This year we have Earth & Space, Biology, Environmental Science, and Chemistry --> Anatomy and Physiology will switch with Chemistry next year.
See you Monday!!!
Mrs. Bushman
For the past several years, our elementary students ate breakfast in the classroom and it was free for everyone, regardless of income. That changes this year.
Starting the first day of school, elementary breakfast moves to the cafeteria, and students will be charged based on their meal eligibility: free, reduced, or paid. The paid price is $1.75.
I want to be honest with you about why. Our food service program has been losing money for several years. Serving breakfast free to every student, whether or not a family qualified, was one of the costs driving that loss, and the losses were being covered from the same budget that pays for teachers and classrooms. That is not sustainable, so we made the decision to bring breakfast in line with how meals are funded everywhere else.
Here is what I need you to do. Fill out a free and reduced meal application, even if you have never qualified before and even if you think you will not qualify. Many families are eligible and do not know it. Circumstances change, and it costs nothing to apply. If your children qualify, breakfast stays free or nearly free for them, exactly as it has been. Applications are available at the district office and through the school, and the information you provide is confidential.
A few other things to know. Breakfast is still served every school day, and every child is welcome to eat. No student will be turned away, embarrassed, or singled out over a meal account. And you can check your balance and pay through your Parent Portal.
If you have questions, call us at 928.288.3307. If money is tight, call anyway. We would much rather help you find the right program than have a child skip breakfast.
Shannon Harvilla, Superintendent
As a district, we are carrying $13,395.67 in unpaid meal balances. That is real money, and in a district our size it adds up fast. Those dollars are meant to feed kids, and every unpaid balance pulls from the same budget that buys the next meal.
Please log in to your Parent Portal and clear your family's balance before the first day of school. Your balance and the payment option are both right there. If you cannot get into your portal or are not sure what you owe, call us at 928-288-3307 and we will get you squared away.
Two things I want to be clear about.
First, no child at Joseph City will ever be turned away from a meal or singled out over a balance. That is not who we are.
Second, if paying this is hard right now, please call. Many families qualify for free or reduced meals and do not know it, and applications are open. That conversation is private, and it is a whole lot easier than carrying a balance you cannot pay. We would rather help you apply than watch a bill grow.
Take care of it now and we can start the year clean, all of us.
Shannon Harvilla, Superintendent
Class Assignments
We are thrilled to share our wonderful team of teachers for the upcoming school year! We know that everyone was sad to lose some of our staff with our new budget, but working together, we have found ways to increase opportunities for our students even though we have fewer staff!
Exciting news for everyone: Coach K is excited to teach PE for every student every day!
Preschool: Mrs. DeWitt and her brand new team are excited to offer THREE preschool classes this year! Please welcome Mrs. Redfearn, Mrs. Bushman, and Ms. Balda.
Lower Elementary
Kinder: The amazing Mrs. Smith is ready to welcome our big kid Wildcats!
1st Grade: We have two first-grade classes this year, taught by the fantastic Mrs. Metzger and Mrs. Hunt (keep an eye out, as they will be reaching out to you directly!)
2nd Grade: The wonderful Mrs. Colligon is so excited to see her new students.
Ms. Golding and Mrs. Ashcroft are supporting our K-2 team.
We also have special classes happening once a week each at the end of each day for K-2: Music, Art, STEM, and Library!
Upper Elementary
For our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders, school will look a little different this year! They will meet with their Homeroom teacher first thing in the morning for attendance, and again right after lunch.
3rd Grade Homeroom: Mr. Murphy
4th Grade Homeroom: Mrs. Fischer
5th Grade Homeroom: Mrs. Beatty
Then they will go to our Content Teachers on a rotation. 3rd Grade will stay together, but 4th and 5th graders are split into 4A/4B and 5A/5B:
Math: Mr. Murphy
Science and STEAM: Mrs. Fischer
ELA and Social Studies: Mrs. Beatty
ELA, Reading Interventions, and Library: Mrs. Hansen
Tech and Math Interventions: Mr. Strong
At the end of the day, 3rd-5th grade students will have individualized support in math and ELA, PE with Coach K, and for 5th graders, Band with Mr. Hutchens.
Mr. Bushman and Mrs. Hardy will be supporting Upper Elementary, and Mrs. Castellano is happy to be back as our Special Education teacher.
We cannot wait to see all of your children's bright faces filling our hallways very soon!
Elementary breakfast and lunch menus are ready for August!
Here is our NEW mealtime schedule:
Preschool Breakfast: Provided in classroom
K-5 Breakfast: 7:45 AM - 8:10 AM
3rd, 4th, & 5th Lunch: 11:15 AM - 11:55 AM
Kinder, 1st, & 2nd Lunch: 11:45 AM - 12:30 PM
Morning homeroom starts promptly at 8:10 AM.
Lower Elementary Afternoon Homeroom is 12:30.
Upper Elementary Afternoon Homeroom is 11:55 AM.
3rd–5th Grade Science Classroom Supplies
We are inviting our 3rd, 4th, and 5th-grade families to send these items to school if you would like to help out our science teacher this year! All donations will be collected for shared community use in the science lab.
Shared Lab Supplies
1/2-inch 3-ring binders
Basic toy cars (Hot Wheels, Matchbox, etc. for motion experiments)
Pencils
Scissors
2-packs of pink erasers
Pennies dated before 1982 for oxidation experiments
Cans of shaving cream
Classroom Care Items
Disinfectant wipes (for lab tables)
Kleenex facial tissues (with lotion preferred!)
Don't worry, everyone is perfectly safe! Our amazing local heroes were just using our space to practice with their super shiny new truck! We absolutely love our community partnerships!
Additional Information Regarding ESA Fees:
Academics
Year-long classes are $1,000. Semester-long classes are $500 per semester. All courses are open to ESA students, including our core subjects: math, science, social studies, and English language arts. Any student enrolled in Agriscience may participate in FFA at no additional charge.
Athletics and Activities
The $500-per-sport fee applies only to ESA students receiving ESA funding. Homeschool students who are not ESA beneficiaries continue to pay the same activity fees as enrolled Joseph City students, in accordance with Arizona law.
Exciting News from Joseph City! Welcome to Joseph City ESA families and Students!
We would also love to invite you to our Open House on the first day of school, August 3rd, from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM. It will be a wonderful opportunity to connect, tour the classrooms, and kick off the year together.
Over the next few days, keep an eye out for updates with all the details you need for a smooth and successful start. I am truly honored and overjoyed to be here in Joseph City! I cannot wait to get to know each of you and your wonderful children as we build upon the JCES Tradition of Excellence in the Wildcat Way.
Warmly,
Pamela Dean
Elementary Principal
Two weeks ago I pulled into town. Since then you've had me at cookouts, waving from a parade, and visiting with folks out in public. I've been welcomed a lot of places in my career. Never quite like this. Thank you.
Monday was my first official day as your superintendent, and I want to start the way I intend to continue: with straight talk. This district has a history of excellence that this community built and is rightly proud of. We are not where we want to be right now, and I won't pretend otherwise. You deserve a superintendent who tells you the truth. Here is what I can promise. The teachers, the tradition, and the town it takes to get back there are already here. My job is to help us do it, together.
You'll hear from me often, and you'll never have to wonder what's going on in your schools. Board meetings are open and so is my door. When we make progress, you'll see the real numbers. When we fall short, you'll hear that from me too.
Please also join me in welcoming Pamela Dean, our new Elementary Principal and Special Education Director. She's new to Joseph City like I am, and we're both spending this summer doing more listening than talking. If you see either of us around town, stop us. And I mean everyone, not just parents. If you graduated from here decades ago, ranch outside town, drive to work every morning, or just love this community, these are your schools too. This town has backed them every time it counted. Tell us what they mean to you, what we do well, and what we can do better.
Thank you for trusting me with what matters most, your children's future and the future of this School District.
Go Wildcats!
Shannon Harvilla
Superintendent
Joseph City Basketball Camp
June 22 -June 24. Boy and girls entering the 6th grade up to 12th graders. Call the High School for more information.
Thanks!!
Our high school history class took a field trip to see Joseph City historical sites such as the John Bushman home, gravestones of the original founders, Brantley's Pioneer Museum, etc.
