TUSD names committee to consider school closures, consolidations

The school reconfiguration committee includes six parents, five educators and school representatives, 10 local government representatives, seven community members and three business and union leaders, according to information the district posted Thursday.

In an August board meeting, Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo said the plan would be led by himself, consultant Bill de la Cruz of De La Cruz Leadership Solutions and two advisory bodies making up the committee: an internal district task force and a superintendent's advisory committee.

TUSD posted a dedicated webpage Thursday with data the group reviewed in a meeting on Aug. 29. The webpage includes a list of names on the reconfiguration committee that was not previously public.

Here’s the list of people tasked with helping Trujillo craft a list of schools that could be closed, consolidated or changed due to drops in student enrollment:

• Benny Gomez, constituent services manager for the City of Tucson Ward 1 

• Kim Dominguez, communication and public engagement manager for the City of Tucson Ward 1 

• Pat Burns, chief of staff for the City of Tucson Ward 2 

• Elma Alvarez, civic and family engagement advisor for the City of Tucson Ward 5 

• Marlene Avelino, council advisor for the City of Tucson Ward 6 

• Nathan Bacal, staff member for Pima County District 1 

• David Higuera, chief of staff for Pima County District 2 

• Bonnie Bazata, senior aide for Pima County District 3

• Montserrat Caballero, chief of staff for Pima County District 5

• Cindy Coleman, Tucson community member

• Naomi Bitya, Tucson community member

• Dawn Demps, TUSD parent

• Jay Tolkoff, Tucson community member and former City Council candidate

• Melinda Gomez, TUSD parent

• Jordan Toyos, Tucson community member

• Scott Evans, Tucson community member

• Elizabeth Gregory, TUSD teacher

• Jim Byrne, president of Tucson Education Association

• Ruth Hatton, member of Tucson Education Association

• Bobby Estrella, Sahuaro High School principal

• Katie Kuhn, Safford K-8 principal

• Megan Chavez, Raúl Grijalva Elementary principal

• Veronica Moreno, city clerk for South Tucson

• Aaron Ball, vice president of the Southern Arizona Leadership Council

• Howard Stewart, member of the Southern Arizona Leadership Council

• Linda Hatfield, president of the Communications Workers of America, a labor union for government workers in Southern Arizona

• Karina Machado, TUSD parent

• Elvia Carino, TUSD parent

• Christina Radzikowski, TUSD parent

• Sara Olsen, TUSD parent

• Kevin Oberg, Tucson community member

The TUSD Governing Board is expected to vote on a plan in December to phase in closures or consolidations.