Always a good day when we are in the lab.
President: Auna Dobbs
Vice President: Sawyer Frost
Secretary: Logan Gardner
Social Secretary: Carlee Fish
Today, students have been moving around the classroom through hands-on stations where they match historical eras, examine different types of evidence, identify primary and secondary sources, spot bias, and use clues to make careful conclusions about the past.
The goal is to help students see that history is more than memorizing dates—it’s about asking questions, examining evidence, and thinking critically.
It has been wonderful to see them working together, discussing their ideas, and genuinely enjoying the challenge!
First, we finish our IXL benchmarks to see where we stand.
Next, we start our specialized booster classes.
Together, we will build skills, smash goals, and achieve more this year!
Our Varsity Football scrimmage this Friday, Aug. 14th has been cancelled. Instead, our boys will travel to Maryvale Prep on Thursday to scrimmage at 6 PM. We can't wait to see you all for our football home opener on Aug. 28th vs Valley Lutheran.
Your student can now join our school community every day from 2:30 PM to 3:15 PM to participate in our vibrant afternoon specials! This is a fantastic, stress-free way to use your ESA funds for high-quality instruction in arts, technology, and performance.
Here is a look at the incredible rotation your child can look forward to - a different activity each day:
-Arts & Expression: Exploring big ideas in both Art and Music classes.
-STEM & Innovation: Building, experimenting, and mastering early Typing skills.
-Literacy & Lore: Diving into great books and media resources in the Library.
-The Big Stage: Joining our cast and crew for the upcoming Musical Production!
We can't wait to welcome your young learners to campus for the best part of the afternoon!
Contact Principal Dean for more information!
JCES Bike Riders! We have some awesome news for you! You now have two fantastic options for parking your wheels every morning.
You can still use your usual spot across from the church OR you can park right between the main buildings!
Choosing the new spot comes with some serious perks:
*Super short walk straight past the district office to breakfast in the cafeteria!
*Extra safety for your bikes and scooters since they will be parked right on school property instead of the sidewalk.
We love seeing you ride to school. Keep up the great work, stay safe, and happy riding!
A few of you have told me that my recent comments about education options came across as a shot at school choice or local tutors. I want to clear that up myself, plainly, because you deserve that and because everything we do here is built on trust.
I am not against choice. In fact in Joseph City, we have 9% of our eligible students taking part in the ESA program, and we respect that choice. A family knows its child better than any of us, and Arizona gives families real options now, including an ESA that lets them direct their own child's education dollars. That is their right, and I will defend it. I also respect anyone who steps up to guide kids and build a business in a small town. That takes guts, and competition is not our enemy. It makes all of us sharper, and that is good for kids.
So here is what I actually meant, and why I will keep saying it.
When a family is deciding how to spend those dollars, they deserve a clear-eyed comparison, not a sales pitch from anyone, including me. My job is to tell you the truth about what a full public school gives your child, and then let you choose. A teacher certified in the subject. A real science lab, an ag program with animals and land, a music program with a stage, a team to belong to, a counselor who knows your child's name, and special education delivered by professionals and actually followed. Credit that lands on an accredited transcript a college or an employer will recognize. Those are not small things, and I would be failing you if I let anyone talk you out of them without knowing what they are.
None of that is a knock on anyone providing alternative educational approaches to kids. It is a plain statement of what a full school can offer that a smaller option, tutoring, or a solely online program, by its nature, cannot. And if a single class or a single service from us fits your family better than a full schedule, take exactly that. Our doors are open either way, full time or for one course, and we will walk you through it in one phone call. 928-288-3307. Regardless of where you live in our region, you can enroll in courses with ESA funds at Joseph City.
One more thing, because it is true and it matters to every taxpayer in this town. When a family chooses Joseph City, their student's education dollars come home and go to work right here, paying teachers , maintaining facilities the community hold dear, and running programs for every kid, not just their own. When those dollars leave, they leave with them. That is not a guilt trip, It is just how a small district stays strong, and it is why I will always make our case out loud.
We have been an A school. We have been the best high school in this county. That is the standard, and holding it is the whole reason I speak up. If that ever sounds like more than a sales pitch, it is because I mean every word.
Shannon Harvilla
Superintendent
Joseph City Unified School District