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Our History

Utterback opened its doors in 1959. The school is named after Madge Utterback who taught vocal music at Tucson High School for 33 years. In 1978 Utterback became one of the schools under the court ordered desegregation plan which changed the elementary schools feeding into Utterback. In order to be in compliance with the desegregation plan and attract students to the school, the administration and faculty researched and presented the district leaders with a proposal to add the magnet focus of creative and performing arts. The proposal was accepted and in the school year 1982-83 Utterback became a Fine Arts magnet school. The school went through an $8 million dollar rebuild starting in 1989 to make the facilities appropriate to the magnet focus. In addition to remodeling and refurbishing the existing structure, some of the additions were a 400 seat theater, 2 dance studios, 3 art rooms, a media center, a dark room, a band room and an orchestra room, both with rehearsal spaces, a black box theater, and expanded science rooms. Prior to 1993-94 Utterback served only 7th and 8th grade, that school year saw the arrival of the first 6th grade class. The Utterback community has continued to grow and change as the world has changed and now is looking forward to the future and the move toward interdisciplinary, project-based, fine arts focused instruction.

Our Awards

Through the years Utterback and Utterback students have earned many awards and honors. Some of the more recent accomplishments are:

  • 2009-10 TUSD City Champions in both Boy’s Basketball and Boy’s Volleyball
  • Drama Department recognized by University of Arizona as Outstanding Theater Program
  • 2007-2008 Magnet Schools of America Merit Award School of Distinction
  • 2006-2007 Magnet Schools of America Merit Award School of Excellence
  • 2007 Best Buy Teach Award Grant
  • 2007-2008 Utterback Library awarded the National Endowment for the Humanities “We the People Picturing America” grant
  • 2005-2006 Magnet Schools of America Merit Award School of Distinction
  • 2005-2006 Utterback Library first place winner of TUSD Middle School Reading Championship
  • 2004-2007 Magnet Schools Assistance Grant from U.S. Department of Education
  • Excellent and Superior ratings at Band and Orchestra Festivals
  • Multiple students awarded 1st and 2nd chair in District and State Honors Band and Orchestra
  • City Championships and/or Runners up in Girls Basketball, Soccer and Track and Field
  • Divisional Champions in Boys and Girls Volleyball, Track and Field, Soccer, Girls Basketball
  • Science Olympics finalists
  • MESA Club finalists
  • Award of Excellence as member of Top 200 Secondary Schools-US Department of Education.
  • State Exemplary Fine Arts site