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McDowell Mountain Elementary School

Hello Falcon Families! 

Please find important information and reminders from MMES below; 

The MMES Yearbook is on sale. Please see the attachment for details on how to order.

Mr. Sean Stellato, NFL Agent and Children's Author, visited MMES this past week to talk to the students about goal setting and chasing your dreams. During his presentation, he gave out multiple items including his children's book, football's, and a few other prizes.

Mrs. Brooks (3rd grade) and Miss Levin (Kindergarten) students spend time together during their, "Reading Buddies," activity.

Next week is, "Kindness Week," at MMES and to celebrate, we will be having a Spirit Week with dress up themes each day. Please see the attached flyer for each theme.

Important Dates Coming Up at MMES:

• Wednesday, February 15th - Early Release Day 
• Monday, February 20th - President's Day (No School) 
• Thursday, February 23rd - Lattes with Latona, 9:15-10:15am  

Yours in Leadership,

Kevin Wilkinson

Principal

McDowell Mountain Elementary School

Fountain Hills Middle School

February will be over before we know it. Our students and staff have been super busy learning and having fun. With upcoming benchmark testing and state testing coming up in the next couple of months, we ask that you please make sure your child attends school everyday and on-time so that they don’t miss out on valuable learning opportunities so that they can be prepared for these upcoming tests. An incentive for coming to school everyday in February your child can earn a FREE Diamondback Ticket. Attendance Matters! 

The Career and Independent living class, taught by Mrs. Challman has been busy researching their career interests. They will turn this research into a children's book. These books will be laminated and bound. They will head over to McDowell elementary school to read their books to the elementary students. Seen Below Jayden Newsum, 6th Grade.

On Wednesday, February 8th, our school staff took our tour of Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation. Learned about their culture at their culture center. A special shout out to Dr. Corlett, Education Director for Fort McDowell, for arranging this awesome opportunity for our FHMS staff. 

Congratulations to our Falcon of the Month honorees Christine Rios, 5th grade ELA Teacher and Rylee Pena, 5th grade student. Both were celebrated at our February 8th School Board Meeting.

I invite you to join me for “Coffee and Conversation with Dr. Weeldreyer” on February 14th at 9:00AM in the FHMS Library. These gatherings are open to all and provide an opportunity for me to hear your thoughts, observations, and ideas. In addition, I am able to give an update on recent happenings on our campus. 

On February 14th our 8th grade students will tour Fountain Hills High School (add flyer).

Sport News: 

• Boys and Girls Basketball tryouts will be after Spring Break. Please contact Coach Ferrington and Coach Baca for more information. 
• Cheer and Spiritline for Middle School Spring 2023. Please contact Head Coach Stacy Morgan, 4th grade teacher for additional information. 

The Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast will be on Super Sunday, February 12 from 8 - 12AM for their Super Pancake Breakfast. Only $10 for pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs and applesauce. The Kiwanis Club House is located at 16957 E Kiwanis Drive. 

Kiwanis Terrific Kids honorees 5th grade students Jaxon LaGiglia and Johnnie Lynn Coffman. Congratulations!!!

March 7th 4th grade is going to the Arizona Science Center. This is an awesome opportunity for our students to attend. 

We want to shout out Thanks to Copy Express, Fred's Bikes and to Julie Wemmert for thinking of our school and donating $200 that will be going towards the field of dreams! Everyone who steps foot on the field or watches a game will benefit from this!!!  It takes support from a town to make things happen and FOUNTAIN HILLS is making it HAPPEN!!!

Our Kiwanis Falcon Leaders for January were Santiago Gonzalez and Taylor Heinrich.

Important Announcements: 

• Feb. 14th is Coffee with Dr. Weeldreyer in the FHMS library.
• Feb. 20th No School/President’s Day 
• We encourage you to send your child to school on time so that they don’t miss out on valuable learning opportunities. 
• Please check your child’s lunch account balances. You are welcome to come to the school and pay the balances and add money to their account. 

Yours in education, 

Dr. Kimberly Weeldreyer

Principal

Fountain Hills Middle School

Fountain Hills High School

Hello Falcon Families,

Welcome to mid-February!  Believe it or not, spring sports have begun practicing while Wrestling and Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball are still going!  Please check online over the next few weeks to see when you can come out and support these teams as they strive for a State Championship!  Go Falcons! 

On February 14th, I am pleased to share that we will be hosting our 8th Graders here at the High School for lunch, an information session on what to expect in High School, and a campus tour. Then, on February 28th, our high school counselors will be going to the Middle School to have the 8th graders fill out their registration forms for the 23-24 school year.

I’d like to thank students, staff, and community members for helping to make Hoopcoming Week so successful. Also, a huge shout-out to Mr. Keating, Ms. Kazee, and STUGO for putting together a great week. Another thank you to The Fountain Hills Rural Metro Fire Department for their awesome bonfire on campus and to MCSO for their presence at our Hoopcoming Dance. Last week was another great example of community agencies partnering with FHHS in keeping students safe. 

Everyone, please prioritize your health and rest as we move through February and the fluctuating temperatures. As this season proves, the school year is a marathon, not a sprint. I hope to see you at the next Coffee with the Principal on Thursday, February 16th, at 9 a.m.!  

Chris Hartmann

Principal

Fountain Hills High School

PBIS Student Store

The store is now open before and after school each Friday for students to collect their prizes. Students, please go to pbisrewards.com or log on to the app to request your rewards prior to visiting the store. Please note, you may only redeem two rewards per week at the store. You are also able to redeem your rewards in your teachers’ classroom stores. 

Congratulations to our PBIS Students of the Week for January:

Kai Collier

Tyler Trapani

Savannah Miller

Hudson Barsema

PTO Run a Success

The PTO hosted their “Feathers and Flapjacks 5K & Fun Run” at the high school on Saturday, January 28th, and one of our own seniors placed 2nd in the race! Way to go, Tyler Irvine-Violette!

Counseling Newsletter 

Please take a moment to review the counseling department's bi-weekly newsletter which showcases all the wonderful things happening in our counseling program and provides updates on important academic and post-secondary opportunities.

Math Department News

The Math Department has Reteach after school every Tuesday and Thursday. Mrs. Murray offers Reteach/Office hours for her EVIT students at 7 a.m., Wednesday through Friday..

Mrs. Murray’s and Mrs. Barsema’s classes are on PLP with lessons, packets, recorded lessons, and solutions. Mrs. Mecom’s classes are on Google Classroom with videos and daily work. All classes work on IXL the first 10 minutes of class to help with skills. Students can also do IXL at home. The website is https://www.ixl.com/signin/founhilusd.

National Honor Society Homework Hub and Applications

NHS Homework Hub is Mondays and Thursdays after school in B101. Come to the Homework Hub for extra help and a quiet place to study.

NHS Hopefuls: Sophomores and Juniors with a cumulative GPA of a 3.5 or higher are invited to apply for NHS. Application forms are in the front office. They are due by Thursday, March 9th.

English Department News

Freshman English students spent the month of January working with partners to create an in-depth research essay about a topic of their choice, complete with images and works cited. On Monday, January 30th, the students revealed the fruits of their labor in a virtual gallery walk. The research presentations were anonymously numbered, and students voted for their favorite. Congratulations to James Weaver, Reef Lang, Katie Dwyer, Rianon Edwards, Lily Lingenfelder, and Jeannie Lucas for creating the winning presentations! 

Fountain Hills Coalition essays were submitted on Friday, February 3rd. The winning essays will be announced at a luncheon on Thursday, March 9th. Thank you to all who participated!

The Golden Eagle Educational Foundation presented scholarships to all senior classes on Friday, February 3rd. The deadline for the combined application is Friday, March 24th, at noon. Please note: no late applications are accepted!  Go to fhgeef.org for more information.  

Upcoming Talent Show

The Golden Rule Club is hosting the Random Acts Talent Show on Monday, March 6th, in the Lecture Hall. Show times will be at 2:30 and 6 p.m. There is a $5 cash-only entrance fee, but you only need to pay once to attend both performances. Students, staff, parents, and community members are all welcome to attend. We are looking forward to showcasing the great talent at FHHS!

The audition for students and staff to participate will take place at 2:30 p.m. on Monday, February 27th, in the Lecture Hall. For questions, or if you are interested in volunteering, please email Advisor Mrs. Flowers at kflowers@fhacademics.org.

Veterans Heritage Project Seeks Student Writers

Did you know that the Veterans Heritage Project started right here at FHHS almost 20 years ago by former teacher Barbara Hatch? It has now spread across Arizona and into other states. In honor of the upcoming 20th anniversary, VHP is offering an incentive to help get to their 3,000th veteran interview: students who interview a veteran and write their story from now until October will be entered into a drawing for $1000! If they win, their veteran will also win $1000! Not only that, our VHP Chapter will receive $1000! This is a perfect time to get involved, become a published author, and help to tell the stories of our brave veterans. Scholarships are available for participants. If you are interested, please email Advisor Mrs. Flowers at kflowers@fhacademics.org.

Hoopcoming Bonfire Event

STUGO hosted its first bonfire event in years on Wednesday in front of the high school in order to generate student spirit for the basketball game the following night. Students enjoyed music, fresh popcorn, and a warm fire on a cool night. Special thanks to the Fountain Hills Rural Metro Fire Department for their assistance at the event.

Each month we will celebrate a student and a staff member from each site, as well as one staff member from the district office, transportation and warehouse combined. These amazing students and staff best represent the Falcon Way with their exemplary display of Accountability, Discipline, Excellence, Integrity, Professionalism,

Respect and Responsibility.

Thanks to our partnership with PTO, and their generous donations to our district, each recipient will receive a certificate and a $50 gift card.

Congratulations to our well deserved winners for this month!

Life is a math equation. In order to gain the most, you have to know how to convert negatives into positives. Alison does just that. She comes in every day figuring out how to make the biggest impact on her students and the school. She takes the challenges that students face and finds ways for them to grasp the concepts and clarify their misconceptions. Alison has created an environment where you feel as though you are home. At times, I have even sought out her room to sit and get caught up on work, because its a great atmosphere. We are lucky to have her on our team. Alison is one of our high flying falcons! Congratulations.

Fabian is the type of kid who brings a smile to your face just by his presence. This year specifically he has gotten really involved in extracurricular activities which have kept him on track with his attendance and academics. He joined the football team this past fall as a senior and is planning on joining the track team this spring. This winter he has become the unofficial leader of the student section, cheering on our basketball teams and keeping our student section under control "ish", even traveling to away games. He has stepped up as a leader on campus and has become the face of school spirit, helping to rebuild our school climate after covid took away many of the extras that help make the high school experience memorable for so many. He is the definition of #WeBleedBlue and we couldn't be more proud of the young man we have watched him become.

We can't say enough good things about 5th grade ELA teacher, Christine Rios. She is a model teacher and an excellent leader. Christine oversees and takes great care of her team. When issues arise, she immediately problems solves and puts solutions into action. She is very resourceful which benefits her team tremendously. You can count on Christine to always be one step ahead in all that she does. She provides information before you ever have to ask. It's very apparent she has high expectations for herself, her peers, and students. She is well respected by both staff and students. If you visited her classroom you would be amazed at the organization, how well expectations are defined, and fantastic instruction in play. As a result, Mrs. Rios' students are excelling!

5th Grader, Rylee Pena, is a breath of fresh air. He always has a smile on his face and his great attitude is contagious. Being around Rylee is sure to put you in a good mood. He is a great, supportive friend as well. If he has something that someone else needs, he's sure to share it. As a student, Rylee works very hard at his school work. During class he listens well and is respectful to his teachers. He is highly motivated at everything he does. We are lucky to have a student and friend like Rylee.

"Miss Melissa," as she is known at MMES, is one of our special education aides. She is an invaluable resource for Miss Mac in K3. Melissa is a, "jack of all trades," helping with small groups in K3, pushing into general education classrooms to help certain students, and serving as a recess monitor. Miss Melissa exemplifies what it means to be a team player by always helping out when we are shorthanded. She always has a smile on her face and makes everyone around her feel welcomed. I've always said if the principal vanished, the school would operate just fine. If staff like Melissa disappeared, things would come to a grinding halt. That's how valuable Miss Melissa and staff like her are to our schools. Thank you for all that you do for MMES.

Leo Lane is simply an amazing Falcon. He is always ready to listen and participate with a smile. He shows up everyday with a positive attitude and a big heart for all his classmates. He is a joy to teach. We love having Leo and his wonderful twin Cheri on our kinder team.

Cheri Lane, one of the sweetest, kindest, and hard working students I have ever met. Without a doubt, Cheri is always my right hand girl when it comes to helping me or her fellow peers. She puts a smile on my face first thing in the morning when I hear "Hi Miss Levin!" from the playground. She always participates and gives 100% with anything she does in class. I feel so blessed to have Cheri in my classroom as a first year teacher. Keep being the amazing and kind student you are! :)

Since we began this award, my practice has been to nominate someone from transportation based on feedback and my personal observations. Tonight I am off script because the nomination came a parent, Ali Shroyer, “I think about emailing you every day to nominate and I just never get around to it. I would love to nominate bus driver Mr. Gary who drives the squirrel bus. I have written him a thank you card to let him know how much I appreciate the little things he does that may go unnoticed to others. For starters, when it is raining, he will drop off some of the kids’ right in front of our houses. I usually have three kids on the bus and then the neighbor across the street has one. When it rains, our streets flood. It helps parents so much as we can go out and help with getting their backpacks or sport bags or just anything that could fall into the running water. He then stops at the next corner to save another student some distance but all while staying on the bus route. Something else I have noticed is Mr. Gary will make sure our 1st grade neighbor has his family member to get him. He lives across the street from us and usually has a parent or grandparent get him at the bus stop. It happens rarely but sometimes they are not at the bus stop. Mr. Gary will pass the house and honk to get their attention to make sure the student is able to get into the house. He ALWAYS makes sure he is safe. Another family who lives down the street has students in fourth & first. One of the parents is a teacher for our district. Last year, Mr. Gary would pick them up at the beginning of his route and again, ALWAYS making sure they were safe and had a ride to school. These last 2 years have been great, as we have had minimal to no problems on the bus when in previous years it felt like a weekly occurrence. I have confidence in knowing my children and the neighboring children are on that bus. My fifth grader says she likes Mr. Gary because "he's nice, he makes us smile and he talks to us. He is always happy! He always says hello and goodbye." He goes beyond what he needs to do, it reflects on the other students, and it makes me incredibly thankful as a parent. I hope he stays our bus driver for years to come!” I will add one final note, Gary has also assisted at the high school, middle school and McDowell Mountain with custodial work and as an aid in the cafeterias. The past month he has worked on a team with other transportation staff to ready the HS buildings for consolidation next year. It is my honor to award Gary Grover the Falcon of the Month Award.

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