Sunset Heights Principal Notes
April 23, 2026
Wishing you and your family a safe, restful week off from school. I hope you’re able to slow down, recharge, and enjoy some quality time together, and that the week brings good weather for getting outside, exploring, and having fun. When we return, May 4–8 is Teacher Appreciation Week. If you’re able, a kind note, a drawing from your child, or a simple word of thanks is always meaningful and truly appreciated. We’re excited for the weeks ahead, too, with many fun end-of-year activities planned as we wrap up the school year. Thank you for your continued support, and we can’t wait to see everyone back soon.
Important Dates
April 27 - May 1- No School
May 20- Early Dismissal (1:25)
May 25- No School
June 23- Last Day of School 12:30 Dismissal
Get Ready to Step Up for the Stingers!
Sunset Heights PTO is excited to announce our annual
Move-a-Thon Fundraiser on Wednesday, May 27th
where students will enjoy a fun-filled day of movement-based activities while collecting pledges from family and friends.
Our Goal: $8,000!
Funds raised will directly support our school community, including: Playground equipment Enrichment programs & assemblies Field trips and hands-on learning experiences Technology upgrades Teacher-requested classroom needs
For every $10 donated, students will receive 1 raffle ticket for a chance to win awesome prizes!
Every donation, big or small, helps create meaningful opportunities for our students to learn, grow, and thrive. This event also encourages lifelong healthy habits, helping students stay active, focused, and successful in school while having fun together as a school community.
Support our Stingers!
Collection envelopes will be sent home after April Vacation. However, we know some students may be visiting family and friends over the break and may want to start collecting donations early. We welcome early contributions as families are able!
Donate Through Our Online Portal https://2026stingersmat.cheddarup.com OR
Text 26MAT to 234-324-3332 to donate and help us reach our goal!
PS: After break, PTO will be selling Class Color T-Shirts, which can be purchased for end-of-year events such as the Move-A-Thon and Field Day. More details will be shared
Welcome Mr. Maldonado
We are excited to welcome Emmanuel Maldonado to our school as our art teacher. In just the first few days, Mr. Maldonado has brought energy, creativity, and a warm presence , and we are so happy to have him joining our staff.
Mr. Maldonado believes that every child can grow as an artist with encouragement, practice, and the confidence to try new things. He is committed to creating a positive art room where students feel inspired to explore, experiment with different materials, and take pride in their progress. Mr. Maldonado’s love of art began early in life, inspired by storytelling, cartoons, and comic books, and he looks forward to using those influences to help students connect imagination with creativity. Please join me in welcoming Mr. Maldonado to our school community.
The Guiding Eyes for the Blind Visit
Tomorrow, Friday, April 24th, The Guiding Eyes for the Blind organization will be coming to our school to do a presentation with our 1st through 4th graders. Staff from this organization will bring some of the dogs who are training to be seeing eye dogs. They will do a brief presentation about their organization and will then have the dogs show off some of the skills they have learned. The staff will also demonstrate the Juno Walk, which is a simulation where an instructor acts as a guide dog by holding one end of a harness and a student holds the other. At the end of the presentation, the students will get a chance to pet the dogs, if they so choose.
*Grades 1 & 2 will be from 9:30-10:00am.
*Grades 3 & 4 will be from 10:15-10:45am.
*5th grade is gone that day on a field trip and kindergarten will have a separate classroom walk-through with the dogs on May 8th.
Statewide Assessment for Grades 3 – 5
Our Statewide Assessment for Grades 3 – 5 will begin in May when we return from April break. The state letter was included in the principal notes sent out tonight 4/24/2026. We are hoping you will do your best to not schedule appointments for your child and make every effort to have them here in school.
The Statewide Assessment is an important tool available to parents and educators to determine how well our school is helping students meet standards outlined in our curriculum. In every assessment, scores are only as meaningful as the effort students put into the tests. Encourage your child to take the tests seriously and to give his or her best effort. You can best help your child prepare for the assessment by making sure that she or he is rested on the days the tests will be given. And, as with every day, it is critical that students have a good breakfast before heading off to school.
Thank you for supporting your child and our school during the testing period.
The testing schedule for grades 3-5 is noted below.
3rd Grade:
· Tuesday 5/5 (ELA) 9:30am-10:40am & 1:20-3:15
· Thursday 5/7 (Math) 9:30-10:55 & 1:20-3:15
· Friday 5/8 & 5/26-5/29 Make-Up Sessions as needed
4th Grade:
· Tuesday 5/12 (ELA) 1:00-3:15
· Wednesday 5/13 (ELA) 1:00-3:15
· Thursday 5/14 (Math) 1:00-3:15
· Friday 5/15 & 5/26-5/29 Make-Up Sessions as needed
5th Grade:
· Monday 5/18 (Math) 11:45-3:15
· Tuesday 5/19 (ELA) 11:45-3:15
· Thursday 5/21 (ELA) 11:45-3:15
· Friday 5/22 (Science) 11:45-3:15
· 5/26-5/29 Make-Up Sessions as needed
Information Letters:
English
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1f4WUTJZGW0m5JLBitnk4DXxQxFH5Vcvl/view?usp=sharing
Portuguese
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qNO_u9j1nTRNFpgrwLydErZdq4iM8SDg/view?usp=sharing
Spanish
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UMxf0OUXkhP51rPQTkzbsgORWLKRkuaJ/view?usp=sharing