Hawk Happenings
March 10, 2021
Reminders
- Staggered Release
- Kinder releases at 12:15
- 1st and 2nd grades release at 12:20
Closed Toed Shoes
- For safety reasons, students must wear closed toed shoes to school. This is listed in our DTES Student - Parent Handbook
Fire Drill
- We will have our first fire drill of the year with students on campus. We will maintain our mitigation strategies while reviewing and practicing this safety drill
- When pulling into the drop off lanes in the morning, please be sure students are prepared to exit the vehicle
UPC Teacher Nominations
- Nominate a teacher or staff member from our school (see below). Nominations close today
AZM2 & Science Testing Calendar 2021
AzM2 (formerly AzMerit)
This Spring, our 3rd - 6th graders will complete the required AzM2 state test. This year, the pandemic has presented learning and teaching challenges for students and teachers. The information that is collected from the state test will help administrators and teachers better understand the impact that this year has had on academic performance. The AzM2 will also provide information that will improve how students are taught, how teachers are coached, and how we can better support students.
Teachers assess students’ understanding throughout the school year so they can offer the right levels of support. The state test is intended to give teachers an objective measure of how your child is doing and measure how they are academically growing compared to other students in the state. Additionally, the AzM2 can provide benchmarks for parents and teachers, students, and schools. All public schools are required to administer state standardized assessments to fulfill the requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act.
Testing Dates & Schedules
3rd Grade
April 8 - Writing
April 13 - Part 1 Reading; Part 1 Math
April 15 - Part 2 Reading; Part 2 Math
4th Grade
April 13 - Writing
May 4 - Reading Part 1; Math Part 1,
May 6 - Reading Part 2; Math Part 25th Grade
April 13 - Writing
April 22 - Science Part 1
April 27 - Science Part 2
May 4 - Reading Part 1; Math Part 1
May 6 - Reading Part 2; Math Part 2
6th Grade
April 13 - Writing
April 27 - Part 1 Reading
April 29 - Part 1 Math
May 4 - Part 2 Reading
May 6 - Part 2 Math
PVConnect Students
Administration of the AzM2 is only available for face to face administration. All COVID-19 safety protocols will be in place for testing day.Teachers will be sending out a form to determine your testing preference of having your child to take the AZM2 test with their teacher in their classroom on the days the class will be testing, or having your child to take the AZM2 test after school on Wednesdays at 12:30. Please be sure to respond so that we can plan appropriately.
Notes from PTO:
Good news! After much thought and helpful feedback, our PTO will be facilitating a paired down version of the yearbook for the 2020-21 school year! We have decided to go through a company called TreeRing which lets us customize our yearbook without having to commit to the amount of pages and number of yearbooks purchased at a very reasonable price ($15-20).
Sixth grade parents will have the opportunity to include dedications and students will have the option to create a page that will only be printed in their particular yearbook. The dedication pages and individual student pages will be an extra charge for those individual yearbooks.
We are looking for one or two parents from each class to help gather these photos and create individual class pages.
We are seeking out volunteers to be a facilitator for this project! Volunteer name(s) and contact information can be forwarded to Mandi Cramer (contact information below).
Please help us make this a memorable year for our students!
Any questions? Please contact Mandi Cramer at deserttrailsyearbook@gmail.com or 602-295-0627.
PTO Sunshine Committee
Here is the link to the March sign up genius for the food cart! It truly brightens their days.
United Parent Council
March Monthly Meeting
Have you ever wondered . . .
Where do I go if I think my child should be tested for services?
How do I find out when there is a Governing Board Meeting and what is on the agenda?
How can I make a comment to the Governing Board or state a position on pending legislation?
Where do I go if I have a questions about my child’s grade?
What can I do if I feel my child is being bullied?
Find out answers to these and many more pressing questions parents want to know and submit your own questions through our private chat during the program. Leave feeling supported and empowered to positively use your voice to effectively engage in solution-based communications.
Presenters:
Donna Davis, Expect More Arizona
Nikkie Whaley, Governing Board Member, Washington School District, Member of Arizona Schools Boards Association and ASBA Board Support & Training Specialist
Dr. Mitchell von Gnechten, Director of Student Services
Lora Herbein, Director of Student Services
Andre Long, Assistant Superintendent of Leadership (Secondary)
Dr. Steven Jeras, Assistant Superintendent of Leadership (Elementary)
Lisa Hoberg, Community Legislative Network (CLN) Chairperson
Wednesday, March 10th
9:00 am UPC General Meeting and Comments from Dr. Lee.
If you have questions for Dr. Lee, please submit them HERE.
9:45am "A PV Parent's Guide to Education Advocacy
Please register in advance HERE! You will then receive the Zoom link via email.
View the UPC Facebook Event HERE and click "Going"
Meeting Agenda
Meeting Abridged Slides
View the February 10th Meeting Minutes
View the Budget HERE
Social & Emotional Learning at Desert Trails
Social emotional learning is a priority at Desert Trails. Please click here for more information.
Learning Modality Reminders
- We will continue to apply mitigation strategies to reduce the spread of COVID-19 within the school. This includes cloth face mask requirements, limiting visitors, and modified drop-off and pick-up routines. Please understand that we will make every effort to maintain appropriate social distancing when possible
- Prior to any permanent change in learning modality (switching from PV Connect to in-person and vise versa) parents/guardians need to notify the school and teacher a minimum of one week in advance, and also have that week include a Wednesday (teacher prep/planning time). This will allow the teacher time to get materials, the learning environment, groupings, etc. prepared. It also cuts down on disruption and disengagement of student learning.
- In- person students will be assigned to PVConnect for COVID exposure or illness. At-home materials may not be readily available for these absences, as teachers need advance notice to make take-home materials available. We are asking parents/guardians to allow the teacher 2 days to provide all the needed learning materials.
In-person students who are absent for reasons other than COVID exposure or illness may be able to access the online classroom when the absence is scheduled in advance with the teacher and school administration.
Please understand that the PVConnect model is not in place to allow students to still be attending school while on vacations, long weekends, at doctor's appointments, sports tournaments, etc. If a student who normally attends in-person learning needs to be absent from school for any reason, the teachers can help them get caught up as they would during any normal school year. This will help minimize the disruption of learning to all students in the class.
- If a student continues to be absent from in-person instruction for reasons other than COVID-19, we will work with the parent/guardian to assign the student to PVConnect for the remainder of the school year
Safety Reminders
- Send your child in a mask, with several spares in their backpack. GAITERS and VALVED masks are NOT allowed
- Send your child to school with a labeled water bottle
Lunch: Single use lunches and easy to open items are preferred
Please review our updated Drop-off & Pick-up Procedures with your child so they know what to expect
Please remember that masks must be worn correctly during pick up and drop off by students and parents. This includes while on sidewalks and in crosswalks
No dogs allowed on school property
Materials Distribution
- We will still continue to provide materials for pick up in our front lobby in teacher bins
- Please refrain from picking up supplies during arrival and dismissal times to limit traffic congestion
Digital Support for Parents and Students
DTES PTO
DTES Reopening Playbook
About Desert Trails
Location: 4315 East Cashman Drive, Phoenix, AZ, USA
Phone: 602-449-4100