Sunrise Scoop

As we enter this final month of 2025, our campus is buzzing with excitement, learning, and the joy of the holiday season. November wrapped up on such a high note — from our incredible Kindness Celebration to the unforgettable Turkey Feast, our students, staff, and families showed what it truly means to live the Sunrise values of Practicing Respect, Accepting Responsibility, Working Together, and remembering that Safety Matters. Thank you for the positivity, generosity, and partnership you bring to our school every single day.

This month, we look forward to continuing that momentum. Our focus trait is Empathy, and students will be engaging in meaningful lessons and activities designed to help them understand, notice, and care about the feelings of others. December is a perfect time for this — a season when kindness shines a little brighter and small acts of compassion can make a big difference.

With three weeks of learning, celebrations, and community events ahead, we can’t wait to share this magical time of year with all of you. Thank you for your ongoing support, your encouragement, and the many ways you help make Sunrise Elementary a place where Together We Rise!

Wishing all our Lion families a wonderful month filled with warmth, gratitude, and connection.

🦁 Season's warmest wishes,

Michelle Martelli
Principal, Sunrise Elementary

Tuesday 12/2

• Special Education Recognition Day

• Early Release at 1:35

Sunday 12/7

• Computer Science Education Week
• Pearl Harbor Recognition Day

Monday 12/8

• 6pm Advanced Orchestra, Beginning Choir, & Advanced Choir Winter Concert
• Give the Gift of No Germs starts

• 7pm DVUSD Governing Board Meeting

• Human Rights Recognition Day

• 5-6:30 Winter Wonderland PJ Literacy Night

• Early Release at 1:35
• Give the Gift of No Germs Ends

Monday 12/15

• Bill of Rights Recognition Day
• 6pm Beginning Orchestra, Beginning Band, Advanced Band Winter Concert

• Kona Ice at Lunch Recess for grades 2-6

• 9:15 Battle of the Books
• 3-9pm Raising Cane's Fundraiser

• 2nd Quarter Ends
• 1/2 Release at 11:35

Winter Break 12/22-1/6

December 5

December 12

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.

December 19

On Tuesday, December 16th, Kona Ice will be on campus for students in grades 2–6 to purchase a cool treat! A portion of the proceeds will come back to benefit Sunrise Elementary. Thank you for supporting our school while enjoying a sweet treat!

See the pricing chart below for options.

In December, our Kona Ice character trait of the month is Leadership — and we can’t wait to celebrate our Sunrise Lions who rise to the occasion!

Throughout the month, we’ll be recognizing students who:

• Step up to help others without being asked

• Make positive choices, even when it’s challenging

• Model PAWS expectations—Practicing Respect, Accepting Responsibility, Working Together, and Safety Matters—in the classroom, cafeteria, playground, and hallways

We encourage you to talk with your child at home about what leadership looks and sounds like. When we name the behavior (“Thank you for being a leader by…”), students learn to connect their actions to the trait.

🌟 Kona Ice Reward:
One student from each grade level (2nd–6th) who consistently demonstrates leadership will earn a free Kona Ice during our next visit on Thursday, December 18th! 🦁

A huge thank-you to Kona Ice for supporting our PAWS program and helping us celebrate students who live our values every day.

• 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.
• 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.

To ensure the safety and well-being of every Sunrise Lion, students may not arrive on campus before 7:58 a.m. There is no supervision before this time, which means we cannot safely monitor students who are dropped off early.

➡️ Please do not drop students off prior to 7:58 a.m.
➡️ Supervision begins exactly at 7:58 a.m., and gates open at that time.

Your partnership in following this important safety procedure helps us keep all students protected and ensures each morning starts smoothly. Thank you for helping us make safety a top priority at Sunrise! 🌞🦁✨

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!

⭐Enjoy a Free Star cookie with your lunch. Elves will be back in the kitchen December 8th-12th. Join us for breakfast and lunch to see what surprises they're cooking up this year!!

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

Sunrise is pleased to announce that through the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) of the National School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Program, we will be providing breakfast and lunch to all students at no charge.

All students enrolled at Sunrise may receive one breakfast meal and one lunch meal at no charge every school day. Additional meals and a la carte items will continue to be available at regular pricing.

You are receiving this benefits form because your student attends a Community Eligibility Program (CEP) school but does not qualify for meal assistance at home through programs like SNAP, TANF, FDPIR or, as a Migrant.

Completing and submitting this form is necessary for your school to secure funding through the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) which may be used for after school activities, tutoring, technology, staff development, and parent classes.

Thank you for helping us continue to provide valuable support to our students and schools!

Week 1: Recognizing Others’ Feelings

Students will practice noticing facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, and social cues so they can better understand how others might be feeling.

Week 2: Showing Empathy

Students will learn what empathetic actions look like—checking in on someone, offering help, including others, or simply listening. We’ll encourage them to put empathy into practice in the classroom, on the playground, and throughout the school day.

Week 3: Showing Gratitude

We’ll focus on identifying moments where we can express appreciation and recognize the positive actions of others. Gratitude is an important part of building empathy and strengthening relationships.

We’re excited to announce School Spirit Fridays at Sunrise! Every Friday, wear your Sunrise spirit wear or school colors 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!

Student Council still has spirit shirts available for purchase! Get yours in Ms. Shade’s room for $15 — cash only, please.

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.

We are incredibly grateful for the ongoing support of our Sunrise community! You may wonder where fundraiser proceeds go, and we want to be transparent about how these funds directly benefit our students and staff.

Fundraiser dollars are used for general school purposes that enhance the learning environment and create meaningful experiences for all Lions. Here are just a few examples of how these funds make an impact:

• Campuswide Events:
  Kindness inflatables event for students—a fun celebration made possible by fundraiser support. Funds also help us host events like our upcoming Winter Wonderland Literacy Night and possibly a Spring Field Day.

• Classroom & Instructional Needs:
  Teachers can request materials and supplies for their classrooms, including items that help create engaging lessons and support student learning. Funds are also used for essentials such as copy paper and general classroom supplies.

• Staff Support & Appreciation:
  Fundraisers help provide meals during parent-teacher conferences, treats for staff meetings and professional development, and celebrations that support staff morale and connection.

• PBIS & Student Incentives:
  Funds also help support our PAWS Store, attendance incentives, Positive Office Referrals, and other PBIS initiatives that reinforce positive behavior and celebrate students for meeting expectations.

• Student Field Trips & Enrichment Experiences:

Helping reduce costs or providing assistance so all students can participate.

• Campus Beautification & Safety Enhancements:
  Plants, bulletin board materials, signage, playground updates, cones, safety vests, and other items that help keep campus welcoming and safe.

• Library & Literacy Support:
  Purchasing new books or replacing worn materials to keep our library and classroom libraries fresh and engaging.

• Technology Supports:

Items such as headphones, mice, charging cords, or small accessories that help keep student devices functioning smoothly.

• Health & Wellness Supplies:
  Tissues, sanitizing supplies, water bottles for events, and small nurse’s office needs that support student well-being.

To continue offering these opportunities, we aim to host one monthly “eat-out” fundraiser. These events are an easy and enjoyable way for families to support Sunrise while enjoying a meal together.

Our fundraisers are successful because of you. Your participation, generosity, and school spirit make all of these opportunities possible for our students and staff. Thank you for helping us create a vibrant, joyful, and enriching school community!

When students are feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, or upset, we encourage them to utilize the Calm Down Corner that is in every classroom. Adults can model these same strategies at home. If life has you feeling stressed, try Five Finger or Figure Eight Breathing; tracing your fingers as you breathe in and out has a calming effect. Feeling nervous or bored? Stretch your body or go for a walk to clear your mind and calm your body. A favorite activity in my room has been building a puzzle with friends. It helps to focus attention on something else and has led to productive conversations. Not to mention, we were so excited to see the finished product!

Can you believe that it is going to be the end of 2025? I hope that you and your child will enjoy a well-deserved break. During this break, some ideas for connecting with your child can be something as simple as creating a snowman by using marshmallows and toothpick. Then reading a book about Snowman. These small simple activities will help in bonding with your child while still having some school-like fun day. We look forward to reconnecting with your child upon return in the new year 2026!e. We love to see them every single day!

Let’s Help our School during this Holiday Season and help participate in our Give the Gift of ‘No Germs’!!!!

Please donate (gift) Kleenex, Sanitizer, or Clorox Wipes to your child’s classroom to help get rid of germs. Teachers are limited on these products due to funding this school year, so your help to keep our classroom clean and kids using hand sanitizer and Kleenex can really help reduce the spread of germs and illness in our school community.

Donation collection week December 8th-12th

If you have additional supplies that you are able to donate- please give to the front office/Nurse office. We will help distribute them to other non- homeroom classrooms such as art, music and PE and therapy rooms.

Thank you for your help!

This month students are learning simple ways to show kindness -using kind words, helping others, and including classmates.

At Home Idea: Try a kindness countdown: One small kind act each day until winter break. Wishing everyone a cozy December! Kids kindness countdown: https://usercontent.flodesk.com/0be60a1f-2940-40f0-85a6-6b8018fdb263/upload/8d496aee-319a-4006-9317-8274063bf67c.pdf The Giving Snowman read aloud :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9hvzJCwZt8

Here are the slideshows from past classes:

• Attendance Matters
• Depression & Anxiety
• Rudeness, Disrespect and Logical Consequences
• Grief & How to Move On

Upcoming Class:

• December 18th- Being a Parent and Learning to Manage Stress around Holidays

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 proud to recognize Chelsey Link as our Sunrise Elementary Teacher of the Month! Mrs. Link consistently goes above and beyond for her students, for all students on campus, and for her colleagues. She is often one of the first to arrive each morning, using the quiet hours to thoughtfully prepare engaging lessons and a welcoming classroom environment.

Mrs. Link is known across campus as a go-to helper—especially when it comes to technology. Whether it’s assisting with Viewboards, troubleshooting tech issues, or supporting other teachers in getting their rooms ready for substitutes, she is always willing to lend a hand with patience and positivity.

Most importantly, Mrs. Link builds meaningful relationships with her students. She treats every child with respect and creates connections even with the most challenging learners. Her calm, caring presence makes a tremendous difference, and her classroom is a place where students feel seen, supported, and encouraged to succeed.

Please join us in celebrating Chelsey Link for her dedication, leadership, and unwavering commitment to our Sunrise Lions. We are grateful for all she brings to our school community! 🦁❤️📚

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!

Families are invited to register their child for Deer Valley’s upcoming gifted identification testing. Our district uses a state-approved assessment to identify students in the areas of verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal reasoning. These results help determine appropriate placement in gifted programs. Students who are already placed in a gifted program do not need to test again.

Registration Window

October 1, 2025 through January 9, 2026

Testing Dates

January 20, 2026 through February 20, 2026

Assessment Format by Grade

• Kindergarten: CogAT paper and pencil

• Grade 1: CogAT online

• Grade 2: Not available this cycle. A grade level blanket testing opportunity is planned.

• Grades 3 through 6: CogAT online

To register your child, please use the link below:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/113I4RCCVylczxWcN0vAV_t1MJtCJ3XiyUz5exBWwVXY/viewform?edit_requested=true

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to robert.murray@dvusd.org.

We would love for you to join us as a volunteer at Sunrise Elementary—whether it's for a school event, field trip, or helping around the campus! There is a simple process through Deer Valley Unified School District (DVUSD) to get started.

Please visit DVUSD Volunteering Information for full details. A few important points to note:

• In-Person Volunteer Training: All volunteers must complete an in-person training, which we will offer four times throughout the year. However, you are welcome to attend training at any DVUSD school. You only need to attend this training once!

• Returning Volunteers: Thank you for your continued support! To register as a returning volunteer, please reach out to either Holly Kuhn (holly.kuhn@dvusd.org) or Hedy Rastedt (hedy.rastedt@dvusd.org).

• Volunteer Eligibility: Volunteers must be family members of a current student unless you hold a valid fingerprint clearance card.

• Important Reminder: Please ensure you complete the training at least 30 days before you plan to volunteer to allow time for processing.

We can’t wait to have you on board as we work together to support our Sunrise Lions!

Volunteer training can be attended at ANY DVUSD campus.

Website: Sunrise.DVUSD.org

Instagram: sunriselions_dvusd

We are currently in need of 1 4th Grade Teacher and 1 crossing guard.

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.

At Sunrise Elementary, we are excited to announce our theme for the 2025-2026 school year: "Together We Rise!" This year, we are focusing on the power of unity—working hand in hand with our students, families, and community to elevate every learner. By fostering collaboration, celebrating each other’s successes, and supporting one another through challenges, we will rise to new heights of achievement and growth. We invite you to join us on this journey as we build a stronger, more connected school community. Together, we can make this a year to remember!