Viper Voice

I'm excited to share that our first fire drill of the year was a tremendous success! We were able to evacuate the entire school in under 6 minutes—wow! This achievement reflects our commitment to keeping our students safe and prepared in case of an emergency. Drills like these are essential for ensuring that everyone knows exactly what to do, fostering a sense of security and readiness across our campus.

As I visit classrooms each day, I'm continually impressed by the level of critical thinking and engagement I see from our students. The dedication of our teachers is evident in the remarkable work happening at Sierra Verde. Our community is truly thriving, and I'm so proud of all the efforts contributing to our students' success.

Thank you for your ongoing support in making this a fantastic start to the school year!

I’m thrilled to announce that our attendance is at an all-time high this week! Thank you for making sure our students are here and ready to learn each day. This commitment to education is what helps our community thrive.

Main courses will remain the same for next week. However, there will be no Cheesy Pinwheel's or BBQ Chicken Bite Grab-n-Go's. Instead, there will be a Grilled Cheese option along with Cheese Quesadillas as an alternative to the main courses listed on our August Menu.

A quick reminder of the importance of packing an extra set of clothes for your child to keep in their school bag. This applies to all ages and grades, K-8. Common reasons for needing new clothing at school include:

• Accidental spills, outdoor activities, art or STEM projects, bodily functions, and comfort. This saves you a trip to the school and gets your child back to class as soon as possible. Thank you!!

• Day 6 Specials
• 3:30 PM - Baseball/Softball Practice

• 3:30 PM - Baseball/Softball Practice
• 3:30 PM - Young Rembrandts Drawing Club (Room 518)
• 7:00 PM - Governing Board Meeting

• 3:30 PM - Baseball/Softball Practice
• 3:30 PM - B.O.L.T.S. Club
• 3:30 PM - Chess Emporium Club

• 3:30 PM - Baseball/Softball Practice

• 2:00 PM - Early Release for Teacher PLC's

Early release days are scheduled to provide our teachers with dedicated time to engage in PLC activities without the distraction of other school responsibilities. This uninterrupted time is essential for effective collaboration and planning. Here are some key reasons for this:

1. Focused Collaboration: Teachers can work together to analyze student data, identify learning trends, and develop targeted strategies to support each student's academic growth.

2. Professional Development: PLC time allows teachers to share best practices, attend training sessions, and stay current with educational research and methodologies.

3. Consistency and Continuity: Regularly scheduled PLC time ensures that collaborative efforts are ongoing and consistent, which is crucial for long-term improvement in teaching and learning.

4. Improved Student Outcomes: Research shows that schools with strong PLCs tend to see higher student achievement. By investing time in professional collaboration, we are directly investing in our students' success.

Baseball and Softball Athletes,

Reminder to pay all athletic fees by Wednesday. Thank you to those that have already paid!

Our first HOME Baseball Game is September 3rd at 4:15 against Sonoran Foothills.

Please come out and cheer on our Vipers!

REGISTER MY ATHLETE PAPERWORK:

If your child is interested in trying out for Cross Country, all paperwork must be uploaded into Register My Athlete before September 20th. Please check out the Athletic page on our Sierra Verde Website for helpful information. Email jolynn.copenhaver@dvusd.org if you have any further questions. Thank you!

Don’t forget to show the PTSO your support! Sign up for a family membership on our website and you could win our Chicken N Pickle Raffle….

• If your student is going to be absent for any reason, please call our attendance line at (623) 376-4890
• All 1st-8th grade students should be dropped off in the front traffic loop, parking in the lot is reserved for Kindergarten parents only. It is also not permissible to park and cross Rose Garden or 74th Ave at any point other than our crosswalks.
• 8:45 is the start of our academic day, kids who are not in class at 8:45 will need a tardy pass.
• We cannot sign students out after 3:15.
• Do not text your students during the school day, phones are available for use at the office with staff permission.
• We will not interrupt instruction to relay messages or deliver items left at home (unless medically needed)
• Attendance warnings will be sent home for students who are absent more than 10% of days in session or who have accumulated 5+ tardies
• If you have a concern or question regarding progress, grades, or behavior, address the classroom level teacher per our DVUSD Problem Solving Guidance
• School staff and administration are not available to meet on demand, appointments will be made to set up meetings or phone calls for administrators and teachers. Walk-in appointments are not an option.
• SV teachers adhere to an email curfew. They will check emails Monday - Friday from 7:00 AM to 8:30 AM and 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM only.
• SV staff will respond to emails within 48 hours, excluding weekends & holidays.

For the 24-25 school year, we will once again be charging for school meals, to apply for a free or reduced meal application visit https://secure.ezmealapp.com or stop by Sierra Verde for a paper application (though the online process is much quicker). See the complete information from DVUSD Food & Nutrition below.

DVUSD has a birthday bucket order form that will be the only method of birthday treats for 24-25. You can fill out an application for a birthday bucket and work with our Cafeteria Manger Mrs. Debbie Jasperson to arrange these birthday treats. The Birthday Bucket application is on our homepage and is linked below as well.

In order to keep meal account balances topped off, you can put money on the student account with cash or check at the front office, drop off cash or check in the office, or use E-Z school pay. EZ School pay also has an app available to download and track your balance.

A birthday bucket is the perfect way to celebrate your student(s) birthday safely!