Rattler Welcome
2023 / 2024 School Year
Hello Rattler families,
It has been a great start to the 2023-2024 school year. We are very excited about the students and their interactions with all the new friends and staff they have met so far.
We thank all the families for your understanding last Monday as we tried to keep students and staff safe from the bees in our courtyard. It was odd because it was not an emergency, yet it was the prevention of a possible emergency.
Thank you for your attendance at Curriculum Night on August 8th. It is our hope you have a better understanding of the day to day routine that your child does each day. We also want our families to have a communication line for assignments and grades. Many of our teachers use Google Classroom and other lines of electronic communication to keep our families informed.
We encourage all our families to complete their “Annual Update” in the Parent Portal of Infinite Campus. This is so important because it allows our district and your child’s school to communicate information and emergencies with you in the most efficient manner possible.
We can control our on campus procedures, but the introduction of vehicles before and after school brings an increase in possible accidents. Please be patient in the times before and after school when students are present. They are wonderful, but very unpredictable in their decision making. Please talk to your child about crossing Madero Ave. with our crossing guard before and after school.
Student drop-off will continue to get faster as procedures are followed. Please do not drop-off your student until you reach the drop-off zone. Once in the zone, all stopped vehicles should let their children out. This process allows for about 10-12 cars to drop-off and then move out of the lot. This allows another 10-12 cars to follow and do the same. All students dropped off in the morning should enter the school at the far east entrance near the portables. This allows for optimal traffic flow.
Student pick-up will flow much better if students stood on the side of the building and walked to your car. We have numbered the wall much like an airport from 10-1, so students can let you know where they are located. We need the pick-up vehicle to continue as far down the line as is open. Your child will see you and walk to the car as far East as possible. Stopping at the office to pick-up your child slows down the flow for everyone. Encourage your child to meet you further down the side of the school at one of the numbers on the wall.
We are excited to offer after school tutoring beginning this week. Each Tuesday and Thursday in our library we will have teachers and staff available to help students from 3:30 - 4:30. A bus will be available each of those days at 4:30 for all students who are in our boundaries and take a bus.
Our Math teachers also have a schedule set up for tutoring. Each day before and after school there is a math teacher available for assistance. Students who need math help can get assistance each day, however it may not be their math teacher. Students can speak with their regular math teacher for help, but they can get help each day if they go to the teacher assigned to the tutoring that day.
AASA letters were sent this week with results from the AASA state assessments from last school year. Our school and staff have reviewed the data and have already made plans and adjustments to work with students at all levels of proficiency. If your student struggled in the past, there is a good chance they will be receiving interventions from our school this year.
We appreciate your support of Desert Ridge Junior High.
Sincerely,
Mr. Mike Davis
Office Entry Requirement
As many of you know we have a camera with an intercom at our front office door. This layer of security is consistent at all Jr. High schools in the Gilbert District. Please have your ID out and available at the front door. Please stand on the floor markings with your ID visible just below your chin. You will still need the ID to check your student out at the attendance window located straight forward upon entrance of the office.
Learning Lab Room 226
Our Learning Lab is a place during the school day that students with an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) can go to work independently or with a staff member on homework or even for a better testing environment. We are excited to offer after school hours to those students beginning on August 15th.
***Our school has TUTORING available to ALL students in the library on Tuesdays and Thursday with a general education bus at 4:30 for students eligible for the bus.
Students can be picked up before 4:30 on any day, but if taking the bus on Tuesday and/or Thursdays - they must stay in tutoring until 4:30
Annual Update
The ‘Annual Update’ allows you to tell us of any updates to your contact information, address changes, and updates to emergency contacts.
In order to ensure we can communicate with you regarding your student, or in case of emergency, it is essential that we have your up to date contact details. Below are instructions on how to complete the ‘Annual Update’ online using the Infinite Campus Parent Portal.
Step 1 - Login to Infinite Campus Parent Portal
Step 2 - Click on Update My Information on the left side of your screen. You may need to scroll down.
Welcome Back to School! Here are some Benefits of Hydration!
1. H2O regulates body temperature.
2. About 2/3 of the human body is made up of water, H2O.
3. H2O helps boost energy, improve mood, and keep skin bright.
4. Drink a sports drink if you are sweating heavily for 30 minutes or more.
5. H2O carries nutrients and oxygen to cells.
Belinda (Belle) White ~ RN
480-635-1410
Heather Pluhar ~ Medical Assistant
480-635-1413
Principal - Mike Davis
Assistant Principal/Athletic Director - James Louzek
Dean of Students - Angie Barnard
Location: 10211 East Madero Avenue, Mesa, AZ, USA
Phone: 480-635-2025