Stallion Scoop
January 2025
January certainly flew by! As we head into February, our focus shifts towards preparing our intermediate grades for upcoming state testing. We are working diligently to ensure our students are well-prepared and confident in their abilities.
This month, I would like to emphasize the importance of reviewing our school's drop-off procedures. Unfortunately, we have experienced some serious safety concerns recently with students being dropped off and walking unattended in the Kenyon parking lot. Please take a moment to review the drop-off information below to ensure your child's safety at all times.
Spring Student Enrollment is Now Underway!
Spring enrollment is crucial for our school's planning and staffing for the upcoming school year. The number of students enrolled directly impacts the number of teachers and classrooms we can provide. Please register your child for the 2024-2025 school year within the next two weeks. Your timely registration helps us ensure we have the right number of highly qualified teachers and appropriate classroom sizes to provide the best possible education for all our students.
Celebrating Black History Month
February is Black History Month, a time to honor and celebrate the significant contributions of Black Americans throughout history. We encourage you to explore the rich history and heritage of Black Americans with your children. Please check out the links below for resources and information about the important contributions Black Americans have made to our country.
We look forward to a productive and enriching month of February!
📆Important Upcoming Dates 📆
February is Black History Month (see below) 📜
2/4 9:00-11:00a Kinder Kickoff (tours)
2/6 9:15a Bus Evacuation Drill 🚌
2/7 2:00p Girl Scouts 🍀
2/10-2/10 Love of Reading Week 🏫📖📚💕
2/13 11:00a 1/2 day Parent Teacher Conferences 👩🏻🏫
2/14 11:00a 1/2 day Parent Teacher Conferences 👩🏻🏫(Valentine's Day)💗
2/20 11:00a NO SCHOOL, Rodeo Break🐎
2/21 11:00a NO SCHOOL, Rodeo Break🤠
2/25 8:30a Sharp! Grades 2nd-6th, Benchmark Testing (ELA)
2/27 8:30a Sharp! Grades 2nd-6th, Benchmark Testing (Math)
2/28 2:00p Girl Scouts 🍀
3/6 8:00a Student of the Month Assembly
3/7 All day, NO SCHOOL, Grading Day🍎
3/10-14 All day, NO SCHOOL, Spring Break💐🐝⛅
Kids Registered for 2025-2026 School Year by Feb. 14 get a Popcorn Dance Party!! 🍿💃🪩🕺
Your student(s) should have brought home a small blue flyer. It states that if they are registered for the 2025-2026 school year by February 14, 2025...they will be able to attend a Popcorn Dance Party on the Patio!!
Registration is NOW OPEN for School Year 2025-2026. 🧑🏻💻👩🏻💻💻✍🏻
Register today at Steele!
- If you are continuing at Steele, please go to your ParentVUE account, confirm or update your student’s information.
- If choosing a different school (like middle school), please visit tusd1.org/discover.
- Why register now?!? We plan for teachers, classrooms, budget, all the things we need for the year.
Remember, online registration is required for all students every school year.
🛑✋Parking Lot Procedures 🚗🛺🚙🛻
The parking lot (off Kenyon, by the front doors) has become a dangerous place for our families.
This area is NOT A DROP-OFF area, nor a pick-up.
The RED ZONE CURB is also not for drop-off or parking. This is for the safety of all of our students and families.
The drop-off lane on Sarnoff was put in place for the well-being of our students and families, please utilize it. We understand that sometimes families are running late, if that is the case, we ask that you park in a parking space. If necessary, please walk on the sidewalk with your student into the office to sign them in where they will receive a tardy pass. You may see a staff member outside in the morning signaling for cars to move along and follow the proper procedures. We thank you in advance for keeping everyone in our Steele community safe!
🔽See the City of Tucson's first round of plans for the intersection of Kenyon & Sarnoff. 🔽
Student Drop Off & Pick Up
- Drop off window is 7:15-7:40am
- Do not drop students off prior to 7:15am.
- If your child will be eating breakfast, please ensure they are dropped off no later than 7:30 so they have time to eat. The bell rings at 7:40am and students need to be lined up and ready to start class at 7:45am otherwise they will be considered tardy. If tardy, they need to stop in the office to be signed in and receive a tardy pass.
Student Pick Up: We use a Valet system; this allows you to stay in your air-conditioned car while we provide a safe and orderly release of students.
Pick Up: 1:55 pm M, T, Th, F and 12:55 pm every Wednesday.
- During the first week your student should have received a colored card with their first name/teacher to put into your vehicle window. Having these name cards in the vehicle significantly speeds up the release process for everyone.
- When you pull up, we will call your child via radio and load your child in a quick and safe manner.
- If you would like to walk and pick up children, you are welcome to park in the Kenyon lot and line up down by the Sarnoff entrance doors by the flagpole so the staff member at the door can call your child out of the cafeteria. Please make sure to get in line so that our staff can call your student out as quickly and orderly as possible.
Tom Beech - Teacher, OMA Band 🥁🎺
Hello! My name is Tom Beech. I am a percussionist and music educator currently based in Tucson. I received my music education degree from the University of Arizona and have been teaching and performing music for about 15 years. I have taught band at Henry, Gale, Gridley, Maxwell, and Steele elementaries for the past 2 years. I have also taught percussion ensemble and marching band at Sabino High School for the past 4 years. In my free time I enjoy playing tennis, cooking, reading books, working on cars, and tending to my rose garden. I am most passionate about making not only excellent musicians, but excellent people of character. As always, good luck and have a good show!
Raiden Thaler- Teacher, OMA Orchestra 🎻
Sara - Teacher, OMA Art 🎨
Mrs. Sarah received her BA of Illustration from right here in Tucson, at Southwestern University of Visual Arts (SUVA). While earning her degree, Sarah volunteered her graphic design skills to her children’s elementary school, designing newsletters and brochures. She is also a published Illustrator, working closely with local author Michael D. Stofko. And continues to work with community share and The Future City program.
Through the OMA program, she has had the opportunity to work with many classroom teachers and their students throughout TUSD, always instructing from a firm foundational knowledge of Visual Arts and core curriculum integration strategies. Sarah always has a peaceful mannerism that comforts those who are shy of expressing themselves visually. She strives to leave tools for teachers to use that will allow them to integrate visual arts into their daily routine, instilling the notion that everyone can be an artist.
Borrow Garden Tools 💪🥾🧹
We have a small budget for obtaining tools for the garden. We are hoping to borrow some things from our generous and talented families if you can!
Our wishlist:
- Jackhammers (1 day)
- Shovels (spade)
- Wheelbarrows
- Pickaxes
- Edger or Trencher (for 1/2" irrigation line)
- Rakes
Speaking of Attendance
Submit student attendance via ParentVUE.
With cold and flu season underway, we want to remind families that you can report your student's absences via ParentVUE. With ParentVUE, you can submit your child's attendance at any time of day, skip remembering to call during office hours and focus on your student's health.
You can also use ParentVUE to enter planned absences, including doctor's appointments and family trips.
To submit attendance, go to the attendance section in ParentVUE and select the blue 'Report Absence' button to get started.
Need help accessing and reviewing ParentVUE? Call the office at 520-731-6800 for assistance, or take a look at our easy-to-follow ParentVUE guide here.
Visitors, Volunteers & Chaperones
We are excited to welcome visitors, volunteers & chaperones to our campus, all guests on campus during school hours must sign-in through the front office. Families are welcome to come onto campus and join their child for breakfast in the cafeteria or before school recess and line up with their child without signing in. If a parent is staying past the school bell to volunteer, they must sign in through the front office.
To ensure the safety of our students, all parent and non-parent volunteers must complete or update the volunteer application each school year.
Link to the volunteer application below. Please contact our office staff if you need assistance.
Plan ahead and fill out applications 2-3 weeks in advance to ensure you will be able to volunteer.
KIDCO- Afterschool Child Program
TUSD & Steele have partnered with the City of Tucson to provide low cost, on campus child care for grades K-6. KIDCO will be offered every school day from dismissal to 6pm for children who have registered through the City of Tucson program, including half days and early dismissal Wednesdays (City of Tucson holidays excluded).
If you are in need of financial assistance for the afterschool program, discount applications are available for City of Tucson residents only and must be submitted prior to registering your child online. Go to any City of Tucson Recreation center in person to apply.
Eastside centers are: Clements Center 520-791-4355 or Udall 520-791-4931
Girl Scouts
Is your daughter interested in Girl Scouts?
Most Fridays 2:00-3:15p
Explore STEM, the outdoors, leadership and more!
Questions? Contact Erin at eallen@girlscoutssoaz.org
School Supplies
Steele will provide all the school supplies your children need while they are at school. Throughout the year, teachers may have donation requests for special projects and events. They will communicate through their Class Dojo page.
If you need assistance with getting your child a backpack or academic supplies for home, please contact our front office staff, and they will assist you.
Additionally, if you're interested in donating to your child's classroom, feel free to reach out to their teacher to discuss donation opportunities. Your support is always welcome and appreciated.