CFSD In the News
CFSD in the News
Catalina Foothills earns ‘A’ rating for all schools
By Joe McHugh, Foothills News Editorial Supervisor
Updated
English teacher Melissa Zenner helps a student with a writing assignment. (Catalina Foothills Unified School District/Submitted)
Catalina Foothills School District announced that each of its K-12 schools earned an "A" letter grade from the Arizona Department of Education for the 2024-25 academic year, marking CFSD as the only Tucson-area district to achieve all "A" ratings.
The new statewide ratings, released through ADEConnect, measure a variety of performance indicators, including test results, academic growth, graduation outcomes and readiness for college or careers. The scores come just days after the State Board of Education approved updated cut scores.
Superintendent Denise Bartlett said the across-the-board "A" ratings reflect consistent excellence throughout the district.
“Our students, teachers and staff work hard every single day, and these results show that dedication,” Bartlett said. “This recognition underscores the strength of our academic programs and our ongoing commitment to continuous improvement.”
All seven CFSD campuses — Catalina Foothills High School, Esperero Canyon Middle School, Orange Grove Middle School, Canyon View Elementary School, Manzanita Elementary School, Sunrise Drive Elementary School and Ventana Vista Elementary School — earned the top score under the state accountability system.
The district has long been recognized for academic performance, instructional innovation and community engagement, earning a reputation as one of Arizona’s highest-performing public school systems.
Bartlett also expressed appreciation for local families and community partners.
“The support our community provides is invaluable,” she said. “These results reflect a shared belief in high expectations and a collective effort to create outstanding educational opportunities for students.”
More details about school letter grades can be found on the Arizona Department of Education website.
May 2026
KVOA News 4 Tucson • May 18, 2026
Catalina Foothills Senior Awarded Prestigious Dorrance Scholarship
CFHS senior Christian Pierson is believed to be the first CFHS student to receive the four-year Dorrance Scholarship, valued at more than $100,000 for first-generation Arizona college students.
AllSportsTucson • May 9, 2026
Catalina Foothills Boys Win Again
The CFHS Boys Tennis team won the program's 19th state championship under first-year head coach Nick Uphoff, finishing 16-0. The Girls Tennis team advanced to the D-II final as the state runner-up.
KGUN9 • May 7, 2026
Catalina Foothills Student Wins Stamps Scholarship to University of Arizona Honors College
CFHS senior Hannah Levin is one of only five Arizona students to receive a Stamps Scholarship, valued at nearly $250,000 over four years plus an additional $16,000 for study and research abroad. Levin plans to study law and crime at the University of Arizona Honors College with the goal of becoming a federal prosecutor.
Arizona Public Media (AZPM / NPR 89.1) • May 5, 2026
Tucson Students Share the Importance of Teacher Appreciation
For Teacher Appreciation Week, AZPM reporter Noor Haghighi asked Tucson students about the teachers who have shaped them. Orange Grove Middle School eighth grader Meleia Anderson was featured prominently in the piece, reflecting on the lasting impact of her gifted English teacher, Mr. Bindschadler.
Tucson Local Media (The Explorer) • May 2026
A profile of the CFHS Class of 2026's academic, athletic, and artistic accomplishments — including the school's first-ever Dorrance Scholar, five National Merit Finalists, and $16.8 million in merit scholarship offers.
April 2026
KGUN9 • April 23, 2026
Ventana Elementary School Students Build a Vibrant Campus Garden to Save At-Risk Desert Pollinators
A KGUN9 feature by reporter Marc Monroy on Denisse Peña's fourth-grade class at Ventana Vista Elementary, who transformed an empty plot of land on campus into a thriving pollinator garden that drew bees and butterflies back within days of blooming. The story also highlighted Dawn Til Dusk Landscaping's donation of supplies and labor to install a water line under the garden at no cost.
13 News (KOLD) • April 23, 2026
Catalina Foothills Students Present Deep Learning History Projects to Pima County Leaders
Canyon View Elementary fifth graders presented Tucson history projects to the Pima County Board of Supervisors after three months of work under Gifted Specialist Samantha "Tessa" Thompson, demonstrating CFSD's deep learning approach.
KGUN9 • April 14, 2026
Catalina Foothills High School Band Takes Trip to Ireland
Television coverage of the Falcon Band's return from its seven-day concert tour of Ireland in March 2026, featuring students and Director Renee Shane-Boyd reflecting on the experience.
March 2026
Arizona Daily Star • March 21, 2026
Local Opinion: Public-School Students Deserve Continued Investment
An op-ed by Amy Krauss, third-term member of the CFSD Governing Board, celebrating the A+ School of Excellence designations earned by Sunrise Drive and Ventana Vista Elementary, alongside CFSD's third consecutive year of every school earning an "A" rating from the Arizona Department of Education. Krauss frames CFSD's success as part of a larger argument for the essential role of public education in Arizona.
KGUN9 • March 9, 2026
Catalina Foothills School District Using Competitive Pay to Combat Arizona's Teacher Retention Drop
A KGUN9 feature by reporter Andrew Christiansen on how CFSD is bucking Arizona's worsening teacher retention crisis through competitive starting salaries ($53,000–$58,000, the highest in Southern Arizona) and annual raises. The story features STEM Integration Specialist Noah Mickey-Colman and fifth-grade teacher Crystal Ortiz of Ventana Vista Elementary on what makes CFSD different.
February 2026
KOLD 13 News • February 20, 2026
Arizona Schools Receive $41 Million in Tax Credit Donations
Coverage of Arizona's school tax credit program featured CFHS Pioneer Robotics, with team captain Christian Pierson and Coach Charlotte Ackerman describing how tax credit dollars fund the team's practice arena and competition robot.
KVOA News 4 Tucson • February 20, 2026
Southern Arizona Schools Win A+ Excellence Award
Reporter Hector Barragan covered the Arizona Educational Foundation's announcement of 48 public schools statewide earning the A+ School of Excellence Award for 2026–2030. Two CFSD schools — Sunrise Drive Elementary and Ventana Vista Elementary — were among the honorees in a recognition that serves as a benchmark for the U.S. Department of Education's National Blue Ribbon Award.
December 2025
KGUN9 • December 4, 2025
Catalina Foothills High School Seeing Steady Enrollment, But Several Factors Could Change That Soon
A look at how CFSD is maintaining steady enrollment at the high school amid declining K–2 enrollment trends across Pima County, with CTE programs cited as a key draw.
November 2025
Tucson Local Media (Foothills News) • November 12, 2025
Catalina Foothills Earns 'A' Rating for All Schools
Coverage of CFSD's distinction as the only Tucson-area school district to earn an "A" letter grade at all seven K–12 campuses from the Arizona Department of Education for the 2024–25 academic year. The story includes comments from Superintendent Dr. Denise Bartlett on the consistent excellence across the district.
AllSportsTucson • November 8, 2025
Catalina Foothills Wins State Championship
The CFHS Swim & Dive team captured the program's 14th state championship under coach Ted Wallach. Senior Connor Daggett earned three individual gold medals at the state meet.
October 2025
Tucson Local Media (Foothills News) • October 29, 2025
Catalina Foothills Students Earn AP Honors
Coverage of nearly 300 CFHS students recognized as AP Scholars during the 2024–25 school year, with an average AP exam score of 3.98 — well above the national public-school average of 3.0. The story includes comments from Superintendent Dr. Denise Bartlett and CFHS Principal Chris Lambert on the school's AP Capstone Diploma program.
KGUN9 • October 8, 2025
A Second Generation of Champions Is Mentored by Tucson's Chess King
A KGUN9 sports feature by reporter Jason Barr profiling longtime Tucson chess coach Ken Larsen and his eight-year-old protégé, Ventana Vista Elementary second grader Nik Jain. Under Larsen's guidance, Nik has helped Ventana Vista earn second place in the last two Arizona state chess championships — continuing a Tucson chess legacy that includes Nik's father Sameer Jain, a former Arizona state champion who also trained under Larsen.
September 2025
AllSportsTucson • September 6, 2025
Catalina Foothills Wins the Brophy Invitational
The CFHS Boys Golf team edged Notre Dame Prep by one stroke (562–563) to win the 2025 Brophy Boys Invitational at Papago Golf Course, with sophomore Alex Ramos birdieing the 18th hole to seal the victory. Three Falcons — Alex Ramos, Chase Cesarek, and Zachary Schaefer — finished in the individual top ten, and the win came against the same Notre Dame team that beat Catalina Foothills for the Division II state championship the previous fall.
August 2025
Tucson Local Media (Foothills News) • August 6, 2025
Catalina Foothills District Starts School August 4
A back-to-school feature on CFSD's 2025–26 enrollment, with a quote from Superintendent Dr. Denise Bartlett and overviews of each school's signature programs from PreK through 12.
July 2025
Tucson Local Media (Foothills News) • July 23, 2025
Catalina Foothills School District Educator Named to White House Teacher Institute
Jocelyn Jimenez Smerz, the new STEM Integration Specialist at Manzanita Elementary School, was selected as one of only six master teachers nationwide for the 2025 White House Historical Association's Teacher Institute. The weeklong program in Washington, D.C. included exclusive visits to the White House and Blair House, and Smerz served as a mentor to other educators throughout the institute.