Gecko Gazette

Desert Sage is proud to welcome our community to partner with us in supporting our students and staff. We offer a variety of volunteer opportunities, including:

• Chaperoning field trips

• Assisting with classroom activities

• Teacher copy assistant/project prep

• Office support

• Helping with school events (picture days, field days, etc.)

Volunteer Training Requirement
Before volunteering in any capacity, you must attend a mandatory DVUSD volunteer training.

At Desert Sage, in-person trainings are held in our Media Center once a month and begin at 8:00 a.m. These dates are posted on our school calendar.

If you are unable to attend a Desert Sage training date, you may attend a volunteer training at any DVUSD school. You may also contact our school secretary, Elisa Anderson, at elisa.anderson@dvusd.org for assistance.

For more information go to: 📅 District Volunteer Information & Training Dates

Deer Valley Unified School District and Desert Sage Elementary are excited to launch our Monthly Attendance Challenge! Regular attendance supports learning and growth, and we want to celebrate students and classes who make every day count.

Each month, the grade level with the highest attendance percentage will receive a grade-level recognition and a surprise reward. Winners are announced at the monthly Gecko Gathering. To help students track their progress, an Everyday Counts attendance banner is displayed in the main hallway, with weekly updates showing attendance numbers and current standings.

Our challenge is designed to encourage students to understand the value of attending school, being on time, and making the most of every learning opportunity. It is not intended for students to attend school when ill.

Let’s work together to make attendance a priority and celebrate the positive impact it has on learning!

• Sizing and ordering link at https://www.desertsagepto.com/spirit-wear.html
• Direct order form link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1t1hVlZoLx7K-gTD_sv2Ea1qX16G46BcpmuR734ql66k/edit?usp=drivesdk

The Kroger Family of Companies is committed to community engagement, positive social impact and charitable giving at the national and local levels. Every community is unique, but our common goal is to partner with the neighborhoods we serve and help the people there live healthier lives.

One of the ways in which we do this is through our Fry’s Community Rewards program. This program makes fundraising easy by donating to local organizations based on the shopping you do every day. Once you link your Card to an organization, all you have to do is shop at Fry’s and swipe your Shopper’s Card. Here’s how it works:

1. Create a digital account.

• A digital account is needed to participate in Fry’s Community Rewards. If you already have a digital account, simply link your Shopper’s Card to your account so that all transactions apply toward the organization you choose

2. Link your Card to an organization. Selecting the organization that you wish to support is as simple as updating the Fry’s Community Rewards selection on your digital account.

• Sign in to your digital account.
• Search for your organization here. (Organization: Desert Sage Elementary School, Organization #: WL124)
• Enter the name or NPO number of the organization you wish to support.
• Select the appropriate organization from the list and click “Save”. Your selected organization will also display in the Fry’s Community Rewards section of your account. If you need to review or revisit your organization, you can always do so under your Account details.
  

3. Your organization earns.

• Any transactions moving forward using the Shopper’s Card number associated with your digital account will be applied to the program, at no added cost to you. Fry’s donates $2 Million annually, paid out quarterly, to participating organizations based on your percentage of spending as it relates to the total spending associated with all participating Fry’s Community Rewards organizations.

At Desert Sage, we are committed to helping every student succeed. One way we do this is through Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), where teachers meet weekly to review student data and plan lessons and interventions that meet students’ academic and behavioral needs.

During PLCs, teachers work with their grade-level teams, Special Education staff, Reading Specialists (K–3), and Gifted Sage teachers (3–6) to create small intervention groups for students who need extra support. These groups change as students make progress, so instruction is always tailored to their needs. Teachers also develop short quizzes to track student growth and plan lessons that benefit the whole class.

PLCs are a key part of how we ensure each student receives the support and instruction they need to thrive. To learn more about PLCs, visit the DVUSD PLC website.

Your school tax credit donations can provide Desert Sage students with opportunities to after school and summer programs, field trips, music and athletic programs or any other extracurricular activity.

• The Arizona tax credit program (A.R.S. 43-1089.01) allows a tax credit of up to $200 for individuals and up to $400 for married couples, filing jointly, in support of extracurricular activities.
• The tax credit reduces your tax burden to the state of Arizona, dollar for dollar.

Make your tax credit donation to Desert Sage at: https://az-deervalley.intouchreceipting.com/.

• Website: dvusd.org/desertsage
• Location: 4035 West Alameda Road, Glendale, AZ, USA
• Phone: (623) 445-4700
• Twitter: @DesertSageElem
• Instagram: dvusd_desertsage
• Facebook: DVUSD Desert Sage

School tours are available by appointment only on the first Friday of each month through June. Appointments can be scheduled between 2:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.

To arrange a tour of Desert Sage, please email our School Secretary, Elisa Anderson, at elisa.anderson@dvusd.org.