Sycamore Wins GPA Bragging Rights

By Ernesto Portillo Jr., From Arizona Daily Star, May 7, 2009

Amanda Sugimoto, a fourth-grade teacher at Sycamore Elementary School in Corona de Tucson, can sum up why the six-year-old campus received "A+" from a statewide educational foundation.

"It's really like a big family," she said. "You can tell people like to be here."

That would be the students, their parents, teachers, staff and the community surrounding the school near the foot of the Santa Rita Mountains.

Sycamore, 16701 S. Houghton Road, is more than a school of 767 students from kindergarten to fifth grade.

"We're the focal point of the community," said principal Ken Graff, who has overseen the school since it opened in 2003.

The school, the largest in the Vail School District, received the A+ from the Arizona Educational Foundation. Sycamore was one of three Tucson-area schools to receive the top grade this year. The foundation recognizes public schools for their excellent work and practices, which can serve as models for other schools.

The other two schools are Quail Run Elementary School in Marana and Sopori Elementary School in Sahuarita.

A+ schools are allowed to use the designation for three years and then can reapply. This was the school's first application, said Graff.

"I feel our strength is the active learning that occurs in our classrooms. Students and teachers are fully engaged in learning and teaching. They perform well on assessments and we constantly monitor student progress and support both low- and high-achieving students," he said.

The school offers an array of learning programs and opportunities for students: banking, law, peace patrol, radio broadcast, newspaper, recycling, fitness and student government.

It also holds movie-and-a-picnic nights for the Corona de Tucson community and local residents. Some of those residents don't have children at Sycamore, but they volunteer at the school, which adds to the school's community stature.

"But most importantly, I feel we were recognized because we value relationships with our kids and parents," said Graff, who has two children in the school.

Ronda Dillon, a parent of three Sycamore students, said the school's excellence is palpable.

"I know it sounds corny but the staff and teachers really care," Dillon said.

Aidan Hubert, an 11-year-old in Georgia Johnson's fifth-grade class, said the programs and teachers make Sycamore special.

"In student council it gives students a chance to almost run the school," said Aidan, who has attended the school since kindergarten and serves as the council's historian.

Classmate Ashley Bonner, 10, and student council secretary, said not just teachers are helpful.

"Everyone helps each other out. We have a great principal. He cares about all of us," she added.

Several teachers said Sycamore, in its short time, has developed a reputation as a place where teachers want to be.

"It's kind of like playing for the Yankees. It's kind of special," said Aaron Callan, a first-grade teacher in his fourth year at the school. Callan's two children also attend the school.

Jennifer Ramirez, a fourth-grade teacher, said the school helps students build foundations and teaches them responsibility.

"There's a lot of community involvement," Ramirez said.

The A+ rating underscores what fourth-grade teacher Stephanie Magnuson heard about Sycamore through the teacher grapevine. She interviewed there three years ago, was hired and moved to the area.

"I saw kids, staff and teachers having fun. I just thought it was more than a school," she said.

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