Desert Trails~ HOME of the SOARING HAWKS

Survey/Conference Success/Dance/Feb.Events/

2012-02-01T05:56:00.000-08:00

Just a few days left for you to participate in the Paradise Valley Parent Satisfaction Survey! The link is on our school website, top of my blog and also provided right here.
We appreciate hearing from you! http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22DVY8AQ8LD

Parent~Teacher Conferences were a huge success, once again! Thank you to all parents who rearranged schedules, found a babysitter, and carved one more thing into your week, to come and allow us to share the progress of your child(ren). For those of you who participated in a Student-Led Conference, I trust you enjoyed seeing the growth and hearing directly from your child on their progress!

Sweetheart Dance is in full gear for the evening of Feb. 17- THANKS to parent volunteers Millie Stevenson, Suzanne van Dobben and Christina Porambo!
This PTO provided fun night will be held in the DT cafeteria, starting at 7pm and ending at 9pm.
Current students attending Desert Trails will be allowed entrance with a parent.
DROP OFFS will NOT be admitted. Parents must stay during the dance, and take advantage of getting to know your Desert Trails community!!!!

Events
2/2 Governing Board meeting 7pm
2/6 Safety meeting 8am
2/7 Half Day~ Students Dismissed at 12:30 (No Lunch)
2/13-2/17 DTES Field Days
2/16 STAR Student Lunch with Mrs. Lee Mimi's Cafe
2/17 Regional Spelling Bee "Good Luck Sammi!"
2/17 PTO DANCE 7pm-9pm NO DROP OFFS!
2/20 No School~ President's Day Recess
2/22-2/24 6th Grade to Catalina
2/27-3/2 PTO READ-A-THON!
3/1 School Council meeting 7:45 am

S/S/S/S

2012-01-25T10:20:00.000-08:00

Sammi S. is our Desert Trails' Spelling Bee Champ who came out in the top 9 at the District wide Spelling Bee Contest! Sammi will now move on to the Regional Spelling Contest to be held this March. CONGRATULATIONS to Sammi!

Survey for PV Parents is now available! At the top of this blog and posted on our school website you will find the link to this super quick survey! We would love to hear from you~
While you are at school for drop off/pick up/volunteering please know a computer is available in our front lobby for you to take this quick survey! Your feedback is appreciated. Thank you~

Solar project still on the Desert Trails horizon! Stop by the front lobby and take a look at the beautiful poster display of this GREEN money saving project!

Student On-Line Tutoring for your child~ another reminder that your child can contact the PV On-Line Tutoring FREE to receive homework help! This new service is going strong throughout our district and students of all grade levels are encouraged to call. The flyer can be found at the top of my blog!!

PTO PLEA

2012-01-18T10:34:00.000-08:00

NEEDED & WANTED: Dance Night Chair

WHY: If you don't Chair we won't have a dance! Please consider volunteering!!!
Our Students look forward to dancing the night away with friends!!!

PTO is busy making plans now to host a fun-filled evening for all D.T. students.

Food & Music & Sock Hop & Bee Bop!
Date: Friday, February 17,
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
In the Multipurpose Room @ DTES

This is a great time for parents to mingle, arrange play dates, and get to know their neighbors!

Contact Karrie Bakkila, Desert Trails PTO President, kkbakkila@gmail.com for any questions!

THANK YOU!

Talk to us!/District Parent Survey/SOLAR/IMPACT 2/

2012-01-12T10:21:00.000-08:00

Let us hear from you! ~ Your ideas, your concerns and questions are very important to me. Establishing lines of communication are important to me and over the years I have initiated several avenues for you to provide your thoughts: Quick responses to your emails and phone calls, Feedback to Grow link, Parent survey 2 times a year, open door policy, invitations to special school meetings, Coffee with the Principal, etc.... So many times parents have offered great suggestions and ideas that we have put into place! I appreciate hearing from you!

This month parents will have 2 opportunities to provide feedback. One survey, School Council Parent survey, will be offered at our Parent~Teacher Conferences where we will be using paper surveys to gather your input, and the other~ our annual District Parent Satisfaction survey will be offered on-line, in which we will have computers in the lobby for parents to access that survey. We would like to get 100% participation on both surveys as we will rely on your input as we move forward with programs, curriculum, and staffing decisions. THANK YOU!!!

Annual Parent Satisfaction Survey – Thursday, January 12– Saturday, February 4 at midnight.

Parents are encouraged to provide input about the schools their children attend in the online, district-wide parent satisfaction survey. The survey is available from Thursday, January 12 through Saturday, February 4, 2012 at midnight. Parents are invited to complete the survey one time for each school in which they have a student enrolled. Parent feedback will be used to provide input to improve services for children and families. At the top of this blog and on our school website the link has been provided. Watch for reminders coming home!

SOLAR at Desert Trails is coming soon! Displayed in our Lobby is a beautiful poster showing the plan for the solar panels soon to be going in at D.T. You will see how well the panels are laid out, and the area to be covered. During the many phases of this project our parking lots will be under construction. Please keep in mind Cashman park parking lot will become a life saver for pick up & dropping off students as we move through this timeline of work. I will be asking all staff to be parking in the Cashman parking lot to leave our school parking spaces for our parents. Your patience and support as we undergo this great energy efficient venture, will be greatly appreciated! I will keep you posted as we move closer to the launching date- in the meantime, stop in a take a look at the poster!

IMPACT Part 2~ As the past blog shared, teachers have redesigned their instructional day to carve out an IMPACT time to reach all learners in the area of math. Our Kinder and First grade teachers collectively have agreed to utilize their IMPACT time in the area of reading. With the new state law establishing a possible retention by the year 2013 for all 3rd grade students not reading at grade level, our teachers felt that every possible minute that could be devoted to reading would be extremely valuable for all of our students. We are excited about this new direction and we are confident that great results will be obtained.

Impact Time/Parent Survey/Speaker/Conference Dates

2012-01-10T09:05:00.000-08:00

At Desert Trails we are continually striving to identify and meet our student's needs. Today, during our Teacher In-Service, teachers will be collaborating together in a Professional Learning Community, where they will use data to pinpoint specific weaknesses and strengths our students possess. All students from time to time need a little "polishing" on certain concepts and skills but as quickly as the day goes by- we can be left with the question "When do we get to that?"
One of my goals, is to never accept the status quo, but to make a difference. Working with the teachers, we have done just that. We will not accept that our students have needs, or that students could be doing more, and we don't have the time- so we will make some changes!
We did!
I have asked teachers to build into their days a 30-40 minute IMPACT time for ALL students! In the subject of Math, student's who need the polishing, students who need the reinforcement, and students who are ready for the next jump up will get this embedded time during their school day! Teachers have worked diligently to move from teaching subjects in isolation to integrating and blending subjects together. An example would be to move away from a "writing block" to integrating writing in Social Studies or Science, still using the same writing objectives and goals but with a Social Studies or Science topic. Be sure to ask your child(ren) about this special time and during your Parent~Teacher Conference be sure to get more information from your child's teacher.
We are all really excited about this new opportunity for our students, and we are sure it will IMPACT them in a very positive way!

On-Line District Parent Survey is coming out soon! Be on the look out for this opportunity for you to share your input. This important survey will take "2 minutes" to complete, but will provide valuable input to daily operations! I will send out the link asap!

Our Kindness Committee invited Mr. Andy Cohn as our guest speaker to talk with our students about developing positive social skills. Andy, who is now in a wheelchair, due to a car accident at age 16- is a Paralympic Wheelchair Rugby player and is part of the Team USA. They won the Gold Medal in Beijing China, the Bronze in Athens, and many more major achievements! We will watch for Andy in the London Paralympics this coming Septemeber, once again representing the USA!
Some of the things Andy stated that I thought were important to note:
"See the person IN the chair, not the chair - Look out for each other and we all succeed." Andy also challenged the kids to find other ways to treat each other besides saying unkind things. Thank you PTO and KINDNESS for bringing such a positive role model to Desert Trails!

Jan. 23-26 Parent~Teacher Conferences

2012/Safety/Get Involved/Jan. Events/Link

2012-01-05T09:28:00.000-08:00

Write it on your heart that each day will be the best day of the year. Emerson.

Happy New Year to all of our Desert Trails' families! I eagerly look forward to all of the
positive and innovative challenges that come with a new year! Our Parent~Teacher Conferences are right around the corner, and we relish this time to share your child(ren)'s many accomplishments during the first semester. Be watching for conference information coming home soon. Also, this will be the time when we offer a survey to our parents to gather input on different items. Your input is valued by each School Council member, so please take the time to let us hear from you! Surveys will be distributed during Conference Week and will also be available in the Office starting 1/23 through 1/27. THANK YOU!

Safety First~ is always a priority at Desert Trails, but we need your help. Please continue to drive slowly while in parking lots, and within the crosswalk zones. Dropping off & parking within the crosswalk zones is illegal and can cause serious complications for drivers who are then forced to pass (which is also illegal within the crosswalk zone). Let's take an extra minute and do all we can to make sure not only your child, but all of our children are safe coming and going to school.

Get involved~at Desert Trails! We can't do what we do, without YOU, our wonderful parents. If you have an hour a week or an hour a day we have lots of ways for you to get to know us better and be involved! Reading with students in a small group, working one on one with a student in math or reading, assisting the teacher in the classroom, copying, helping in the Library, etc... Contact your child's teacher, PTO, or the office!!

January Events
1/4 Back in School
1/5 School Council
1/9 Author Gary Hogg visit to 2nd Grade
1/9 Kindness Assembly Andy Cohn Guest Speaker
1/10 Early Release Students Dismissed at 12:30 (NO LUNCH)
1/12 Governing Board Meeting 7pm
1/16 MLK No School
1/17 Catalina 6th Grade Parent meeting 6:30 pm
1/19 STAR Student lunch with Mrs. Lee @ Mimi's Cafe
1/23-1/26 Parent~Teacher Conferences
1/26 Early Release Students Dismissed at 12:30 (NO LUNCH)
1/27 Early Release Students Dismissed at 12:30 (NO LUNCH)
2/2 School Council meeting 7:45 am
1/20 District Spelling Bee (Good Luck~Sammi)

New Link~At the top of my blog you will find several links to give you access to more information. Today I have added a link for easier access to our School Council agendas & minutes. Enjoy!

Spelling Bee/January Events/SpeakUp!Community 5K Run

2011-12-19T09:00:00.000-08:00

From~Jane Howard, Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one! The Staff and I wish you the Happiest of Holidays to you and your families!

Spelling Champs! On Dec. 9, Desert Trails held its annual Spelling Bee. However, this was not our usual Bee. This was a first for Desert Trails, as we were running out of words!
This group of excellent spellers just kept spelling correctly!!!! Nice Job!
Participants and Alternates: Sydney B./Chloe F./Evan F./Harrison G./Hannah H./Jennifer I./Brian M./Hannah H./Kylie K./Taylor M./Ethan N./Emilio P.-R./Ashton R./Aliyah S./Julia S./Sammi S./Matt W./Adain W./Samantha B./Nathan O./Abby B./Mary B./Alex J./Matthew L./Sam M./Serena P./Kylie S.
Mrs. Bier and Mrs. Warner planned a very successful Bee. Our judges: Mike Lee, Pinnacle Peak, Principal; Jennifer Minor, Sonoran Sky, Principal; Tammy Hall, District Title Coordinator;
Dr. Rob Allen, District Director of Assessment.
Our Spelling Bee winner for the 2011-2012 school year~ Sammi S. &
Runner up~Ashton R.
CONGRATULATIONS to ALL participants!!!

January Events
1/4 School Resumes
1/5 School Council meeting 7:45 am
1/10 Early Release Students Dismissed at 12:30 (No Lunch)
1/12 Governing Board Meeting 7:00 pm
1/16 MLK No School
1/17 Catalina Parent meeting Chaperones 6:00/ All 6th grade parents 6:30 pm
1/17-2/2 Parent Satisfaction Survey window ( link to come )
1/19 STAR Student lunch with Mrs. Lee~ Mimi's Cafe
1/20 District Spelling Bee
1/23-1/27 Parent~Teacher Conferences
1/26 & 1/27 Early Release Days Students Dismissed at 12:30 (No Lunch)

SpeakUp! window closes Dec. 28~your input provides valuable feedback for the technology direction in PV. Please take just a minute to complete! Thank you! (link at the top of my blog)
Tax Credit! deadline is Dec. 31. On-line donation link can be found at the top of my blog!

Paradise Valley schools Community 5K Run will be held on Saturday, February 11, 2012
Find the flyer at the top of my blog! See you there! ( you can also walk & bring the family!)

ON-LINE TAX CREDIT DONATION!

2011-12-14T14:41:00.000-08:00

LINK FOR ON-LINE TAX CREDIT DONATION NOW HERE!!!! Go to my blog!

A letter from a *parent at Desert Trails:
You can make a huge difference in your child’s education!
Do you know that if we mobilize a large majority of our families, we have the potential to direct up to $120,000 to Desert Trails’ before & after school programs, without any additional cost to us? (And that is a very conservative estimate). These are dollars that we are already paying in taxes to the State of Arizona, but instead of going directly to support your child, they go into a state fund. Put your tax money to work where it matters: for your child.

· If you are already due to pay state taxes you can donate up to $200 for singles and $400 for married couples. Then you can make this donation and get every dollar back (deducted) when you file your tax return!

· Decrease your federal tax liability when you make this contribution!

· Increase your miles or points on your credit card when you make this contribution!

· Many large corporations have a ‘Gift Matching’ program! Use the program to double your support to your child’s school~Desert Trails (at no extra cost to you)!

· Support the school and your community!
Spread the word to your neighbors! Some of them might not have kids in school any longer and you think they will not care. However, research shows that communities with excelling schools attract buyers and increase property value. There is a direct correlation between the performance of the school and the value of the properties in the community the school serves.
*This Desert Trails' parent has offered to answer any of your questions. Please contact the office for the phone number.
We are very excited to introduce our district tax credit donation website. Making a contribution to receive your Arizona Public Education Tax Credit is simple when doing it through this site.
TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE 2011 TAX YEAR DONATIONS MUST BE MADE BY 12/31/11

Tax Credit Made Easy!

2011-12-06T10:21:00.000-08:00

We are happy to announce the Paradise Valley Unified School District has launched an Online Webstore for Tax Credit Donations.
A link is provided: http://www.pvschools.net/taxCreditInfo.htm so that donors will be taken to an online site where you may donate using their debt or credit card. I am also in the process of getting a link set up on our school website! Anyone using this avenue of making a donation will be issued an email receipt that you may use for tax purposes. Donations can be made via this link up until the deadline~ Midnight~Dec. 31, 2011.

THANK YOU!!!!

Finally, Homework Without Tears!

2011-12-01T10:25:00.000-08:00

In Paradise, we are always investing in opportunities for your child to have the best academic experience~ that includes doing their homework!!! Paradise Valley School District is now offering free, on-line, homework support to students of all ages, and all subject areas.
Read on....

Every Monday through Thursday 3pm to 7pm students needing tutoring can be accessed from home - tutors are "in your home!!!"

Students, parents and teacher-parents are highly complimenting the program!
Visit my blog, and click on the link "On-Line Tutoring" for the Super Amazing flyer for more details!

Happy Homework! (Happy Learning!)

Holiday Shop/SpeakUp!/Tax Credit/Dec. Events

2011-11-28T08:28:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, Nov. 29 through Dec. 2, our Holiday Shop is back & open for business! Students will have the opportunity to purchase small gifts for family and friends while using their math skills! Our wonderful PTO has brought this fun experience back to Desert Trails to emphasize thoughtfulness, friendship, and love toward others; some of the most important Life Skills we want for all of our children! The Holiday shopping list should have gone home last week. If you need another one, please contact your child's teacher or drop by the office to pick one up!

In keeping with four years running now, SpeakUp! 2011 is now open. Perhaps now more than ever, participation is warranted. Parents, staff and students are encouraged to participate. The data is used in many small and large forums. Please go directly to my blog and click on the SpeakUp! link. Thank you!!

Do you pay Az. Taxes? Well, the Tax Credit deadline is approaching quickly and we need your help! Our iCamp, GenYes, Reading Rocks, Spanish, Drama, & Homework Clubs are all funded through your Tax Credit. PLUS---- the Tax Credit is available to all State of Az taxpayers, regardless of whether you have children in school. The amount you donate-up to $200 (or$400 per married couple)- will be the amount you may claim as a state tax credit. For example, if you donate $50, your state tax credit would be $50. A receipt will be mailed to you by the school.
We appreciate your Tax Credit as it allows us to offer wonderful before & after school programs for all of our students! Please call the office if you have any questions or go directly to the link provided on my blog. THANK YOU!!!

Events
12/1 School Council meeting 7:45 am
12/1 Governing Board meeting 7pm
12/7 Chorus Holiday Show @ DTES 6:30pm
12/14 PTO BINGO @ DTES 6:00-9:00pm
12/15 STAR Lunch with Mrs. Lee @ Mimi's Cafe
12/15 Governing Board meeting 7pm
12/21-1/3 Winter Break
1/10 Half Day Students dismissed at 12:30 (no lunch)

YOU DID IT AGAIN!

2011-11-16T17:43:00.000-08:00

Desert Trails Parents~THANK YOU for supporting us!!!

I am happy to report that both bonds have officially passed. The capital bond was approved and the money will be used to renovate and maintain schools, improve school grounds, and purchase school furniture, equipment, technology and school buses. Work is already beginning at sites where need is greatest. The rest will be phased-in over multiple years to honor our commitment to maintain the district tax burden at current levels. The capital override was also approved. That money will be spent on instructional materials and support vehicles.

Our United Parent Council, Principals, and Teachers, were all important factors in the final results by their collective effort in getting the word out about this important issue.
Thank you for once again supporting your excelling Desert Trail's PV School.
I am proud to be your principal and work with such great, supportive parents.

Troops/Socks/Pediatrics

2011-11-13T12:47:00.000-08:00

At Desert Trails we strive to Cultivate World Thinkers but we also take an active role in cultivating community awareness~

From Our Tents To Yours is a partnership between Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and local schools. The Sheriff's Office will be assembling and shipping soldier care packages to our troops. If you would like to let the men and women who serve our country know that we are thinking about them this season of giving, please see the attached list of needs. Then simply drop your item(s) off at school. The program runs Nov. 14-21st.

PTO and Shoebox Ministry is currently collecting warm, new socks for all size feet! Desert Trails has always been a big contributor in stepping up and providing warm socks for those less fortunate. This year we will be collecting Nov. 14 through Nov. 18th. Drop off at school all this week!

Do you know any "Twi-Hards"? Breaking Dawn comes out Friday November 18 and if you know anyone who wants to be one of the first to see it here in the Valley, then you need to pass on this fantastic info. The attached flyer "TWILIGHT" has details for the midnight showing at the new Studio Movie Grill in Scottsdale. A $20 dollar donation gets you a ticket to the movie and popcorn with proceeds going to Jordan's Jungle! Jordan is a past Desert Trails student who created his service oriented outreach to assist ill children. You'll also get a pass for two free movies at Studio Movie Grill, so it's basically a wash and it benefit's charity!!! What could be better? For more info on Jordan's Jungle, please check out www.JordansJungle.org.

The Mouse that.../Red Ribbon Success/PTO

2011-11-07T08:25:00.000-08:00

Paradise Valley High School's Drama students will be presenting "The Mouse that Roared"
on Nov. 8, 9, and 10th. 7:00pm curtain! Children & Students with ID $5.00 Adults & Students without ID $7.00. One of our very own past Desert Trails' students, Ms. Garcia, will be in this wonderful production! Flyers available in the Office.
Red Ribbon was once again a huge success! Many thanks go out to all parents who helped during the week long celebration & learning. Mr. & Mrs. Chase, Mrs. Hanna, Mrs. Henderson, Mrs. DeLine, Ms. Domingo and a SPECIAL THANKS to Mrs. Owens for organizing the entire week! The helicopter arrival is such an awesome event!

Grades 4, 5, & 6 attended an assembly on Friday that reviewed new football protocols, and cafeteria incentives! As we move forward allowing "FLAG" football at Desert Trails, Coach E. and our Duty Aides will be communicating with students the importance of good sportsmanship, self control, and following safety rules. Students are well aware that they may be removed from football if they chose to not follow the rules now firmly in place. Please speak with your child's classroom teacher should you have any questions.

Rainy Days procedures are now in place as our weather has taken its long awaited turn! Upon arrival, should the playgrounds be wet, have puddles, or it is raining we have established that our Library will open at 8:30 for all K-3 grade students. Also, our Cafeteria will be open at 8:30 for all 4, 5, & 6th graders. Teachers will come to each of these locations to retrieve their students at 8:55. During the day should it remain a "Rainy Day" students will go to lunch at the regular time, and instead of going outside, they simply return to their classroom for free time determined by the classroom teacher. Duty Aides will supervise during this time however, we can always use parents for this coverage time! Please plan some extra driving time on these days as there will be more cars dropping off and picking up students. SLOW DOWN in cross walks!

Parent Input

2011-10-31T12:27:00.000-07:00

If you missed the opportunity to share your input by filling out the survey during Parent~Teacher Conferences, I've created a link with the same form.
Please simply go to this pvlearners site CLICK HERE and answer the two questions regarding our Special Areas. Your feedback is important! If you already completed the survey, please do not fill it out again. We would like to have the most reliable feedback as possible.
THANK YOU!

Solar/Red Ribbon Week/

2011-10-27T08:21:00.000-07:00

Moving forward to save money- You will soon see solar structures at Desert Trails! We are very excited to be one of the first in the state to take advantage of this savings incentive by APS and the Arizona Corporation Commission. To make sure you have accurate information, I have attached articles at the top of my blog that you may read, should you want more information. Remember, you must go to my actual blog to get to the articles. They are located at the top under the solar headings. In Paradise Valley we are proud of our fiscal management, and want you to know in these tough economic times the district is doing everything we can to maximize the money we receive from taxpayers.

Red Ribbon Week Happenings-
Monday~ Winner's Don't Do Drugs! Kick off the week with a fun run-wear your team jersey!
Tuesday~ Give Drugs the Boot! Western Wear!
Wednesday~ Drugs Are No Match For Us! Mismatch day!
Thursday~ Peace Out to Drugs! Wear peace signs!
Friday~ Just Say No! Wear Red! Helicopter arrives at Desert Trails!!! (9:30ish)
THANKS to Andres O. for all of her hard work putting together this special week.
Please find an article, provided by Andrea, that you may find helpful!

New Faces/Proud % AIMS/Football/Nov. Events

2011-10-25T09:29:00.000-07:00

For nearly 8 weeks, it was my pleasure to fill the gap of crossing guard, before school & after! It always started & ended my day on such a happy note with the waves & shouts of good mornings/good byes from students and parents! However, my corner reign has come to a close-- You are now seeing Mr. Michael our new crossing guard! He has stepped in and is doing a wonderful job! Be sure to keep the waving up to make him feel welcomed at Desert Trails!!! Next- be looking for our new Campus Assistant, Mr. Lane. Lane has recently joined the Desert Trails' team to be our jack-of-all-trades! You will see him on the playground, in the classrooms, outside parking lots, cafeteria and also the office doing what needs to be done! Be sure and say hello to him! Last- but not least, in the cafeteria we have two new wonderful moms who have decided to make a positive difference at Desert Trails. Mrs. Deb & Mrs. Beth are in the cafeteria helping students eat and get outside to play! They have been awesome help!
These pro-active people have decided to roll up their sleeves and help support wonderful kids and an outstanding school. WE couldn't do it without THEM!

We are very proud of our 2011 AIMS results and I would like to share a glimpse of the outstanding work our dedicated teachers do on a daily basis.
2nd grade Math 84% (tied for 1st in the District) Meet & Exceeded the Standards/Reading 68% Meet & Exceed the Standards (tied for 3d in the District)/Writing 67% Meet & Exceed the Standards (tied for 2nd in the District).
3rd grade Math 85% Meet & Exceed/Reading 93% Meet & Exceed the Standards
4th grade Math 88% Meet & Exceed/Reading 96% Meet & Exceed the Standards/Science 92%
5th grade Math 80% Meet & Exceed/Reading 91% Meet & Exceed the Standards
6th grade Math 75% Meet & Exceed/Reading 98% Meet & Exceed the Standards
We are always working to improve what we do, and this information will be incorporated into
collecting further data, so teachers can continue to collaborate in Professional Learning Communities and work together to improve Best Practices at Desert Trails!

Football at Desert Trails is under construction, as I work with Students, Coach E., Teachers, and Duty Aides to move in a direction where students can play, be safe, and have fun. Football can get intense, and we have some very competitive students who like to win! Our challenge has been to direct that competitive spirit toward good sportsmanship, following rules, and being a leader instead of displays of physical aggression.
Coach E. has been working on foundational school wide rules, and he has been teaching students in grades 4, 5, & 6 these rules during P.E. classes. Duty Aides have met to review and give input to the rules, and teachers are meeting after Parent~Teacher Conferences to also do the same.
Our grades 4, 5, & 6 Football Assembly will launch playing football at Desert Trails this year.
I will visit classrooms next week in preparation of our assembly, and at that time rules will be coming home for parents. I am optimistic that our students can work together to make recess enjoyable and safe for all!

Nov. Events
11/1-11/4 Red Ribbon Week
11/4 Grades 4-5-6 Football Assembly 10:30am
11/4 PTO Movie in the Park 5:30-7:30
11/11 Veteran's Day ***No School
11/15 Catalina Chaperone meeting 6:00pm School front lobby
11/16 Strings Concert @ D.T. 7pm
11/17 STAR Student lunch with Mrs. Lee
11/23-11/25 Thanksgiving Recess ***No School

EXCELLING & A/Conferences & Survey/Principal Nathan's Report

2011-10-20T09:14:00.000-07:00

The "good news" has been released by the State, and Desert Trails once again claimed the Excelling status and achieved the letter grade A. We still have much to do and remain determined to improve our practice, procedures, and meet our student's needs.
CONGRATULATIONS DESERT TRAILS on this exceptional performance!

Parent~Teacher Conferences are next week- Oct. 24-27. Please remember that Wednesday, Oct. 26 and Thursday, Oct. 27 are half days- students are dismissed at 12:30 (no lunch will be served) and Friday, Oct. 28 is a K-8 Recess (no school).
As you attend your conference please be sure to take the time to complete the Parent Survey from School Council. We depend on gathering your input to assist us with decisions that come up during the school year. Parent Surveys will be outside classroom doors and also in the office.
Thank you from School Council- your input is valued.

Principal of the Day~ Nathan P. shares his day... "I had a great time as principal for the day although I got embarrassed a lot because I had to do everything. I got to go to a meeting in the morning (at 8am!), do morning announcements, listen and announce the student council speeches, manage the school, go to the cafeteria and watch, go to the classrooms to tell them the dress code, watch students work, do papers, and go to lunch with Mrs. Lee. Everybody greeted me like I was famous! My favorite part of the day was seeing all the kids!"

Grade/McTeacher Night/Coming Events

2011-10-12T09:20:00.000-07:00

Today, at 2:30 p.m., the Arizona Department of Education will be releasing the first "grades" for all Arizona public schools. The state is transitioning out of the model, known as Legacy, that featured labels such as "excelling" or "performing," to letter grades that are calculated in a totally new way. The new formula focuses far more heavily on student growth, from year to year. ADE has created a very nice (and somewhat easy to understand) explanation of how the "school grades" are assigned. You can read this information by clicking grade.

Once the information is released you will see the results of dedication, effort, time, and elbow grease by Desert Trails' students, teachers, and parents! It truly is, all about working together for these kids!!!
CONGRATULATIONS to DESERT TRAILS! I am proud to be serving as your principal and have a part in leading this school and impacting students in a positive way! Thank you for entrusting your child(ren) to us on a daily basis. We work diligently every day to make every student successful! I think you'll find the state agrees!

Picture Re-Takes will be Oct. 27

Coming Events
10/12 TONIGHT McTeacher Night at McDonalds Tatum & Bell 4:30-7:30
10/15 Media Fest at PV Mall
10/20 STAR Student lunch with Mrs. Lee
10/24 - 10/27 Parent Teacher Conferences
10/31-11/4 RED RIBBON WEEK
11/3 School Council meeting 7:45 Principal's Office
11/11 Veteran's Day K-12 Recess

Islands Night Out/K-12 Recess/Principal for the Day

2011-09-25T19:49:00.000-07:00

9/27 This Tuesday, from 4:00-close join your favorite teacher(s) for Desert Trail's PTO Island Night Out! This has always proven to be a fun and successful night for all! So, grab your family and join the D.T. family for dinner!!! 6th grade parents- don't forget our Catalina meeting at 6:30 in the cafeteria!

9/29 & 9/30 are both K-12 Recess Days. NO SCHOOL.

10/4 Principal for the Day~ Principal Nathan P.
According to Principal Nathan's calendar on this special day, he will be joining the Management Team for our monthly meeting, carrying out morning announcements, inaugurating Student Council Speeches, participating in classroom walk-thrus, facilitating cafeteria lunchtime, enjoying a special lunch with Mrs. Lee, and tending to a meeting with Mrs. Hall.
Stay tuned for his report about his day!

Traffic/Desert Ridge/STAR/No School

2011-09-20T15:09:00.000-07:00

At the request through School Council, I am pleased to report that the City of Phoenix has done an evaluation of our current pick up/drop off procedures at Desert Trails. The findings/results were very positive, and the procedures in place are safe and efficient. A suggestion to relieve the amount of cars that we do manage on a daily basis, could be to launch a NEIGHBORHOOD WALKING PROGRAM.
The City of Phoenix will come back to Desert Trails to assist in creating a safe walking route, and share ideas on making this program a success. This will take parent volunteers to coordinate and run. If anyone is interested, please contact the office!!!

Desert Ridge will be hosting Paradise Valley Schools this Saturday. Stop in and see all the great things happening in our District!

Star Citizens will be joining Mrs. Lee for lunch at Desert Ridge' Mimi's Cafe this Friday! These STAR students are "caught" making good choices, demonstrating acts of kindness or lots of other excellent qualities we stress at Desert Trails.
September Students are: Kinder-Ava R./1st-Chaz G./2nd-Isyss C./3rd-Manessah H./4th-Jansen M./5th-Noah P./6th-Bryce H. CONGRATULATIONS STARS!

Reminder: Thursday, Sept. 29 & Friday, Sept. 30 are NO SCHOOL K-12 Recess Days! Enjoy!

New Parent Rep./Picture Day/PTO

2011-09-07T09:21:00.000-07:00

First I would like to thank those who stepped up and offered their time & support to be involved with School Council. Those stellar individuals are: Laurel Lawton, Lisa Howe, Dania Schulman, Tracy Smitherman, and Joann Polk.
Next I would like to thank those of you who voted for the parent representative to serve on School Council. It gives me great satisfaction to know that at Desert Trails ALL parents have the opportunity to serve, vote, and be heard!
Last, but certainly not least I would like to announce our new parent who will serve on the School Council for the 2011-2012/2012-2013 school years. Please celebrate with me, Joann Polk.
As many of you know, Joann has two boys at D.T. and Jo has been instrumental on our wonderful PTO. I am very pleased to welcome Joann, and she is looking forward to being your liaison.

LIFETOUCH will be here Thursday for Picture Day!!

Did you hear that PTO is throwing an Ice Cream party? There are!!! For the classroom who gathers the most parent PTO memberships! We need moms and dads, grandmothers and grandfathers, aunts and uncles, neighbors too! Let's get the 2011-2012 PTO membership to hit the all time high! We have many events, technology ideas, field trips, guest speakers, playground ideas.... all just waiting for parent support! The D.T. PTO works hard to invest your money into activities that will enrich our student's educational experience. We cannot do the great things we do at D.T. without your support! PTO is counting on you~and the kids want the ice cream!!!

Welcome/Parent School Council Rep/Events

2011-08-29T10:46:00.000-07:00

Please welcome with me, Mrs. Victoria Saylor. Our new Kindergarten teacher. Victoria comes to Desert Trails with 5 years teaching experience, married, has 2 children, is a Copper Canyon parent, and in her words "very happy to be at Desert Trails!!"
Mrs. Sarah Banks, Wildfire parent, stepped in and got the school year under-way for our Kinder students. She did a wonderful job, and she will be missed. Thank you Sarah!

School Council interest forms are due this Wed. and our voting window will open Thursday, Sept. 1 and close Sept. 3. My next blog will contain the link and the steps you will need to follow to get to the voting site. Make sure you have/know your child's pvlearners password & username.
Contact your child's teacher today if you do not have it.

September Events
8/30 Ms. Saylor's Meet & Greet 5:30-6:30 in the classroom
9/1 Gov. Board Meeting 7pm
9/5 Labor Day-- No School
9/8 Picture Day
9/8 School Council Meeting 3:00-4:00 Front Lobby
9/13 UPC Links Showcase 6:00-8:00 pm (Contact PTO for more info)
9/20 Half Day- Students dismissed at 12:30 No lunch is served
9/24 Media Fest at Desert Ridge (more info coming)
9/26 Health Screening
9/27 Health Screening
9/27 6th grade Parent Catalina meeting 6:30-7:00 Cafeteria
9/28 Health Screening
9/29 & 9/30 K-12 Recess No School

Thank you/Blistering Hot/

2011-08-22T16:35:00.000-07:00

A very special THANK YOU goes out to parent, Christina Porambo, daughter Serena, and son Derek~~~ who painted all of the teacher's names on the playground side-walk for students and parents to easily find class-lines on the first day of school!!!!
They worked hard & it was a very warm day!!!

Speaking of warm days we are in for a few more!
So you won't worry, I want you to know we follow a Heat Index, that our Nurse Drew keeps tabs on each morning. Should we be in the range of the Heat Index Chart that is unsafe for children to be outside playing, she will call a HOT DAY!
We notify all classrooms around 11:00 each day- if we see the temperature is heading that way.

Awesome job in the parking lot, school zones, and curb pick up/drop off. Thank you very much for all of the awareness and patience you are bringing to Desert Trails when driving. It is greatly appreciated. Keep it up and we will have an even safer, super, school!!!!

Safety First/News Reporter Chloe/Positions/EVENTS/

2011-08-18T09:21:00.000-07:00

Day 5 and we are well under way. With the temperature rising, and the excitement of the new school year, our parking lot suffers the higher than normal drivers. PLEASE plan for this when dropping off or picking up your child(ren). Allow enough time (a few extra minutes) to get in and get out safely.
ALSO--- our school zones have a posted speed limit that you must adhere to.
Students are not to be walking across or in the parking lots without an adult/parent walking with them. PLEASE do not pull up, and motion to your child to cut across the parking lot, for pick up. This is putting your child at risk and allowing other students seeing this,could make them think that it is "ok" to do.
We are so fortunate to have Cashman Park as an annex. Students can safely cross with a cross guard and be dropped off/picked up in that lot.
RED CURBS are a NO PARKING zone as is the CROSSING ZONES and the FRONT OF OUR SCHOOL, where marked by City signs.
We need all parents to partnership with us in protecting ALL OF OUR PRECIOUS STUDENTS,
but it takes ALL OF US. We can not do this without your assistance.
School Council will be looking at ideas to see if there are any steps that we could be taking to improve the system that has been in place since the school opened.
Starting school-Conference nights-Grade level events... plan on the parking lot being busy and full. Please share any and all ideas with your School Council Parent Rep.
We appreciate your input!!!
News Reporter Chloe is a second grade students at Desert Trails. She also is a Kid Reporter for Channel 12. Chloe was filmed reporting a special edition all about the First Day of School. The link is provided at the top of this blog if you would like to see Chloe in action! She did a great job, and we are proud to have her as one of our students!! Enjoy!
POSITIONS are open for helping/working at school. Crossing Guard, Cafeteria and Playground Supervision are all critical needs that we fill each year. These ARE paid positions. If you are interested please stop by the office. You can also go on line at the District website and apply!
Up COMING DAYS
8/23 Early Release St. out at 12:30 No lunch served
9/1 Gov. Board meeting 7pm
9/5 Labor Day Recess No School

Opportunity!

2011-08-13T16:48:00.000-07:00

As we start each school year, we always provide several opportunities for parents to be involved. One of those opportunities is being part of our School Council.
Please find the role of School Council Members:
Understand the vision and mission of the school
Understand the role of the principal
Participate- actively
Increase knowledge
Understand role in the process
Learn to work for consensus
Trust
Parent support decision
Staff support and enforce decision
Our Mission:
The mission of the Desert Trails' School Council is to support the school’s vision and mission through the evaluation of programs and providing feedback from all members of the community in the following areas:
Advise the Principal
Evaluate programs/services/expectations (i.e. Bullying, MYD, dress code, etc.)
Provide Feedback from Community
Enhance Parent/Educator Relations (Review student handbook)
Conduct Annual Parent Survey
Facilitate the development of New School Action Plan~COMPASS 2015
Recommend Tax Credit expenditures & communication of Tax Credit program
Consider and evaluate new initiatives (technology, programs, etc..)
Should you be interested in joining the School Council, you will find the nomination form at the top of my blog (to be posted by 8/17). If two or more parents submit nomination forms, I will send out through pvlearners a voting site- to provide all parents the opportunity to vote for the parent of their choice. Nomination forms are due to the office by Aug. 31, 2011.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact me. Thank you!

First Day Success/Parent Orientation

2011-08-11T18:26:00.001-07:00

What a wonderful first day we had! Smiling faces, lunch time happy chatter, seeing friends, and getting organized for a triumphant year! I hope your dinner time conversation was filled with all the great things that took place in your child's classroom.
Thank you for entrusting us to educate and care for your precious progeny!

Parent Orientation Night information came home today. Be sure and look on the back side of my welcome letter! Each grade level will do their presentation at a particular time. * Special note and a change from the schedule sent home: Mrs. Warner, our Gifted Specialist, will be in her classroom to meet parents with children in the Gifted program/Cluster rooms.

If you drove to school today, THANK YOU for being extra cautious. As more students feel comfortable riding the bus or have a friend to walk home with, our drop off/pick up times
will be much easier to facilitate that today! Thank you for your patience~and continue to
drive slowly when in our school zone!

Lunch time supervision is still needed for the school year. Come and help us and earn those extra dollars to offset perhaps----Starbucks! Yoga classes! New shoes! Whatever! We would love to have your help. 2 hours each day- 2 hours 3x a week- we are flexible with your availability.
Just stop by the school office and ask for Kim for more information!

I look forward to seeing you Tuesday night! Have a wonderful weekend!

Medly of Information!

2011-08-09T16:32:00.000-07:00

Do Drop In-- 8/10 Wednesday, 2:00-3:00 Be sure to bring your supplies and come say hi to your new teacher!
First Day of School--8/11 Thursday, 9:00-3:00 K-6 We'll be looking for you!
Placement--Class lists are officially posted on our front doors and also in Infinite Campus. No moves will be made so teachers can prepare for each student.
Pesticide & Herbicide Dates & Times --8/3-9/7-10/5-11/2-12/7-1/4-2/1-3/7-4/4-5/2-6/6-7/4 2011-2012 school year-- (6AM to 5PM)
Chemicals used: Boride, Transport, Advion Ant gel, Advion Ant bait, Advion Roach bait, Gentrol IGR, CB-38, CB 80, Contrac blox, Wasp freeze, Taistar, Motherearth, Termidor SC, Cy-kick
Parent Orientation Night--Tuesday, Aug. 16th 5:30-7:30 Be watching for the teacher's
special time to meet with you. NOTE~ Mrs. Warner, Gifted Specialist, will be meeting parents in her classroom!
Safety--At the first of each school year, I always try to send out a reminder that our school zones are officially back up and running. PLEASE assist us in making D.T. safe for our students while driving in our parking lots, through the school zones, and at the cross walks. Fines can be doubled! Also--- PLEASE do not stop or park along the side-walk where the NO STOPPING signs are posted. This can cause blind spots for on-coming traffic and children.
We need your help! Thank you!
New Kinder Class--Yes! Our numbers keep growing in Kindergarten and we have officially open the 4th section in Kinder. We are working around the clock to get the room ready, the teacher interviewed and hired, and in the meantime, have a teacher in the room this Thursday to welcome our students and get the year started off on the right foot. Growth anytime of year is always a challenge, but have confidence in us, that we will secure the best person for the job!!!
Thank you for your patience and working with us!

"Volunteers & Field Trip Chaperons"

2011-08-01T11:56:00.000-07:00

To: Parents, Step-Parents, Grandparents, Relatives, & Friends- who would like to be a volunteer at school or you are thinking about being a chaperon for any of our field trips, we have a new process in effect for this school year.
These recent changes to our district's chaperon and volunteer requirements is in an effort to be as safe as possible regarding those who work/interact with our children.
Please be on the lookout for more information coming home as the school year starts.
In a nutshell...
By the new process, any adult (including parents) participating at school or on a field trip, who will have moments where they are not being directly overseen by a staff member, must go through the background check clearance process.
This would include but not limited to~ working in the hallway with students, moving with a small reading/math group of students to an empty classroom, going to Catalina, the Zoo, Desert Botanical Garden, the Grand Canyon, etc. If you have any anticipation of participating as a volunteer/chaperon, pay close attention to information coming home. I wanted you to know now, so you can be on the lookout and be prepared whereas we will not be able to make any exceptions.
Again, more information will be coming home soon! Thank you!

Excited/V.I.Information

2011-07-28T18:39:00.000-07:00

I am getting very excited to start a brand new year with all of the great students and parents, who I claim as my Desert Trails' family! I hope each one of you had a wonderful summer.
The office staff and myself have been back to work now since mid-July, busy starting all of the planning it takes to successfully launch a new school year!!! We are registering new students daily, and it is a thrill to see our "school family" grow! I look forward to seeing everyone on our first day of school~ THURSDAY, AUGUST 11th!

Here are just a few things I'd like to share at this time:

WHICH DOOR? Student class lists will be shared with parents in two ways this year.
#1 Through Infinite Campus. You may log in on Monday, Aug. 8 to see your child's teacher
or
#2 DTES front office windows will once again display each classroom list on Aug. 9 after 4pm

DO DROP IN~ If you would like to drop in to say hi to your new teacher and also to bring in your school supplies our gracious teachers have offered to open their doors on Wed. Aug. 10 @ 2:00-3:00.

RING! RING! Be listening for a phone blast from our new PTO President, Karrie Bakkila! She will be sending home, via the phone, a very special Back to School message from our PTO!

WHERE TO GO! For students in grades 1-6, students are asked to go to the playground. Our hard working PTO once again has painted all teacher's names on the line-up side walk!
The bell rings at 8:55 and teachers will come out to take their students to their classrooms.
We ask that parents say their good-byes and allow the students to start their day!!!! All grades 1-6 will be dismissed in the same location at 3:00.
For our precious new Kinder students, the Kinder playground will be open at 8:30 with teacher cones set out for you to know which line is for you!!! Again, the bell will ring at 8:55! On the first day, parents are asked to escort their child into their new room and when the teacher let's you know, you'll be asked to join us in the cafeteria for my welcome & some very important information! At 2:50ish students will be dismissed in the same location. Also, keep your eyes open to see one of our District Administrators visiting Desert Trails. As tradition, these exceptional leaders make it a priority to visit schools on this very special day!

SAVE THE DATE~ Parent Orientation Night will be held earlier this year! Mark your calendar on Tuesday, August 16th as you will not want to miss this very important night. More information will come home Aug. 11.

That is it for now, but more will be coming soon!

Math Olympiad/Moving On?

2011-05-27T12:14:00.000-07:00

This just in: Several 5th & 6th grade students from DTES were among nearly 150,000 students worldwide to participate this year in the Math Olympiad competition. They participated in a series of 5 problems each, November to March. Students solved unusual and difficult problems while thinking critically and creatively. Out of 41 DTES students- 33 earned national awards for their excellence among all the mathletes participating this year.

Our DTES students finishing in the top 50 percent of all participants worldwide include:
5th grade: Taylor M. Chloe F. Michelle H. Jennifer I. Luke M. Jack B. Dominick M. Ethan N. Noah N. Michael P. Serena P. Logan P. Katrina S. Kylie S. Abigail W.
6th grade: Lauren R. Alek P. Caleigh O. Zach M. Shaley H. Molly H. Michael D. Jordan C.
Madi B. Alex B. Cyril A. Brian S. Abby S.

Two students earned a silver pin by finishing in the top 90-97 percentile of all mathletes.
6th grade: Cassidy B. Robert G.
Two students earned a gold pin for finishing in the top 2 percent worldwide.
6th grade: Danny C. Alex M.
Danny C. was our top DTES competitor with a score of 23 of 25. He was awarded the DTES trophy, for his outstanding performance!
The DTES team earned National Math Olympiad High Achievement award for finishing in the 80-89th percentile.

Moving on? Should you be leaving Desert Trails, and you would prefer to not receive my communications, please be sure to unsubscribe to this blog. If I could do it for you, I would... however your activating this account- requires you to deactivate it. Thank you!

2011-05-26T10:25:00.000-07:00

What Great Parents!/What a Great Year!

2011-05-26T09:56:00.000-07:00

Don't ever let it be said that Desert Trails' parents aren't involved at school- take a look at the picture and you will see two Desert Trails' parents who got dressed up to participate in second grade- Mrs. Maule's Joker Journal. If you can't tell- the parents are Mrs. Suzanne van Dobben & Mr. Philip Fortnam. For the kids- they went all out!

As I have looked back on the accomplishments this school year, I am blown away!!!
The saying is true: Together, we can do much! After this year, I say- Together, we can do more than we ever dreamed possible. From the academic success of our students, day in and day out to see our children, parents & teachers smiling, rolling up sleeves and working collaboratively with School Council, Safety Team, and PTO, all the way to the tiny seed of a dream for our students to have-- the D.ream T.ech (now known as the Imagination Center)...Desert Trails has success painted all over it's happy face!!!
None of this could have been accomplished without YOU, our parents!! You have held our hands and walked this walk with us this year-- and again, I thank you. Your financial support, your words of encouragement, your acts of gratitude kept our fires burning to soar higher!!
I wish you all a wonderful summer full of fun, safety, and special memories. For specifically our younger students, but all students attended, we brought in the Phx. Fire Dept. to share Water Safety & Fire Safety tips. I hope your 6th graders will share with you the presentation I shared with them on Internet safety- Digital Footprint. It is part of our COMPASS 2015 Digital Citizenship 21st Century Skills goals.
I trust they learned something and will be ever more vigilant about what they post and who they are talking with on the Internet.
As news comes my way throughout the summer I will be posting through this blog to stay in touch with you. Student placement will be released through Infinite Campus this year on August 8th. Also, mark your calendar, as school resumes August 11. !EVERY DAY COUNTS!
I eagerly look forward to next year~

Kinder Link/AIMS Results/Videos in the classroom

2011-05-09T18:44:00.000-07:00

APPRECIATION DAY IN KINDERGARTEN
I thought you would enjoy watching a few of our "most precious resources".... our kinder students!!!
A handful of Desert Trails' kindergarten students were paid a visit by Smart Family Channel 15. and asked "Why is Kindergarten so special?"
Click on the link at the top of my blog to watch this adorable footage!!

2011 STUDENT AIMS RESULTS AVAILABLE FOR SUMMER PICKUP BY PARENTS IN DISTRICT OFFICE

The state test results that will be mailed by the district to student homes this summer will be Grade 10, 11, and 12 AIMS Math, Reading, Writing and Grade 10 Science results.

AIMS/SAT 10 test results for Grades 2 through 9 will be provided to students when they return to school in August. If parents would like their student copy earlier, they will be available for parent pickup from July 5-14 in the Assessment Department office located at the PVUSD District Office at 15002 N. 32^nd St. Summer hours are Monday-Thursday, from 6:30am-5:00pm. The Assessment Department phone number is 602-449-2016. Please call in advance so staff can locate your student’s individual copies. You will need identification verifying your relationship to the student.

Videos in the classroom can enhance the learning experience in a number of ways. But more times than not when students get home they simply relay "we watched a movie all day!!!!" I can assure you this is not the case! More times than not, teachers are simply showing a clip or section to emphasize a deeper understanding for the students. At the end of the year, teachers will wrap up their curriculum units with a special video for the students to not only enjoy but extend learning. I have asked all grade levels to send home notification should they be showing a video, so you are aware and not caught off guard. Your permission will also be required on some videos per District policy. If you have any questions be sure to talk to your child's teacher!

Speak Up!/Assemblies/May Events/PTO link

2011-05-03T09:34:00.000-07:00

This just in~
Project Tomorrow has nominated your school, Desert Trails, for "Speak Up 200". These are the top 200 schools in the nation based on total student participation, length of participation, sharing of data, etc.. Congratulations!!!
I want to again thank you for helping to lead the district, state and nation - the Top 200 is an authentic distinction of participation - I hope you get it.
Thanks to D.T. Students, Parents, and Staff for participating in this project! We will know in September if we win!

Assemblies~
Partnershipping with the Phoenix Fire Department this year has allowed us to offer our students assemblies on Water Safety, Bike Safety, and Fire Safety! Our students have thoroughly enjoyed these learning opportunities! I hope you have been seeing some of the literature coming home so the conversation/learning can continue on being safe, especially over the summer!!!
School Council is looking into more opportunities to bring the Phoenix Fire Department to Desert Trails next year!!!

May Events~
5/2 School Council meeting 7:45am
5/4 - 5/5 Fourth Gd. to the Grand Canyon
5/5 Gov. Board meeting 7pm
5/6 Nurse's Day
5/8 Happy Mother's Day to our DT Moms!
5/9 - 5/12 Sixth Gd. Human Growth classes
5/13 Fire Safety Assemblies
5/13 Choral Concert @ DT 6:30pm
5/19 STAR Citizens go to lunch with Mrs. Lee
5/19 Gov. Board meeting 7pm
5/24 Band Concert @ PHS 7pm
5/26 Half Day~students dismissed at 12:30 (no lunch) Last day of school

PTO link~
At the top of my blog you will find a PTO Survey link. Please take just a minute and give your input/feedback to PTO. They will use this data to plan for the new school year. They appreciate hearing from you!!! Thank you,

PTO Survey/Immunizations/A Twist!

2011-05-02T15:25:00.000-07:00

PTO is seeking your input to assist the new officers in determining their direction for the 2011-2012 school year. They want to hear from you~so please take just a minute. You'll need to visit my blog, as all links are posted there. Thank you!

Paradise Valley Unified School District and Scottsdale Healthcare will host an immunization clinic for students needing immunizations to comply with 20112012 school entry requirements.
Immunizations are provided free of charge.
Student must be accompanied by a parent/legal guardian. Remember to bring child’s blue Lifetime Immunization Record and the immunization referral letter received from your school nurse (if applicable).
Date: Time: Location:
Friday, May 13, 2011 3:00 – 7:00 PM Cholla Complex Multi‐purpose Room 3602 East Cholla Phoenix, AZ 85028

A twist in our calendar for the start of school! Students return August 11, on a THURSDAY! Due to this calendar change, and three days of professional development, the teachers feel they will not have enough time to be ready to welcome students as in the past at the Ice Cream Social. This year teachers will welcome students on the first day of school~August 11!!! Since most grade levels now rotate teaching certain units, students end up having all of the teachers in that grade level throughout the year. To ease this transition of moving to the next grade level, we will be having a Meet the Teacher's Day!!! A special day is being planned for each grade level to visit next year's teachers, visit the "new" classrooms and at our end of the year assembly we will have all teachers come up for a very special introduction! Thank you for understanding and allowing teachers to plan and prepare for your child the best they can!

It's Over!/Playground Help/T.V. Showcase

2011-04-20T14:04:00.000-07:00

Everyone--- take a deep breath! AIMS is behind us! A huge THANK YOU to parents who worked with us supporting their student(s), and allowed great kids to do their best!!! Your support was felt and appreciated by all. As soon as I get information on when and how AIMS results will be released I will let you know.

Are you willing and available to help us out on the playground during the month of May? If you have just "one day" and can volunteer between/from 11:30-1:00 we can sure use your help.
If just 3 parents per GRADE-one parent per class-volunteered in the month of May, these extra set of eyes, ears, and hands will further ensure our student's safety.
If you are interested, Mrs. Schulman, (DT parent) is willing to coordinate this endeavor.
Please email her at dtschulman@yahoo.com Thank you!

SMART FAMILY CHANNEL 15 AT DESERT TRAILS-- where they interviewed our Kindergartens in preparation of Kindergarten Appreciation Day on April 21.
The Smart Family program will aire the D.T. students at 3:30, Thursday, April 21.
You won't want to miss it!!!!

Parent Input Form

2011-04-18T10:11:00.000-07:00

Each year right after AIMS I have been sending out the Parent Input Form. Why? Because I value your input. This is a vehicle that parents can use to help us with placement for the upcoming school year, IF, you feel your child needs special accommodations. As you know, we do not take teacher requests, but will try our very best to place all student according to several factors: academics, gender, behavior, special needs, medical needs, etc...
The Cluster rooms are also one more consideration that we deal with. As we work with the district and the formula they provide, I have once again invited Dr. Brulles, District Gifted Director, to join us during placement so we ensure balanced & strong learning communities.
Your form must be turned in by April 25th to be considered in our placement. Feel free to write on the back of the form to provide more information. The information you provide is held confidential and is only viewed by me. Please keep in mind although I value your input, that doesn't necessarily mean I can meet all desires. However, I give you my word we will do our very best. Please refer to the Student Handbook posted on-line for more information regarding Student Placement.
For those of you reading this blog through your inbox, you will need to go to the actual blog site where all links are available. Thank you!

Almost Finished/Welcome & Goodbye/6th gr. Parents

2011-04-17T11:59:00.000-07:00

Monday and Tuesday this week will be AIMS make-up! We have several students involved in completing their testing. With that in mind, we will continue to ask volunteers/parents to not come into school, so once again we can provide a quiet/no distraction environment.
On that note~ THANK YOU for allowing us to accomplish just that last week. I know it was hard to stay away, but it was greatly appreciated by all.

Welcome new PTO Officers~ Mrs. Bakkila & Mrs. Porambo & Mrs. Wheelock & Mrs. Shiel. These ladies are excited and ready to bring fresh ideas, family events, and new ways of fundraising to Desert Trails. Please be sure to join the PTO with our new school year. Your support is every important in these difficult budget days. We can't do the great things we do, without you!!

Good-Bye & THANK YOU~ As we welcome incoming parents, we must also say goodbye to those who have served on the PTO. Jen Mozilo, out-going President has done a wonderful job. I have appreciated her support and dedication to the students and staff for the past 2 years.
She has earned a well deserved rest!! Thank you Jen, for all you have done! Also, we will say good-bye to Lisa Henderson & Linda Powell. Both ladies have done a great job and been very supportive. They too are looking forward to a well deserved rest! Thank you ladies for your hard work, support, and dedication to the students and staff!

Monday, April 25 at 7pm we will be holding our Human Growth & Sexuality course for all parents of 6th graders. This very important information is presented to parents first so you can make a knowledgeable decision about having your child take part in the program. No students allowed at Parent Night.

To Our Tehcnology Donors~Thank you!

2011-04-15T09:48:00.000-07:00

Create a thank you

AIMS/Student Placement

2011-04-08T14:21:00.000-07:00

AIMS reminders: Grades 2-6 Dates~ April 10-15. To create the best testing environment as possible we will not be having K-6 parent helpers, K-6 volunteers during AIMS. We want to provide every child the opportunity to do their best with the least interruptions as possible. We also ask that you not make or to please reschedule appointments during the week of AIMS that would cause your student to come/go or arrive late. Our testing protocol takes all students into account for the best results. Thank you for your understanding and support.
Should your child experience "pre-butterflies" regarding AIMS, please suggest to them Study Island. This is a service provided to our 2-6 students, that is correlated to AIMS. Students can do Study Island in the "game" mode or "test" mode or "both!"
Achieving Blue Ribbons is a good way to build confidence & skills!
Also, a good breakfast and restful night's sleep is always helpful when students need to be at their best!

Parent Input forms will be coming out right after AIMS. I will post the form on this blog through a link. You will actually have to go to this site (instead of reading through your in-box), to reach the link. Your input is a valuable piece to our process of Student Placement. I appreciate hearing from you. Please remember we do not honor teacher requests, but do our very best to build cohesive, balanced classrooms. Be looking for more information after AIMS.

April Events

2011-03-25T15:37:00.001-07:00

Events
Apr. 4 Students and Staff return from Spring Break!
Apr. 4 School Council meeting 7:45 am Principal's Office
Apr. 5 Author Mark Teague here 9:15 am
Apr. 7 Gov. Board meeting 7 pm District Office
Apr. 8 Spring Fling! 4:00-7:00 pm DTES Playground
Apr. 11-15 AIMS
Apr. 13 PTO General meeting 7 pm DTES Library
Apr. 19 Early Release St. dismissed at 12:30 (no lunch)
Apr. 20 UPC meeting 10:15 am District Office
Apr. 21 Gov. Board meeting 7 pm District Office
Apr. 22 NO SCHOOL- Recess
Apr. 28 STAR Citizen Lunch with Mrs. Lee Mimi's Cafe
Apr. 29 Water Safety & Bike Safety Assemblies 9:15 & 10 am

Spring has Sprung/AIMS/Poetry/Fine Arts

2011-03-25T09:36:00.000-07:00

I want to take the chance to wish each family a wonderful Spring Break! We will look for everyone on Monday, April 4th!

AIMS reminders: Grades 2-6 Dates~ April 10-15. To create the best testing environment as possible we will not be having K-6 parent helpers, K-6 volunteers during AIMS. We want to provide every child the opportunity to do their best with the least interruptions as possible. We also ask that you not make or to please reschedule appointments during the week of AIMS that would cause your student to come/go or arrive late. Our testing protocol takes all students into account for the best results.
Thank you for your understanding and support. Also, a good breakfast and restful night's sleep is always helpful when students need to be at their best!

Desert Trails Poetry Contest was hosted by our Reading Specialist, Mrs. Bier. This morning on live Morning Broadcast each grade level winner 1-5 read their winning poem to the entire school!
WINNERS: Wesley J. in 1st grade/ Matt M. in 2nd grade/ Jansen M. in 3rd grade/ Ashley P. in 4th grade/ Bryce H. in 5th grade!!! Each winner received a brand new journal and mechanical pencil to keep writing those winning poems! CONGRATULATIONS!

Desert Trail's Fine Arts program was highlighted last week at PVMall~ Band, Strings, Choir and Student Art work, all showcased the many talents our students have. Instructors- Mr. Stolper, Ms. Brooksby, Mrs. Linsley, and Ms. Parent are to be recognized for their hard work and dedication.
Thank you for a wonderful Fine Arts day at PVMall!

Parent Satisfaction Survey

2011-03-11T08:53:00.000-08:00

All Parents: Please take our parent satisfaction survey! To access this survey, log into the Parent Portal. The link has been provided above. Select the survey link in your inbox at the bottom of the page. If you have not registered in the Parent Portal the link Sign Up is also posted above for you. The survey will be open for two weeks, March 11-25. The survey takes approximately 20 minutes.
THANK YOU!

School Council Decision

2011-03-09T17:26:00.000-08:00

Dear Parents,
I wanted to share a heart-felt thank you for your response to our parent survey sent out last Friday. We received 319 surveys! A thank you also goes out to Jen Mozilo, PTO President, and JoAnn Polk, PTO Officer, who sat with me for nearly 2 hours tabulating the results! Jeff Gaunt, Sarah Zsanto, Deb Levins, Sue Kinsler, and Pam Newton, our School Council members- THANK YOU for following the process and being a positive part of doing what is best for kids!!!
Also, a thank you to our Director of Assessment, Dr. Rob Allen, who digested our data and created graphs that could be accurately interpreted.

School Council met this morning and used the entire hour to understand, learn more, listen, give input, hear all sides, think through all possible scenarios, and come to a 100% consensus. Our goal was to make the best decision for ALL Desert Trails' students. Taking into consideration parent and staff input, School Council decided to reduce Computers to a .5 position, leaving intact all of our very special, Special Areas.
Although the decision did not come easily, as the Council members were well aware that a beloved staff member would not be returning to Desert Trails. At this time for the 2011-2012 school year our Special Areas will be:
P.E: Coach E. Computers: Mrs. Taub Library: Mrs. Taub Art: Ms. Parent Music: Mrs. Lindley
It is with a heavy heart that we will say good-bye to Mrs. Baldetti. New this year to Desert Trails, Mrs. Baldetti quickly found a home in the hearts of students, staff, and parents.

PV Showcase/New Gov. Board Members/Kinder Round-Up

2011-03-07T15:32:00.000-08:00

Saturday, March 19 from 10 am to 6 pm at Paradise Valley Mall thousands of PV students ranging from elementary to high school level will showcase their talents during this day-long festival. Various art mediums including performances, visuals, theatre, dance and more....concert bands, string orchestras, choirs, jazz bands, theatre improvisation and dance troups will perform throughout the day! Every 20 minutes the look and feel will change as the students perform to entertain all PV students, families, and guests! This very special event is free!

Congratulations to Mrs. Nancy Case as she moves into the position of Governing Board President~Mrs. Julie Bacon is one of the new Governing Board Members~Mr. Mark Lane is also a new Governing Board Member. Dr. Skidmore and Mrs. Greenburg continue their positions as Governing Board Members. The Governing Board meets at the district office every first and third Thursday evening at 7 pm. Meetings are open to the public.

Kindergarten Round-Up started today!! We anxiously await our new students and are hosting a night on Tuesday, March 8 to show-off our wonderful Kinder Teachers, our fabulous Special Areas, the new Imagination Center and lots more! Send any incoming Kinder students our way for this special event. 5:00-7:00 pm

Reminder of March Events

3/4 Safety Meeting 8:00am
3/9 Change: School Council 8 am
3/7 Kindergarten Round-Up Starts!
3/8 Incoming K- Parent night 5-7pm
3/9 District Field Day
3/16 4th gr. Grand Canyon Parent Meeting 6:30pm
3/17 STAR Students go to lunch with Mrs. Lee
3/17 Gov. Board Meeting 7pm
3/19 DTES Strings Performance PV MALL 2:00pm
3/23 Strings Performance DTES 7pm
3/28-4/1 Spring Break- No School

ALERT- FLYER COMING HOME TODAY!

2011-03-04T09:02:00.000-08:00

Parents, please be looking for a purple flyer coming home with your child today. This will be your opportunity to give input to a very important decision regarding Special Areas for the 2011-2012 school year. The purple flyer must be returned on Monday, March 7 and will be reviewed by School Council. I want to hear from you, so please take just a minute to fill the purple flyer out and get it right back into your child's backpack!!!
THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

2011-03-02T09:19:00.000-08:00

Technology/Spring/AIMS

2011-03-02T09:04:00.000-08:00

In case you missed channel 10 last night, I have provided the link above that shows Desert Trails making a move into the future! Enjoy-

March Events
3/3 Gov. Board Meeting 7pm
3/4 Safety Meeting 8:00am
3/7 School Council 7:45am
3/7 Kindergarten Round-Up Starts!
3/8 Incoming K- Parent night 5-7pm
3/9 District Field Day
3/16 4th gr. Grand Canyon Parent Meeting 6:30pm
3/17 STAR Students go to lunch with Mrs. Lee
3/17 Gov. Board Meeting 7pm
3/19 DTES Strings Performance PV MALL 2:00pm
3/23 Strings Performance DTES 7pm
3/28-4/1 Spring Break- No School

AIMS dates this year are as follows: April 11 through April 18. PLEASE, do not make appointments for your child(ren) if at all possible during the testing days.
Planning now for a good breakfast, restful nights of sleep, and a good attitude will support your child(ren) to do their very best!!
Thank you for your help.

D.T. in the News!

2011-03-01T10:53:00.000-08:00

Channel 10 was here this morning filming in our new Imagination Center. Students from Mrs. Sanders & Mrs. Worsham's classrooms were busy at work with the ipads, mac books, flip cameras and also doing their Famous Americans in the green screen room.
The footage will be shown tonight at 5 & 6 PM on Channel 10! Hope you can catch it!!!

Catalina Departure Day

2011-02-25T09:12:00.000-08:00

2/25 9:15 California time
We have just finished another hearty breakfast, cleaned our dorms, packed all bags, rolled up sleeping bags, and students are now participating/learning in the last labs of our program.
We are scheduled to hop on the ferry at approx. 11:30- getting us back to Long Beach at 2:00.
Our phone tree will start once we reach Long Beach!
The light sprinkles of rain started about 30 minutes ago, and we are keeping our fingers crossed that we will be ahead of the showers expected today!
Once again, we have just had a wonderful trip! Every student was on their best behavior, and everyone had a great time! We learned a lot, did a lot, and saw a lot! Your child will come home with some great stories to share with you! Be sure to ask about: Gaga ball, Manly (the bison), the hike, the bon-fire, plankton, sharks, finger eggs, the birthday cake, squid ink, tree bark, edible plants, creatures of the night, sea glass, and the practice fire drill. These experiences will surely get your child talking! Next contact will be the phone tree!

Day Two~Catalina!

2011-02-24T17:05:00.000-08:00

5:15 pm
Our day began with a hearty breakfast: waffles, scrambled eggs, sausage, muffins, oatmeal, juice, fresh fruit, cereal, and danish. This was all in an effort to prepare us for a morning of snorkeling!
The sun was shining, and off into the ocean we ventured. Garabaldi, sea weed, and other ocean life was spotted! Then, after lunch we went to labs and on a beautiful hike. We learned about flora & fauna and the ocean food chain. Tonight we have planned more hands-on labs, "Creatures of the Night," and a bon-fire-- equipped with marshmallows!!!
The students are participating fully and everyone is having a great time!

Greetings from Catalina!

2011-02-23T19:17:00.000-08:00

Our 6th grade students have spent a successful day in Catalina. We arrived on the island with a warm welcome from a team of dolphin and a whale or two! The sun was shining today, and partly cloudy at times. Tonight, the air is chilly~but so far we have hiked, performed plankton labs, had lunch & dinner, received our T-shirts & sweatshirts, visited "manly" the camp bison, and currently all students are participating in the squid disection!
Tomorrow we rise and shine at 7:00 for breakfast and then down to the beach by 9:00 for snorkeling! We are expecting another beautiful day!
Well, I must get back to the "ink" experiment! Good night, from all of us! More tomorrow!

Match/Dance/McTeacher Technology Night

2011-02-12T15:22:00.000-08:00

Once again, the Parents at Desert Trails stepped up and supported GREAT things happening at school. Your donations, $2000.00 during the District Match, has given us $4000.00 to put toward technology! Thanks goes out to all of our parents, and to PTO.
We can accomplish much when we work together!Thank you!

Sweetheart Dance~ Poodle skirts, and slicked back hair were just some of the fun spirit shared by all last night! Thanks to PTO for hosting the event for students and parents to come together!

McTeacher Technology Night~ Feb. 17th 4:30-7:30 Tatum & Bell your favorite teachers will be once again working to serve you up a delicious Happy Meal. Come and help support technology at Desert Trails with our last fundraiser this semester!

Tatum & Pinnacle Peak Road Project

2011-02-08T10:36:00.000-08:00

This notification is from the City of Phoenix. 24 Hr. Construction Hotline: 602.956.2670

OPEN HOUSE PLANNED
The city of Phoenix will hold an open house on Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011 to discuss the intersection improvements planned for Tatum Boulevard and Pinnacle Peak Road. Please stop by any time from
5 to 7 p.m. to learn more about the project and to speak with city representatives. The open house will be located at Pinnacle High School Cafeteria, 3535 E. Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix, Arizona.
IT’S OFFICIAL
Historically this intersection floods following a hard rain, the project's improvements will significantly improve drainage. Improvements will include raising the elevation of the intersection, installing two eight foot by six foot concrete drainage box culverts, installing new street lights and restoring the area with salvaged trees from the project site.
Construction will begin in late February; the project is scheduled to be complete September 2011. Construction work hours will be 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday; hours will vary with seasonal changes. Construction crews will work weekends, if needed.
HOW THE PROJECT WILL
UNFOLD
The contractor first will box and remove all healthy trees and plants located in the area of the temporary detour road for replanting at the end of the project. Next, a temporary detour road will be constructed east of Tatum Boulevard. Finally, construction crews will install the box culverts under the roadway from the southwest to the northeast corner of the intersection, and will pave and install new traffic signals in the intersection.
TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS
The temporary detour road will provide access during construction, however, Pinnacle Peak Road will be closed on the west side of Tatum Boulevard for approximately six months. During the closure, eastbound Pinnacle Peak Road traffic will not have access to Tatum Boulevard. Signs will be put into place to notify commuters of the closure date.
Please allow extra time to travel, as there may be traffic delays. In addition, do not move barricades or traffic signs as they are in place for the safety of commuters and crews working on the project.
SAFETY MATTERS
Please do not go into the construction work area until the project is completed for your safety and the safety of others. Thank you for your assistance and cooperation.

PV Schools Community 5K Run

2011-02-05T18:38:00.000-08:00

Come and join the run/walk!!!
Saturday, Feb. 12 at Horizon High School (5601 E. Greenway)
Event chip-timed by All Arizona Running Events. Awards for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers, male and female, in each age division: 11-14/15-19/20-29/30-39/40-49/50-59/60-69/and 70+
How to register: Feb. 5 through Feb.11 at Active.com or AllArizonaRunningEvents.com. Day of registration available at Horizon High School. Adults $15/Children 15-19 $5/Children and under free (parental supervision required) Find the flyer on our school website or drop by the office!

Conferences/PowerHour/Match/Feb. Events

2011-01-31T17:12:00.000-08:00

If February give much snow, a fine Summer it doth foreshow (Old English Proverb)
Perhaps the Mid-West & the East Coast can hang on to that positive thought these next few weeks! Arizona is the place to be!

PARENT~TEACHER CONFERENCES went very well and the cherry on top was the extra pleasure of opening our D.ream Lab! It was euphoric to see how excited parents, students, and teachers were to see this wonderful addition to our school. This D.ream Lab is the only one in PVUSD that offers students K-6 a variety of technology: ipads, mac books, green screen room, clickers, and flip cameras. I am currently in the process of getting Skype up and running with a webcam for world wide connections. In just one week of talking with parents, our school has made possible world connections with Singapore, China, London, Rome, and India! How exciting and global reaching is that? We believe our advancements in technology will not only successfully prepare our students for their world- but will open up the world to them! I can't wait to take this journey with them & you! Thank you for all of your support!

POWER HOUR is our new before & after school homework club. If you would like to get your child signed up, classes are starting now!
See your child's teacher, or drop by the office for the permission slip and information! We currently have before & after school classes starting. This POWER HOUR will provide a quiet place for homework to get done and one on one support.

TECHNOLOGY MATCH opportunity will end this week. PTO sent home a letter and a half sheet during Parent~Teacher Conferences in hopes to let you know of this great chance to double our funds. Whether your donation is $5 or $500 all monies will be matched by the District. The matching funds will allow us to put more technology into our student's hands! Speaking of more technology~in my next blog I will be able to share some very exciting news about a new pilot~Desert Trails was selected to participate in. It might have to do with Chrome...

February Events
Feb. 3 Governing Board meeting 7pm
Feb. 7 School Council meeting 7:45am
Feb. 8 Early Release-Students Dismissed at 12:30 (no lunch)
Feb. 11 PTO Dance 7-9pm (students must come with a parent~parent must stay~no drop offs)
Feb. 15 4th Grade Field Day
Feb. 16 5th Grade Field Day
Feb. 17 6th Grade Field Day
Feb. 17 STAR Student Lunch with Mrs. Lee
Feb. 17 McTeacher Technology Night at McDonalds (watch for special quest!)
Feb. 21 NO SCHOOL President's Day
Feb. 23 6th Grade leaves for Catalina 11pm meet in the cafeteria
Feb. 24 Governing Board meeting 7pm
Feb. 25 6th Grade returns from Catalina 9-10pm

D.ream Lab Officially Open!

2011-01-24T08:20:00.000-08:00

Today we open our door to the future ----
Our D.ream Lab, has a new name submitted by Kara & Trevor C.---
Imagination Center~ Sowing seeds of imagination!!!
Thanks goes out to so many people and we could not have done this without their support:
Lauri McNeill, Jon Hanna, Mr. Preston, Mrs. Preston, Leslie Preston, Sandi Worsham, Mr. Worsham, Dave & Linda Cook, Sherri Sanders, and the entire Technology Committee.
So many hands took part, big and small, to see our D.ream come true!
Please be sure to stop by during Parent~Teacher Conferences this week and see the future!

Flu? Cold? Can you tell the difference?

2011-01-18T13:36:00.000-08:00

If the flu hasn't hit your household---keep doing what your doing! But it's that time of year
and as a precaution this is a reminder to please keep your child(ren) home if they are showing symptoms such as: fever, body aches, chills, vomiting, or diarrhea. We are seeing several cases here at Desert Trails and sending students home.
This bug is highly contagious and as a consideration for other students, teachers, and staff we expect that children stay home so they can recover properly. Students need to be fever-free for 24 hours with no medication, before returning to school.
If you have questions about symptoms, Nurse Julie has posted outside her office door some information. Also, feel free to call Nurse Julie with any questions you may have that could help you determine whether your child should stay home or not.
Thank you for your attention to keeping everyone healthy during this season of passing germs!

Power Hour/Islands/Conferences/D.ream

2011-01-12T18:01:00.000-08:00

POWER HOUR~
In an effort to be efficient with our Tax Credits we are excited to announce a new club for our Desert Trails' students. POWER HOUR will be a combo tutor/homework POWER HOUR for any student looking to have a quiet place to work while under the guidance of a Desert Trails' highly qualified teacher!!! The flyer is coming home to all students- Tuesday, Jan. 18! Be watching for it!

Islands at Desert Ridge~
Tuesday, Jan. 18th 5:00-8:00 is our PTO Family Night Out! Come have dinner with your teachers & friends, and help support Desert Trails! Side note: 6th grade parents, there is plenty of time to hit Islands, then join us for the Catalina meeting starting at 6:30!

Parent-Teacher Conferences~
Monday, Jan. 24 through Thursday, Jan. 27 we will be hosting a special time for you to meet with your child's teacher! This is a great time to check in on second semester goals and to hear the many accomplishments your child has enjoyed!
Conference forms have gone out, and teachers will soon be confirming your date and time.

D.ream T.ech Lab~
We are working feverishly to get the D.ream T.ech Lab open for the launching date--Jan. 24! Many, many, many THANKS to Mrs. McNeill for all of her time, design ideas, effort, and support to get this D.ream to come true!! Be sure to stop in and see the ipads, flip cameras, and mac books that we are anxious to put into the academic day. Also, while in the lab be sure to peek in on the up and coming Green Screen room!

Welcome to Mrs. Kristi Darnell~
Our new teacher is on board in 5th grade! We are very happy to have her join our team!
Mrs. Darnell comes to D.T. with experience teaching 5th grade in California, is a Desert Ridge resident, and looks forward to meeting our wonderful D.T. families!

Report Cards Posted Online

2011-01-07T06:52:00.000-08:00

In the Parent Portal you will now find your child's report card for second quarter grades. If you have not visited the Portal yet, you will find the links above "Sign Up &Parent Portal Info." for you to obtain a username and password. For parents who opted to receive a hard copy of the report card, they will be going home today. Feel free to contact your child's teacher or the school office at 602.449.4100 if you have any questions.

Bike Safety/Crosswalks & Zones/Stranger FYI

2011-01-05T08:48:00.000-08:00

Bike Safety---
At Desert Trails our students must be in grades 4-5-6 to ride their bike to school. Please review these safety tips and help keep your child safe by reminding them occasionally about the rules of the road.
Here are some important tips to discuss with your child.
· Always wear a helmet.
· Pay attention. Cars are bigger than bikes and the driver may not see you.
· Ride on the right side of the road or trail in a single line in the same direction as other vehicles. Small children should be accompanied by a parent walking or riding nearby.
· Stop completely at intersections and get off of your bike. Walk your bike in the crosswalk, obeying the crosswalk signals.
· Know and use hand signals when turning and stopping.
· A bicycle bell helps pedestrians know you are nearby and helps prevent crashes.

It's the law---
Crosswalks & Zones are clearly marked and identified for drivers. Should children or the Duty Aide be in any part of the crosswalk at any time, cars are not to cross until they are on the sidewalk. Please do not park or drop off/pick up in the NO PARKING ZONE within the crosswalk area. Staggering your drop off or pick up time could help alleviate the 8:50 and 3:00 crunch.
Thank you for helping us make Desert Trails a safe place to be!

FYI---
At approximately 2:45 p.m. on Jan. 3, Shadow Mountain students were approached on 31st street south of Shea Blvd by a male with a Russian accent in a gold sedan and asked to purchase their socks. We experienced similar incidents earlier this school year. The students are safe and the incident has been reported to the Phoenix Police Department.

Happy New Year/Stranger Danger/January Events

2011-01-04T12:43:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a very nice Winter Break. Thank you from all of us for the delicious cookies, treats, and thoughtful gifts. We appreciate your thinking of us and we appreciate your kindness!

Stranger Danger Alerts~At our last School Council meeting we decided the following:
When a Stranger Danger occurs within PVUSD I will post that information on this blog, as an FYI for you. When a Stranger Danger occurs in the surrounding areas to Desert Trails I will continue to send a letter home, and I will also post that information on this blog. All in an effort to keep parents informed and our children safe. Please see the information I received today:

This morning at approximately 7:00 AM while walking to the bus stop near 44th Street and Thunderbird, a PVHS student was approached by a male in a green pickup truck. The student describes the man as Hispanic, in his 40's and has a moustache. The student is safe and the incident has been reported to the Phoenix Police Department.

January Events
1/3 School resumes
1/10 School Council meeting 7:45am
1/10 PTO meeting 7pm
1/11 Half Day School Out at 12:30 (No lunch)
1/13 Gov. Board meeting 7pm
1/17 MLK Day No School
1/18 6th grade parents Catalina meeting 6:30pm
1/18 PTO Nights Out @ Islands
1/24 D.ream T.ech Lab opens! Be sure to stop in!
1/24-27 Parent~Teacher Conferences
1/27 Half Day School Out at 12:30 (No lunch)
1/28 Half Day School Out at 12:30 (No lunch)

Winter Break/Calendar/D.ream Lab/Tax Credit

2010-12-16T13:13:00.000-08:00

Snow
Snowflake beautiful
Skating, sledding, skiing
Ice sculptures are gorgeous
Snowfall
(shared by Mason C.M. 3rd grade, Mrs. Sanders)

Winter break Dec. 20-Dec. 31 School resumes Jan. 3
I wish you and your family a safe and magical holiday season!

A link above has been provided for you to have access to the 2011-2012 school year calendar!

The D.ream Lab is being painted and prepared for our Jan. 24th Opening! Ipads are still on tour, MacBooks have arrived, and the flip cameras are capturing school activities!

15 days to get your Tax Credit in!!You don't need to bring it to school, but can simply mail it to Desert Trails, with your check dated no later than Dec. 31, 2010. We will send you a receipt! Your Tax Credit goes toward the before/after school programs and field trip scholarships! Thank you!

McTeacher's Technology Night/SpeakUp/Feedback to Grow

2010-12-10T09:21:00.000-08:00

WOW! We are still sailing high here at school today from last night's awesome turnout for McTeacher's night!! THANK YOU~THANK YOU~THANK YOU parents for your support last night!
We raised over $1500.00 in 3hours, and all for our D.ream T.ech Lab!!!
With the District matching funds, this makes a grand total of $3000.00. The Technology Team and myself can't express our gratitude enough. I told the students on morning announcements that at Desert Trails once teachers ask ~~ our parents support!!! Thank you!

Speak Up!
Since 2003, over 1.85 million K-12 education stakeholders have participated in the annual Speak Up National Research Project which collects and reports on the authentic, unfiltered views and opinions of K-12 students, parents and educators on critical 21st century education issues. Speak Up is facilitated by Project Tomorrow® (www.tomorrow.org). Data findings are shared each year with federal, state and local policymakers to inform education programs and funding.
Arizona has always been well-represented in responding to this survey and last year was the state with the second-most participation in the nation, with only Texas having more students participate than us. The information and trends that are provided are valuable in helping inform our state leaders about the use, attitudes, and effect of technology on education in Arizona. Due to our high usage of the Speak Up Survey, the Ed Tech unit at ADE receives aggregate data that is compared to the national average. This data is invaluable to us.
One trend it has highlighted is that Arizona teachers prefer and participate in online professional development more than their colleagues in other states.
Another trend shows that Arizona teachers have more obstacles using technology in their schools than teachers around the US and that Arizona teachers use less technology in their classrooms to increase student achievement. The data also shows that our middle school students have less access to technology outside of school and have less access to high speed internet connections at home.

We hope you will join the conversation about the use of technology for learning through Speak Up and take advantage this data collecting opportunity. The online survey is open to students, educators (including future educators) and parents; it’s quick and easy to get involved.

The survey is posted above and the password is: future

Feedback to Grow!
A link above has been provided 24/7 for you to share any concerns, ideas, and thoughts with us that will enable us to improve what we do. The nucleus of a school community is an ever changing hub of many activities, goals, and objectives. We want to hear from you!
Please take advantage to share your thoughts with us!

New link~Technology~Tax Credit~Events

2010-11-29T10:20:00.000-08:00

Feedback to Grow! This new link has been posted above for parents to have a place and opportunity to quickly give their input. We can improve and we are always looking for ways to make Desert Trails the very best it can be. However, we need to hear from you!
This link will stay on my blog and feel free to voice your input at any time. I will review the input from the survey and when appropriate I will address the topics on my blog. Names will be anonymous, but the topics will be addressed.
Give me your input for Feedback to Grow!

Technology Camp Meeting is this Friday right after school. We will be sharing updates of
devices ordered, facilities support to make our D.ream T.ech Lab come true, the fundraising events planned, and more. Should be a 30 minute meeting!

Tax Credit deadline is approaching quickly! December 31 is right around the corner and if you would like to give Desert Trails a donation, you can write that donation off your taxes this coming Spring!! Classes such as SPANISH, GenYes, Tutoring, and more are all supported by your generous Tax credits!!! We give it right back to your kids!!
Thank you!

December Events
12/2 Governing Board meeting 7pm
12/3 Spelling Bee 10am
12/3 Technology Camp Meeting in the Media Center @ 3pm
12/3 Choir Concert @ Desert Trails 6:30pm
12/4 Choir Concert @ PV Mall 1pm
12/9 McTeacher Technology Night @ McDonalds 4:30-7:30
12/13 School Council 7:45am
12/13 Band Concert @ Eagle Ridge 7pm
12/16 Star Student Lunch with Mrs. Lee
12/16 Governing Board meeting 7pm
12/17 Semester Ends
12/18-1/2/11 Winter Break!
1/3/11 School resumes @ 8:55!

2010-11-24T07:26:00.000-08:00

Free digital ecard personalized with Smilebox

I.C. Parent Portal Opens!

2010-11-23T10:08:00.000-08:00

Monday, November 29, the Infinite Campus Parent Portal will be accessible. The Portal will allow parents to access grades, attendance and other information about all of their children attending PVschools from a single account — in real time!
Parents will need to obtain a username and password by signing in at the Sign up! link provided above by using the e-mail address you provided the school on your child's emergency card. One login will be provided per parent e-mail address.
For more information go to the Parent Portal Info. link also provided above.

D.ream Link

2010-11-15T17:23:00.000-08:00

Join us as we launch our D.ream Website! This site was created to keep parents informed of all that is transpiring with TECHNOLOGY at Desert Trails. Please check it out! Thanks to Mrs. Toenjes, grade 5 teacher, and Technology Team member for creating this awesome site!

Have you heard about boundaries changing or middle school changes in our district? For more information I have posted a link above for you to connect and stay current. These items have been recommended to the PVUSD Governing Board. Study sessions are in place and are open to the public. Final decisions will be announced at the Dec. 16, Governing Board meeting.

BINGO! Tuesday, Nov. 16 @ 7:00

Technology~Tax Credit~Thankgiving

2010-11-13T09:35:00.001-08:00

We are moving full speed ahead with building and creating our new D.ream T.ech Lab at Desert Trails! Our goal is to open the D.ream Lab on January 24th, 2011~the first day of Parent/Teacher Conferences! We hope you'll stop in while visiting with teachers so we can "show-off" this great new technology D.ream Lab! I am working with our wonderful PTO for upcoming fundraising events, GENESIS for painting/hard labor weekend events, and our Technology Team is working hard on a new D.ream webpage, and even cultivating community business contacts who are interested in donating to our D.ream!!!
We received our first donation from the Behrens family for ipad applications. THANK YOU!
This Desert Trails' family has a kindergarten student and a 3 year old at home who are "experts" on the ipad. I saw first hand as both children went from application to application, put puzzle pieces together, did addition problems, read a story, etc.... It was unbelievable what these children were able to do! Digital kids in the making! Can you envision the creativity our students will have at their fingertips, yet in an academic environment, with intentional learning supports in place?
We are excited at Desert Trails about the endless pathways and doors we have yet to travel with technology...we invite you to join us on our journey! Our next Technology Camp meeting with be Dec. 3 @ 3:00-4:00 in the Media Center. Childcare will be provided!!! Please come and catch our D.ream!!!

Tax Credit deadline approaching quickly! Dec.31, 2010 is the last day we can accept your Tax Credit. Above, please find the link posted which will take you to the PVUSD site where you'll find the Tax Credit form. Simply print and send to school with your check. All Tax Credits can be up to $200 or $400 dollars. These funds support our Tutor program, GENYES, AfterHour Hawks with Coach E, Spanish Club, and much more!!! Thank you for supporting your community school and receiving the bonus write off on your taxes! If you have any questions regarding Tax Credits please contact one of our School Council Parent Representative. They are more than ready & willing to answer your questions! Also, visit our school site for more tax credit information.

Happy Thanksgiving! Throughout the year, but especially now, when I count my blessings Desert Trails is always at the top of my list. All that "Desert Trails" encompasses: students, teachers, parents, support staff, PTO, School Council, Community Partnerships, PV District, and so much more--- I feel very fortunate to be able to contribute my goal on a daily basis which is: demonstrating positive change, to make someone or something better. Thank you for your strong support this school year. I am thankful for each parent and I join you in our school motto: Success Each Day~Success Each Child. Thank you for allowing us to serve & nurture your child at Desert Trails!
I hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!

Red Ribbon Week

2010-11-02T09:15:00.000-07:00

Red Ribbon Anti-Drug Week at Desert Trails
Did you know....Red Ribbon Week is the nation's oldest and largest drug prevention program in the nation reaching millions of Americans during the last week of October every year. By wearing red ribbons and participating in anti-drug events, young people pledge to live a drug-free life and pay tribute to DEA Special Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena. Special Agent Camarena was an 11 year veteran of the DEA assigned to the Guadalajara, Mexico, office where he was on the trail of the country's biggest marijuana and cocaine traffickers. In 1985, he was extremely close to unlocking a multi-billion dollar drug pipeline. On February 7, 1985, he was kidnapped, brutally tortured, and murdered by Mexican drug traffickers. His tragic death opened the eyes of many Americans to the dangers of drugs and the international scope of the drug trade. Shortly after Kiki's death, Congressman Duncan Hunter and Kiki's high school friend Henry Lozano launched "Canarena Clubs" in Kiki's hometown of Calexico, California. Hundreds of club members pledges to lead drug-free lives to honor the sacrifice made by Kiki Camarena. These pleges were delivered to First Lady Nancy Reagan at a national conference of parents combating youth drug use. In 1988, the National Family Partnership (NFP) coordinated the first National Red Ribbon Week with President and Mrs. Reagan serving as honorary chairpersons. At Desert Trails we keep the tradition and the pledge of living drug-free alive.(information provided by www.justice.gov/dea/ongoing/redribbon_factsheet.html)

How are we celebrating Red Ribbon Week at Desert Trails?
Monday, Nov.1 Team up against drugs- wear your favorite team jersey or a DTES t-shirt!
Tuesday, Nov. 2 Elect to be drug free- wear red, white, & blue!
Wednesday, Nov. 3 Sock it to drugs- wear crazy socks!
Thursday, Nov. 4 Tie up drugs- wear a tie!
Friday, Nov. 5 Stand up against drug- wear red!

**Friday, Nov. 5 is a culminating day of our week long focus to take a stand against drugs. The DEA helicopter will be landing on the DTES playground. Once the landing takes place several law enforcement agencies will be offering mini- workshops to all K-6 students. From Phoenix police to ICE~ Desert Trails' students will be having a wonderful morning learning and engaging first hand with the men and women who serve and protect us!!! As a twist this year, we not only want to honor Special Agent Canarena, our students will be presenting each agency with "We are thankful for you" letters.
A special thanks to Andrea Owens and Special Agent Owens for making this day truly a day to remember at Desert Trails.

Technology DREAM
If you are planning on joining us Wed. Nov. 3 at 8:00am~ I am providing special duty aide coverage on the playground for your children to go and play. We will be meeting in the front office lobby! The Technology Team has some great plans and ideas to share with you!

Up-Coming Events for November
Nov. 1-5 Red Ribbon Week
Nov. 3 Technology DREAM meeting 8:00am Front Lobby
Nov. 4 Gov. Board meeting 7:00pm District Office
Nov. 8 School Council meeting 7:45am
Nov. 11 No School Veteran's Day
Nov. 16 PTO BINGO 7:00pm DTES Cafeteria
Nov. 17 Fall Orchestra Performance DTES Cafeteria
Nov. 18 Gov. Board meeting 7:00pm District Office
Nov. 18 Picture Re-takes & Activity
Nov. 18 Star Student Lunch with Mrs. Lee
Nov. 25 & 26 Thanksgiving Break~ Happy Thanksgiving!

Desert Trails Dream Lab

2010-10-22T15:55:00.000-07:00

Customize a free digital invitation

Calendar Survey & Parent Teacher Conferences

2010-10-20T15:48:00.000-07:00

The PVUSD calendar committee would like input from parents and community members on the district calendar for the coming years. Starting October 13 and continuing through October 28, parents will be able to choose between two calendar options for each of the next four years. Each household may participate in the survey once and may take it in English or Spanish. Please see the Calendar Survey link above. Your input is appreciated!

Parent~Teacher Conferences are right around the corner! Oct. 25-28 Teachers will be offering multiple times and days to meet with all parents. Remember at Desert Trails our conferences are all about Celebrating Growth and setting new goals! I look forward to seeing you throughout the week!

Don't forget Pizza in the Park~this Saturday night!!

Dogs-Lunch $-Technology

2010-10-11T13:34:00.000-07:00

With the weather cooling off we begin to see "Dogs at School." Please know our school policy calls for No Dogs on our campus at any time, for any reason.
Your attention and help is greatly appreciated. Please do not bring dogs to school!

Need some lunch money? Did you know we offer a free & reduced lunch program?
All children in households receiving benefits from SNAP, the Food Distribution Program, or TANF and most foster children can get free meals regardless of your income. Also, children can get free meals if your household's gross income is within the free limits on the Federal Income Guidelines. Stop by the office to pick up the application or get more information to take advantage of this great service.

Tuesday, Oct. 12 teachers will be articulating on technology exit skills at each grade level. School Council agreed to make this a goal in our COMPASS 2015, as Desert Trails moves forward with technology. Our wonderful PTO has generously provided the professional development funds to allow teachers an additional 40 minutes to meet with Mrs. Taub and myself. We will align all exit skills to the Technology State Standards.
Thank you PTO for the time & Thank you School Council for the vision!!!
Join us Dec. 3 at 8:30 in the Computer Lab for our next Technology Camp Meeting. Everyone is welcome!

Pizza & Movie in the Park!! Oct. 23 6:30 -- right here at Desert Trails, bring your blanket, pillow, lawn chair, and a few bucks for pizza!!! This is a great community/school event sponsored by PTO.

DOOZEY of a DEAL: check out their website http://www.doozyofadeal.com/phoenix and remember any item your purchase sends a portion directly to Desert Trails. This is not a PTO fundraiser, but an opportunity that schools can take advantage of and also the deals for you are a DOOZEY!!!! THANK YOU!

Oct. 19 is a half day! Students are dismissed at 12:30. Lunch is not served. Teachers will be spending the remaining part of the day focused on technology with topics such as: The how, what, who, when of ipads in the classroom!!

P.L.A.Y~Tax Credit classes~Upcoming events

2010-10-06T12:25:00.000-07:00

As the weather is cooling off....the Kindness Committee at Desert Trails has a wonderful opportunity to volunteer your time to help our students. We are looking for Moms and Dads to join P.L.A.Y. (Parents at Lunch with Activities for our Youth). You pick the time and day or days you would like to come and we can provide equipment for you if needed...(jump-ropes, balls, hula hoops). You can choose any activity you would like to do and just join the students and PLAY. Your role is not as a duty aide, but as a positive role model and leader to our students. The students really love your presence with them on the field. If you are interested, email Karen Toenjes (ktoenjes@pvschools.net), or Leslie Preston (lpreston@pvschools.net). They will contact you and make sure you have what you need. Thank you!!

Here is the lunch recess schedule: Kdg: 12:55-1:15pm
1st gr: 11:45-12:05 (with 6th)
2nd gr: 12:10-12:30 (with 4th)
3rd gr: 12:35-12:55 (with 5th)
4th gr: 12:10-12:30 (with 2nd)
5th gr: 12:35-12:55 (with 3rd)
6th gr: 11:45-12:05 (with 1st)

Coach E. is offering his "After School Hawks" 3:00-4:00 Tuesdays and Thursday. Grades 1-6. Cost: $50.00 each semester. First class starts Oct. 21, 2010. First semester will focus on basketball & high jumping skills. Second semester will involve soccer & football. If interested be sure an contact Coach E. at jentner@pvschools.net

SPANISH is coming back to Desert Trails! Be watching for more information!!!

Tutoring currently has a waiting list at some grade levels. Be sure to contact Val Smith is you would like to have your child participate. vsmith@pvschools.net

Upcoming Events
10/7 Governing Board meeting 7p.m. District office
10/15 First quarter ends
10/19 Half day Students dismissed at 12:30 (no lunch served)
10/20 UPC 8:45 a.m. District office
10/21 Governing Board meeting 7 p.m. District office
10/25-10/28 Parent~Teacher Conferences
10/29 K-8 Recess No School

Wrapping up Septemeber

2010-09-27T15:47:00.000-07:00

Where did September go?
Well, I know it was a busy month and a lot of things were happening at school.
First- I would like to welcome Sarah Szanto as our new parent rep. on School Council. Sarah joined us this morning and saw first hand all of the exciting things this groups gets to work on! I also want to thank Mrs. Lawton & Mr.Palethrope for expressing an interest in serving on the Council. Keep in mind, a parent rolls off every year, so we always need willing parents!! All School Council agendas and minutes throughout the year are posted on our school website. All meetings are open and you are welcome to join us.

Technology Camp Meeting was held and we received some excellent ideas. The parents and teachers who attended were involved and committed to share and be an "Agent of Change." Our next meeting will be Dec. 3 at 8:30 a.m. in the Media Center. The Technology survey will remain open until then so more parents will have the opportunity to participate.
Thank you to the parents who attended the first Camp Meeting!!!

Tax Credit is again on our scope of things to communicate to all parents, grandparents and neighbors. School Council is once again thinking up some great ways to get this WIN-WIN word out!!! Anyone can make a donation and receive a TAX CREDIT. Once received at Desert Trails that money is used to support before/after school enrichment classes such as: Spanish, Science, Reading support, Creative Art, Physical Education, field trip scholarships and much more! School Council oversees the spending of these funds.

Picture Day is coming~ September 30, 2010.
There are some new ordering options you need to know: With Expression First, the new program from LifeTouch, over 100 Portrait Looks are available when you pre-order at mylifetouch.com If you place your order online, you can select a different look for every sheet in your package. Go online and check it out! Need help? Call 1.866.955.8342

Upcoming Events:

9/28 Catalina Parent meeting 6:30 in the cafeteria
9/29 Spirit Dinner at Island 5:00- show your Desert Trails flyer!
9/30 Picture Day
10/15 Quarter 1 ends
10/18 Red Ribbon Week
10/19 Early Release- Students dismissed at 12:30 (no lunch)
10/21 Star Student Lunch with Mrs. Lee
10/25-10/27 Parent~Teacher Conferences

Doozy of a Deal Helps Desert Trails!

2010-09-22T20:09:00.000-07:00

Did you know DoozyofaDeal.com helps raise money for all of our students at Desert Trails?
This on-line fundraising is a win-win for you and us! As a subscriber you can save 50-70% on great deals from local businesses, such as buying a $50 gift certificate for just $25 to your favorite restaurant. Just sign up to receive one "DEAL OF THE DAY" email each day. IT'S FREE, and you can cancel anytime. Desert Trails receives a 7.5% donation on every purchase made! And, the DEALS are GREAT!!!
There is no effort on this super fundraiser for our school- you get a great deal and we get a donation made directly to Desert Trails. Please visit DoozyofaDeal.com and sign up!
Thank you.

One More Chance!!!

2010-09-18T19:33:00.000-07:00

Due to the low response, I am opening back-up both surveys through the pvlearners with the link available at the top of this blog.
Please take a few minutes to give us your input on both! I would like to hear from all parents.
The Technology survey will stay open throughout September and October.
The School Council Parent Representative Vote must close Wednesday, Sept. 22.
If you do not have your child's pvlearners username and password, please email your child's teacher and they will get that to you right away!

Technology Camp Meeting is this Monday night, Sept. 20 at 6:30-7:15 in the Library. Please come to the side door of the Library, located off the Kindergarten parking lot.
The Technology Committee and I look forward to working with you on a great opportunity for our Desert Trails' students!!!

Tuesday, Sept. 21 is a half day! Students are dismissed at 12:30 and lunch is not served on half days. Also, don't forget the forum for the candidates running for the two open seats on the Paradise Valley Unified School District Governing Board.
Desert Shadows Middle School at 7:00.

PTO Membership kick-off concluded with Mrs. Hornbeck & Mrs. Levins having the highest percentage of parent membership!!! Those two classrooms will be the first to get HANDS-ON engagement with our new technology (ipads, flip cameras, and smart table).
Congratulations to those two classrooms!!! But, this doesn't mean PTO isn't still hoping more parents will join and support PTO. Did you know your membership provides classroom materials, teacher and principal training, supplies for students, books, A.R., Study Island for 2nd grade, and much, much more. We could not offer our students the avenues of learning without our wonderful parents/PTO. Please consider how powerful/meaningful your membership is to all of our students, and teachers. It is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

PVUSD Governing Board Candidates

2010-09-15T16:12:00.000-07:00

PVUSD Governing Board Candidate Forum

Please join us to hear from the candidates running for seats on the PVUSD Governing Board; there are three candidates vying for two open seats in the upcoming general election. B.E.S.T. (Building Educational Support Together) is hosting the event, and the League of Women Voters will moderate the forum. The public is invited to attend this forum.

Date: Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Time: 7:00 p.m.

Location: Desert Shadows Elementary School, Multi-Purpose Room,

5902 E. Sweetwater Ave. Scottsdale, AZ 85254

School Council Parent Representative Vote

2010-09-10T15:58:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to announce our Parent Representative vote is ready to take place.
We have one open parent position on our School Council for the 2010-2011 school year.
Interested parents submitted an input form to share with the community why they would like to serve on School Council. Please follow these steps so you can access the information and vote for the parent of your choice.
All students in Paradise Valley have a pvlearners account. At the primary level you may not be very familiar with this. However, at the intermediate level you are becoming more familiar with pvlearners. All students have a username and password. If you do not know your child's username and password, please get these from your child's teacher. Drop them an email, and they will be happy to respond.
Once you have your child's username and password go to the following link
http://sites.google.com/a/pvlearners.net/dtes-lee-school-site/

You will see a log-in box on the left hand side. Enter your child's information and you will be taken directly to the School Council site. Read each page for directions, and each candidate's information. Click on "Vote Here" to select your parent representative.

The voting window closes Sept. 17, 2010.

2 things!

2010-09-09T08:53:00.000-07:00

Join us for the first 2010-2011 PTO General Membership Meeting which is next Wednesday, September 15th- 6:30-7:00pm is a social Meet and Greet and the meeting will begin at 7pm in the school library. PTO has invited Guest Speaker, Tom Elliott, PVUSD Assistant Superintendent of Business Services. Mr. Elliott will speak about the PVUSD Budget and what it means to our students followed by Q &A. Mrs. Lee will also do a mini-presentation on the "Make Your Day Program!" We hope to see you!
6th GRADE PARENTS----Explorer Middle Schools' Parent Orientation has moved from the spring to the fall. Mark your calendars for November 9th, and look for more information to come.
!!Happy New Year to those celebrating Rosh Hashana!!

Community Legislative Network

2010-09-04T16:41:00.000-07:00

The Community Legislative Network, or CLN, was formed 6 years ago as a Superintendent’s Committee. Members of the committee represent all stakeholder groups in the district including parents, teachers, principals, education support professionals, central office administrators, governing board members and community representatives. Each fall, the committee develops a legislative agenda for the PVUSD that is approved by the Governing Board. Committee members track legislation and meet with state legislators to inform and educate them about the district’s positions.

The CLN utilizes an e-mail network and sends legislative updates to individual stakeholders with the goal of activating them to communicate with their legislators. If you would like to be added to the CLN e-mail network, please email your name and personal email address to mailto:community.legislative.network@gmail.com. For questions about CLN, please contact Julie Bacon, CLN Chair at mailto:jwbacon@cox.net.

Important Dates

2010-08-30T12:14:00.001-07:00

Jot these dates down!

August 31, Tuesday - All Student's dismissed at 12:30
September 6, Monday - NO School Labor Day Recess
September 9, Thursday - No School ~ K-12 Recess
September 21, Tuesday - All Student's dismissed at 12:30

Summer Heat!

2010-08-24T14:32:00.000-07:00

Today, we implemented our 'Hot Day/Rainy Day' lunch schedule. As a general rule, when we expect the temperature to be at 105 degrees or higher during the majority of the lunch period, we make the decision to keep all students inside during their lunch time. We take into account the heat index, excessive heat warnings, and the ozone alerts as well. Fortunately, our playground has plenty of shade and the recess times are short. On days that we do go out and it is still hot, our Duty Aides do an excellent job supervising students, reminding them of water breaks, and even "misting" them with water from time to time!!! Keep Cool!

Teacher Names!

2010-08-23T11:48:00.000-07:00

A huge THANK YOU must go out to:
Karrie Bakkila
Christina Porambo
Derek Porambo
Nancy Baker
These "good-hearted" people are the biggest reason our first day of school went so smoothly.
During the summer, they came in the 180 degree heat (felt like it) and stenciled, then painted
all of the teacher's names outside on the side walk. This improvement made finding the line-up
100% easier for all of our students and parents!!
THANK YOU~THANK YOU~THANK YOU~THANK YOU!!!!

Technology Parent Survey

2010-08-20T14:08:00.000-07:00

Our first week of school is over in a flash! It has been a perfect week.
During the course of this busy week, I did find the time to meet with the Desert Trails' Dream Tech Team, create a parent survey, and initiate our first Technology Camp meeting.
Sept. 20 at 6:30-7:30
Please join us in the Media Center, as we will be brainstorming ideas about moving forward with technology here at Desert Trails.
At the top of my blog you'll find a new link. Please click on this link and take the technology survey.
You will need to enter your child's pvlearners passwords. The results will be shared at our first Camp meeting and with School Council. I hope to see you.
Thank you!

School Council Parent Representative

2010-08-17T13:34:00.000-07:00

In case you missed the School Council booth at the Ice Cream Social--- here is the perfect
way for you to become involved at Desert Trails. The Council is in need of one parent to serve a 2 year term. Our Council consists of 2 teachers, 1 classified person, 1 community member, and 2 parent representatives. We meet monthly, right here at Desert Trails.
Please visit our School Council page (link at the top of this blog) for more information and if you are interested in serving, please let me know a.s.a.p. I will then send home the interest application. Our deadline for all interest applications to be submitted is August 31.
Should we receive more than 1 interest application, all parents at Desert Trails will have the opportunity to vote through pvlearners. I will be sending more information out at that time so you have all of the necessary steps to cast your vote. Thank you!

First Day Success!

2010-08-16T15:47:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who made today so successful. From the parking lot to the classroom our students had a safe & great day!!! I enjoyed seeing each and everyone of you, and especially our new Kinder students. I trust and know we will have a wonderful school year!!!
Keep these dates in mind:
Parent Night~ August 25
Kindergarten 5:30-6:00
1st and 2nd grades~6:05-6:35
3rd and 4th grades~6:40-7:10
5th and 6th grades~7:15-7:45
Honors/Special Areas/Resource~ 6:15-7:15
Please go directly to your child's classroom at the above time(s).
Early Release~ August 31
All students are dismissed at 12:30 (lunch is not served)
Governing Board Meeting~ September 2- 7pm

Ready or Not-Here We Go!

2010-07-27T13:30:00.000-07:00

I hope this end of the summer letter finds each and every Desert Trails' family healthy, happy and eager to get back to the best school in the west! I know I am! What a terrific summer I had which included the assimilation of new staff into Desert Trails.
For the 2010-2011 school year our new staff members will be: Devra Kaplan-First Grade/Barb Kapla-Second Grade/Cari Carlin-Fourth Grade/Dawn Goodland-Fifth Grade/Denice Baldetti-Library/Ms. Brooksby-Strings. All come with experience, dedication, and a love for children. I know they will embrace the Desert Trails' community quickly and smoothly.

Parking Lot Jam! No, nothing you'll find on the shelf at Albertson's but please remember how the first few days of school can be with the amount of cars on campus. Planning ahead, leaving a few (5-10) minutes early, and breathing deeply will make those "crunch times" much more pleasant for all of us! Mostly the kids, as they hear and see everything! We need your help with following all traffic signs, speed limits, red zones, and cross walks. We would LOVE for any parents to help us direct traffic, new students, etc... to join us. Thank you!

To our incoming Kindergartners we open our arms and welcome you! Rest assured, the majority of Desert Trails' staff understands how difficult the first day of school will be for some of you. Harder for moms and dads, than the kids!!! A letter will be in the mail to all Kindergarten parents that will welcome you and review first day procedures. Be watching for that!
A Kindergarten Welcome will be held at 9:15 in the Cafeteria for all Kindergarten parents on the first day of school. Please drop off your precious cargo in their classroom, and come down to join us. PTO, Art Masterpiece, and myself will be there to greet you and share some Desert Trails news with you. Also, please help us with our Kindergarten parking lot as it is a very busy place, with children everywhere. Safety first at Desert Trails, so please, please, please take your time in the parking lot, don't double park, do not park in the red zone, or the drop off/pick up zone. Allow yourself a few extra minutes to safely walk your child into the Kindergarten playground and then into the classroom at 8:55. An option: Several parents will need to park on the nearby neighborhood streets.

Here are some important August dates you won't want to miss:

Class-lists posted: Wednesday, Aug. 11 at 4:00 on the front office doors!
Ice Cream Social: Thursday, Aug. 12 at 3:00-5:00 Come meet your teacher!
First Day of School: Monday, Aug. 16 at 8:55 We'll be looking for you!
Parent Night: Wednesday, Aug. 25 Times and schedule to be announced
Half day: School dismissed at 12:30, Tuesday, Aug. 31

School Council will be having a booth at the Ice Cream Social to share what School Council is all about at Desert Trails. Currently we have an open parent position, and if you would like some more information, please stop by the booth. Our School Council Members will be there to meet you!

More information to follow!

Digital Learners at Desert Trails

2010-07-21T13:14:00.000-07:00

Summer Greetings! I hope your summer has been filled with popcorn nights, water fun, and several special family moments! The office has been back this week gearing up for this coming school year and we are well on our way! The office will open to the public starting Monday, July 26. I am anxious to share with you some great things that are in the pipe as we will be launching a new Technology Signature Program at Desert Trails!!! We will be having some "camp" meetings where all parents and teachers will be invited to dream and plan together.
Here is a glimpse to get you as excited as I am:
Desert Trails has been selected to pilot the brand new Smart Table! Similar to the Smart board this high student engaged tool will be facilitated and connecting kids at the primary level. ALSO---
We will start the year with 15 iPads & 15 iTouches. Teachers will be utilizing these hands-on technology tools in centers focused on academic units and projects. I am currently shooting for an iTouch for every Desert Trails' student!!!! Our Smart Boards, Student response "Clickers," iPads, iTouches, and more, verify we are well on our way to equipping our Desert Trails' students for 21st Century skills and a successful future that is wrapped in technology. Please join us at these "camp" meetings. We want and value your input.
Classlists will be posted as usual on the Office front doors Wednesday, Aug. 11 at 4:00. Be sure to join us on Thursday, Aug. 12 3:00-5:00 for our annual PTO Ice Cream Social. This is a great time to see old friends and meet your new teacher!!! I will be looking for you and I am truly excited about the great year we are going to have. Stay tuned to this blog---more information to come!

Good News for Incoming First Graders

2010-06-04T14:00:00.000-07:00

I have GREAT news to share and wanted you to know a.s.a.p.
Dr. Gasket has graciously approved the 4th First Grade classroom!
We have an experienced teacher in place and she is ready to go.
Our numbers look to be 21 to 1, which is wonderful!!!

Happy Summer!

Summer is here!

2010-06-01T17:25:00.000-07:00

I hope your summer is off to a great start but I don't want another day to go by without mentioning some instrumental parents that have given so much of their talent and time this year. First, PTO--- Thank you for the wonderful year! The family events, teacher mini grants, parent meetings, and more, accomplished the mission: support for students!
V.I.P.- Thanks to our V.I.P. parent readers who did an excellent job this year providing additional support to the classroom teacher and our students. We were fortunate to be able to hire Mrs. Seitz to support our K-3 students with reading, but our V.I.P parent readers also played a vital role. Those were just a couple of the formal groups I wanted to mention, however, there are so many thanks due to parents who came in when they could to assist the classroom teacher with copying, small math groups, field trips, art projects, etc.... Thank you!!!
Did you see an extra smile in the office this year? That was Nancy Baker who volunteered every day in the front office or wherever she was needed. Nancy came in with a smile on her face and a song in her heart to do what she could for all of us. A simple thank you doesn't seem enough... but THANK YOU Nancy! Words cannot express how much you did for us! You're the BEST!

School Council will be having a booth at the PTO Ice Cream Social on August 12, 3-5.
Our parents, Lynn Clark and Jeff Gaunt will be in the booth talking with parents and sharing information about the upcoming open parent position. Be sure to stop by the booth!

GENESIS Church that meets on Sundays at Desert Trails has generously given a $2500.00 donation to the school. This donation will go directly to support Study Island for grades 3-6. Thank you GENESIS! I appreciate their partnership and support.

Technology at Desert Trails will rise to a new level next school year but I want to hear from you on what this will look like for our students. Would you like to see your child engage/interact with the Smart table, ipad, itouch, and to record with a flip camera? These are just a few technology tools we will be considering how to implement during the 2010-2011 school year. I will offer meetings throughout the first semester where we will brainstorm the how, who, where, and what, we want our students to be able to do with these awesome tools. As soon as school starts up I will send out our first meeting date. I hope to see you and hear your great ideas!

Incoming First Grade Parents- stay tuned to this eNews as I will communicate through it to keep you in the loop on our class sizes for next year. The district is watching our numbers and will be in contact with me should there be any changes. Please know I am doing all I can to get us the 4th teacher!!

Last but not least.... I wish you a wonderful and safe summer! I thank each one of you for a strong-successful year! I hope to see everyone August 12, 3:00-5:00 at the Ice Cream Social.

End of the Year

2010-05-23T17:21:00.001-07:00

In a snip and a snap it is behind us! 2009-2010 school year has come to a close.
This last week we do have a few events remaining that we would like to share with you.
Please join us, on Monday, at 9:30, we will have a play Tomato Plant Girl that deals with bullying,on Tuesday, at 9:30 5th grade will perform Spirit of America play, along with all of the classroom parties!!! Also, please find Dr. James P. Lee's end of the year letter.
I have posted the link above.

Thursday is a half day, students are dismissed at 12:30.

Our classroom placements will be completed this week and I want to thank parents for sending in the Parent Input Form. I appreciate your taking the time to work with us regarding placement next year.

School Council will be hosting a booth at the annual PTO Ice Cream Social on August 12, 3:00-5:00. They have plenty information to share with you. They also will be recruiting a new parent member for the 2010-2011 school year. Be sure to stop by the School Council booth for more information.

2010-2011 First Grade Parents: please stay in close contact with this blog over the summer. Should any changes occur in our being able to increase our current 3 classrooms to 4 classrooms, I want you to be the first to know!!! I am doing all I can to make that happen.

NEW CLASS: Desert Trails will now offer a Core Knowledge Pre-K class for your 3 year old!! That's right, 3 years old!!! Contact Community Ed. if you are interested in having your child attend.

Direction for 2010-2011: Get the scoop here--- next year Desert Trails will host several forums to discuss and dream what we will be offering our students through the world of technology. We are currently brainstorming a signature program focused on Technology & 21 Century Skills.
Does Desert Trails the Digital Learning Center have a nice ring? We think so, but we want to hear from you. Be looking for those forums so you can join in the grass roots effort to launch a high tech program for all of our students at Desert Trails!!!

Obtaining AIMS Results

2010-05-12T20:11:00.000-07:00

2010 AIMS/SAT 10 INDIVIDUAL STUDENT RESULTS
The only state AIMS/SAT 10 individual student test results that will be mailed home this summer will be Grade 10 Spring AIMS Math/Science and Grade 11 Spring AIMS Math results. Those scores will arrive at student households in early July.
All other state test results are arriving late this year due to a changed scoring and standard setting process for the new math standards that were tested in April.
Because of the later delivery to districts, AIMS/SAT 10 test results for Grades 2 through 9 will be sent home with students when they return to school in August. If parents would like their student copy earlier, they will need to contact the school office after it opens in July to request early availability of an individual student result.
High school offices will be available beginning July 21st for parent calls regarding AIMS/SAT 10 individual student results. Elementary and Middle school offices open to the public on Monday, July 26 for parent inquiries regarding individual student state test results.

Fine Arts Month at Desert Trails
Strings, Band, Choir, and Art all held special events this month to celebrate the many talents of our Desert Trails' students. Thank you to those instructors who organized, planned, and prepared these special events! They were all wonderful!

Don't miss...

May 17 School Council at 7:45 a.m.
May 19 UPC at 8:30 a.m.
May 20 Volunteer Luncheon at 11:30 a.m.
May 20 Gov. Board Meeting at 7:00 p.m.
May 22 GENESIS Family movie at 7:00 p.m.
May 27 Last Day of School- Dismissed at 12:30 Half Day!
Schools out for Summer!!!
July 26 Office opens to the public
August 12 Ice Cream Social at 3:00 p.m.
August 16 School Starts!!!

Free MOVIE night at Desert Trails!

2010-05-05T09:14:00.000-07:00

GENESIS Church who meets every Sunday at Desert Trails would like to say THANK YOU to all Staff and Students for allowing them to use our building. In the Desert Trails' playground, GENISIS will be showing a free family feature MOVIE, 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 22. Snacks and drinks will be provided by GENESIS! Just bring your lawn chairs, blankets, family and friends for a fun, family event. ALSO>>>> you will see an end of year slide show featuring Desert Trails' students!!! We hope to see you!

Make a Difference

2010-05-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

May 4-5-6, will be very special days in the PVUSD!
Students, Staff, and the Community will be able to work together to help support the Foundation of Public Education. Did you know the Foundation has invested over $350,000 in grants and services benefiting the 34,000 students in the Paradise Valley School District? This year the Foundation's goal is for every Student and Staff member to contribute $1.00 to help support the HANDS ON SCIENCE CENTER, CREST, and the COLLEGE and CAREER CENTERS. These programs reach all K-12 students.
At Desert Trails we have added a "twist" to make these 3 days extra fun! On Tuesday, students can bring in $1.00 and wear their slippers all day (with the exception of P.E.).
On Wednesday, students can bring in a $1.00 and wear their hat all day-inside & outside!
Thursday is the culminating day, and students can bring in $1.00 and they will receive a 20 minute fun filled recess!!! At our pep-rally this past Friday, students were really excited about these fun options! A container will be in the office if parents would like to contribute to support these wonderful programs in P.V.
Also, for our community members, the Foundation offers a CHANGE MATCHER. Please see the above links I have provided for more information! Thank you for your support!

An Invitation

2010-04-29T12:52:00.000-07:00

You are cordially invited to the first Desert Trail's Fine Arts Fair.

Ms. Parent (D.T. Art Teacher) & Ms. Lindley (D.T. Music Teacher) have coordinated a wonderful evening event highlighting an all school Art Fair & Spring Choir Concert!
On May 11, from 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. student produced drawings and paintings will be framed and on display in the hallways for you to celebrate your child's creativity and artistic endeavors. Then join our Desert Trails' Choir performance of "I Need A Vacation" from 6:30-7:15. This "family" is planning a car trip over the summer, visiting Grandma on the farm and lots of other fun surprises! Don't miss this wonderful, fun, family night at Desert Trails.

Mock Car Accident

2010-04-27T11:17:00.000-07:00

So that you are aware, Pinnacle High School will be holding a mock car accident this Thursday 4/29 morning.

This is in cooperation with Mothers Awareness of School-age Kids, Phx PD, Phx. Fire, and Air Evac. They will be following it up with an assembly for all juniors and seniors regarding safe driving and making good decisions.

Parent Input Form

2010-04-19T11:10:00.000-07:00

Yes, it is that time of year when parents, teachers, and I all work together to create our new classrooms for the next school year! At our last PTO meeting I shared with parents the 7 step placement process we follow at Desert Trails, to ensure every voice is heard.
If you would like to fill out a Parent Input Form to help us determine the best placement for your child, there are three ways for you to get the form.
1) visit the site( see LINKS at the top of this blog), print, and send to the office!
2) visit our school site, look under Parent Resources, print, and send to the office!
3) pick up the form in the school office!
I hope one of these options will make this process easy for you! The deadline to getting the form in is May 3, 2010.

Technology News: Desert Trails has been selected to be one of two schools to pilot the new Smart Table!!! Similar to the Smart board, this interactive table will enable a small group of students to collaborate, problem solve, and use other 21st Century Skills in learning content. This is an exciting move forward as we strive to embed technology into the classroom. Be watching for more information!

School Council, working with our teacher leadership team, PAC, are moving through the process of creating and aligning our D.T. COMPASS 2015 goals, objectives, and strategies to the District's COMPASS 2015. Please see the PVUSD website for more information.

Last but not least: Thank you for your cooperation this week and last week. The hallways and campus have been extra quiet, allowing students and teachers to focus on the task, AIMS. This week 4th grade will tackle the Science AIMS, and we will be catching up any make-up AIMS. We are almost done! Thank you again.

AIMS Testing Protocol

2010-04-06T20:07:00.000-07:00

As we prepare for the two week window of AIMS testing ~ April 12-23 ~ I wanted to share with you our protocol for that time period. First and most importantly please do not make any appointments for your child during this testing time frame. The rules and regulations dictate that should a student leave during the testing period they are not allowed to then complete that portion of the test. Also, having your child be at school on time is critical to being allowed into the classroom before testing begins. Should your child arrive late, they must remain out of class until that test is completed and they will then have to make up that portion missed.
In our attempt to protect the testing schedule and to provide maximum focus for all students we will not be allowing parents to volunteer, copy, assist with reading groups, Art Masterpiece, etc... to take place during the testing 2 week window.
The basics of a good night's sleep and healthy breakfast are also encouraged!!! We know and are confident our students will do an excellent job, but these little things add up to be of great support! I appreciate you joining us in doing all we can do to provide a supportive environment for our students to perform at their highest ability!
Thank you very much!