For 10 years, the Latino Student Conference has connected Latino high school students with fellow Latinos in their community for the purpose of strengthening networks and learning about post-secondary opportunities.
This year, 250 students attended a variety of workshops led by MPS and MCC staff that included topics such as career exploration, scholarships and financial aid, near-peer mentorship, and tours of the MCC campus. The event culminated with a delicious Peruvian buffet celebrating the Latino heritage in Mesa. Big thank you to MCC for hosting this wonderful event!
December 2 is National Special Education Day! 🧩
On this day, we commemorate the signing of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) into law, which grants children with special needs access to free and quality public education. MPS is proud to provide individualized educational opportunities for all students with disabilities, knowing them by name and serving them by strength and need so they graduate ready for college, career and community.
The fall SPARC season concluded with a spirited soccer showdown featuring the budding talent of Adams and Whittier Elementary students. These young kickers showcased their skills, embodying the spirit of camaraderie, sportsmanship and the Portrait of a Graduate nurtured by SPARC. ⚽
Thank you to Chief Ken Cost, his officers, Mesa High boys and girls soccer members and all of the supporters from Adams and Whittier. Your collective efforts made this event an incredibly enjoyable and memorable experience for our students.
We are so thankful for our community partners! 🧡
This week, SD Crane donated complete turkey dinners to families in need at Hughes Elementary. Employees and their families arrived early to help unload two full trucks. What a way to give!
Join our recruitment & retention team at our next Career Fair! 💼
When: Wednesday, December 6, 2023
Where: 549 N Stapley Dr, Mesa 85203 (Board Room)
Questions: Call 480-472-7210 or email work@mpsaz.org
Mountain View made history this month, winning the inaugural AIA Flag Football 6A State Championship! 🏈
The Toros defeated Mountain Ridge, 10-7. Congratulations, girls!
Congratulations to Pomeroy Elementary's Janel Huyett on being recognized as one of the 2023 "Great 48" by Phoenix Magazine.
We are proud to have her teaching our students! 🎶
Happy Veterans Day! 🇺🇸
On Thursday morning, Mesa High School members of the Air Force Junior ROTC participated in a Veterans Day ceremony at Porter Elementary School.
Porter students recognized and thanked veterans for their service with a morning breakfast. 🍳
Safety is our top priority!
Starting on January 9, 2024, all guests, including MPS staff attending the meeting as a guest, with bags larger than 4.5” x 6.5” will need to utilize a clear bag. Our goal is to create a safe environment that promotes a positive experience for students, staff, and visitors.
Meet Dr. Steven Prescott and his team at the Instrument Repair Shop!
This team spends their days repairing musical instruments for Mesa Public Schools students, ensuring they are in good working condition. The shop is responsible for every district instrument, which is no small feat for Prescott’s staff of four full-time and one part-time staff. This work is a passion for the team who are highly skilled musicians and artisans.
Having an in-house repair shop is unique for a school district, but for the largest school district in Arizona, it’s more economical than sending instruments to a variety of outside vendors through a bid process. The district shop has operated for 12 years and is responsible for repairing student instruments in programs at 67 schools in grades 4-12.
Dr Prescott shared “A musician might play into their eighties,” “We are trying to ensure that students stay interested so they have that opportunity to enjoy playing well into their lives.”
Mesa High’s Air Force Junior ROTC was honored by a visit from Brigadier General Houston Cantwell and Chief Master Sergeant Jennifer McKeen from the Air Force Holm Center in Alabama. Our distinguished guests and I witnessed cadet-run activities including a color-guard performance and briefings on the program’s growing cybersecurity team.
Out of all the junior ROTC programs in the state, Mesa High’s AFJROTC was the only one selected for the tour. What an honor! Thank you, Jackrabbit cadets for proudly putting Mesa High on the national map.
Hughes Elementary has a new sensory playground! 🖐️👂👃 With the support of ESSER funds from the Special Education department, Hughes' sensory garden has expanded to include a sensory playground.
The playground is equipped with a variety of play structures and equipment that engages the senses, such as textured surfaces, auditory elements like the xylophone pictured here, vibrant colors, and unique shapes. This is a great outdoor learning environment for our exceptional students at Hughes Elementary.
We had such a great time at Celebrate Mesa this past weekend! 🎉 Our principals and friendly pups from Paws & Peers had a blast handing out candy and engaging with families from all over the valley. We are also proud to share that in addition to fun swag, our booth gave away hundreds of free books to children of all ages.
Looking for a traditional school atmosphere for your child? 📚 Join us on Monday, November 6 at 6 p.m. for an Open House at all four Franklin Accelerated Academies campuses. You will be amazed to learn what this award-winning program has to offer that goes beyond accelerated academics. To learn more, visit mpsaz.org/enroll today.
The big game between Webster and Guerrero was a blast! 🏀
Thank you to the Mesa Police Department for bringing SPARC to our campuses and a huge thank you to Westwood for hosting. We can't wait to launch our next season of SPARC soccer next month. Stay tuned!
The deadline to register to vote in this year's special election is Tuesday, Oct. 10. Visit ServiceArizona.com to complete your registration. 📩
For more information on the 2023 Mesa Public Schools Bond and Override Continuation Election, visit mpsaz.org/info.
It's National School Lunch Week! 🍎 Each day, our hard-working Food & Nutrition staff ensures students are fed nutritious meals so they can focus on learning. Interested in joining the team? Find job openings at mpsaz.org/careers.
Students from Red Mountain High School, Fremont Junior High, Zaharis, Red Mountain Ranch, Bush, Mendoza, Las Sendas, Porter and Jefferson elementaries showed off their scientific skills at the STEM Showcase sponsored by Honeywell.
This annual tradition unites our school communities in our love for all things science, technology, engineering and math. This was a great opportunity for our staff and families to come together in support of our STEM clubs and programs and to show Dback fans in attendance the impressive students we have at MPS.
October 2 is National Custodian Day, and we want to show our appreciation to every member of the MPS custodial staff. We truly value the hard work you do every day. Thanks to you, our schools and offices remain clean and ready for the daily use of our staff and students.
Congratulations to newly-board certified school nurses Sandra Brown, Autumn Merkley, and Alana Parker!
Photo credit: Tim Hacker/Mesa Public Schools
