Mustang News
Desert Vista Elementary School
Where students are the center of everything we do!
August 2023
We just completed our reading screeners to determine our K-3 students who need reading support. These tests are important so that we can understand the early reading skills and target specialized help. An informational letter about the MOWR Move On When Reading guidelines for Arizona students went home with K-3 students last week.
DVES students just completed their IXL diagnostic screener. The diagnostic screener helps us determine each student's overall math and reading level as well as details about subcategories such as geometry or grammar. Some of our students tested above grade level so we are able to challenge and accelerate their learning with lessons and activities that are "just right" for their needs. This program is an outstanding resource because students can use it at school and home. It aligns with our Arizona standards and the curriculum topics that students are currently learning. It is great for reinforcing and reteaching. If you want to know your student's results on IXL, contact the homeroom teacher to get the report for IXL.
Because of the ongoing high heat and humidity, students are not having recess during the school day or at lunch. Our teachers and staff are providing alternate activities such as videos, team building, and other indoor games. Hydration is very important right now so please send your student with a reusable water bottle labeled with their first and last name. We have 6 water bottle filling stations around our campus for cool, filtered water. Students can refill throughout the day to ensure they are getting plenty of water. Student health and safety is our top priority!
Thanks to all of the families who came out to our first Family Pizza Night! Our PTO raised over $700 and the students had lots of fun!
We have an urgent need for tutoring volunteers on Wednesdays. We want to be able to offer 2 hours of tutoring on Wednesdays from 1:00pm to 3:00pm but we need volunteers to make it happen. We have students in grades 1-5 who need are working on improving reading, math, and need homework help. To be a volunteer, contact the office and fill out a volunteer application on the AJUSD Human Resources page. Teens can also volunteer on Wednesdays but must also go through the application process.
Annual Paper Run
Mary Newman, our wonderful parent drop off volunteer, is sponsoring our annual DVES Paper Run! Look for the yellow flyer as a reminder to bring in a ream of copy paper to your child's classroom. The class with the most collected through the end of August will win a Pizza Party! Thanks, Mrs. Newman for sponsoring this annual event for our school.
Attendance Matters
AJUSD is sponsoring two $1,000 drawings for students who attend school regularly. Students in all AJUSD schools K-12 are eligible. One winner will be drawn from the students who have perfect attendance. A second winner will be drawn from students who have less than 18 absences or 10% of the school year.
Upcoming Events
Thursday, August 24 - Family Math Night - 5:30 - 7:00 PM
Monday, August 28 - Picture Day! Class and Individual Pictures
Wednesday, August 30 - Mustang Pride Assemblies K-2 8:45, 3-5 9:15
Monday. September 4 - Labor Day Holiday - No School
Tuesday, September 12 - DVES school site council 3:30 PM
Tuesday, September 12 - AJUSD Governing Board Meeting 6:00 PM
Wednesday, September 27 - Full day 3:00PM Dismissal for Conferences.
September 28 & 29 - Early release 1:00PM Dismissal Parent Conferences by appointment
Fall Break October 2 - October 13
Winter Break December 22 - January 5
Spring Break March 11- March 22
Check out the AJUSD Academic Calendar for 23-24
School Lunch
Students have a 20 minute recess and a 20 minute lunch period each day. During high heat we have an alternate recess period where students watch videos. Students may bring lunch from home or eat the lunch served in the cafeteria. We do not accept third party deliveries for student lunch such as Door Dash or Grub Hub.
We are asking every family to complete the Linq meal application . Please fill out a meal plan application even if you do not think you will qualify for free/reduced lunch. This helps us continue our Title I funding for our school. Important Note: A NEW APPLICATION MUST BE FILLED OUT EACH SCHOOL YEAR. THEY DO NOT ROLL OVER. On the main district page click on the tile for "Lunch Pay/Apply" and then click on the button "Start Meal Application." Follow the instructions for completing the application. Last year's applications will be dropped on September 5th so apply now.
Student Device Insurance
- The Technology Insurance Plan is available now for $25. This is an important plan to save you from paying full price for broken/lost laptops. Purchases can be made by clicking on the InTouch "Payment Portal" tile on the main AJUSD webpage. You must have an active ParentVUE account to purchase the plan. If you are not sure you have an account, please contact the school and someone in the office can assist you. 480-677-7510.
From the Office
Student drop off: There is no supervision on campus prior to 8:05AM so early drop offs are not permitted. Teachers and staff will open gates at 8:05 and will supervise students at that time.
Tardy: School starts promptly at 8:25am. ALL students arriving late to school must be accompanied by a parent and signed in at the Front Office.
Student Absences: Parents/Legal Guardians must contact the Front Office within 24hrs of their child's absence. Voicemail is available to leave a message regarding absences if calling after office hours or no answer. Please leave your name, child's name, date, reason for absence and teacher. Absences may also be entered through ParentVUE.
Picking Up Students: Please have your I.D. ready when picking up your child(ren). Only parents and legal guardians can pick up students. In cases of emergency, please contact the school to notify of any other arrangements. Emergency contacts are for school staff use and will be contacted in case of emergency if we are unable to reach a parent/guardian.
End of Day Dismissal: Instructional time is bell to bell- 8:25am - 3:00pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and 8:25am - 1:00pm on Wednesdays. To limit interruptions, we do not allow early pick up during the last hour of the school day unless it is an emergency or proof of doctor/dentist appointment.
Transportation Changes: Any changes to transportation must be communicated to the front office by calling 480-677-7510 by 2:00pm on regular school days or 1:00pm on Wednesdays.
Special Days: As a school, we recognize student birthdays through daily announcements. Please check with your child's teacher prior to their birthday if you would like to request to bring something special in to share with the class. All food/beverage items must be pre-packaged from a store. We cannot accept deliveries for students from outside vendors. If the food/beverage items have been scheduled with your child's teacher, we will email the teacher when the items are brought in.
Family Involvement
DVES faculty and staff want to work as partners in your child’s education. There are multiple ways for you to become involved. We hold several evening parent engagement nights where you can learn about our curriculum. Family Math Night and Read Across America Night are fun events for you to get a glimpse of what the students are learning. We hope that all families will join us for parent/teacher conferences.
We also have opportunities for families and community members to serve on the School Site Council. Contact the principal if you are interested in becoming a representative. This group meets monthly to:
- Discuss issues important among staff, parents, and our community representatives
- Serve in an advisory capacity to the principal
- Approves Tax Credit expenditures for DVES
- Raise awareness and strengthen our school culture by identifying common school goals and communicating these out to the learning community as a whole
Room Parents Wanted
If you are a parent, grandparent, guardian, aunt, uncle, or sibling, we want you! Our goal is to have one adult per classroom as a leader to help the teacher organize events and help communicate with the families. Volunteer time in the classroom is not required but appreciated. Click or scan the link to sign-up as a room parent for your student's class.
DVES PTO Parent Teacher Organization
DVES PTO Executive Board
We are excited to introduce the DVES PTO Board for the 2023-24 school year!
President - Elizabeth Coleman
Vice President - Chelsea Connolly
Treasurer - Michelle Russo
Secretary - Mallory Blackwood & Kristina Hafer
DVES PTO Objectives
To promote the welfare, growth and education of children, youth and parents in the school and the community.
To sponsor projects and events for the benefit of DVES students.
To bring a closer working relationship between home and school so that parents, administrators, and teachers may collaborate in the education of the students.
DVES PTO supports teachers and classrooms by holding fundraisers and contributing much needed resources. They host annual evening community events including Fall Festival, Family Valentine Dance, and Spring Carnival. If you are interested in becoming involved in PTO everyone is welcome to attend the monthly meetings.
PTO Facebook Page
Want to stay up to date with the most current information about DVES PTO? Join the Facebook Page!
Friday is Spirit Day!
PTO Spirt Shirt Sales
Every Friday is SPIRIT DAY! It is the time to show off your Mustang Pride by wearing Red, White, and Blue. Connect with PTO on their Facebook page for more information about purchasing DVES Spirit T-Shirts. We were so happy to see students representing Desert Vista with their Mustang Gear for our very first Friday Spirit Day of the school year.
Family Communication
Rooms Replacing Dojo
The bad news is Class Dojo is no longer being used. The good news is AJUSD has a new resource for digital communication called Rooms. How do I find Rooms? Go to your app store/google play for your phone and look for Apache Junction USD, AZ. This is a two-way communication and messaging tool. All schools will be using the same resource so you won't have to switch apps for students at various schools. District wide announcements will all be held in the same space. Parents will never have to wonder when their children’s homework is due and students can ask their teacher school-related questions in a monitored, safe place. The app translates messages into a variety of languages and works on both desktop and mobile devices. Teacher can also use the app to give students points for positive behavior and classroom participation. While we might miss the cute monsters, we are confident that the new tool will be just right for AJUSD families.
How do I find the app? Go to your app store/google play for your phone and look for Apache Junction USD, AZ. Watch the quick video below from Mrs. Villarreal about using the AJUSD app.
Find Us on the World Wide Web
AJUSD has a new look online. Our new website has fantastic photos and great information about DVES. Website
There are 3 key areas to check out on the homepage.
- Large blue bar with 8 icons take you to: School Info, Enrollment, School Menus, Parent Vue, School Schedule, Lunch Account, Payment Portal, and Tax Credit.
- Below the arial photo of the school you will see the EVENTS section. This lists upcoming dates for school activities, early release, and holidays.
- Red Menu drop down takes you to other commonly viewed items such as staff directory, principal letter, and tutoring information.
We are continuing to add more information to the website so come back frequently!
Desert Vista Elementary School
3701 E Broadway Ave, Apache Junction, AZ 85119
Phone - 480-677-7510
Office Manager - Coreen Wax
Registrar - Kimberly Graham
Receptionist -Nicole LoRusso
Psychologist - Daniel Albert
Nurse - Michael Barrett
Behavior & Academic Interventionist - Stephanie LaClair