Thompson Ranch News

Summer School information and applications are available in the TRES front office. Please stop by for an application or call the front office at 623.523.8400 we will send an application home with your student. 

It's that time of year when all fines and fees are due. Click the link below to learn how to pay online and login to pay fines and fees.

Online Payment Fines and Fees

There will be a mandatory, promotion, parent meeting for all parents of 8th grade students' at Thompson Ranch Elementary School on Friday, April 5th, at 5:30pm. 

Please make sure if you have an 8th grade student at Thompson Ranch that you attend this meeting. Mr. Kerr and Mr. Quintana will be providing important information and updates on upcoming events. 

Spring pictures are Thursday, April 4th. This date is for class pictures and individual pictures (only if purchased).

You can purchase pictures at Lifetouch.com with the following code EVTC2DPHD. If you have any questions contact the TRES front office at 623.523.8400. 

Wishing all of the Thompson Ranch Community a wonderful Spring Break!

25/26 school year calendar parent survey

Kinder Showcase will be Tuesday, March 12th from 5:30 to 7:00pm. Parents and students will be able to enroll and meet teachers for the 24/25 school year. 

We are excited to announce that our school will be reapplying for the 21st Century grant. We currently are in year five of the grant and are hoping to renew for five more years to continue to fund our before and after school academic enrichment program.

Parent Survey

Please take 5 minutes to fill out the parent survey. This can be done between today and February 18th, 2024

Congratulations to students and staff who took home top honors in the Patriot’s Pen Essay contest, Voice of Democracy contest, and the 2023 Smart/Maher VFW National Citizenship Education Teacher of the Year program hosted by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post (VFW).

Conducted nationwide, the Patriot’s Pen essay competition gives students in 6th  through 8th grades an opportunity to write essays expressing their views on an annual patriotic theme. This year's prompt was, "How Are You Inspired by America?". More than 138,000 students participate nationwide in the annual Patriot’s Pen Contest that encourages young minds to examine America’s history, along with their own experiences in modern American society.

The Voice of Democracy is an audio-essay program that provides high school students with the unique opportunity to express themselves in regards to a democratic and patriotic-themed recorded essay.  Each year, nearly 25,000 9th through 12th grade students from across the country enter to win their share of more than $1 million in educational scholarships and incentives awarded through the program. The theme of the contest was “What Are the Greatest Attributes of Our Democracy?”.

The Smart/Maher VFW National Citizenship Education Teacher program recognizes educators who promote civic responsibility and patriotism in their students with innovation and passion. Teachers are nominated by students and/or members of their school.  

The following students and staff were recognized by VFW Post 285:

Voice of Democracy

1st - Barbara Lopez, Dysart High School

2nd - Alexis Dytrt, Dysart High School

3rd - Isaiah Saldana, Dysart High School 

Patriot’s Pen

1st - Jocelyn Vazquez, Thompson Ranch Elementary School

2nd - Ativous Baez, Thompson Ranch Elementary School 

3rd - Spencer Johnson, Sunset Hills Elementary School  

2023 Smart/Maher VFW National Citizenship Education Teacher of the Year Awards

Micaela Beck, Thompson Ranch Elementary School

JoAnna Boruch, Dysart High School 

Additionally, Malaiya Russell from Thompson Ranch Elementary School was recognized as the first place winner at the state level with VFW Post 12098 for her Patriot’s Pen essay. She will be going to Washington DC to compete for Nationals.  

Parent Teachers Conferences are next week! Please watch for information from your students teacher! 

Early Release for students Thursday, February 8th and Friday, February 9th, for Parent Teacher conferences

Class schedule;

Monday, February 5th, Benavides, Arizmendez, Eulberg, Bien

Tuesday, February 6th, Ms. Betty Am/PM, Ms. Jossy AM/PM, Shaver, Chattin, Roselle, Rivera, Chacon, D. Macklin

Wednesday, February 7th, Medina, Yang, Horner, Schmidt, Hintz, Jasso, Davis, Hawkins, Palmer, Olsen

Thursday, February 8th, Hintz, M. Macklin, 7th Grade, Jones

The week of January 22nd to January 26th Thompson Ranch is competing against other schools in the district for the best attendance. Please make sure your kiddos come to school!

**Thompson Ranch will also be having a spirit week to celebration the 100th Day!

• Monday, January 22nd, Career Day, dress as the career you'd like to have one day
• Tuesday, January 23rd, Super Hero Day, dress as your favorite super hero
• Wednesday, January 24th, Decades, Dress in 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's wear
• Thursday, January 25th, Positive Impact Leader in the United States/Role Model Day, dress as the person
• Friday, January 26th, Dress like an old man or old lady 

We hope everyone had a wonderful three day break!

Kona Ice will be at Thompson Ranch once per month and not twice;

January 25th

February 22nd

March 28th

April 18th

May 16th

All students K-8 will release at NOON on December 22nd, 2023

There will be NO preschool classes December 21st and 22nd

Winter Break, NO SCHOOL, December 25th through January 8th, School resumes on Tuesday, January 9th

PTSO is FREE to join! ALL parents are welcome! Join us for our monthly PTSO meeting!

Thompson Ranch Students will be doing a canned food drive October 30th to November 9th. Please send canned food items to school with your students. 

Dear Families, In preparing for our Veteran's Day celebration next week we would like to honor the parents, grandparents, guardians of our students who have served in our US Armed Forces.  Please send in your information: Student Name, Veteran's Name, rank, time of service, and branch of service.  Please include a picture if possible. Thank you for your service!

A BIG thank you to Donovan & Raquel McNabb for their character building assembly at Thompson Ranch!

There are lot's of fun pictures! Take a peek!

This assembly is ONLY for Kinder through 3rd grade students. 

Parents are welcome to join us for a perfect attendance assembly, Thursday, October 26th, at 9:30am. 

Please come through the front office to sign in and we will escort you to the gym!

Order your school pictures at Lifetouch. The TRES code to order is EVTXJ623Z

It's bring your mom and dad to breakfast day for our kinders! Thursday, September 28th, 2023, 8-9:00am, in the cafeteria

Please join us at the softball field, dress ready to run and bring water.

Make sure you have your athletic packet completed and to Mrs. Danielle in the front office!

There will not be preschool and ONLY preschool on Monday, September 18th, 2023. Kindergarten through 8th grade has school and will release at 1:45pm

Check your students backpack on Monday, September 18th for the Surprise Library flyer and application. 

If you'd like your student to have a library card, fill out the application and return it completed to your student's teacher by September 28th. The Surprise Library will pick up all applications from TRES, and deliver students' library cards back to TRES on October 5th!

Don't want to make dinner?! 

Come and have some pizza!! It's Thompson Ranch Peter Piper Pizza Night!! Tuesday, September 12th, 4:30 to 8:00pm. 12851 W. Bell Road

Parents join us for the September, Site Council Meeting! Wednesday, September 6th, 2023, 8-9:00am, in the TRES Library!

Our Baseball and Softball teams kicked off their seasons this week! Check out the photos from Boys Baseball against Kingswood. 

Check out the full season schedules below and show your support for our Jaguars this season! 

Baseball 2023 Schedule

Softball 2023 Schedule

Cross Country will be starting soon! Please contact the Thompson Ranch front office at 623.523.8400 if you have a 3rd through 8th grader that's interested. 

Parents please remember to sign your student in when tardy, and call the attendance line when absent so they can be excused.  The attendance policies can be found in the Parent Handbook.  

Attendance Line 24 hours per day, 7 days per week; 623.523.8403

Parent Handbook

The student annual updates are due by September 1st and can be done through the parent portal. If you don't have a parent portal or aren't sure how to create a parent portal please contact the TRES front office at 623.523.8400 and the office staff will be happy to assist you. 

There will be no school in observance of Labor Day, Monday, September 4th, 2023

There will be NO school for Prek, Monday, August 28th

K-8 students will have early release at 1:45

Baseball & Softball will play, Tuesday, August 29th and Thursday, August 31st, at 7:00pm, at Valley Vista High School

Today is softball & baseball pictures!!

Team Picture Day for Softball & Baseball is Wednesday, August 23rd, 4-5:30pm

Do not forget to return your students annual update packet as soon as possible!

Kona Ice this Thursday, August 24th, 2023!!

GOOD LUCK to ALL of our kiddos running for Student Council positions! Remember no matter the results we are ALWAYS PROUD of each on of you! GO JAGUARS!

Just a reminder Monday, August 21st, our kiddos release at 1:45pm!

The athletic fee for students playing softball or baseball is $60.00. This fee must be paid prior to the first practice of the season. This fee must be paid online through the parent portal. Follow the link in this post. 

Parent Portal Athletic Fee

Parent Portal is where you can change your contact information, emergency contacts, see your students grades, etc. If you don't have a Parent Portal please follow the instructions attached to create one. If you need further assistance you can come by the Thompson Ranch front office Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm, the office staff will be happy to assist you. 

Instructions to create a Parent Portal

This link will take you to english and español versions of the instructions. 

Each student took home a packet for parents to complete on August 3rd. Please complete the packet and return the packet to your students teacher as soon as possible.

All families must renew their free and reduced lunch application each school year this can be done at www.schoolcafe.com. Parents will need your students ID number, this can be found on your parent portal. If you have any questions you can contact the TRES front office at 623.523.8400 or the nutrition office at 623.876.7989.

Dysart Unified School District Dress Code Update for the 23-24 school year. Parents please read the dress code and help TRES staff by ensuring all students are following the dress code.

23/24 Student Dress Code

It's the weekend, these kiddos say they are looking forward to sleeping in, watching cartoons, playing outside, and swimming! See you all back on Monday!

If you're looking to be a part of a team and have some fun, TRES baseball and softball is still accepting players! See Ms. Matakas if you're interested!

Parent Meeting for softball and baseball, Friday, August 11th, 2023, 5:30 to 6:30, in the Thompson Ranch cafeteria! 

Baseball and Softball Tryouts are August 9th and 10th. 4:00pm to 5:30pm at Thompson Ranch. 

Your student will need a water bottle, tennis shoes or cleats (only if you have them), glove, hat, bat (only if you have one). 

Every Monday is early release, students release at 1:45!

Thompson Ranch staff is beyond excited to see all of our Jaguar families on Tuesday, August 1st, 5:00pm to 6:30pm! Families will find out who the students teacher will be for the upcoming school year and visit the classrooms!

This is an optional supply list. All items will be provided in the classrooms!

Thompson Ranch Elementary School offers half day preschool for 3 and 4 year olds. Preschool students can be enrolled at the Thompson Ranch main page. Preschool has a limited amount of spots, they are filled on a first come, first serve basis. Once all spots are filled students will than be placed on a waiting list. 

It's almost time Jaguars! The staff at Thompson Ranch can't wait to see you all on August 3rd, at 9:00am! It's going to be a wonderful school year! Remember students can't be on the Thompson Ranch Campus until 8:40am each day!~

Baseball and Softball tryouts will be August 21st through 25th. Each student will need a medical physical prior to trying out. If your student makes a team the athletic fee of $60.00 will be due prior to playing in the first game of the season.

Thompson Ranch loves volunteers! Volunteers help our students with academics, working in small groups, reading with students and helping at special events.  Parents and community members are welcome to volunteer! All volunteers must complete a volunteer application and pass a fingerprint back ground check.

The Thompson Ranch front office is open Monday through Thursday, 8:00am to 4:30pm

Thompson Ranch front office will be closed Friday, June 2nd through Sunday, July 9th. Our office will reopen Monday, July 10th. Summer office hours will be Monday through Thursday, 8:00am to 4:30pm. If you need immediate assistance please contact 623.876.7000. 

Kinder Experience will be July 17th through July 20th, 2023, 8:00am to 11:00am. This is a time for incoming kindergarteners to experience being in a kindergarten classroom. If you haven't registered your kindergartener there's still time! Contact the Thompson Ranch front office 623.523.8400 to find out how. 

The Thompson Ranch front office will reopen for the 23-24 school year on July 10th, 2023, and will be open Monday-Thursday, 8:00am to 4:30pm. If you need immediate assistance during the Summer closed hours please call 623.876.7600.

Thompson Ranch Elementary school's first day back to school is Thursday, August 3rd, 2023, 9:00am to 3:45pm. Students are not to be on campus until 8:40am each day. 

Summer school will begin June 5th and go through June 29th, 2023, 8:00am to 12:00pm. Any student attending Summer school would have already registered during the 22-23 school year. 

Are you ready to experience all Thompson Ranch has to offer?  There are a variety of options for enrollment, depending on your current status and desires. Please review the choices below and select the appropriate link to begin your journey.  

As a convenience, parents/guardians can complete the majority of the enrollment process online. In order to finalize enrollment the following documents will be required: a government issued photo identification; birth certificate; proof of residency; and immunization records. Please note that currently enrolled Dysart 8th grade students do NOT need to complete student enrollment for high school, but will need to make Open Enrollment choices if not wanting to attend their assigned boundary high school. To determine your child’s boundary school, please refer to the boundary map.

School will be closed for Winter Break from December 21st, 2022 through January 4th, 2023. School will resume on Thursday, January 5th, 2023. Have a safe and Happy Winter Break! 

Students and Staff are encourage to join in for the countdown to Winter Break by participating in our Holiday spirit Week! 

Here is the daily themes: 

• 12/12 - Christmas Colors: wear green or/and red
• 12/13 - Christmas Hat/Gear Day: wear Santa hats, reindeer ears, holiday jewelry
• 12/14 - Christmas Sweater Day: wear your favorite ugly/holiday sweater
• 12/15 - Christmas Sock Day: holiday colors, crazy patterns
• 12/16 - Flannel Friday: wear a flannel shirt (NO pajamas or blankets allowed)
• 12/19 - Christmas Movie or Character: dress up as your favorite character 
• 12/20 - School Spirit Day: wear Jaguar gear and colors (blue/gray)

Join us for a Family Holiday Movie Night featuring a double header. We will be playing Dr.Seuss How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Dr.Seuss The Grinch. The event will be held on Tuesday, December 13th in the Cafeteria from 5:30-7:30PM. Ticket cost $5 per person that includes admission, pizza, water and a cookie. Popcorn can be purchased for an additional cost. Bring a pillow and blanket. 

Parents, come out to Future Freshman Night at Valley Vista High School on Monday, December 5th from 5:30 - 7:00 PM. Tour the campus and see the different programs that Valley Vista has to offer.

Padres, vengan por la Noche de Futuros Estudiantes de Primer Año hoy en la Escuela Preparatoria Valley Vista el lunes, Diciembre 5 de 5:30 a 7:00 p. m. Recorra el campus y vea los diferentes programas que Valley Vista tiene para ofrecer.

Join us for dinner and fun while we raise money for Thompson Ranch! Wednesday, December 7th, 4:30 to 8:30pm. Hope to see everyone there! 

School will be closed from November for Thanksgiving break. School will resume Monday, November 28th. 

Bring your smile on! Picture Make-Up day is Thursday, November 17th. Bring your smile on! 

In observance of Veterans Day, Friday, November 11th, there will be no school. 

 Dysart Unified School District invites parents and students to a Career and College Expo on Wednesday, October 26 from 5:30 - 7:30pm at the Dysart District Office, located at 15802 N. Parkview Place in Surprise.  

The expo showcases Dysart's Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, West-MEC, colleges and universities, and military representatives so families can explore opportunities to pursue in and after high school. This is a great way for 5th through 11th grade students and their parents to get hands-on with all of the career pathway classes and programs offered at Dysart Schools. The event is free and open to the public. Details can be found at www.dysart.org/CTEexpo. 

Dysart Schools currently offer 17 CTE programs at four high schools (Dysart High School, Shadow Ridge High School, Valley Vista High School, and Willow Canyon High School.) Program options include Automotive Technology, Culinary Arts, Digital Animation, Digital Photography, Education Professions, Engineering, Film and TV Production, Fire Science, Graphic Design, Laboratory Assisting, Law and Public Safety, Marketing, Nursing Services, Software and App Design, Sports Medicine, Stagecraft Design and Production and Technology Device Maintenance. Learn more at www.dysart.org/CTE. 

Join us on Friday, October 28th from 5-7PM for a family event on campus. Trick-or-treat for candy and fun events throughout our first floor. Kona Ice and student council will be selling items for purchase, free immunization clinic and El Mirage PD will be in attendance. Costumes are required for students but not for parents/guardians. Students must be accompanied by parents/guardians. We hope to see everyone there!

Fall Break is October 10th-14th. School resumes on Monday, October 17th. Enjoy your break!

Picture Day is scheduled for September 29, 2022 at Thompson Ranch.  Your students will be receiving a flyer that they will bring home to you with the information for purchase.  

To order online Parents and Guardians can visit mylifetouch.com and use code EVTMVJKWV for ordering. 

Thompson Ranch Parent Engagement Event-Friday SEP 9 @8:00a in the Library

Make plans to join us for this casual and informative time!

Please read the September Parent Letter and come out to Coffee with Mr. Kerr September 9th, at 8:00 AM.

September Parent Letter 2022 - 2023

Thompson Ranch had a successful first day of school!  We were so excited to welcome back our students and families for another great year.  Please continue to check our website and social media to learn more about all the great activities and events planned, as well as updates on our academic progress!  We hope you have a great year, and please reach out if you need anything to help make your student successful!

Check out the photo gallery from the first day below!

Please click on the link to get important information about the upcoming Meet the Teacher Night. 

TRES Parent Letter 2022 - 2023

Monday, August 1 | 4:30-6:00p

• Join us on August 1 for this open house event
• Meet your teacher, see your classroom and receive important back to school info
• First book event - we have new books for home reading, come early for best selection!
• Meet our new Principal, Mr. Scott Kerr and Assistant Principal, Mr. Ralph Quintana
• Our Office staff will be available for any of your enrollment or other questions
• There will also be a Title I meeting where you can learn how we support your student's unique needs through our federally funded Title programs

We can't wait to see everyone back for the first day of school on August 3! Make sure you mark your calendars for event and activity dates and keep an eye on our new website for important information as the start of school approaches.

Our Meet the Teacher night will be on August 1 from 4:30-6:30pm. Please join us to see the campus, meet your child's teachers, and get information on what to expect this year. 

Still need to enroll? There's still time to get your children enrolled for the 2022-2023 school year! Parents and guardians can complete the necessary registration information online at Dysart.org/enroll at any time.  Please note that in order to finalize registration the following documents will be required: government issued photo identification; birth certificate; proof of residency; and immunization records. For additional assistance with student registration, families are welcome to contact our front office.

Don't forget to make sure you have access to the Parent Portal to keep up with your child’s academic progress throughout the year! Sign up or access the site online at Dysart.org/parentportal or via the Campus Parent app. 

Dysart Schools have many opportunities for the community to assist schools in providing an amazing educational experience to each and every student. Volunteers help to enrich children’s learning opportunities, provide individual attention to children who need one-on-one assistance, promote a school-home-community partnership for quality education, provide staff members with more time to work with students, and assist staff members and support personnel with non-instructional tasks.

Where is Help Needed?

• Classroom and teacher support 
• One-on-one student assistance 
• Event help (preparations, setup, operations, tear-down)  
• Guest speakers (experts or retirees in various fields) 
• Front office assistance

How to Become a Volunteer:

1. Review the volunteer handbook and complete the volunteer application at Dysart.org/Volunteer 
2. Make an appointment for your volunteer orientation 
3. Coordinate your schedule through the school office 
4. Put on your volunteer badge and have fun!

Who Should Apply to Volunteer?

Anyone who cares about children and education is a potential volunteer. Parents, grandparents and community members 18 years of age or older who want to make a difference in the lives of children and support educators are encouraged to apply to become a volunteer with Dysart Unified School District. Volunteers are welcome in all of our schools and prior teaching experience is not necessary.

Learn more or apply here.

Dysart Nutrition Services ensures that students at all schools have fresh, wholesome and nutritious breakfast and lunch options to support their education and focus in class. Learn more about Nutrition Services at Dysart.org/Nutrition. Menus and nutritional information may be viewed at Dysart.Nutrislice.com.

Apply for Free and Reduced Meals

Beginning July 1, 2022 the USDA is returning to income eligibility guidelines for free or reduced meals. All families should complete a Free and Reduced Lunch Application at SchoolCafe.com to help maintain school funding and make sure that qualified families receive this and other benefits. Only one application is required per family, and may be completed at SchoolCafe.com.

How to Add Meal Funds to an Account

Cash and checks are accepted for meal purchases, or families may utilize SchoolCafe.com to prepay for meals online, view their balances, or place restrictions on purchases. Online payments take 24 hours to post to student accounts.  

Meal Prices 

• Elementary Lunch $2.60, Reduced $.40, Adult $3.50  
• Elementary Breakfast $1.25, Reduced $.30, Adult $1.75  High School Lunch $2.85, Reduced $.40, Adult $3.50  
• High School Breakfast $1.25, Reduced $.30, Adult $1.75 

A la carte and snack items are available for purchase on each campus, and additional meals are available for an added charge. Parents are always welcome to dine with their child, but please be sure to call in advance and check-in at the school office. Adult meals may be purchased for $1.75 for breakfast or $3.50 for lunch. 

Dysart is the largest employer in both the cities of Surprise and El Mirage with over 2,700 employees. Dysart Schools offer highly competitive salaries, full benefits and an inviting school-year calendar with holidays and weekends off for most positions. 

With a wide-variety of positions ranging from groundskeeper, to mechanic, to office staff, and teachers, we’re always looking for great people to join our Dysart team!

Current High Need Areas: 

•  Bus Drivers and Aides
•  Childcare and Preschool Aides
•  Paraprofessionals
•  Behavioral Technicians 
•  Speech and Language Pathologists 
•  Special Education Teachers 
•  Math Teachers 
•  Science Teachers 
•  ASL Teachers 
•  Health Services Assistants 
•  Crossing Guards 
•  Maintenance Workers and Plant Managers 
•  Social Workers

Check out our current openings at Dysart.org/Careers and apply today!

The Parent Portal is a great tool to stay informed 24/7 about your child’s academic progress. Grades, attendance, assignments and more are viewable in real time online or via the app, Campus Parent. A single login allows parents with multiple students to access information for all of their children in one place. Learn more at Dysart.org/ParentPortal.

Update Your Communication Preferences and Contact Info

To make sure that we can keep you informed in emergency situations, please ensure that your contact information is current in the Parent Portal. You are also able to adjust your communication preferences (phone, text, and/or email) at Dysart.org/ParentPortal or on the Campus Parent app to ensure you are getting the various message types in the way that you would like. Remember that if you select more than one type of communication per category, you will receive the message multiple times via each of those avenues.

Thompson Ranch Elementary School was the recipient of 50 trees courtesy of the community planting opportunity provided by the Arizona Sustainability Alliance.  The Alliance identified the school as part of the urban forestry priority. 

The Arizona Sustainability Alliance is a local nonprofit that provides project-based sustainability solutions to communities in Arizona focused on five priority areas: urban forestry, sustainable food systems, renewable energy, conservation, and cities. Community tree plantings in low canopy areas of the Phoenix Metro Area is a significant part of the urban forestry priority for the Alliance.

The organization received funding to plant 50 trees in El Mirage in January 2021. Using the American Forests Tree Equity Map, Thompson Ranch Elementary School was identified as a great opportunity for tree planting. 

More than 32 volunteers including Superintendent Dr. Quinn Kellis, Fire Chief Michael Long and Assistant Fire Chief Chris Robinson from the City of El Mirage, Derek Castaneda, Ella Brambila, and Macy Walker from the City of El Mirage, Dr. Ashley Camhi and multiple volunteers from Arizona Sustainability Alliance, members from the Green Tree Hospitality Group, and Thompson Ranch staff planted the trees on campus January 9, 2021. A second planting will take place on Saturday, January 23, 2021 with 33 volunteers including City of El Mirage Mayor, Alexis Hermosillo.

The school staff worked extensively with the Alliance to identify the location of the trees, and species best suited for the campus. The tree species planted include Chinese Pistache, Chilean Mesquite, Desert Willow, and Evergreen Elm. The trees are drought resistant and native to the area to allow for sustainability.

Students and staff on campus will be able to enjoy the shade provided by the trees once they mature and the students will have the opportunity to study the trees as part of the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) signature program on campus. 

“The Arizona Sustainability Alliance has been a wonderful blessing to Thompson Ranch and there are truly not enough words to express just how much we appreciate their generosity,” said Dr. Rachel Saunders, Thompson Ranch Elementary School Principal.

The mission of the Arizona Sustainability Alliance is to create and support cutting edge, project-based sustainability solutions in Arizona.