Western Peaks News

1st Grade classes got to learn about bubbles while at the same time having fun with bubbles!

Let's see that Falcon spirit this week!  Join us in celebrating the end of testing!

Monday-Wear all green for earth day!

Tuesday-Tie Dye Tuesday!

Wednesday-School Spirit day!

Thursday-Hawaiian shirt day! Aloha!

Friday-No school

Western Peaks Kindergarten and 1st Grade students received a bee education from an real beekeeper!  They learned about the important roll bees play our environment.

Students in 4th grade have been busy the last couple of months preparing for the AASA tests in reading, writing, and math.  They have set goals for their tests based off of last year's AASA scores and their benchmark scores from this year.  Then they met with Principal Brown and Assistant Principal Ireland to go over their goals and show what a "Smartie" they are!  Prior to the test each morning, students will receive a treat provided by our amazing PTSA to get started off on the right foot!  Good luck to all 4th graders on the AASA test this week!   April 16, 17, 18 and 19, 2024

Mrs. Duran's class has been doing some cross curricular learning in Kindergarten this week. In reading their new vocabulary words to know were “study, observe, and curious” we’ve taken those words to our science unit where we have been observing our own alfalfa seeds grow. Students have shown curiosity by predicting what would happen to their plants as the days pass. Today students used a science tool to study the parts of their plant they then recorded their data in a plant journal. 

Western Peaks held its quarterly Academic Awards Assembly on March 29, 2024.  This is our opportunity for Western Peaks students and parents to celebrate their academic achievements and the Falcon Flyer awards for being Respectful, Responsible, and Kind.  We are proud of our students!

That face of happiness from Ms Nanoo comes from her sorting through snacks!  Western Peaks PTSA has supplied Western Peaks students with snacks for testing days.  Western Peaks has the BEST PTSA!  Thank you!

This week in first grade we are learning about measuring using non standard units. The students have loved measuring and then comparing their data with partners. Their favorite part was measuring their teacher’s foot and then their partner’s. They were very excited!

State Testing takes place this year in April on the following dates:  3rd, 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th.  Please mark your calendars for these dates to insure your child gets plenty of rest and is ready to demonstrate the knowledge they have gained this year.

Students and parents enjoyed a night of reading and fun activities for, "Read Across America Night!"  One of the most popular activities is the cake walk!

Third Quarter Academic Awards Assembly takes place on Friday, March 29, 2024

9:15 am-2nd and 3rd Grades

10:00 am-Kindergarten and 1st Grade

10:45 am-4th Grade

March 5, 2024 20% of sales will be donated to the school/PTSA.  Mention to your server you are there for the Western Peaks Elementary school fundraiser.  Or, show the flyer that was sent home.

Come out and enjoy all the fun reading activities planned for the evening of March 7, 2024 to celebrate Read Across America Week.

Donate to our Western Peaks Tax Credit and help support our before/after school extracurricular clubs, fine arts clubs and tutoring!  We will put up a shamrock with your family name for every donation. As us for assistance!  Our school goal is $20 per family.    

Read Across America, Spirit Week, is March 4th thru March 8th

Monday, March 4th - Crazy Sock Day-Wear a pair of wild and crazy socks.

Tuesday, March 5th - Crazy Hat Day-Wear a crazy hat to school.

Wednesday, March 6th - Wacky Wednesday-Wear all your wacky patterns, stripes, and polka dots!

Thursday, March 7th - Oh, the places you'll go!-Dress like what you want to be when you grow up.

Friday,  March 8th - Pajama Day-Wear some comfy, cozy pajamas!

Students in 4th grade are currently learning how to multiply 2-, 3-, and 4-digit numbers by 1-digit and 2-by-2-digit numbers using a variety of strategies.  They are learning to use base-10 blocks, repeated addition, area model, partial products, and the standard algorithm to find the product and then ultimately choosing which strategy works best for them.  Students are also being the expert by teaching their classmates how to solve these multiplication problems and finding errors in other students' problems to achieve success!

Third grade explored the science of sound production and vibration at the Musical Instrument Museum.  Students learned the different categories of instruments that make up an orchestra.  Students participated in an African drumming workshop where they learned how to make different sound and rhythm patterns on the djembe drum.  This field trip was music to our ears!

Western Peaks PTSA hosted, "Donuts with Guardians," today as part of their twice annual donut and Scholastic Book Fair.  This was also an opportunity for one of Western Peaks former students to attend this event!  Thank you Western Peaks PTSA!

                                 Click the following link to access this years survey:  Parent Survey 23-24

Second grade is observing how the sun's position changes in a twenty-four hour period. Ms. Roemer's class investigated how shadows change as the position of the sun changes. They made paper gnomes and moved the flashlight to match the gnome's shadow to the pattern on the paper. 

The second graders wrapped up their social studies unit by creating timelines. Students in Ms. Roemer's class learned about the history of Surprise, and created a timeline with their facts.

Ms. Kelley’s class was on a mission to spread kindness, with a, "heart,"  attack. They wrote kind notes and put them on Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Ireland’s doors.

Mrs. Flanigan's 3rd Grade celebrated the 100th day of school by seeing how high they could build a tower with 100 marshmallows and toothpicks!  You can see more pictures by clicking the following link:  100 Marshmallows and toothpicks 

Mrs. Duran's class had 100's of fun activities celebrating the 100th Day of School on the 23rd.  This is what they believe a 100 year old person looks like!

Mrs. Spindler had fun celebrating the 100th day by using an aging photo progression application.  Looks like some pretty amazing kindergarten centenarians! 

Western Peaks various classes will be celebrating 100 Days of School on January 23, 2024!  

Spring picture day is February 1, 2024, don't forget to look your best and wear a smile!

In recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, school will not be in session on Monday, January 15, 2024.  School Resumes on Tuesday, January 16, 2024.

Second Quarter Awards Assembly will take place on January 25, 2024 at the following times:

2nd & 3rd Grades-9:15 am

Kindergarten & 1st Grade-10:00 am

4th Grade-10:30 am

If your child is receiving an award you will receive a notification from your child's teacher.

This past Tuesday was Spirit Day, Buddy Day.  Looks like there were a lot of staff enjoying buddy day!

What is better than a night of fun at Fat Cats and a PTSA Fundraising Activity?  Having your best friends to play with at Fat Cats!

Monday-Deck the Halls-Wear holiday colors

Tuesday-Buddy the Elf- Find a buddy and wear matching holiday gear

Wednesday-Fleece Navidad, Joy to the Wool- Wear a holiday sweater & fuzzy socks

Thursday-Heads Up Whoville-Wear your hair like a Who, or wear a holiday hat

Friday-Comfy Cozy-Wear some cozy pajamas-school appropriate.

Our AMAZING PTSA is sponsoring a Holiday Door Decoration Contest.  There are several prizes up for grabs for the staff at Western Peaks.  Go to the Western Peaks PTSA social media pages and vote for your favorite door decoration!

This week, Mrs. Deffinbaugh's class is reading the story "Kindness in the Community".  We learned that we can help others in our community feel happy by writing them cards.  We wrote cards to our families thanking them for taking care of us.

The Kindergarten classes took a field trip on 12-5-23 to see Childplay's, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, at Herberger Theater.  The students ate their lunch in front of the theater, before the show.  Reports are they enjoyed this picnic as much as the show!  What a fun start to a winter holiday month!

Students in 4th grade are spreading kindness for the month of December!  Each morning a gift reveals a new way students can be kind to one another leading up to Winter Break.  So far, they have monitored the cleanliness of their lunch table, picked up trash on the playground and sat with someone new at lunch.  They can't wait to see what each day brings!

Don't forget that school will dismiss early at 12:00 pm on Friday, December 22nd.  School will then be closed for Winter Break starting December 25, 2023 and ending on January 8, 2024.  The first day of school after Winter Break is January 9, 2024.

Western Peak's Kindergarten teacher (Mrs. Spindler) started a new club this school in which she taught students basic Crochet stitches.  The students and staff that helped loved learning a new skill!  Maybe there will be blankets made for families this winter!

Our Health Aide, Mrs. Michels and our Data Records Technician, Mrs. Espinoza took time out of their busy schedule to take advantage of our Thanksgiving backdrop during our Thanksgiving Luncheon!

Western Peaks had a large turn out for our annual Thanksgiving Luncheon on 11-17-23.  Western Peaks is grateful all of our families that come together each year to celebrate reasons to be thankful!

Each Kindergarten class worked hard at disguising a turkey.   There were two winners from teach kindergarten class, and our PTSA donated turkeys and pumpkin pies for the winners.  So many clever disguises!

Second grade wrapped up their unit on measurement this week. Ms. Kelley’s class investigated how many inches are in a yard by creating their own yardsticks and using it to measure larger items in class. 

Second grade is studying weathering and erosion. Students investigated where sand at the beach comes from, and why sand may be different colors like the purple sand at Pfeiffer Beach in California.

We are so proud to announce that Western Peaks Elementary School earned an “A” rating from the school accountability labels for the 2022-2023 school year! Western Peaks is one of 18 schools in the district to receive the “A” rating.  

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.

If you plan to attend Western Peaks annual Thanksgiving Luncheon on November 6th, please don't forget to send in your RSVP.   Follow the link with more information and the RSVP.  Thank you!  Thanksgiving Luncheon RSVP PDF

Congratulations to the following students and parents Storybook Pumpkin Winners!  Carissa Iannessa, Derrick Schultz,  Aaron Leighton, Atticus Groom, and Logan Seckel.  There were many wonderful Storybook Pumpkins the choice's were hard make.  Thanks to all of the participants, we loved seeing all of the talent!

Mrs. Keely's gifted students created robots that help their community by reporting bad people to the police.

This is the second year that Western Peaks students decorated pumpkins to resemble their favorite storybook.  Parents are encourage to help, and as you can see from the linked gallery, LOTS of fun went into the decorations. Winners are chosen by teachers and staff voting for their favorite storybook pumpkin.  Families can view the entire display Friday, October 27, 2023 during the Trunk or Treat.  Storybook Pumpkins

Fall is in the air and Mrs. Wings class is celebrating by making Scarecrows!  

The PTSA is sponsoring a fundraiser through shopfund.com.  A portion of the sales will be donated back to the PTSA/School.   Two wins, shop for Christmas while at the same time supporting your child's school.  Packets with more details were sent home, shop at shopfund.com until 11-9-23!

Don't forget this Friday October 27. 2023 is Trunk or Treat in the evening.  Lots of candy, two food trucks and a storybook pumpkin showcase in the library!  See you soon!

Congratulations to our very own teacher of the month, Mrs. Spiegel who was chosen as our teacher of the month!  Our community partner Remax awards prizes each month to one of Western Peak's teachers!  Congratulations!

As part of the PBIS program on the Western Peaks campus Stacie Brown the principal of Western Peaks draws (10) student names from Falcon Wings and those students get to enjoy a treat from the principal. Plus, they receive a certificate and their picture is posted on a bulletin board for the month.  The students enjoy seeing this Hall of Fame!

Western Peaks first Academic Awards Assembly will take place on Friday, October 27, 2023. The times are as follows:

2nd and 3rd grades:  9:15 am to 9:40 am

Kindergarten and 1st grade:  9:50 am to 10:15 am

4th grade:  10:20 am to 10:45 am

Mrs. Spindler's kindergarten class had fun this week learning about apples.  They measured and tested them to see apples sink or float, plus, used their senses to describe apples.  Best of all they got to eat the apples as they learned.

• Monday-Neon Day, (Wear your favorite bright colors!)
• Tuesday-Wacky Tacky, (Wear mismatched outfit.)
• Wednesday-Wild Wednesday, (Wear wild hair style.)
• Thursday-Hat Day, (Wear your favorite hat!)
• Friday-Pajama Day, (Wear your favorite PJ's, within school dress code.) 

The week of October 2-6, is parent/teacher conference week.  If you haven't already done so, don't forget to schedule an appointment with your child's teacher to meet with them!

Third graders at Western Peaks are exploring math concepts using hands-on learning experiences and collaborating with their peers.  They used items to create arrays and worked together to solve problems.  Awesome focus, mathematicians!

 Mrs. Clemens and other Dysart District iExplore Teachers dived into Innovation at the Arizona Science Center's "Educate to Innovate" Conference! The iExplore team explored new frontiers in education, leveraging the latest advances in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) to provide our students with an unparalleled learning experience.  

Don't forget that today and tonight is the PTSA Fundraiser at Panda Express.  Don't cook tonight, order dinner from Panda Express.  A portion of the sales will be donated Western Peaks/PTSA

Students in Mrs. Dominguez's class have been working on academic conversations. Students have been working on listening to their partners and explaining their thinking to their peers. 

Second graders are learning about different states of matter. After researching liquids, Ms. Roemer's class took a virtual tour of the Hoover Dam and put their engineer hats on to design their own dam. Students had a goal to redirect the water for a city who needs to use the water to produce electricity. 

Grads Photography will be at Western Peaks Elementary School on September 19, 2023.  You can preorder your pictures by clicking here:  Grads Photography

Mrs. Lunceford’s kindergarten class celebrated their learning about characters, settings and main events in fiction with character day. Students shared some of their favorite books and dressed as the main characters from those books. 

Mrs. Spindler's Kindergarten class collaborated to create pattern blocks.

Help us fundraise for our school! Please donate today by clicking the button below or scanning the QR code! Our fundraiser is from August 28th - September 8th.

Preschool students are working together and building collaboratively.  What an awesome building!

Mrs. Duran's Kindergarten students are learning how to have math talks with their peers.  In pairs, students had to recognize and name small groups of objects and images without counting.  

Please follow us on social media! Follow @WPESFalcons on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter! 

Have some family fun at Western Peaks!  The PTSA is sponsoring a BINGO Night on August 25, 2023 from 6 to 8 pm.  They will have available for purchase pizza $3, drinks $1, candy $1, a meal of pizza, drink & candy for $5.

First Day for Preschool students is August 7, 2023. 

Meet the teacher night is August 1, 2023

A letter went home yesterday to each Kindergarten thru 3rd grade student regarding, Move on When Reading, this link is a copy of the letter that went home on 8-8-23.  Move on When Reading-Kindergarten thru 3rd grade

Teachers and staff have been excitedly preparing to welcome back returning students and getting to know new students to Western Peaks!  

Please click link to access Western Peak's back to school information packet:   Back to School Information Packet.pdf

Please welcome Western Peak's new PTSA Board:

President - Chris Ireland

Vice President - Jessica Pahel

Treasurer - Melody Pahel

Secretary - Nicole Bartalos.  

You may contact the PTSA at [email protected].  

Please click the following link to become a member or order a T-Shirt:   Membership and T-Shirt orders 

Please join us for our open house on August 1, 2023 from 5:00 to 6:30 pm 

The optional back to school supply list is posted under Essential Resources:  Back to School Optional Supply List 2023-2024

School Office Closed 6-2-23 to 7-7-23

Office Reopens 7-10-23

Hours:  8:00 am to 4:30 pm

Closed Fridays until 7-28-23

Registration online 24/7 Enroll now!

First day of school August 3, 2023

Last bell for students to be seated:  9:00 am

Welcome back! 

Watch your email and snail mail for more information!

Western Peaks Elementary School held their Innovation Showcase Night on May 10, highlighting the best of Western Peak's student efforts.  Parents and the community got to walk through galleries of student projects, participate in hands-on activities, play educational games, get involved in interactive learning experiences, and have a bite to eat while celebrating our student's hard work!  Thanks to everyone for making it such a great evening!

The past few weeks in ESS they have prepared for the Innovation Showcase! In Ms. Obregon's class they learned about recycling, reusing and renewing. Then they used all the skills they learned to plant grass in reused plastic bottles. They have had so much fun and their grass has grown so tall!

Kindergarten End of Year Celebration.  Parents will be treated to a special program put on by the Kindergarten End of Year Celebration from 9:30 to 10:30 am, on May 19, 2023 in the school cafeteria.

Congratulations to our 3rd and 4th grade student Mathletes!  They placed 8th out of 22 teams.  They were focused, put in tons of effort, and worked so well together as a team.  I am so proud of them!  

Ms Flanigan's 3rd grade class learned that Earth is our home, and it's important that we take care of it. It is important that we continue to learn and protect planet Earth. They discussed several things we can do to help! They can spend the day picking up trash, cleaning parks, planting trees, and even educating others about how important it is to care for our planet.  They also learned that the ocean covers 71% of the Earth and makes up 99% of the living space on this planet, and only 1% of all this water is fresh!

Kindergarten students are learning about living things above and below the soil. Our big book Earthworms came alive as we got to hold some worms and feel them wiggle!

In celebration/recognition of Western Peaks teachers, the PTSA is asking for donated items, (examples: snakes and school supplies) to be dropped off at Western Peaks the week of May 1-5, 2023.

If you are interested in joining or helping the PTSA next year please attend this meeting on May 9, 2023 at 4:00 pm  Question?  Contact the PTSA at [email protected]

In Mrs. Akin’s first grade class they are learning about how animal traits are passed down from parents to their babies. They played a game with animal pictures and trait descriptions. One partner held a picture up to their forehead while the other student named traits of the animal. The student then had to guess the animal. The class had so much fun guessing the animals based on the different traits.

Kindergarten learned about the lifecycle of a seed as they planted their own seeds.  We learned about the things plants need to survive, as well as the parts of plants.

The Preschool team working together with all related service providers. We read a story and did a workshop to go along with the story "Build it." We worked on all areas of development. 

PTSA will be sponsoring a dance on May 5, 2023, 6 to 8 pm.

Thank you to the City of Surprise, Mayor Skip Hall and assistant Gina Neria, who brought pizza to Mrs. Wilson's 3rd grade class to celebrate winning the City of Surprise Reading Challenge! Congratulations to Mrs. Wilson's 3rd grade class!

In Music class, 2nd grade students compose their own music on their Chromebook and then play their music on Xylophones. Musicians in the making!

A HUGE congratulations to Bianca Reynolds who was nominated and won the Dysart Hero Award for excellence in volunteering at Western Peaks Elementary.  Bianca has been serving Western Peaks as a PTSA member for many years.  Our students and staff appreciate and love the service both Bianca Reynolds, our PTSA and other volunteers donate to our school!  Well deserved Bianca!

Fourth graders are busy learning all about animal adaptations. They completed a Seed Grasping Investigation which allowed them to mimic different bird beaks using tweezers/tongs and attempt to pick up a variety of seeds. They collaborated to determine which "bird beak" was best adapted for each seed. 

Together, we can do so much!  Students in third grade have been trying out a strategy called Rally Coach.  Students are getting to coach their peers to give feedback and be their biggest supporter.  Go team!

Monday, 2-27-23:  Crazy Sock Day, wear a wild and crazy pair of socks.

Tuesday, 2-28-23:  Crazy Hat Day, wear a crazy hat to school today.

Wednesday, 3-1-23:  Wear all your wacky patterns, stripes, and polka dots.

Thursday, 3-2-23:  Dress what you want to be when you grow up.

Friday, 3-3-23:  Wear some comfy cozy pajamas.

Western Peaks is hosting Read Across American Night on March 2, 2023 from 5 to 6:30 pm.  Come join the fun!

On Valentines Willow Canyon's basketball team along with Coach Colletti assisted Mrs. Spindler's kindergarten class in making Valentine Day crafts.  We love our volunteers!

Students in Mrs. Dominguez's 1st grade class has been learning about a plants life cycle. They have planted popcorn kernels and are observing the growth of the plant.

If parents want to set up an e-wallet for their student/child/ren book fair you can set up one up on the Scholastic website. This is a safe way to allow students to purchase books and more. You can put any amount on the Scholastic electronic wallet, students can then use e-wallet and parents don’t have to worry about them losing their money.  Link to Create a Scholastic Wallet   Late hours for parents to view and purchase from the book fair is Thursday, Feb 9,  2023 until 6 pm.

The students at Western Peaks Elementary School had a blast on the 100th Day of School on January 23. The Kinder classrooms had a ton of fun and dressed the part of Centenarians! The day featured learning activities involving the number 100. They stacked 100 cups, counted 100 fruit loops, built a masterpiece journal, stamped to 100, and answered this question during an ELA writing exercise - What would you be doing at 100 years old?

The Color Run will be held on the field behind the Gym-Basketball Courts on 1-27-23

1:15-1:45 pm-(am&pm) & Kindergarten

2:00 - 2:30 pm-3rd & 4th Grades

2:45 - 3:15 pm-1st & 2nd Grades

Don't forget to pre-order a yearbook today!  The cost to purchase a basic Western Peaks yearbook starts at $30.00.  

Purchase online:  

• step #1  go to, gradsyearbook.com 
• step #2 SELECT SHOP ONLINE, (select location, "Surprise")  and school (WesternPeaks) 
• step #3 Follow the online instructions.  (*Yearbooks can be personalized at an additional cost, see the online instructions.)

Western Peak's staff was treated to a scrumptious breakfast celebrating an "A," rating from the Arizona State Board of Education.  To view pictures click the following link: A rating celebration

January 17th is the kick off day of Western Peak's goal  of raising $20,000 to go towards shading, playground equipment, and wall wraps. If we meet our goal, students will get to try to dunk Principal Brown & Assistant Principal Ireland in a dunk tank! 

The actual run will take place on January 27, 2023. Parents are welcome to watch and/or volunteer to run with your child/ren. 

Donate now!

January 27th Color Run Schedule ~

• 1:15 - 1:45 pm ~ Preschool (am & pm) & Kindergarten 
•  2:00 - 2:30 pm ~ 3rd & 4th Grade 
•  2:45 - 3:15 pm ~ 1st & 2nd Grade

Winter Breaks starts on 12-21-22, school resumes on Thursday, January 5, 2023.

Second Quarter Awards Assembly takes place on January 13, 2023

K-2nd Grades:  3:00 pm

3rd & 4th Grades:  2:00 pm

Third grade students used collaboration, ingenuity, and STEAM skills to create and build turkey traps!  They had to be sure their trap was sturdy enough so that it could be raised and lowered with a pulley system to trap a turkey! 

Fourth grade participated in Computer Science Education Week last week. The students joined the rest of the world in "The Hour of Code," where they were able to pick a self-guided activity (or multiple) to complete and learn more about coding.

In the spirit of the holidays our 3rd grade teachers showed the spirit of Buddy Elf Day by twining times five!

Monday, 12-12-22-Deck the Halls (Wear holiday colors)

Tuesday, 12-13-22-Buddy Elf Day (Find a buddy & wear matching holiday gear)

Wednesday, 12-14-22-Fleece Navidad, Joy to the Wool (Wear a holiday sweater & fuzzy socks)

Thursday, 12-15-22-Heads up Whoville (Wear your hair like a Who, or wear a holiday hat)

Friday, 12-16-22-Comfy & Cozy (Wear some cozy pajamas.)

Monday, 12-19-22-Bah Humbug (Wear your Grinchiest outfit.)

Mrs. Akin’s first grade class were learning about how animals grow and change. They started discussing the different life cycles of animals. One of their favorites was learning about the life cycle of a butterfly. They are excited to learn more!

In honor of Veteran's Day, Mrs. Spindler's class learned about the five branches of the United States Military.  They then wrote letters to military members thanking them for their service.

The PTSA is hosting a fundraiser on Tuesday, 11-15-22 at Panda Express, located at 16760 W. Waddell Rd, Surprise, AZ 85388  A portion of the sales will be donated to Western Peaks Elementary School.  Show the flier when ordering, or if ordering online use the code 339964.  You can visit or order online starting at 9:30 am and ending at 9:30 pm on 11-15-22.  

Monday-"Merica Monday:  Wear red, white, and blue!

Tuesday-Twinning Tuesday:  Grab a friend, or two and dress alike!

Wednesday-Wake me up Wednesday:  Wear pajamas today!

Thursday-Tye Dye Thursday:  Wear tye dye clothing today.

Friday-Falcon Family Friday:  Wear your Western Peaks spirit wear or black, silver/gray, and yellow.

All three Preschool classrooms worked to create a Preschool spirt shirt.  They all had a blast creating them from preparing to picking the colors.  Preschool spirit is strong at Western Peaks!  #Falconfamily

Western Peaks Student Council is working in conjunction with Western and Northern Maricopa County Foster Care to collect toys for children in the foster care system.  They will be collecting new unwrapped toys for boys and girls ages from newborn to sixteen, from November 7, 2022 to December 7, 2022.  The toys will be picked up on December 8, 2022.  If you have questions please contact [email protected] or [email protected] 

Come out and support Western Peak's fantastic PTSA, by attending their  Board Meeting, Tuesday, November 29, 2022 at 3:50 pm.  

All of the Second Grade classes went on a field trip to Tolmachoff Farms and learned about the lifecycle of plants. They were excited to bring home the fruits of the lifecycle at the end of the day.

Principal Brown and Assistant Principal Ireland worked with volunteers on Saturday morning to beautify Western Peaks courtyard.  We are thankful to our volunteers Leigh Johnson, Carmen Johnson, Nancy Palmer and her parents, as well as Zeta Amicae of Surprise.  #LoveOurSchoolsDay!

Congratulations to our school level Spelling Bee winners!  Chase Horton is our first place winner, and David Smith is the runner up.  Chase Horton will go on to represent our school in the Dysart District competition.  In the event that Chase Horton is unable to attend, David Smith will represent the school.  Way to go Chase and David, we are proud of you!

In recognition of November, a month of thankfulness, Western Peaks is thankful for the support of our parents.  Speaking of thankfulness, this picture is of a beautiful table made and donated to Western Peaks by Cadence's father, Matt Sleyzak.  Thank you so much!

Mrs. Akin's 1st grade class finished their Science unit on force & motion by doing a Science investigation with mini golf.  Students created a golf course & then played golf.  Learning and play is a good combination!

Western Peaks 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. 

Lots of imaginations at work  decorating pumpkins this week to go along with the coming holiday!  Click the link to see some of the storybook pumpkins students decorated  Storybook pumpkins

 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. 

Western Peak's Kindergarten class learned all about shapes by making a pizza with all sorts of shapes!

Families were invited to attend Western Peaks 1st Quarter Awards Assembly.  Students had the opportunities to win awards all of 1st quarter which cumulates into an all campus celebration at the end of the quarter.  Western Peaks had a wonderful turn out with families coming out to honor the students!  We are proud of all of our students and their hard work!

Please join us in welcoming our newest Falcon Family member Tony Cox.  If you see him out and about on our campus please give him a warm welcome!

Western Peaks is happy to add an additional School Aide-Crossing Guard, Becky LaBrie.  Becky will be helping Western Peaks students in the cafeteria as well as crossing students in the morning and afternoon.  We are happy to welcome Becky to the Falcon Family!

Western Peaks welcomes its newest Crossing Guard, Jill Brown.  Please join us in welcoming our newest Falcon Family member!

Western Peaks Elementary will be hosting a Thanksgiving Luncheon on 11-18-22.  The Thanksgiving menu includes the following:  Oven-Roasted Turkey, Mashed Potatoes & Gravy, Stuffing, Green Beans and Fresh-Baked Rolls, as well as Scratch-made Pumpkin Cake.  Cost per person is at follows:  Free student price-$0, Reduced student price-$.40, Full paid student-$2.60, District staff and non-student-$3.50.  Only cash or checks will be accepted, small bills please!  Credit/Debit cards are not accepted.  Lunch times are as follows:  Kindergarten...10:30 to 11:00 am, 1st Grade....11:10 to 11:40 am, 2nd Grade....11:40 am-12:10 pm, 4th Grade....12:20-12:50 pm, 3rd Grade....1:00 pm-1:30 pm  **Students will go to recess after their lunch time. Visitors will exit through the courtyard, as visitors are not permitted on the playgrounds during the school day.  Paper invites was sent home through your students and is posted here.  If you plan to attend please fill out the RSVP NO LATER THAN November 4th, with the number of non-student guests and return to the school.  Thank you!

Thanksgiving Luncheon 2022 Invite-RSVP

Mrs. Garon's 4th grade scientists created an electromagnet in class.  Students were able to build their own electromagnet and explain how a electromagnet works.  Students used academic vocabulary terms like attract, repel, circuit, and electromagnetic properties. 

Third grade students were able to show their multiplication equations using multiple strategies such as repeated addition and equal groups.  Look at those cereal arrays! Which strategy would you choose?

Western Peaks 4th grade students celebrated doing well on the AASA tests, from last year when they were in the 3rd grade.  Part of their celebration included eating cookies with Principal Brown and Assistant Principal Ireland

Western Peaks has the best PTSA members!  They along with Western Peaks staff helped hand out over 350 donuts, for their annual bookfair and donut morning!  Thanks to every Western Peaks family members for making this a success! 

Mrs. Cline's 2nd grade class explored the different properties of materials used for clothing, such as texture, flexibility, and absorbency. Students then used this information to design and build a hat that protects them from the Sun.

Yearbooks are now on sale!  This the perfect gift for a birthday or Christmas.  Purchase a yearbook before the price rises on January , 2023. Select (Surprise) as your location, and your school, (Western Peaks) from the drop down list.  Continue to follow the instructions.  Price is $28.00 until January 1, 2023 

Second graders are working on subtracting two digit numbers using different strategies, one being an open number line, taking away tens and ones.

Parent, teacher, student conferences take place the week of October 3rd thru the 6th.  Make an appointment with your child's, teacher.  October 3rd, 6th and 7th are early release days, school lets out at 1:45 pm.

Western Peaks students enjoyed an in-house field trip!  Fragile Planet Wildlife visited us from Texas.  Students learned about the Mexican morelet crocodile, the tortoise, parrots & silkie chicken!

Mrs. Akin’s first graders are discovering new things about sound. This week they created kazoos to see what happens when objects vibrate. They were working to answer the question “How can objects vibrate to make sounds of a different pitch?”.They had so much fun making new sounds in the classroom! They also discussed “Why can’t we always see vibrations?”. They then took their kazoos home to share with families.

Students are finishing the unit on the “Five Senses” in Science class. They made paint from Kool-Aid, water, and glue. They then used their sense of smell to guess which flavor of Kool-Aid they were using to paint their picture.

Grads Photography will be at Western Peaks Elementary on September 21, 2022 for Fall Picture Day.  You may pre-order by clicking here.  **Your student will receive a specific QR code on picture day to order their Fall pictures. Please note that school dress code will be in effect.  Direct questions for the photographer to Grads Photography at 623-580-4723.  

The results of our Read-a-Thon fundraiser are in! We raised $28,197!! We almost made our goal of $30,000. Thank you to our families and community for your generous support! We will be using these funds to add equipment to our playgrounds. 

Play is simple and complex. There are many types of play: symbolic, socio-dramatic, functional, and games with rules-–to name just a few. Researchers study play’s many aspects: how children learn through play, how outdoor play impacts children’s health, the effects of screen time on play, to the need for recess in the school day.

The PTSA Board Meeting takes place on September 15, 2022.  The PTSA invites the Western Peaks family to be a part of the PTSA. 

Join us for a free family event, the PTSA will be selling concessions, September 23, 2022.  Bring chairs or blankets to sit and watch, "Lightyear!"

The Scholastic Book Fair will be held in the school library.  Books, pens, pencils, erasers, and more.  More information to follow.  Please note that prices do not include tax. 

We hope your family will join us this Friday, August 19th from 6-8 pm for Welcome Back Bingo Night, hosted by the PTSA! Food will be available for purchase.  Hot Dogs - $3, Chips - $1, Drinks - $1, Candy - $1, Meal - $5

Students in Mr. Bedolla's 1st grade classes have been learning the names of the musical notes on the staff, and learning how to read and play music from sheet music on their xylophones! 

Every Friday students can pay $1 to wear a hat all day at school! 

We can't wait to see everyone for Meet the Teacher and Curriculum Night!

• August 1, 2022
• 4:30-6:30 pm
• Parking is limited

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.

Three Dysart Schools teachers were recently named D-backs Most Valuable Teachers in STEM by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Huda Clemens from Western Peaks Elementary School received the honor along with Canyon Ridge School teachers Stefanie Lump and Lacey Merritt.

This recognition supports ten outstanding educators monthly from April through August and provides an opportunity to showcase the state's teachers and acknowledge their commitment to students for going above and beyond.  

Below are excerpts from each nomination letter.

Huda Clemons was nominated by Lisa Garon. “She certainly deserves to be recognized for all her extra time, patience and desire to help students become better in the area of STEM,” shared Garon. 

 “Mrs. Clemens is our iExplore teacher and also runs an after-school Robotics Club.  Since she designs and records the morning announcements for our building, she engages our students in those so they can be a part of the process.” 

Stefanie Lump was nominated by Justean Palmer. “Mrs. Lump inspires students on a daily basis as she teaches STEM to her 5th graders,” said Palmer.

 “She supports all the teachers at Canyon Ridge with their Scientific Process, giving them ideas for STEM buckets with kindergarten classrooms and unique STEM projects with the upper grade levels. Her students build STEM projects monthly and she is our main contact for the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE): A World in Motion program where retired engineers from General Motors provide valuable presentations to our students.

Lacey Merritt was nominated by Justean Palmer. “Lacey Merritt is a remarkable STEM educator and leader,” shared Palmer.  

“Being the Instructional Coach on campus, I see the dedication she has put into building our STEM program from attending workshops to teaching what STEM truly means, supporting teachers in the Engineering Design Process and challenging the students' thinking at Canyon Ridge. Her students thrive through her hands-on STEM projects that push their understanding of the human body to building structures that withstand a hurricane, all while being able to utilize the design and redesign process.”

The educators received a $1,000 classroom grant courtesy of the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation and Honeywell.  Additionally, the educators received tickets to a recent Diamondbacks game and on-field recognition.  They will be considered for the Most Valuable Teacher of the Year, which includes a $5,000 classroom grant and on-field recognition.