Parent Update September 2026

National Arts in Education Week is an annual celebration of school-based arts programming, offering an opportunity to explore the impact of arts education! Organized by Americans for the Arts, National Arts in Education Week 2026 will take place September 13-19 under the theme, “Every Student, Every Community.”

Check out @dvusd on Instagram and Facebook for highlights of students participating in DVUSD's many fine arts programs and classes to celebrate the week!

Deer Valley is seeking volunteers to serve on the FY2027-28 Budget Priority Committee. This committee of valued stakeholders will meet October 8, 2026; November 5, 2026; December 3, 2026, from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM in the District Office Governing Board Room. There is only one spot available per high school region! Members will be selected based on the criteria outlined in the committee profile. Please apply by Sunday, September 20, 2026. That’s only a couple of days from now. Contact Heather Mock if you have any questions about this committee.

The Long-Range Planning Committee continues to meet monthly to review data and enrollment trends across the district to make recommendations to the Governing Board that maximize the school and district resources. Check the DVUSD website for meeting presentations, minutes, and other information related to long-range planning.

Deer Valley Unified School District (DVUSD) has once again been named a Forbes Best Midsize Employer in Arizona. This recognition marks the seventh time the District has made the list since 2019!

DVUSD was one of only two school districts in Arizona to make the list and one of only 75 employers in Arizona.

The 11th annual rankings were based primarily on survey responses from more than 217,000 employees at U.S. companies with more than 1,000 employees.

Survey respondents, who remained anonymous so they could answer freely, were asked whether they would recommend their employer to others and to rate it on a range of criteria, including salary, work environment, benefits, and opportunities to advance. Participants were also asked whether they would recommend their previous employers within the past two years, as well as employers they knew through their industry experience or through friends or family who worked there.

The responses were tallied and analyzed alongside additional survey data from the last three years, enabling a robust assessment of organizations that consistently ranked well versus those that may have had just one good year.

The graduation stage is already set for the class of 2027! For the schedule and all the important details, be sure to check dvusd.org/graduation

Kids today may seem like experts at using technology, but the digital world requires a range of skills and habits that they don’t just pick up along the way. Digital citizenship helps students learn essential skills to navigate and communicate safely and responsibly with technology. Digital citizenship lessons are taught and reinforced throughout the year for DVUSD students. The lessons utilized in each grade address digital topics relevant to the specific age level and satisfy district compliance with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requirements to provide instruction on internet safety and appropriate online behavior. DVUSD selected lessons for the fall semester from Common Sense Media's Digital Literacy Curriculum, designed to prepare students to navigate an increasingly digital world by encouraging reflection on tech use and thoughtful choices about how and when to use it.

Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization focused on preparing and protecting kids in the digital era. In partnership with AT&T, Common Sense Media hosts a Families & Tech Webinar Series.

Watch the recording of their latest episode, “Raise a Critical Thinker: Information Literacy Skills for Learning and Life”. It’s important to think critically about what we see. Presenters share thinking routines to equip families with questions to think critically about the information they encounter, both online and offline. Explore ways to encourage children to pause and think about their use & creation of content.

Image source: https://event.commonsense.org/sept-2026

This statewide contest invites students in grades K-12 to showcase their creativity by promoting digital citizenship principles, including responsible, safe, and respectful use of technology. Winning designs will be printed and featured as official Arizona Digital Citizenship Week stickers to be recognized during Arizona Digital Citizenship Week, October 19-23. Submission requirements, eligibility information, deadlines, and contest rules can be found on the official contest website. Explore the grade level topic with your child and encourage them to create a design at home. Submissions for the contest are due September 18th

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 for volunteers, visit: dvusd.org/volunteer or contact the school directly.

For more information on the newly released Healthy Schools Act, visit the Food & Nutrition website.