WESD to Host Kindergarten Open House Events on January 18th

If you or someone you know has a child turning five before September 1st, 2024, please join us for Kindergarten Open House! Offered at 27 locations, our schools will be hosting their annual events on Thursday, January 18th, 2024, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. This will be a great opportunity for you and your child to learn about WESD’s kindergarten program, meet teachers, explore classrooms, and receive important information about our KidSpace childcare program, transportation services, school meals and much more! We can't wait to meet our future students! To learn more about kindergarten enrollment, please click here.

WESD Celebrates December 2023 SUPER Kids and Staff

We are proud to celebrate our December 2023 SUPER Kids and SUPER Staff from Abraham Lincoln Traditional School, Alta Vista Elementary School, Arroyo School, Sunset Elementary School and the WESD Administrative Center! Last week, I was honored to surprise these deserving students and employees for their work and contributions to the WESD. Each SUPER Kid received a certificate and an award for a free pizza from Peter Piper Pizza while SUPER Staff earned a certificate and a gift card from either Amazon or Starbucks. Congratulations to all of this month’s recipients! To learn more and view the December 2023 SUPER Kids and SUPER Staff, please click here.

Student Athletes Win Basketball and Cross Country Championships

Another successful season of boys basketball came to an end last week. Congratulations to the boys' basketball championship teams:

• Sweetwater School, K-8/7-8 Division Champions;

• Mountain Sky Junior High School, Eighth Grade Middle School Champions;

• Desert Foothills Junior High School, Seventh Grade Middle School Champions;

• Sahuaro Elementary School, 5/6 Division I Champions;

• Tumbleweed Elementary School, 5/6 Division II Champions; and

• Arroyo School, 5/6 Division III Champions.

We also want to congratulate the hundreds of student runners in grades kindergarten through six who participated in the WESD Cross Country Championship! It was an exciting finish to a great season of running.

A big thank you to all of the coaches, volunteers and families for their guidance and support during the seasons!

Students Perform in Holiday Winter Concerts

I had a great time visiting schools across the district over the past month to watch their students perform in holiday winter concerts! It is always inspiring to see our students display their amazing talents in the arts, especially during the holiday season. I apologize that I was unable to attend all of the concerts; however, I know those students also spread the holiday cheer with incredible performances. A fantastic job to all of our students, and a special thank you to all of the music, band, orchestra and choir teachers for their support in organizing the concerts.

Bond Task Force Provides Update

As part of our district committee updates, the Bond Task Force is proud to share a summary of current bond projects. Last November, the WESD held a special bond election, which was approved by voters. The Bond Task Force, which meets quarterly, recently gathered on December 5th and presented on the bond project updates listed below.

• The Maryland modernization project has selected a contractor.

• Twelve of the oldest marquees will be replaced during the spring of 2024 including one at Alta Vista, Arizona Cardinals Prep Academy, Chaparral, Cholla, Desert View, Lookout Mountain, Manzanita, Royal Palm, Sunnyslope and Sweetwater, and two at Lakeview.

• Sunset will receive a schoolwide carpet replacement in the summer of 2024.

• The Chaparral site circulation project has been submitted for city review for work during the summer of 2024.

• The Palo Verde bus lane project has selected a contractor and will begin construction in the spring of 2024.

If you have any questions about our bond projects, please contact Daniel O’Brien, WESD Director of Business Services, at 602-347-2615.

WESD to Hold Teacher Interview Fair on January 20th at Arroyo School

Come experience the WESD difference at our upcoming Teacher Interview Fair on Saturday, January 20th, from 8 to 11 a.m. at Arroyo School. We currently have openings for elementary, middle and special education teachers.

At WESD, we offer a new starting teacher compensation of $51,610, including performance pay and a mentorship program*, student loan forgiveness, multi-layer teacher support, professional development, medical, dental and vision benefits, employer-matched contributions to Arizona State Retirement, and so much more!

To learn more and preschedule an interview, please email Lydia.Garcia@wesdschools.org. To apply online today, please click here. We look forward to meeting you!

*Denotes completion of the BEGIN program and earning performance pay.

Give Back to WESD Students with a Tax Credit Donation

The holidays are here, which means it is the perfect time to give back to our students with a tax credit donation. A tax credit with the WESD is a win-win because it allows you to directly impact a child’s education and reduce your state tax liability (up to $400 for households filing jointly or $200 if filing single). To learn more and donate today, please click here. We are grateful for your support!