solicitations. The board requested
similar language changes to align with the recommended
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