Sundown Mountain Newsletter March 2018 Message from the Principal
Welcome to this month’s installment of our Sundown Mountain Monthly Newsletter. It is our goal every year to provide our students with rich academic opportunities, to find success and eventually earn their di- ploma in a supportive, safe and nurturing learning environment. We strive to prepare our graduates to be career, college and life ready once leaving the Dysart Unified School District.
Sundown Mountain continues to implement the PBIS program (Positive Behaviors Interventions and Support) as a vehicle to promote positive student academic and behavioral outcomes. In addition, we em- phasize the 3 R’s as part of the PBIS program. The 3 R’s are Respect, Responsibilities and Readiness. They are the guiding principles that each student and staff member adheres to each and every day. Last year, Sundown Mountain was able to prepare and graduate over 120 seniors, a number we are proud and strive to replicate for the 2017-18 school year.
In our efforts to continue to provide outstanding educational opportunities for our students, to prepare them to be career ready, we are refining our site goals as a means to this end. Sundown Mountain will be focusing on Personalized Learning, Digital Citizenship, and the Acquisition and Utilization of Resources as our areas of focus. PBIS School In keeping with past practice of tapping into community talents and resources, Sundown Mountain is look- RESPECT ing for parent and community involvement in supporting and fostering our educational mission. Volunteering is a great and simple way to get involved and make a powerful impact in a student’s life and serve the commu- RESPONSIBILITY nity you reside in. If you have the time, have a special talent or expertise, we would be glad to have you be- come part of our Sundown Mountain team. Please find additional information regarding volunteering in the READINESS Dysart District website or call 623-876-7250.
We continue to look forward to a very positive and successful remainder of the school year here at Sun-
In This Issue down Mountain.
Message from the Principal P1 Sincerely,
Monthly Events P1 Anthony Capuano Principal Math P2
Electives P2
Science P3
Social Studies P3
English P4
SPED P4
Counselor’s Corner P5
Mr. Brook
March is one of the busiest month in our school. The third quarter will end , students are preparing for their finals and submit all assignments and projects. The fourth quarter starts and after a week we will have our spring break and be back and contin- ue the last quarter. In Algebra we completed quadratic relations by writing and rewriting standard form equations of circles and parabolas. We will start the quarter with system of equations. In Geometry, triangle congruence and their applications concluded this quarter and we will start the next one with quadrilaterals their conditions and properties. Any questions about this one or the coming quarter, please, feel free to contact me.
Ms. Miller
We are in the final two weeks of the third quarter and students are working hard to finish their coursework. In Al- gebra, we are plugging along learning how to identify and graph linear functions, how to get equations into both Standard and Slope Intercept form and identify each component of the equation and how it applies to the function. We will be finishing up soon and then begin preparing for the final exam.
In Financial Math, students are working hard to finish their coursework and prepare for the final exam. Because this class is more self-paced, some students have already completed the class and are busy working on other courses. Oth- ers get a little behind and are working hard to finish by semester end. While it has been a struggle for students to accli- mate to the online environment and how the course works, most have adapted well and I believe are more prepared for the work force, college, or trade school.
Mrs. Fontes Mrs. Gorosics rd rd Students have been working hard to finish their 3 quarter electives. 3 quarter electives need to be finished by Thursday, The end is near for my current students. March 8th. 4th quarter electives begin Monday, March 12th and need to be finished by Wednesday, May 23rd. Students en- and some fun labs. Anatomy will be testing their special senses as well as dissecting. rolled in online elective classes can log into ischool.agilixbuzz.com to work on their classes using their normal district login. Tests ronment. This is the most fun they have (and me too) while learning about the body. and quizzes are password protected and must be taken at school. Students can work on their elective class at home by reading Botany has their final lab in progress, the lessons, completing their note pages, answering text questions, and playing the quiz review game. If you have any questions ronment and are competing for the "most growth". about the elective courses, please contact Mrs. Fontes by email at [email protected]. Those students that will be entering science classes 4th quarter can expect to be doing hands on activities. will be focused deep in the body. Zoology will be discussing and researching the different animal Phyla. MANY dissections this quarter! Mrs. Wilfong’s Classroom News Mrs. England Third quarter came and went very quickly. During the first week in March, Economics class is preparing for our final exam. Quarter 3 is drawing to a close. The final quarter begins March 12 and I will welcome a new I'd like to remind all students that I am no longer ac- class with introductions and activities to explain what economics cepting classwork/homework from January. I will is. Students will pre-test and go on Spring Break. When we accept work from February through March 6. The come back from vacation the class will learn just what economics quarter ends on March 9. is all about. AZ/US History 1 will end and AZ/US Histo- ry 2 begins with, introductions and pre-testing to start the Government students are wrapping up the quarter quarter then the course begins with the last days of American with an examination of our Judicial Branch and some imperialism and moving into the Progressive Era. After Spring landmark Supreme Court cases. Break the world heats up and World War I begins. World History students are wrapping up the quarter with a look at how the Industrial Revolution changed society, politics and the world.
Mrs. Gorosics
The end is near for my current students. Finals will be given March 8th & 9th. These last few days will be filled with study guides and some fun labs. Anatomy will be testing their special senses as well as dissecting. They will be exploring how we see, taste, smell and feel our envi- ronment. This is the most fun they have (and me too) while learning about the body. Botany has their final lab in progress, they are to get the maximum growth from the cucumber plant. Many have altered the envi- ronment and are competing for the "most growth". I can't wait to see what wins! Those students that will be entering science classes 4th quarter can expect to be doing hands on activities. Anatomy students will be focused deep in the body. Zoology will be discussing and researching the different animal Phyla. This class will be doing MANY dissections this quarter! Mrs. Saeed
Students have just completed their culminating activities where they explored the key idea of honor, analyzed motifs, symbolism and various literary works. We ended the semester with thought provok- Mrs. Santacasa’s English Classes ing essays while Reflecting on Society with and emphasis on Argu- ment, Satire and Reform. The work ethic and enthusiasm for learn- Mrs. Santacasa's English courses are winding down to- ing my students displayed in English 7 made this quarter very enjoy- wards the end of semester 3. The students have done an able! excellent job working in reading analysis and different writ- ing styles. They have bought into the process of close Welcome students to English 8. As we begin this new quarter we reading and analyzing text for multiple purposes. They are will dive in to William Shakespeare's Sonnets, poetry and Mac- also becoming comfortable writing and finding their voices beth. This is going to a fantastic quarter where you will develop through writing. your writing talents and reveal your inner thespian!
Mrs. Kuettel Mrs. Kuettel’s classes are focused on finishing strong this semester. In the English 5 classes, we are continuing our journey through the literature of the major time periods of American History. We are currently contemplating some major themes of INDIVIDUALISM through works by Willa Cather and Emily Dickinson. Through short stories and poetry, we are ex- amining how the role of individualism relates to both our national identity and personal lives. In the English 1 classes, we are delving into thought-provoking theme of SURVIVAL and it’s “costs” that can be not only monetary, but also physical and emotional. Informative articles and fictional stories frame the investigation. The lab classes are focusing on the HUMAN CONDITION and how a character’s plight can mirror our own journey, all while offering fresh insight and constructive, novel approaches. They will end by penning a creative short story that will require them to focus on a personal situation that is approached in a new way. That is to say, they will be required to use techniques introduced in the modeled by the authors in the unit including “frame story,” dialogue, suspense, indirect characterization, imagery, and titles with double entendres. We should see fireworks in this finale. ;)
Mrs. Parish– SPED DYSART UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT WORKSHOPS For parents of children with special needs 6:00 PM- 8:00 PM TUESDAY MAR 27, 2018 Positive Behavior Support Learn how to reduce unwanted behavior and increase good behavior by using Positive Behavior Supports in your home and in the community. Understand the role you play in your child’s behavior, and how to work with the school when behaviors get in the way of Learning. *no cost for families * registration requested *no childcare available **Register at raisingspecialkids.org 602-242-4366 800-237-3007
Hello to all Sundown Mountain Students and Parents!
At this time the end of quarter 2 is quickly approaching and some students will be graduating and moving on to the next phase of life. Congratulations those students who are graduating this quarter, as we can see hard work truly pays off.
Students who will graduate in December 2017 or hoping to return to your home-school in December, please schedule an appointment with Ms. Jones before winter break.
To schedule an appointment email Ms. Jones at [email protected], NO walk-ins!
Seniors seeking an official transcript can submit a request under the Dysart Unified School District’s web page under the Parchment tab.
Dysart High School Announcements: https://www.dysart.org/Sites/default.aspx?pgid=2169 To view upcoming events please click on the attached link.
Naviance Login https://sites.google.com/dysart.org/dhs-guidance-counseling/naviance
Shadow Ridge Announcements: Stay informed of Shadow Ridge activities and events by enrolling in Remind 101, by texting 81010 and sending the link that pertains to your graduation year. If you need assistance please see Ms. Jones
81010 Stay connected with remind 101 [email protected]
Seniors: Cap & Gowns (12/31 order deadline) Cap & Gown orders need to be placed no later than December 31, 2017 in order for it to get here before graduation. Naviance Login https://connection.naviance.com/family-connection/auth/login/?hsid=shadowridge
Valley Vista High School Announcements: Senior time lines are located in the front office on the table next to the gotcha drawing box. Senior Yearbook Ads: Due by December 21, 2017 Cap and Gown order forms are located in Ms. Jones office. Orders are due by Dec 21, 2017 Naviance Login https://connection.naviance.com/family-connection/auth/login/?hsid=valleyvhs
Willow Canyon High School Announcements: Senior Time Line: https://www.dysart.org/Sites/Default.aspx?pgid=2192
Date : Tuesday, May 22, 2018 @ 7:30 PM Location: University of Phoenix Stadium Ticket Information Graduation ceremony is open to the district community and tickets are not required to attend. Graduation Announcements and Cap & Gowns Orders Balfour online ordering Information Items 1/16/18 & 1/17/18 (Tuesday/Wednesday) - Balfour taking graduation orders (10:30 a.m. - 12:05 p.m., cafeteria) 3/28/18 (Wednesday) - Spring Senior Talks (7:15 a.m. - 9:15 a.m., Auditorium) / Balfour disseminates pre-ordered graduation items 5/14/18 (Monday) - Cap /Gown Distribution (Balfour) 12:15 p.m., Auditorium 5/21/18 (Monday) - Graduation Practice/Cap & Gown Distribution (7:00 a.m. - TBD)
District Wide Scholarship Link: https://www.dysart.org/scholarships/