Friday, December 19, 2014

A Message from the Principal

Dear Sunrise Families,

The Sunrise Community is making a difference for our neighbors.  Students Council Representatives coordinated a food drive for the Tucson Food Bank.  On Tuesday, December 16, Sunrise Drive donated 890 pounds of food!  A combination of 977 cans and boxes were collected from Kindergarten through fifth grade.  The students were proud of the contributions. 

Sunrise Drive’s second, third, fourth and fifth grade classes collaborated with Canyon View Elementary in collecting food and items for families in need.  Some of these families attend our district schools and are from the Tucson community. Each family has expressed their deep appreciation for the generosity shown to them this holiday season. 

A special thank you to the Sunrise students and parents for making the donations to our community. We wish you and your loved ones a safe, healthy winter break that is filled with laughter!

Sincerely,

Andrea Davidson

Open Enrollment is Happening Now!


Sunrise Spellers Qualify for the CFSD Spelling Bee


Ventana Vista School to Host Star Party on January 23, 2015

Sunrise Drive would like to point out that the STAR PARTY is scheduled for the 2015 year. 

Monday, December 15, 2014

2015 Canyon View Little League for Baseball and Softball


Sunrise Drive Thanks Parent Volunteers for their Work with the 5th Grade Legacy tiles

5th Grade Legacy is complete!  The beautiful tiles are on display at the front of the school between the two main walkways for everyone to enjoy.  Please check them out!

The 5th graders worked very hard with Mrs. Meyers to create these beautiful tiles but they would also like to thank the following parents and grandparents for generously donating their time to help with this project.

Thank you for all your help!
Brendan Acker, Christiana Bertoldi, Jeanne Callahan,  Jessica and Brian Curley, Amie de Chazal, Jeana Darling, Kimberlyn Drew, Jen and Steve Fischahs, Anne Gruber, Ellie Hopkins,  Elizabeth King, Andrea Randall, Tim Schirack, Alicia West

Friday, December 5, 2014

Sunrise Spellers


A Message from the Principal

Dear Sunrise Drive Families,

The Deep Learning Proficiency (DLP) of Citizenship identifies the performance area of Civic Literacy and Engagement.  For our K-5 students, one observable outcome is for students to contribute to civic activities such as a food drive or creating posters for a school event.  The K-2 Citizenship Rubric and 3-5 Citizenship Rubric may be accessed on the CFSD webpage.

Student Council will meet at lunch recess on Tuesdays for grades 2-5.  All interested students are welcomed.  The students will focus on developing citizenship and leadership skills as they serve their school and Tucson community.  The Student Council Members are collecting food for the Tucson Food Bank between December 2 and December 16.  The members have visited each class to explain the community service project.  The members are looking forward to loading volunteers’ vehicles on December 16 to transport the food.  You may look forward to a Student Council Member requesting your help on this important day.  We thank you for the food that has been collected to date!

Many classes are participating in collecting items for families in need in the month of December. We are working with Canyon View Elementary to serve the needs in our Sunrise Drive and broader Tucson community.  If there is a family in need in our community, they are encouraged to contact our School Counselor, Ms. Kristie Stevens at kstevens@cfsd16.org.  All information is confidential and details are not shared with the staff or student body. 

A special thank you goes to the FFO for nurturing our staff during the first months of school with the monthly Staff Appreciation meals and treats. We appreciated the lunches in August as we prepared for the opening of school.  The sandwiches before Open House meetings allowed teachers to eat before the meetings began. The treats during conferences provided the sustenance needed for teachers to focus during the afternoons and evenings. The November Thanksgiving meal was delicious and memorable!  We thank the volunteers who care for us!

You may want to mark your calendars for the fun events taking place in December:

First Lego League Competition on December 5 at Wilson Middle School
Mad Science Night on December 9 at 6:45 in the MPR
Spelling Bee on December 12 at 3:00 in the MPR
Band Concert on December 16 at 7:00 at Catalina Foothills High School

We celebrate the range of interests that our students have as they participate in these activities.  We look forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming events.

Sincerely,
Andrea Davidson

CFSD's Spanish Immersion Program


Kindergarten Enrollment for the 2015-2016 School Year


Arizona Tax Credit in the Foothills

The Catalina Foothills School District is a wonderful school community! It is impressive to see a community with such a commitment to educational excellence and support of the schools here in the Foothills.  CFSD would not be the district it is today without the community that surrounds and supports it! The success of our schools' extracurricular programs is tied to the generous contributions of community members who divert some of their state tax funds to the CFSD programs of their choice!

How does it Work?
Any Arizona taxpayer has the opportunity to give to Catalina Foothills School District instead of paying it in taxes. The donation must be earmarked for support of one of our many qualifying fee-based, extracurricular activities. We'll send the donor a receipt for their records. Then, when the taxpayer fills out their 2014 Arizona state taxes, they can subtract the amount of the donation, up to $400 (joint filers) and $200 (individuals), from what is owed in state taxes.  This is not just a tax deduction…it is a tax credit that reduces the amount of taxes owed to the state, dollar-for-dollar.  For more information about how this credit will work for your individual tax situation, contact your tax advisor.

How are these Dollars Spent?
Tax Credit dollars are spent to support fee-based, extra-curricular offerings. However, regular communication between Sunrise Administration and Community Schools, leads to a beneficial partnership that also helps support the needs at Sunrise, as dollars are spent to serve a joint purpose.

What is the Tax Credit Goal at Sunrise?
We are aiming for $30,000…that is only 150 individuals at $200 each!

Where Can I Donate?
You can donate online (http://www.cfsd16.org/public/_community/donate.aspx) with your credit card or fill out the 2014 Tax Credit Form, which can be mailed to Murphey Administration Center, 2101 E River Rd., Tucson, AZ, 85718 or dropped off in person at any CFSD school, by December 31, 2014. Please make checks payable to Catalina Foothills School District (CFSD) and note the program to which you'd like to contribute on the check.

What have we purchased at Sunrise with tax credit dollars?

Here are some of the joint projects that Community Schools and Sunrise administration have completed/purchased within the past 4 years, as well as projects underway or yet to come:

·      Current Project: Raising money for shade structures on the Sunrise campus, utilized by Sunrise Students and Community Schools activities
·      Resurfacing of the outdoor basketball and tennis courts, utilized by Sunrise students in Physical Education and by Community Schools classes after school
·      Imagine Learning software purchase used by SD teachers, students, and Community Schools
·      $30,000 toward the SD playground renovation project, which assisted with updating basketball goals, courts, playground equipment, shade structures, and more, all utilized by SD students, staff, and Community Schools
·      Lego Robotics team registrations and equipment used by SD students, staff, and Community Schools

·      30 sets of headphones used by SD students, teachers, and Community Schools

CFSD's Chinese Immersion Program


Midyear CogAt Testing Information


Friday, November 21, 2014

Message from the Principal

Dear Sunrise Families,

Why do I have green eyes? What makes popcorn pop? How fast can I run?  How does a plane take off and fly? What’s the difference between bacteria and virus? Children continually generate questions, and the Sunrise Drive Science Day and Inquiry Fair is a wonderful opportunity to investigate these questions.  Students may participate in the SD Inquiry Fair by entering a project as an individual, small group or class. Important science dates are listed below.

·      Registration forms are due on December 12th.

·      Ms. McGuire will be available each Wednesday in December during lunch to discuss topics, answer questions, and offer resources.

·      MADScience Night for Sunrise Families will be Tuesday, December 9 from 6:45-8:00 in the MPR.

·      TheSunrise Drive Science Day and Inquiry Fair will be on Thursday, February 5. On this day, student projects will be shared.  Also, students will celebrate and learn about our world as guest scientists share their expertise. 

·      Qualifying projects will move forward to the Southern Arizona Regional Scienceand Engineering Fair (SARSEF) during March 9-14. Please let us know how we can support your student as they prepare a topic of study for the SD Inquiry Fair.

As we move into the Thanksgiving holiday, I would like to express my gratitude to the Sunrise Drive community for creating a wonderful learning environment for our students.  I thank each volunteer and family member for each contribution to our students’ education.  I wish each of you a wonderful holiday!

Sincerely,

Andrea Davidson

Congratulations for Sunrise Drive's Talent Show Participants


A Note from the Health Office

We are in need of any gently used clothing. If your children have outgrown pants, shorts, shirts, coats we would love to recycle them. Please send them to the health room in the front office of the school.

Sunrise Drive Dine Out Event- December 3, 2014


Nominate Your Candidate for CFSD Foundation's Teacher of the Year Today


Open Enrollment Registration is Happening Now!

Please visit the Catalina Foothills School District website for all of your open enrollment questions.

Friday, November 7, 2014

Message from the Principal

Dear Sunrise Families,

On Monday, November 3rd, the Arizona Departmentof Education announced the details of Arizona’s statewide assessment to beadministered during April 2015.  The American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a not-for-profit organization with experience in K-12 educational assessments.  The AIR has created the Arizona Measurement of Educational Readiness to Inform Teaching (AzMERIT).  This assessment will measure the students’ mastery of the standards including problem solving and critical thinking skills. Similar to the field test administered last spring, it is anticipated that our students will complete the test using computers.  Students in grades 3 through high school will take AzMERIT to measure the English Language Arts and Mathematics Standards.  Students in grades 4, 8 and high school will also take the AIMS Science test.  More information is included in this edition of the Friday Flash. I will continue to share information with you as I learn about the assessment and the process.

Congratulations to the Sunrise Drive Spellers who haveearned a qualifying score to move forward to round 2.  The students qualified based on their score at their grade level.  Students choosing to move forward may join the Spelling Bee Club during lunch recess on Friday afternoons in November.  The spellers wanting to continue in the competition will take another written test on November 21 during Spelling Bee Club.

The Catalina Foothills Foundation is supporting the CFSD 2014-2015 Teacher of the Year (TOY) program, which features the contributions of teachers in our students’ education. Please take a moment to nominate those exceptional CFSD teachers who are making or have made a positive impact on you and your child. Two CFSD "Teacher of the Year" and three "Distinguished Educators" will be recognized at the TOY Family Event on April 12, 2015 at La Paloma Resort. Nominations are accepted between November 3 and 30 and the nomination form is included in this edition of the Friday Flash.

I look forward to meeting with those of you who are interested in exploring the topic of praise and student achievement at our first Nurture Shock Book Study on Thursday, November 13 between 6:00-7:00 in the library.  This is a continuation of the conversation about Growth Mindset that we began at the FFO meeting in October. Although I encourage you to read the Nurture Shock, you may participate in the session without reading the text.  The text may be accessed online or a local bookstore.

As we move into next week we will have a change in our schedule. School will be closed on Tuesday, November 11 in observance of Veterans Day.  Due to the four-day school week, Thursday, November 13 is a full school day with dismissal at 3:00.  Our early release schedule with dismissal at 1:30 on Thursday will resume the week of November 17. 

Sincerely,
Andrea Davidson

Principal

Open Enrollment for 2015-2016 School Year Begins December 1, 2014


Letter to Parents from the Office of Superintendent Huppenthal


Sunrise Drive Spellers- Round 2 Qualifiers

Congratulations to those students listed below who qualified for Round 2!

Gear up for Sunrise Steppers!

The weather has changed. That can only mean one thing - Sunrise steppers starts next week!  Our students really enjoy participating in a walk or run at lunchtime on Thursdays. Volunteer to help Gigi Dover by singing up at the below link.  You will be contacted with further details.  

Thank you. 

Kirstin Girdner, FFO Volunteer Coordinator

http://www.signupgenius.com/index.cfm?go=s.signup&useFullSite=true&URLID=5080F4DAEAA2DA31-sunrise2

Playdate in the Park, November 16th


Sign Up to Participate in the 2014-2015 Science Fair!


Friday, October 24, 2014

Message from the Principal

Dear Sunrise Families,

We are thankful for your participation in conferences over the last week.  We value the partnerships we have with each family as we support our students in their learning.  It is important to continue to communicate with one another. As the grading period ends on October 31, teachers will prepare report cards for distribution on November 14.  Report cards are another way for us to share information with you. Please know that our teachers are committed to being your partners as we support your student’s learning.

Students are engaged in mathematical lessons that integrate the eight mathematical practices.  Our math teachers are working to develop our students’ ability to apply the mathematical practices. It is our goal that students will learn the mathematical content and transfer their knowledge and skills to real world situations. The eight mathematical practices are listed below:

1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
3. Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
4. Model with mathematics.
5. Use appropriate tools strategically.
6. Attend to precision.
7. Look for and make use of structure.
8. Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.

If you are interested in reading more about the mathematical practices, please refer to the document in this edition of the Friday Flash.

Sunrise students in first through fifth grades will participate in the Scripps Spelling Bee.  There are four levels of competition.  All students will take the first written test of 20 words.  Each class will have students move on to the Spelling Bee Club, which is voluntary, to meet at lunch on Fridays in November. Our school wide spelling bee will take place on December 12. We thank the FFO for sponsoring the school fee for our students’ participation. More information is included in this edition of the Friday Flash.

The Lego Club will begin in November on Mondays during the lunch recess.  Ms. Fugate is the faculty sponsor who will make the Lego Club available to all grade levels.  Students will coordinate with their teacher to participate. We thank the FFO for the generous support of the Lego Club by purchasing the materials.

The Sunrise Site Council will begin meeting in November.  If you are interested in participating please contact me directly via email.  We are fortunate to have many past members willing to continue their service to the community.

This version of the Friday Flash is being published on the day we celebrate Spiders and Cider.  I wish each of you a fun evening as we enjoy the event together. 

Sincerely,
Andrea Davidson

Mathematical Practices at Sunrise Drive

Mathematical Practices

Mathematical Practices
The mathematical practices are integrated into the curriculum. For example, using appropriate tools strategically takes place in math as students learn to use a ruler, yardstick and tape measure. They then learn multiple contexts for using the tools in math lessons.  As students acquire the mathematical content and mathematical practices, they are able to transfer their knowledge to novel settings.  For example, in science a student may need to identify the proper tool to use when measuring the circumference of a pumpkin or the height of plants in the garden. 

Examples
Fourth Grade: Students may learn procedures for solving multi-digit multiplication and focus on attending to precision as they multiply, regroup and add to find the product. 

Second Grade: Students describe the attributes of three-dimensional shapes, using the vocabulary (e.g. faces, edges, vertices).  As they study the shape they are looking for and making use of the structure of the shapes. 

Kindergarten: Students may learn to count and write numbers.  As they are counting and writing they are looking for and expressing regularity in repeated reasoning.

Questions to Ask Your Child
1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
·     What kind of a problem is it?
·     What do you know about the problem? What did you need to figure out?
·     Does your answer make sense? Does your strategy make sense?
·     What did you do if you were stuck?

2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
·     What quantity does the number represent?  For example, how many bagels in a dozen?  How many bagels in a baker’s dozen?
·     What is the relationship between ______and ______?
·     Could you have used another operation or property to solve this task? Why or why not?

3. Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
·       What mathematical evidence would support your solution?
·       How can you be sure that...? How could you prove that...?
·       How did you decide to try that strategy?
·       Does this argument make sense?

4. Model with mathematics.
·       What are some ways to represent the quantities?
·       What is an equation or expression that matches the diagram, number line.., chart..., table..?
·       How would it help to create a diagram, graph, table...?
·       What are some ways to visually represent...?

5. Use appropriate tools strategically.
·       What information do you have?
·       In this situation would it be helpful to use...a graph..., number line..., ruler..., diagram..., calculator..., scale?
·       Why was the tool helpful to use...?

6. Attend to precision.
·       What mathematical vocabulary did you use in this situation?
·       How did you know your solution was reasonable?
·       Explain how you might show that your solution answers the problem.
·       What would be a more efficient strategy?
·       What mathematical language..., definitions..., properties can you use to explain...?

7. Look for and make use of structure.
·       What observations do you make about...?
·       What do you notice when...?
·       What patterns do you find in...?

8. Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.
·       Explain how this strategy works in other situations?
·       Is this always true, sometimes true, or never true?
·       What do you notice about...?
·       What patterns are evident?