Union Park Toro Times

Dear Toro Families,

Happy February! We are off to an incredible start in the third quarter, and there are many exciting events and accomplishments to celebrate this month.

Our volleyball team is heading into the playoffs, and we are so proud of their hard work and dedication. Meanwhile, basketball and spiritline tryouts are coming up soon, giving students another great opportunity to get involved in athletics.

We also want to take a moment to congratulate Mrs. Walsh on earning her National Board Certification, a remarkable achievement! Additionally, Marshall Agee won our school Spelling Bee and will be representing us at the regional competition—way to go, Marshall!

With Valentine’s Day approaching, students have the opportunity to send Valentine’s Grams to friends and teachers. These special messages help spread kindness and joy across our campus.

This month also brings several important events. Our 5th graders are preparing for an exciting outdoor learning experience at Tonto Creek. Parent-teacher conferences will take place, providing families with the opportunity to discuss student progress and set goals for success. The PTSA is hosting Sweetheart Skate Night, a fun-filled evening for our school community. At the end of the month, we will celebrate Read Across America Week, encouraging students to develop a lifelong love of reading.

And for our 8th graders, a big milestone is approaching—their panoramic group photo will be taken on February 10th at 9:45 AM.

Thank you for your continued support in making our school a wonderful place for students to learn and grow. Let’s make it a fantastic February, Somos Toros!

• Feb 3: Raise Above It Fundraiser Challenge- Kick-off
• Feb 5-7: 5th grade to Tonto Creek

• Feb 10-14: Conference Week
• Feb 10: 8th grade panoramic picture 9:45 am
• Feb 11: Great Skate Night @ 6-8:30 pm
• Feb 13 & 14: True half days students release @ 11:35, kinder @ 11:25
• Feb 17: NO SCHOOL Presidents Day
• Feb 24-28: Read Across America Week
• Feb 24: Battle of the Books Duel lll 9:00 am
• Feb 26: PTSA General Meeting 5-7:00 pm

February 7 February 21 February 28

March 7 March 14 March 28

May 2 May 9 May 16

There are NO ER Fridays in April due to state testing

Please remember that our fields and playgrounds are closed during events at the school. This is a liability as we do not have the supervision during games or other events to monitor children. If you see children and adults out there, please note that they are with the Community Education Before & After School Program, and therefore monitored by their employees.

Please reach out to Ms. Chancellor with any questions. Kelsey.Chancellor@dvusd.org

-Feb 3: Raise Above It Fundraiser Challenge Kick Off!

-Feb 10-14 Conference Week

-Feb 11: Great Skate Night @ 6-8:30 pm

-Feb 26: PTSA Meeting 5-7:00 pm

-March 14: Day of Awesomeness!

-March 26: PTSA Meeting 5-7:00 pm

-April 11: PTSA Spring Family Event, TBD

-April 30: PTSA Meeting 5-7:00 pm

-May 5-9 Teacher Appreciation Week

The Union Park PTSA's annual fundraiser will kick-off on February 3rd to raise money for the school. The money raised will help the PTSA make improvements on campus, fund events, and ensure we can continue to make a positive impact on our school, students and staff. Look for fundraiser information coming home that day and be sure to visit https://www.raiseaboveit.com/UnionPark to register your student and start spreading the word by sending emails!

We need help February 4, 5, and 6 distributing prizes to classrooms for students who turn in their Boarding Pass. The Boarding Pass will be turned in by students after they have sent their 10 emails for the fundraiser. Volunteers must be DVUSD Volunteer Trained. Please use the link below to sign up for one of the time slots. Thanks for your help! https://signup.com/go/GdCSdfh

February 10-14 is Parent/Teacher Conference Week at Union Park and the PTSA is providing food and treats throughout the week. Wednesday night we are setting up a “tot-cho” (tots/nachos) bar for staff to enjoy. Please use the link below to sign up to bring some additional food/drink items or volunteer for set up or clean up. Thanks Toros! https://signup.com/go/SxtQYva

On February 11 from 6-8pm, we are hosting Skate Night at Great Skate Glendale. Roll on through with your sweetheart for a wheely fun time. This family friendly event will benefit Union Park PTSA.

On Wednesday, February 26 at 5pm, we will host our second PTSA meeting of the new year in the Union Park Media Room/Library. We invite any Union Park family to join us to learn about how you can get involved and give back to our school. Our members are at the heart of everything we do and we need your support to make our programming a success. Whether you have one hour to give or many, each member is a vital part of our organization. Join our next meeting to learn more!

Click below to review the minutes from our January meeting on 1/22/25 (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1imrnWDKWIUAuMUH9haRPxLc-jxZVpcDF/view?usp=drivesdk)

The Union Park lunchroom needs daily volunteers to assist with ensuring lunches run smoothly. Volunteers must be DVUSD Volunteer trained. Click the link to sign up: https://signup.com/go/HPxkRfe

If you’d like to help with copying, laminating, preparing special teacher projects etc., please email specialprojects@upptsa.org. We appreciate all of our volunteers!

School tax credits are a win-win for students and taxpayers! Making a donation is easy: Donate using the link below, keep your receipt and claim your tax credit when you file! Every dollar reduces your tax liability dollar for dollar. Taxpayers can donate up to $200 for an individual and $400 for a married couple.

Union Park students are blessed to participate in a few overnight field trips each year. This year our 5th grade students are heading to Tonto Creek and our Choir and Band are heading to Disneyland to compete in a national competition. Your tax credit donations help make the trip more affordable for all and also help our school offer scholarships for those that need it to attend.

https://az-deervalley.intouchreceipting.com/ Please choose: Union Park School. If you would like to fund a student scholarship for out of state or overnight travel please choose either Choir, Band, 5th grade field trips (Tonto Creek) or General Tax Credit. We also have athletics, leadership groups, etc. you can donate to as well.

Thank you for donating to Union Park! We greatly appreciate your support!

Not receiving our text messages? Simply text START to 60680 to opt in and stay up-to-date with important school information. In addition to emails, we use this system to send critical updates and announcements to keep you informed. Don't miss out on vital information—sign up today!

This is a great time to save our attendance line to your phone! The number is 623-445-5890, this line is accessible 24/7. Please leave your students name, their teacher or grade level, your name and relationship to them and the reason for the absence in your message. Please do not leave attendance messages on the main school number.

As we enter cold and flu season, please remember students may not carry cough drops with them on campus. Cough drops can be signed in by the parent and kept in the nurses office if needed.

As we move into the second semester of the 2024-2025 school year, we’d like to remind families about the procedure for dropping off forgotten items. If you need to drop something off for your child, please email their teacher to inform them that the item is available for pickup in the office.

To minimize disruptions to instructional time, we kindly ask that you limit drop-offs to the following essential items: Chromebooks, glasses, medically required items and lunches.

We would like to kindly remind everyone that, in accordance with DVUSD policy, pets are not allowed on school grounds at any time, including before and after school hours, unless explicitly authorized. This policy is designed to prioritize the safety and comfort of our students and staff, while helping to maintain a welcoming environment for all.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in helping to keep our school a safe and pleasant space for everyone.

If you need to pick up your child for a doctor or dentist appointment, are picking them up from the nurse, or are signing them in late, please remember:

1. Come into the office: You’ll need to use our iPad for the sign-in/sign-out process. It's simple, and we’re happy to assist you if needed!

2. Bring your phone: You’ll need it to fill out the required Google Form. Be sure to complete the form fully, and if you have multiple children, please enter each one on a separate line.

3. Why the forms are important: These sign-in forms help us track who is on campus and when. While our office staff has access to the responses, they are not notified when the form is filled out, so please let someone know you're here before sitting down in the lobby.

4. Arrive early: We ask that you arrive 10 minutes before you need to leave, as your child may be in a different classroom or at lunch/recess. Be prepared to show ID as well.

5. Late arrivals: Parents must accompany students into the office if they are late to school.

Dismissal Times

• No student dismissal after 2:45 pm on full days.
• No student dismissal after 1:15 pm on Early Release Fridays.

Please be sure to discuss transportation plans with your child before they leave home. If there are any changes to your child's after-school transportation, Union Park requests that parents email the child's teacher with the updated information before 1 PM.