Dear Robles and Altar Valley Middle School Families,

Welcome to September! We are excited to have started the 2nd month of school. Hopefully it will see cooler temperatures. We are focusing on students building the seeds of knowledge and growing them into the great plans they have for their futures.

Please Take Time to Read the Handbook

When you completed your student's registration through ParentVUE, you were prompted to review and acknowledge that you have read the school handbook. The handbook contains important information that helps families understand how our schools operate and what you can expect from us and what we expect from students and families. Policies are updated from year to year, and this year's handbook includes important information and updates that every family should know.

The handbook provides information about topics such as:

• Student attendance and expectations

• Student behavior and discipline

• Dress code requirements

• Health office procedures and the role and limitations of school health clerk

• Parent and visitor expectations

• Student responsibilities and school expectations

• New state laws and requirements affecting Arizona schools

Just to name a few as there are many more topics covered. Understanding these expectations before an issue arises helps us avoid misunderstandings and allows families and school staff to work together more effectively. 

New Arizona Requirements Regarding Food at School

One important change families would have seen in the hand book year involves food in the classroom.

Arizona has enacted new requirements regarding food provided or consumed in school settings. These requirements are intended to support student health and safety and provide greater consistency around food served during the school day. Because of these requirements, families will not be able to send edible food items for birthdays or other celebrations.

We understand that birthdays are special occasions for children, and we want to recognize and celebrate our students. However, celebrations must be structured in a way that does not take away from instructional time or create food-related safety concerns. This is located on page 9 of the handbook. 

Birthday Celebrations

• As outlined on page 9 of our handbook, birthdays are special occasions for our students, and teachers will establish appropriate ways to recognize them during the school day without detracting from learning time.

• No Edible Treats or Deliveries:
  To maintain safety and minimize disruptions, edible treats and special deliveries—including balloons, gift baskets, flowers, and similar items—are strictly prohibited.

• Allowed Items:
  With advance teacher permission, students may bring non-edible items, such as pencils or stickers, donate a book to the classroom library, or read a book to the class.

• Party Invitations:
  Invitations for out-of-school parties may only be distributed at school if every student in the class receives one.

These guidelines allow us to recognize birthdays while keeping our classrooms safe, inclusive, and focused on learning.

We appreciate your help in following these expectations. If you would like to help your child celebrate their birthday at school, please talk with their teacher ahead of time about the options that are permitted.

Reading: A Priority for Every Student

For our Robles Elementary families, Arizona's Move On When Reading (MOWR) requirements make early literacy a particularly important focus in kindergarten through third grade. Schools are required to screen students for reading difficulties, provide evidence-based reading instruction and intervention, monitor student progress, and communicate with families when additional support is needed.

For our Altar Valley Middle School families, literacy remains just as important. Reading is not simply an elementary school skill. Students must be able to read, comprehend, analyze, and communicate about increasingly complex information in every middle school subject.

Whether your child is learning to read, learning to read more fluently, or learning through increasingly complex texts, reading is the foundation for learning.

We are excited about the year ahead and all that we will accomplish together. At Robles Elementary and Altar Valley Middle School, we are proud to be your partner in education. Together, we will continue to build, grow, and flourish.

With Bobcat and Eagle Pride,

Dustie Gunn
Principal 

Robles Elementary School
Altar Valley Middle School
Altar Valley School District

Move On When Reading: Building Strong Readers at Robles Elementary

At Altar Valley School District we believe that every child can grow as a reader. Reading is one of the most important skills a student develops because it is the foundation for learning in every subject and throughout a child's education. Arizona's Move On When Reading (MOWR) legislation supports this belief by requiring schools to identify reading difficulties early and provide students with the instruction and intervention they need to become successful readers.

What Is Move On When Reading?

Move On When Reading is an Arizona law focused on ensuring that students receive strong, evidence-based reading instruction from kindergarten through third grade. Schools are required to use reading assessments to monitor student progress, identify students who may be struggling, and provide appropriate instruction and intervention. Arizona also requires K–3 students to be screened for potential reading difficulties at least three times each year.

Why Third Grade Matters

MOWR includes an important third-grade requirement. Students take the statewide English Language Arts assessment in third grade, and students who do not meet the state's MOWR reading cut score may be considered for retention. However, retention is not automatic in every situation. Arizona law provides several good-cause exemptions and other pathways for promotion.

These include situations involving certain English learners, students receiving or being evaluated for special education services, students with significant reading impairments such as dyslexia, students who demonstrate sufficient reading skills or adequate progress through a collection of assessments, and students who receive additional intervention and demonstrate sufficient progress.

Most importantly, MOWR is about much more than retention. The primary purpose is early identification and intervention so that students have the support they need to become successful readers before they reach the end of third grade.

How Families Can Help

Families are an essential part of a child's reading development. One of the most powerful things you can do is make reading part of your child's daily routine.

Try to:

• Read with your child every day.

• Ask your child questions about what they are reading.

• Have your child retell a story or explain what they learned.

• Encourage your child to sound out unfamiliar words rather than simply guessing.

• Visit the library and allow your child to choose books that interest them.

• Talk to your child's teacher regularly about reading progress.

• Celebrate growth and effort when your child is learning a difficult skill.

Even a short amount of reading each day can make a meaningful difference when it becomes a consistent habit.