Sunset Hills News

We're seeking your input on our annual Parent Survey, which should take about 5 minutes to complete. We want to know what our district and schools are doing well and how we can improve in the future. The survey will be open through May 15. Find it in English at www.dysart.org/survey and in Spanish at www.dysart.org/encuesta.

Save the date for these exciting End of Year Moments at Sunset Hills:

Monday, May 12th: Spring Band & Choir Concerts at Shadow Ridge HS

Band Performance will be at 5:30 pm

Moonrise Choir will be at 6:30 pm

Afterglow Choir will be at 7:15 pm

Tuesday, May 13th: Bobcat Showcase at Sunset Hills

Join us for this amazing event where we get to highlight all of our students and showcase a few of their accomplishments from the year! There will be displays in every grade level as well as a special Bobcat Marketplace with homemade items from our Bobcat Entrepreneurs!

Monday, May 19th: Kinder Celebration at Sunset Hills
We will be celebrating this years Kindergarten students in a one of a kind musical performance as they show us they are ready for 1st grade! The celebration will be in the Sunset Hills Gym at 9 am. Please have a photo ID with you in order to attend on campus events during school hours.

Monday, May 19th: National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) Induction at Sunset Hills

The NJHS is a strong part of our student community at Sunset Hills and we look forward to inducting a new round of outstanding students! The ceremony will take place in our Gym at 5:30 pm.

Tuesday, May 20th: Sports Banquet at Sunset Hills

The banquet will be held from 5-7 pm in the Courtyard. This event allows us to honor and celebrate all of our athletes from the 2024/2025 School Year as coaches present awards and recap on the fun seasons we had! RSVPs will go out for this event in early May. If your student was an athlete for Sunset Hills be on the lookout for more details soon!

Tuesday, May 20th: Last Day for Preschool Classes

Wednesday, May 21st: Early Dismissal at 11:15 am for all Grade Levels

Wednesday, May 21st: 8th Grade Promotion at Shadow Ridge High School

Promotion will take place at Shadow Ridge High School at 5 pm. Join us as we celebrate our 8th graders and wish them the best of luck on their next adventures in high school and beyond! 

Thursday, May 22nd: Last Day of School & Early Dismissal at 11:15 am for all Grade Levels

Our Spring Sports season is coming to a close! Be sure to check out some of our Bobcat Athletes as we get ready to sign off on another season!

See our Sports Schedule here.

Also, be sure to Save the Date for any of our Bobcat Athletes from the 24/25 School Year as we honor them at our Annual Sports Banquet on Tuesday, May 20th, at 5 pm. More details will be sent home to our athletes as we get closer to the event.

Friday, April 25th our 8th Grade Class will be taking their Panoramic Picture!

The picture will be taken by Grads Photogrpahy, with information coming home this week to our 8th graders. Picture is set for first thing in the morning so be sure you are on time and ready with your smile!

State Testing begins this week! 

Please make sure your Bobcats are getting a good nights rest before their tests and a solid breakfast to help fuel their minds! 

Here is the testing calendar:

• Monday 3/31:
• 5th Grade AZ Sci - Unit 1
• Tuesday 4/1:
• 5th Grade Az Sci - Unit 2
• 8th Grade Az Sci - Units 1 & 2
• Wednesday 4/2:
• 3rd Grade AASA Writing
• 5th Grade Az Sci - Unit 3
• 8th Grade AZ Sci - Unit 3
• Thursday 4/3:
• 3rd Grade ORF Testing
• Tuesday 4/8:
• 4th - 8th Grade AASA Writing
• Thursday 4/10:
• 4th & 5th Grade AASA Reading - Part 1
• Friday 4/11:
• 4th & 5th Grade AASA Math - Part 1
• Monday 4/14:
• 3rd Grade AASA Math - Part 1
• 6th - 8th Grade AASA Reading - Part 1
• Tuesday 4/15:
• 3rd Grade AASA Reading - Part 1
• 4th & 5th Grade AASA Reading - Part 2
• 6th - 8th Grade AASA Math - Part 1
• Wednesday 4/16:
• 3rd - 5th Grade AASA Math - Part 2
• 6th - 8th Grade AASA Reading - Part 2
• Thursday 4/17:
• 3rd Grade AASA Reading - Part 2
• 6th - 8th Grade AASA Math - Part 2

We are getting ready to rock our state testing and are hosting a Spirit Week to get the whole campus involved!

Monday, 3/24: Sports Day

Knock the AASA out of the park!

Tuesday, 3/25: Black Out Day

Raise your score so high it blacks out the sky

Wednesday, 3/26: Western Day

We will be the best in the west!

Thursday, 3/27: Generation Day

We grow together!

Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd: Dress like adults/senior citizens

3rd, 4th and 5th: Dress like teens

6th, 7th and 8th: Dress like babies/little kids

Friday, 3/28: Bobcat Spirit

Show off your Bobcat Spirit with success!

Sunset Hills Elementary is excited to share this year’s musical production with you! Our students have been working hard for months now to bring this SUPER show to life for you! Join us on this JOLLY HOLIDAY as we find out that ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN, if you let it!

Show Times:

• Thursday 2/20 @ 7 pm
• Friday, 2/21 @ 7 pm
• Saturday, 2/22 @ 2 pm
• Saturday, 2/22 @ 7 pm

All shows are at The Vista Performing Arts Center.

Yearbooks are being sold through Grads Photography for the 24/25 School Year! Our student-lead Yearbook Team is working around the clock to create a high-quality collection of Bobcat memories to share with you! Don't forget to purchase your yearbook soon! Just go to gradsyearbooks.com and select your location (Surprise) and school (SunsetHills) to get started.

Early Bird Discount

Friday, January 31st, will be the last day to purchase a yearbook for only $35!! 

8th Grade

8th grade ads can be purchased at the same site (gradsyearbooks.com). 

There will be No School on Monday January 20th, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Our 2nd Quarter Awards, celebrating acievements of students in 4th - 8th grade will be held on Thursday, January 16th and Friday, January 17th at the following times: 

• Thursday, January 16th:
• 6th Grade: 8:30-9:05 am
• 5th Grade: 9:15-9:50 am
  
• 4th Grade: 10:00-10:35 am
• Friday, January 17th:
• 7th Grade: 8:30-9:05 am
• 8th Grade: 9:15-9:50 am

It's Attendance Challenge Week! We are committed to making Every Day Count here at Sunset Hills! Show up this week in style! The grade with the Highest Attendance each day will earn an extra recess and the grade level with the highest attendance for the week will earn a Dance Party! Let's Go Bobcats!

• Mon 1/13 - Sports Day

Show up for your team in your favorite jersey or ready to play your favorite sport!

• Tue 1/14 - Warm & Cozy Day

Show up even when it’s cold outside! Wear your cozy clothes (sweatpants, sweatshirts, scarves) and stay warm & cozy today!

• Wed 1/15 - Hero vs Villian Day

Show up for your favorite side... Heroes vs Villians.... Who will win the battle of the day?

• Thu 1/16 -  Black Out Day

Show up in all black and let’s see if we can Black Out the entire school!

• Fri 1/17 - School Spirit Day

Show up for your Grade Level... let’s see who can have the highest participation! 

K-2nd: Wear Blue

3rd-5th: Wear Grey

6th-8th: Wear White

There will be no school from Monday, December 23rd through Monday, January 6th. School will resume on Tuesday, January 7th. Our office will also be cloased during this time.

We hope you have a great winter break Bobcats!

Last Spirit Week of 2024! Let's get ready for Winter Break with our last Spirit Break of 2024! And join us for any of our Winter Events as we celebrate the season!

Don't forget we have an Early Dismissal on 12/20 at 11:15 am.

Additionally, there are no PreSchool classes on Thursday, 12/19 and Friday, 12/20.

• Monday 12/16 - Grinch Day - Wear Everything Green or Dress like a Who or Grinch
• Winter Choir Concerts @ SRHS: Moonrise @ 6 pm & Afterglow @ 7 pm
• Tuesday 12/17 - Holiday Hat Day - Wear Festive Holiday Hats
• Wednesday 12/18 - Winter Wonderland - Wear Wintery White or Dress Like a Snowman
• Winter Band  Concert @ SRHS @ 6:30 pm
• Thursday 12/19 - Candy Cane Day - Wear Red & White
• Winter Kinder Concert @ SHES in the Gym @ 5 pm
• No PreSchool Classes
• Friday 12/20 - Long Winter's Nap - Wear Pajamas Today
• No PreSchool Classes
• 11:15 AM Early Dismissal

Student Council is kicking off December with a Spirit Week and Pep Assembly!

Monday 12/2 - Winter Holdiay Vacation Day - Wear Tropical Shirts with a Winter Holiday Vacation Twist

Tuesday 12/3 - Jingle All the Way - Wear Jingle Bells & Jingle Down the Hall

Wednesday 12/4 - Festive Lights Day - Decorate Yourself in Holiday Lights

Thursday 12/5 - Ugly Sweater Day - Wear Your Ugly Sweaters Today

Friday 12/6 - Festive Bobcat Day - Wear School shirts with a Holiday Twist

Thanksgiving Recess is from November 25th through November 29th. School will resume on Monday, December 2nd. 

Our offices will also be closed during the Thanksgiving Recess.

We hope you enjoy the time with your families during this break. At Sunset Hills we are thankful for each of our students and their families!

Sunset Hills would like to invite our families to have lunch with your students on Friday, November 22nd! 

Our cafeteria is preparing a full Thanksgiving Feast with: 

• Oven-Roasted Turkey
• Mashed Potatoes & Gravy
• Stuffing
• Green Beans
• Cranberry Sauce
• Fresh-Baked Rolls
• Scratch-Made Pumpkin Cake

Cost per Person:

• Free Student Meal: $0
• Reduced Student Meal: $0
• Paid Student Meal: $2.75
• District Staff: $4
• Non-Student: $4

Payment for non-students, is cash only, and will be accepted at the gate the day of Thanksgiving Lunch. Students will pay inside at the register using their student ID number, just as any other day. 

Lunch Times for Thanksgiving Lunch:

• 4th Grade 10:15-10:35
• 1st Grade 10:40-11:00
• 2nd Grade 11:05-11:25
• 3rd Grade 11:30-11:50
• 7th Grade 11:50-12:05
• 8th Grade 12:10-12:25
• 6th Grade 12:30-12:45
• 5th Grade 12:50-1:05
• Kindergarten 1:10-1:30

There will be no school on Monday, November 11th; in honor of Veterans Day. 

Thank you to all of our Veterans and their families for all the sacrifices made for our country!

The Dysart Governing Board called for the November 5, 2024 bond election at the March 14 board meeting after a unanimous community committee recommendation. The bond program would be $127 million to fund safety and security improvements, school bus replacements, facility renovations at each site, construction of a new elementary school and land for a new high school in the Northwest Asante area. 

Based on the estimated average assessed home value within our district of $197,830, the average homeowner would pay $5.94 per month, for a total of $71.22 estimated per year.

The Dysart community is scheduled to pay off the voter-approved 2006 bond in fiscal year 2028. If approved, the proposed 2024 bond would phase in over three years, so there is no expected tax rate increase associated with the proposed bond. The bond tax rate would actually drop to approximately half of the current rate beginning in 2029 due to the 2006 bond phasing out.

The community is invited to learn more about the 2024 Dysart bond at Dysart.org/Bond2024, as well as detailed information on Dysart’s budgets and annual financial reports at Dysart.org/Budget.

Note: Tax rates are an estimate and are influenced by a variety of factors including Maricopa County assessed valuation fluctuations. The tax rates listed here are based on a revised estimate in July 2024.

Sunset Hills NJHS is partnering with Dysart Unified School District for a canned food drive for the Valley View Community Food Bank! We need unexpired, non-perishable food to be donated. Please bring donations betwen October 28th and November 8th!

The Dysart community is scheduled to pay off the voter-approved 2006 bond in fiscal year 2028. If approved, the proposed 2024 bond would phase in over three years, so there is no expected tax rate increase associated with the proposed bond. The bond tax rate would actually drop to approximately half of the current rate beginning in 2029 due to the 2006 bond phasing out. 

The community is invited to learn more about the 2024 Dysart bond at Dysart.org/Bond2024, as well as detailed information on Dysart’s budgets and annual financial reports at Dysart.org/Budget.

Note: Tax rates are an estimate and are influenced by a variety of factors including Maricopa County assessed valuation fluctuations. The tax rates listed here are based on a revised estimate in July 2024.

Contact our Coaches for upcoming tryout information:

• Flag Football - Coach Neill @ gordon.neill@dysart.org
• Cheer - Coach Coleman @ katherine.coleman@dysart.org and Coach Goss @ nailah.goss@dysart.org
• Girls Volleyball - Coach Schlinger @ brittany.schlinger@dysart.org
• Boys Volleyball - Coach Vogel @ jean.vogel@dysart.org

Reminder! Students must be registered on Aktivate (registermyathlete) in order to try out!

The Dysart Governing Board called for the November 5, 2024 bond election at the March 14 board meeting after a unanimous community committee recommendation. The bond program would be $127 million to fund safety and security improvements, school bus replacements, facility renovations at each site, construction of a new elementary school and land for a new high school in the Northwest Asante area. 

Based on the estimated average assessed home value within our district of $197,830, the average homeowner would pay $5.94 per month, for a total of $71.22 estimated per year.

The Dysart community is scheduled to pay off the voter-approved 2006 bond in fiscal year 2028. If approved, the proposed 2024 bond would phase in over three years, so there is no expected tax rate increase associated with the proposed bond. The bond tax rate would actually drop to approximately half of the current rate beginning in 2029 due to the 2006 bond phasing out.

The community is invited to learn more about the 2024 Dysart bond at Dysart.org/Bond2024, as well as detailed information on Dysart’s budgets and annual financial reports at Dysart.org/Budget.

Note: Tax rates are an estimate and are influenced by a variety of factors including Maricopa County assessed valuation fluctuations. The tax rates listed here are based on a revised estimate in July 2024.

Our 1st Quarter Awards, celebrating acievements of students in 4th - 8th grade will be held on Friday, October 25th at the following times:

• 7th Grade: 8:30-9:00 am
• 5th Grade: 9:05-9:35 am
• 8th Grade: 9:40-10:10 am
• 4th Grade: 10:15-10:45 am
• 6th Grade: 10:50-11:20 am

Based on the estimated average assessed home value within our district of $197,830, the average homeowner would pay $5.94 per month, for a total of $71.22 estimated per year.

The Dysart community is scheduled to pay off the voter-approved 2006 bond in fiscal year 2028. If approved, the proposed 2024 bond would phase in over three years, so there is no expected tax rate increase associated with the proposed bond. The bond tax rate would actually drop to approximately half of the current rate beginning in 2029 due to the 2006 bond phasing out. Learn more at Dysart.org/Bond2024

Note: Tax rates are an estimate and are influenced by a variety of factors including Maricopa County assessed valuation fluctuations. The tax rates listed here are based on a revised estimate in July 2024.

• October 7 - Last day to register to vote 
• October 9 - Early voting begins 
• October 25 - Deadline to request vote by mail 
• November 5 - Election Day

About the Bond

Dysart Schools has a $127 million bond initiative on the ballot to fund safety and security improvements, school bus replacements, facility renovations at each site, construction of a new elementary school and land for a new high school in the Northwest Asante area. 

Based on the estimated average assessed home value within our district of $197,830, the average homeowner would pay $5.94 per month, for a total of $71.22 estimated per year. 

The Dysart community is scheduled to pay off the voter-approved 2006 bond in fiscal year 2028. If approved, the proposed 2024 bond would phase in over three years, so there is no expected tax rate increase associated with the proposed bond. The bond tax rate would actually drop to approximately half of the current rate beginning in 2029 due to the 2006 bond phasing out. Learn more at Dysart.org/Bond2024 

Note: Tax rates are an estimate and are influenced by a variety of factors including Maricopa County assessed valuation fluctuations. The tax rates listed here are based on a revised estimate in July 2024.

October is here! Please take a look at some of our key events coming this month. Be sure to check our calendar on Parent Square for the most updated event information. 

• Tuesday, October 1st - Chipotle Night from 4-8 pm
• Wednesday, October 2nd - Kona Ice at student's lunch times
• Thursday, October 3rd - Fall Choir Concert at Sunset Hills at 6 pm
• Friday, October 4th - 1st Quarter Report Cards released in Parent Portal at 5 pm
• Monday, October 7th through Friday, October 11th - Parent/Teacher Conference Week. Teachers will be reaching out to schedule conference times, we are looking for 100% in person attendance on our fall conferences! If you have any questions please reach out to your student's teachers on Parent Square
• Monday, October 7th through Friday, October 11th - Scholastic Book Fair, hours TBD
• Wednesday, October 9th - PTO Fun Run Fundraiser, all final donations are due this day as well
• Thursday, October 10th - Early Dismissal at 1 pm
• Friday, October 11th - Early Dismissal at 1 pm
• Monday, October 14th through Friday, October 18th - No School for Fall Break
• Thursday, October 24th - 1st Quarter Award Ceremonies: 6th Grade at 8:30 am; 5th Grade at 9:15 am; 4th Grade at 10:00 am
• Friday, October 25th - 1st Quarter Award Ceremonies: 7th Grade at 8:30 am; 8th Grade at 9:15 am
• Friday, October 25th - PTO Trunk or Trick Event from 5:30-6:30 pm; Watch for sign up information on this exciting event!
• Wednesday, October 30th - Fall Picture Retakes along with Fall Sports and Club Group Photos
• Thursday, October 31st - Student Council Orange & Black Spirit Day (No Halloween costumes please)

• School safety improvements 
• Replace Aging AC units 
• Roof Sealing and Repairs 
• Replace school buses over 15 years old 
• Construction of a new elementary school and land for a new high school in the Northwest Asante area 
• Facility renovations at each site 

If approved, the bond tax rate would drop to approximately half of the current rate beginning in 2029 due to the 2006 bond phasing out. Based on the estimated average assessed home value within our district of $197,830, the average homeowner would pay $5.94 per month, for a total of $71.22 estimated per year.  

Learn more at Dysart.org/Bond2024

Congratulations to all of our Cast and Crew on a fabulous audition week and first table read!

Here are some important reminders on what comes next:

• Emergency Information & Production T-Shirt Order Form - Due Thu 9/26
• Grey Costume Sizing Form (Cast only) - Due 10/4
• Yellow Production Form & Payment to PTO - Due 10/11
• Community Ed Registration Fee - Due 11/8

Please be sure you are active on Parent Square for all important show information and updates.

Our production will be performed at the Vista Center for the Arts, February 20th - 23rd, and we can't wait to bring this show to life for everyone! 

Wednesday 9/25 is our Fall Picture Day! You can pre-order pictures through Grads at: 

PRE-ORDER Sunset Hills Elementary Fall Pictures 2024

Pictures will also be available to order after picture day using the above link.

We can't wait to see everyone's smiling faces on Wednesday!

Please come on out and support our Boys Baseball and Girls Softball teams as they kick off their season this week! All games are free to attend. Please see the full schedule here:

https://www.dysart.org/mainsite/panels/athletics/179/middle-level-athletics

There is no school on Monday, September 2nd due to Labor Day.

To see a full list of school observed holidays please see our school calendars:

Dysart School Year Calendars

Annual Student Updates are due by Friday August 30th for all students. 

**Students who do not have the Annual Student Update completed will lose access to school technology.

Completing the Annual Student Update allows parents to sign off on health office medications, student technology use, and handbook acknowledgment.

In order to complete the Annual Student Update, log into the Parent Portal and navigate through the menu to "More" and then "Annual Student Update".

Baseball & Softball Tryouts will be this week, August 13th, 14th, and 15th from 3:00-4:30 pm each afternoon.  

Students will meet their coaches in the courtyard after school.

Parents/guardians must complete ALL forms on Aktivate (registermyathlete.com) in order for students to attend tryouts.  Go to registermyathlete.com and click on login, then create an account. Students are not required to complete a physical or the brain book courses for middle school sports, but you MUST complete all other forms on Aktivate to attend tryouts. 

Please email Coach Neill (gordon.neill@dysart.org) for questions regarding baseball or Coach Foster (carrigan.foster@dysart.org) for softball. 

To learn more about our season and see other upcoming sports, please check out our Sunset Hills Athletic Page.

Back to School Information

Our office will be closed for Summer Break from 5/31 - 7/9

Please contact the district office for immediate assistance.

We will reopen on Wednesday 7/10, with the following hours:

Monday - Thursday 7:15 am - 3:45 pm

Regular Office hours will resume on 7/22:

Monday - Friday 7:15 am - 3:45 pm

School Supply Lists are available for the 24/25 School Year!

PreK School Supply List

Kindergarten School Supply List

1st Grade School Supply List

2nd Grade School Supply List

3rd Grade School Supply List

4th Grade School Supply List

5th Grade School Supply List

6th Grade School Supply List

7th Grade School Supply List

8th Grade School Supply List

Sunset Hills is hosting a Dive into Kindergarten program this summer! 

Sign up online today to save your spot. 

Your students will be in a Kinder classroom for a preview of their Kinder year at Sunset Hills with hands on experiences!

Sunset Hills Dive into Kinder signup

Our Monthly Newsletter is here! Please check our newsletter for important updates for the month of April, including state testing dates.

Enrollment is open for the 24/25 School Year and we can't wait to meet all of our future Bobcats! 

Recently we hosted our annual Kindergarten Showcase where future Bobcats and their families were able to come meet staff and tour classroom areas.

Check out our Photo Gallery of this awesome event!

There will be No School for Spring Break; Monday, March 18- Friday, March 22. School will resume on Monday, March 25th. Have a safe and happy break Bobcats!

Our Monthly Newsletter is here! Please check our newsletter for important updates for the month.

Sunset Hills is competing against 15 other campuses within our district, in the Sweet 16 Attendance Challenge! 

• Spirit Week Fun See Full Schedule below, but highlights include: a Red,White & Pink Spirit Day for February 14th and Spring Picture Day on February 15th
• Daily Drawings for students who are in attendance all day
• Classes with the highest attendance each day will win an extra 10 minute recess the following day
• Awards will be given for students who are here every minute of the week
• Make sure you are here at the end of the day on Friday for a special treat for all of our students (students must be present to receive treat)

Spirit Week Days:

Monday - Pajama Day - Sometimes we're sleepy, but we know that Every Day Counts

Tuesday - Twin Day - Sometimes things are crazy, but we are better when we're together

Wednesday - Pink, White & Red Day - We love our Sunset Hills Family

Thursday - Dress for Success, Picture Day - Where we are set up for success

Friday - Bobcat Cool Day - Where being a Bobcat is always cool!

It is almost Production week and our Cast & Crew can not wait to share all we have been working on! All of our shows will be at the Vista Performing Arts Center. Tickets can be purchased at the door, or ahead of time at shes.booktix.net

Show Schedule

Thursday, 2/22 @ 7 pm 

Friday, 2/23 @ 7 pm

Saturday, 2/24 @ 2 pm 

Saturday, 2/24 @ 7 pm

8th Grade Student, Spencer J., received 3rd place in the VFW Patrios’s Pen Contest for the district. Veterans visited Mrs. Lynch’s class to present him with his award. Congratulations Spencer!

Check out our December Newsletter Here.

We had a successful November with our Veteran's Day Assembly, Thanksgiving Family Lunch, and Attendance Contest to name just a few! And we can't wait to see what December brings us as we close out our 2nd quarter.

We look forward to highlighting some of our student's talents in our Winter Choir Performances, Band Performance and our Kindergarten Winter Concert. 2nd Quarter report cards will be released on Friday, December 22nd. 

Friday, December 22nd will be a 1 pm dismissal for our students as we start winter break. Students will return to school on Tuesday, January 9th. 

We wish everyone a wonderful Winter Break and Holiday Season! 

We want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving Break! We are thankful for all of our Sunset Hills students, staff, and families! Please enjoy the time off with your family and friends and we will see you all on Monday, November 27th.

Our front office will also be closed for the Thanksgiving Break. 

It has already been a busy month of November and the events just keep on coming! Be sure to check out our Newsletter so you can see all of our events! 

This week we will have our Family Thanksgiving Lunch on Friday, November 15th. 

Next week we will be closed for Thanksgiving Break from 11/20-11/24.

When we return from break we will have our Spirit Week. Our theme is Every Day Counts and we will be having attendance contests throughout! We can't wait to see everyone participate in these awesome Spirit Days!

Monday 11/27  - Switch roles with those who take attendance. Students dress like teachers, teachers dress like students!

Tuesday 11/28 - Attendance is a BIG HIT. Wear a band shirt today!

Wednesday 11/29 - Attendance leads to success. Dress for success day! It is also Club/Group/ & Make-up Picture Day.

Thursday 11/30 - Attendance is tied to great learning. Wear a tie dye shirt today!

Friday 12/1 - Attend today, achieve tomorrow! Wear school colors today.

All school Newsletters can be found here!

Today we had the privilege of honoring our Veterans in our Annual Veterans Day Assembly and Breakfast. We were treated to performances by our choir and band and readings from several of our student leaders. 

Thank you again to our Veterans and their families for their sacrifices for our country. And thank you to our teachers, staff, students and volunteers who helped make today possible.

Please take a look at our Photo Gallery here. 

We are so proud to announce that Sunset Hills Elementary School earned an “A” rating from the school accountability labels for the 2022-2023 school year! Sunset Hills is one of 18 schools in the district to receive the “A” rating.  Additionally, Sunset Hills ranked in the top 20% of schools  in the state.  We are thankful for all of our teachers, staff, students and their families who come together to make this possible! We are better together! 

The school accountability labels measure year to year student academic growth, proficiency on English language arts, math and science, the proficiency and academic growth of English language learners, indicators that an elementary student is ready for success in high school and that high school students are ready to succeed in a career or higher education and high school graduation rates.

Our 1st Quarter Awards for Grades 4-8 will be this week, 10/19-10/20. This is a chance to celebrate your student's achievements during the 1st Quarter and we invite our student's families to help us celebrate them! Please remember to bring your photo ID if you plan on attending your student's assembly.

Thursday 10/19:

• 8:30-9:05 AM - 6th Grade
• 9:15-9:50 AM - 5th Grade
• 10:00-10:35 AM - 4th Grade

Friday 10/20:

• 8:30-9:05 AM - 7th Grade
• 9:15-9:50 AM - 8th Grade

There will be no school for Fall Break from 10/9-10/13. Our offices will also be closed during the break.

We look forward to welcoming everyone back, and starting Quarter 2, on Monday 10/16.

Important updates for the Week of 10/16:

• Wed 10/18 - Student Council Pink Out Day
• Thu 10/19 - 1st Quarter Awards for 6th Grade (8:30-9:05 am), 5th Grade (9:15-9:50 am) and 4th Grade (10:00-10:35 am)
• Fri 10/20 - 1st Quarter Awards for 7th Grade (8:30-9:05 am) and 8th Grade (9:15-9:50 am)

Be sure to read our October Newsletter for all of our updates and to find our Calendar of Events. 

Don't forget we have Parent/Teacher conferences the week of October 2-6, with 1 pm Early Dismissals on Mon 10/2, Thu 10/5 and Fri 10/6.  The following week will be Fall Break from 10/9-10/13. We look forward to seeing everyone back on Monday, 10/16, for the start of our 2nd quarter!

Sunset Hills hosted activities throughout the day in remembrance of 9/11.

• Preschool learned about emergency responders and how they help us in times of need
• Kinder created an anchor chart to learn about what a hero is 
• First grade read a short story about heroes and how they are to be remembered and celebrated on 9/11
• Second graders made ribbons of remembrance to adorn the hallways
  
• Third grade students wrote a short essay about Patriot Day
• Fourth grade did a Paying Tribute activity and watched a video about 9/11
• Fifth grade read Save the Boats, learned about the 9/11 memorials and created their own symbolic tribute to 9/11
• Sixth, seventh grade, and eighth grade students watched videos about 9/11

Audition Packets will be released next week for our Annual Musical Production. This year we will be bringing to life the classical story of CATS. 

Check back here for more information as soon as the packets are officially released! We can't wait to share this memory with you!

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

Boys Baseball

• Tue 8/22 from 6:30-8:00 am
• Wed 8/23 from 6:30-8:00 am
• Thu 8/24 from 6:30-8:00 am

Girls Softball

• Wed 8/23 from 3:15-5:00 pm
• Thu 8/24 from 3:15-5:00 pm

Regular season games will begin the week of 9/12. Let's Go Bobcats!

Please see our August Newsletter!

August Newsletter

Beginning in 5th Grade our students get to choose 2 of their classes each quarter from the following categories: P.E., Music, Art, and iExplore. These classes allow students to explore interests outside of the standard math, reading, science and social studies. Students are required to take at least 1 class from each of the 4 categories below but with 8 options throughout the year there is still plenty of room for their favorites!

P.E. Offerings:

• Outdoor Team Sports (5th, 6th, 7th, 8th)
• Health in Sports (5th, 6th, 7th, 8th)
• Indoor Sports (5th, 6th, 7th, 8th)
• Fitness (5th, 6th, 7th, 8th)
• Lifetime Sports (5th, 6th, 7th, 8th)

Music Offerings:

• American Popular Music (8th)
• Music Blogging (7th)
• Jazz & Improvisation (6th)
• Movie Music (5th)
• Choir (5th, 6th, 7th, 8th)
• Beginning Band (5th, 6th, 7th, 8th)
• Band (6th, 7th, 8th)
• Musical Theatre Performance (5th, 6th, 7th, 8th)
• Musical Theater Survey (8th) 
• Music History (7th) 
• Music PBL (6th) 

Art:

• Painting (5th, 6th, 7th, 8th)
• Drawing (5th, 6th, 7th, 8th)
• Ceramics (5th, 6th, 7th, 8th)
• Art & Technology (7th, 8th)
• 2D/3D Multimedia (5th, 6th)

iExplore:

• iExplore Coding (5th, 6th, 7th, 8th)
• Creative Technology (5th, 6th, 7th, 8th)
• STEM (5th, 6th, 7th, 8th)
• Robotics (5th, 6th, 7th, 8th)

If you are completing enrollment for the 23/24 School Year and would like more information on our Elective Course Options, including detailed course descriptions please find your grade level below for the complete course guide:

• 23/24 5th Grade Elective Courses
• 23/24 6th Grade Elective Courses
• 23/24 7th Grade Elective Courses
• 23/24 8th Grade Elective Courses

Our Office will be open with modified hours for the summer:

Week of 5/29

Monday 5/29 - Closed for Memorial Day

Tuesday through Thursday    7:15 am - 3:45 pm

Weeks of 6/5, 6/12 & 6/19 - Summer School Office Hours

Monday through Thursday    7:30 am - 11:30 am

Weeks of 6/26 & 7/3 - Office Closed for Summer Break

Weeks of 7/10 & 7/17 - Summer Office Hours

Monday through Thursday    7:15 am - 3:45 pm

Regular Office Hours Resume Monday 7/24

Monday through Friday    7:15 am - 3:45 pm

Our 23/24 School Supply Lists can be found here:

• PreK School Supply List 2023-2024
• Kindergarten School Supply List 2023-2024
  
• 1st Grade School Supply List 2023-2024
  
• 2nd Grade School Supply List 2023-2024
  
• 3rd Grade School Supply List 2023-2024
  
• 4th Grade School Supply List 2023-2024
  
• 5th Grade School Supply List 2023-2024
  
• 6th Grade School Supply List 2023-2024
  
• 7th Grade School Supply List 2023-2024
  
• 8th Grade School Supply List 2023-2024
  

Click here for our May Newsletter: 22/23 May Newsletter

And catch up on all of our newsletters here: Sunset Hills Newsletters

Here is the state testing calendar for Sunset Hills: 

State Testing

Monday March 27 our current 4th - 7th graders will be choosing their electives for next school year.

Here are the Elective Offerings for 2023/2024 School Year, (remember to use the grade level your student will be in the 23/24 School Year):

5th Grade Course Descriptions 2023-24

6th Grade Course Descriptions 2023-24

7th Grade Course Descriptions 2023-24

8th Grade Course Descriptions 2023-24

Band Elective Contract and Agreement 2023-24

Congratulations to our Dysart Heroes, Mrs. Thomas and Mrs. Boisvert! 

Newsies Jr Photo Gallery

Get your tickets now at shes.booktix.com

Shows are:

• Thursday 2/23 @ 7 pm
• Friday 2/24 @ 7 pm
• Saturday 2/25 @ 2 pm
• Saturday 2/25 @ 7 pm

Sunset Hills PTO is hosting a Donation Drive from Feb. 6th - Feb. 17th

Please bring any donated supplies to your homeroom teacher! Homerooms with the most donations will win:

1st Place - Sonic Lunch for the Class!

2nd Place - Sundae/Float Party for the Class!

3rd Place - Popcorn Party for the Class!

Sunset Hills would like to Congratulate Mrs. Older and Ms. Moberg on their recertification of their National Board Certification! 

Tickets are on sale now for our highly anticipated production of Newsies Jr.! Our cast and crew have been working hard to make this show big enough to take on the World! Make sure you Seize the opportunity and Watch What Happens when we get 100 Voices Singing on that stage! 

Shows are at The Vista: 

• Thursday 2/23 @ 7 pm 
• Friday 2/24 @ 7 pm 
• Saturday 2/25 @ 2 pm 
• Saturday 2/25 @ 7 pm  

Get your tickets today @ shes.booktix.com

Here's a sneak peek preview of our amazing show!

Happy New Year to all of our Sunset Hills community! I hope that you all enjoyed a wonderful winter break! We completed benchmarks for grades 3-5 and finals for grades 6-8 prior to break. Our 6-8 grade students will be taking benchmark 2 the week of January 9. The data from all of the assessments will be used to evaluate growth toward our continuous improvement academic goals as well as individual student driven goal setting. Please encourage your child to do their best!... (click here for full newsletter)

Sunset Hills is so excited to welcome back our families on to our campus for our Thanksgiving Lunch! Please see the attached flier with all the information, including an RSVP that is due this Friday 11/4/22

Thanksgiving Lunch

Sunset Hills Elementary School is excited to announce that we have received an A-rating from the newly-released 2022 State of Arizona accountability labels. This letter grade provides us a glimpse into many areas of proficiency and growth for our school, including information about student achievement, college and career readiness, student growth, and other key areas of interest. We appreciate our hardworking students, staff and parents for their contributions in making our school an A-rated school! 

This is the first time the state has issued new labels since 2018-2019, due to House Bill’s 2910 and 2402, which temporarily paused the issuing of A-F letter grades. It is important to note that this year the state used the same cut marks as they did in 2019 for K-8 schools, the last year they issued letter grades. However, this year's K-8 growth score is only based on growth percentile and does not include growth-to-target.

About School Letter Grades: Arizona Revised Statutes § 15-241 requires the Arizona Department of Education, subject to final adoption by the State Board of Education, to develop an annual achievement profile for every public school in the state based on an A through F scale. The system measures year to year student academic growth, proficiency on English language arts, math and science, the proficiency and academic growth of English language learners, indicators that an elementary student is ready for success in high school and that high school students are ready to succeed in a career or higher education and high school graduation rates. 

 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. 

Our October Newsletter is here!

22 23 Newsletter September.pdf

Boys Baseball & Girls Softball Try Outs are this week! Ask the front office or your coaches for more information and how to get a try out packet. Boys Baseball tryouts will be Tuesday and Wednesday (8/23 & 8/24) and Girls Softball will be Wednesday and Thursday (8/24 & 8/25).  Games begin the week of 9/13. Come on out to cheer on our Bobcats!

Boys Baseball Schedule

Girls Softball Schedule

Sunset Hills had a successful first day of school!  We were so excited to welcome back our more than 930 students and their 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!

Sunset Hills is ready for another fantastic year! Join us on Monday, August 1st from 5:00-6:30 pm for Meet the Teacher Night.  Our PTO will be ready that night with all the Sunset Hills Spirit gear you will need to start off the new year.  Papa Eddie's BBQ and Cerealphoria will be joining us and ready to serve up some delicious eats, with a portion of their proceeds going back to our fabulous PTO.

We can't wait to see our Bobcats back on campus for our first day of school Wednesday, August 3rd!

Join us for Sunset Hills Meet the Teacher Night on Tuesday August 1st, from  5:00-6:30 pm.  

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 5:00-6:30pm. 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.

Students from West Point Elementary School and Sunset Hills Elementary School were recently recognized for being named finalists in the annual Friends of the Surprise Libraries Bookmark Contest. Each year, Friends of the Surprise Libraries invites local sixth through eighth grade students to participate and create bookmarks depicting reading and literacy.  First place, honorable mention, and a Mayor’s Choice Award are selected in each grade category. The following Dysart students were selected as finalists: 

• First Place - Grace Luu (6th grade, Sunset Hills) and Layla Calico (8th grade, West Point). 
• Honorable Mention - Kayla Krise (6th grade, West Point), Isabella Jordan (7th grade, West Point), and Kayla Patnod (8th grade, West Point). 
  
• Mayor's Choice Award - Audrey Howat (8th grade, West Point)
  

Each student was recognized and presented a plaque with their winning bookmark, as well as a monetary award at the April 5, 2022 Surprise City Council Meeting. 

Friends of the Surprise Libraries is a non-profit organization supported by local citizens who volunteer their time to promote local Libraries, literacy and reading programs. They are dedicated to supporting the local community by sponsoring various programs, school grants, and providing gifts and donations to public libraries and literacy organizations.