New River Elementary Wildcat Update
February 26, 2021
Positive Principal Time Winners!
6th Grade Artwork!
We love our bus drivers!
Announcements
Calendar
- Monday, March 1 through Friday March 5, 2021 Read Across America Week
- Friday, March 5, 2021 - Early Release 2:00 p.m.
- Tuesday, March 9, 2021 - Picture Make-Up Day
- Friday, March 12, 2021 - Students are dismissed @ 12:05 p.m. - Employee Vaccines
- Spring Break- March 15 -19, 2021
- Friday, March 26, 2021 - Early Release 2:00 p.m.
Read Across America Week
During the week of March 1st-5th New River Elementary will be celebrating Dr. Seuss with Read Across America week. As part of the celebration, we will be having spirit days throughout the week. Show your school spirit!
Monday: Crazy Socks/Hat Day
On this day, students can wear a silly hat and/or crazy socks to school.
Tuesday: Poem in Your Pocket Day
On this day, students will carry a poem in their pocket to read to anyone that asks. A poem will be provided by their teacher.
Wednesday: Favorite Character Day
On this day, students can dress up as their favorite storybook character.
Thursday: Word Dress Up Day
On this day, students can be creative and dress up like a word. For example, if they choose the word ‘puzzled’ then they could have puzzle pieces attached to their clothes.
Friday: Pajama Day
On this day, students can wear their comfy PJ’s to school.
Dr. Seuss Reading Challenge!
Each student is encouraged to read for at least 15 minutes each night and to fill out a reading slip. Turn your reading slips into your teacher as you complete them. Your class will make a daisy chain of the reading slips that get turned in and hang it in the classroom. The class with the longest chain in grades K-1, 2-3, and 4-6 will win the challenge. The students from each winning class will get to pick out a new pencil and bookmark as a prize!
PTSA Meeting/Membership Information
PTSA will be meeting on Monday, March 1, 2021 at 6:30 p.m. on Zoom, all are welcome to attend. Here is the zoom information: Join Zoom Meeting @
https://dvusd-org.zoom.us/j/86861846090Meeting ID: 868 6184 6090
Passcode: PTSAcats
You can still sign up for PTSA. Annual membership fees are $7 per individual member. Cash, check and PayPal payments are accepted. Make checks payable to New River PTSA or submit through PayPal to Nreptsa@gmail.com. There are also membership forms in the office for you to come in person to join.
New River Student Council Leukemia Fundraiser through March 12th - We need your help!
Please help the New River STUCO with their annual fundraiser for Leukemia families. It's easy, no digging for pennies or change! Visit HeroSquad.org & look for your child's teacher's online account and students will simply enter information if they would like to participate. Ask your friends and family to make donations on-line using the students name. There will be prizes for students who get donations and there will be an ice cream sandwich party for the winning class. The fundraiser will run from Tuesday, February 16, 2021 through Friday, March 12, 2021. The flier will have instructions about how to register under your student's teacher's name to create their own online account.
Open Enrollment Window is Now
If you know anyone wanting to sign up for open enrollment for next year let them know the time is now to do it. Here is the link: https://openenrollment.dvusd.org/application
Tax Credit Information/Donate to New River School @ https://ww.dvusd.org/taxcredit
The Arizona tax credit program (A.R.S. 43-1089.01) allows a tax credit of up to $200 for individuals and up to $400.00 for married couples, filing jointly, in support of extracurricular activities. The tax credit reduces your tax burden to the state of Arizona, dollar for dollar. Remember, you have until April 15, 2021 to take advantage of the 2020 tax credit on your Arizona State taxes.
You can help support our school! Fry's Community Rewards makes fund-raising easy by donating to local organizations based on the shopping you do everyday. Once you link your card to an New River Elementary, all you have to do is shop our store and swipe your Shopper's Card! Sign up at www.frysfood.com/account/communityrewards to support New River Elementary. Thank you for your support!
Calling all Next Year's Kindergarteners
Kindergarten Round-Up was this week. If you missed it here are a couple videos you can view to learn all about kindergarten at New River! Meet the principal and take a school tour: https://youtu.be/3bVxzwPfzc4 Meet Mrs. Martin a kindergarten teacher and learn about the classroom: https://youtu.be/UHgdEmvIqsQ
We are now enrolling kindergarten students for students who turn 5 years old by August 31, 2021 for the 2021-22 school year! Deer Valley Unified School District also has Early Kindergarten Entry testing, please see information below or click on this link: Kindergarten / Early Entry Kindergarten (dvusd.org). Please stop by the office anytime during normal hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to pick up a registration packet from Kara or Lisa.
Early Kindergarten Entry
Children who turn 5 between September 1 and December 31, 2021 may be assessed to determine readiness for early entrance into kindergarten. The intent of early entrance is to identify highly capable children who miss the regular September 1 cutoff for kindergarten entrance. Early entry is specifically geared for children whose curriculum achievement level far exceeds the norm. In order to be considered for the early entrance acceptance, the child must exhibit advanced skills in language arts, mathematics, and in social, emotional, and motor development as measured by tests administered by the Deer Valley Unified School District.
Students Returning to New River School?
Do you know of anyone returning to New River School campus this school year or this fall? If so, please let them know we are now enrolling and would love to hear from them. Please contact Kara or Lisa @ 623-376-3500 at your earliest convenience, in order to plan for this upcoming school year. We look forward to having everyone back on campus! Thank you!
3rd -6th Grade Students
We are starting to prepare for AzM2 state testing. The testing window is April 5 - May 14, 2021. It is important that all student have their own headphones for the testing. If you are able, please purchase a set for your students to bring to school.
Mask Expectations
In an effort to remain in person on campus everyone on campus is required to wear a mask. This includes visitors in the the front office and if you are out of your car for drop off and pick up. Make sure the mask is worn properly over the nose and mouth.
Food and Nutrition
We continue to serve breakfast and lunch DAILY at no charge for all students.
Click here to access the virtual breakfast and lunch menu.
Student Handbook
Click on this link to view the student handbook or you can view the handbook on the school website.
Hello Families,
The motto for this week is:
I exercise my brain each day.
The purpose of this insight is to move students from a fixed mindset; I am or am not good at this to a growth mindset; I get better with practice. Students may shy away from a challenge if they worry they may struggle or fail. However, if we help our students think about learning as an exercise that makes us smarter rather than a confirmation of how smart we are or are not, it can increase their motivation to learn.
"We've seen profound effects on motivation - and performance and grades - by teaching students the basic premise of the growth mindset: that your intelligence is malleable, not just handed out at birth, and your intellectual growth is to a large degree in your own hands." -Carol Dweck, Ph.D
This concept is taken from Mindsets and Math/Science Achievement by Carol S. Dweck of Stanford University 2008. Dweck shared in her research that the way we praise our children can affect whether they develop a growth or fixed mindset:
The key to instilling a growth mindset is teaching kids that their brains are like muscles that can be strengthened through hard work and persistence. So rather than saying, "Not everybody is good at math. Just do your best," a teacher or parent should say, "When you learn how to do a new math problem, it grows your brain." Or instead of saying, "Maybe math is not one of your strengths," a better approach is adding "yet" to the end of the sentence: "Maybe math is not one of your strengths yet."
Here is a four-minute video that quickly summarizes the effects of praise on children.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWv1VdDeoRY
Have a great week and be well,
Danna Evans
All Things E.Q.
New River School
Email: tina.marone@dvusd.org
Website: https://www.dvusd.org/newriver
Location: 48827 North Black Canyon Highway, Phoenix, AZ, USA
Phone: 6233763500
Facebook: facebook.com/NewRiverElementarySchool
Twitter: @NewRIverWildcat