Hi Presidio Family!

My, my how time does fly! March is literally right around the corner and with it comes the start of state-mandated assessment season, our very first high school musical, Spring Break, and preparing for the 2023/2024 school year!

State-mandated Assessments

We will begin state-mandated assessments when we return from Spring Break. All students in grades 3-9 and 11 are required to participate in state-mandated assessments in person so please plan accordingly. In anticipation of the start of “assessment season,” the PTSO is planning assessment treats and High School CCCR is working with the fifth grade on a special assessment rally song to be presented at the March 10, 2023 Flag Ceremony.

High School Musical

The Specials Team is pleased to announce the first high school musical, written by Sifu and performed by the high school specials classes. They have worked all school year…literally…to bring this special treat to you, so mark your calendars; March 30, 2023; 5:00-7:00 PM in the Gym. Stay tuned to social media for more details!

Continuation Forms

We would love to have your child(ren) continue at Presidio for the 2023/2024 school year. In order to ensure your child(ren) maintain(s) enrollment, we need you to complete a Continuation Form for each child. Information regarding Continuation Forms has been sent via School Messenger, email, and in hard copy form from tracking teams; forms are due on/before March 8, 2023.

Buffalo Exchange Fundraiser

Join the High School CCCR on Saturday, March 23, 2023 from 8:00 AM-1:00PM for their annual Buffalo Exchange Dollar Clothing Sale. Speaking from experience, this is a deal you can’t pass up!!! All proceeds directly benefit Presidio School, so help us raise money while adding to your wardrobe!

I’m looking forward to seeing you at one or more of our many March events! I’m the meantime, stay safe and healthy!

Happy March!

Jessica Montierth, Principal

The Presidio PTSO has organized a special deal for the #PresidioFamily  to attend the U of A Baseball game on Saturday, March 4, 2023, starting at 1:00pm. Tickets are only $5! You can purchase tickets daily from 3:00-4:00 PM in the 1695 Front Office.

PRESIDIO SCHOOL PTSO

 Please join us for our next PTSO Meeting on Thursday, March 9th at 5:00 pm in the Dreamcatcher Library.

What is PTSO?

PTSO stands for Parent Teacher Student Organization.

What is the Purpose of the PTSO?

• To be a relevant resource for families and communities
• To serve as a strong advocate for the education and well-being of every student
• To serve as a type of forum where parents, teachers, administrators, staff, students, and other concerned community members discuss ways to promote quality education, strive to expand the arts, encourage community involvement, and work for a healthy school environment

If you plan to have your student(s) return to Presidio for the 2023/2024 school year a continuation form must be completed in order to secure their spot. Continuation forms are to be completed online via PowerSchool. All Continuation Forms should be submitted via PowerSchool by March 8, 2023.

To Complete the Continuation Forms please follow the steps below:
1. After logging in, select Forms from the menu on the left-hand side of the screen.
2. Make sure you see the words "Continuation Forms." There are four forms you will need to fill out.
3. Once the forms are filled out, the right side will show "Approved." All four forms need to show "Approved" to be counted as a completed Continuation Form. 

The 28^th Annual High School Art Invitational is in-person for the first time in 2 years! Artwork from five Presidio students will be on display during the month of March 2023 at the Joel Valdez Main Library, 101 N. Stone Ave. Go check out the artwork of Michelle Dang, Rosa Verdugo Felix, Jazmyn Moreno Lopez, Nigel Arrowsmith, and Bailey Montierth! 

The Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) is a summer opportunity for youth ages 14-21 interested in learning new skills while working in paid intern positions throughout Pima County. The One-Stop is now taking applications!The Pima County Summer Youth Program application is available online at: https://summeryouth.pima.gov

Online application are now available, the deadline to apply is FRIDAY, MARCH 24th, 2023 at 5:00 pm. NO EXCEPTIONS!If you are in-school you must submit a report card or unofficial transcript for this school year 2022-2023. 

You can either email it to: youth.center@pima.gov or fax it to 520.770.4134 or you can drop it off at 320 N Commerce Park Loop Sentinel Building 2nd floor.

You are also invited to attend the Summer Youth and Family Resource Kickoff! This amazing event will be held on Saturday, March 11th from 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM.  Fliers for both events are posted below.

Second graders in 2A did research on Mae C. Jemison, the first black female astronaut, for Black History Month. We’ve also been exploring the animals of our Sonoran Desert in Science. We’ve begun learning how to count with coins (Pennie’s, nickels, dimes, quarters, and half-dollars). ELA is focused on vocabulary, main topic, and key details of the text.

We began learning about animals and their habitats and enjoyed student presentations on animals in specific environments. The students had a blast finding interesting animals living in places other than Arizona. Below are a couple pictures from the student presentations.

-Kelsey

Third grade reading and writing classes have taken a deep dive into nonfiction books, including studying the different parts of the book. They also have the opportunity to write their own nonfiction animal books which they transition into slides and present to their fellow students. Their passion for animals is definitely shining through!

-Tammy (Mrs. G.)

Third grade reading and writing have transitioned from nonfiction books into fiction books.  They are learning to use their imaginations to write down on paper wonderfully creative ideas and stories. In Reading, they continue to study nonfiction books with a focus on comparing and contrasting different texts.

We had an eventful February with a Valentine’s Celebration and Presidio’s STEM Festival the following week!

We had different classroom stations for the students to do interactive labs and they were also invited to participate in judging the middle school science fair! The top science fair project the 4th-graders voted for was: The Volcano project. There was a petting zoo with farm animals such as baby goats, chickens, and rabbits.

For the festival as well, we had STEM labs where students were challenged to build a roof with provided materials so it doesn’t fly off during a natural disaster.

They also learned about fossils and created their own versions of trace fossils, mold fossils, true-form fossils, and cast fossils using flour, water, and salt.

The classes constructed catapults in teams and built a medieval castle that can withstand a catapult attack (using cardboard boxes).

Ms. Kendra’s 5th Grade ELA

We have been very busy winding down the last days of the 3rd quarter in 5th Grade ELA. We recently finished our first research papers which were a complete success. We have been busy reading nonfiction books and learning to write directions successfully in our functional writing unit. In Social Studies, we have been engrossed in learning about the Revolutionary War and reading the fantastic book My Brother Sam is Dead by Christopher Collier and James Lincoln Collier.

Mr. Gaver’s 5th Grade Classes

Mr. Gaver's math classes just slayed Topics 8 and 9, Multiply and Divide Fractions, and by the time you read this, will most likely have crushed Topic 10, Represent and Interpret Data. We also have our third Galileo Benchmarks as the third quarter comes to a close. When my students tell me, "this lesson was easy today!" I reply, "or maybe you're getting better at math." The growth has been evident through numbers and overall confidence. Now let's show it off when the AASA rolls around.

As for Science, Topic 5, Human Impact on Earth's Systems, just came to a close, and hopefully students are finding ways to better the future and the environment by conserving energy, reducing waste, and thinking about tomorrow's technology and gearing it toward protecting our tiny blue marble.

Lastly, in Social Studies, we have been reading a nail-biter called, "My Brother Sam is Dead," and learning about the complexities of the American Revolution and why and how groups of people stand up and fight for what they believe in. Moreover, students will understand that political changes have costs and benefits for different groups, and all humans share certain universal rights.

Elementary and 7th Grade Artists

The Kindergarteners, 2nd, and 4th graders, worked on some artwork inspired by the Lunar New Year and Black History Month. They were guided through drawing their own Chinese dragon faces and crayon resist watercolor paintings of Chinese lions. Students were introduced to Alma Woodsey Thomas and painted their own colorful pieces inspired by her work. The 4th graders are currently designing and creating clay African masks with their own symbolism and use of color. 7th grade students were introduced to the Elements of Art and are currently getting familiar with the Principles, as well as acrylic paint.