Stallion Stampede

Dear Stetson Hills Families,

As we turn the page to September, it's incredible to reflect on the whirlwind that was August. Our campus has been filled with the joyful sounds of laughter, the buzz of new friendships forming, and the steady rhythm of learning. From the first day of school to now, our Stallions have embraced the 'We Glow Together' spirit, creating a warm and welcoming environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging.

This past month has been a busy one, full of exciting activities and moments that have set the tone for a fantastic school year. Our students have not only been diving deep into their learning but also learning the value of teamwork, kindness, and collaboration. It has been truly heartwarming to see the connections being made and the enthusiasm for learning grow stronger each day. Here's to carrying this momentum forward as we continue to glow together!

With Stallion Pride,

Brittany Dyer-Hurdon
Principal

In mid-August, Stetson Hills was recognized as a Level II PBISAz school! Our staff and students have worked hard over the last year to implement PACE expectations in all areas of campus, bringing fidelity to our Tier 1 Behavior program. We are so proud of our staff and students!

• Last date to register to vote - October 7, 2024

• First date to vote by early ballot - October 9, 2024

• Last date to request early ballot - October 25, 2024

• Deadline to Vote Early In-Person - November 1, 2024

• Election day - November 5, 2024

Regional Election Meetings

Regional election meetings have been scheduled to provide information about the upcoming M&O Override and Bond elections this November 5, 2024. Community members are invited to attend the meeting at 6:00 PM. These will be the same meetings repeated, so you can attend any of the meetings below).

• BCHS: Monday, September 9, 2024 Performing Arts Center

• DVHS: Tuesday, September 17, 2024 Performing Arts Center

• SDOHS: Monday, September 23, 2024 Performing Arts Center

• MRHS: Wednesday, September 25, 2024 Performing Arts Center

• BGHS: Thursday, September 26, 2024 Performing Arts Center

The following dates are 2:00 release:

September 13

September 20

September 27

Please note September 6th is a full day.

What are teachers doing during early release times??

This month during early release Fridays, staff members will participate in both professional development and collaborative team work through the PLC process. Professional development on September 20th will focus on Artificial Intelligence training and its impact on classrooms and the learning environment. All other early release days will be spent working in collaborative teams to analyze intervention data, adjusting small groups for re-teaching and remediation of skills, and collaborating on effective instructional strategies.

Check out the PACE Newsletter: https://secure.smore.com/n/xkba2

PACE is our school-wide Behavior System at Stetson Hills. To create a culture that inspire minds, cultivates success, and fosters excellence, Stetson’s mission, we expect all staff and students to be responsible, respectful and safe. When students exhibit these characteristics they are given a PACE ticket and are then placed into a weekly drawing to win a visit to the Friday PACE Cart for a prize and recognition in the PACE Smore link on the website. Additionally we have PACE prizes given quarterly, names drawn from the tickets the teacher accumulate as the year progresses. Click this link to see the matrix with our behavior expectations in more detail.

Keep the Pace, the Stallion Way - Be responsible, Be respectful, Be safe!

We are excited to offer a parent volunteer opportunity beginning after Labor Day weekend. For this volunteer time, parents will volunteer their time at morning drop off, pick up, or helping in the cafeteria during lunch times. All volunteers must be volunteer-trained through DVUSD.

Slideshow of Volunteer Opportunities with Descriptions

SignUp Genius to select your dates

We look forward to seeing you!

September 2 - Labor Day - No School

September 6 - PTSA Bingo Night 5-7 PM

September 10 - PTSA General Meeting 3:45 in Stetson Library

September 10 - Governing Board Meeting 6:30 PM

September 23 - APEX Fundraiser Kickoff

September 24 - Governing Board Meeting 6:30 PM

October 2 - O'Connor Homecoming Parade 9:30 AM

Please help us maintain an active learning environment with minimized interruptions during the school day. Below you will find our Forgotten Items Procedure:

The school year is off to an amazing start! It's been a really busy month for the PTSA. I just wanted to give a big shoutout to everyone who has purchased a membership for themselves or sponsored a teacher, and to all those who came out to our first dine-out night at Handel's Homemade Ice Cream. Thanks to the incredible support of our families, we were able to raise $410 dollars! Our first meeting of the year was a blast with over 37 parents and staff in attendance. If you couldn't make it to the first meeting, we'd love to invite you to join us for the next one on September 10 at 3:45 pm. Let's keep the positive energy going!

Click HERE to view the full PTSA Newsletter for September.

https://stetsonhillsptsa.memberhub.com

Thank you so much for your help in keeping our parking lot running smoothly both before and after school!

A few key reminders:

• For pick up and drop off, you may choose to utilize the blue lane OR you may park in a designated parking space and walk your child across the cross walk. Please do NOT park on the blue line, as this is a moving lane only.
• Reminder that you may not drop off your children in the street in the school zone. The buses are not legally allowed to pass you and it blocks up traffic on the road if you are dropping off within the school zone. Please pick a side street or the front parking lot to drop your children off at instead.
• Once you pick up your child(ren), please either pull all the way forward to merge or pull completely into the other lane to merge. If you cannot fit the entire length of your car into the other lane, please do not block traffic by sitting in both lanes. Please pull all the way up and then merge so that traffic can continue to flow behind you.
• Pull ALL the way forward on the blue line. We will help your students find their car if you are at the top of the line. Your student will walk down to your car. Please do not stop at the ramada for drop off or pick up.
• Please put away your cell phones when entering our parking lot.
• Grades 1-8 parents, please do not enter the parking lot until 3:25. This helps our community to be able to access their homes by not blocking Stetson Hills Loop prior to dismissal.
• School zones are NO passing zones and you may not park in the bike lane within the school zone.

WHAT IS NOT BULLYING? Adults must realize that not every unkind thing a child does constitutes bullying. For example:

• Being left out is not always bullying. It’s natural for kids to have a select group of friends. Although they should be kind towards everyone, it’s unrealistic to expect them to be close friends with every child they know, and be invited to every function or event.

• Experiencing conflict is not bullying. Learning to deal with conflict is a normal part of growing up. The key is for children to learn how to solve their problems peacefully and respectfully.

• Not playing fair is not bullying. Wanting a game to be played a certain way is not bullying. Children understand the concept of sharing, and should take turns being in charge of the game.

When observing the unkind behaviors your child experiences, be sure to label them correctly. This will help you know how to handle the situation appropriately so that your child can learn and grow from it.

(Ref. Policy JICK, JICK-R, JICK-EA, JICK-EB)

Bullying may occur when a student or group of students engages in any form of behavior that includes such acts as intimidation and/or harassment that:

• has the effect of physically harming a student, damaging a student’s property, or placing a student in reasonable fear of harm or damage to property,

• is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive that the action, behavior, or threat creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive environment,

• occurs when there is a real or perceived imbalance of power or strength, or

• may constitute a violation of law

SRR handbook 2023-2024 (pages 2-4)

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to see upcoming events, pictures, and things going on at school!

Facebook picture below.

Instagram @ StetsonHillsSchool