Santa Cruz Valley USD 35 -

Know Where to Get Help.

Support is available when you need it. Save these important crisis and support resources for yourself, your family, or someone you care about. In an immediate emergency, call 911.

🏊‍♂️ Now Hiring Lifeguards! 🛟

The SCV35 Aquatic Center is looking for responsible, dependable lifeguards who are available to work year-round.

Applicants must be at least 16 years old.

Interested? Scan the QR code on the graphic or visit our Human Resources webpage (https://www.scv35.org/page/human-resources) to apply!

SCV35 is an equal opportunity employer.

Today, on National Custodian Appreciation Day, we celebrate and recognize our SSC Services for Education team! 🎉

From keeping our schools clean and welcoming to caring for our grounds and maintaining our facilities, their hard work behind the scenes helps keep SCV35 running smoothly each day.

Thank you to our SSC team for all that you do for our students, staff, schools, and District. We appreciate you! 👏

Last night, Superintendent David Verdugo spent time with teens and staff at the Amado Youth Center, sharing his personal journey to becoming a superintendent and discussing the importance of working hard in school, setting goals, and preparing for the future.

Mr. Verdugo also spoke about the importance of embracing your culture, making a difference in your community, and finding ways to give back. Students had the opportunity to talk about their own goals and the steps they can take today to prepare for their futures.

We are grateful to the Amado Youth Center for welcoming us and for being such a valuable resource and source of support for youth in our community. SCV35 was also happy to provide students with free school supplies to take home and use throughout the school year.

Thank you, Amado Youth Center, for the opportunity to connect with and support our youth!

At our most recent Governing Board meeting, Superintendent David Verdugo and the SCV35 Governing Board recognized members of the Santa Cruz County Public Works Department for their continued partnership, dedication, and support of our District.

Congratulations and thank you to Howdy Aguilar, Santa Cruz County Superintendent of Roads, Ramon Ibarra, Santa Cruz County Assistant Superintendent of Roads, Luis Acedo, and Lysette Sanchez for your hard work and commitment to serving Santa Cruz County.

We also appreciated having Chris Young, Deputy County Manager, join us as we recognized the strong relationship between Santa Cruz County and Santa Cruz Valley Unified School District No. 35.

Thank you for all you do to support our schools, students, and the communities we serve!

Thank you to all of the families who attended our SCV35 English Learner Family Literacy and Resource Night!

The event provided Districtwide English Learner students and their families with books, strategies to support language development, information about our Structured English Immersion Program, and valuable community resources.

A special thank you to the following community organizations for joining us and for their continued support of our district, students, and families:

Rio Rico Rotary
Tubac Rotary
Mariposa Community Health Center
Arizona@Work
MIKID
Nogales Library
First Things First Child and Family Resources
Santa Cruz County Superintendent’s Office

We also extend our appreciation to our Teaching, Learning, & Assessing Department for all they do to support our students and families! 📚

Tomorrow is HR Professionals Day, and we’re taking the opportunity to celebrate our amazing SCV35 Human Resources team! 💙

Please join us in recognizing:
• Karen Guilmette, HR Manager
• Blanca Vega, HR Secretary
• Maria Rivera, HR Technician
• Karina Matus, HR Office Specialist

Thank you for your dedication, support, and the important work you do for our employees and SCV35 each day. We appreciate all that you do!

Check out our September District Newsletter! 📰

Take a look at the latest updates, highlights, and celebrations happening across SCVUSD#35 and our schools.

Click the link below to check it out! 👇

https://app.smore.com/n/vk0jt

Congratulations to three outstanding members of the Coatimundi Middle School community who were recognized by the Rio Rico Rotary Club at yesterday’s meeting!

🌟 Rotary Teacher of the Month: Mr. Jose Bernal
🌟 Rotary Staff of the Month: Victoria Betancourt
🌟 Rotary Student of the Month: Julietta Morgan Romero

Each of these honorees represents the qualities we value at Coatimundi Middle School and across Santa Cruz Valley Unified School District No. 35: dedication, kindness, leadership, responsibility, and a commitment to helping others succeed.

Mr. Jose Bernal was recognized for more than 40 years of teaching and his continued passion for his students, science, and FFA. His dedication to meaningful learning, mentorship, and preparing students for their futures reflects the lasting impact an educator can have on students and their communities.

Ms. Victoria Betancourt, Alternative Professional, was recognized for her positive attitude, compassion, teamwork, and willingness to step in whenever support is needed. Her initiative and dedication help create a school environment where students and staff feel valued and supported.

Julietta Morgan Romero was recognized for being an exceptional student and positive role model for her peers. Her kindness, respect, responsibility, perseverance, and commitment to doing her best reflect the character of an outstanding Cavalier.

We are proud to have Mr. Bernal, Ms. Betancourt, and Julietta representing Coatimundi Middle School and Santa Cruz Valley Unified School District No. 35 through their everyday contributions to our school community.

Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition!

📚 SCV35 English Learner Family Literacy & Resource Night!

SCV35 families of English learners in grades K–12 are invited to join us for an evening of fun, learning, and community resources!

📅 Thursday, September 24
📍 Rio Rico High School
🕔 5:00–7:00 PM, come anytime
🅿️ East parking lot at RRHS

Families can enjoy games and activities, learn strategies to support language development, choose free books, connect with community resources, and learn more about the Structured English Immersion (SEI) Program and Arizona English Language Learner Assessment (AZELLA).

Strong families. Strong readers. Bright futures. 📖

💻 Happy National IT Professionals Day!

Today, we’re grateful for our amazing SCV35 IT team and all they do behind the scenes to keep our schools and District running smoothly. From supporting technology in our classrooms to helping staff, students, and families, their work makes a difference every day.

Thank you for all you do to keep SCV35 connected, supported, and moving forward!

Please help us recognize our IT team:

• Steve Saint-Coeur, Technology Coordinator, Districtwide
• Adan Ibarra, Network Administrator, RRHS
• Aaron Davis, IT Technician, RRHS
• Ricardo Enriquez, IT Technician, MVE, DO, Warehouse & Transportation
• David Kennedy, IT Technician, CTMS
• Gabriel Diaz, IT Technician, SC
• Jorge Lira, IT Technician, CK8

We appreciate you and all you do for SCV35! 💻

Santa Cruz Valley Unified School District No. 35 is proud to announce that all five of our school sites have been selected as 2026 America’s Healthiest Schools by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation!

This national recognition celebrates schools that are committed to supporting the health, well being, and success of the whole child. Having all five SCV35 schools recognized is a tremendous accomplishment and a reflection of the dedication of our students, staff, families, and community.

We are also incredibly proud to celebrate Coatimundi Middle School, which was recognized in all nine health related topic areas and named an America’s Healthiest Schools All Star School, a distinction awarded to just 200 schools nationwide.

Congratulations to all five of our schools, and a special congratulations to Coatimundi Middle School on this outstanding achievement!

The SCV35 District Office will be closed Monday, September 7, in observance of Labor Day.

We will reopen on Tuesday, September 8, during regular business hours.

Have a safe and enjoyable Labor Day weekend!

Congratulations to Sebastian Castro, Rio Rico High School’s Student Body President, on being selected as one of only three State Presidents through the Arizona Association of Student Councils (AASC)!

This is the first time in RRHS history that our Student Body President has been selected for this statewide leadership position. Sebastian was chosen through a competitive selection process that included applications, interviews, and speeches before thousands of conference attendees, and was ultimately voted in by student council members from across Arizona.

Demonstrating his dedication and initiative, Sebastian also reached out to former State Presidents and student council leaders throughout Arizona to learn from their experiences and prepare for this opportunity.

Last week, Sebastian was recognized by our Governing Board Members and Assistant Superintendent Dr. Melisa Lunderville for this incredible accomplishment.

We are proud of Sebastian and grateful for the guidance and support of his teachers, Counselor Ms. Kayli Munoz, and RRHS Principal Mr. Dagoberto Lopez.

Congratulations, Sebastian, on making RRHS history and leading the way at the state level!

Earlier this week, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Melisa Lunderville and our Governing Board Members had the opportunity to recognize our outstanding Student Services Department and the important work they do each day for our students and families.

For many families, Student Services is the first point of contact when they join Santa Cruz Valley Unified School District No. 35. From that first interaction through their time in our district, this team is there to answer questions, navigate enrollment, provide support, solve problems, connect families with resources, and help ensure that every student and family feels welcomed and supported.

Student Services oversees enrollment and Special Education services while working closely with families and schools to meet the needs of our students. Much of their work happens behind the scenes, but the impact they have is felt throughout our district.

Every member of this team brings compassion, patience, professionalism, and kindness to their work, consistently going above and beyond to serve our students and families. They play an important role in making sure that when a family joins SCV35, their experience reflects who we are as a district and our commitment to supporting students every step of the way.

We are proud to recognize:

Mercedes Thompson - Special Education Coordinator
Rita Sanchez - Enrollment Specialist
Rosy Switalski - District Registrar
Elizabeth Moraila - Secretary
Margarita Villegas - Secretary
Alexa Legazpy - Office Assistant

Thank you to our Student Services team for your dedication, your care, and the meaningful difference you make for our students, families, and schools each day.

As we begin the new school year, we want to share important information with families about student attendance and respiratory illness.

The CDC’s current guidance is symptom-based, meaning students should stay home when they are sick and return to school once their symptoms are improving and they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without fever-reducing medication.

Please take a moment to review the graphic for guidance on when students should stay home, when they can return to school, and ways families can help reduce the spread of illness.

Regular attendance is important to student learning and success. Thank you for helping us keep our school community healthy and our students in school when they are well enough to learn.

Last week, our Governing Board, alongside Assistant Superintendent Dr. Melisa Lunderville, had the pleasure of recognizing Dr. Eladio Pereira, Dr. J. Philip Williams, and Amy Taylor from Mariposa Community Health Center for their continued partnership and support of our students and families.

Our partnership with MCHC is a wonderful example of what is possible when two organizations come together with a shared commitment to helping families. From telehealth services and behavioral health support to on site COVID 19 vaccinations during the pandemic and affordable sports physicals, MCHC has consistently stepped up to support our community.

This summer, more than 100 of our students received sports physicals through this partnership, helping remove financial and logistical barriers for families and ensuring our student athletes were ready for their seasons.

Thank you, Dr. Pereira, Dr. Williams, Amy Taylor, and the entire Mariposa Community Health Center team, for your compassion, flexibility, and continued commitment to our students and families. We are grateful for all that you do for SCV35!

Dear SCV35 Families,

Each year, Santa Cruz Valley Unified School District No. 35 provides families with information regarding the release of student directory information.

The Annual Directory Information Opt-Out Form is attached for your review. Please review the information provided in the attached form.
If you would like to opt your child out of the release of directory information, please see your child’s school front office staff or principal to complete the opt-out process.

If you do not wish to opt your child out, no action is necessary.

Thank you for your continued partnership with SCV35.
___________________________________________________________


Estimadas familias de SCV35:

Cada año, el Distrito Escolar Unificado No. 35 del Valle de Santa Cruz proporciona a las familias información relacionada con la divulgación de la información del directorio estudiantil.

Se adjunta el Formulario Anual para No Autorizar la Divulgación de Información del Directorio para su revisión. Por favor, revise la información proporcionada en el formulario adjunto.

Si desea NO autorizar la divulgación de la información del directorio de su hijo(a), por favor comuníquese con el personal de la oficina principal de la escuela o con el director(a) de la escuela de su hijo(a) para completar el proceso de exclusión.

Si no desea excluir a su hijo(a) de la divulgación de esta información, no es necesario realizar ninguna acción.

Gracias por su continua colaboración y apoyo a SCV35.

As a friendly reminder, bus routes for all SCV35 school sites are available anytime on our district website.

To view your student's transportation route, please visit:
https://www.scv35.org/page/transportation

If you have any questions or need assistance, our Transportation Department is happy to help. Please call (520) 375-8885.

Thank you for helping us keep our students' transportation running smoothly. We hope everyone has a wonderful school year!