Rancho Gabriela News

Dear Rattler Students and Families, 

Welcome to March. It’s hard to believe we are about to head into Spring Break and the final stretch of the school year. We will be analyzing our Third and Fourth Grade Reading and Math Benchmark Assessment data this week. This data will provide us the information we need to help students prepare for the Arizona’s Academic Standards Assessment (AASA) in April. As a reminder, all students in grades 3rd and 4th grade must take the AASA exam. 

Additionally, Kindergarten - 3rd Grade students are preparing for their End of the Year DIBELS tests. Our students, teachers, staff and parents have worked incredibly hard! 

With the assessment season is approaching, we want all students to feel confident. I shared some tips on how you can assist your child with testing on the following page. You are such an important part of your child’s success in school - we can do this together! 

Lastly, I want to share a few important announcements: 

● Yearbooks are on sale for $26. Place your order for the yearbook at gradsyearbook.com 

● When dropping off or picking up your child at school, please park in dedicated parking spots and not in the fire lanes. 

● Rancho Family Night is at Surprise Stadium on 3/21! Purchase your tickets here: https://fevo.me/ranchogabrielaschoolspiritnight 

● Our Kindergarten Showcase for 23-24 Kindergartners is on 3/21. 

● Dysart’s Festival of the Art is March 25. Rancho’s choir will be forming. There will be various performances, an arts vendor fair, hands-on activities, and workshops on dance, bucket drumming, piano, ukulele, and art projects. There will also be food trucks onsite. This event is open to the public and is FREE to attend. We hope to see you there! 

As always, thank you for your continued support. Have a great March.

SAVE THE DATES

3/2 - Literacy Night 

3/3 - Character Counts Assemblies 

3/6 - PTSO Meeting 5:00 pm in the Library 

3/9 - Governing Board Meeting 6:00 pm - District Office 

3/10 - End of 3rd Quarter 

3/13-3/17 - Spring Break - No School 

3/21 - Kindergarten Showcase 5:30 pm 

3/21 - School Spirit Night - Spring Training Game 6:05 pm - Surprise Stadium 

3/22 - Hungry Rattlers Night @ Handel’s Ice Cream 3:00 pm - 9:00 

3/25 - Dysart Festival of the Arts 10:00 am - 3:00 pm Valley Vista High School 

3/30 - Governing Board Meeting 6:00 pm - District Office .

Spring Picture Day is Thursday, March 2nd.  All students will have their pictures taken on school picture day! Picture ordering information will go home with students after pictures are taken.

Rancho Gabriela Yearbooks are on sale until April 1st!  Yearbooks are $26.

Order Online in 3 Simple Steps:

1. Visit GRADSYEARBOOKS.COM

2. Select: Shop Online, Choose your location: Surprise and your school name: Rancho Gabriela

3. Follow the online instructions

Reminder-Early Release at 1:45pm this Monday & Tuesday

It is not too late to support Rancho Gabriela with a dollar for dollar state tax credit for 2022!

Rancho Gabriela is raising money for new student playground equipment and rubberized play pad. Please consider supporting our efforts and donate to Rancho Gabriela’s undesignated tax credit fund.

What is a tax credit? 

Arizona Law (ARS 43-1089.01) allows married couples filing jointly a tax credit of up to $400 and individual taxpayers a tax credit of up to $200 when they contribute to extra-curricular activities in public schools. This tax credit is available to all who reside in Arizona and have a tax liability at least equal to that of their donation. You do not have to be a parent of a child in a Dysart school to benefit from this law. Corporations are not eligible. Contributions are donated directly to the schools. This means your donations are used directly to support student activities of the Dysart school of your choice. Donations may be submitted through April 15, 2023.

How do I receive my tax credit? PAY ONLINE NOW

You may choose from the following four categories - School May Designate, Athletics, Fine Arts, or Enrichment Programs. If you have no preference or would like to specifically support our efforts in purchasing playground equipment and classroom technology, please choose the category School May Designate.

The students and staff of Rancho Gabriela Elementary thank you for your support!!

Students enjoyed the Fragile Planet Wildlife Animal Assembly today and learned about endangered species and conservation.  Some students enjoyed taking personalized pictures with animals as well.

Students will have the opportunity to shop for family and friends during school at designated class times throughout the week! The Holiday Shop is also open until 5pm on Tuesday, 12/7 for parents to visit and shop with students!

Thank you to all our Rattler families who came out to our annual Turkey Trot and Thanksgiving Lunch! We hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving Break!

Celebrating America's Veterans & Patriotism! 

Monday=Wear Stars & Stripes 

Tuesday= Wear Camo 

Wednesday=Wear Red, White & Blue 

Thursday= Wear ALL Patriotism gear-hats, shirts, etc... 

Friday=NO SCHOOL, Veteran's Day

You're Invited to Rancho Gabriela's Turkey Trot & Thanksgiving lunch on Thursday, November 17th!

All students’ families are invited to join us for our annual Turkey Trot FUN run and then stay for our Thanksgiving lunch in the cafeteria.  See the Trot and Lunch schedule below. Please RSVP today if you plan on joining us for Thanksgiving lunch.

Parents/guardians are welcome to run with their students or just cheer them on! 

The turkey trot is an event that focuses on the healthy lifelong activities of walking, jogging and running. This non-competitive event allows students to participate in the walk/jog on the main field. Kindergarten through 2nd grade will run a two-thirds of a mile turkey trot and the 3rd & 4th grade turkey trot will include a mile run. This run is optional. 

Lunch tickets for parents, siblings & visitors can be purchased at the gate when you arrive. Lunch cost is $3.50 for adults or non-students and $2.60 for students. Only CASH is accepted- NO card payments. Students will go through the lunch line. Thanksgiving lunch includes turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, green beans, a roll, a pumpkin bar and milk.  *Cash or  check only! Small bills or exact change are appreciated.      

Please enter thru the front Courtyard gate. The gate will open at 9:50. Please plan to arrive in time to allow for visitor sign in and purchasing lunch tickets. 

**For security reasons, all visitors will need to provide a PHOTO ID at the gate to enter and must be a parent/guardian or verified emergency contact.  

• Kinder= Trot Time 10:05      Lunch   10:25-10:55 
• 2nd= Trot Time  10:45          Lunch   11:05 11:35 
• 4th= Trot Time   11:20          Lunch   11:45 12:15 
• 1st= Trot Time   12:05          Lunch   12:25 12:55 
• 3rd= Trot Time   12:40          Lunch     1:05 1:35   
  

Rancho Gabriela 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. 

Join us for this family event of trick or treating through the haunted hallways with teachers and friends! Enjoy hot dogs, chips and drinks for dinner for only $5 along with music and fun! Don't forget to dress up in your favorite Halloween costume!

Order your Rancho Gabriela 2022-2023 Yearbook Now Online!

Don't miss School picture re-takes this Tuesday, 10/25. Order Online

The students at Rancho Gabriela Elementary School got a very special visit from the Arizona Cardinals Milk and Cookies Program this week. Big Red, the mascot, got the students energized and ready for reading. Big Red was joined by Cardinals cornerback Jace Whittaker and cheerleaders Caity and Zaryn who read a selection of books to students. 

The students were nominated by their classroom teacher to attend the special assembly for Character Counts. Cardinals themed student artwork adorned the walls of the library and the students made special posters and thank you cards to show their appreciation.  The students learned about Cardinals history, played a fun game of Heads Up with Cardinals trivia, and enjoyed three different fall themed books by the group.  After the reading, students enjoyed a yummy snack of milk and cookies, received an Arizona Cardinals backpack, and took part in a meet and greet complete with signings.

The Cardinals, SRP, and Albertsons-Safeway have teamed up for 20 years for the Milk and Cookies program, which supports and promotes literacy throughout Valley elementary schools.

What is Fairness? Fairness is treating people justly, not letting your personal feelings bias your decisions about others. You want to give everyone a fair chance, and believe there should be equal opportunity for all, though you also realize that what is fair for one person might not be fair for another.  These K-3rd grade students were recognized for using Fairness with their peers and in their classrooms.

To celebrate National Library Card Sign-Up month in September, Dysart Schools partnered with local libraries and encouraged students of all ages to apply for their library card and visit the library in their neighborhood.  

More than a thousand library cards were delivered throughout the district.  Rancho Gabriela Elementary School students had one of the biggest turnouts with more than 300 students receiving their card.  

Need a card? Visit one of the local branches in El Mirage, Surprise and Waddell including Asante Library, Northwest Regional Library, White Tank Library, Hollyhock Library and the El Mirage Library or visit https://mcldaz.org/en-US/.  A big thanks to the Maricopa Library District for encouraging the love of literacy in our students! 

Rancho Gabriela 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!

Rattler Report July

Welcome Back Rattlers! Check out our school supply lists that are specific to your child's grade level as determined by their teachers.  Supplies can be dropped off in your child's classroom on Meet the Teacher Night-Monday, August 1st from 4:30-6pm or on the 1st day of school-Wednesday, August 3rd! Any extra supplies or additional donations are greatly appreciated!

• Preschool
• Kindergarten
• 1st Grade
• 2nd Grade
• 3rd Grade
• 4th Grade
• STC & ESS Resource

Preschool through 4th grade students are all welcome to come visit Rancho Gabriela on Monday, August 1 from 4:30 to 6:00 pm. You will be able to tour the school, visit classrooms, and meet your teachers. Teachers will share grade level curriculum and classroom expectations. Bus and lunch information will also be available. We also have a food truck in the front of the school (Big Meaty Dogs) for those who would like to purchase dinner.  

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.