YUHSD campus tours every other Friday

The Yuma Union High School District invites community members to get a firsthand look at what goes on in district classrooms beginning Friday.

Those interested can sign up at http://tinyurl.com/8vc8ovj to take classroom tours at any YUHSD campus every other Friday throughout the year.

Tours will begin at 9 a.m. at Cibola, Kofa, San Luis and Yuma high schools; at 9:30 a.m. at Gila Ridge; and at 8 at Vista Alternative High School. Prior registration is required so that the schools can appropriately plan for tour guides.

Tours will last between 45 and 60 minutes. After the tour, participants will be sent a survey via email.

“The purpose of the tours is to share the great work teachers and students are doing through Ready Now Yuma, Career and Technical Education (CTE) classes, Advanced Placement (AP) classes and elective programs,” said Toni Badone, YUHSD superintendent.

“The district realizes that 70 percent of the Yuma community does not have school-age children. Educational expectations have changed with advancements in technology as well as with research. Yuma Union High School District expects every student to graduate prepared for success in college and career, through Ready Now Yuma, and through upper division pathways like CTE and AP courses.

“YUHSD teachers are used to being visited unannounced, formally and informally by school and district staff, but the tours are something new,” said Badone. “These tours have been lovingly dubbed ‘Payday Patron' tours, since every member of the community is a patron of the public schools and the tour dates are on paydays.”

YUHSD asks that on the date of a tour, community members arrive at the campus they have selected five to 10 minutes early to allow time to receive a visitor's name badge and meet the tour guide. Tour guides could be an administrator, teacher, staff member or a student.

“Many community leaders are champions of education, but we need every community member to be a champion. We hope they will come see first hand how hard our teachers and students are working toward a bright future for Yuma County,” said Badone.

Sarah Womer can be reached at swomer@yumasun.com or 539-6858. Find her on Facebook at Facebook.com/YSSarahWomer or on Twitter at @YSSarahWomer.