Carrillo Community Update

Happy Sunday Carrillo Families!

It's hard to believe that we are already at the end of the first quarter. I am so proud of our students and how much they have grown this quarter. Collectively, we have seen a huge growth in student relationships and understanding of procedures on campus. Through our weekly fact fluency quizzes and weekly classroom quizzes, we have seen students making great gains in math. Teacher unit quizzes as well as spelling, vocabulary, and IXL data tell us that students are working hard and growing their abilities in reading as well. Great job cougars! As we move into the break, it is important that students continue their good habits.

One of the best ways to become a better, and stay a good reader, is to simply read each day. We need your help making sure that all Carrillo students read at least 20 minutes nightly from a book of their choice. For students who will be in town and have access to the internet, we are recommending that students engage in 1 ELA and 1 Math session on IXL. Students who log in daily will be entered into a drawing when they return. (For parents, once students are logged in, they should go to their "star chart" and complete the recommended skills from whatever their lowest skill in ELA or Math is to have the sessions provide students with maximum growth opportunities.)

As we finish up the quarter, I want to also look back at attendance. Our attendance has improved from last year, but we are still at 93%, short of our 95% goal. Thank you for helping us to meet that goal by planning vacations and appointments during school breaks and vacation days. To help you, we have attached the Carrillo 2024-25 At-A-Glance Calendar below.

Thank you again for a great first quarter, enjoy your break, and let's make 2nd quarter even better!

Sincerely,

Ms. Bittel

THIS WEEK

Monday, September 30 - Thursday Oct 3

• Walk and Roll to School Week. Help our air (and pickup) by carpooling this week.
  

Tuesday, October 1

• Grades 2 and 3 - Math Benchmark Testing

Wednesday, October 2

• PTO Meeting online at 6:00 pm

Friday, October 4

• Grading Day No Classes

COMING SOON
Monday, October 7 - Friday October 11

• Fall Break
  

Monday, October 14

• 2nd Quarter Begins
• Spirit Week (details to come)

Wednesday, October 16

• Pueblo's Fall Encuentro (Block Party) for current and future Pueblo students (see below)

Thursday, October 17

• Fall Picture Day

Wednesday, October 23

• No Classes for Teacher Professional Learning Day

Friday, October 25

• Fall Fest (5:00 - 7:00 pm)

Last week 4th and 5th grades completed all of their first quarter benchmark exams and 2nd and 3rd grade completed their ELA exams. This week grades 2 and 3 finish up benchmark testing with their math exams. These exams are important and help teachers and students identify what learning is stuck and what students need to focus on to ensure they are at or above grade level by the end of the year.

Thank you for supporting benchmark testing by ensuring your student gets a good dinner, goes to bed early, and eats a good breakfast the morning of the test.

This week's testing schedule is...

• MONDAY - Makeup Exams
• TUESDAY - Grades 2 and 3 (Math Benchmarks)
• WEDNESDAY - Makeup Exams
• THURSDAY - Makeup Exams
• FRIDAY - No exams

Attendance continues to be an important goal for us this year. To recognize students with perfect attendance Carrillo is holding weekly drawings and monthly rewards for students with perfect attendance through our partnerships with Peter Piper Pizza and Applebee's. We will recognize students with exceptional attendance each quarter through our partnership with In-And-Out Burger.

Here are the top 3 classes for perfect attendance (no tardies, absences, or early checkouts) for the month of September.

#3 (tie) - Ms. Lujan and Ms. Peralta - 33% perfect attendance

#2 - Barraza - 40% perfect attendance

#1 - Ms. Morales- 43% perfect attendance

This month we have 709 students who have not been tardy, been checked out early or missed a day of school. Great job! Students who are chronically absent from school may be less likely to reach early learning milestones and may have lower achievement in reading, math, and general knowledge. Thank you for helping your student maintain 95% attendance or better this year.

Every student in TUSD has access to IXL to reinforce the key learning from their classroom. Students use IXL at home a few times a week to support their ELA and math learning remember what they have learned better and do better in school and on their district and state assessments. Here's a shout-out to the classes who had the most at-home practice this month. There's one day left, so students are encouraged to log on to practice their weakest skills, so they continue to stay sharp in all areas. They can also get a good jump on the October leader board on Tuesday!

#3 - Ms. Maldonado with 5:10 minutes at home

#2 - Ms. Vasquez with 8:03 minutes of practice at home

#1 - Ms. Peralta with 11:29 minutes of practice at home

This year, we are focused on growth, so here is a shout-out to the classes that have over 10 points of growth for the month of September. The goal is 10 points per month, so with 1 day left, these classes are ahead of the curve! Great job!

#4 - Ms. Matsushino's class with 1.1 month's growth

#3 - Ms. John's class with 2.6 month's growth

#1 (tie) - Ms. Peralta's and Ms. Vasquez's class with 2.9 month's growth

To access IXL from home, students can navigate to the Carrillo School Links page and select Clever from the Application Links column. This will take them to their Clever Page with links to all the applications we use at school to support learning. Mastering 2 to 3 skills in ELA and Math at home each week can help our Cougars stay sharp as we grow together this year. Over fall break, this is a great way to support struggling students and help them close a few learning gaps on their own before we come back for 2nd quarter.

This week is Walk and Roll to School Week!

Carrillo has again joined up with The Pima County Department of Environmental Quality (PDEQ), and the Pima County Health Department, to encourage students to use active transportation to get to school. These efforts are highlighted during Walk ‘N’ Roll to School Week, which promotes physical fitness, builds community, and inspires families to use their feet more often when commuting to school. This annual national event will take place in Pima County from Sept. 30 through Oct. 4 this year.

Students who walk, bike, scoot, skateboard, rollerblade, take the bus, or carpool with another family to school this week will be entered into a raffle for a free scooter at the end of the week. Not sure who to carpool with? Dismissal time is a great time to connect with other families to work out logistics.

This last week Carrillo students learned the importance of using supportive tools appropriately. They clarified and explained how these tools are used for emotional support, not toys.

Hello, Pueblo Feeder Schools! Introducing Pueblo’s Fall Encuentro, WARRIOR BLOCK PARTY! It will take place on Wednesday, October 16, from 3:30-7:30. The Block Party theme will bring together a variety of cultures through a celebration of music, food, and culture. The idea is to truly celebrate the best that culture brings to our community. We would love it if your families, students, and Faculty could join us! There are other ways to be a part of this event:

• Offering attendance or participation as extra credit in your class
• Creating an assignment for students that involves attendance or participation in the event
• Announcing the event in your class, or posting it on Canvas, newsletters, ClassDojo, etc.
• Putting up a poster in your room and school
• Attending yourself and inviting your family, friends, and neighbors
• Considering a booth/table and showcasing student work
• Showcasing talent
• Sharing with us a contact you have for sponsors, booths/tables, food trucks

Both the CR teachers and the students here at Pueblo have been working hard on this event, but it can only be a success if people attend and celebrate with us! Hope to see you there!

Warmly,

Victoria Bodanyi, Audrey Davidson, Gage Stewart, Cristobal Barajas, Angela Gonzalez, Taylor Cleland, and Caroline Fioramanti

This week, we are focused on friendly behavior. When we intentionally engage in friendly behavior, toward ourselves and others, we can create a ripple effect, spreading kindness outward and influencing more kindness. Here are some easy ways to be friendly over the next two weeks.

• Smiling or waving at people you see on campus or on the street.
• Thanking school staff like janitors, bus drivers, lunchroom staff, etc.
• Speaking to yourself with kind language during challenging moments.
• Using people’s names and pronouncing them correctly.
• Holding open a door for someone.

Be sure to save the date. Our next meeting is THIS week online on Wednesday, October 2 at 6:00 pm and will focus on Fall Fest. We are looking for 1 parent per classroom to ensure all voices are heard.

Please use this link to join the meeting.

PTO is still looking for a parent who is a contractor who can help with an estimate so that PTO can work with Ms. Bittel to find grant funding for an improvement project at the school. If you are available, contact Ms. Bittel.

• President - Aaron Valencia
• VP - open
• Secretary - Margaret Zuniga
• Treasurer - Angelina Celix

Please email PTO if you have any questions.

Thank you to everyone who supported our "Box Tops for Education" fundraiser this year! As of Sunday, September 29, Carrillo had already topped last year's earnings with an astounding $127.80! Be sure to keep checking out the Bonus offers and monthly challenges for ways to earn extra box tops.

This year we hope to have more families involved so that we can see even more rewards come back to the school to benefit the students directly. Please encourage friends and family members to download the app from the Box Tops website, select "Carrillo K-5 Magnet School" as their school, and scan their grocery receipts weekly.

LEADERBOARD

1st Place - Kindergarten (293 box tops)

2nd Place - 4th Grade (85 box tops)

3rd Place - 2nd Grade (79 box tops)

4th Place - 1st Grade (71 box tops)

5th Place - 5th Grade (32 box tops)

6th Place - 3rd Grade (3 box tops)

My name is Carson Luttenegger, and I am the Director of Marketing at Arizona Athletics. I am reaching out on behalf of Arizona Volleyball, who is excited to offer FREE admission to Tucson Unified School District students for their game at McKale Center on Friday, October 4th @ 12 PM v. Utah!

Two (2) complimentary tickets will be provided to each Tucson Unified School District student. Additional tickets are available for purchase for $5. See the links below to claim your tickets and access more information regarding parking.

Claim Tickets

Gameday Parking Information

We are looking forward to seeing you at the McKale Center on Friday, October 4th @ 12 PM as Arizona Volleyball takes on Utah. Please reach out to me via email if you have any further questions regarding the event.

Tucson Community Tennis is starting their FREE fall tennis clinics for students.

Who – ​Children grades 1st through 12th​

How Much - $5 donation for the semester

What – ​Tennis clinic with certified coaches​

Where -​ Pueblo High School Tennis courts​

When -​ Saturdays​ September 14 to December 14, 2024

Time - 12 and Under - 8 – 9:30 and 18 and Under – 8 - 10

Contact – ​If interested email: ​Stacy Renner or call 520-591-8904​

Carrillo's Kindergarten and First Graders are learning about the importance of community. Teachers are looking for guest speakers to come and talk about their jobs. We are looking for fora large variety of jobs from cashiers to custodians and firefighters to pharmacists. Our students know communities are successful because of the contributions of EVERYONE. Thank you for coming to share your role in the community. To sign up, use this link.

Thank you to Adrian at Big Frog! This year, when you purchase Cougar spirit gear, $5 will come back to the school to support students. The store has this year's "Growing Together" shirts for students and parents, as well as our classic shirts and some designs from previous years. Check out the store online.

** From the Office of the State Treasurer**

Kids are the future, and we want to hear their ideas for changing the world for the better.

For the fifth year, Arizona State Treasurer Kimberly Yee and the AZ529 Education Savings Plan are hosting an essay contest for kids. The 2024 Essay Writing Contest invites Arizona 5th and 6th graders to submit essays explaining their dream job and the steps they’ll take to reach it. Winners will receive $529 toward an AZ529 Education Savings Plan to fund their future educational aspirations!

Open to all current 5th and 6th grade students in Arizona’s district, charter, private schools, homeschools, and tribal schools.

Answer the question, “What is your dream job and how do you plan on achieving it in the future?” (350 words or less).

Entries accepted through October 6, 2024 at 11:59 PM (MST). Limit one entry per student.

Twenty (20) prizes, each in the amount of $529, will be awarded towards a new or existing AZ529 Education Savings Plan. Winners will be selected from each of Arizona’s 15 counties and there will also be winners representing all types of schools, including district, charter, private schools, homeschools, and tribal schools. We’re excited to help 20 young writers start saving for their educational plans beyond high school!

Upload entries on the AZ529 website. Accepted file types: Microsoft Word, PDF, JPG and JPEG).

Entries will be accepted August 26 through October 6, 2024.

The TUSD Mexican American Student Services Department is holding FREE Saturday academic tutoring by qualified teachers to help students with reading, writing, and math.

Limited space available for students in grades 3rd to 8th

When: September through May

Starts: September 7th.

Register by calling 520.232.8566 or by email.

Casa de los Ninos is one of our community partnerships. They offer a variety of community education and outreach classes. Please check out the flyer below to see the dates and topics in September. Email Carol Bolger with questions.

Thank you for your patience as we get students dismissed as quickly as possible. We need your help with a few things.

17th STREET PICK UP

1. Please park by Tucson Water, or wait in your car.
2. For those waiting in their cars, a school staff member will come by and radio for your student to come to you.
3. Thank you for keeping your music low and arriving after 2:30 pm. Our neighbors appreciate it.
4. Families with only intermediate students (grades 3-5) your students are generally the last to dismiss, if you can arrive at 2:50 that will allow us to help the kinder and first graders off campus and speed up pickup.

FOR PARENTS WAITING INSIDE

1. If you arrive before 2:30 pm we need you to sign in at the main office and wait in the art gallery on the main floor until 2:45.

Parents volunteers are welcome on campus. Speak with our office manager (Kenia Alvarado-Martinez) or our Magnet Coordinator (Rebecca Stroup) to learn how you can volunteer! We also encourage families to attend PTO meetings to learn about other ways to support our Carrillo Cougars. We encourage all parents to register as volunteers on the TUSD website as the process takes a few weeks. We ask non-parental volunteers to contact the office before registering as a volunteer so we can explain the process and coordinate volunteer opportunities.

Parents, we are asking for your help with social media. As a reminder, most social media user agreements state that users must be 13 or older to have an account. Please take a moment to discuss the reasons for the age limits with your students.

Most social media sites do not allow attacks or abuse based on race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability or disease. Please encourage students to be socially conscious and report any accounts that violate those policies directly to the social media platform before blocking the account.

Attendance at school is directly correlated to student achievement, so it is extremely important they are in school every single day to be successful. Research shows that missing more than 8 days of school can cause significant gaps in a student’s education. Please try to schedule appointments or family outings around the school schedule and during school holidays. To help track attendance goals, we've created a "Path to Success" attendance tracker you can use at home to help us make our 95% goal. You can download it by opening the attachment on your computer.

A student is considered "chronically absent" if they miss more than 10% of the school year. Students who miss more than 5 days a quarter are considered at risk for chronic absenteeism. If your student reaches this number, we will be reaching out to see how we can support you in getting your students to school on time.

State law requires parents to call in to report student absences. Parents, you can now immediately report an absence from school using ParentVue. This reduces the calls in our attendance office and allows you to directly enter the reason students are absent. To self-report simply follow the steps below.

1. Log into ParentVue from App or Computer
2. Click the "Attendance" tab on the left column on the computer or on the App as soon as you log in the blue "report absence" with a small bell icon is there.
3. On the top right corner of the page it will have a blue link that says "Report Absence" click on this
4. Use the calendar to select dates and the drop-down for the reason for the absence.
5. You may also add notes or upload a doctor's note and hit "save".

Of course, you may still give Ms. Diane Quiroz a ring at (520) 225-1200 if you prefer. Thank you for reporting all absences!

**Students who attend Carrillo as Magnet students may be asked to return to their home school if they accumulate excessive absences and/or tardies.**

Did you know that all TUSD elementary magnet students are eligible for transportation if they live more than 1.5 miles from the school?

For more information, visit Transportation's website to see if your student qualifies for FREE transportation and to begin routing. We strongly encourage families to consider this option for this school year. It's a great way to help your student develop independence and responsibility. You can also call them at 520-225-6262.

Due to some budget changes, the earliest students can be dropped off is 7:35 am at 17th Street. The office does not open until 8:00 and while Ms. Bittel is usually on campus well before 8:00, she is often in meetings or other parts of the building and unable to hear the doorbell. From 7:35 - 8:00 the only safe drop off is 17th Street. Thank you for helping us to keep all our cougars safe in the morning.

Parent Pickup will continue to be at 17th street. Thank you for remaining in your car. We’ll be using radios and a loudspeaker to call for students this year in hopes of speeding up the process. Please note that the city has redefined some fire lanes that must be kept open along Samaniego with bright red paint. Thank you for not parking or stopping in those spaces. Thank you also for keeping the neighborhood driveways and mailboxes open as a courtesy to our neighbors. Thank you for your help!

We know that the 17th Street area can get a bit congested at pickup. To help alleviate the situation, the City of Tucson has installed new signs to direct traffic and changed the direction of Samaniego Street. The City of Tucson is requesting that families picking up on 17th Street exit the neighborhood using the following route.

• Travel west on 17th Street
• Turn south on 11th Avenue
• Turn west to access the frontage road or turn east to return to Main Avenue and 22nd Street.

Our neighbors kindly ask that you leave the driveways and corners open when you park so they can enter and exit their homes safely. If you do wait in your car along Samaniego, thank you for waiting at the bottom of the hill on the east side of the street so the roadway is clear for all vehicles and families crossing the street.

We are also asking families to arrive no earlier than 2:35 on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday and no earlier than 1:35 on Wednesdays. Parents of intermediate students, if you plan to arrive at 2:50 or 1:50, that will give the primary students time to load up and reduce your wait time.

Thank you also for being patient, driving slowly, and watching the road carefully. The streets behind Carrillo are narrow and we want to avoid any accidents. Our neighbors kindly request that everyone drive like they live in the neighborhood, and many of our cougars do. Thank you for helping us keep our Cougars and our community safe.

If your child is walking/riding home, thank you for ensuring the office has a note giving permission at the beginning of every school year. Thank you for making any pickup arrangements with your student prior to your student coming to school.

Stay current on our events by visiting our Facebook Page as well as the school website. If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or concerns please reach out. It is our mission to provide all students with a first-rate education in a kind and respectful environment.

Email the Principal:
Visit Our Website:
Location: 440 South Main Avenue, Tucson, AZ, USA
Phone: (520) 225-1200
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Mission Statement

Carrillo K-5 Communication and Creative Arts Magnet School engages children's minds, bodies, and senses using multiple modes of learning, thought, and self-expression.

Vision Statement

At Carrillo K-5 Communication and Creative Arts Magnet School, students become 21st Century leaders in a diverse world, through the development of a strong academic core, communication skills and creative arts abilities.