IMPORTANT TO READ
Please do not drop your student off earlier than 8:40 AM. There is no supervision on campus until that time. Lately, children are being dropped off in front between 8:20-8:30 AM. If you need before school care, please contact the ECS department at 480-575-2440 and ask about Roadrunner Club. Thank you for your help to keep our students safe!
* Attention Bus Riders *
In Cave Creek Unified School District the safety and security of our students is of the utmost importance. In an effort to provide safety for our bus riders, we are requiring all students who ride the bus to be signed up for transportation through the parent portal. This can be done by clicking the following link: transportation sign up. Starting on January 18th 2022, if your student is not signed up for transportation through the parent portal, for safety reasons, we will not be able to transport your student. If you need assistance signing up for transportation in the parent portal contact Chris Aden at caden@ccusd93.net.
If you have any questions contact Pam Nelson pnelson@ccusd93.net in transportation.
Thank you for your support in keeping our students safe.
DWES Families,
Every day I look forward to coming into the school to be greeted by our amazing office staff. Every day they go above and beyond to make sure that each one of us is taken care of and that all of our questions are answered. I want to thank all of you for being patient and working with us during this transition of the updated COVID-19 protocols. Please click here to see CCUSD’s “remain in school plan” as well as flow charts and MCHD guidance on COVID-19.
Every day we are learning, whether it’s factor trees, world religions, rookeries are groups of penguins, or updated COVID-19 policies. We are Learning for Life - Loving to Learn.
Respectfully,
Brandie Dunlap
Remember to ‘Like’ and follow our Facebook and our Instagram pages to keep up with DWES!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DWESRoadrunners
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CRkuvrTL2iq/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
***Make sure you register to VOTE!!!***
School Calendars are approved.
Click here for the link for the 2022-2023 school year. The 2022-2023 school year begins on August 1, 2022 for all students. You can view all three calendars here.
Tax Credit
Calling all DWES families! Please support Desert Willow with your tax credit donations. We are working on improving our playground (see photos below). As we navigate through this process we will keep you informed. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Trish in the front office. Thank you in advance for your participation!
Site Council Members needed!
We are looking for approximately 2-3 parents to replace members of our Site Council. The school site council is a group of teachers, parents, classified employees, and students (at the high school level) that works with the principal to develop, review and evaluate school improvement programs and approve use of certain school budgets. We meet once a month after school in the Library. For more information, please contact Ms. Trish at TVerde@ccusd93.net
Click HERE for more information about KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION for the 2022-2023 School Year!
Attendance Reminder
If your child will be late or absent, please call the attendance line at 480-575-2800 and leave a message or email for Ms. Jennifer at jdennison@ccusd93.net. If your child arrives late they must be signed in at the front office by an adult. Students are late if they are not in their classrooms when the 9:00 AM bell rings.
Reminder: If your child is experiencing Covid or variant like symptoms we recommend you keep them home to maintain everyone's health. This includes personal time after school and weekends such as birthday parties, family events, etc. We thank you for keeping everyone's health in mind.
Staff Shout Out
Mrs. Fleming was greatly missed at the beginning of the year and we couldn’t have been happier when she returned! She is constantly working on creating engaging lessons for her students and always willing to help. We couldn’t agree more with what one of her students said, “Mrs. Fleming was worth the wait!”
One Team Employee of the Month
6th Grade SI Cooking Video
Counselor's Corner
Click this link for information and tips from our Counselor, Victoria Markowicz.
Upcoming Events
CCUSD TEACHER OF THE YEAR
We believe teachers are at the core of this mission as they influence our students daily. Each year, we recognize seven teachers, one from each school, who exemplify what it means to be a part of our Cave Creek USD learning community. The criteria we use to select these teachers is based in part on the Arizona Education Foundation, as well as highlights from our CCUSD Strategic Plan.
We encourage you to nominate a Cave Creek teacher you know who meets these criteria:
* Spend the majority (over 50%) of their teaching assignment in direct instruction to students.
* Teach any grade Pre-K-12th (or combination) in Arizona. Teachers may work in any content area, including Special Education, P.E., the Arts, etc.
* Have completed at least six (6) full years as a classroom teacher at the time the application is submitted with the most recent three years in Arizona. Years of student teaching do not count toward the 6 year requirement.
* Be a full-time teacher and plan to continue in an active teaching status through the school year 2022-2023.
* Exemplify a “one team” mentality by taking responsibility for all of the unwritten additional duties in order to support our students. (i.e., creating community partnerships, serving our community beyond school hours, serving on campus and district committees, etc.)
* Support student success by encouraging students to take ownership of their learning through student-directed learning tasks so that they can successfully navigate career and life.
* Promote employee excellence by engaging in professional learning communities in a way that not only improves their own teaching, but the teaching of their colleagues as well.
* Create a safe learning environment by developing strong relationships with students, families, and colleagues.
* Demonstrate commitment to the Cave Creek community (i.e., engage in community events, longevity in the district, etc.).
Please take a few moments to nominate an outstanding teacher here. Nominations will be open until January 15.
Help Make the Daddy/Daughter Dance a success!
We need your help to make Daddy / Daughter a success! Sign up to donate or volunteer:
Donations -
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0d49a5a82ea46-glow
Volunteer -
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0d49a5a82ea46-glow1
STAFF APPRECIATION
Click on the Signup Genius button to support the staff with snacks!
To order online right now: www.buytheyearbook.com Enter DWES School ID: 705046
CALL FOR YEARBOOK PHOTOS
Purchase your DWES Spiritwear
We now have adult DWES tee shirts for sale click here.
VISIT THE PTO WEBSITE FOR ALL OF YOUR PTO INFORMATION
Check our new website: https://desertwillowpto.org/
Like us on Facebook @DWESPTO
Like us on Instagram @ DWESPTO
RECENT NEWS
Membership Drive: sign up here
Volunteer Your Time - Check out the new and improved PTO sign up genius for next year! Click here.
Meet your New 2021-2022 PTO Board Members:
President: Sandy Lacy - dwespresident@gmail.com
Vice President: Jodi Seitz - dwesvp@gmail.com
Secretary: Katrina Harrold - dwesptosecretary@gmail.com
Treasurer: Jenny Forbes - dwestreasurer@gmail.com
Marketing & Communications: Lisa Buelna - dwespto@gmail.com
.
QUICK LINKS
Click Here to Donate & Specify Where your Money Goes
See all fundraising opportunities
FUNDRAISING
Shop for everyday supplies while helping earn money for DWES! Here's how.....
Fry's Community Rewards Program- If you shop at Fry's Food Grocery Store, please link up your Fry's V.I.P. card to Desert Willow or enter organization number WM786. Fry's Community Rewards Program will automatically donate to DWES on your behalf from your purchases! Here is a link to Fry's Community Rewards Program to link your card.
Amazon Smile - is a simple and automatic way for you to support DWES every time you shop at amazon.com, at no cost to you with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to DWES. Select Desert Willow PTO as the charitable organization and every eligible purchase you make on Amazon Smile will result in a donation to our school Here is a link to shop!
Tuft & Needle - Need a new mattress? Buy one the easy way - online and with FREE shipping! Tuft & Needle has partnered with our school and will donate 25% back to DWES on every purchase. You can order through Tuft & Needle Gives Back or on the Tuft & Needle website and enter Desert Willow Elementary School, it's as easy as that!
Click here to see ALL of the unique and easy ways you can immediately help raise funds for DWES while you shop!
PTO PROUD SPONSORS
Our Community. Your coffee shop. Our pleasure. Located at the NW corner of Tatum & Dynamite, we are here to serve our community! SaddleCreek is a social enterprise focused on making people feel great and giving back to those in need. Great coffee. Healthy food. Insanely positive people. It's that simple. https://www.saddlecreekcoffee.com/
Nina Bella Photography is a local Cave Creek photographer specializing in families, milestones, and newborns. I am passionate about my work and having happy clients who truly treasure what I can do for them. www.ninabellaphotography.com
M2 Enterprise is a home remodel construction company specializing in bathroom remodels, custom showers, kitchen remodels, flooring, mudrooms, and more. Owned and operated by Mark DiGianfilippo, M2 Enterprise serves Cave Creek, North Scottsdale, North Phoenix, and Paradise Valley. M2 is licensed, bonded, and insured and offers free consultations. ROC #311513 #312046. www.m2az.com 480-256-8165 Follow us on Instagram at @m2enterpiseaz
Complete Eye Care - Comprehensive eye exams and high quality vision care for the whole family. 33717 N Scottsdale Rd, #110, Scottsdale, AZ 85266. 480-488-7007. www.completeeyecareaz.com.
Thank you Christofferson and Legge families
- January 17th - No School - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- January 22nd - 5-8PM- Daddy Daughter Dance
- January 26th - Early dismissal at 11:50 AM
- January 27th - Kindergarten information meeting at DWES 6-7 PM
Roadrunners are Respectful, Responsible, & Kind
This month, our school wide theme is empathy. We’ll be reminding students to have empathy, identify their own and others’ feelings, notice and respect the same and different feelings, and show compassion. When students can identify, understand, and respond in a caring way to how someone else is feeling, it helps create a positive and accepting school climate.
You can extend this idea at home by talking about your own feelings and modeling empathy for others.
Credits:
Created with images by WFranz - "frost sunrise ice crystals" • HNDPTESBC - "hand magnifying glass discover" • geralt - "photographer camera lens" • tigerlily713 - "calendar date time"