WELCOME BACK TO 26/27 SCHOOL YEAR!

Hey there, Mustang Families & Community!

I'm Mrs. Robiah Nelson, the proud principal at Sundance Elementary. I've been a part of the BESD for about 19 years and have been working in education for the past 23 years, with nine of those years spent right here at Sundance. Thank you for choosing Sundance as your child's school!

We have high expectations for our staff, students, and families, but we also have a fun, loving, and fair team that works hard to ensure our students succeed both academically and socially.

We have been planning a great deal for our students' return! I am so proud of the growth our students made last year. They grew so much that we almost reached "A" status, missing it by just two points! No worries, though; our hardworking kiddos and staff will conquer the 26-27 school year. I can't wait for the upcoming school year at Sundance and am excited to work together with our families and community to make a great team.

I want to give a true shout-out to all of our supportive parents, and a huge shout-out to our previous 8th-grade parents. The support you showed last school year and your commitment to making sure your kiddos participated in the 8th-grade promotion will never be forgotten.

Important Reminders:

• Meet the Teacher Night: I look forward to seeing everyone on Monday, August 3rd, from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm! 23800 W. Hadley St. Buckeye, AZ 85326 623-847-8531

• ParentVue: Please remember to check your emails to fill out your ParentVue information.

Let's make it a great year, Mustangs!"

Administration & Front Office

• Principal: Mrs. Nelson

• Assistant Principal: Mrs. Boatright

• Administrative Assistant: Mrs. Parra

• Office Clerk & Registrar: Mrs. Arias

• Office Clerk & Health Aide: Mrs. Perez

Campus Support Managers

• Maintenance Manager: Mr. Rahder

• Cafeteria Manager: Ms. Chavez

Kindergarten – 2nd Grade Teachers

• Kindergarten: Ms. Gollihare, Mrs. Becker, and Mrs. Rodenhauser

• 1st Grade: Ms. Hall, Mrs. Wesnitzer, and Mrs. Montejo

• 2nd Grade: Mrs. Cruz, Mrs. Kaur, and Ms. Galvez

3rd Grade – 5th Grade Teachers

• 3rd Grade: Mrs. Allen, Ms. Larson, and Ms. Slade

• 4th Grade: Ms. Hernandez, Ms. Arsenault, and Ms. Cozart

• 5th Grade: Mrs. Schuett, Mr. Downey, and Ms. Lorenzen

6th Grade – 8th Grade Teachers

• 6th Grade: Ms. Willis, Mr. Owusu, and Mrs. Roberts

• 7th Grade: Mrs. Callaghan, Mrs. Ingiosi, and Ms. Davis

• 8th Grade: Ms. Maambong, Mrs. Macaraig, and Mr. Mundo

Special Areas & Student Support Services

• Special Areas: Ms. Bhullar (Ms. G), Mrs. Ibo, Coach Jaime, and Mrs. J. Hernandez

• School Psychologist: Dr. Mundo

• School Counselor: Ms. Cortez

• Special Services: Mrs. Rivas, Ms. Maxwell, Mr. Ganesh, Ms. Chantarojwong, Mrs. Barnett, Ms. Almaraz, Mrs. Graffious, and Mrs. Becker

Paraprofessionals & Playground Support

• Paraprofessionals: Mrs. Jarzabek, Mrs. Trujillo, Mrs. Maciel, Ms. Peralta, Mrs. Tinoco, Mrs. Navarette, Mrs. Williams, Mrs. Hoser, Mrs. Smith, Ms. Lawson, Mrs. Guzman, Ms. Reveles, Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Quinde, and Mrs. Wright.

• Bonus Teacher (Site Sub): Mrs. Goldberg

• Playground Aides: Mrs. Rodriguez, Mrs. C. Hernandez, and Mrs. Gomez

Regular attendance is a key ingredient to academic success, and we want to see our Mustangs in class every day! However, if your child must be absent, please keep our reporting policies in mind:

• How to Report: Please call our dedicated attendance line to report your child's absence:

  📞 Sundance Attendance Line: (623) 866-6003

• Daily Calls Required: Please call in and report the absence each day your child is out to ensure it is marked as excused.

• The 24-Hour Rule: Any absence that is not verified by a parent or guardian within 24 hours will unfortunately be classified as unexcused.

• Missed Work: Students are responsible for connecting with their teachers to gather and complete any classwork missed during their absence.

At Sundance, excellent attendance is a standard we set for everyone on campus—including our incredible staff!

• The Mustang Challenge: Did you know that two years ago, Sundance won the district trophy for the Best Staff Attendance? We are incredibly proud of our team's dedication to showing up for our students every single day. We are highly motivated and plan to win our trophy back this school year!

• Student Incentives: To keep our attendance goals exciting for our kids, classrooms will also be competing for quarterly incentives celebrating the lowest number of absences and tardies.

We love recognizing our students and staff who show up on time, ready to learn and lead!

(Visit the Cafeteria on Meet the Teacher Night)

Breakfast & Lunch Program

Sundance is pleased to offer delicious breakfast and lunch options for our students daily. Please note that meals are available for purchase and are not universally free for all students this school year.

• Morning Choice: Once students arrive on campus between 7:30 AM and 7:59 AM, they may head straight into the cafeteria to eat breakfast or report directly to their designated playground area.

📋 Our Goal: 100% Free & Reduced Meal Online Application Returns! We highly encourage every single Sundance family to complete the school meal application, even if you do not think your family qualifies.

• Why this matters: This confidential process directly impacts our school. High participation rates secure vital federal funding for our campus and help fund district-wide summer meal programs for our community. Completing this application is a massive, direct way to support our Mustangs!

The Morning Bell Schedule

• 7:45 AM: The warning bell rings. Students on the playground will line up in their designated areas, and teachers will escort them into the building.

• 7:55 AM: Morning Announcements

• 8:00 AM: Instruction begins! Reminder: Any student arriving after 8:00 AM must enter through the front office to be signed in."

To keep our Mustangs safe and ensure traffic flows smoothly, please review our morning and afternoon routines below.

Morning Drop-Off (7:30 AM – 7:59 AM)

• Drop-off Window: Students should not be dropped off earlier than 7:30 AM, as there is no supervision before this time.

• Entrance: All students will enter through the side door of the cafeteria between 7:30 AM and 7:59 AM. Note: If your child arrives after 8:00 AM, they must be signed in through the front office.

• Morning Routine by Grade:

  • Kindergarten & 1st Grade: Will wait safely inside the gym until they are escorted to their play area.

  • 2nd – 8th Grade: Will have morning recess on the back playground in designated grade-level areas. (Note: Only 6th-8th graders are permitted on the field for morning soccer/football).

  • Breakfast: Available in the cafeteria for all students.

🎒 Need Before or After-School Care?

The City of Buckeye offers the B.A.S.E. program on our campus. Stop by their table inside the cafeteria during Meet the Teacher Night! You can also contact them at 623-349-6350 or email recreation@buckeyeaz.gov.

Car Rider Line Rules for Success:

• Stay in Your Car: For safety and speed, please remain inside your vehicle. Mrs. Nelson will be calling out student names as you approach, and staff will help guide your child to your car.

• Pull All the Way Forward: Always pull as far forward as possible to keep the line moving and prevent street gridlock.

• Be Ready to Exit/Enter: During morning drop-off, please have your child gathered and ready to exit the vehicle immediately once you stop.

• Bring Your Patience! The first week of school is always the slowest as everyone learns the routine. We promise it gets much faster and highly efficient after the first few days!

⚠️ Crucial Safety Note: Car Line vs. Walk-Up Pick-Up

For the safety of all students and staff, parents are not permitted to walk up to the car pick-up loop to retrieve their children on foot. We do not expect or allow unauthorized adults in the active vehicle loading zone. If you wish to walk up to meet your child, your student must be designated as a "walker" and picked up from the designated walker side of the campus.

Afternoon Pick-Up & Staggered Dismissal

To prevent traffic from backing up onto Yuma Rd., we use staggered release times. Please do not arrive early for your student's window:

Important Early Pick-Up & Safety Policies

To ensure a safe, smooth, and uninterrupted learning environment for all Mustangs, please keep the following campus policies in mind:

• ID Required: Parents or legal guardians must present a valid photo ID at the front office when retrieving a student early.

• Early Release Cutoff Times: Students may be released early before 2:00 PM (M, T, Th, F) and before 11:15 AM (Wednesdays).

  • Please note: To ensure student safety during end-of-day dismissal prep, early check-outs will not be permitted after these times unless there is a documented medical emergency.

• Testing Days: If your child has started a district or state assessment, they cannot resume testing if they leave school early. Please coordinate closely with your child’s teacher to avoid scheduling appointments on testing days.

We highly recommend keeping students in school for the full day whenever possible. Thank you for partnering with us to keep our front office running smoothly and our campus safe!"

(Visit Transportation inside the gym on Meet the Teacher Night)

School Bus Safety & Expectations

The safety of our students and drivers on the school bus is a top priority at Sundance. Riding the bus is a privilege, and we take transportation safety very seriously. To ensure a safe ride for everyone, we ask for your partnership in reinforcing our bus expectations.

Key Bus Safety Rules to Review with Your Child:

• Stay Seated: Students must remain seated and face forward at all times while the bus is in motion.

• Keep Voices Down: Inside voices help the driver stay focused on the road.

• Show Respect: Students must follow the driver's instructions and show respect to the driver and fellow passengers.

• Please note: If a student's behavior compromises safety, they may face consequences, including the temporary or permanent loss of bus privileges.

Emergency Preparedness & Drills Our bus drivers are dedicated professionals trained to keep our students safe. In the event of an emergency, they will provide clear instructions on what to do. To ensure all Mustangs are prepared, all students participate in bus evacuation drills each year, even if they do not ride the bus regularly.

Thank you for your support in reinforcing these safety measures at home so we can ensure a safe commute for all our students!"

Open and effective communication is essential to the success of our students and staff. We understand that parents may have questions, concerns, or suggestions throughout the year, and we deeply value your input.

To ensure your concerns are addressed as quickly and effectively as possible, we kindly ask that families follow our school's communication chain of command:

• Step 1: Contact the Teacher First 📞 If you have a question or concern regarding your child or their classroom, please first reach out directly to your child's teacher via phone or email (even if the issue pertains to the teacher themselves). Most classroom matters are best resolved directly with the educator who knows your child best.

• Step 2: Contact the Front Office 🏫 If you feel your inquiry was not fully addressed after speaking with the teacher, please contact the front office. Our Administrative Assistant, Mrs. Parra, is committed to maintaining your privacy. Please feel free to share the details of your situation with her so she can help find a resolution or route you to the correct administrator.

• Step 3: Connect with Administration 👥 If further support is needed, Mrs. Parra can provide a resolution or direct you to our Assistant Principal, Mrs. Boatright.

• Step 4: Schedule an Appointment 🗓️ Should you still require assistance after completing these steps, you are always welcome to schedule a phone or in-person appointment with Assistant Principal Mrs. Boatright or myself (Principal Mrs. Nelson) through Mrs. Parra.

By following these steps, we can ensure that every concern is handled promptly, accurately, and by the team members closest to the situation.

We love our community and genuinely encourage fingerprint-cleared volunteers on our campus! To ensure a safe, organized, and focused environment for our students, please review our guidelines below:

Volunteer & Visitor Guidelines

• Check-In Required: For campus security, all visitors and volunteers must check in at the front office immediately upon arrival.

• Scheduling: Please contact your child's teacher or the front office in advance to schedule any volunteer hours, classroom visits, or administrator appointments.

• The Volunteer Role: Volunteers are on campus to support all children under the direction of the teacher. Please note that volunteers may be asked to help in classrooms other than their own child's.

• Fingerprint Clearance: To volunteer on campus or chaperone school field trips, you must hold a valid fingerprint clearance card. Please contact the front office to begin the BESD Volunteer Process.

• Learning Focus: To protect instructional time, if a volunteer's presence becomes a disruption to student learning, volunteer services for that individual may be discontinued.

• Our Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) is absolutely amazing, and they could greatly use your help! Even donating just one or two hours of your time during the entire school year makes a massive difference for our kids.

  
  

Join the Mustang PTA (We Need You!) 💙

Our Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) is absolutely amazing, and they could greatly use your help! Even donating just one or two hours of your time during the entire school year makes a massive difference for our kids.

• 🚨 Critical PTA Leadership Needs: Our wonderful PTA President recently moved out of state, and we currently have a temporary Vice President. We are actively looking for parents to step into both of these executive board roles permanently:

  1. PTA President (Permanent)

  2. PTA Vice President (Permanent)

  If you are passionate about supporting our school community and collaborating with a dedicated team, we would love to have you on the board!

  How to Connect: Please stop by the PTA table inside the cafeteria during Meet the Teacher Night, or reach out via email at pta.sundance.mustangs@gmail.com to learn more about volunteering or stepping into the Vice President role.

We kindly ask for your help in reminding your child to keep track of their personal belongings, such as jackets, sweaters, water bottles, and lunch boxes.

• Where to Look: If your child misplaces an item, the Lost and Found is located right outside the gym doors. Parents and students are welcome to check it at any time.

• Quarterly Donations: Because we have limited storage space on campus, all unclaimed items will be donated at the end of each quarter.

💡 Quick Tip: Writing your child’s first and last name on the inside tags of jackets and lunch boxes with a permanent marker is the best way to ensure lost items make their way quickly back to their rightful owner!"

To maintain a focused, distraction-free learning environment, Sundance enforces a strict "off and away" personal electronics policy.

• Kindergarten – 4th Grade: All devices (including cell phones and smartwatches) must be powered completely off and kept inside the student's backpack throughout the entire school day.

• 5th Grade – 8th Grade: Cell phones must be turned off and stored inside designated cell phone lockers that travel securely with the students from class to class.

• Smartwatches & Wireless Earbuds: Smartwatches and wireless earbuds (like AirPods) are subject to the same rules. They must be powered off and stored away in backpacks (K-4) or cell phone lockers (5th-8th) during school hours.

📞 Need to get a message to your child? We completely understand that plans change! Please do not text your child's personal device during the school day. Instead, call our front office, and our staff will ensure your child receives your message promptly.

Thank you for helping us keep our classrooms focused on learning, connection, and growth!"

Our 1-to-1 School Chromebooks & Back-to-Back District Champions! 🏆

While school-provided Chromebooks are available 1-to-1, they are kept stored away and will only be used strictly for academic purposes under the direct supervision of teachers.

• Celebrating Mustang Pride: We are incredibly proud to share that Sundance has won the district trophy for two years in a row for having the least amount of Chromebook damages across the entire district! Our Mustangs take amazing care of their learning tools, and we are aiming for a three-peat this school year!

Classroom Placements & Balance

At the end of last school year, our teachers and staff dedicated significant time and effort to create our new class lists. Student placement was carefully chosen based on individual learning styles, academic needs, and social considerations.

We take great pride in striving for balanced classrooms and appropriate class sizes across all grade levels. Because of this careful balancing act, once class lists are finalized, we are unable to accommodate requests for student moves, as doing so creates imbalances and inequities across the grade level. Thank you for trusting our team to create the best possible learning environments for all our Mustangs!

What is WIN Time? (What I Need) 🚀

We are excited to continue our WIN (What I Need) time this year! For 30 to 45 minutes each day, students will participate in targeted instruction specifically tailored to their current skill levels.

During this time, students will have the opportunity to visit other classrooms within their grade level to work on specific reading or math skills. This is a wonderful system because it means every student will have the chance to learn from and build relationships with all of our amazing grade-level teachers throughout the school year!"

Community Supply List Link