Articles from November 2023

Laveen’s Kids Club is now enrolling for Winter Break Camp. Camp is open to children in Grades preschool-6 and will be held December 20- January 3 at Desert Meadows School. Visit our Day Camp page for details and to register.

Read October’s issue of our school newsletter. Past issues can be found under the “About Us” tab.

October is Principal’s Appreciation Month, and we are thrilled to honor and celebrate our incredible school leader, Kristi Pashley!  At Cheatham Elementary, we recognize the vital role our principal plays in shaping the success of our students, staff, and entire school community.

Our principal leads with passion, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to excellence, ensuring that every student receives the best education possible. Whether it’s fostering a positive school culture, advocating for new initiatives, or being a constant source of support for students and staff, our principal goes above and beyond every day.

This month, we encourage everyone in our school community to take a moment to share your appreciation—whether it’s a kind word, a thank you note, or just letting our principal know how much their hard work means to you.

Let’s come together and make this Principal’s Appreciation Month extra special! Thank you, Kristi Pashley, for everything you do to make Cheatham Elementary, a fantastic place to learn and grow.

In collaboration with Global Credit Union and local branch manager, Kayla Tamayo, Cheatham recently offered essential financial literacy lessons to students across various grade levels on our campus.

• Third graders were introduced to the basics of money, learning how it works and understanding the value of saving. They even created their own savings banks to encourage early financial responsibility.
• Fifth graders took a deeper dive into how money is made, with lessons on goal-setting and budgeting to foster smart financial habits.
• Eighth graders explored advanced topics, such as saving, investing, budgeting, and insurance—preparing them for real-world money management.

These financial lessons not only teach students how to build a positive relationship with money but also promote long-term economic sustainability within our community. We are deeply thankful to Global Credit Union and other local businesses for their continued support in helping our students grow and succeed.

Each year one teacher from each school is selected to receive the district’s Excellence in Education Award. This prestigious award is given to those who attain high academic achievement for their students, provide exceptional service and leadership at their school, and make a positive difference outside of the classroom and in the community.

Congratulations to Cheatham Elementary School, Jenna Getz

Cheatham Elementary, Desert Meadows School and Paseo Pointe Dual Language Academy were all three named America’s Healthiest Schools 2024.

Annual award recognizes schools for dedication to student, staff, and family health 

Alliance for a Healthier Generation has named 3 of Laveen’s Schools as one of America’s Healthiest Schools for 2024. This annual recognition honors schools for implementing best practices to support the health of students, staff, and families. Eight hundred and seventy-nine schools across 30 states were awarded this year.

America’s Healthiest Schools are recognized in up to nine categories.

Desert Meadows was recognized for:

• Increasing Family & Community Engagement, presented by Kohl’s
• Strengthening Social-Emotional Health & Learning, presented by Kaiser Permanente 
• Cultivating Staff Well-Being, presented by Kaiser Permanente
• Supporting School Health Service

Cheatham Elementary was recognized for:

• Improving Nutrition & Food Access, presented by Del Monte Foods
• Strengthening Social-Emotional Health & Learning, presented by Kaiser Permanente 
• Cultivating Staff Well-Being, presented by Kaiser Permanente
• Supporting School Health Services

Paseo Pointe Dual Language Academy was recognized for:

• Supporting School Health Services

Read August’s issue of our school newsletter. Past issues can be found under the “About Us” tab.

The Laveen School District will be implementing a change to the district calendar beginning next school year (2024/25) that will impact the Wednesday half-day schedules.

Currently, we have 15 half days each year in which our staff receives professional development following dismissal. We also have four half days for parent/teacher conferences.

Next year, instead of the 15 half days in which our schools dismiss three hours early, we will dismiss an hour and a half early every Wednesday (36 days).  Half-day schedules on parent/teacher conference days as well as the last day of school will remain unchanged.

The reason for this change is twofold.

First, early-release Wednesdays allow for more instructional time in core subject areas. Students will follow a schedule similar to a full school day. This change will make the calendar more consistent for families.

Second, Laveen is in the process of implementing Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) for staff. By offering this time weekly, instead of once or twice a month, staff will receive more quality research-based training that is conducive to developing a strong Professional Learning Community and will ultimately improve student learning.

For more information, visit our FAQ on this topic.

Read the letter from Superintendent Dr. Jeff Sprout.

Beginning in the 2024-2025 school year, all Laveen students will receive breakfast and lunch at no charge.

The Laveen School District has been selected to participate in the USDA Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). This provision to the school breakfast and lunch programs allows schools/districts to provide meals at no cost to ALL students. The program may be extended to subsequent years.

While the program is in place, families will not have to apply for free or reduced-price meals. However, all Laveen families will be asked to complete the simplified Alternate Income Form/ Formulario Alternativo para la Elegibilidad Basada en los Ingresos to collect important data used for each school’s federal funding allocations.

Adult and additional student meals, as well as a la carte items, will be still be available for purchase. Visit the Purchasing Additional Food Items page for details.