Hold on tight! Ready or not....here we go!
Finishing STRONG, Together!
Finishing the Year with Clarity, Care, and Something Left
May is the most emotionally complex month in the school year. May arrives like a held breath. You can see the end, but you're not there yet. Students are restless. You're tired. And something in you knows that how you finish will shape how you begin next year. This month is about moving forward. Not frantically, not perfectly, but intentionally.
May sends us this signal that makes us want to sprint to the finish line, but you just have to keep going with purpose. The end of the year deserves your full attention.
You can see June from here! The testing season is winding down or wrapping up. End-of-year events are stacking up on the calendar. Students are sending all kinds of signal! Some wired, some withdrawn, some quietly asking with their eyes whether any of this actually mattered.
And underneath all of it is a very natural temptation: to begin checking out before it's over. Sound familiar?
The Danger of Finishing Early in Your Head
Most educators don't get to leave their classrooms or schools the same time students do. But many of them leave in their minds weeks before their body does.
They're present physically but absent relationally, processing the year that was, planning the summer that will be, calculating everything that didn't get done. All of it is understandable. Sadly, none of this is useful right now.
Your students can feel when you've moved on and so can your colleagues. Finishing in your head before you finish in your physical space is the most common way a school year quietly unravels at the end. Not necessarily in a crisis, just in a slow disconnection that everyone notices and nobody names.
Presence Is a Professional Skill
Being present in May is not about forcing enthusiasm you don't feel, nor is it pretending the year hasn't been hard or that you're not exhausted.
It's about choosing, consciously, to let what's happening in front of you matter more than what's happening in your head.
That choice looks like:
- Greeting students at the door, even on the days you don't feel like it
- Looking up from your screen during lunch instead of using every minute to prep
- Noticing the student who's suddenly quiet and asking one genuine question
- Letting yourself feel something at an end-of-year moment instead of just managing it
Resources:
May is Mental Health Awareness Month!
When we think of taking care of our health, we often first consider our physical health—things like blood pressure, cholesterol, and fitness routines. But it’s just as important to consider your mental health. Today, we’re sharing five ways to take care of your mental well-being—and prevent issues that can affect your overall health.
1. Connect with loved ones. Building relationships with other people improves your self-worth and gives you a sense of community. Emotional support is important to feeling less alone.
2. Get regular exercise. Physical fitness not only raises self-esteem, it helps your mood—which can be incredibly helpful during times of stress. Find an activity you enjoy, whether it’s walking, swimming, cycling, or strength training, and aim for 30 minutes a day three to five days a week.
3. Practice mindfulness. Contrary to popular belief, mindfulness is not “clearing your mind” of all thoughts. Instead, it’s simply paying attention to the present moment—your emotions, your thoughts, how you feel in your body. Mindfulness can reduce stress and help you take on challenges.
4. Eat a balanced diet. Eating brain-healthy foods like fatty fish and nuts alongside a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can boost mental health. Avoid drinking excessively or smoking tobacco, as alcohol is a depressant and smoking can increase tension or even mask mental health concerns.
5. Create a calming routine. Does soft music calm you? Is there a particular smell that helps ease your anxiety? Perhaps a morning walk in the sun helps you feel ready for the day. Finding healthy ways to appeal to your senses can help you cope with the stress of day-to-day life.
If you are struggling with your mental health, your Vera care team is here to help. To make an appointment with a Vera provider or health coach, click here or call (928) 774-3985.
4 End-of-Year Tips to Support Positive Student Behavior During the Last Month
Keep Routines Consistent – Maintain your regular classroom schedule and procedures to provide students with structure and stability.
Set Clear Expectations – Revisit behavior expectations often. Clear reminders help students stay on track, especially with the excitement of summer approaching.
Stay Engaged & Visible – Plan purposeful, engaging activities and be present in common areas—hallways, restrooms, and playgrounds—to help reinforce positive behavior schoolwide.
Please wear your safety vest when on any duty!
Thank you for your support, team! With us all holding ourselves and our students to high expectations we will end this 24/25 school year on a positive and memorable note!
4th QTR Gradebook Timeline
Thursday, May 14 - Early release for Grade Book Preparation
Friday, May 15 - Initial Attendance Rollover
“Days of attendance are accurate as of May 15, 2026. Updated days through May 21, 2026, will reflect on your student's personal file and available on ParentVUE.
Monday, May 18 - Special area grades due by 3:00 PM
Thursday, May 21 - Last Day of School – Final Attendance Rollover by 11AM
Friday, May 22 - Grade book closes. Please mark all students complete by this date.
Hard copies of Standards Reports are available upon request. All parents also have access to reports in ParentVue.
It is very important that teachers "Mark All Students Complete" in order for parents to receive the final PDF of the standards reports through ParentVue.
Please let me know if you have any questions, I am happy to meet with you if you need to talk through anything! (I will be out the 14th-18th) so let's schedule something if you have need! - Alianah Ramirez
Survey #1
Hello Elementary Teachers!
The annual FUSD Educational Technology Teacher survey provides valuable insight for the Learning, Technology & Innovation department to structure support for teacher and student learning. This survey provides more specific insight to FUSD goals and initiatives than the previous years and should take approximately 5 minutes to complete.
Superintendent Feedback Survey
I know this came out on our power outage day, so I wanted to let everyone know that the superintendent did cover our pizza and ice cream, and even though you may be frustrated with the outage, consider movements throughout the entire year, which helps create more robust feedback.
Dear FUSD Staff,
The Governing Board invites you to provide confidential feedback on the performance of Superintendent Michael Penca. Your perspective as a valued team member is crucial for his end-of-year performance review and helps us identify both successes and areas for growth across the district. The survey is designed to be brief, and your honest input is greatly appreciated.
Completely Anonymous: No personally identifiable information will be collected. At the beginning of the survey, select the school building at which you work or you may select Flagstaff Unified School District.
Time Commitment: Less than 10 minutes. There are 12 total questions.
Deadline: Friday, May 22, 2026
The feedback gathered will be used by the Governing Board and Superintendent Penca to guide conversations on district leadership and strategic goals for the upcoming year.
Click Here to take the confidential survey
Thank you for your time and for your valuable contribution to the Flagstaff Unified School District.
Super Summer Map for your information
Are your students struggling to understand science texts? Do you want to equip your teachers with practical instructional strategies that improve science comprehension, vocabulary, and writing?
The Literacy-Infused Science (LIS) Institutes are a no-cost, online, self-paced professional development opportunity designed specifically for elementary educators.
Funded through Project VICTORY (Virtually-Infused Collaborations for Teaching and Learning Opportunities for Rural Youth: Implementation and Evaluation of Online and Face-to-Face Delivery in High-Needs Schools), a federally funded initiative serving rural districts, these Institutes help teachers integrate literacy strategies directly into science instruction — in ways that are practical, manageable, and immediately applicable.
You can share this flyer and URL with teachers in your district who may be interested in earning the PD hours/CEUs upon completion of the Institute. Webpage:
https://tx.ag/prjVICTORY Enrollment is open for three Spring 2026 courses, from April 1st to May 31rd. Teachers are welcome to enroll in one or more courses based on their interests!
- Course 1: Science Inquiry and Instructional Foundations
- Module 1: Strategic Science Questioning
- Module 2: Engaging Questioning Strategies
- Module 3: Alternative Science Conceptions
- Course 2: Science Literacy—Reading Comprehension
- Module 1: Before Reading: Strategic Reading Partners
- Module 2: Before Reading: Scaffolded Text & Expository Text Features
- Module 3: Before Reading: Expository Text Structures
- Module 4: During Reading: R.A.P. Strategies
- Module 5: After Reading: Reading Comprehension Guides
- Course 3: Science Literacy—Vocabulary and Writing
- Module 1: Science Academic Vocabulary Instruction
- Module 2: Create Writing Opportunities in the Science Classrooms
- Module 3: Scaffolding Scientific Argumentations with CERs
Please feel free to share this opportunity with colleagues, friends, or anyone who might benefit. We're here to support you every step of the way.
Sincerely,
Project VICTORY
Click on the following links:
Library and iPad EOY Happenings
End of the year Checklist for ALL staff
Mosa Mack Supply List from Dr. Jaime Festa-Daigle
Coming Up
Monday, April 27
~ 9:00-10:00am MTSS
Tuesday, April 28
~ 5:30-6:30pm Student Council Presents at Governing Board Meeting!
~ Bus Evacuation Drill
~ 8:45am Fire Drill
~ 5:30-7:30pm Chick-fil-A Community Cares Event
Thursday, April 30
~ Get ready for our final month of May!
Friday, May 1
~ Reasor out PM- Morgan Wallen Concert in Las Vegas
Monday, May 4 Happy Birthday Lisa Joe!
~ May the 4th be with you!
~ 12:30-4:30pm Reasor at Admin Council.
Tuesday, May 5
~ Class Placements in PLCs
Wednesday, May 6 National School Nurse Day! We LOVE Nurse Chelsea!
~ Class Placements in PLCs
~ 7:30-11:30am Reasor at ELETEAM
~ 4;00-6:00pm Reasor at TEI committee
Thursday, May 7 -
~ Kindergarten to slide rock
~ EOY Staff celebration at Carrozzino Casa
4:00-6:30pm
3245 S. Lindsey Loop. Flagstaff, AZ 86005
Friday, May 8 No Snow = No School!!! Happy Birthday Mrs. C.!
Sunday, May 10 - Happy Mother's Day to you and yours
🌸 A Gentle Reminder for Mother’s Day May, 2025🌸.
For Our Mustang Teachers
As Mother’s Day draws near this spring,
We pause before the gifts we bring.
Not every child will wear a smile
Some hearts may ache for quite a while.
A mom may be a memory,
Or live in love, but distantly.
Some families look a different way
And that is perfectly okay.
So as you craft with glue and art,
Please hold each child close in your heart.
Be mindful, kind, and let them say
What love looks like in their own way.
For this day, though sweet, can sting a bit,
Let’s honor every life that’s knit
Into our Mustang family’s thread
With gentle hands and words well said.
Monday, May 11 Book Fair begins! Ride your bike to school week!
~ Meetings all day long! Enjoy this last full week with students!
Tuesday, May 12
~ Bike to school day
Wednesday, May 13
~ School Carnival from 4:00-6:00pm
Thursday, May 14 Happy Birthday Reasor (catching up to Mrs. C.)!
~ 9:30am Heritage Square Suzuki Violin and Choir Concert.
~ Early Release 11:35am Gradebook prep
Friday, May 15
~ Vera Wellness Incentive DUE $$$$
~ 7:30-8:30am Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast
~ 9:10-10:20am Fusion Friday Showcase Event in the gym
Monday, May 18
~ 5th grade Observatory Mesa
Tuesday, May 19.
Happy Birthday to the Meg(h)ans! Happy Birthday Mears and Johnson!
 |
| Field Day!!! |
Wednesday, May 20
~ 12:30-1:30pm 5th grade promotion in gym~ 5:30-6:30pm Marshall CSO in library
Thursday, May 21-Last Day of School
~ 8:30-9:30am Kindergarten graduation in gym
Friday, May 22 - Last Contract Day and Graduations!!
~ 11:30am-1:30pm Data Dive Mustang Corral!
Monday, May 25 -Memorial Day
Tuesday, May 26
~ Odyssey of the Mind in Iowa!! Crush it!!!
Wednesday, May 27 ~ CLKA Happy Birthday Mr. Whipps!
Thursday, May 28 ~ CLKA
Friday, May 29 Happy Birthday Ms. Abby!
June, July, and Early August Birthdays Matter too!
Happy Birthday to all!
| Andrea McCauslin | 06/17 |
| Madison O'Brien | 06/30 |
| Denise Hauer | 07/01 |
| Reid Swan | 07/01 |
| Rene Anthony | 07/01 |
| Katie Krause | 07/11 |
| Mya Hetrick | 07/12 |
| Isabella Smith | 07/13 |
| Tiffany Ogg | 08/03 |
| Jude Marshall | 08/07 |
Save the date!
Back-to-school BBQ is confirmed for our families on Thursday, August 6th from 3:30-5:30pm outside. This will allow for all of our families to visit their students' classrooms all at one time rather than multiple events for different grade levels. It is okay if your classroom is not completely set up yet. Families will understand that.
Assigned teachers will be available two weeks prior to school starting in ParentVUE.
April 28 - chick-fil-a fundraiser
may 4-8 - Teacher appreciation week
may 8 - snow day make up #2 (no school)
may 13 - school carnival
may 14 - Heritage sq suzuki concert
may 14 - early release
may 20- marshall cso mtg
may 21 - last day of school
may 22 - 11:30am data dive & last contract day
may 22 - HS graduation day!
may 25-28 Initial ckla training
