Thompson Ranch News

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.