Viper Voice
April 12, 2024
Congratulations to all our students for their hard work and dedication in completing the AASA state testing. Your commitment to academic excellence is truly commendable, and your perseverance through these assessments demonstrates your readiness to take on future challenges.
For those who may have missed any of the tests, we will continue to conduct make-up testing for the next couple of weeks. It's crucial that every student has the opportunity to participate fully in this assessment process.
Don't forget that this next week we are showcasing our amazing student drama club in their production of Beauty and the Beast! The shows will take place on Friday and Saturday (see flyer below to purchase tickets) and we hope to see you there cheering on our Vipers!
In addition to celebrating our students' achievements, I'm excited to announce that our annual STEAM Night is fast approaching on April 25th. This promises to be an extraordinary event that you won't want to miss! We have an impressive lineup of community partners, including ASU, NASA, AZSciTech, Bricks and Mini Figs, TSMC, Maricopa Air Quality, and the Herpetological Society, who will be joining us for an evening filled with exploration, innovation, and fun.
STEAM Night will showcase the incredible STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) work of our students all over campus. From captivating demonstrations to hands-on activities, there will be something for everyone to enjoy. Plus, we'll have amazing food trucks to satisfy your cravings as you immerse yourself in the excitement of STEAM.
Mark your calendars and spread the word—STEAM Night on April 25th is an event you won't want to miss!
Thank you for your continued support and involvement in our school community.
SV Wins Vocabulary Bowl
Each week, students from each grade level is recognized for making a positive difference on our campus. Thank you for making SV a better place!
- Please do not park in Handicap parking spots without the proper Legal License plate or placard. We have staff and families who have the proper credentials and need to park in those spots.
- If your student(s) are currently registered at this time and you plan to return next year, you will not need to register again. Your student(s) registration will automatically roll over to the next school year.
- Open enrollment is now open for the 24/25 school year.
- If your student is attending any of our before school clubs or tutoring, please pull up to the curb in front of the office and drop them off - as our parking lot is for our staff.
- If picking up your child AFTER 2:45 PM, please park in our parking lot or you may get caught in the afternoon pick up traffic.
- Please make sure that you call the attendance line if your student is going to be absent for any reason - (623) 376-4890
- Breakfast service begins at 8:10 AM, no students can be dropped off prior to 8:10 AM - as there is no adult supervision available.
- If your student has tutoring in the morning, please do not drop them off before 8:00 AM - as there is no adult supervision available.
Get a Head Start on Next Year's Supply List!
We've partnered with 1st Day School Supplies to make back-to-school shopping as simple as it can be. Just click on the grade level your child will be entering into next year, hit checkout and the entire supply list created by the teacher will be shipped directly to you.
Environmental Input Form for 2024-2025
DVUSD guidelines do not allow a specific teacher to be requested, but may allow parents to provide input on their child’s needs and the type of teacher that may best serve their child’s needs. It is our belief at Sierra Verde that teachers and parents can provide the best education possible for our children by working together. The responsibility for assignment of students resides with the principal and teachers working together to place students in a learning environment that best meets the needs of the student. Also keep in mind that teachers may change grade levels and/or schools. Therefore, providing detailed information regarding the preferred learning environment and your child’s needs is critical.
- Monday, April 15
- Day 5 Specials
- 8:00 AM - SV Honor Choir Club
- 3:30 PM - Basketball Practice
- 3:30 PM - B.O.L.T.S. Club
- 3:30 PM - Egg to Chick Club
- 3:30 PM - GenTech Club - Musical Micros
- 3:30 PM - Mad Science Club
- 3:30 PM - NJHS
- 3:45 PM - Junior Choir Club
- 3:45 PM - Student Drama Practice - Show Week
- 4:30 PM - MRHS Track & Field Practice
- Tuesday, April 16
- 8:00 AM - SV Honor Choir
- 3:30 PM - Basketball Practice
- 3:30 PM - GenTech Club - Drone Discovery
- 3:30 PM - Young Rembrandts Drawing Club
- 3:45 PM - Student Drama Practice - Show Week
- 3:45 PM - D and D Club
- 3:45 PM - Girls on the Run
- 4:45 PM - MRHS Track & Field
- Wednesday, April 17
- 8:00 AM - Team Connect Club
- 3:30 PM - Chess Emporium Club
- 3:30 PM - Egg to Chick Club
- 3:45 PM - Student Drama Practice - Show Week
- 4:30 PM - AWAY Girls Basketball Games @ Diamond Canyon
- 4:30 PM - MRHS Track & Field Practice
- Thursday, April 18
- 8:00 AM - Honorary Choir Club
- 3:30 PM - Athletes in Training - Basketball
- 3:30 PM - Elements of Music Club
- 3:30 PM - Right Start Golf Club
- 3:45 PM - Girls on the Run
- 4:30 PM - AWAY Basketball Game vs. Terramar
- 4:45 PM - MRHS Track & Field Meet
- Friday, April 19
- FULL DAY FRIDAY
- 7:45 AM - STUCO Meeting
- 3:30 PM - Boys Basketball Practice
- 3:45 PM - Student Drama - Show Week
- 6:30 PM - Beauty and the Beast!
Mark your calendars!
Our Track & Field team has a meet on Monday, April 15th @ Boulder Creek High School. This is the one meet where our 5th and 6th grade athletes get to compete along with our 7th/8th grade athletes. The final regular season meet for these athletes is on Thursday, April 18th @ Deer Valley High School. Good luck Vipers!
Our Basketball teams have two away games this week. On Wednesday they will play @ Diamond Canyon and then on Thursday @ Terramar. Our girls are playing tough with a record of 8 - 1 so far and our boys are battling hard every game with a 2 - 7 record. Their final regular season game is at HOME on Tuesday, April 23rd.
Congratulations Emma Chen!
Emma in our 7th grade, won the 3rd place in her tennis tournament last weekend at Scottsdale (double).
Scottsdale Shootout
Level 5, Girls 16, Double
3rd place
Teacher Appreciation Week is COMING
Calling all parents! Teacher appreciation week is coming the week of May 6th. Please sign up below to show our SV teachers some love by decorating their doors! Details in the link.
MRHS Girls Spring Youth Flag Football (Grades 3-7)
A Message From Coach Warmus
Ridge Flag Football is hosting another camp, this one is held end of May and registration is open!
We would love to see more student/athletes from SV! If you have any questions please email me!
Bullying or Peer Conflict?
WHAT IS NOT BULLYING? Adults must realize that not every unkind thing a child does constitutes bullying. For example:
Being left out is not always bullying. It’s natural for kids to have a select group of friends. Although they should be kind towards everyone, it’s unrealistic to expect them to be close friends with every child they know, and be invited to every function or event.
Experiencing conflict is not bullying. Learning to deal with conflict is a normal part of growing up. The key is for children to learn how to solve their problems peacefully and respectfully.
Not playing fair is not bullying. Wanting a game to be played a certain way is not bullying. Children understand the concept of sharing, and should take turns being in charge of the game.
When observing the unkind behaviors your child experiences, be sure to label them correctly. This will help you know how to handle the situation appropriately so that your child can learn and grow from it.
(Ref. Policy JICK, JICK-R, JICK-EA, JICK-EB)
Bullying may occur when a student or group of students engages in any form of behavior that includes such acts as intimidation and/or harassment that:
has the effect of physically harming a student, damaging a student’s property, or placing a student in reasonable fear of harm or damage to property,
is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive that the action, behavior, or threat creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive environment,
occurs when there is a real or perceived imbalance of power or strength, or
may constitute a violation of law
SRR handbook 2023-2024 (pages 2-4)
Connect with Us!
Volunteer Opportunities
We are always excited to be able to welcome our parents/guardians back to help volunteer and visit at SV. If you would like to visit, we welcome you to come and eat lunch with your child in the MPR. Please arrive on time, and bring lunch only for your student - as we cannot have lunches passed out to other student or friends in the MPR for their safety. If you are interested in volunteering, we will soon welcome you back in our classrooms once we have our classroom procedures setup and in place. Mandatory volunteer training dates (required for all NEW volunteers) are listed below! If you are already a trained volunteer, please be sure to stop by the office to update your information.
As a reminder, we require all parents to follow our school rules and dress code on campus and ask that you do not use any cell phones or tablets in the MPR or around our students.
PBIS Rewards
Our PBIS store is OPEN! Students can use their points earned for being a Problem-solver, being Engaged, being Accountable, and being Kind to purchase fun items. These items are delivered on Fridays. If you are interested in tracking your student through our PBIS Rewards app, download the PBIS Rewards for Family app and ask your child's teacher for their unique QR code.
If you are interested in donating to our PBIS store, we have a PBIS Store Amazon wishlist. You can also drop off any donation items to our office - new/gently loved stuffed animals are always a popular item.
1. We need parent volunteers to help keep inventory and package PBIS rewards for students.
2. The store needs rewards! There are many ways to donate – new and gently used toys, party favors – anything that kids would be excited to receive!
3. Help stock the PBIS Store Rewards Store by purchasing Rewards directly on Amazon. If you purchase from our PBIS Rewards wishlist it will ship directly to campus and our kids can purchase immediately. Stock our store here: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2YZ9H9VV492G3?ref_=wl_share
If you have are available to donate your time or have questions about our PBIS program, please contact Mrs. Stephanie Hoffpauir in the front office.
Pick Up & Drop Off Procedure Reminders
- Make sure that all adults who will be picking up students at 3:30 have a purple placard with the student's Last Name and Grade clearly written in marker bold and big so we can read them. Placards are available in the office. Take as many copies as you need (one for mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, etc......).
- Please pull forward and follow all staff directions around the pick up loop, don't stop short, and stay in your car.
- We will load you kids, if they need help buckling, pull up and around the loop to the buckle zone past our bike rack
- We do not have any supervision of students until 8:30 am so please do not drop off or leave any kids unattended before 8:30 am.
- Please be patient and be kind to staff and other drivers as it takes a few weeks for all to learn our procedures. Remember out staff is out in 100+ degree weather keeping all our kids safe, and everyone's safety is more important than any individual's convenience
- If you do not have a kindergarten student, you must use the front loop for morning drop-off. We do not have enough spaces for additional vehicles, and our front loop is much more efficient and safe for our 1st-8th graders.
- Do not cross any streets outside of the designated and manned crosswalks in the am or pm. We have had some very close calls and pedestrians almost struck crossing rose garden illegally.
- If picking up on 74th, please be sure that you are not parking or waiting in the "no parking/loading zone" and please do not block any private driveways
- Please pull all the way down the loop before dropping off. Your student should not be getting out of the car when the line slows down
- Do not enter the parking lot through the EXIT
Policy Reminders
- 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.
Food & Nutrition
For the 23-24 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.
We will not be allowing outside food or drink for any reason on campus. DVUSD has a birthday bucket order form that will be the only method of birthday treats for 23-24. 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. Please drop off any 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.