Flowing Wells High School, a model of success in northwest Tucson, Arizona, is more than a school; it is a community of learners – it is a family. At FWHS, there is an infectious energy that permeates the grounds, the classrooms, and the hearts of those who enter our campus. This contagious energy radiates into successes, where our students boldly defy the economic hardships and personal struggles of our diverse population. Our students are kind, talented, artistic, driven, compassionate, intelligent, and overwhelmingly supportive of each other. Because of this we have been recognized seven times as an A + School and as a National Blue Ribbon School.


What we do at Flowing Wells High School only partly defines us; it is also what we don’t do that also makes the difference. We don’t give up, we don’t settle, and we don’t ever fail to see the greatness of our students and faculty as they face the burgeoning promise of a daring new future. Our students are our prized assets; they are our purpose and our gauges of accomplishment and success. Their resiliency in the face of challenging circumstances and a rapidly changing world inspires us, motivates us—drives us to become better people and educators. We teach them to dream big, push forward, and achieve. Then they do.


Flowing Wells High School is a home. Home is where you feel safe and secure to be yourself. Home is where you turn to important family members for guidance, support, and love. Home is where it is okay to make mistakes, to learn in different ways, and to have a bad day. Flowing Wells High School is home, and our students, our staff, our community—we are all family.

100% Initiative

The 100% initiative is a prek-12 commitment Flowing Wells School District to ensure that 100% of our students engage in a post-secondary educational experience, including college, trade schools, the military, and apprenticeships. The Initiative fosters student self-reliance leading to enhanced opportunities for students to discover their potential and achieve success.  

American Music Educators Association
2004	Dr. John Pedicone	Raymond G. Van Diest Music Advocacy Award
2010	Robert Gaston	O. M. Hartsell Excellence in Teaching Music Award
2010	Dr. Nicholas Clement	Raymond G. Van Diest Music Advocacy Award
2012	Ellen Kirkbride	George C. Wilson Leadership/Service Award
2019	Jennifer Brobeck	Outstanding New Choral Educator of the Year
Arizona Educational Foundation #1 Arizona School
1986	1986 #1 Secondary School
Arizona Educational Foundation A+ School of Excellence Award
1986	1986 A+ School of Excellence Award
1991	1991 A+ School of Excellence Award
2004	2004 A+ School of Excellence Award
2010	2010 A+ School of Excellence Award
2013	2013 A+ School of Excellence Award
2017	2017 A+ School of Excellence Award
2023	2023 A+ School of Excellence Award
AEF Teacher of the Year
1986	Karyn Blair	Ambassador for Excellence
1988	Judy Matthews	Ambassador for Excellence
1990	Rachel Moreno	Teacher of the Year
1992	Curt Bertelsen	Ambassador for Excellence
1993	Phyllis Fassio	Top 10
1997	Patty Stowers	Teacher of the Year
1998	Michele Jackson	Ambassador for Excellence
2001	Alberto Urquidez	Top 10
2002	Maria Frontain	Teacher of the Year
2003	Robert Gaston	Top 10
2005	Beverly Waters	Top 10
2008	Rebecca Hurst	Top 10
2014	Robert Becker	Top 10
2019	Rachel Lodge	Top 10
2020	Nathaniel Rios	Ambassador for Excellence
2021	Jeffrey Mann	Top 10
2024	Bridget Montoya	Top 10
Arizona School Administrators
2002	Karyn Blair	Distinguished Administrator, Secondary Principal of the Year
2017	James Brunenkant	Distinguished Administrator, Secondary Principal of the Year
Arizona School Boards Association Golden Bell Award
2004	FWHS ILS Program-Diamondbacks Crew
2011	100% Initiative
UA Teacher of the Year, now UA AmAZing Teacher of the Year
1995-1996	Loyd Wren	Honor Roll
1996-1997	Patty Stowers	Teacher of the Year Hall of Fame
1998-1999	Pat Weber	Teacher of the Year-Finalist
1999-2000	Lee Jessen	Teacher of the Year-Finalist
2000-2001	Alberto Urquidez	Teacher of the Year-Finalist
2001-2002	Maria Frontain	Teacher of the Year-Finalist
2002-2003	Robert Gaston	Teacher of the Year-Finalist
2003-2004	Gerald Peterson	Teacher of the Year-Finalist
2004-2005	Beverly Waters	Teacher of the Year-Finalist
2005-2006	Ken Tower	Teacher of the Year-Finalist
2006-2007	Brent Neilson	Teacher of the Year-Finalist
2007-2008	Demetria Murray	Teacher of the Year Hall of Fame
2008-2009	Rebecca Hurst	Teacher of the Year Hall of Fame
2009-2010	Joe Rustici	Teacher of the Year-Finalist
2010-2011	Anna Heyer	Teacher of the Year-Finalist
2012-2013	Robert DeWitt	Teacher of the Year-Finalist
2013-2014	Robert Becker	Teacher of the Year-Finalist
2014-2015	Kimberly Loyd	Teacher of the Year Hall of Fame
2015-2016	Robin Pakka	Teacher of the Year-Finalist
2018-2019	Rachel Lodge	Teacher of the Year-Finalist
2019-2020	Nathaniel Rios	Teacher of the Year-Finalist
2020-2021	Jeffrey Mann	Teacher of the Year Hall of Fame
2023-2024	Bridget Montoya	Teacher of the Year - Finalist
Fulbright Awards
2016	Robin Pakka	Fulbright-Hays Group Project Abroad
		Fulbright Memorial Fund Master Teacher Program
		Fulbright International Teacher Program
Milken Educator Award
2001	Alberto Urquidez
National Association of Secondary School Principals
	National Association of Secondary School Principals
2010	Nathan McCann	National NASSPA/VIRCO Asst. Principal of the Year
National Board Certified Teachers
2017	Karen Daly	Early Adolescence/Science
2020	Bridget Betterton Montoya	Mathematics AYA (Adolescent/Young Adult)
2021	Caitlyn Ferell	Early Young Adult_English Language Arts
Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching
1998	Michele Jackson	Winner
2023	Bridget Montoya	Winner
Raytheon Leaders in Education - Tucson Values Teachers
2017	Elyse Adams	Teacher of the Year-Finalist
2018	Bridget Montoya	Teacher of the Year-Finalist
2019	Ellen Kirkbride	Teacher of the Year-Finalist
2020	Christopher Pankratz	Teacher of the Year
2021	Jeffrey Mann	Teacher of the Year-Finalist
2022	Ariana Brown	Teacher of the Year
2023	Jason Brown	Teacher of the Year-Finalist
2023	Bridget Montoya	Teacher of the Year
RODEL Exemplary Teacher
2008	Demetria Murray
RODEL Aspiring Principal
2016	Henry Linker
RODEL Exemplary Principal
2012	James Brunenkant
United States Department of Education Blue Ribbon Schools
	Blue Ribbon School
	Blue Ribbon School
Various Awards and Honors
1998	Michele Jackson	Wright Flight Teacher of the Year
2017	Patrick Weber	AZ Interscholastic Association Administrator of the Year
2017	Travis Klein	National Financial Literacy and Economics Education Teacher of the Year
2017	Caitlin Reynolds	AZ Agriculture Teachers Association-Outstanding Work in Agriculture Education
2018	Caitlin Reynolds	Arizona Agriculture Teachers Association Outstanding First-Year Teacher
	Allison Embacher	AZ Family and Consumer Sciences Education (FACS-ED) New Teacher of the Year
	Ramon Rodriquez, support staff	Martin Luther King "Realize a Dream"
2019	Flowing Wells High School	AZ Daily Star Reader's Choice Award-Best Public School - winner
2020		Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction Community Partners Putting Prevention to Work Award
2020	Andrew Thomas	Choral Director's Association Outstanding New Educator Award
	Jordan Saul	Choral Director's Association Outstanding New Educator Award
	Rachel Lodge	VFW Post 10188 Teacher of the Year
	Caitlyn Ferell	Scarlet and Gray Ohio State University Alumni Association Teacher of the Year
	Jeanette Wingate	National History Day Patricia Berring Teacher of the Year Finalist
	Teri Laguna	Mary Kay Haviland Fund
	Angus Donaldson	Arizona Agriculture Teachers Association Outstanding First-Year Teacher
2023	Kimberly Loyd	Pima JTED Legendary Teacher of the Year - Satellite campuses