Teacher Excellence Spotlight

Patti Gloy from Sahuarita Middle School is the latest winner of our Teacher Excellence Award!

Patti was nominated by Stephanie Silman, Sahuarita Middle School's principal. She has been teaching for more than 18 years, with 16 of those at the high school level.for more than 25 years.

In her nomination, Stephanie said, "Patti takes a deep interest in the success of these students, often communicating daily with parents, paying for basic needs that students have, and even offering to take home students' PE clothes to wash when the students don't have the means at home. Patti is a master teacher, consummate professional, and a deserving recipient of the Teacher Excellence Award."

Patti has been overseeing the alternative classroom program at Sahuarita Middle School for the past two years. Prior to coming to Sahuarita, Patti worked in the Vail Unified School District and in schools in Woodbridge and Alexandria, Virginia. She received her master's degree in special education from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.

For more information on the Teacher Excellence Award, click here.
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Director's Message

Tucson Values Teachers hopes everyone enjoyed our celebrations of National Teacher Appreciation Week. We are in the midst of very difficult budgetary times for our schools, and TVT believes the need to celebrate our K-12 teachers is even more urgent.

More than 1000 people, including hundreds of teachers, attended our community-wide celebration on May 7. With Toole Avenue closed between Hotel Congress and Maynards, everyone enjoyed a range of music and give-aways from the thirty companies and organizations that displayed at the event, and free cupcakes!  Mayor Walkup led everyone in an apple-juice toast to all of our teachers.

Also during the week, we offered screaming deals at  Chik-fil-A, Gold's Gym, Gadabout SalonSpas and Lindy's on Fourth.  And, we launched Teachers' Voices thanks to funding provided by Wells Fargo and the UA College of Education.   

Thanks to everyone for making the week a huge success. And, if you have an idea for a conversation between two teachers, a teacher and a student - any story that captures what teachers do - get in touch!

Jacquelyn Jackson
Executive Director, TVT

Teachers' Voices Launches

Tucson Values Teachers has partnered with Arizona Public Media to produce weekly stories about teachers and education. The first story features Janice Byrd (left) and Michelle Deeds from Peter Howell Elementary. Click here for details and how to share your stories.

What's New

Get Your "$10,000 for 10,000" Discount Card Here!!

The $10,000 for 10,000 discount card remains effective throughout all of 2010, and local businesses keep coming on board in support of K-12 teachers.  To get your card, just click in the paragraph just two below on the "$10,000 for 10,000 page" language.  You will be able to print out the card, and a card from OfficeMax - take both print-outs to a local OfficeMax and they will laminate for free.

A new business just stepped up: Free simple wills for teachers!  These are wills that do not include any trust provisions.  For more information, contact Peter Schmerl, a locl estate planning attorney at Peter.Schmerl@azbar.org.  Also check his web site: www.azwillsandtrusts.com.

More than 40 Southern Arizona-based companies are reducing their costs for K-12 teachers.  In fact, you can realize more than $10,000 in discounts if you took advantage of every discount. And these cards are available for every K-12 teacher in Pima, Cochise and Santa Cruz counties.

Just click here: "$10,000 for 10,000" page and print the discount cards. Rember to present them with a valid teacher ID or a recent pay stub, and start today to receive amazing discounts on goods and services such as cars, financial services, home furnishings, restaurants and spa treatments.

Locally owned businesses such as Desert Toyota of Tucson, Commerce Bank of Arizona, El Charro Café and Gadabout SalonSpas have decided to participate. Companies with a nationwide focus such as Wells Fargo, Walgreens and Loews Hotels are also offering select deals, while Tucson-area OfficeMax locations will cut and laminate the discount card at no charge to teachers.The special OfficeMax discount card provides printing discounts up to 70% off and great discounts on selected items perfect for the classroom.

The discounts will last throughout 2010. Additional deals keep on coming!

For a full list of participating businesses and discount details, click here.

HELP US HONOR TEACHER EXCELLENCE

Your favorite K-12 teacher in Southern Arizona can win a $100 gift certificate from OfficeMax certificates of excellence, flowers and balloons.  The gift certificates are courtesy of OfficeMax and Dixon Golf Promotions.  Each month, one teacher will be selected by Tucson Values Teachers' for the Teacher Excellence Award and featured on the website.

Community members can nominate as many teachers as they would like and the monthly winner will be announced on the third Tuesday of each month. So, send in those nominations!

Internship Program Expands in 2010

Tucson Values Teachers, in close partnership with the University of Arizona's Department of Teaching, Learning & Sociocultural Studies, has expanded its highly successful internship program from the 20 internships in 2009 to more than 30 in 2010.

Thanks to the companies who stepped up in 2009 to make this program a success: Raytheon Missile Systems, SEBRA, University of Arizona/Biosphere 2, Sundt Construction, Beach Fleischman & Co., General Plasma, BioVigilant Systems, Fort Huachuca and Texas Instruments.

As we gear up for the summer of 2010, we want to hear from you. E-mail Jacquelyn Jackson, executive director of Tucson Values Teachers, and let her know what you would like to see in internships this year. If you participated in the program in 2009, share how it has made you a better teacher and how your students are reaping the benefits.

Any teachers that are interested in the program can download an information flyer. For additional information, visit the Southern Arizona Science & Math Internship Center's site or e-mail Julia Olsen, program director for the center.

Interested companies and organizations can complete a business needs analysis, which helps us in recommending teachers to the most appropriate businesses.