Sunset Hills News
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Sunset Hills State Testing Calendar
Here is the state testing calendar for Sunset Hills:
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23/24 Elective Courses
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
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Dysart heros
Congratulations to our Dysart Heroes, Mrs. Thomas and Mrs. Boisvert!
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Newsies Jr Musical Production from Sunset Hills Elementary
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
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School Supply Donation Drive
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!
Here are our Grade Level Supply Suggestions for our Donation Drive:
PreK School School Supply Drive List
Kindergarten Supply Drive List
1st Grade School Supply Drive List
2nd Grade School Supply Drive List
3rd Grade School Supply Drive List
4th Grade School Supply Drive List
5th Grade School Supply Drive List
6th Grade School Supply Drive List
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Congratulations to our National Board Certified Teachers!
Sunset Hills would like to Congratulate Mrs. Older and Ms. Moberg on their recertification of their National Board Certification!
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Newsies Jr. Tickets are on Sale Now!
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!
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January Newsletter
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)
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November Newsletter
November is here and the weather is beautiful outside! We are looking forward to a fantastic month ahead! The state has released the 2022 school letter grades based on the A-F Accountability model, and I am thrilled to announce that Sunset Hills is an A school!! I am so incredibly proud of our entire school community and all of the efforts that have gone into the last couple of years to ensure that our students continued to grow academically! We made tremendous gains and continue to work so hard to meet our continuous improvement goals! .....
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Thanksgiving Lunch - Friday 11/18/22
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
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Sunset Hills Earns an “A” Rating
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.
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Career and College Expo
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.
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Boys Baseball & Girls Softball Seasons
Our Bobcat Athletes are at it again! The 1st Season of the 22/23 school year kicks off with Girls Softball and Boys Baseball. Both teams will play at the same time/location for the regular season. Games are free to attend so come out and support our athletes as they make their debut into the Northwest Valley Athletic Conference (NWVAC). Good luck Bobcats!

Photo Gallery

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Sunset Hills Annual Musical
It's time to seize the day and kick off this year's school musical production of Disney's Newsies Jr.!
Important Dates:
- Audition Packets and Stage Crew Applications will be available 9/2
- Ensemble Roles for K - 8th Grade Students
- Principal/Featured Roles for 5th - 8th Grade Students
- Stage Crew for 6th - 8th Grade Students
- Dance Team for 5th - 8th Grade Students
- Cast Auditions begin 9/19
- Mandatory Parent Meeting 9/27 (At either 3:30 or 5:30)
See all of the details in our Audition Packets for how to audition and join our Cast & Crew!


Interested in Ensemble, Featured/Principal Cast or Dance Crew?
See all our information here! And pick up a blue packet from the front office to complete.

Interested in Stage Crew?
See all our information here! And pick up a green packet from the front office to complete.
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Baseball & Softball Try Outs
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!
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Welcome Back!
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!
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Bobcats ROAR!
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!
Check out all of our Back to School information and see what Sunset Hills has to offer!
Follow us on Social Media!
Facebook: @Sunset Hills Elementary School
Instagram: Sunset Hills Elementary @shesbobcats
Twitter: Sunset Hills School @SHESBobcats
#SunsetHills #BobcatsROAR
Sunset Hills Athletics
Sunset Hills Athletics Programs will be competing in the Middle School Athletic Conference this year. Our sports teams are open for students in grades 6-8, with the exception of Cross Country which is open for grades 3-8. Competing in the Middle School Conference also brings an opportunity for our athletes to compete against schools outside of the Dysart Unified School District in an end of season Tournament.
22/23 Sunset Hills Electives
At Sunset Hills Elementary School, we begin offering elective classes in the areas of PE, Music, Arts, and iExplore with our 5th grade students. Students are able to take 2 elective courses each quarter in areas that interest them the most! We do require students to take 1 course in each of our 4 subject areas throughout the year.
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Meet the Teacher Night
Join us for Sunset Hills Meet the Teacher Night on Monday August 1st, from 5:00-6:30 pm.
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Welcome Back!
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.
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Volunteer Opportunities
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:
- Review the volunteer handbook and complete the volunteer application at Dysart.org/Volunteer
- Make an appointment for your volunteer orientation
- Coordinate your schedule through the school office
- 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.
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School Breakfast and Lunch
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.
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Employment Opportunities in Dysart
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!
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Stay Informed on the Parent Portal
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.
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Students recognized by Friends of the Surprise Libraries
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.