I hope you’re all enjoying this beautiful Arizona weather! It’s wonderful to see our students fully embracing their time outdoors during recess, which adds so much to their learning experience.

Our October events were a big success, with fantastic turnouts for both our HOWL Celebration and the Costume Walk. If you missed out, be sure to mark your calendar for next year! We also held important parent-teacher conferences to support each child’s growth, and if you couldn’t attend, please connect with your child’s teacher to schedule a time.

The next six weeks of the quarter promise to be just as full and exciting! We have several grade-level field trips coming up, along with our school-wide trip to the Webb Center to hear the Northwest Valley Symphony.

Thank you for being such valuable partners in your child's education. As always, please reach out if you have any celebrations or concerns to share!

Warm regards,

Carissa Hershkowitz

Principal, Hassayampa Elementary

NOVEMBER

4 Galileo Benchmark #2 Begins

6 Fall Picture Retakes

6 Principal’s Coffee & Site Council

7 2nd Gr. Field Trip: Pioneer AZ Living History Museum

7 PTA Harvest Festival @ 5:30 WEC

11 No School - Veterans Day Observed

12 Thanksgiving Luncheon

13 5th Grade Field Trip: Webb Center - Kindness Crew

15 Professional Development Day for teachers

19 WUSD Governing Board Meeting

26 School-wide Webb Center Event

27 3rd Grade Field Trip: World Wildlife Zoo

28 No School - Thanksgiving

DECEMBER

2 Acadience Reading & Math Benchmark Begins

4 Principal’s Coffee & Site Council

6 Holiday Music Walk: Coyote Chorus Performance

10 4th & 5th Grade Field Trip: Webb Center - Jazz Orchestra

10 School Spelling Bee - 3rd - 5th Graders @ 12:30p.m.

12 Holiday Concert

16 PTA Holiday Shop Opens

17 WUSD Governing Board Meeting

19 End of 2nd Quarter

Arizona Revised Statute (A.R.S.) 43-1089.01 allows individual taxpayers to receive a tax credit up to $400.00 (joint return) for payment to a fund set aside for extracurricular activities fees. Generally, any educational or recreational activity that is a supplement to the educational program of the school is considered to be an extracurricular activity. This is a dollar for dollar tax credit. It allows you, the taxpayer, to decide where you would like to put up to $400.00 of your tax dollars to work. When it comes time to fill out your tax forms, you will receive a tax credit for up to $400.00. It is a win-win situation for yourself and the school activities you support with your tax dollars. You do not have to have a child in school so grandparents or anyone can also take advantage of this tax credit.

Questions and Answers:

What public schools and grades are eligible for the credit?

Public schools that provide instruction in grades kindergarten through 12 are eligible for the credit. What is a fee paid for the support of extracurricular activities? A fee is a dollar amount paid to a public school for the support of extracurricular activities.

What are extracurricular activities?

Extracurricular activities mean school sponsored activities that require enrolled students to pay a fee in order to participate. Such activities may include, but are not limited to, the use of band uniforms, use of equipment or uniforms for athletics, or use of scientific laboratory equipment or materials. Any educational /recreational activities that supplement the educational program of the school.

If a school establishes a fund to pay for extracurricular activities, would a payment to this fund qualify for a tax credit?

Yes, the credit is authorized for fees paid by any taxpayer to a public school for the support of extracurricular activities.

Must a taxpayer have a child enrolled in order to claim the tax credit?

No, a taxpayer is any person subject to tax.

What is the claim limit for a married couple?

The credit claimed by married couples filing a joint return is limited to a maximum of $400.00. Married couples filing separate tax returns can claim only one-half of the allowable credit on each return.

What kind of receipt will I receive for my tax return?

The school will issue a receipt that includes the school name, district number, taxpayer name, amount paid, date paid and description of the activity for which the fee was paid.

At Hassayampa Elementary, we currently have several extracurricular activities that we charge a fee. Some of our approved extracurricular activities are:

• Science Camp for 5th graders,

• The Art Club,

• Gifted,

• Coyote Chorus

• Field Trips and

• Character Education.

You may also choose Extra-curricular -No Preference. Our Site Council then determines best use of these No Preference funds to support approved programs. Your tax credit donation will be used to provide children the opportunity to participate and also provide supplies, guest speakers, and field trips. If you would like to make a tax credit donation to any of these activities, fill out the tax credit form and send it along with your check to school. If you have any questions, please contact the office at 684-6750 for more information.

Encourage daily reading! How are you nurturing your child's love for books today?

Here are some tips for reading at home:

1. Create a Reading Routine: Establish a regular reading time each day. Consistency helps make reading a habit.

2. Set an Example: Let your child see you reading. Children often imitate what they see their parents do.

3. Choose Age-Appropriate Books: Select books that are suitable for your child's age and reading level. Your local library or a children's bookshop can offer recommendations.

4. Make it Fun: Reading should be an enjoyable activity. Use different voices for characters, act out scenes, and make it an engaging experience.

How is your child doing with the basic math facts? How are you supporting your child's math goals at home?

Look for ways to practice math in your daily life. Try some of these:

1. Grocery Store Math: When shopping with your child, involve them in calculating prices and finding the best deals. For example, ask them to add up the cost of items in the cart, compare prices, or calculate discounts.

2. Cooking Together: Baking or cooking is a fun way to practice measurements and fractions. Have your child help with recipes that require measurements, and ask them to double or halve the quantities for a math challenge.

3. Time Telling: Encourage your child to read analog clocks and calculate time durations. Set tasks with time limits, and ask them to figure out when they need to finish.

4. Money Matters: Teach your child about handling money. They can count coins and bills, create a budget for a small allowance, or calculate change when making purchases.

A huge thank you to our amazing volunteers for making the Love Our School event on Saturday, October 25 a success! It’s true—many hands make light work. This year, our focus was on purging and organizing, with a few windows cleaned and tree branches trimmed. These were tasks that needed attention but often fall by the wayside—maybe not glamorous, but definitely important. It was time well spent!

Mark your calendars for the fourth weekend of October 2025 for our next Love Our School event!

Looking back on October, we spent a lot of time talking about good character, making good choices, and how to be a friend. Nationally, October focuses on Character Counts week, Red Ribbon Week (anti-drug awareness), and Bully Prevention Month. At Hassayampa, we engaged students in mini-lessons on these topics, encouraging students to take an anti-drug pledge, created anti-bullying posters, and reflected on character traits during morning announcements. By emphasizing these values, we strive to foster a safe and positive learning environment.

A key component of our bully prevention efforts is understanding and addressing bullying behavior. Bullying, by definition, involves repeated, intentional harm, whether it’s social, verbal, physical, or cyber. Fourth and fifth graders have practiced using assertive language to stand up for themselves and others, learning when to report incidents to adults. This empowers students to be “upstanders” rather than bystanders, reinforcing our commitment to respect and responsibility.

How can families support the mission?

• Start early. Teach children to respect others before they start school. Bullying can start between siblings.
• Teach your children how to be assertive. Encourage your children to express their feelings clearly, say no when they feel uncomfortable or pressured, stand up for themselves without fighting and walk away in dangerous situations.
• Recognize the signs of depression. Youth who experience persistent bullying can develop signs of depression like sadness, isolation, poor concentration and sleeping problems. These symptoms can affect their relationships and school performance. Families should contact the school if additional support is needed.
• Talk to your child about being an upstander. It is important to first know the comfort and confidence level of your child. If your child is comfortable in the situation, your child can speak out against the bully. You can role play with your child so that he/she knows the words to use. If the behavior continues or gets aggressive, inform the nearest adult.
• Report to the School. School staff can’t address problems that they don’t know about. As soon as your child reports a situation, notify the school. Anytime a report comes into the school, it is taken seriously and investigated. Sometimes situations are managed through mediation and sometimes there are consequences. Occasionally, through mediation, details that weren’t originally shared come to light. Sometimes it is a true bully situation and sometimes it is determined that it was an angry moment. Either way, it is dealt with, but the strategies for “fixing” it may be different.

November 7 - 2nd Grade - Arizona Pioneer Museums

• Permissions slips and entrance fees have been collected. If yours isn't in, get it done soon!

November 13 - 5th Grade - Webb Center - Kindness Crew

• Vulture Peak Middle has invited our 5th graders to join them for the Kindness Crew at the Webb Center. Parents, keep an eye out for the permission slips.

• Permissions slips and entrance fees have been collected. If yours isn't in, get it done soon!

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26 - MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

The Wickenburg Children's Cultural Organization is hosting us to an afternoon with the symphony! Students will be entertained by the North Valley Phoenix Orchestra. This schoolwide field trip is scheduled for the afternoon of Tuesday, November 26 at the Del E Webb Center - on the Wickenburg High School campus.

If you have appointments scheduled, please plan on picking up your student before 12:30. Students may not be picked up from the Webb Center.

Each year our students have opportunities to attend off-campus field trips. If you are interested in becoming an off-campus chaperone, please request a volunteer packet from the front office. You may also print your own from the WUSD website.https://www.wickenburgschools.org/Page/131

Email: cahershkowitz@wusd9.org
Website: wickenburgschools.org/Domain/9
Location: 195 East Coconino Street, Wickenburg, AZ, USA
Phone: 928-684-6750
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HassayampaElementary