April 2013 April Support Staff Employee of the Month: Dixie White

Information Bulletin for Faculty and Staff of Flowing Wells Schools
April Support Staff Employee of the Month:
Dixie White
Mrs. Dixie White is one of those individuals constantly looking for ways to help
make Walter Douglas a better place. She looks for opportunities to contribute
and immediately volunteers. She can often be seen covering a recess duty for a
fellow coworker, working with small groups of students who need help with
classroom projects and even doing the “twist” for hours at the school carnival.
Mrs. White cooperates very well with her coworkers. She often asks how she can help out and assist with
projects that they may be working on. In addition, Mrs. White is a positive force on campus. She is always
ready with a smile, a listening ear, and a hug for those in need. She is supportive of her teammates and
she greatly contributes to the positive climate at school.
Mrs. White recently faced a difficult family situation but it never showed at Walter Douglas. When she is on
campus, her priority is the students. Mrs. White is able to give 100% both at home and at school, all because she believes in what we are doing and works hard for the school. In conversations with Mrs. White,
she often shares her appreciation and support of what we are doing, as a district, and as a school. It is
clear that Dixie believes in our district mission and she is willing to do what it takes to make sure our students succeed.
Mrs. White’s contributions are numerous. When approached about the School Improvement goals and
asked her to include an academic focus during library time, she immediately stepped up to the plate. She
contacted grade level teachers and asked what reading comprehension skills she should focus on, gathered materials, planned lessons and started working with students. Mrs. White readily assisted the PTO
President in developing the Bikes for Books program at Walter Douglas, where the number of minutes students read is tracked, and bikes are awarded to top readers.
Mrs. White also looks for opportunities to
get our students involved in caring for their community through programs such as a donation drive and talent shows to support the Humane Society. Mrs. White is a member of our PBIS team (Positive Behavior,
Interventions, and Support) working with staff to recognize students for “doing the right thing” and supporting teachers in the initiative to lower negative referrals to the office while raising positive student recognition.
Mrs. White’s contributions are much appreciated and Walter Douglas doesn’t know what it would do without
her!
Dixie’s positive attitude and willingness to help make her an invaluable member of the Walter Douglas
team. She continually strives to find ways to contribute to our school and helps students grow as individuals. Her constant efforts to go above and beyond demonstrate that she is an employee of high caliber deserving of our gratitude.
Congratulations Dixie on being named April’s Employee of the Month!
April 2013
Douglas Outstanding Volunteer of the Year:
John Mussulman
Mr. John Mussulman is a pleasure to work with. John helps build the bridge between
home and school, bringing parents onto the campus to volunteer and working with Walter
Douglas staff in an easy going, “we’re all part of the same team” manner. Walter Douglas
staff members have found John to be reliable, committed, approachable and dependable.
Mr. Mussulman is always communicating with members of the community and Walter Douglas staff to determine the
needs of the school and then he works hard to come up with ways to meet those needs. John is very proactive. He
looks ahead; anticipating what needs to be done or what “glitches” might occur and he puts plans in place to meet those
needs. John is energetic and resourceful and he is an invaluable member of our school team.
Mr. Mussulman is a strong supporter of the Flowing Wells School District and Walter Douglas Elementary School. He
has expressed his faith in the district and the school on numerous occasions. PTO presidents often have to navigate
the waters between parent requests and the school’s ability to meet them, and John is able to do this with ease. He
lets parents know their voices are heard and appreciated while at the same time giving Walter Douglas and Flowing
Wells the credit it deserves for all the hard work we do each and every day.
John’s contributions are invaluable; he chairs every PTO meeting (he hasn’t missed a single one), he contacts parents
for volunteer duty, facilitates our school fundraisers, communicates with teachers (always with a smile), makes “Costco”
and bank runs, builds community partners (Bikes for Books Program) and often offers helpful insight regarding the
school community. John can always be counted on to follow through and focus on the needs of our school and he does
all of this with complete confidence and a positive attitude.
Mr. Mussulman became the Walter Douglas PTO president for the first time this year and he has done an amazing job.
It has been a steep learning curve for John; learning not only the ins and outs of being a PTO president but also becoming familiar with our school culture and traditions. What makes John special is that he takes his duties of PTO president in stride, even with a full time job and a family; he finds time in his busy schedule to devote his energies to the
needs of Walter Douglas.
Congratulations, Mr. Mussulman on being name Volunteer of the Year!
Building Blocks for Character Adults
April Support Staff Employee of the Month:
Dixie White
Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Douglas:
John Mussulman
Douglas Teacher of the Year:
Christena Tenney
Building Blocks for Character Students
April 2013
Centennial
Willow Van Meter
4th Grade
Davis
Wyatt Geary
1st Grade
Douglas
Vicente Cazares
6th Grade
Hendricks
Julieta Romo
3rd Grade
Laguna
Elizabeth Garcia
5th Grade
Ryan Walker
5th Grade
Nolan Beyersdorf
8th Grade
Richardson
FWJHS
FWHS
Alejandro “Lalo” Romero
11th Grade
SPHS
Jennifer Romero Neyoy
12th Grade
Festival Under the Stars
Flowing Wells Educational Foundation would like to thank the following sponsors &
vendors and express our appreciation for your continued support in all our endeavors.
With your help, our 20th Annual Festival Under the Stars held on April 5, 2013, was a
huge success!
CRECO Rentals
Pima Federal Credit Union
René Ground
Kim Trueblood
Toni Sabau
Doug Cline
Betty Elasowich
Lety Granados & Maria Felix
Baggins Gourmet Sandwiches
Mama’s Famous Pizza
Eegees
Papa John’s Pizza
Arizona Sonora Desert Museum
Pizza Hut
Reid Park Zoo
Old Times Kafé
Big 5 Sporting Goods
Pima Air Museum
Titan Missile Museum
Wienerschnitzel – Oracle Rd.
Foothills Mall
Paula, Nicole and John Alden
Golf n’ Stuff Family Center
P.F. Chengs
Betty Elasowich
Little Mexico Restaurant – Irvington Rd.
Anonymous Sponsor 
Stuart Meinke
Ann Padias
Karen King
Patricia Thompson
Tres Amigos Furniture
Rusing Lopez & Lizardi, P.L.L.C.
Sam Levitz Furniture
Get Away Today Vacations
Sunbelt Rentals
Old Tucson Studios
Jack Furriers Western Auto Center
Vantage Bowling Centers
Melinda Tonkovich
Review of Board Action:
April 9, 2013
A SUMMARY OF EVENTS AT THE F.W.U.S.D. BOARD MEETING
APPROVED all consent agenda items: meeting agenda; minutes of the meeting of the
Governing Board on March 26, 2013 (open session minutes); presentation of District
vouchers; requested use of facilities; and open enrollment requests.
RECOGNIZED April Building Blocks for Character students: Centennial – Willow Van Meter, Davis – Wyatt Geary, Douglas – Vicente Cazares, Hendricks – Julieta Romo, Laguna –
Elizabeth Garcia, Richardson – Ryan Walker, Junior High – Nolan Beyersdorf, High School –
Alejandro “Lalo” Romero, and Sentinel Peak – Jennifer Romero Neyoy; April Support Staff
Employee of the Month Dixie White from Walter Douglas Elementary School; Outstanding
Volunteer of the Year John Mussulman from Walter Douglas Elementary School; Walter
Douglas Elementary School Teacher of the Year Christena Tenney; Walter Douglas Elementary School teacher Andrea Meyer who wrote and received a grant from the ChristinaTaylor Green Foundation; and IBM Tucson for their continued partnership with Flowing
Wells Junior High School and the EXITE Camp program.
APPROVED District Personnel Actions.
Official minutes are available at the District Administration Center.
Review of Board Action:
April 23, 2013
A SUMMARY OF EVENTS AT THE F.W.U.S.D. BOARD MEETING
APPROVED all consent agenda items: meeting agenda; minutes of the meeting of the Governing
Board on April 2, 2013 (special meeting minutes), April 9, 2013 (open session minutes) and April 9,
2013 (executive session minutes); presentation of District vouchers; acceptance of gifts and donations; requests for use of facilities; requests for student trips; and review of financial statements.
RECEIVED report from Flowing Wells Junior High School student council representatives Angelique
Hill and Joseph Delgado on current and future events at Flowing Wells Junior High School; and update from Dr. Baker on current district events and activities.
RECOGNIZED Girls Wrestling State Champions Kaitlin Taylor, Bianka Camacho, and Daniela
Dominguez from Flowing Wells High School; Flowing Wells High School Girls Basketball team members Shalise Fernander, Kyra Brinsfield, Chelsea Schroeder, Nadine Fermawi, Czarina Walker, Tatyana Portela, Lyndsay Leikem, Brianna Abeyta, Nikolina Vojvodic, Mikaela Cook, and Laura McGeary
for taking second place in the state; Flowing Wells High School students Kyle Siegfried, Chloe Sprott,
Robert Wineinger, Miguel Martinez, Monty Miranda, and Steven James for their first place win at the
2013 Pit Crew Contest; and SARSEF winners Rolando Ortiz-Navarro from Centennial; Bobby Lopez
from Davis; Gavin Kimes from Hendricks; and Emily Howard, Alex North, and Emma Almodoba from
Richardson.
APPROVED District Personnel Actions; the General Statement of Assurance for fiscal year 2014; a
one-time only 1.4% salary increase for all employee groups to be paid in May 2013 for FY 20122013; salary increases for FY 2013-2014 following a joint recommendation from the FWEA meet and
confer team and the district administration team; and an Intergovernmental Agreement between
Pima County JTED and Flowing Wells Unified School District.
Official minutes are available at the District Administration Center.