July 2025

DVUSD families, the start of the 2025-26 school year is just days away! Our staff and school campuses cannot wait to welcome our students back for another successful year together this Thursday, July 31! Please continue to stay informed of the latest updates, celebrations, and important district information by reading these monthly updates. For everything you may need to know about starting your student's school year strong, visit dvusd.org/firstday

Make sure to follow @DVUSD on Instagram, Facebook, X, and subscribe to the district's YouTube Channel (@deervalleyunified) to get the latest updates and check out what's going on around the district throughout the school year!

All DVUSD schools are hosting important events to meet your student's teachers, staff, and welcome our DVUSD families back for the 2025-26 school year. Find a list of back-to-school events by clicking on the button below to see what's happening on your student's campus!

On Friday, August 1, you will receive an email to complete your student(s) Required Return to School Forms. The email contains a unique code to access your student(s) information. You will receive an individual email for each one of your students enrolled in the district.

Please open and respond to this email within 24 hours, so that the district will have the most accurate emergency contact information for your student(s) and verification of Internet usage preferences.

The email sent to you will be from:

PowerSchool Registration Support<noreplyregistration@powerschool.com>

Deer Valley Unified School District is working to support all families and students to improve attendance and academic success. Consistent attendance has been shown to support learning and growth for all students. This starts early in your student's academic career.

Kindergarten and high school grades often see the highest rates of absenteeism across the state of Arizona. DVUSD is sharing resources to help parents and guardians support their students to create good attendance habits and stay on track for all of their years with DVUSD.

Athletics participation fees have increased for the 2025-26 school year for middle school and high school athletes, as well as high school marching bands and AFJROTC color guard units. See the new fees listed below.

Fees were increased in part because of the failure of the M&O override passage in November 2024. The increased rates were approved unanimously (5-0) by the DVSUD Governing Board on May 13, 2025.

For information on how the M&O Override can be restored in November 2025, please visit our Election Facts page.

The Canvas Learning Management System (LMS) provides a central place for teachers to collect and deliver content to support classroom learning. It also connects students to digital resources and materials and allows students the opportunity to virtually collaborate.

Parents & Guardians can have a DVUSD Canvas account to view their child's Canvas courses. As an observer, parents & guardians can view the course content, including assignment details, due dates, and announcements (without having access to participate in the course).

Starting July 2025, all parent observer accounts will be created directly from PowerSchool. This change streamlines account management and ensures a more consistent process for accessing a student's academic information in Canvas. A parent/guardian email address in PowerSchool is required for Canvas account creation. Find out more: http://url.dvusd.org/CanvasParent

It’s not too late to register your child for DVUSD Kindergarten! If your child will be five years old before September 1, 2025, register your student today for 2025-26 Kindergarten! The process is quick and completely online. Visit: dvusd.org/register to register today.

If your child is between the ages of 3-5 and not yet enrolled in Kindergarten, sign them up for DVUSD’s Big Kid Book Club! We will periodically send your child a free book in the mail along with activities and helpful advice for parents and guardians that will help them prepare to be a student at DVUSD!

Please be familiar with the guidelines regarding outdoor activity to keep our staff and students safe. www.dvusd.org/heat

Stay Cool

1. Limit your outdoor activity to when it’s coolest, like morning and evening hours
   
2. Find your nearest cooling center for free access to air conditioning and water
3. Do not leave children or pets alone in a parked car. The temperature inside can rise quickly and become deadly

Stay Hydrated

1. Drink plenty of water throughout the day
2. Avoid alcohol and drinks with high caffeine or sugar
3. Check the guidelines for adequate hydration when doing moderate activities in the heat

Stay Informed

1. Look out for signs and symptoms of heat related illnesses
2. Check the weather forecast for temperature, humidity, and UV index
3. Learn more about NWS today's heat risk map
4. Check in regularly with friends, family, and neighbors who may be more vulnerable to heat exhaustion or heat stroke

Be SunWise

1. Limit sun exposure with sunglasses, hats, and lightweight clothing
2. Use SPF 30+ sunscreen to protect your skin from UV rays

Congratulations to Dawn Pace(left) from Barry Goldwater High School for earning the Assistant Principal of the Year and Nichole Basl(right) from Legend Springs School for winning Principal of the Year.

Dawn began her journey with DVUSD back in 1994. Her service has been defined by dedication, integrity, and strong belief in the potential of every learner who walks through her school doors. One of her most noteworthy contributions was serving as a key leader in helping her school earn its first ever "A" Rating!

Nichole joined DVUSD in 2013. She has served both as an Assistant Principal and Principal, always keeping her students at the heart of her work. She has been recognized as a Maricopa County Exemplary Principal, a well-deserved accolade that underscores the quality of their work. She has helped her school secure the A+ School of Excellence Award.

Congratulations!! Keep up the great work!

Election Day is Tuesday, November 4, 2025. Deer Valley will ask voters to reinstate the 15% Maintenance and Override Election and to authorize the sale of a parcel of land not usable by the district. For more information on the override and its importance, visit the DVUSD website elections and override pages.

The deadline to register to vote is October 6, 2025. This election will be an all-mail-in ballot. For more election information, go to the Arizona Secretary of State website.

Learn what the M&O Override funds on the Override FAQ page.

If the override is not reauthorized, the District would not be able to maintain the current level of programs and services and would have to continue to make reductions. The district would have to reduce investments in district and school programs by an estimated $11 million in each of the next two years (for a total of approximately $22 million), following initial cuts of $11 million due to the override not being reauthorized by district residents in November 2024.

This means the possible end of student and family programs such as free full-day kindergarten, cuts to athletics and arts programs, and the inability to attract and retain highly-qualified employees.

Several forms that are completed annually by parents/guardians in association with student technology use have been updated for the 2025-2026 school year. The forms will be accessed by parents on the Handbooks and Forms page of the district website after the current school year closes.

Visit the Handbooks and Forms page on the A-Z Guide on the DVUSD Website to find

For a preview of the new forms, use the links below (NOTE: these links are for internal use only; parents/guardians will use the above link).

Hurry - it is time to register for Before & After Care for the 2025-2026 school year. Many of our programs still have spots available. Go to dvusd.org/CommunityEd for site locations and rate information. To register: dvusd.arux.app

If you have a child who will be attending a DVUSD Community Education preschool, information can be found here: dvusd.org/preschool. If you have a child you would like to attend preschool and have not yet registered, please reach out to Traci Piccoli at Traci.Piccoli@dvusd.org or 623-376-3979. Space is available at a few of our locations - but are filling quickly!

If you have a child who will be attending a DVUSD Community Education preschool, information can be found here: dvusd.org/preschool. If you have a child you would like to attend preschool and have not yet registered, please reach out to Traci Piccoli at Traci.Piccoli@dvusd.org or 623-376-3979. Space is available at a few of our locations - but are filling quickly!

The Deer Valley Unified School District Transportation Department offers transportation services for:

Kindergarten - students who live more than 1/2 mile from school.

Grades 1-6 - students who live more than 1 mile from school.

Grades 7-8 - students who live more than 1 1/2 miles from school.

Grades 9-12 - students who live more than 1 3/4 miles from school.

If your student is riding the bus, Download the Edulog parent portal for information on how to find your bus and bus stop, or scan the QR code below.

Parents and students will be able to see only the stop location, pick up, and drop off times for routes.

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