

Western Valley Elementary ROAR
February 18, 2025
Hello Wildcat families,
This week, our multi-lingual learners will be taking the AZELLA test. This test, the Arizona English Language Learner Assessment (AZELLA), is given to all students who speak or hear a language other than English at home. In June, we receive the scores back, to see the level of English proficiency our students have reached. We use that data to make classes over the summer. By
Arizona law, the students who are learning English receive a more structured type of instruction for 2 hours a day. It includes more grammar, more structured writing, and a bigger focus on listening & speaking. We know that this focus is best for all kids, so many of our classrooms include this level of English language focus, whether the students are multi-lingual learners or monolingual English speakers. Last year 20 of our students "passed" the AZELLA, or scored as proficient. We are aiming for even more this year!
This week, and every week, it's critical that students arrive on time and ready to learn. Please be sure to get kids to bed at an early time this week!
We have our Spring Carnival this week, on Friday, 2/21! We will have the little train ride, a petting zoo, games, food trucks, vendors, pizza/ nachos/ snacks for sale. Presale tickets are available until 2/19, and are 5 tickets for $2. After that, tickets will be available for purchase at the carnival, and will be 4 tickets for $2. Presale pizza is also available, a full pie (pepperoni or cheese) for $8. See you then!
WVE is applying for the 21st CCLC (21st Century Community Learning Center) grant! If awarded, this 5 year grant would support after school academic and enrichment activities for students and our community!
Have a great afternoon,
Jennifer Quirk
🐾 Our Mission 🐾
At WVE, we guide learners to reflect, communicate, and grow, to strengthen ourselves and our community.
🐾 Our Vision 🐾
WVE engages learners in a growth mindset to reach their potential while being accountable to their role within the community.
🐾 Our Core Values 🐾
WVE is a place where everyone believes students can learn and grow as individuals. Effort is valued, teaching is intentional, progress is shared, and ideas are welcomed.
WVE Spring Carnival is coming! Fri 2/21, 4:30-7:00pm
WVE Spring Carnival
Friday, Feb 21, 2025, 04:30 PM
Click below for Spring Carnival details!
We need your input!
Click below to take this survey about our IAP, what are we doing well, and where can we improve?
Open Enrollment for the 25-26 school year is now open!
If you live outside of the WVE attendance boundary, be sure to turn in your Open Enrollment Application by 3/1 to secure a spot at WVE!
Call the front office or reach out to Mrs Reyes or Dr Quirk if you have questions.
Read about our School Safety Officers in this letter from Superintendent Ulloa
Family STEAM Night at WVMS!
Dr. Nardi, WVMS Principal, has invited our students to attend the Family STEAM Night on 3/6/25!
Testing at WVE
We give many different tests at school, each of which gives us different information on where our students are, and how we can best help them. It can get a little confusing, so here's a quick 'Cheat Sheet" that explains them.
***Please note that payment must be received by the Friday before, or the order is not considered complete and will not be put on the marquee!***
It's cold in the mornings!
Also, we're starting to find many sweatshirts and jackets on the playgrounds when the kids get hot. PLEASE put your child's name on the tag of their sweatshirts or jackets so we can return them to your student if they forget them outside.
Don't forget, our PTO has some uniform sweatshirts available for sale!
Kids get thirsty at school!
And don't forget to write their name on their water bottle!
We had some parent volunteers last year for making copies, Book Fair, field trips, and in the cafeteria to help students open packaging and keeping tables clean. It was a HUGE help! We would like to extend the invitation again this year. If you are interested in volunteering at school,
please fill out this form.
🌮🥕🍏 All kids eat free this year! 🌭🍅🥛
🍉🥑🍗🌮🍉🥑🍗🌮🍉🥑🍗🌮🍉🥑🍗🌮🍉🥑🍗🌮🍉🥑🍗🌮🍉🥑🍗🌮🍉🥑🍗🌮
Our students will all receive free lunch this year (no lunch applications needed), but we do need families to please complete the income eligibility form as well- this helps to pay for our Reading Intervention services, after school tutoring and clubs, summer school, Instructional Assistants, and so much more!https://linqconnect.com/public/income-form/new?identifier=TARLF2
Our arrival and dismissal procedure will be similar this school year. For the safety of your children, please only use the parking lot and 63rd Ave to park and walk WITH YOUR CHILD to the crosswalk. Children may not be dropped off in the parking lot or along 63rd Ave to walk by themselves. It is simply not safe for them.
As a reminder, the drop-off area is along the fire lane curb, and the parking lot is ONLY for families who want to park and walk up their student. Students MAY NOT be dropped off in the parking lot. This creates an unsafe situation for children, which of course, no one wants. We will have signs up as reminders, but please be safe, and drop off children only in the designated areas.
**For the parent pick-up area, we will have grade levels wait under the shade structure (as best as will safely fit). A change this year is with older siblings meeting younger kids. They will NOT meet them in the classroom this year. Instead, upper grade siblings will meet their younger siblings outside, and will wait with them under the shade structure. This allows students to exit more quickly, and to meet up with the parent or guardian who is picking them up.
Dismissal Cards
Use your Dashboard card for a faster Parent Pick Up! Ask your teacher or the front office for one.
Kids get breakfast in the classroom starting at 7:55, and we are into the start of instruction by 8:10 every day, so arrival any later than that means students are missing important learning time. And it adds up!
WVE Spirit Shirts & Annual Dress Down Day Passes
Students may now wear a WVE Spirit Shirt on Thursdays with uniform pants.
Order your Spirit Shirt now! You can pay cash or Zelle to jreeser@fesd.org
❓❔❓❔ What's the difference? ❔❓❔❓
Spirit Shirt Thursday (new this year) = Every Thursday, students may wear a WVE Spirit Shirt and uniform bottoms. This free event is to drum up our Wildcat spirit, and to be a fun way to show our school pride!
Free Dress Down Days (these are for special occasions) = Fall Picture Day, a pass earned by a grown-up when they attend a PTO meeting, Curriculum Night, or other school event that we advertise parents coming to campus.
Bus Riders
Health office
Also, if your child has a Chronic Illness, and may miss school often due to an illness or condition, ask the office or Mrs Reyes about a Chronic Health Form.
Interested in working for the district?
Check out some other openings around the district here- https://fowler.tedk12.com/hire/index.aspx
Other questions? Contact us!
Our administration & office staff are happy to help!
Coming Up!
*2/18-2/21 AZELLA testing
*2/21 WVE Carnival! 4:30-7:00pm
*2/25 Spring Book Fair begins
*2/26 Spring Picture Day (pre-order only)
*2/28 $1 Dress Down
*2/28 8:15 PTO meeting
*3/3 Read Across America Week
*3/7 Early Dismissal for parent/teacher conferences
*3/10-3/14 No school, Spring Break
*3/11 Governing Board meeting @ District Office 4pm
*3/25 Operation School Bell event (50 students win a chance to get free uniforms!)
*3/28 $1 Dress Down Day
*3/28 8:15 PTO meeting
*4/8 Governing Board meeting @ District Office 4pm
*4/18 Progress Reports go home
*4/21 No School, Board Declared Holiday Break
*4/21-5/2 End of Year Benchmark testing
*4/25 $1 Dress Down Day
*4/25 8:15 PTO meeting
*5/13 Governing Board meeting @ District Office 4pm
*5/20 & 5/21 Used Uniform Donation Days (bring in a uniform to donate, get a free dress down day!)
*5/22 Last Student Day