What's the Buzz?!

Dear Murphy ESD Families,

As we continue settling into the new school year, I want to thank our families for their support and partnership during DIBELS testing over the past couple of weeks. DIBELS, or Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills, is a quick, one-on-one assessment that helps us understand foundational reading skills such as phonics, fluency, and comprehension. The information we gather gives our teachers valuable insight into each student’s needs so we can provide the right support and instruction throughout the year.

I also want to recognize the incredible work happening across our schools to improve student attendance. Every day a student is in school is another opportunity to learn, connect, and grow. As a district, we are working together to decrease chronic absenteeism, and our families play an important role in that effort. Missing just two days of school each month can put a student at risk of falling behind. If your family is experiencing challenges that make it difficult to get your child to school consistently, please reach out to your school or my office. We are here to listen, support, and help our families find solutions.

As we approach September, I want to also remind families on the importance of ensuring you are enrolled in ParentVUE as this is an additional tool that helps bridge the gap between home and school. Checking your child's grades regularly can make all the difference. We invite parents to register their accounts, if you haven't done so already, and check-in periodically.

Thank you for continuing to partner with us. Together, we can make sure every Murphy student is present, supported, and ready to succeed.

Warm regards,
Mr. Dettmar
Superintendent

Fall sports are almost here! Tryouts begin Monday, August 24, and we are excited to see our students get out there, build confidence, and represent their school.

Students can try out for co-ed cross country and girls volleyball, with the season running from September 14 through November 5.

Whether your student is a seasoned athlete or ready to try something new, sports are a great way to build teamwork, discipline, friendships, and school pride. We cannot wait to see our athletes in action! Go Murphy!

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom! Our Sullivan kindergarteners brought one of their favorite stories to life with a fun coconut tree and name craft!

This hands-on activity gave our youngest learners the opportunity to practice letter recognition and spelling their names while getting creative. With the third week of school almost over, our youngest learners and making leaps of progress already! Who remembers this tradition from their elementary school days?

Thank you to all of the Kuban families who joined us for Coffee with the Principal today! Families got to sit with Dr. Martinez, learn about upcoming events and share ideas for the school year. It was wonderful to spend time with our community, connect with families, and continue to build partnerships between school and home. We look forward to more opportunities to gather, listen, and grow together.

Sullivan, your turn is next in September! Stay tuned for more details in our next newsletter.

At Sullivan, our youngest learners have been putting their teamwork skills to work during physical education class! Over the past few weeks, students have been learning how to communicate, cooperate, encourage one another, and work together toward a common goal.

P.E. is about so much more than sports. The skills students develop on the court, field, and gym are skills they can carry with them everywhere in life. Learning how to be a good teammate today helps build confident, collaborative learners for tomorrow!

Breakfast is better with a buddy! Kuban recently launched Breakfast Buddies, giving our 7th and 8th grade students the opportunity to share breakfast and build connections with some of our younger Cougars.

These simple moments create meaningful relationships across grade levels and give our older students an opportunity to lead, encourage, and be positive role models. We love seeing our Kuban kids look out for one another and build a stronger school community—one breakfast at a time!

Support from our community can make a big difference in a classroom. That was certainly the case at Jack L. Kuban Elementary, where students and teachers recently received a generous donation to support learning across campus.

We are excited to recognize Lily’s Air, Curbs and Ducts AZ, and ICDC Development for their thoughtful contribution to our Kuban classrooms. Their generosity provided valuable resources that will help teachers create engaging learning experiences for students throughout the school year.

At Murphy Elementary School District, we are proud to have community partners who recognize the importance of investing in our schools and students. We are grateful to our partners for supporting the Kuban community and helping our classrooms continue to thrive.

Thank you for being part of the Murphy ESD family and for making a difference in the lives of our students!

With students settled into their classrooms, teachers are building strong routines, and our schools filled with energy as everyone gets into the rhythm of the new school year.

Walk into any classroom, and there is something happening. Students are practicing new skills, working through challenging assignments, asking questions, collaborating with classmates, and discovering new interests. From independent work to group activities, our students are already showing the curiosity and determination that will help them succeed throughout the year.

We are proud of the strong start our students have made. Their hard work, positive attitudes, and willingness to learn have helped make the first month of school a success.

As we look ahead, there is plenty more to come! New lessons, new challenges, new opportunities, and plenty of milestones are waiting just around the corner.

What a wonderful start to the school year! It has been exciting to see our students settling into their routines, building relationships, and getting right to work. As we continue through testing season, I want to remind our students to stay focused, do their best, and remember that they are capable of great things. Thank you to our families for continuing to encourage attendance, preparation, and a positive mindset.

We also have some exciting things happening at Kuban! Our Breakfast Buddies program officially launched this week, creating another opportunity for students to connect with caring adults on campus.

This Friday, students can enjoy Kona Ice from 12:15–3:15 p.m. at the basketball courts, and it is also the final deadline to register for Big Brothers Big Sisters. Please check with your child’s teacher for registration forms.

And remember, Cougars: 100% attendance this week earns students a dress-down day on Friday! Every day at school is another opportunity to learn, grow, and make a difference. Let’s keep showing up and making this a great year together!

Dear Sullivan Families,

What a great week at Sullivan! I want to congratulate all of our students who will earn a FREE dress-down day tomorrow Friday, August 21, by achieving perfect attendance. Your commitment to being at school and ready to learn makes a difference, and we are so proud of you! We also want to thank our students and families for their support during DIBELS testing this week. Our students worked hard, and we appreciate everyone helping them come to school ready to do their best.

As we continue settling into the new school year, I want to remind our families that enrollment is still open at William R. Sullivan Elementary. If you have friends, neighbors, or family members looking for a school community where their children can learn, grow, and feel supported, we would love to welcome them to our Sullivan family.

Let’s keep showing up, working hard, and making every day count. We are excited for all that this school year has in store!