About Sky Islands High School
Sky Islands was founded in 2008 as a unique academic program that emphasizes social, ecological, environmental, and place-based literacy. Students who enroll here join an academic community and are expected to take part in that community respectfully and apply themselves responsibly to academic work. Students should be prepared to be physically active in our field work projects and intellectually challenged in our classrooms. All Sky Islands’ students take a demanding sequence of core classes in math, science, social studies, and language arts. Our classes are aligned with Common Core and AZ State Standards, and integrated across the academic disciplines by grade level.
Sky Islands is fully accredited through the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).
Our accreditation number is 69 42290 999.
Expectations are high, but achievable, and students are held personally responsible for their levels of performance. Our students go on from here to a 4-year or 2-year college, into apprenticeships in the skilled trades, and directly into the workforce or military service. We encourage you to take part in a site visit and to realistically appraise your student’s needs and interests against Sky Islands’ practices and principles.
Meet Our Staff
Teacher resumes are available upon request.
Veronica Duran
head of school
My name is Veronica Duran, and I am excited to serve as the new Head of School for Sky Islands High School. It is an honor to lead a school with proactive students, an extremely dedicated staff, and a supportive school community. I have read the school philosophy and am excited about the mutually supportive and respectful environment everyone works towards together.
I have been in education for 39 years in various capacities including classroom teacher, English Language Development Interventionist, counselor, school administrator, Hearing Officer, and districtwide Discipline Coordinator. Even with all these amazing experiences, I will always be a teacher at heart. My educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Education, a Master’s in Counseling with a School Guidance Certificate, an Administrative Certificate and a Bilingual Endorsement.
Sky Islands High School will provide me with the opportunity to work collaboratively with the teachers and staff, while also remaining connected to student learning and growing in the classroom. I am looking forward to working with the staff, parents, and the community as a partner in education, facilitating the growth of instructional practices and all the programs at the school.
It is my privilege to lead Sky Islands High School and the talented teachers and students here. I was thrilled to see that the Arizona Department of Education recently determined that Sky Island is a B school! This is a wonderful accomplishment and a testament to the hard work and dedication of the teachers, staff and students at our school. I am eager to unite my experiences, to provide a supportive climate and culture that is conducive to teaching and learning. I know I can help make a positive difference here and provide stability in leadership. I am committed to this community. I am a supportive leader who is here to listen to the needs of students, families and staff members. I will use my leadership skills to help accomplish the goals that we can create together. I look forward to an amazing year with you and your children. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions.
On a personal note, I taught one year at The American School in Guadalajara, Mexico to help improve my Spanish and one year in San Jose, California. Both were wonderful teaching experiences. I come from a family that has deep roots in Tucson and have four other siblings, three sisters and one brother; I happen to be the middle child in my family. I love dogs and have two shepherd mixes and yes, they are very spoiled. I enjoy swimming, listening to Old School music, getting together with friends, and watching a good movie. I recently visited the beautiful land of Italy and was able to finally see the Vatican in Rome, the incredible leather Florence is known for, Siena, the leaning tower in Pisa, and finally got to ride in a gondola in Venice.
I am excited to join the Sky Islands community and look forward to a productive year for our school. Please feel free to reach out to me at any time to discuss questions or concerns or just to chat.
Kat Richard
student support coordinator
Kat joined the Sky Islands’ team as Student Support Coordinator in 2023. She is originally from Colorado and attended the University of Denver where she received her Bachelor of Arts in International Studies with a concentration in human rights. She also studied Spanish and completed part of her studies abroad in Valparaiso, Chile.
Kat moved from Nebraska to Tucson with her husband in order for him to complete his medical training at the U of A/Banner Hospital. Her most recent position was as a Graduation Coach for another small charter school in South Tucson. She is passionate about helping high schoolers reach their goals while exploring their passions and learning more about their role in the community.
Outside of Sky Islands, Kat enjoys hiking, camping, and spending time with her one-year-old twins, dog, and husband.
Mayra Garcia
office manager/registrar
Mayra joined the Sky Islands staff in 2023. A native of Nogales, AZ, Mayra worked for Nogales Unified School District #1 for 22 years as an Administrative Assistant. She took courses at Grand Canyon University for a potential career as a teacher. In 2020, she decided to move to Tucson where she worked at Arizona’s Children Association. Outside of Sky Islands, Mayra enjoys hiking, going to the beach and spending time with her family.
Paul Amegan
mathematics
Paul Amegan was born in Lomé, Togo in West Africa where he taught high school Mathematics and Physics for more than 5 years before moving to the United States. Paul attended Pima Community College and graduated with a degree in Computer and Electrical Engineering. He obtained a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics at American Public University System. Paul also taught Calculus, Algebra, and Math 8 at Sonoran Science Academy in 2021. He has many years of experience in the behavior health field where Paul spent most of his professional life. In his spare time, Paul enjoys spending time with his family.
Drew Chalberg
culinary arts/guitar
Drew, born and raised in Tucson, started learning classical guitar in 2016 and fell in love with it. He learned it from the lead guitar program taught at Sky Islands. Drew graduated from Sky Islands High School in 2019 as Valedictorian. Over the years he stopped by and helped out in the lead guitar program where he could, before joining the Sky Islands team in 2022. Currently, Drew is working towards his bachelors degree in Guitar Performance.
Outside of Sky Islands, Drew enjoys playing guitar, reading books, and exploring nature.
Philip Dotts
social studies/language arts
Philip Dotts is a Tucson native and joined Sky Islands in 2022. He graduated from the University of Arizona in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology and a minor in Geoscience. Immediately after graduation, he worked as an Archaeologist for a local firm before becoming an Educator for the Amphitheater Unified School District. He brings his experience with natural and cultural resources to his classroom as he emphasizes the human experience in his Social Studies and English classes. He also has experience in Theatre Arts and spent several years in his education working on a myriad of shows as a Technical Theater Technician.
As a history fan, Philip enjoys collecting mundane artifacts which give unique perspectives into the past, including an eclectic book collection and an assortment of antiques. When he is not in the classroom, he enjoys reading old science fiction novels, hiking on the gorgeous trails in the Tucson area, and searching second-hand stores for the next rare artifact for his collection.
Russell Kriete
science/construction trades
Russell joined the Sky Islands team in 2023. As an Arizona native, Russell moved to Tucson in 2019. Prior to that, he lived all over Phoenix. Russell has twenty-three years in the construction trades and has worked on numerous projects, including a superconductor and automotive restorations for films and TV. In 2009 Russell graduated from the South West Institute of Healing Arts with an Associates Degree in Massage Therapy and Nutrition. Russell will be leading our construction trades technologies class, along with the wood and metal shop.
When not in the classroom, Russell is a youth football coach for his son’s teams. He has been coaching in Tucson since moving down here. He keeps himself busy with home projects, auto restorations, his family, and all his animals at home.
Jade LeSure
special education coordinator
My name is Jade LeSure (Vann). I am the new Special Education Coordinator here at Sky Islands. I am so excited to be a new addition to such a welcoming community/campus. I have been in the education field for ten plus years now and have operated in special education for the last five years. I love working in special education all areas everyday usually consist of something different. I am an admirer of all things fashion and interior design. I manage two businesses outside of my traditional position here on campus. I love what I do, and I hope that is seen all across the board. I cannot wait to meet all of you soon.
Jennifer Skinner
science and farm/horticulture assistant
Jennifer joined the Sky Islands team in 2022 as the assistant to the farm and horticulture program. She hails from the border community of Douglas, AZ where she received her Associate of Arts from Cochise Community College in 2014. During her time at Cochise, she worked as a student assistant to the Science Core and was the summer lab tech for microbiology. She graduated from The University of Arizona in 2023, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies. During her time at the U of A, she worked as an aid for a plant transformation laboratory at the BIO5 Institute, was involved with Students for Sustainability and volunteered at the UA Community Garden.
As a cultural worker, Jennifer spends her free time creating works that explore her Chicana identity in the borderlands and organizing with her community. She enjoys studying and practicing plant medicine, baking, painting, photography, gardening, taking long walks along the Rillito River and traveling.
Chicken Coop Project
All-School Arbor
Day Tree Planting
Arid Lands Management
Class Watershed
Restoration Project
All-School Project Day
Urban Horticulture Class Fall 2018
Koi Pond Project
Desert Tortoise
Habitat Project
Courtyard Restoration and
Aquaponics Setup
Tree Planting Project
All-School Tree Planting Day
Greenhouse Project
Orchard Project
US/AZ History
‘History in Action’ Program
All-School Buffelgrass
Removal Day
Cactus and Succulent
Garden Project
Gardening by Design Class Landscaping Project
Applied Ecology
Pollinator Garden Project
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
and Flag Raising
Blue Sky Café- An
Agrarian Kitchen
our Vision for the future
Local Partners
- Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society
- The Fairfax Companies
- Desert Survivors Native Plant Nursery
- Pivot Produce
- Creative Slice
- Living Streets Alliance
- Tucson Clean and Beautiful
- Live Theatre Workshop
- Arizona Game and Fish Department
- Tucson Audubon Society
- Arizona Commission on the Arts
- Ecogro
- Internation Dark Sky Association
- Tucson Disc Golf Association
- Tucson Botanical Gardens
- Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona
- Rattlebox Farm
- The Garden Kitchen
- Sky Island Alliance
- CEDO Intercultural
FAQ
The mall isn’t far, that’s true. But when you’re here it might as well be on another planet. We do not have an open campus but do provide good lunches here in the Blue Sky Café as part of our culinary – or Farm-to-Kitchen program. We need you in class and if you are not, we’ll come find you. Just give us 9am to 3pm. And we’ll give you a good education.
Our location is very central and on major SunTran bus routes that cross Broadway and Wilmot. Many of our students come by city bus, some walk, and others are driven or drive themselves. We are not able to provide school transportation but we will help you with the bus routes and we always have bus fare if you need it.
Well that depends on what you want your education to be. A smaller school will mean that your classes are smaller and you will have a better chance to learn at your own pace. You will be able to do things here that bigger schools don’t offer–for example, field trips are a big part of the program here as are hands-on activities and projects. We build things and grow things and take care of chickens. And we listen to you and try to pay attention to what you are interested in.
Yes! Our graduation rate is very high–nearly 100% every year. We encourage our graduates to enroll at Pima so that they continue to have smaller classes and good teachers and lower tuition. After two years you will either have an Associate’s degree, a trade certificate, or an opportunity to transfer to a 4-year college and be ready for courses in your college major. Before becoming the Founder of Sky Islands, Dr. Shari Popen taught at the college and university level for 20 years, and we have designed your education here not only to prepare you to enter college but to do well and succeed on the path you take.
Sky Islands is fully accredited by WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges), a national accreditation organization. While it is not a requirement to graduate from an accredited school in order to get into college, we believe that you have a right to assurance that our program is recognized by educators nationally and that we are constantly working to build on and improve teaching and learning successes. Courses emphasize problem-solving and critical thinking, as well as collaboration and design thinking–all core criteria for success at work and in college. Not every school or program will give you an education–choose your high school carefully.
Sky Islands is listed on the WASC website under “Sky Islands School.” SIHS accreditation number is 69 42290 999. Please follow this link: https://www.acswasc.org/ for more information.
Testimonials
