Superintendent’s Office

Message from Our Superintendent

Superintendent’s Message: April 2026

Dear Tolleson Union High School District Families and Staff,

March was Madness! I’m not just talking about the basketball games; we had both temperatures and a full tank of gas breaking into the triple digits, state playoffs for some of our teams, and most importantly, the ACT test. The testing day went fairly smoothly, and we felt a lot of positive energy on the campuses heading into testing day, so now we just await the results and cross our fingers that our District will finally achieve the milestone of being named an ‘A’ district. When that notification comes in from the state that we are an ‘A’, then it is going to rain down sweeter than a U-Conn 3, capping off a comeback (full disclosure, I had Duke in my final four).

March was also filled with groundbreakings and ribbon cuttings as we continue to grow and develop high-quality environments for all our students. We have our new school, Estrella Vista Academy, and our Family Resource Center, with the entirety of the Training and Learning Center starting construction. We are also very proud of the Exceptional Student Services building, which has just opened up on the Tolleson campus to support our students with special needs.

Enough about March, since it’s time to focus on April. We will begin April with a three-day weekend, no foolin’. There will be no school on April 3 since it will be our Spring Recess Day. It is a good Friday for us to take off since we know our staff and students need a long weekend before going down the final stretch of the school year.

Our focus during the final two months is to get our seniors graduated and to make sure that our underclassmen have their plan for the future. If your student is a senior, then please reinforce to them that they are too close to the finish line to make a mistake now. Every year, we have several of those heartbreaking talks with students who made mistakes that don’t let them walk. For some, it’s a behavioral mistake, and for others, they just come up short on earning their credits. Don’t let that be your senior. If your student is finishing their freshman year, then get active on their plan. Do they want to try a Career and Technical Education course? Join a club, the Student Government, a sport, or an activity? They are settled into high school now, and it’s time to get more active.

Also, TUHSD’s Third Annual ESS Transition Fair is on April 16, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., at the West Point High School Cafe. This event welcomes ALL ESS students, grades 9 through 12. Excellent opportunities related to employment, education, and community support await them. Some of the companies and organizations involved include Maricopa Community Colleges, DDD, vocational rehabilitation, small business employers, day programs, housing facilities, parks and recreation, and the Autism Society of Greater Phoenix.

I hope you all enjoy the month of April and it’s full of fun surprises like Googling who is Jose Fernandez with the Arizona Diamondbacks?

Warm regards,

Jeremy Calles

Jeremy Calles
Superintendent
Tolleson Union High School District