Pueblo Welcomes Mr. Alejandro Menchaca

 

by Kyra Ycedo 

With the arrival of many new faculty and staff members, Pueblo welcomes new College and Career support interventionist, Mr. Alejandro Menchaca, to the Warrior family. 

 

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Menchaca taught two years of Spanish before moving to Arizona approximately two years later, where he taught another five years of Spanish. However, despite leaving his high school job, he still wanted to continue work with secondary education students due to his passion for teaching. 

 

“Working in [high] schools with students is great because they are very optimistic and very energetic,” said Menchaca.

 

“I really like Pueblo because of Dr. Romero’s leadership,” Menchaca said. He paused and added, “I also like working at Pueblo because it’s a South side community, and I’m able to relate to the Latin community.”

 

This year, Menchaca hopes to work closely with students, teachers, parents and the community to help with whatever he can. However, for now he has a lot of advice for our seniors. 

 

“I recommend they [seniors] participate in events that I am helping to plan,” he said. “Our seniors also need to complete their FASFA, learn about college and the many career opportunities. At the same time, they also need to ask their teachers about their college experiences. I hope that the events that I help coordinate this school year will allow our seniors to better prepare for post-high school life.”

Pueblo Welcomes New Monitor!

By Lauren Ahern

As the second semester started on January 9, 2017, Pueblo welcomed a new member to the list of faculty and staff .

Michael Yslada
Michael Yslada

Mr. Michael Yslada is Pueblo’s newest campus monitor.

Although he has been at Pueblo for only a few weeks, Yslada said that so far being a security monitor has been easier than what he thought.

As a football coach for eighth-graders (Pop Warner) for the past three years, Yslada said that he is used to being around children and is accustomed to interacting with them

Already, Yslada said that he feels confident about knowing his way around campus.

As a former Tucson High School graduate, Yslada said that he likes how small Pueblo is and how easy it is to locate the different classrooms and the teachers.

In his first three weeks as a monitor, Yslada said that he has encountered just a few moments when teachers needed to have disruptive students removed from their classrooms. He said that he believes that most students are respectful and well-behaved at Pueblo.

Yslada is unsure how long he plans to work at Pueblo, but he admitted that he would love to be our school’s varsity football coach.

He said that he is interested in learning more about the Pima County Sheriff’s Department or Tucson Police Department.

For now, Yslada said that he is very content about being at Pueblo.

“Even after just a few weeks, I can tell that Pueblo is a community school, and I enjoy how intimate it can be,” Yslada said.

Pueblo Welcomes Back Mr. Alcantara

By Iram Arce

Mr. Baltazar Alcantara

A former Pueblo Magnet High School language arts teacher, Mr. Baltazar Alcantara, has once again become a Warrior.  After eleven years, we welcome him back as our new English Learning Development (ELD) coordinator.

“I really feel as if I’m back home,” he said.

Alcantara explained that one of his primary functions in his new position is job is to ensure that the school is compliant for English Language Learners (ELL’s).

“My goal is to make sure that the students can take an equal part in this country,” he said.

After leaving Pueblo for more than a decade, Alcantara said that he had brief “homes” at Valencia Middle School and Catalina High School, but he knew that Pueblo truly felt like home the most when he returned.

“It’s [being at Pueblo] almost as if I’m living with cousins,” he said.

In the first quarter of this school year, Alcantara said that one of his goals was the build trust relationships with students, and he said that he definitely achieved this goal.

“I will work here for as long as there is need,” Alcantara said. “What appears to be difficult is always a lot bigger in your mind. You don’t realize that you can actually achieve something so great and awesome until you actually commit to its completion.”

Cheer Coach Becomes New Monitor

By Laura Conde

frankie-grijalva-new-pueblo-monitor

After Mr. Sean Jack left for a new position near Denver, CO, last quarter, Pueblo was without a monitor—but not for long. Pueblo’s Cheer coach, Mr. Frankie Grijalva, applied for this vacancy and was hired as Pueblo’s newest campus monitor several weeks ago.

Grijalva said that he is very excited to expand his bond with Pueblo students.

“Pueblo makes me feel at home—I’m always very comfortable,” Grijalva said. “I’m planning to stay here as long as I can.”

He added, “Being a campus monitor is good practice for me getting to know just about everybody at Pueblo,” he said, “and so far it’s been a lot of work but also a lot of fun. This job is teaching me how to have patience, that’s for sure.”

Grijalva, a Class of 2004 Tucson High graduate, stayed active in three dance groups, and he knew then that he wanted to pursue a dancing career.

As for future plans, Grijalva added that he would eventually like to be a full-time dance teacher at Pueblo.

“When I was a student in high school, I wanted to become a dance teacher and dance coach,” he said, “so I’m definitely halfway there. However, I really would love to add ‘full-time dance teacher’ to my resume.”

Pueblo Says Goodbye to Campus Monitor Sean Jack

Angelita Delcido El Guerrero Pueblo 2016

By Angelita Delcido

Mr. Sean Jack has been part of the Pueblo community since March 2015 as a campus monitor, and now is saying farewell as he leaves for the Denver, CO area to be a coach and counselor at an all-boys academy.

Jack said that the boys at the academy are troubled (with the law) and sent by their parole officers for rehabilitation. While in Colorado, Jack said that he will finish his last semester of college courses for business management.

Sean Jack Pueblo High School Campus Monitor
Sean Jack

Sean said that he is enthusiastic about beginning a new personal era of life.

“I expect a little anger at my new school, but I know that I’m up for this challenge,” Jack said.

Sean said that he will miss the bond he enjoyed at Pueblo and joking around with the teachers.

“I’ll always laugh at all of my memories of catching students ditching,” he said.

He added that he will miss seeing students ripping their jeans as they attempted to jump over the school’s fence.

Jack’s last day at Pueblo was Monday, August 29, 2016 and before leaving, he expressed that he hopes he left a positive legacy.  He especially wants students to know that he believes in them and that they should take advantage of all of the opportunities that are available to them.

“There’s are a lot of students who believe that they will not do anything after high school, and I just want to let you know that everyone is going to find their way,” Jack said.

Related Article: New Monitor Adds More Safety to Pueblo

Welcome Back, Mr. John Howe!

By Lauren Ahern and Nayeli Sanchez

Pueblo High School Mr John Howe Learning Support CoordinatorAs we near the end of this school year, it’s never too late to welcome back a former employee from Pueblo’s yesteryear.  Mr. John Howe, a former Assistant Principal from the 2005-06 school year, has returned to Pueblo as a learning support coordinator.

Prior to being an Assistant Principal at Pueblo a decade ago, Howe worked at a number of schools all around Tucson as a Principal, Assistant Principal and as a middle school language arts and science teacher.

After a couple months off to try out a different career, Howe then decided to return to education.

“I reallymissed the school environment and working with students, faculty and staff,” Howe said.

As the Learning Support Coordinator (LSC), Howe said that his new position involves working with academic and discipline support. Howe also helps with peer mediations, strategizing how to improve students’ grades, and informing teachers about students’ specific needs.

Returning to Pueblo, Howe said, “Things haven’t changed here at Pueblo [since 2006], and that I’m happy to be back. Students are still courteous and respectful.”

Next year, Howe hopes to be back at the same job, although the position will be officially known as Multi-Tier System of Support (MTSS).

“I’ll be doing about the same things I’m doing now, which is ensuring the well-being of our students,” Howe said, “but I hope to be working with teachers more to reduce the number of referrals and to help teachers with classroom management strategies.”

Also, Howe is now managing all of the Youth On Their Own (YOTO) students.

“I really want to help students—and our staff—in any way possible,” he said. “I also like getting my share of exercise at this job, locating students and teachers in different classrooms across the campus. It’s a whole lot better than sitting at a desk all day.”