Sunrise Scoop

It’s hard to believe we have already completed our first month of the 2026–2027 school year! What an incredible start it has been! Our Lions have been busy learning new routines, building friendships, setting goals, and settling into a year filled with learning and growth. We will continue on this momentum as we head into September.

Our students have also been working hard to complete our beginning-of-the-year baseline assessments, including DIBELS, NWEA MAP, i-Ready, and classroom-based assessments. We know that’s a lot of testing packed into the first few weeks of school, and we are so proud of the effort our Lions have shown! These assessments give our teachers important information about where students are starting the year, allowing us to celebrate strengths, identify areas for growth, and plan instruction and supports that meet the needs of each learner. Now that we have this baseline data, the exciting work begins as we help every Lion grow from where they are today!

Throughout this first month, we have also seen our PAWS expectations come to life across campus as students Practice Respect, Accept Responsibility, Work Together, and remember that Safety Matters. We are proud of the positive energy our students and staff bring to Sunrise each day.

We are incredibly grateful for our families and community partners who continue to support our school in so many ways. From donations and fundraisers to simply making sure students arrive each morning ready to learn, it truly takes all of us working together to make Sunrise such a special place.

Thank you for helping us start the year Sunrise strong! We have so much to celebrate already—and even more to look forward to in the months ahead. ❤️💛

Learning, Growing & Roaring Together,

Michelle Martelli
Principal, Sunrise Elementary

September is National Suicide Awareness and School Attendance Month!

9/15-10/15 National Hispanic Heritage Month

Thursday 9/3

• Fall Picture Day

Monday 9/7

• No School- Labor Day

Tuesday 9/8

• National Physical Therapist Day
• 6pm DVUSD Governing Board Meeting

Friday 9/11

• Patriots Day

• Grandparents Day

Monday 9/14

• 7:30 am Breakfast with Books & Grandparents

• IT Professionals Day

• 5-8:30pm Grate Skate Fundraiser- Back to School Skate with Stitch

• Sunrise Lions Choir with DVUSD choirs to Sing the National Anthem at the Dbacks game

Monday 9/21

• No School- Fall Break Day
• International Day of Peace

• 6pm DVUSD Governing Board Meeting

• 40th Day of School
• Kona Ice at Lunch Recess for Grades 2-6
• 5pm Annual Title 1 Parent Information Night
• 5:30-6:30pm Bingo

Early release days in the Deer Valley Unified School District (DVUSD) are designed to provide teachers with dedicated time for professional development, collaborative planning, and administrative tasks, while also allowing students to be dismissed 60 minutes earlier than a full day of instruction. This dedicated time helps teachers enhance their skills and ensure high-quality education for students.

• A valid photo ID is always required for anyone checking out a student, no matter the reason. The person must also be listed on the student’s approved contact list in order for us to release the student.
• Students may arrive no earlier than 7:58 a.m.
• On Full School Days, students cannot be signed out after 2:30 p.m.
• On Early Release Fridays, students cannot be signed out after 1:00 p.m.
• Reminder- All drop off needs to be on the blue line (not in front of the school entrance). Please make sure to pull all the way up by the gym. Also, please do not park in drop off lines.

Thank you for helping us keep arrival and dismissal safe, smooth, and efficient for all of our Sunrise Lions! 🦁Please review these important reminders:

🌅 Morning Drop-Off — Grades K–6

• All K–6 vehicles must follow the BLUE line through the outer loop near the parking lot.
• Please pull ALL the way forward to the gate by the gym. Do not stop early, even if there is an open space closer to where you enter the loop.
• Students should exit the vehicle once you have pulled forward. Parents should remain in their vehicles.
• Coach Bummer is stationed near the gym gate to help students cross safely.
• The inner loop near the office is ONLY for families with an Early Childhood car tag.
• Only families with an Early Childhood car tag may stop and get out of their vehicle for drop-off.

🌇 After-School Pick-Up

• Gold Kindergarten and Early Childhood car tags: Use the inner loop near the office.
• Blue car tags: Use the outer loop near the parking lot and follow the blue line.
• Please have your car tag clearly visible so staff can quickly identify your student(s).
• Always pull ALL the way forward before stopping.
• Only families with an Early Childhood car tag may stop and get out of their vehicle during pick-up.

If you are in need of a car tag, please let the office or your child's teacher know so that we can help arrival and dismissal be efficient.

Following these procedures helps us keep traffic moving and, most importantly, keeps our students safe. ❤️💛 Thank you for your patience and cooperation during our busy arrival and dismissal times!

At Sunrise Elementary, we believe that by reinforcing these core values, we create a positive and supportive school environment where every student can thrive. Through our PAWS program, students earn Dojo points for demonstrating these behaviors, helping them to build strong character and succeed both academically and socially. Students can then spend their Dojo points in our classrooms and at the PAWS shop. (If you would like to donate to our PAWS shop, check out our Amazon wishlist.) We’re proud to celebrate our students’ achievements and encourage them to keep showing their PAWSitive behavior every day!

We are excited to announce that the PAWS Store will open the first week of September! Students will be able to use their ClassDojo points to shop for fun items and rewards.

The PAWS Store is made possible through generous donations from our school community. Donations are always welcome! If you have new or gently used items that students might enjoy, we would love to put them to good use.

Thank you for partnering with us to help our Lions build positive habits, make good choices, and have a PAWStastic year! 🦁🐾

https://sunrise.dvusd.org/our-school/cafeteria

Check out our new Celebrate AZ Education Grahams with us on Monday, September 28th. Get excited with us and Celebrate Arizona!!! Also keep an eye out for our very own Deer Valley Graham featured in these bags.

You can still add money on student accounts via EZSchoolPay or bring cash into the cafeteria for Snacks

Celebrating your child's Birthday has never been easier! Stop by the office to fill out a form to order a Birthday Bucket filled with treats of your choice for your student to share with his/her class.

We're excited to welcome Kona Ice to Sunrise on Tuesday, September 29!

Students in grades 2–5 will have the opportunity to purchase Kona Ice during their lunch recess. Kona Ice will offer one classic size for $5.00, and in compliance with new regulations, all flavors will be dye-free.

Participation is completely optional. If your child would like to purchase a Kona Ice, please send them to school with their $5.00 that morning.

🐾 PAWS Reminder — Accepting Responsibility!
This is a great opportunity for our Lions to practice Accepting Responsibility by coming to school prepared with everything they need for the day. Please avoid dropping off Kona Ice money at the office after the school day begins. Deliveries during the day can interrupt instructional time and require staff to locate students and deliver money to classrooms.

Thank you for helping our Lions come to school prepared and ready for the day. We can't wait for this cool treat! 🍧❤️💛

Annual School Hearing and Vision Screenings will be completed for students this month. If your student does not pass a screening, a referral letter will go out later in September/October. If you have any questions or concerns- Please contact Nurse Penny. You can check online for more screening information here- https://sunrise.dvusd.org/our-school/health-services/hearing-and-vision-screening

Health Conditions- If your student has any changes in their health and needs medical assistance during the school day- Please contact Nurse Penny and she can help with their medical care. There are NO stocked medications at school for your student. All Medications must be brought into school by Parent and stored in the Health office. If you need to bring in medications that were prescribed by the Doctor- Please have the Doctor complete this form- https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1718037948/dvusdorg/mfhznfzbyjz0ty1roxnv/medicationdoctorsorder.pdf

If you just want to bring Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Cough drops or other over the counter child medication to store at school for those ‘just in case’ moments- please complete the parent form- https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1779478971/dvusdorg/b9m6ovjup2bdvknlw448/MAR26-27.pdf and bring form and medications to the Nurse. Thank you

Thanks to an incredibly generous donation from members of Hooligan MC, Los Santos MC, and Alma MC, Sunrise has been blessed with a HUGE collection of school supplies for our students! Our community partners donated dozens of backpacks and hundreds of school supplies, including crayons, markers, pencils, notebooks, paper, scissors, glue, and more.

We are so grateful for their generosity and commitment to supporting our Sunrise Lions. Their donation is helping us make sure our students have the supplies they need to come to school ready to learn and be successful. ❤️

If your child is in need of a backpack or school supplies at any time throughout the year, please don't hesitate to reach out. Families can contact Mrs. Jennewine, Ms. Sharp, or their child's teacher, and we will be happy to help connect your child with the supplies they need.

We are incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by a community that continues to show up for our students. Thank you to Hooligan MC, Los Santos MC, and Alma MC for helping our Lions SHINE! 🦁

This month, our Be Kind focus is Be Supportive! At Sunrise, we’re helping students learn that being supportive means noticing when someone needs help, encouraging others, celebrating their successes, and being there when things don’t go as planned.

Try these simple ideas at home:

• 💬 Use encouraging words: “You’ve got this!” or “I’m proud of you for trying!”
• 👂 Listen first: Give your child your full attention and encourage them to do the same for others.
• 🤝 Look for ways to help: Ask, “What could you do to make someone’s day a little easier?”
• 🎉 Celebrate others: Practice being excited about a sibling’s, friend’s, or teammate’s success.
• ❤️ Support through mistakes: Remind children that mistakes are part of learning and encourage them to keep trying.
• 🌟 Model it: Let your child see you checking in on others, offering help, and giving encouragement.

Conversation Starter:
“What is one way you supported someone today—and how did it make them feel?”

Calling all 4th–6th grade students! Come to our first Student Council information session this Thursday, Sept. 3rd, from 3:15 to 3:45 PM in Room 304! This quick meeting is your chance to show your true Lion pride, preview our big plans for the year, and learn everything you need to know about getting involved. Parents, please make sure your student has a ride home ready right at 3:45 PM. 🦁🐾

We’re excited to announce School Spirit Fridays at Sunrise! Every Friday, wear your Sunrise spirit wear or school colors (red and gold/yellow) to show your love and pride for our amazing school. Whether it's your Sunrise swag or red and gold, let’s fill the halls with school spirit and show off our Sunrise pride!

Purchase this year's spirit shirt from Student Council for $15.

Our students are getting into our school and learning routines. As they are working on focusing during lessons, we would ask that students keep their toys at home. This allows for them to know that they are at school and gives them an opportunity to have a space for learning without distractions. At the same time, it creates an excitement for them to want to go home and see their toys that they have missed all day. This is the year that we are going to shine together!!

Fall gifted testing is currently underway. Results will be sent directly to parents toward the end of September.

Last week, reading intervention groups got off to a great start for grades 1st - 4th and 6th grade. 5th grade will be starting on Monday. If your child is in a reading intervention group, a letter was sent home with them from the Reading team. For grades 1st - 3rd, your child should have also brought home their Fall DIBELS Benchmark report. DIBELS is the reading screener that DVUSD uses for kindergarten through 3rd grade. It is given to students one on one in August, December and May.

If students are in reading intervention groups, their progress will be continually monitored using DIBELS as well. If your child qualifies for Tier 2 or Tier 3 support based on their DIBELS Benchmark level (needs most support or needs some support), a MOWR (Move On When Reading) letter was attached to their DIBELS report. Kindergarten students will have the opportunity to begin 4 weeks of informal reading intervention support with the Reading team starting the week of September 14th. Kindergarten DIBELS Benchmark reports will be given out at parent-teacher conferences in October. We look forward to an amazing year of reading groups with lots of learning happening!

This week the students received information about our reading competition called Battle of the Books. It is a fun and free reading competition that 5th and 6th graders can participate in all year long. It’s exciting, fun, and builds and strengthens reading skills. Permission slips to join Battle of the Books went out this week and are due back to the library next Friday September 4. It’s not too late to join so have your students stop by the library to get a permission slip!

Looking for a cool place to spend lunch recess? Students may visit the Sunrise Library during their lunch recess with a library pass! It’s a great way to escape the Arizona heat while enjoying some quiet indoor fun. ☀️➡️📚

Students can curl up with a good book, explore something new, complete a word search or crossword puzzle, or quietly enjoy one of our board games with friends.

Whether they come to read, relax, or play, the library is a great place for our Lions to cool off, connect, and enjoy their lunch recess! 🦁📖🎲

Did you know that good attendance sets the foundation for lifelong learning habits? When students are in school consistently, they don't just keep up with lessons-they build confidence, strong routines, and social connections. We do realize that things happen. In the event that your student cannot be at school please call our 24 hour attendance line 602-467-5990, to let us us know your student will be absent. Every day counts! Let's work together to ensure our students are present, prepared, and ready to succeed.

We are thrilled to recognize Mrs. Judy Dallas as Sunrise Elementary’s Teacher of the Month! 🦁❤️💛

Mrs. Dallas has a tremendous heart for Sunrise and consistently demonstrates what it means to be a true team player. This year, she volunteered to make a last-minute grade-level switch to help meet the needs of our school. When we created a new first-grade class, she was also an integral part of ensuring our classrooms were balanced and set up for success.

Mrs. Dallas is always willing to lend a hand, support her teammates, and advocate for our students and staff. She also serves as our DVEA Site Representative, giving her time to support and represent her colleagues.

We are so grateful for Mrs. Dallas and the many ways she helps make Sunrise a wonderful place to learn and work. Congratulations, Mrs. Dallas, and thank you for helping Sunrise SHINE! ✨🦁

The Sunrise Shine Award recognizes staff members who consistently go above and beyond to make Sunrise a welcoming, supportive, and successful place for our students, families, and colleagues.

Community and parent involvement is a vital piece of student success on campus! DVUSD welcomes volunteers for the 26-27 school year to help support our students, staff and schools. Prior to volunteering all annual requirements must be completed. For more information on the necessary steps, visit: dvusd.org/volunteer or contact the school directly.

Our school is collecting Box Tops—and the best part is, it’s all digital now! We’ve already raised some money this year, and every little bit helps.

Sign up easily using this QR code or click the link: https://btfe.smart.link/c2jjdifkw?referral_code=X37Z0KB0&school_id=72514

Reach out the Kelsey Shade if you have any questions or need assistance, kelsey.shade@dvusd.org.

Please check to make sure you are enrolled. It is easy.

1. Log on to your Fry's account.
2. Click on My Account.
3. Click on Community Rewards.

There is nothing else to do! Once your Fry's VIP reward card is linked, just shop as normal and Fry's will track a percentage of your purchases and we will get a donation!

Tax credit donations can provide DVUSD students with opportunities to participate in afterschool and summer programs, field trips, music and athletic programs or any other extracurricular activity. To donate to Sunrise, you can access online at Tax Credit Donation.

Your tax credit goes directly to the school, not to the state or district.

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. For more information on Tax Credit Donations, you can go to AZ State School Tax Credit Info.

To promote a safe and distraction-free learning environment for all students (and in alignment with Arizona House Bill 2484 (2024)), the use of personal electronic devices (PEDs), including cell phones, is strictly regulated for students during the school day. This policy applies to all DVUSD students and is enforced during instructional hours across all areas of the school campus, including classrooms, hallways, restrooms, lunch areas, recess, assemblies, and any school-sponsored activities taking place on campus during the regular school day.

Students are required to keep their personal electronic devices (such as phones, earbuds, smartwatches, and similar items) turned off and stored away throughout the school day unless they have received explicit permission from a DVUSD staff member for instructional or health-related and nurse approved purposes. Use of electronic devices is not allowed in classrooms, hallways, restrooms, lunch areas, or other common spaces during school hours. In addition, messaging, phone calls, and social media use are strictly prohibited during instructional time.

Bluetooth headphones and earbuds are not permitted on campus. Only wired headphones may be used, and only when connected to school-issued Chromebooks for approved instructional activities. This ensures appropriate use and limits classroom distractions.

Students are strongly discouraged from bringing personal electronic devices (including cell phones, earbuds, smartwatches, and gaming systems) to school or school-sponsored events. The Deer Valley Unified School District is not responsible for any lost, stolen, or damaged personal items.

Misuse of electronic devices may result in disciplinary consequences and may also result in confiscation of the device. Devices that are repeatedly confiscated will be held in the front office until they are retrieved by a parent or guardian.

Website: Sunrise.DVUSD.org

Instagram: sunriselions_dvusd

Also, be sure to connect with us on Class Dojo!

We are currently in need of a monitor and 3 special education paraprofessionals.

If you are interested in any of our open positions, please apply at https://jobs.dvusd.org/ and email Hedy at Hedy.Rastedt@DVUSD.org.