Quail Run Community Newsletter

Dear Quail Run families,

This month is filled with fall festivities, acts of gratitude, academic milestones, community involvement, and international-mindedness. We will be celebrating our first-ever International-Mindedness Day on Tuesday, November 26. Community members will be presenting about countries around the globe and students will be traveling to explore these with passports in-hand. The schedule is provided in this newsletter - please feel free to join your student(s) at their scheduled time!

Please read through this monthly newsletter to see what is new this year and check out the fun Halloween Parade video below. There is so much happening at Quail Run this month.

Your Partner in Education,

Vicky Raymond

Proud Principal

Attention all Quail Run 5th and 6th Grade students! We want to invite you to take action and join our Quail Run Safeties team.

Our student leaders can help make our campus safer from 8:15 am - 8:40 am by signing up to volunteer in three designated areas. They can help Mr. Roy and Ms. Nina by opening car doors and greeting/assisting students out of their cars at car drop off or with our baby quails on the kindergarten playground.

Please sign up here if your 5th or 6th grade student is interested. They can help as many days as you choose. Students will check in at the front office at 8:15 am to pick up a safety vest on the days they sign up.

Questions? Email Mrs. Sanborn at jsanborn@pvschools.net

In honor of National School Psychology Week, we would like to take a moment to appreciate Dr. Shannon Morse, elementary school psychologist, and the invaluable contributions she makes to the lives of students. Her dedication, expertise, and compassion help create a safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environment where every child can thrive

Dr. Morse is currently in her 20th year as a school psychologist and has worked in the public school setting. This is her fourth year in PVSchools and at Quail Run. Previously, Shannon was a lead psychologist in Cave Creek Unified School District and started in the Kyrene School District. She has worked in supporting district initiatives, school-wide supports, mentoring school psychologists, and implementing training. Shannon has taught graduate classes at Northern Arizona University in assessment, IEP writing, and practicum supervision. Shannon obtained her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology through Northern Arizona University. Shannon is currently the President of the Arizona Association of School Psychologists (AASP) and has served other roles on the board. When not working, Shannon enjoys time with her family including her two children.

Does your student share with you what is happening in Art, P.E. Spanish, and STEAM?

Check out our November Special Area Update for all the information you need to see what will be happening this month in these special areas classes!

On Friday, November 15, we are asking every Quail Run student to wear blue in honor of Diabetes Awareness Month and bring a $1 cash donation that day for a schoolwide action benefiting JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation).

All our students will be receiving a bracelet to wear to remind us to hope for a cure! Every student will have the opportunity to sign their name on a banner to be posted on Utopia Road to bring awareness to Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). Our 5-6th grade students will help create the banner in art next week. Our focus is on finding a cure; until we do, the advancements we’re making every day improve the lives of those living with the disease until that day comes. Every student will receive a bracelet and sign the banner, even if they do not bring the $1 donation.

With T1D, a person’s pancreas stops producing insulin—a hormone essential to turning food into energy. The daily life of someone with T1D brings a multitude of challenges, including insulin injections that need to be carefully balanced with eating and activity, disruptive glucose monitoring, sleepless nights—and wishing for a tomorrow where this struggle doesn’t exist. Living with T1D means there are no days off and there is no cure. But there is hope.

At Quail Run, we are incredibly passionate about funding research for Juvenile Diabetes as two of our friends, Jovi and Lindsey, are affected by Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes every single day. We asked their parents to write about their stories to help inspire our community to support this cause.

Jovi is a second grade student and was diagnosed with Type 1 one year ago. Jovi is completely dependent upon insulin injections and receives a minimum of 4 shots every single day. Before each injection she looks at her Mom and says, "I'm scared." She can only let her know that it's okay to be scared, and that she would be scared, too. It's really important for Jovi that her classmates and friends know that she isn't contagious and diabetes isn't something you can catch, so there's no reason to be nervous or afraid of her! It's really important to her family that she feel as much love and support from the people around her as humanly possible!

Lindsey was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when she was 4 years old. (Early symptoms included: excessive thirst, frequent urination, abdominal pain, and fruity smelling breath.) Shortly after diagnosis, Lindsey began wearing a continuous glucose monitor and an insulin pump. Her body can no longer produce insulin, therefore she is insulin dependent for the rest of her life. Living with diabetes can be difficult and overwhelming, as it requires constant attention, but Lindsey handles it like a champ! She is a typical 4th grader who loves participating in cheerleading and Cub Scouts. Lindsey also volunteers as a Youth Ambassador for JDRF. Type 1 diabetes has certainly changed Lindsey’s life, but it definitely hasn’t stopped her.

As an International Baccalaureate school, we are given the opportunity every five years to showcase our program to outside evaluators. We will have two evaluators from the IB Organization coming to Quail Run November 21st and 22nd.

We are very excited to reflect on our Program Development Plan and receive feedback. These two days will consist of classroom visits, meetings with teachers, staff, administration, and parents, as well as a school tour and a meeting with a handful of students (if your student is going to participate in this, you will receive communication from us beforehand).

This is a wonderful time to highlight all of the amazing things we are doing here at Quail Run and also receive input on how to continually improve. Please look for highlights from our visit in newsletters to follow!

Questions? Reach out to Ms. Hubbs, our IB Coordinator, at jhubbs@pvschools.net.

Our Quail Run 1st graders are hosting our annual Food Drive to benefit the PV Community Food Bank. This food back supports families who reside within the Paradise Valley School District boundaries. The drive will be held November 4-15. Suggestions of food donation items are below and can be brought to school. The food bank does not accept expired items. Please feel free to visit the Paradise Valley Community Food Bank website if you wish to make a monetary donation. Choose the red donate button on the top right of the screen. Thank you for helping your child take action and for assisting us with this important community action.

Food Donations

All non-perishable boxed or canned food is appropriate. For individuals and families, regular size packages are helpful.

The ITEMS MOST NEEDED to maintain our nutritionally balanced food boxes include:

• Canned chicken

• Tuna

• Cold cereal

• Pasta

• Peanut Butter

• Spaghetti sauce

• Breakfast bars (Granola, Kind, Nutrigrain, etc.)

• Canned chili, beef stew, etc

• Canned beans (pinto, baked, black, garbanzo, etc.)

• Canned fruit, vegetables

Family Math Night is a fun, yearly event at our school! We are grateful for our partnership with Mathnasium of Desert Ridge, who sponsor this evening. Come and play math games with your students. Drop in any time from 5:00 - 6:30 pm on Tuesday, November 12 and make your way through ten stations.

The VIP College Corps was established 12 years ago at PVSchools as a sister program to VIP (Volunteers In Paradise). Through this partnership with Paradise Valley Community College, 400 college students, all aspiring teachers, have earned service learning and practicum hours in our schools. This program is housed at Quail Run!Every semester we have matched 20-40 college students with our teachers. It is a win-win. Our students benefit from the academic assistance and these college students are wonderful role models. Future educators benefit from the mentoring they receive from our teachers and from the early experience in a classroom. We are "growing our own” teachers, encouraging them to return to our district to teach when they earn their credentials.

These 1st and 2nd year college students are exploring teaching as a possible major. This is a wonderful way for teachers to get some help in the classroom, for the district to build relationships with potential new talent and to develop a strong hiring pipeline. Your support is greatly appreciated!

We value our parents and community members and love when you become involved on our campus. We have many opportunities for you to get involved beyond their child's classroom with academics, IB units, school-day events, and more! We are creating a Parent Involvement Directory of parents we can reach out to for different opportunities. This can be as small as connecting us with someone in your field of expertise or providing us with a resource. There is no obligation on how much or little you can give - we just want to be able to network and create opportunities for families and students, no pressure involved. Please complete this quick survey to let us know about your industry, passions, culture, etc. and if you want to be involved!

The PVSchools Fall 2024 Library Title List will be available for review for 60 days starting September 25 - November 30, 2024. Please see the following website to see titles that are being considered by Paradise Valley school libraries and provide feedback.

Website: https://www.pvschools.net/community/committees/school-library-book-review-committee

We are looking forward to hosting our first-ever Battle of the Books this Spring! America's Battle of the Books is a reading incentive program for students in 3rd-12th grades. Students are presented a reading list and work in teams to demonstrate their abilities and to test their knowledge of the books they have read. Teams get to compete in a family-feud style battle after school! Stay tuned for more information later this year.

We have created an Amazon Wishlist to help us prepare for the competition. We will need many copies of the battle books on-hand for our students. Thanks for supporting our reading goals!

The QRES School Council is composed of staff, parents, and community members. The purpose of the School Council is to assist in planning, coordinating, and facilitating safety and instructional ideas that will promote and enhance the safety and learning of the students at Quail Run Elementary School.

School Council meetings are open to the public and generally meets monthly. Meeting dates can be found on our website.

If you have an item of interest you would like for the School Council to review, please complete this form. Complete the form once for every issue or interest you would like discussed.

All parents at Quail Run are valued members of our Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). We do not collect membership dues. Our goal is to provide support to our QR staff and enrich our students’ learning environment and experience. The PTO organizes many fun family activities and student programs as well as fundraising events to support these programs. All are welcome!

There are many events underway - Scholastic Bookfair,

Please join us at our next general PTO Meeting on Monday, 11/18 at 3:30 pm in the library. Childcare is provided. We hope to see you there!

Have you signed up for our PTO website yet? It will help keep you up to date with all things PTO- check it out here, create an account and join our school directory!

https://quailrunpto.membershiptoolkit.com/

To keep up to date and get involved, please follow Quail Run PTO on Facebook and Instagram!

Amanda Bunney

Quail Run PTO President

ptoquailrun@gmail.com

• If you need to relay a message to your student during school hours, you can call the office or leave a message directly on our Voicelink account at (602) 449-5465. The office staff will NOT transfer calls to classrooms, as this will interrupt important instructional time.

• If your child forgets their lunch, you may bring it to the front office before 10:30 am.

• Be sure to communicate end-of-day arrangements with your student in the morning, prior to coming to school. We want to ensure all students get home safely. If there are any changes in how students get home, please notify the office and the teacher.
  

• School hours are from 8:45 am - 3:15 pm. If you are picking up a student early, please be aware that every minute counts and minutes missed accumulate throughout the school year. Also, be aware that students cannot be called to the office early for an appointment. Students will be called from class at the time you arrive to check them out.

• If your child is late to school, arriving after 8:45 am, a parent is required to walk them into the front office to sign them in tardy.

• No early pick-ups are allowed after 3:00 pm. You cannot sign out your student from 3:00 - 3:15. This is a change from previous years.

• School breakfast is available beginning at 8:30 am. Please drop off at 8:30 am if your child is eating breakfast. It is the same purchasing system as our school lunches. Students are not allowed to bring Starbucks drinks, smoothies, etc. on campus in the morning.

• Birthday treats must be store-bought and easy to pass out for the teacher. No cakes that need cutting, please. Cupcakes are allowed. Balloons are not allowed on campus.

• You will need your ID every time you pick up students prior to dismissal.

• Your student will not be released if the person picking her/him up is not on the contact list. If you need to add a friend or family member to the contact list you will need to go to Infinite Campus to update Emergency Contact information through your annual update.

• You can check your child's grades by downloading the Infinite Campus app or logging on online. Click here for directions.

If your child is ill or unable to attend school for any part of the day, please notify the office at (602) 449-4401. Please give your student’s name, teacher's name, and reason for absence.

**For your child’s safety, please make sure to notify the school office before 9:10 a.m.

**Fever or vomiting requires a 24-hour period in the absence of those symptoms without the use of medication before they may return to school.

Lunch Reminders:

• If your child forgets their lunch, you may bring it to the front office before 10:30 am. Any student that does not bring a lunch will choose a hot lunch and their meal account will be charged.

• There is no hot fast food allowed for lunch if you are dropping off a lunch. Visitors may bring in hot lunches (see visitor section below). Subway, Jimmy Johns, and Jersey Mikes are all good options for a special drop-off lunch.

• Students are not allowed to share food.

• We will have a special table for students with food allergies. Your student may be invited to join a friend at this table. If your child is invited to sit at this table, peanut butter is not allowed.

• When packing your student´s lunch, please be mindful that they are able to open the food or containers themselves. No glass containers.

• Based on the recommended State Nutritional Recommendations, sodas/carbonated beverages are not to be brought to school.

Lunch Visitors:

• You must sign into the front office and get a visitor sticker.
  

• You may bring lunch for your child. If you are coming to visit and stay with your child during lunch, the lunch may be a hot lunch. Sodas/carbonated beverages are not to be brought to school.

• You may not bring lunch for any student other than your own.

• You may not pass out treats to any students due to allergies.

Purchasing a School Lunch:

The Nutrition & Wellness Department will charge students for their meals based on their free, reduced, and paid meal application status during the 2024-2025 SY.

PVSchools provides meals at no cost to students qualifying for the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. Click on the link below to see if your child is eligible.

National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program

Visit the Lunch Menu section of our website for more information about menus, meal prices, and to load money into your student´s lunch account.

Shea is hosting a Shea Showcase night for all parents of 6th grade students that are looking for a middle school that meets your child's needs, including our signature program, the North Valley Arts Academy. Our Shea Showcase is Nov. 18th from 6-7:30 pm. Click the link below to find out about the event and learn what Shea has to offer your child!

Shea Showcase Event

The Mosaic of Marks Words Material exhibition will be open to the public, free of charge during regular hours at the Buxton Library on the Paradise Valley Community College Union Hills campus at 18401 North 32nd Street*. The Atelier, curated by grant funded visiting artists Marjorie Ruiz and Melanie Akins, is part of the exhibition.

The Early Childhood Education program at PVCC is scheduling special presentations that will include an overview of the intention of the exhibit and implications for our work with young children. Should this be of interest to you contact matthew.logelin@paradisevalley.edu.

Professional development hours will be awarded.

In collaboration with the International/Intercultural Committee free fall and winter Mosaic of Marks Words Material related professional development is offered. This is the link for the Saturday morning, November 16, 2024 The Art of Beautiful Writing session.

Visit https://www.reggioalliance.org/mosaic-of-marks-words-material/ to learn more about the exhibition.

Do you shop at Fry's Food? You can link your Fry's VIP card to Quail Run PTA and effortlessly earn money for our school simply by doing your normal shopping. Signup once and the school will reap the benefits all year!

Looking to get more involved in your child’s education? Want to be among the first to know what is happening in the district? If so, I encourage you to attend United Parent Council meetings. Paradise Valley United Parent Council is a district-wide parent group that has been active in Paradise Valley Unified School District for more than 30 years and is a 501(c)(3) organization. Looking out for the interest of students is their primary goal. They do this by offering parents support, information, and opportunities to be influential voices in the decisions that affect their children's education. UPC meetings are held on the third Wednesday of the month in the District Administration Center East/West Conference Rooms on the grounds of the PVUSD complex at 15002 North 32nd Street. Visitors are always welcome. Click here to visit their website for information on this month’s meeting.

We welcome site volunteers on our campus as well as chaperones for field trips.

Site volunteers must be parents, guardians, or grandparents of a current student.

School chaperones perform an invaluable service, helping to ensure the safety of students attending events and field trips. Parents, guardians, grandparents, or relatives are eligible to be a school chaperone after completing a background screening. Chaperones are fingerprinted and must agree to a background check.

Apply to be a Site Volunteer or Chaperone

1. Visit the PVSchools job search page.
2. Search for "Volunteer" or "Chaperone."
3. Select the opportunity that best fits your interest.
4. Click on the "Apply Online" button.
5. Create a login and password.
6. Complete the application process.

Please be aware that this application can take up to 12 weeks to clear, so be sure to get it in early. Please contact our front office if you have any questions.

If you or anyone you know needs to enroll a student for the 2024-2025 school year, please know we are still accepting applications for students both inside and outside of our school enrollment boundaries. Open enrollment enables Arizona students to attend public schools outside their district attendance areas or outside their district of residence. It is open to all Arizona-based students.

Click here to enroll for the 2024-2025 school year.

Required Documents for Enrollment

• A certified copy of your child's birth certificate

• Your child's immunization records

• Proof of Arizona residency (e.g., utility bill, house payment, lease/purchase agreement)

• IEP/504 forms (if applicable)

Please note, to register for kindergarten, your student must be 5 years old PRIOR to September 1st, 2024.

You will also be required to complete an Annual Update on Infinite Campus. Please visit the PV Assist website for links and more information.

Nov. 4 - 8: Scholastic Book Fair Week

Nov. 7: Student Council Campus Pride at 7:45 am

Nov. 7: School Emergency Response Team Meeting at 9:30 am

Nov. 7: PVSchools Governing Board Meeting at 6:30 pm

Nov. 8: Spirit Day: Students dress like the teachers and teachers dress like the students!

Nov. 11: No School, Veteran's Day Recess

Nov. 12: Family Math Night, 5:00 - 6:30 pm

Nov. 13: 1st Grade Field Trip to Tolmachoff Farm

Nov. 14: School Picture Retake Day

Nov. 15: Diabetes Awareness Day - Wear Blue and bring a $1 donation!

Nov. 18: PTO Meeting at 3:30 pm

Nov. 19: Early Release at 12:30 pm

Nov. 19: Spirit Day - Wear QR or blue shirts!

Nov. 19: Student Council Meeting at 8:00 am (officers arrive at 7:45)

Nov. 20: PTO Restaurant Night at Chick Fil A (Paradise Valley) from 4 - 8:00pm

Nov. 21 - 22: IB School Evaluation Visit

Nov. 21: PVSchools Governing Board Meeting at 6:30 pm

Nov. 22: Yearbook Club Meeting at 8:15 am

Nov. 26: International Mindedness Day

Nov. 27 - 29: No School, Thanksgiving Recess

Dec. 3: School Spelling Bee at 9:00 am

Dec. 3: Kinder Preview Night at 5:30 pm

Dec. 4: Kinder Little Red Hen Puppet Show at 9:00 am

Dec. 4: PTO Restaurant at Habit Burger from 4 - 9:00 pm

Dec. 5: 6th Grade Panoramic Picture

Dec. 6: Penguin Patch Preview Day

Dec. 6: Spirit Day - Wear QR or blue shirts!

Dec. 7: Cross Country Race, details TBD

Dec. 9-13: Penguin Patch Shopping Week

Dec. 10: Strings Concert at 6:30 pm

Dec. 12: Student Council Campus Pride at 7:45 am

Dec. 12: PVSchools Governing Board Meeting at 6:30 pm

Dec. 16: Kinder Nursery Rhyme Performance at 9:30 am

Dec. 16: 3rd Grade Field Trip to AZ Capitol

Dec. 17: Student Council Meeting at 8:00 am (officers arrive at 7:45)

Dec. 18: Holiday Hustle

Dec. 20: Spirit Day: Pajama Day

Dec. 20: Yearbook Club Meeting at 8:15 am

Dec. 23 - Jan. 3: Winter Break, No School

Jan. 6: Classes Resume

Attendance Line: 602-449-4401

Nurse Kate: 602-449-4403

School Cafeteria: 602-449-4407

Principal, Quail Run Elementary School

Email: vraymond@pvschools.net
Quail Run Website
Location: 3303 E. Utopia Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85050
Phone: 602-449-4400

Assistant Principal, Quail Run Elementary School

Email: jsanborn@pvschools.net

Quail Run Website

Location: 3303 E. Utopia Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85050
Phone: 602-449-4400