Parent Update October 2026

There are still two 90-minute release days left in October- October 23 and October 30. Looking ahead to November, all schools and the district office will be closed on Nov. 11 in observance of Veterans Day. Thanksgiving Day Recess is Nov. 23-27; all schools will be closed.

Registration for Kindergarten for the 2027-2028 school year opens Nov. 2! Students need to be 5 years old by August 31, 2027 to register. Registration can be completed fully online at dvusd.org/register.

Future Kindergarten parents and students are invited to visit all DVUSD K-6 and K-8 schools Nov. 4-5 at our Fall Kindergarten Preview Events! School staff will be available on campus to answer questions and help you register your student for this next exciting chapter in their educational journey! If you have a student ready to start Kindergarten next fall, check out the events at dvusd.org/kindergarten. You can find additional information about DVUSD’s #Extraordinary Kindergarten program and details about how to register a student at dvusd.org/kindergarten.

If your child will be 5 years old between September 1 and December 31, 2027, you can have your child tested for early entry. Early Entry Testing will take place during the summer of 2027. You can sign up for Early Entry Testing beginning in February.

Any family living in Arizona who would like to attend a school outside their home school boundaries may apply for Open Enrollment in a DVUSD school. Please view the School Boundary Maps to determine if the school you are applying to is not currently your home school.

Applications will be reviewed starting in January and approved if the school has availability.

Open Enrollment applications are accepted throughout the year for the current year's Open Enrollment.

Approval of Open Enrollment is based on school, grade level, and program capacity. Using current enrollment, the District determines each school’s student enrollment, projected growth, and available space.

Families will be notified by email if the completed application has been approved, denied, or placed on a wait list. Upon receiving an approved email notification, you must register online to the approved school no later than 10 days after the notification of the approval. If the online registration is not completed within the 10-day timeframe, the student forfeits the approved Open Enrollment and will need to reapply.

Per Governing Board Policy JFB, students currently enrolled, children of employees, and siblings of students who are currently enrolled will receive priority.

If no capacity is available, the application will be waitlisted. If capacity permits at a later date, applications that have been waitlisted will be approved, and the parent/guardian will be notified of the acceptance decision.

Applications will not be considered if they are incomplete.

False information submitted on the application will be considered a breach of the agreement, and the open enrollment will be revoked.

Families and students of the future class of 2031 are invited to attend Future Freshman Night to learn about each of DVUSD High School's programs, tour the campuses, and meet administration and faculty. Dates are listed chronologically. Contact the school for more information.

Sandra Day O'Connor High School - Nov. 2
6:00 - 6:30 p.m. Welcome Assembly and Presentation in the Gym
6:30- 7:30 p.m. Campus Open House

Barry Goldwater High School - Nov. 9

6:00 - 7:15 p.m. Presentation in the main gym

6:45-7:15 p.m. Learn More About International Baccalaureate (IB) in the Media Center

Deer Valley High School - Nov. 10

6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Presentation in auditorium

Boulder Creek High School - Nov. 16

6:00 p.m. Presentation in the gym, followed by an open house until 7:30 p.m.

Aspire - Nov. 18

3:30 -5:00 p.m. Presentation and explore content area info

Mountain Ridge High School - Nov. 18

5:00 p.m. Presentation at the football field, followed by campus open house until 7:00 p.m.

The Mountain Ridge High School Pride of the West Marching Band attended the Bands of America (BOA) Regional Championship in Flagstaff, where they competed against ensembles from California, New Mexico, Nevada, and Oklahoma.

In their preliminary performance, the Pride of the West Marching Band was named Class AAAA Champions and earned the caption awards of Outstanding Music Performance and Outstanding General Effect. In the finals, the Pride of the West Marching Band was named the 2026 Bands of America Arizona Regional Champion and earned the caption awards of Outstanding Music Performance and Outstanding General Effect!

This accomplishment is historic, as it marks the first time any Arizona program has been named a BOA Regional Champion!

All five high schools are celebrating Homecoming season on their campuses and with the elementary and middle school students who will eventually attend their schools! Barry Goldwater, Deer Valley, Mountain Ridge, and Sandra Day O'Connor High Schools have all celebrated their homecoming parades and assemblies and played their homecoming games! Boulder Creek's festivities are planned for October 21 (parade) and October 23 (football game). Come cheer on the Jaguars as they compete in a DVUSD "Family Feud" taking on Sandra Day O'Connor Eagles on October 23!

Your voice matters! The Deer Valley Unified School District Budget Priority Committee is hard at work preparing for the 2027–2028 (FY28) school year, and needs your feedback to help guide our priorities!

This open-ended FY28 Budget Survey is the first of two surveys designed to gather your ideas. A second survey will be sent out in November 2026 for the parents and the community to rank these considerations. The final budget priorities will then be presented to the Governing Board in January 2027. These community priorities directly guide the Governing Board and district committees as they align next year's resources to meet stakeholder needs, from attracting and retaining extraordinary staff to enhancing campus safety, student well-being, and academic excellence.

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and this week (October 19–23) marks Digital Citizenship Week! To help build healthy tech habits at home, check out these family safety and privacy tips from Common Sense Education (Grades K-5 | Grades 6-12).

Throughout the school year, DVUSD students in grades K–12 engage in digital citizenship lessons to learn healthy, responsible tech habits. Our fall curriculum uses customized lessons from Common Sense Education’s Digital Literacy program to guide students in navigating the digital world responsibly.

Shamitha and Nandana, Mountain Ridge High School seniors, show us that our students don’t just have a seat at the table; they can help shape the conversation. Their work on the National AI Student Senate gave them an opportunity to bring the student perspective to a national discussion about the future of artificial intelligence in education.

Ryan, a Deer Valley High School senior, demonstrated what it means to compete and represent your school at the national level, taking his hard work and dedication far beyond our district.

And Brooklyn, a Mountain Ridge High School junior, shows us the power of passion, perseverance, and stepping outside your comfort zone. From the stage at Mountain Ridge to ASU Gammage and then to New York City for the Jimmy Awards, she represented herself, her school, and Deer Valley Unified with tremendous talent and pride.

These stories remind us that student success doesn’t just have one path. It can be leadership. It can be innovation. It can be competition. It can be creativity and the performing arts.

Behind every one of these accomplishments is a student who was willing to take a chance, work hard, and pursue something bigger.

Fox 10 visits Park Meadows Elementary School for The Arizona Cardinals "P.E. with a Pro" Kick Off!

About 70 second graders were invited to take part in the new program which brings Arizona Cardinals players into Valley elementary schools to participate alongside physical education teachers and students. Wydett Williams Jr. and running back Evan Hull participated in the program’s launch at Park Meadows.

P.E. with a Pro is designed to encourage active lifestyles and healthy choices while emphasizing movement, teamwork and physical and mental wellness.

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.

After 16 years away from the classroom, Inspiration Mountain School's 5th Grade Teacher, Mrs. Bakos, returned for the 2026-27 school year and has jumped into her classroom with heart and dedication for her students!

She was surprised by a 12News crew as the 12News Teacher of the Week recently! Mrs. Bakos recently received a $1,000 check from the program's sponsor, Ken Garff, for the impact she has already made on her Inspiration Mountain School students!

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

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.