Washington Elementary School District

It's National Information Technology (IT) Professionals Day! A big thank you to all of our Management Information Systems (MIS) staff who ensure our computer systems, software and hardware run smoothly each and every day! We appreciate their hard work, knowledge and guidance! #WESDFamily

National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 each year! The WESD honors the traditions and historical achievements of Hispanic and Latino Americans who have enriched our Nation and society! To learn more, please visit: https://lnkd.in/eEsG_kg. #WESDFamily

We are proud to share our next group of 2024-2025 Arizona Public Service - APS Supply My Class winners! Each of these deserving teachers was surprised with a $500 gift card to purchase supplies for their classroom! Congratulations to: Lateefah Harris, fifth grade teacher and Jordan Reed, third grade teacher at Acacia Elementary School; Amber Roberts, reading specialist at Alta Vista Elementary School; Emmylou Jacalan, first grade music teacher at Arroyo School; Joy Clark, third grade teacher and Athena Gibson, behavior support advocate at Ironwood Elementary School; Irene Blanchard, first grade teacher and Alyssa Duncan, second grade teacher at John Jacobs Elementary School; Marci Barlow, sixth grade teacher at Moon Mountain Elementary School; and Leigh Saiz, gifted teacher and Alisa Schilling, first grade teacher at Tumbleweed Elementary School. A big thank you to APS for supporting our teachers! #WESDFamily

We have exciting news to share! Last night, the Governing Board approved an increase in starting pay of $20 per hour for all new bus drivers! Please share this with your family, friends and neighbors who may be interested as the WESD is looking for bus drivers to join our dedicated Transportation team! We offer FREE CDL training as well as other great benefits like paid holidays and vacation time, state retirement options and much more! To apply online, please visit: https://lnkd.in/gbxSkMD. #WESDFamily

This morning's Professional Learning Academy meeting included some special acknowledgments! The first was an Apple Award presentation to several of our amazing school and District administrators in honor of their recent hard work and dedication! Congratulations to: Mandy George, principal of Ocotillo Elementary School; Cathy Taylor, assistant principal of Ocotillo Elementary School; Susie Smith, principal of Sweetwater School; Rich Morris, administrative coach in Administrative Services; Paula McWhirter, director of Curriculum and Instruction; Jennifer Griggs, principal of Abraham Lincoln Traditional School; and Dawna Dohogne, principal of Moon Mountain Elementary School. Next, Administrative Coach Carol Patterson presented a special Apple Award to Tameri Bayus, assistant principal of Royal Palm Middle School, in recognition of her going above and beyond to assist Palo Verde Middle School at the beginning of the school year! The #WESDFamily is very grateful for these outstanding administrators and values their commitment in serving our students, families and community!

A huge thank you to the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation for awarding Royal Palm Middle School with $10,000! Royal Palm Principal Darcy Estrada accepted the award over the weekend at a local Sprouts Farmers Market. The school will use the funds to break ground on a garden that will be used by its classroom students and after-school Garden Club. Shout out to Anthony Rusk, science teacher and Garden Club facilitator at Royal Palm, for writing the grant! We are so grateful for the support of Sprouts and appreciate this amazing opportunity that will positively impact the Royal Palm community! #WESDFamily

Today, we are excited to share our first group of 2024-2025 Arizona Public Service - APS Supply My Class winners! The APS Supply My Class program awards 500 randomly-selected Title I K-12 teachers within its service territory with a $500 gift card. Through this program, APS has awarded more than 5,000 teachers in the last six years with funds to help ensure they have the resources they need to support their students’ success. Our recent winners were surprised with their gift cards in their classrooms in front of their students! Congratulations to: Esmeralda Desiderio, third grade teacher at Sahuaro Elementary School; Brittney Alexander, first grade teacher and Kelley Seale, kindergarten teacher at Sunburst Elementary School; and Marieluise Taylor, fourth grade teacher at Washington Elementary School. There's much more to come! Be sure to check back as we will be sharing additional APS Supply My Class winners across the #WESDFamily!

Congratulations to Lisa Chavez, science teacher at Palo Verde Middle School, who received the Outstanding Earth Science Teacher Award for the state of Arizona from the National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT)! Lisa was celebrated during her school’s PLC meeting earlier this week in recognition of her achievement! The NAGT selected Lisa for her innovative and adaptable teaching style, particularly with middle school students at such a pivotal age for fostering a love of science. Her deep involvement in the community extends beyond the classroom, as she actively engages with families and embraces the local culture, showcasing her true dedication to her role. Lisa’s long-term commitment to education is evident in her continuous efforts to refine and enhance her teaching practices and student programs, setting a high standard for K-12 education. The #WESDFamily is very proud of Lisa and appreciates her dedication to science education!

We are thrilled to announce that Jennifer Spector, fifth grade English Language Arts and Social Studies teacher at Desert View Elementary, has been named as one of the five finalists for the 2025 Arizona Teacher of the Year Award®! The five finalists are known as Ambassadors of Excellence and are in the running for this prestigious honor, which will be announced during the 2025 Arizona Educational Foundation Arizona Teacher of the Year Awards ceremony on October 19. Congratulations, Jennifer! The #WESDFamily is so proud of you and is rooting for you!

A big shout out to Ocotillo Elementary School and Arroyo School who recently earned 2023-2024 AZPBIS Awards! Ocotillo received a Level 3 with tier 1 and tier 2 fidelity award while Arroyo received a Level 2 with tier 1 fidelity. The AZPBIS Awards recognize schools for successful implementation and outcomes with school-wide systems of Positive Behavior Interventions. In honor of their achievements, each school will receive an award poster and a digital badge to display. Congratulations to Ocotillo and Arroyo on their commitment to building school cultures that are positive, proactive, and supportive for all students! #WESDFamily