Bobcat Families,

We are so excited to welcome you back to the 2024-2025 school year! We hope you had a restful and enjoyable summer.

Below is important back to school information to set our entire community up for success this school year!

Welcome back, Sonoran Foothills families! It's with immense joy that we open our doors once again for another year full of learning, growth, memories, and community. As we embark on this new year together, let's embrace the spirit of collaboration, curiosity, and kindness that defines Sonoran Foothills. I am so excited to be a part of such an incredible community focused on growth, discovery, perseverance, and opportunities for all. I look forward to meeting you, connecting, and learning from YOU. Together, we are #extraordinary.

Let's go Bobcats!

Welcome back, Bobcat families! As I enter my second year at Sonoran Foothills, I'm excited to reconnect, see all your faces, and hear about those summer adventures!

We're thrilled to welcome our new Principal, Samantha Colangelo, who brings a wealth of experience and a passion for fostering a nurturing educational environment. Together, we'll continue the excellence that defines our school. I'm eager to see our Bobcats exploring new ideas, making friends, and reaching new heights. This year, we'll continue to embrace our TRACKS values: Trustworthiness, Respect, Accountability, Creative, Kind, and Safe, which will guide us in creating a positive and supportive environment for all.

Here's to a fantastic year ahead at Sonoran Foothills! Go, Bobcats!

Throughout the year we will be consistently highlighting and showcasing the excellence and learning taking place at Sonoran Foothills. We encourage and invite you to follow along by following our social media accounts below:

Facebook: Sonoran Foothills School

Instagram: SonoranFoothills_Bobcats

Twitter (X): BobcatsSF

First day of school-August 1st!

*Drop off begins at 8:30am *Learning begins at 8:45am

• ALL parents will need to check-in at the front office anytime they are entering campus. If parents are dropping off, parents may use the front drop off lane OR walk their child to the designated area at the far South exterior gate (near fields & bike rack).
• Kindergarten Parents: Please join us for our Tears & Cheers breakfast in the Multi-Purpose Room at 9am.
• Please review the Drop Off & Pick Up procedures video here!
• *Kindergarten Pick Up: All Kindergarteners will be dismissed at 3:15. Older siblings will be dismissed at 3:30, our regular school dismissal time. Parents will need to park in the kindergarten pick up line, walk up to the kindergarten gate with their sign, and wait for teachers to dismiss to their parents. Please do not enter the gate. Also, please do not take your child until the teacher has dismissed him/her to you. Once you have your child, you will walk back to your car, and proceed to the campus exit. If you are picking up older siblings, you may proceed to the student pick up lane and wait until siblings are dismissed at 3:30. This is a quick pick up process in order clear the kinder traffic out of the parking lot before 3:30 dismissal. Thank you!

  
  

• The front parking lot is for curbside drop off only. If you are walking your child to the gate, you must park in the South lot near the community center (please watch the video for a better understanding of this procedure).

The safety of all our children is our foremost concern and we ask that your patience and cooperation before and after school to keep everyone safe during pick up and drop off. Below is a list of critical information to ensure safe arrival and dismissal procedures so we kindly ask that you read this informatoin entirely:

• Please follow the designated traffic flow patterns as you enter and exit our campus.

• Please observe speed limits when driving on or near our campus! 15 mph on the street, and 5 mph on school grounds.

• Young children may not run and play in the front of the school, or outside the administration building.

• Do not block walkways if waiting for students.

• Please do not text on your phone while picking up or dropping off students.

Do not park in student drop-off and pick up areas, bus areas, and other no parking areas. If you park and pick up your child, please get out of your car and meet them in the parent pick-up area and walk them back to the car using designated crosswalks. Having your child cross alone and get into your car while you are in the parking lot is not safe and will not be allowed.

Cars parked in fire lanes and other no parking zones may be reported to the authorities. This is for the safety of our students.

Students may not arrive earlier than 8:30 AM unless they are attending a scheduled activity. Students are not permitted to wait in the office. Breakfast starts at 8:30 AM in the MPR. Staff supervision on campus begins at 8:30 AM. Do not drop your children off before 8:30, as there will be no supervision.

All students are required to leave the school campus immediately after dismissal, unless they are involved in after-school campus activities.

Bicycles, Skateboards, and non-motorized Scooters

Students are permitted to ride bicycles, skateboards, and non-motorized scooters to school. For safety reasons, it is recommended that only third through eighth grade students ride to school. It is also suggested that all students who ride to school wear a helmet for their protection. Students must lock their property in the bike rack area. Those who ride to school assume all responsibilities and risks involved. Riding on campus is not allowed. The school is not responsible for items left in the bike rack area.

Mini-bikes, motorcycles, motor-bikes, motorized scooters, heelies (tennis shoes with wheels), hoverboards, and roller blades are not allowed on campus at any time.

Crosswalks

School crosswalks and crossing guards are provided by the City of Phoenix and the Deer Valley Unified School District, respectively, for your child's protection. Please encourage your child to use these crosswalks and not to cross school driveways or busy streets at any other points. We care about the safety of our children and know you will expect them to take advantage of the precautions established for their protection. Parents, please model safe and cooperative behavior for your child and all of our students.

Any attire that detracts from the learning environment is not acceptable. Students should dress in a manner that, in addition to following the guidelines, takes into considersation the educational environment, safety, health, and welfare of self and others.

• Clothing must cover the entire buttocks.
• Shirts and tops may not show bare midriffs, bare shoulders, nor be deeply or narrowly cut in the front, back, or under the arms.
• Halter tops, spaghetti straps, and strapless tops are not acceptable.
• Closed shoes are to be worn for any type of physical activity, such as PE, cheer practice, or sports practice.
• Defamatory writing, obscene language, or symbols, or symbols of drugs, sex, or alcohol on clothing or jewelry are prohibited.

Students dressed in attire that does not meet these guidelines will be required to get a change of clothes from our nurse or call home for new clothing to be brought to school. Multiple infractions of violating dress code may result in a discipline referral.

• 8:45 is the start of our academic day, kids who are not in class at 8:45 will need to report to the office to obtain a late pass.
• After 3:15, no changes to a child's dismissal can be made.
• Please do not text or call your students cell phone during the school day. School phones are available for use with staff permission.
• We do not collect or deliver items forgotten at home such as: PE clothes, a school project, or other miscellaneous items. We do this to maximize instruction and not interrupt our classroom learning environments.
• Examples of items we will take are: glasses, water bottles, Chromebooks, and medicine.
• Attendance is monitored frequently and consistently. Attendance warnings will be sent home for students who are absent more than 10% of days in session or who have accumulated 5+ tardies in relation to the state statue (A.R.S. 15-802 or A.R.S. 15-803).
• If you have a concern or question regarding progress, grades, or behavior, please first go to the child's teacher per our DVUSD Problem Solving Guidance.
• If you are volunteering on campus or attending a classroom event please sign-in and out at the front office.

Students will check out their devices the first two days of school. Of course, the devices will need to be charged and the Operating System (OS) updated to the current version. Please take a moment to review our policies and expectations with your child at Resources / Technology on our website. Students will receive a half sheet of paper that both the student and a parent sign off that they've reviewed the policies and exceptions. Student will return to his homeroom teacher. This will be done for each student in grades 4-8. Please remember that students are asked to bring any device concerns to Mrs. Crabbs within a week of getting the device. We encourage parents to purchase the Optional Device Protection Plan (linked below) within three weeks of receiving the device. Accidents happen and coverage will reduce the cost.

Thank you for supporting our students!

Stock up on SF Bobcat spirit wear for the whole family! Every Friday is school spirit day-wear your blue, silver, and black!

#gobobcats

Sonoranfoothills.offersupermarket.com

Does your SF student want to try out for any of the school athletic teams this year? It’s time to update or set up your Register My Athlete account (www.registermyathlete.com) to prepare to participate in athletics! Now is the perfect time to get your student athlete’s sports physical done so they are ready to try out for any/all sports in the 24-25 school year.

Step by step instructions for RMA can be found HERE. Once an account is created, all forms can be accessed through the website. Completed forms should be uploaded through Register My Athlete. These documents need to be completed/updated each school year.

Try Out Schedule:

• Baseball/Softball - Week of August 12th

• Cross Country - Starts Sept. 23rd (no try outs)

• Cross Country Parent Meeting - September 18th at 5pm

• Volleyball - Week of November 4th

• Basketball - Week of February 18th

• Spiritline - Week of February 18th

*All sports are open for 7th & 8th graders to try out, except cross country is open to 5th - 8th graders to participate.*

For questions, please email sarah.gummow@dvusd.org.

Athletics Website: https://www.dvusd.org/domain/5739

Early Release Fridays (dimissal is at 2:00pm. Kindergarteners dismiss at 1:45) :

August 9th

August 16th

August 23rd

August 30th