Happy Independence Day weekend!
We are about a month away from TUSD schools opening for in-person learning. My entire first year as ED has been met with school closures and remote learning, so I’m looking forward to being able to actually visit the schools and meet the remarkable educators and staff who care so much about the students. I was able to make some virtual connections during the pandemic and out of one of those meetings came an opportunity to support Maldonado Elementary, a small Title 1 school that borders the Pascua Yaqui reservation with over 82% of the students qualifying for free and reduced lunch. I’m thrilled to share EEF was awarded a grant from the Marshall Foundation to build a STEM Lab at Maldonado Elementary! Maldonado Elementary students have had few opportunities to engage in educational enrichment activities. Maldonado principal, Robbie Ramirez, writes “the school has recently risen to a B rated school after a decade as a D/F school, meeting our belief that our students deserve better and will rise to meet our expectations. To continue to build on this positive momentum and further meet the diverse needs of our community, we are building a STEM lab in which our students can explore their creativity and ingenuity while participating in hands-on experiences.” Ms. Ramirez and I are very appreciative of Marshall Foundation’s support and we look forward to a ribbon-cutting this fall to celebrate the new world of opportunities the lab will bring to these students.
This fall we also look forward to holding the 22nd Ray Davies Humanitarian Award Luncheon in person! Please join us Friday, October 22nd at the Tucson Convention Center for the biggest luncheon yet where we will honor Katie Dusenberry and Bruce & Lynne Dusenberry. More details below and invitations will be sent at a later date.
At our recent end of fiscal year board meeting, the board elected new officers and said goodbye to a couple of devoted board members. I want to recognize Connie MacDonald who completed three terms (9 years!) of dedicated service on the EEF board, and Megan O’Leary who served many leading roles during her two year tenure. Both of these women brought thoughtfulness and heart to EEF and we wish them well as they venture on to other opportunities. Welcome to our new board officers highlighted below.
We appreciate everyone who reads this newsletter and we hope you share it with others! As we embark on the coming school year, EEF strives to do more for TUSD students and teachers, and I look forward to sharing our accomplishments with you.
Enjoy a safe and happy 4th of July!
“From every mountainside, let freedom ring” Martin Luther King Jr.
Sincerely,
Dawn Bell
Executive Director