Meet The Staff – Page 13 – Pueblo High School

Jennifer Bliss: Feeling Right ‘At Home’

By Felicity Aguilar

Last semester, on Oct. 27, Pueblo welcomed a new inclusion teacher, Ms. Jennifer Bliss, who is an inclusion teacher to help other language arts teachers—helping students to improve their reading comprehension skills.

Bliss recently moved to Tucson from New York, where she was also a language arts teacher. Before becoming an educator, Bliss had eclectic careers, including being an auto mechanic; she said that she was even in the culinary field for a while.

“My first impression of Pueblo was how friendly this school is,” Bliss said. “It’s truly a reflection of the school when you see the teachers smiling and coming into work with positive attitude. The staff cares about their students, and I enjoy working with them. I also enjoy seeing how the students want to be successful and try their hardest.”

Bliss attended high school in Brooklyn and graduated in 1999, and she made her way to college in Fredonia, New York. A friend recommended that she move to Tucson, and she has been with TUSD for 14 years.

“As an inclusion teacher, I work with students who need extra support,” Bliss said. “My students are always very respectful and polite.”

She added that she wants to help her co-teachers anyway she can and help students become successful.

Bliss said, “Hopefully this is my last school—as it really feels like home here.”

New Monitor Believes In Students’ Future

By Daniela Moreno

Pueblo High School Welcomes Monitor Rodrigo Cardenas — New Campus Monitor Rodrigo Cardenas

Mr. Rodrigo Cardenas, one of the newest additions to our Warrior Family, said he is very pleased to be working here at Pueblo as a monitor and looks forward to making a difference in our Warrior community.

Cardenas grew up in a small town in Sinaloa, Mexico, and he said that he learned to appreciate the small things in life—especially education.

“Enjoy it [education], and enjoy your high school to the fullest,” said Cardenas. “You have no idea how lucky you are to be at such a great school receiving this incredible education!”

Working in a high school has given Cardenas the ability to encourage students to not take school for granted but to take advantage of all it has to offer.

Cardenas, 22, plans to study criminology and eventually earn a degree in this field. He is going to enjoy being a monitor for as long as possible, but he does admit to having plans of grandeur.

“I didn’t want to be just another person,” said Cardenas, “I always wanted to make a difference.”

Thus far, Cardenas said that besides a few students giving him attitude, he has enjoyed his job immensely. He has been confused for a high school student himself, which he admitted can be a bit frustrating.

He added that he truly cares about Pueblo’s students and wants them, above all, to value their educational opportunities.

Cardenas said, “Our students’ minds are capable of so many great things.”

Welcome, Mr. Montaño!

By Lauren Ahern and Nayeli Sanchez

This semester, Pueblo has gained a new assistant principal, Mr. David Montaño, after Mr. Joel Bacalia accepted a position at University High School. Although the school year is half over, Montaño said that he is very excited to be a “whole part” of Pueblo in 2016.

Although Montaño was born in California, he has lived in Tucson for nearly 45 years and attended the University of Arizona, earning his degree in social studies. His professional career has been very eclectic; he has taught at Maxwell Middle School as well as Naylor (K-8) as a social studies teacher. His focus shifted to administration, which led him to Cholla High School, Palo Verde High School, Rincon High School, Secrist Middle School… and now Pueblo.

New Assistant Principal David Montaño Talking To Pueblo Students At Lunch — New Assistant Principal David Montaño talking to Pueblo students at lunch

“Oh, it’s [Pueblo] beautiful!” said Montaño. “Pueblo is such a wonderful family. Once I got here, I felt accepted, and I wasn’t nervous at all.”

Montaño’s responsibilities and duties as an assistant principal include freshman discipline (with last names beginning with “M” through “Z”), developing and improving curriculum, summer school, testing and data.

He added that his professional responsibility is to support students and especially our teachers. Above all, Montaño wholeheartedly wants to help students to believe that they can change to make the school a better place.

“We are all unique, and we should all have self-confidence. We make a difference in someone’s life,” he said.

Montaño believes that he will be at Pueblo for “a long time”, and he hopes that his legacy will be to have known in his heart that he helped students to believe that they truly can achieve their dreams.

Youth On Their Own Shelters Warriors

By Sandra Iniguez

YOTO, also known as Youth On Their Own, was established in 1986 by Ann Young at Amphitheater High School in hopes of helping homeless teens. This program was made possible with the help of local churches, local foundations and many concerned citizens in Pima County.

Today, YOTO continues to help financially unstable students who are invested in academics. Pueblo’s Learning Support Coordinator, Ms. Veronica Vironet, who has worked with YOTO for three years described the way the program has grown throughout the years.

“Today we are doing a better job of promoting the program and giving more recognition to its purpose and what it does to help students,” said Vironet.

Veronica Vironet - Learning Support Coordinator — Veronica Vironet – Learning Support Coordinator

Due to higher recognition, the program has increased in student numbers in recent years.

“This year alone [2015] there are already 22 students in the YOTO program,” said Vironet, “and applications are still coming in.”

She added that the program provides financial aid to the students who are enrolled at Pueblo. This includes a stipend for satisfactory grades [A’s and B’s] and regular daily attendance.

This stipend helps students with the money they require for paying bills and/or sports or club enrollment. Besides providing financial assistance, YOTO also offers a food pantry and access to a clothing bank.

“The only requirement that students need to verify to be in this program is to prove that they are living away from their parents through no fault of their own,” Vironet said.

She said that her door is always open in the main office and that she will walk students through the process of applying for YOTO, which is now exclusively completed on-line. (www.yoto.org)

Mr. Brouillette Gives Kids A Push

By Iram Arce

One of the many new faces at Pueblo Magnet High School this school year is Mr. Ron Brouillette, who is a teacher assistant for Ms. Rebecca Baltos, an exceptional education teacher.

He is a graduate from the University of Arizona and Columbia University, and he earned a PhD in international development administration, focusing on exceptional education with an emphasis on deafness.

Brouillette applied for a Fulbright scholarship, which allowed him to move to Africa for 25 years, opening schools for the deaf.

“Africa was so wonderful, the people were natural and joyful,” Brouillette said. “I opened schools for the deaf to get them into school.”

Brouillette grew up with a deaf brother, inspiring him to dedicate his life working with people who are in need of special assistance.

“My brother taught me about disabilities,” he said. “I lived with him and lived through him, and I felt the struggles he endured.”

After 25 years in Africa, Brouillette returned to Tucson to support his daughter, who is attending the U of A. He added that it was at this time that he applied for the job here at Pueblo as a teacher’s assistant.

He said that Ms. Baltos helps him guide and support any of the students’ needs.

“Working with Ms. Baltos has been a true delight,” Brouillette said. “She’s a real pro and knows what she is doing.”

He paused and added, “These kids [at Pueblo] are smart. They just need a little push, and I’m the one who will give them a little nudge in order to help them live a successful life.”

Ms. Levitz: Teaching Students Life Skills

By Lauren Ahern

Many new faces are gracing the classrooms here at Pueblo for this 2015-16 school year, including Ms. Sande Levitz, who is Pueblo’s new health teacher.

Levitz, a Tucson native, earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Northern Arizona University and a master’s degree in conflict transformation in peace building with a focus on restorative justice from Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Throughout the years, she said that she has been involved in many workshops and programs with high school students. Prior to coming to Pueblo, she was a substitute teacher in TUSD for eight years and decided to become an official teacher and apply at Pueblo.

“I feel very comfortable here [at Pueblo], and I enjoy working with all of the students,” said Levitz.

Levitz said that she plans to be a Warrior for a long time, and she wants to share with students a lot of life skills and teach them how to better problem-solve.

“I want to create a foundation, giving kids the opportunity to learn from experience,” said Levitz.