District News

The Dysart Unified School District was recently recognized by Wellness Council of Arizona for efforts in workplace and employee health and wellness at the annual meeting in Tucson, Arizona on August 24, 2023. 

Dysart was presented with the Wellness Council of Arizona’s Official Gold Seal of Good Health Keeping Renewal Award. The renewal shows the district’s continued focus on employee health through an established relationship between the wellness program and health plan engagement with components such as incentives for annual exams, local produce baskets, financial wellness, health coaching, and screenings among other things. Dysart also earned second place in the Stride Through Spring Corporate Activity Step Challenge.  Team Dysart consisted of 69 staff members who competed in the four week challenge last April and walked an impressive 23,057,819 steps as a group.

Dr. Catherine Maynard, School Psychologist, was awarded the Personal Achievement award which recognizes an individual who has made great strides in health improvement and lifestyle.  Additionally, Dysart’s Benefits and Wellness Manager, Janis Peel, received the Champion of Worksite Wellness Senior Leadership award for her dedication in providing wellness opportunities for Dysart employees.  

The Wellness Council of Arizona strives to be the recognized leader and resource for worksite health promotion in Arizona and collaborates with healthcare providers, community leaders, businesses and institutions to improve the health of employees and their families.

Willow Canyon High School will host a dedication ceremony for their new turf field prior to their first home varsity football game of the 2023-2024 season on September 8. The ceremony will include city officials, as well as district and school leaders speaking on the field followed by a ceremonial ribbon cutting. The field features a beautiful, yet durable, new turf playing field that highlights school colors and the mascot. The dedication ceremony will begin at 6:40pm with the game beginning at 7:00pm. The Wildcats are hosting Horizon High School. Willow Canyon High School is located at 17901 W. Lundberg Street, Surprise, AZ 85388. 

Tickets are required and can be purchased in advance on GoFan

Admission prices:      

Students with ID’s = $4

Students w/o ID’s = $5       

Adults = $5       

Senior Citizens = $4 (55 or older)

Members of the Military = $4 (with ID)      

Children 5 and under = Free

High School students from across the district traveled to several states this summer en route to international competitions through their Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. High marks in state competitions allowed students to participate on the national stage. 

All four high school Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) groups attended the International Career Development Conference (ICDC) competition in Orlando, Florida.  Students participated in networking events with students from other states and countries and learned valuable information to bring back to their DECA clubs. Valley Vista High School and Willow Canyon High School both won the School Based Enterprise Gold Certification Plaque.  Shadow Ridge High School won eight competency awards, 6th place in Virtual Business Enterprise for Retailing, and ninth place in Virtual Business Enterprise for Fashion.

DECA is a premier student organization that supports the development of marketing and management skills in career areas such as hospitality, finance, sales and service, business administration, and entrepreneurship.

Shadow Ridge High School and Willow Canyon High School students from the Graphic Design CTE program competed at the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference (NLSC)  in Atlanta, Georgia.  This event brought together thousands of students, instructors, business partners, and administrators and celebrated the accomplishments of those preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations, and was an opportunity for students to showcase their talents and skills on the national level. Shadow Ridge participated in Pin Design and Willow Canyon competed in the Arts and Communications, Interactive Application and Game Design events, and earned seventh place in the Career Pathways competition.

SkillsUSA is a Career and Technical Education partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA provides quality education experiences for students in leadership, teamwork, citizenship and character development by building and reinforcing self-confidence, work attitudes and communications skills. 

Dysart High School, Shadow Ridge High School and Willow Canyon High School attended the HOSA International Leadership Conference in Dallas, Texas June 20-25, 2023.  The event focused on leadership, professional and technical skills, educational seminars, workshops and exhibits presented by professional partners that provide Information about current healthcare issues.  Willow Canyon High School Lab Assisting and Sports Medicine students participated in the Health Care Issues Exam, and the Mental Health Promotional Team.  Dysart High School Sports Medicine students also participated in the Healthcare Issues Exam and alumni Alyssa Blanford won the Bronze Barbara James Service Award for her volunteer hours and commitment to community service in health.  Shadow Ridge High School participated in the HOSA Quiz Bowl which provides members with the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills on various topics and situations in health, current health topics, HOSA, and parliamentary procedure.

HOSA is a student-led organization that seeks to empower students to become leaders in the global health community, through education, collaboration, and experience. 

Valley Vista High School students from the Graphic Design and Technology Devices Maintenance programs attended the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) National Leadership Conference in Atlanta, Georgia June 27-30, 2023. FBLA members had the opportunity to compete in leadership events, share their successes, and learn new ideas about shaping their career future through workshops and exhibits. Students participated in the Journalism and Management Information Systems competition.

“Attending the FBLA National Leadership Conference was the highlight of our CTSO organization for the 2022-2023 school year,” said Willie Walker, Valley Vista High School CTE Teacher. “It was a great opportunity for my students to meet and network with other students from across the country and world. It gave my students the confidence to share their knowledge base with others and be exposed and enlightened to what it takes to compete at the FBLA National level.”

FBLA inspires and prepares students to become community-minded business leaders in a global society through relevant career preparation and leadership experiences.

Shadow Ridge High School Educational Professionals students attended the Educators Rising Nationals in Orlando, Florida June 29-July 2, 2023. The conference allowed students to connect and learn from each other through breakout sessions, network with other members from across the country, and compete for national titles in competitive events designed to allow students to develop and showcase their teaching skills.  Shadow Ridge competed in several competitions and found great success at the event placing 3rd in Lesson Planning and Delivery-STEM, 4th for the Inside Our Schools competition, 6th in Public Speaking, 7th in the Creative Lecture (Ted Talk), and 9th in the Researching Learning Challenges event.

Education Professions is a Career and Technical Education (CTE) program that prepares students for employment or post secondary opportunities in the education field. The program provides instruction in education career choices, education structure and systems, theory, pedagogy, developmental stages, learning styles and methodology. The program also provides interactive experiences with students at different age levels, in a variety of content areas in educational environments.

DECA, SkillsUSA, HOSA, FBLA, and Education Professionals are a few of the many Career and Technical Education (CTE) opportunities offered to prepare students for the academic and vocational skills necessary to successfully enter the workforce.  Learn more at dysart.org/cte.

Written by: Chloe Ranshaw – Manager, Marketing & Communications, Center for the Future of Arizona

Trystan Wright, a 17-year-old senior at Dysart High School in El Mirage, Ariz., is an outstanding student with a laundry list of extracurriculars. He loves to volunteer, played basketball at Dysart until suffering an injury then joined DECA, a club preparing emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers. He traveled across the country with DECA, ranking top three in a national competition, and is now the 2023-2024 President. 

Despite these accomplishments, Wright struggled to land his first job. “I’ve applied to six jobs and had three interviews but didn’t get any so that’s a little bit frustrating,” he laments. Until, his Dysart HS Business and Marketing teacher, Leslie Palombo, recommended a virtual internship offered through Center for the Future of Arizona’s (CFA) Arizona Pathways to Prosperity (APTP) in partnership with Work Based Learning Alliance (WBLA). The virtual paid internship connects high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors with Arizona-based companies. The students work in teams guided by mentors and WBLA’s Practera to complete projects solving real-life problems.  

The Spring 2023 cohort included 27 students, including Wright, and six employers from healthcare, economic development, energy, and more. Wright interned at Tucson Electric Power (TEP) under Joanne Kingman, Training Supervisor for Transmission and Distribution Operations. He describes the opportunity as “an easy yes.” Throughout the six-week internship, Wright and his fellow team members developed an updated retention and training program for TEP. They utilized artificial intelligence to formulate life-like scenarios and simulators, a highlight for Wright, to digitize on the job tasks. 

Wright’s team stretched across the state with some students in Tucson and Tempe. Teamwork is an advantage of the virtual setting and Wright’s favorite lesson. He says, “Not just in college but in the real world or any kind of job, it’s important to know how to work with different people.” Virtual also eliminates other barriers to entry. For example, an employer might not be able to house five interns in-person and students in rural areas might not be able to travel.  

Beyond these benefits, for young people, the internships foster necessary skill attainment including independence, confidence, problem-solving, critical thinking, time management, and more. For employers, the program gives companies a voice in workforce development, eliminates paperwork, expands bandwidth, and creates a low-risk environment for trial and error.  

According to the Arizona Progress Meters, 48% of Arizona residents ages 25-64 have completed a two or four year degree or have an active professional certificate or license. Yet, as of 2020, nearly 65% of all jobs in Arizona require more education after high school. Programs like APTP’s virtual internships move the needle towards Arizona’s 60% attainment goal aimed at building a stronger workforce. And, Arizonans support these efforts. According to a 2020 Gallup Arizona Survey, 84% of Arizonans agree a highly educated and skilled population is good for Arizona’s economy. “Young people need to have an awareness of an education plan leading to careers in high-demand sectors with livable wages. Those jobs are usually aligned with high-demand sectors in regions that spur economic development in those regions and across the state,” says Aaron Ball, CFA College & Career Pathways Director. 

As for Wright, he feels relieved to complete the internship with high remarks from TEP, “It was definitely an eyeopener since I had never worked before.” And, he also feels armed with necessary skills to continue on his career pathway by graduating high school and pursuing a business major in hospitability and tourism potentially at the University of Arizona in Tucson.  

Arizona Pathways to Prosperity plans to host additional cohorts and hopes to reach more students and employers, 105 students and 15 employers have participated to date, by collaborating with regional partners to take ownership and dedicate funding to support a defined number of students yearly.

Overall, APTP enables more young people to earn degrees and credentials for high-demand jobs, making it easier for them to enter the workforce and propel innovation and economic growth in the state. The initiative has impacted over 50,000 students in early college pathways at more than 40 middle and high school partners across Arizona. Learn more about strengthening pathways of education to training and careers at https://www.arizonafuture.org/programs/workforce-programs/. 

Each year Dysart opens up transportation applications once we are able to determine our available capacity for additional bus riders who are not typically eligible for transportation. Beginning Monday, August 28 at 8:00 am, Transportation Eligibility Applications will be accepted for K-8 students to apply for district transportation on an existing regular education bus route within the attendance boundary of the school in which the student is enrolled. Please note that availability is limited and will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis beginning Monday, August 28 at 8:00 a.m.  Details and the link to the application will be available on our website at Dysart.org/Transportation. 

We hope that this will be helpful to many of our K-8 families that need transportation assistance. Thank you.

Dysart High School will host a dedication ceremony for their new turf field prior to the first varsity football game of the 2023-2024 season on August 18. The ceremony will include local dignitaries, district and school leaders speaking on the field and a ceremonial ribbon cutting. The field showcases beautiful new turf, which boldly displays school spirit, and will provide students with a great surface to play, run, march and participate in activities on. The turf field comes as Dysart High School celebrates its 60th Anniversary, after officially opening for the 1963-1964 school year.  The Demons are hosting San Tan Valley High School for the football season opener.  The dedication ceremony will begin at 6:40pm with the game following at 7:00pm. Dysart High School is located at 11425 N Dysart Rd, El Mirage, AZ 85335.

Tickets are required and can be purchased in advance on GoFan. Cash is always welcome at the gate as well. 

Admission prices:

     Students with ID’s = $4; Students w/o ID’s = $5 

     Adults = $5 

     Senior Citizens = $4 (55 or older); Members of the Military = $4 (with ID) 

     Children 5 and under = Free

Willow Canyon High School Key Club attended the Key Club International Convention in Anaheim, California this summer. 

Willow Canyon Key Club won first place in the Platinum Division for their Signature Project for the Packages From Home, Hope, and K9 initiative.  Additionally, they earned the Distinguished Club Diamond award. This accolade is given for Key Clubs that exhibit a dedication to their community and efforts year over year.  Willow Canyon was honored for their extensive service hours, projects and participation of the 89 Key Club members

During the conference, students heard from inspiring keynote speakers, served as delegates and held caucuses, attended leadership sessions, completed a service project, and collaborated with other Key Clubs from all over the world.   

The Signature Project award recognizes clubs who participate in a recurring activity for at least the past three years.  The Packages From Home, Hope and K9 Project has been an ongoing service project at Willow Canyon for the past five years that provides donated items and letters of gratitude for military personnel and families of those who have served in the military.  

“Our kids have worked so hard this past year,” shared Kimberly Maust, Key Club Advisor.  “Winning at the International level is such an amazing accomplishment!”

During the conference, the group joined other Key Club students from around the country and completed a service project to create bookmarks to go along with donated books for children in need.  

Mrs. Maust has been the Key Club advisor for five years and her son, Mr. Warnas has been the co-advisor for the past two years. 

“It's an awesome thing working with your son at the same school and guiding students together to become the best they can be,” shared Maust.

Key Club is a student-led organization that provides its members with opportunities to provide service, build character and develop leadership. The Willow Canyon Key Club is part of the Estrella Division which aims to cooperate with administrators and teachers to provide high school students with invaluable experience in living and working together and to prepare them for useful citizenship.  Members develop initiative and leadership skills by serving their schools and communities.

Information Technology is planning to perform network maintenance beginning at 9:30 AM on Friday, July 7, 2023.  All internal network access will be affected for this time period. This includes website and phone systems as well. Anticipated down time is 2 to 3 hours.  

Dysart Unified School District has been selected as a 2022-2023 District of Distinction for its use of Imagine Learning Illustrative Mathematics.

After program usage was reviewed for the current school year, the district met the rigorous usage standards required for a District of Distinction designation. This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of many administrators, teachers, staff, students, and parents.

“We’re proud of the commitment to learning shown by these schools and districts,” said Sari Factor, Vice Chair and Chief Strategy Officer at Imagine Learning. “It is our privilege to partner with educators across the country, and these awards serve to highlight their dedication to achieving greater learning outcomes for their students.”

Imagine Learning uses multiple measures, including usage and implementation data, to designate top schools and districts for the award.  Imagine Learning has found that meeting program usage and implementation goals is directly associated with increased student success and academic growth.

Imagine Learning currently delivers classroom-ready curriculum authored by Illustrative Mathematics through their digital platform to 4th-5th grade classrooms in our district.  Within this platform, teachers have access to lesson plans, presentations, narratives, activities, centers, practice and assessments that drive their planning.  When assigned content, students are able to practice items digitally and receive feedback from their teacher. 

“Imagine Learning has provided a user-friendly platform that helps Dysart Unified School District teachers move student learning forward.  We look forward to expanding this with K-3 in the 23-24 school year,” said Kamyle Bernard, K-12 Math Curriculum Specialist.

About Imagine Learning

Imagine Learning provides digital-first PreK–12 solutions for core instruction, supplemental and intervention, online courses, and virtual instruction. It’s mission is to ignite learning breakthroughs with forward-thinking solutions at the intersection of people, curricula, and technology. 

Along with the 2022 fundraising efforts and contributions from community partners, the Dysart Education Foundation (DEF) was able to award $80,500 to 17 graduating seniors from the four Dysart Unified School District high schools with scholarships funds to obtain higher education in their chosen fields.

The recipients were awarded their certificates at the fifth annual DEF Awards Dinner held at The Vista Center for the Arts in the presence of their families, principals, counselors, administration, governing board, community leaders from Surprise and El Mirage, and the donors of their scholarships.

The dinner also highlighted the talented high school students with the opening ceremony presentation of colors by the Dysart High School JROTC Color Guard, entertainment by Shadow Ridge High School Stellar FX choir, and Cohen Cunningham, a student photographer from Dysart High School who captured the memorable moments for these deserving scholarship recipients. Southwest Foodservice Excellence prepared the dinner along with the Valley Vista High School Career and Technical Education Culinary program instructors and students serving guests and preparing desserts. 

The following scholarships were awarded: 

Share the Love/DEF $5000 Scholarship  

Dysart High School: Maria De La Cruz, Khiya Maxwell, Danielle Lemoine, Nathan Balderas, Lesli Arredondo Matehuala

Shadow Ridge High School: Jessica Chappelle and Christian Franco

Valley Vista High School: Aiden Pinuelas and Aadem Isai

Willow Canyon High School: Trinity Kennemer and Ajianette Davis

Southwest Foodservice Excellence $5,000 Scholarship

Dysart High School: Hector Mora

Willow Canyon High School: Jake Sekosky

Dysart High School Alumni Committee $5,000 Scholarship

Dysart High School: Fabiola Reyna and Julian Laborin

Dr. Gail Pletnick Education Award $3,000 Scholarship

Valley Vista High School: Emma Sniff

Ty Timbrooks Memorial $2,500 Scholarship

Dysart High School: Briana Ramirez Medina

DEF is a non-profit volunteer organization founded in 1985 whose sole purpose is to enrich and enhance educational opportunities in the Dysart Unified School District through fundraising.  College scholarships are awarded to seniors who demonstrate academic excellence, community involvement and who are in need of financial assistance. 

DEF’s intent is to engage the community in supporting public education by stimulating community involvement in education.  Scholarships are available to apply in January through March 15 of the graduating school year and are administered by the Arizona Community Foundation (ACF). Visit www.defweb.org for more information and to offer donations.

Andrea Cosio, a Valley Vista High School student, has been accepted to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and received a $30,000 grant.

Andrea learned she was accepted to the prestigious school back in March.  Her extensive list of  academic and extracurricular achievements include a 4.0 unweighted GPA and a 4.733 weighted GPA, Class of 2023 valedictorian, president of the National Honor Society, and is a member of the Key Club, Science Club and Varsity Show Choir.  Additionally, she is an avid writer devoting several hours each week to writing poems and short stories.

Andrea considers Math as her strongest subject as she spent her summers taking advanced classes, participated in math competitions, and tutored high school students in the subject.

Andrea was also named a commended student in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program for her PSAT score.

At MIT, she plans to major in Chemical Engineering and minor in Material Science in order to pursue her passion for research.  

“I hope to invest myself into research and field project opportunities to produce materials that are biobased, sustainable, and ultimately, more efficient.”

Andrea’s family has been a strong influence on her academic interests.  Her mother and father are in the mathematical and science fields, and her siblings are in the medical and engineering fields.

“It's where my people are. Ultimately, being accepted here attests to the hard work of my own and of my nurturing parents and siblings. Acceptance here was a process of preparation and opportunity-meeting. Now, MIT here I come!”

The mission of MIT is to advance knowledge and educate students in science, technology, and other areas of scholarship that will best serve the nation and the world in the 21st century.  The Institute is committed to generating, disseminating, and preserving knowledge, and to working with others to bring this knowledge to bear on the world's great challenges. 

It was a busy season for Career and Technical Education (CTE)  students throughout the district who competed at the state level in the HOSA, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), and SkillsUSA state conferences.  

The FBLA State Leadership conference was held on April 3-5 in Tucson, Arizona. The event gives students the opportunity to advance to the national conference, compete in a variety of competitions, participate in workshops, and run for state office for FBLA.

Valley Vista High School saw great success with several awards:

4th Place Digital Animation - Jacob Jackson, Gavin Ronald, and Spencer Baker

5th Place Digital Animation - Sadie Bright and Chris Reynolds

3rd place Broadcast Journalism - Michael Brelsford, Genesis Martinez, and Rebecca Micula 

3rd Place Digital Video Production - Livia Tibbling, David Brazil, and Olivia Castro

5th Place Digital Video Production - Katherine Hibbard, Matthew Dietzman, and Niyah Durrett 

2nd Place Partnership with Business Project - Ryan Irish

4th Place Graphic Design, Journalism - Kade Ruff 

1st Place Management of Information Systems - Issac White, Skyler Spinella, and Barsin Edward

FBLA inspires and prepares students to become community-minded business leaders in a global society through relevant career preparation and leadership experiences.

Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) students from all four high schools competed in the HOSA State Leadership Conference held in Tucson March 29 - 31st.

Students had the opportunity to compete in multiple different events, participate in workshops, and network with current healthcare professionals as well as other students from across the state. 

Congratulations to the following students for their achievements in their respective events:

Shadow Ridge High School students Jack Ceron, Nate Delage, Parker Kiepke, and Allision Chov won 2nd Place HOSA Bowl Team Event.

Willow Canyon High School had several students place including: 

3rd Place Mental Health - Marian Amezcua and Jayda Corzo

Alternate Top 5 Researched Persuasive Writing and Speaking - Sarena Strickland

2nd Place Physical Therapy - Jasmine Laibe

3rd Place Extemporaneous Writing - Gianna McCurdy 

Alternate Top 5 Medical Law and Ethics -  Tyrah Davis

Alternate Top 5 Pathophysiology - McKenna Lee

HOSA is a student-led organization that seeks to empower students to become leaders in the global health community, through education, collaboration, and experience. The HOSA State Leadership conference provides students the opportunity to use the skills they have learned in their Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses and apply them to a competitive events program. 

Students from all four district high schools attended the SkillsUSA State Leadership Conference held April 11-12 in Phoenix. Several students competed and found success in their respective events. 

Willow Canyon students found success in the following events:

1st Place Interactive Application and Game Design - Jasper Nicholson and Jericho Nicholson

1st Place Career Pathways Showcase: Arts and Comm - Eli Hernandez, Maliah McCaffrey, and Gracie Hansom

4th Place Job Skill Demo A - Madison Albin

Top 10 Pin Design Finalist - Viviana Ibuado

Willow Canyon also received the Silver Chapter of Distinction Award and Willow Canyon Graphic Design teacher and advisor, Amy Morrison was inducted into the Arizona SkillsUSA Hall of Champions. 

Shadow Ridge High School found success in many events including:

Gold in Pin Design - Jonathan Hornberger 

Silver in Pin Design - Kaylee Bernal 

Silver in Mobile Robotics - Wyatt Wilson and Ryan Louis

Silver in Web Design & Development - Joseph Holm and Aaron Skol

Bronze in Computer Programming - Zachary Hampton

Bronze in Mobile Robotics - Abel Garza and Travis Cain

SkillsUSA is a Career and Technical Education partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA provides quality education experiences for students in leadership, teamwork, citizenship and character development by building and reinforcing self-confidence, work attitudes and communications skills. A nonprofit national education association, SkillsUSA serves middle-school, high-school and college/postsecondary students preparing for careers in trade, technical, and skilled service (including health) occupations.

These awards will qualify several students to compete at the national level this summer.  

HOSA, FBLA, and SkillsUSA are a few of the many Career and Technical Education (CTE) opportunities offered to prepare students for the academic and vocational skills necessary to successfully enter the workforce.  Learn more at dysart.org/cte.

Dysart Schools held their annual All District Boys Volleyball, Baseball, and Softball Team Award presentations to recognize and celebrate the student-athletes who displayed excellence in the Spring 2023 season. Athletes were selected by district coaches from Valley Vista, Shadow Ridge, Dysart, and Willow Canyon High Schools.

All District Boys Volleyball

First Team 

Ryan Louis - Shadow Ridge 

Jean Russell - Willow Canyon 

Adair Blue - Willow Canyon 

Rett Larson - Shadow Ridge

Austin Kuehler - Shadow Ridge

Paul Petersen - Willow Canyon 

Cade Connolly - Shadow Ridge 

Second Team 

Noah Katzer - Valley Vista

Emilio Feliciano - Dysart High

Ethan Roth - Willow Canyon

Jacoby Larson - Shadow Ridge

Parker Katena - Valley Vista

Aaron Lagman - Dysart High

Braiden Gowan - Dysart High 

All Academic Team

Paul Petersen - Willow Canyon

Wesley Smith - Willow Canyon

Brandon Narang - Shadow Ridge

Brady McMullen - Shadow Ridge

Kade Erickson - Dysart High

Caden White - Dysart High

Travis Sakurai - Valley Vista

Parker Katena - Valley Vista 

All District Softball 

First Team 

Jadyn Scott - Shadow Ridge

J'kai'a Scott - Shadow Ridge

Allison Lindsay - Shadow Ridge

Jayden Hart - Shadow Ridge

Jordan Hart - Shadow Ridge

Kayleigh Bowers - Willow Canyon

Abbi Markus - Willow Canyon

Trinity Kennemer - Willow Canyon

Rylee Turlington - Willow Canyon

Brenna Windahl - Willow Canyon

Ruby Lara - Dysart High

Savannah Farmer - Dysart High

Mya Sias - Dysart High

Makaila Hickman - Valley Vista 

Second Team

Destiny Johnston - Shadow Ridge

Liliana Moreno - Shadow Ridge

Delaney Salasek - Shadow Ridge

Harmony Andrade - Willow Canyon 

Kylie Bearden - Willow Canyon  

Olivia DeFord - Willow Canyon

Cali Overs - Dysart High

Adria Garcia - Valley Vista 

Katie Mayen - Valley Vista

Teagen Sorensen - Valley Vista 

Honrable Mention

Raynecloud Dallas - Dysart High 

Anastacia Achleitner - Dysart High

Izzy Ray - Willow Canyon

Jena Petersen - Willow Canyon

Savanna Gumowski - Valley Vista

Brooke Hyde - Valley Vista

Makena Melara - Shadow Ridge

Taylor Agaman - Shadow Ridge 

All Academic Team

Rylee Turlington - Willow Canyon

Kayleigh Bowers - Willow Canyon

Jayden Hart - Shadow Ridge

Allison Lindsay - Shadow Ridge

Aubrey Messmer - Dysart High

Juliana Bustraan - Dysart High

Makaila Hickman - Valley Vista

Isabelle Black - Valley Vista  

Player of the Year

Marissa McCann - Willow Canyon

All District Baseball

First Team

Dominic Tizzano - Valley Vista

Phoenix Madsen - Shadow Ridge

Dyllan Curthoys - Willow Canyon

Ian Anderson - Dysart High

Adrian Montoya - Valley Vista

Elijah White - Valley Vista

Nate Morales - Dysart High 

Juan Anaya - Dysart High

Cameron Davidson - Willow Canyon

Chance Greene - Shadow Ridge

Austin Matranga - Shadow Ridge

Mathews Esrra - Valley Vista

Spencer Catanach - Willow Canyon

Easton Carleton - Dysart High 

Second Team

Jake Miller - Willow Canyon

Mark Vargas - Shadow Ridge

Owen House - Willow Canyon

Kaile Hamlin - Willow Canyon

Ryan Olivarria - Dysart High

Eduardo Carranza - Dysart High 

Tyler Giacoletti-Moody - Dysart High

Chase Whitley - Shadow Ridge

Cole Holtorf - Shadow Ridge

Jack Langley - Shadow Ridge 

Derek Wheeler - Valley Vista

Trace Garrison - Shadow Ridge

Stephen Neal - Valley Vista

Carter Holton - Willow Canyon   

Shara Rose, Exceptional Student Services (ESS) Coordinator, is this year’s recipient of the Council for Exceptional Children Division of Early Childhood (AzDEC) Linda M. Levine Outstanding Leadership Award.

The AzDEC Linda M. Levine Outstanding Leadership Award is given annually to an Arizona nominee who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in supporting early childhood general/special education and/or programming. The award recognizes a teacher, administrator, related services professional, home visitor, or paraprofessional who demonstrates leadership qualities in going beyond the everyday demands of their position to create an exceptional environment resulting in improved services and impacting the lives of young children with exceptionalities and their families.

Shara has been with the district for 19 years, serving as an administrator for 11 years.  Her current role is an ESS Coordinator.  In her current role, she supports special education provision in multiple campuses in grades preschool through 8th grade and oversees the district’s special education preschool program, professional development and programming for the district including the Arizona Department of Education monitoring for Child Find, and child outcome data reporting to the state and federal office of special education.  Shara was presented with the award at the AzDEC Spring Conference.  

“Shara Rose exhibits the highest level of commitment to our youngest learners and works hard to make connections with our preschool families at Dysart Schools.  She creates a culture of partnering with families so that we can all work together and impact student learning and outcomes,” shared Corey Montaño, Exceptional Student Services Director.

The Arizona Division for Early Childhood (DEC) is an organization designed for individuals who work with or on behalf of children with special needs, birth through age 8, and their families.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 05/05/2023

DYSART SCHOOLS - Dysart Unified School District will host high school graduation ceremonies for the 2023 senior class on Monday, May 22.  The four graduation ceremonies will take place at the State Farm Stadium located at 1 Cardinals Drive in Glendale, Arizona.  Ceremonies will begin at the following times: 

10:00 a.m. – Valley Vista High School  

12:30 p.m. – Dysart High School 

3:00 p.m. – Shadow Ridge High School 

5:30 p.m. – Willow Canyon High School 

All graduation ceremonies will be live-streamed by Dysart Student Broadcasting Live (DSB Live) students at Vimeo.com/DSBlive. DSB Live is a program to provide high school students with the opportunity for hands-on, real-world experience in broadcasting.  The live stream is free of charge, and will allow anyone to watch the ceremony live. The video recording will also be available to view or download after the event. 

Graduation ceremonies are open to the public. There is no charge for admission or parking and tickets are not required.

The students were named Overall Grand Champions for all categories, winning the contest for the second year in a row.  Additionally, they received Fastest Lap with an average speed of 19.3mph, Most Laps with 6, and the Maker Division Championship.

Working with teachers and mentors, students spend nine months preparing for race day. Along the way, they apply physics, engineering, and energy concepts. They solve real-world problems, using mathematical, analytical, and critical thinking skills. Students work in teams and collaborate on ideas. They are challenged to translate their ideas into a working prototype, and along the way, they build leadership skills. 

The Solar Stallions team consisted of seven students: Mea Buffa, Jacob Hilton, Landon Holm, Colton Meyers, Alden Kowalewsky, Von Caparas, and Andrew Retzlaff.  They competed against 13 Arizona high schools.

The team prepared for the event the entire year by gathering the materials, planning the design, building and testing the go-kart powered entirely by energy produced by the sun.

“We had a great team this year that worked extremely hard. They made a kart that was lean and fast. It was very rewarding to see them accomplish their goals,” shared Shadow Ridge coach and Engineering teacher, Eric Bennett.

Engineering is one of the many Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs in the district that prepares students to enter the workforce with the academic and vocational skills needed to compete successfully in the job market

The event was sponsored by the Southern Arizona Regional Science and Engineering Fair (SARSEF). SARSEF focuses on engaging students through exploration of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), in order to gain critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are important for whatever career they choose. 

Students in 3rd through 8th grade from across the Dysart Unified School District participated in the annual Math Challenge on April 29th at Dysart High School.  All 20 of the district’s elementary and middle schools are invited to participate and each school can enter up to three teams of six students.

There were three rounds in the Math Challenge.  The first round was a speed round containing 30 problems that students must collaborate and solve in a 10 minute timeframe.  The second and third rounds had six questions each that are focused more on problem solving and get more intense as they progress.  The second and third rounds had a time limit of 20 minutes each.  

The purpose of the event was to entice, engage, and challenge students to solve math problems while along the way strengthening their math fundamentals.  Collaboration was also a strong focus of the event as teams must work together and strategize to complete the problems to the best of their ability within the time allowed.  Congratulations to all the students that participated!  The results are as follows:

3rd and 4th Grades 

First Place: El Mirage Team 2 

Second Place: Canyon Ridge Team 2  

Third Place: Marley Park Team 1

5th and 6th Grades 

First Place: Canyon Ridge Team 1 

Second Place: Freedom Traditional Team 2 

Third Place: Sonoran Heights Middle School Team 1

7th and 8th Grades 

First Place: Sunset Hills Team 1 

Second Place: Sunset Hills Team 2 

Third Place: Sonoran Heights Middle School Team 1

Students from Willow Canyon High School recently received prestigious awards from Cambridge Assessment International Education, part of the University of Cambridge, in recognition of their outstanding achievements on the June 2022 series of examinations. 

Eight students total received recognition for their achievements. Alexandra Silea received the Outstanding Cambridge Learner Award for receiving the highest score in the United States for History. Alexandra also received the Cambridge Scholar Award with Distinction for receiving an “A” in three or more Cambridge Subjects. Chase Steinmetz, Emilia Escobar, Hannah Schmid, Jonathan Stein, Makenzie Henige, Sofiya (Aspen) Galanyuk, and Sydney Voorhees each received the Cambridge Scholar Award with Merit for receiving at least a “B” or higher in three or more Cambridge Subjects.

As a global organization with a 160-year history and part of the University of Cambridge, Cambridge Assessment International Education partners with schools and districts around the world with a shared goal of making education transformation a reality. This program is part of an internationally benchmarked program that allows students to earn college-level credit in high school. Cambridge International uniquely provides an instructional system across four stages (Primary through Advanced) aligning rigorous curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment for all students in grades K-12.  

Shadow Ridge High School Educators Rising students recently participated in the Educators Rising State Leadership Conference on March 20-22 held in Tucson. 

Fifteen students from Shadow Ridge attended the event and competed in various competitions related to the education profession. Six students placed in their events and have qualified to attend the national conference this summer. Halle Feltner took first place and Logan Gibbs took second place in Lesson Planning and Delivery - STEM, Sarah DeCovnivk and Remie Whitt placed first in the Ethical Dilemma team event, and Jilliana Chacon and Maddelyn Meirose took second place in the Inside Our School Presentation team event. Additionally, Darnell Arizaga-Edmond, Joseph Behner, Katelyn Finley, Ryndi Gentner, Nevaeh Heil, and Liana Vargas placed in the top ten in their respective events and also qualified to attend the national conference. 

The 2023 Educators Rising National Conference will take place June 29 - July 2 in Orlando, Florida. 

Educators Rising Arizona is a Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO) for students participating in Education Professions that is dedicated to ensuring that the future is full of high quality educators starting in high school. Educators Rising Arizona provides students with the opportunities to take what they learn in their Early Childhood Education and Education Professions classes and apply them to relevant, scenario-based competitions at the annual State Leadership Conference. Educators Rising Arizona also offers professional development opportunities and practical applications for students who aspire to enter the teaching profession by providing them with engaging breakout sessions centered around best practices and leadership development. 

Education Professions is a Career and Technical Education (CTE) program offered at Shadow Ridge High School that prepares students for employment or post-secondary opportunities in the education field. The program provides instruction in education career choices, education structure and systems, theory, pedagogy, developmental stages, learning styles and methodology. The program also provides interactive experiences with students at different age levels, in a variety of content areas in educational environments. 

The Dysart Unified School District will be reviewing and voting on the Student Fee Schedule for the 2023-2024 school year at the next Governing Board meeting, which will be held on Thursday, April 13 at 6:00p.m. Board meetings are held at the district office, located at 15802 N. Parkview Place, Surprise, AZ 85375, and are also live streamed at Youtube.com/DysartUSD.  

To view an agenda, please visit https://go.boarddocs.com/az/dysart/Board.nsf/vpublic?open. Those who wish to make a public comment during the in person meeting can do so by turning in a Request to Address the Governing Board form to the Board Secretary prior to the meeting.