The school district is honoring the former teacher, coach, principal and mentor by dedicating the gymnasium at the new high school in his name.

Members of the football, baseball, softball and tennis teams begin by changing in the locker rooms at school, and then, instead of practicing at their own school, they board a bus and travel to their old high school across town - which has been vacant since 2006.

The board voted to reinstate serving lunch at the elementary school, where it's been suspended since the 2008-09 school year due to a $38,000 budget deficit. For the last year and a half, students had to hop on a bus that ferried them to Tombstone High School for their mid-day meal.

Tombstone Superintendent Karl Uterhardt is preparing for the worst, but hoping for the best as state legislators decide the future of Arizona’s education system with pending cuts to funding.

So far the Arizona State Legislature has made no decisions, but Uterhardt is expecting budget cuts ranging from 6 to 9 percent of TUSD’s $6.5 million budget for this fiscal year. Nine percent is equivalent to a $420,000 cut of the maintenance and operations budget used predominantly for teacher salaries and benefits.

Two, four ,six, eight, who do we appreciate?!

For the Tombstone High School cheerleading squad that is an easy question — the Tombstone community. The squad is preparing to participate in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City on Nov. 26 for the first time.

The squad received a formal invitation from Mike Miller & Associates, the planning company that selects squads and individual cheerleaders from across the nation who show extraordinary skill and strength in cheerleading.

THS offers students who have fallen behind a way to graduate on time.

Combating drop out rates, Tombstone High School is offering students a second chance for the first time.

With the introduction of a new online program called Education Options, students at THS who have failed or fallen behind in courses are now able to make up units in hopes of graduating on time.

As federal stimulus money makes its way into states, counties, towns, homes and schools, Tombstone Unified School District will be sharing in the wealth.

The district will receive $221,000 through Title I grant money and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, a federal stimulus program signed by President Obama in February, said Tombstone Unified School District Superintendent Karl Uterhardt.

As the school year winds down, seniors at Tombstone High School will have to take into consideration the declining economy they will be entering into. Many students are planning on attending a local community college, while some chose to enlist in military services or stay close to home for work.

According to the Arizona Department of Education, the four-year graduation rate is 71 percent at THS, which is slightly less than the state average of 73 percent.

Counselor Sam Hopkins said a majority of the students will go on to a community college within the county, but it’s hard to say how many will actually finish their two-year-degree and go on to a four-year college.

In its second year, the Future Farmers of America (FFA) students are trying to enhance their program at Tombstone High School.

“It’s hard starting out a new program, especially on such a low budget,” said Amanda Telles, FFA Adviser.

The agricultural education and FFA programs are running on a $40,000 budget, which includes the teacher’s salary. This amount is extremely low for an agricultural program.

Joanne Coppola, director of Career Technology Education, said the program is funded through Career Technology Education (CTE) grant, JTed (joint technical education district) grant and fundraising.

The majority of the schools with a FFA program have a barn or workshop to better enable the students to have a hands-on, agricultural experience.

Tombstone High, however, does not have a barn.

For majority of students from Tombstone High School choir and band programs, music is an outlet for expression.

“Music gives students a different way to get to know each other and express themselves,” said freshman Katie Sepulveda.

For the first time in four years, the school district has a music program that offers band and choir. The school district originally cut the program due to a lack of money and faculty.

Tombstone School District Superintendent Karl Uterhardt estimated it takes $50,000 per year to run the music program, which includes teacher’s salary and reconditioned instruments. 

“Once the music program disappeared it left a void in the school,” said principal Robert Devere.

This year the school district was able to obtain the Instructional Improvement Grant, which limits how the school can spend money. The funds are specifically geared toward implementing new programs, Devere said.