A Message From Our Superintendent

Dear Parents,

The new McDowell Mountain library is complete and fantastic. The final cabinet and desk were installed this week, and flexible furniture for the planetarium will arrive soon. The library is open, and the children are beyond excited about having a moon in their library. 

The final piece of the playground was also installed this week. This "space station" piece fits nicely with our astronomy-themed school. The playground will open next Friday as the safety flooring is installed on Monday and will need a few days to cure.

Fountain Hills Middle School had its Principal's List and Honor Roll ceremony today. Dr. Weeldreyer recognized 116 students for their hard work and dedication to academic excellence. 

FHMS also hosted our 5th-grade students as they toured the campus in preparation for next year. The FHHS band and cheer team greeted the students as they arrived. Students learned about middle school programs, athletics, and clubs. Dr. Weeldreyer will offer a parent night later this spring to share her vision and take parents on a tour.

The Junior class at Fountain Hills High School took the ACT this past week. They spent the past 12 weeks taking an ACT prep class to prepare for the exam. Scores will be sent home later this year. In an effort to provide more opportunities for our students to find success, FHHS will offer the ACT exam twice this year. In April, students will have another chance to improve their ACT scores. The ACT program allows students to receive a "super score" if they take the assessment multiple times. After the second exam, students can keep their best content area score from either test attempt. 

In an effort to provide more communication to our middle and high school students during an emergency, we are offering parents the opportunity to opt-in to provide their child's cell phone number to be added to PowerSchool so that they would receive emergency information in the same manner you would as a parent. Participating means students receive critical information via our communication platforms regardless of whether they are near staff or an intercom speaker. It also would warn students off-campus not to return to the school in the event of an emergency. If you want to participate, please complete this form.

Please join us for Coffee with the Superintendent on March 5th in the FHUSD Learning Center.

Sincerely,

Dr. J

Superintendent

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!

Jeremy Banks has been a wonderful addition to our SPED department. He cares about the best interests of kids, he is a team player, and he is great at teaching wonderful yet sometimes challenging students. Mr. Banks has known many of his students since they were in Middle School so he has a history with them that comes with an understanding of who they are as PEOPLE, not simply students in an academic setting. He runs efficient and thorough IEP meetings and has great relationships with all stakeholders. Students love his class because of his fun, yet challenging nature and they are learning a lot from him on a daily basis.

Lauren Lamar shines as a talented dancer and peer buddy in our adapted dance class. Her compassionate nature and kindness towards her peers with special needs are truly admirable. Lauren consistently demonstrates her dedication by actively assisting students in learning new dance moves without hesitation. Moreover, she has taken the initiative to understand their individual communication styles and interactions. Lauren's adeptness in working with non-verbal students is remarkable, as she skillfully encourages their participation. As an excellent student, she not only tries hard but also extends her helpfulness to teachers and fellow students alike. Her confidence enables her to effectively engage with special education students, guiding them through dance routines with patience and encouragement. - Mrs. Ludwig & Mrs. Grottke

Mary McDonald goes way above the call of duty as the Middle School's science teacher. Few embody dedication, enthusiasm, and innovation as well as Mary does. She has an unwavering commitment to teaching and coaching. Students and staff love Mrs. McDonald! She is passionate about science and provides students with hands-on activities, captivating experiments, and projects that ignite the students' curiosity. Another one of her strengths is her ability to stay one step ahead. She seeks out opportunities that enhance her teaching and classroom. As a coach, she practices what she preaches. She motivates and guides students not only to improve their performance but also to develop the self-confidence to excel in life!

Dasia Scheller - Dasia Scheller is a very good student, who is also a very nice person. She is helpful in the classroom and kind to her fellow students. Her work is well done and shows that she cares about what she does. Dasia is a pleasure to have in class.

Shelley Schlossberg is this month's FOM for MMES. Shelley's infectious personality makes her interactions with all stakeholders enjoyable. Her willingness to help our team does not go unnoticed; from morning duty to front office greeter, Shelley does it all with a smile on her face, which is invaluable to our team. Thank you for all you do for MMES. Moreover, thank you for doing it professionally and making everyone feel welcomed in our building. Thank you for your competency and sense of humor. Thank you for being you, Shelley.

Grace McWilliams is the Falcon of the Month for many reasons. She goes above and beyond in the classroom to ensure that not only herself, but others are doing their best. She encourages others to do their jobs and is a great model for her classmates to follow. Her leadership shines as other students look to her for help and support. She is quick to offer a helping hand to anyone who needs it. She is beyond responsible and is my go-to for a classroom helper. Grace goes out of her way to show kindness to her peers and will always include others during recess and other down times. When a new friend joined our class, Grace was quick to show her the ins and outs of first grade. I am so proud of all her hard work and dedication to her academics and cannot wait to see what other amazing things she will accomplish! Keep up the amazing work, Grace!

Luis Pena Lantigua is part of our landscaping team that has done an exceptional job in turning around the landscape district wide. He is a hard worker and skilled in every part of landscaping as well as many of the jobs needing completion for consolidation. It is an honor to have him working with our district and this accomplishment is very well deserved. Thank you Luis for all you do to make FHUSD more beautiful each day!

We need you!

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