WESD e-news: October 6, 2023
A Message from WESD Superintendent Dr. Paul Stanton
Greetings WESD Families and Staff,
Thank you for being a part of the WESD Family. Together, we have officially completed the first quarter of the 2023-2024 school year – and what an excellent first quarter it has been. We could not have done it without the work and contributions of our dedicated teachers, staff and administrators. To our parents and guardians, thank you for your care and support as we continue to educate your child. Fall break is next week from October 9th-13th, and I hope you take this time to rest, relax and spend quality-time with your loved ones. I look forward to continue serving you in the second quarter.
In today’s update, you will read about Sunnyslope School’s recent visit from the Kids at Hope Master’s Institute, a staff award from Save Our Schools Arizona, our recent school highlights featured at the September 28th Board meeting and an exciting attendance update.
Sunnyslope Hosts 2023 Kids at Hope Master’s Institute
Over 150 scholars, researchers, and practitioners gathered for the 2023 Kids at Hope Master’s Institute at Sunnyslope School last week! Sunnyslope was selected to host this year's event over other schools in the Phoenix area. The purpose of the visit was to learn more about Sunnyslope's Kids at Hope philosophy and how it creates a successful environment where students thrive. This philosophy has also helped transform the school into an environment where all adults believe all kids can succeed. During the visit, guests were able to hear special remarks from Principal Chance Whiteman and tour the campus. Please click here to take a glimpse of the day. The WESD Family is very proud of Sunnyslope for that exciting opportunity and recognition as a national model school for Kids at Hope.
Washington Office Manager Honored by Save Our Schools Arizona
Congratulations to Washington Elementary School Office Manager Carmen Manzanares who was honored as the Education Support Professional of the Year at Save Our Schools Arizona’s first Celebration of Arizona Public Schools! I was proud to join Washington Administrators Amber Landis and Kamren Bowker at the event to help celebrate Carmen on her incredible achievement. Thank you for representing the WESD Family well, Ms. Manzanares!
Moon Mountain, Orangewood and Sahuaro Share Highlights at Board Meeting
As part of the Board’s new school highlights feature, Moon Mountain, Orangewood and Sahuaro schools were recognized at the September 28th meeting. The school spotlight provides a chance for each school to share what makes their school special. To watch the schools' shared highlights on YouTube, please click here.
WESD Attendance Committee Provides September Campaign Results
The WESD Climate and Culture Committee works collaboratively with nine subcommittees that are comprised of WESD teachers, staff, administrators, parents and students. The nine subcommittees include the Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), Family and Community Engagement (FACE), Attendance, Behavior Support (Teacher/Classroom), Behavior Support (Administrative Process), Crisis Team, Equitable Outcomes for All, Wellness (Staff) and Student Wellness and Growth. In each e-news, we will provide you with an update from one of these committees.
Today, we want to provide an update from the Attendance Committee that recently unveiled results from its September Attendance Awareness Month campaign. The purpose of the campaign was to highlight the importance of attending school and to increase daily attendance across the district. We are proud to share that the daily attendance rate for September was 92.86%! We came so close to hitting our daily attendance goal for this school year of 93.96%, and we want to thank our students and families for their efforts! Special shout out to Sweetwater School for exceeding expectations and earning an attendance rate of 96% for September! We also want to recognize Abraham Lincoln Traditional School, Acacia Elementary School and Lookout Mountain Elementary School whose attendance rate was 94% for September. Amazing job to the entire WESD Family! Let’s keep up the great work for the rest of the school year!
And Finally,
If you have anything you would like to share with us, please take the time over fall break to try our new We’re Listening tool. You will be able to leave your comments and questions for us and can expect responses from the appropriate WESD staff member. Please click here to submit a comment/question today.
Fall break is also the perfect time to get caught up and follow the WESD on social media. We post exciting news and important updates frequently on all our pages including Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) and LinkedIn. If you want more school-specific news, please click here for a complete list of our schools’ social media pages. Our WESD website is another great resource where you can find additional information.
We are truly grateful for you. Thank you for choosing WESD to educate your child. Have a happy fall break, and we will see you back at school on Monday, October 16th.