What's the Buzz?!

Dear Murphy Families,

As we approach the end of another incredible school year, I want to take a moment to celebrate the hard work, growth, and achievements of our students, staff, and families. It has been wonderful to see our students continue learning, growing, and finishing the year strong both inside and outside of the classroom.

The final weeks of school are always filled with excitement and special memories. Across our schools, students and families are preparing for joyful end-of-year celebrations, including kindergarten and 8th grade promotions. These milestone moments are an opportunity to recognize the accomplishments of our students and celebrate the bright futures ahead of them. We are so proud of all they have achieved this year.

As one school year comes to a close, we are also excited to begin preparing for summer learning opportunities. We are proud to share that summer school will be hosted at William R. Sullivan Elementary School, where students will continue learning, exploring, and engaging in enriching activities. We look forward to welcoming students for another season of academic growth and fun.

As a reminder to families, May 21st and May 22nd will both be early release days as we wrap up the school year. We encourage families to plan accordingly and help students finish the year with continued focus, positivity, and pride.

Thank you for your continued support throughout this school year. Together, we have made this year one filled with learning, achievement, and unforgettable memories. We wish all of our students and families a safe, restful, and enjoyable summer break!

Thank you for being part of the Murphy community.

Warm regards,
Mr. Dettmar
Superintendent

Curiosity was bubbling, ideas were flowing, and science excitement filled the halls during Jack L. Kuban Elementary’s Schoolwide Science Fair! Students from every grade level rolled up their sleeves and became young scientists, researchers, and presenters as they explored the wonders of science in creative and hands-on ways.

One of the sweetest experiments came from our 4th graders, who investigated how different liquids affect Skittles candy. Students carefully tested liquids like water, vinegar, and cooking oil to see which would dissolve the candy coating the fastest. The colorful experiment gave students a chance to practice making predictions, observing chemical changes, and recording results — all while having fun with candy and science!

Meanwhile, our 8th graders stepped into the role of science experts as they presented trifold posters on science topics of their choice. From fascinating scientific discoveries to real-world environmental issues, students confidently shared their research and explained their findings to classmates, teachers, and visitors. Their hard work, creativity, and presentation skills were on full display throughout the event.

We are proud of all the hard work, creativity, and curiosity our students have shown leading up to this exciting event. We can’t wait to see everyone at the Science Fair tomorrow! Way to go, Kuban scientists! The future is bright — and full of discovery!

Creativity was in full swing at William R. Sullivan Elementary School as 4th graders turned art class into a hands-on masterpiece workshop! Students explored the exciting world of stamp printing by using stencils, paint, and creative designs to bring their projects to life.

With careful planning and lots of imagination, students layered colors and patterns to create unique printed images on their artwork. The activity allowed students to experiment with texture, shape, and design while expressing their creativity in fun and colorful ways.

From bold patterns to detailed prints, each project showcased the artistic talents and originality of our young artists. It was a fun-filled day of creativity, collaboration, and artistic discovery in the art room!

Learning was full of fun and creativity in the kindergarten classrooms at Jack L. Kuban Elementary School as students practiced their short vowel sounds in an exciting hands-on lesson!

Our young learners worked hard on worksheets focused on identifying and practicing short vowels while building important reading and phonics skills. After completing their work correctly, students got to show off their creativity by coloring the objects on their pages, turning learning time into colorful masterpieces.

From sounding out words to proudly sharing their finished work, kindergarteners stayed engaged, focused, and excited throughout the activity. It was wonderful to see students learning, creating, and growing their confidence all at the same time.

At Kuban Elementary, learning is always brighter when creativity and fun are part of the lesson!

Students at William R. Sullivan Elementary School were putting their math and technology skills to work as 7th graders explored the world of surveys, data collection, and pie charts!

Using their laptops, students created surveys, gathered opinions from classmates, and analyzed their results to better understand how data can be organized and displayed. From favorite foods to fun school topics, students used real responses to create colorful pie charts and learn how percentages and data visualization work in everyday life.

The activity gave students the opportunity to think critically, interpret information, and make connections between math and real-world applications — all while having fun sharing their own opinions and discoveries.

From collecting data to creating charts, these young analysts proved that learning can be both engaging and interactive at Sullivan Elementary!

Students at William R. Sullivan Elementary School were hard at work sharpening both their math and creativity skills in the classroom! Our 3rd graders focused on completing math worksheets and practice packets to strengthen their problem-solving and critical thinking abilities.

Once students finished their math work, they were rewarded with a fun and creative activity — diamond art! Using colorful gems and careful hand placement, students created sparkling designs while also strengthening the small hand muscles needed for writing and fine motor development.

The combination of learning and creativity kept students engaged, focused, and excited throughout the lesson. From solving math problems to designing dazzling artwork, these young learners showed that hard work and creativity make the perfect team at Sullivan Elementary!

Our William R. Sullivan kindergarten students recently enjoyed an exciting field trip to the Children’s Museum of Phoenix, where learning came to life through hands-on exploration and play.

From interactive exhibits to creative activities, students had the opportunity to discover, imagine, and explore in a fun and engaging environment. The trip encouraged curiosity, teamwork, and creativity while creating lasting memories for our youngest learners.

Experiences like these help students connect learning beyond the classroom and continue building a love for discovery.

Jack L. Kuban students had an unforgettable time during our Water Field Day, filled with laughter, games, and lots of fun in the sun!

Students enjoyed a variety of water activities that helped celebrate the end of the school year while encouraging teamwork, positivity, and school spirit. From friendly competitions to splash-filled moments, the campus was full of excitement and smiling faces.

Events like these help create memorable experiences for our students and make school a place where learning and fun go hand in hand.

Last week, we proudly celebrated our amazing Lunch Heroes across Murphy Elementary School District!

Our cafeteria teams work hard every day to ensure students are served nutritious meals with care and kindness. To show our appreciation, each Lunch Hero received a special handmade beverage cup as a small token of gratitude for all they do for our students and schools.

Thank you to our incredible nutrition services staff for helping keep our students fueled, supported, and ready to learn each day.

Jack L. Kuban’s 7th and 8th grade students recently celebrated with a Positive Pizza Party as a reward for their hard work and positive behavior on campus.

Students enjoyed pizza, spent time with friends, and even joined in on a fun game of volleyball with our School Resource Officer, Officer Martinez. The event was a great opportunity to celebrate students who continue to demonstrate positive choices and strong school spirit.

We are proud of our middle school students for their leadership and commitment to creating a positive campus environment!

As we head into the final weeks of the school year, it has been wonderful to see our students continuing to work hard, stay focused, and finish the year strong. Our campus is filled with excitement as students prepare for all of the special end-of-year activities and celebrations that make this time of year so memorable.

We are especially looking forward to our kindergarten and 8th grade promotions as we celebrate the accomplishments and growth of our students.

• 8th grade promotion: May 20th at 4 P.M.
• Kinder promotion: May 21st at 10 A.M.

These milestone moments are always a special time for students, families, and staff as we recognize how much our learners have achieved throughout the school year.

There has also been plenty of fun and learning happening across campus! Students have enjoyed visits from the Bookmobile, helping encourage a love of reading and giving students the opportunity to explore exciting new books. We are also excited for our upcoming Field/Water Day, where students will enjoy outdoor games, activities, and time together celebrating a successful school year.

Our 7th and 8th grade students have also earned a Positive Pizza Party to recognize their hard work, positive behavior, and dedication throughout the year. In addition, excitement is building for our Schoolwide Science Fair, where students across all grade levels will have the opportunity to showcase their creativity, experiments, and scientific discoveries.

To wrap up the year with even more excitement, our 8th graders will also enjoy a special field trip to Jake's Unlimited as they celebrate their final year before moving on to high school.

Thank you to our students, staff, and families for your continued support and partnership throughout the school year. We are proud of all our students have accomplished and look forward to ending the year with celebration, learning, and wonderful memories together!

As we begin wrapping up another wonderful school year, I want to thank our students, staff, and families for making this year such a memorable and successful one. Our students are continuing to work hard, stay focused, and finish the school year strong, and we could not be more proud of all they have accomplished.

There is so much excitement happening across campus as we prepare for our end-of-year celebrations! We invite you to join us for kindergarten and 8th grade promotions next week:

• 8th grade promotion: May 20th at 9 A.M.
• Kinder promotion: May 21st at 9 A.M.

A special thank you goes to Mrs. Yancy for her years of commitment, dedication, and service to our school community as she prepares for retirement this year. Her impact on students and staff will truly be missed, and we wish her all the best in this next chapter.

We would also like to thank Mrs. Mitchell and Student Council for organizing a fantastic Cinco De Mayo Festival. The event was a huge success and brought so much fun, culture, and community spirit to our campus.

Congratulations are also in order for our attendance winners from last week! Miss Barnes’ class earned first place with an outstanding 93% perfect attendance rate. Ms. Vivelo’s class earned second place with 89%, and Mr. Blazek’s class came in third place with 88%. Great job to all of our students for showing up ready to learn each day!

Lastly, congratulations to Ms. Wilson on earning her Master’s Degree from Arizona State University! We are incredibly proud of her accomplishment and dedication to education and lifelong learning.

Thank you again for your continued support throughout the school year. We look forward to celebrating these final weeks together and ending the year on a strong and positive note!

School hours for the 2026-2027 school year will remain as follows for both schools:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday

Start: 7:30 AM

K–4 Dismissal: 2:15 PM

5–8 Dismissal: 2:45 PM

Wednesday (Early Dismissal)

Start: 7:30 AM

K–4 Dismissal: 12:15 PM

5–8 Dismissal: 12:45 PM