Mesquite Elementary

Dear Mesquite Elementary Families,

This week I would like to highlight and say thank you to our talented band and strings teachers, Dr. Sanchez and Mrs. Seagraves. Dr. Sanchez and Mrs. Seagraves lead our oldest musicians well as they tackle learning new instruments and continuing to learn to perform. Dr. Sanchez and Mrs. Seagraves travel between three campuses and they make this look like an easy task, which we know it isn't! Thank you Mr. Gonzalez, Dr. Sanchez and Mrs. Seagraves for creating such a strong foundation for our students as they continue to grow as musicians in the many wonderful music programs offered through Gilbert Public Schools!

Enrollment for the 2025-2026 school year is currently open! As you start thinking about junior highs for next year, please know that we feed into Greenfield Junior High School, South Valley Junior High School, and students have the option to apply to Gilbert Accelerated Middle School at Gilbert High School, Gilbert Classical Academy, and/or Gilbert, Talented, and Creative Program at Highland Junior High School.

Sincerely,

Wendy Norburg

Thank you to all who joined us in representing Mesquite Elementary in the Gilbert Days Parade on Saturday, November 23, 2024! The weather was perfect and our students represented our campus so well! Thank you to the families who joined us to walk and/or dropped off and picked up from the parade. Thank you to Mrs. LeClaire who helped design our new banner and Ms. Mary for getting it printed! Our next goal is to find a banner pole to carry the banner if anyone has any tips for doing so! A huge thank you to Mrs. Pardy who organized another fun activity!

Mesquite Mountain Lions, this year we would love to see your pride colors! We look forward to seeing our Mountain Lions wearing their favorite school shirt or school colors on Fridays this year!

Thank you to all who attended the Second Grade Musical Program entitled, The Nutcracker Suite! Mr. Gonzalez shares that each piece of this performance was carefully selected to address parts of the curriculum such as expressive singing, rhythm, pitch, and breath control. The students worked hard to tackle these skills! Proud of our musicians! Thank you Mr. Gonzalez for your dedication to our students and music programs!

Thank you to all who attended the Fifth Grade Band and Strings Concert! It is always impressive to see how much our beginning band students grow in only one semester! Proud of our musicians! Thank you Dr. Sanchez and Mrs. Seagraves for leading our band and strings so well!

Mrs. Pardy shared that Mesquite Elementary helped beat the world record of the most people cup stacking during the same time! The previous goal was 746,698 people stacking during the same couple of days and this year we had 752,632 people stacking during the same time all around the world. Great work Mountain Lions!

Thank you to all who donated to the Mesquite NEHS Sock and Soup Drive! NEHS was able to fill a whole mini-van! Thank you to Gilbert High School NHS who helped collect donations as well! Proud of our NEHS students for all they do to volunteer and support our community! Thank you to Mrs. Amari and Mrs. Pardy for leading well!

Thank you to all who joined us at our PTSO Meeting on Thursday, November 7, 2024! PTSO shared information about committee and volunteer opportunities throughout the year! The greatest need at this time is for volunteers to help prepare for and volunteer at the Fall Festival on Friday, November 15, 2024. The next PTSO meeting will be on Thursday, January 9, 2025 at 3:15 p.m. in the Library and we would love to have you join us!

Thank you to those that follow the Mesquite Elementary PTSO Facebook page. PTSO has an Instagram account as well which can be found using this picture QR Code. Thank you for following along and sharing along the way!

• Amy Simon - President
• Stacy Nelson - Vice President
• Kimberly Castro - Secretary
• Mel Van Klaveren - Treasurer
• Heather Foti - Member At Large
• Allison Brumfield - Member At Large

Please check the PTSO website and join the Mesquite Elementary PTSO Facebook group for all the current information from PTSO. This is a great way to connect with other families.

• December 6 - Spelling Bee
• December 9 - Fifth Grade Band and Orchestra Concert
• December 16-18 - Fifth Grade Science Camp
• December 17 - First Grade Field Trip to Herberger Theater
• December 18 - Preschool and Kindergarten Holiday Extravanganza 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
• December 20 - Jingle Jog at 7:15 am and Half Day Dismissal at 11:55 am
• December 23-January 3 - Winter Break No School
• January 9 - Second Battle of the Books at 1:45 pm and PTSO Meeting at 3:15 pm in the Library
• January 15 - Half Day Dismissal at 11:45 am
• January 16 - Clubs/Panoramic Pictures
• January 20 - Martin Luther King Jr Day No School
• January 21 - Sixth Grade Level Up Days at Greenfield Junior High School and South Valley Junior High School
• January 22 - GPS Job Fair at Highland High School 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
• January 24 - Winter Dance at 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
• January 31 - Fourth Grade Field Trip to Sonar Desert Museum and Reid Park Zoo

It is very important that all families complete the online ‘Annual Update’ to prepare for the new school year. The ‘Annual Update’ in Infinite Campus allows you to tell us of any updates to your contact information, address changes, and updates to emergency contacts. In order to ensure we can communicate with you regarding your student, or in case of emergency, it is essential that we have your up to date contact details. Please log in to your Infinite Campus parent portal and complete your student’s ‘Annual Update’ today. To access the IC portal visit www.gilbertschools.net/IC.

Download the GPS App

The GPS App includes a link to IC, as well as access to your student’s school calendar, meal information, bus routes, and other helpful information for parents and students. Visit www.gilbertschools.net/app for more information.

If you wish to add money to your child's account for this coming year, please use this link. The Free and Reduced Price Meal Online Application is available here as well!

Please use this link to complete a Free and Reduced Lunch Meal application. If you are interested in applying and have questions please don't hesitate to contact the front office or our social worker, Ms. Karina Nyberg.

By becoming a Friendship Club member at Mesquite Elementary, students learn to build awareness and create opportunities in which friendships can grow in a safe and accepting environment. At each club meeting, students will engage with peers before school for 30 minutes for structured fun and peer interaction. There are no costs to join this club.

Thursdays 7:30 am - 8:00am

Quarter 2 - 4th-6th grade

Quarter 3 - Kindergarten-3rd grade

Quarter 4- 4th-6th grade

Email Ms. Kelli at kelli.stark@gilbertschools.net to sign up!

• December 9 - Theater Rehearsal from 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
• December 10 - Theater Rehearsal from 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
• December 11 - Theater Rehearsal from 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
• January 6 - Theater Rehearsal from 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
• January 7 - Theater Rehearsal from 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
• January 8 - Theater Rehearsal from 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
• January 13 - Theater Rehearsal from 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
• January 14 - Theater Rehearsal from 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
• January 21 - Theater Rehearsal from 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
• January 22 - Theater Rehearsal from 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
• January 27 - Theater Rehearsal from 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
• January 28 - Theater Rehearsal from 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
• January 29 - Theater Rehearsal from 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
• February 3 - Theater Rehearsal from 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
• February 4 - Theater Rehearsal from 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
• February 5 - Theater Rehearsal from 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
• February 10 - Theater Rehearsal from 3:00 pm - 5:30 pm
• February 11 - Theater Rehearsal from 3:00 pm - 5:30 pm
• February 12 - Theater Rehearsal from 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
• February 18 - Theater Rehearsal from 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
• February 19 - Theater Rehearsal from 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
• February 20 - Theater Rehearsal from 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
• February 21 - Performance from 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
• February 22 - Performance from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Thank you to those who signed up for Movers Club! Mrs. Pardy sent an email to all families registered! Mesquite. Practices will be on Tuesdays from 3:00-3:30PM. Run Club meets will be in November, December, January and February at a junior high or high school.

• December 10 - Movers Club at 3:00 pm
• December 11 - Movers Race at 4:30 pm at Greenfield Junior High (Always optional)
• December 17 - Movers Club at 3:00 pm
• January 7 - Movers Club at 3:00 pm
• January 14 - Movers Club at 3:00 pm
• January 15 - Movers Race at 4:30 pm at Greenfield Junior High (Always optional)
• January 21 - Movers Club at 3:00 pm
• January 28 - Movers Club at 3:00 pm
• February 4 - Movers Club at 3:00 pm
• February 5 - Movers Race at 4:30 pm at South Valley Junior High (Always optional)
• February 11 - Mesquite Race at 3:00 pm