Cholla High Magnet School
"Charging Fearlessly Toward
Academic and Personal Excellence"
2001 West Starr Pass Boulevard
Tucson, Arizona 85713
520-225-4000
School Council Minutes:
Members Present:
Certified – BGreenberg, FGil
Administration – FArmenta, TBulleigh
Students – MDavis
Parents – KNasta, DSoto
Members Absent:
Certified – CMacholtz, GNelson
Student – UFelix
Parent – PGarza
Community – RMarlin
Guests Present:
(None)
Monday, November 23, 2015, 5:45 p.m. – Cholla High Magnet School Career Center
I.
Review and approve minutes from previous meeting (Monday, Oct. 19, 2015) …….……..... Action
Motion to approve: FGil
II.
2nd: MDavis
Approved unanimously
Call to the Audience ……..………………………………………………………………... Discussion
(None)
III.
Principal’s Report: Mr. Armenta ……………………………………………..………….... Discussion
a. Regarding our magnet status: We’ve just learned that Dodge Middle School has been
designated as a pipeline to Cholla. We hope this will help us meet integration goals. Also,
Cathy Adadams and Kathryn Jensen have been working the High School Exposition event to
recruit students.
b. Part of the settlement reached regarding our magnet status is a mandate that we have highlyqualified teachers in all classrooms. According to Mr. Armenta, we’re not quite there yet –
but close.
c. The District is looking for parents and staff members to serve on the district bond committee.
Next meeting is December 9 at Cataline HS.
d. Tucson Parks and Recreation recently held their 10th annual family festival – assisted by
several of our IB students who volunteered to help out in order to earn CAS
(Creativity/Action/Service) hours. Marlene Davis was one of the Cholla volunteers, reporting
that she had a good time helping out with the smaller children at the event.
e. There was a Career and Technical Education (CTE) event at Old Tucson, recently, attended
by students representing our Early Childhood Education program. Organizers were
impressed with our program and our students.
f. Our swimming team finished a successful season with outstanding performances by Brent
Zang (state runner-up in the 200 Free and the 500 Free) and Braden Christensen (newly
crowned State Champion in the 200 Individual Medley and runner-up in the 100 Back).
g. The Cholla Afterschool Program (CAP) reached its enrollment target. Current enrollmentis
at 160 students.
h. Our JROTC Color Guard march in the Veterans’ Day parade. Mr. Greenberg added that the
Cholla Blues Standard played at a “Hats Off to Heroes” event on Nov. 14 at Reid Park to
honor Veterans.
i. Marlene Davis asked if “Make a Difference Day” will be rescheduled – Mr. Armenta said it
will probably be held next March.
j. David Soto advised the Council that in the future there will be a proposal to help Band
Director Mr. Garland fund some projects that will enhance our music programs. Mr.
Greenberg agreed to follow up with Mr. Garland on this topic.
IV.
SCPC Report: Kelly Nasta………………………………………….……….………..…… Discussion
Ms. Nasta reports that a good portion of the October SCPC meeting was devoted to revamping
SCPC’s mission and goals. She also reports that the SCPC would like to know more about our IB
programs. Mr. Greenberg will ask Kathryn Jensen (IB Coordinator) and Ms. Mady (Ass’t
Principal responsible for IB) to attend the January SCPC meeting to answer their questions. Ms.
Nasta also attended a recent “Vote4Arizona” event, discussing upcoming electoral advocacy
strategies and issues affecting education that will appear on ballots in upcoming elections. She
received handouts and agreed to scan and e-mail the handouts to Mr. Greenberg, who will then
pass them on to the rest of the council.
V.
Update on Title-I/Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP): Ms. Bulleigh……………...……. Discussion
Ms. Bulleigh stated that she is scheduled to meet with district officials next month to review our
progress and get feedback about our goals going forward. It was agreed that she will provide an
additional update to the Council at our January meeting. Ms. Bulleigh also updated the Council
on our district-mandated use of School City for quarterly assessments and student surveys –
telling us that while we had a few mino0r glitches in the beginning, it’s gone reasonably well to
this point and is improving.
VI.
Update on Magnet Status: Ms. Jensen and Ms. Adams………………….…………….….. Discussion
(See item III: Principal’s Report)
VII.
Update on Application for A+ Status (Sheri Marlin and Ms. Adams) …...…………….…. Discussion
Work is ongoing and Sheri Marlin has advised Mr. Greenberg (via e-mail) that she and Cathy
Adams (Magnet Coordinator) still anticipate having the first draft of our application ready for the
first week of December. She will also be on campus Monday, Nov. 30 to interview staff and
students for this project.
VIII.
Weight Room Expansion Proposal (Mr. Gil)….……..………………………….… Discussion/Action
Mr. Gil advised the Council that our weight room is currently overcrowded. He also mentioned
that it has not been updated or re-equipped in more than 20 years. According to Mr. Gil, after
consulting with other coaches and PE teachers they’ve concluded that the best way to expand the
weight room is to open it up into the wrestling room and relocate the wrestling team – which he
says the wrestling coaches are willing to do. Ms. Bulleigh and Mr. Armenta both agreed that the
weight room needs to be expanded and updated – the problem is that we have no good options in
terms of where to move the wrestling team. Mr. Gil suggested that the ideal place would be the HPod classrooms, but Ms. Bulleigh confirmed that there is currently no alternative location for the
full schedule of classes currently being held in those H-Pod classrooms. Both Ms. Bulleigh and
Mr. Armenta confirmed that the recent growth of our student population has made it difficult to
find suitable space for classes – and this includes classrooms in portable buildings that are also
old and falling apart. Mr. Armenta expressed the desire to eventually have a new building
constructed in such a way as to double as a backstop for the softball field, but the money to do this
will certainly depend on the passage of a future budget override election, which probably won’t
take place until November, 2016. There was also discussion about possible modifications to the
mezzanine area. Mr. Gil agreed that the issue needs more study before a concrete proposal can be
created to address this need, and he agreed to work with other coaches and PE teachers to try to
come up with additional ideas and options.
IX.
Student Council Report: (Marlene Davis) ……….……………………………………….. Discussion
Winter Formal is coming up on Decenber 18. Theme is “Fire and Ice”
X.
Date/Time of and agenda items for next meeting …………………….…………………... Discussion
Monday, 12/14/15 at 5:45 pm in the Career Center
XI.
Adjournment ……..………………………………………………………..………………….. Action
Motion to adjourn: TBulleigh
2nd: MDavis
Approved unanimously