As we step into March, I want to take a moment to thank our incredible staff and families for the continued partnership that makes Peralta Trail Elementary such a special place to learn and grow.
At Peralta Trail, we remain focused on what matters most—student learning. Our teachers are intentionally planning and delivering explicit small group instruction, providing hands-on learning experiences, and using benchmark data to identify each child’s strengths and areas of need. This targeted approach ensures that we are meeting students where they are, celebrating growth, and challenging them to reach their full potential. It has been exciting to see the engagement in classrooms and the steady progress our students are making.
February flew by and was filled with wonderful opportunities to connect as a school community. Thank you to our PTO for hosting the fantastic Family Glow Dance Party—it was a fun evening full of smiles and school spirit! We also appreciated the strong turnout for Parent/Teacher Conferences. These conversations are such an important part of supporting student success.
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Our student creativity shined at our AJUSD Art Show as we displayed drawings, paintings, nature art, and sculptures! This past weekend, we were incredibly proud of our Student Council Leadership Club as they represented our school in the Lost Dutchman Days Parade. They did an outstanding job showing our Bobcat pride!
As a reminder, Spring Break for students is March 9th through March 23rd, and students will return to school on Tuesday, March 24th. We hope our families enjoy a restful and refreshing break.
Great things are happening at Peralta Trail, and we are looking forward to a strong and successful fourth quarter. Thank you for your continued support as we work together to ensure every student thrives.
With appreciation,
Mrs. P. Smith
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Now is the time to register for the upcoming school year as we begin planning for staffing, class placements, and all the details that go into a successful start. If your child currently attends PTES, or if you have an incoming kindergarten student, please complete registration through your ParentVUE account by using the link on our school or district website.
Children who will turn 5 years old prior to September 1, 2026 are eligible for kindergarten, and early registration is especially important as class formations and staffing decisions are based on projected enrollment for the 2026–27 school year.
If you know a family with an incoming kindergarten student or a child interested in attending PTES, please help us spread the word. Thank you for your continued support as we plan for another great year ahead.
Go Bobcats! 🐾
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March 2nd - 3rd-5th Soccer Club Games: PTES vs DVES @4:30 and PTES vs SMCA@5:30 (Location: Prospector Park)
March 4th - 3rd-5th Soccer Club Game: PTES vs FPES @4:30 (Location: Prospector Park)
March 9th-23rd - SPRING BREAK
March 24th - School Resumes for Students
March 24th - AJUSD Governing Board Meeting 6pm at District Office Board Room.
Week of March 24th - 5th Grade AZ Science State Assessment
March 26th - Spring Photos
March 26th - PTO Meeting @4pm (Library)
April 3rd - No School (Spring Holiday)
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Did you know you have until April 15 to make an Arizona Tax Credit Donation to Peralta Trail Elementary School and apply it toward your 2025 Arizona state taxes?
Tax credit donations traditionally support afterschool clubs, field trips, and our schoolwide character focus. However, through 2027, PTES is also able to use tax credit funds to help replace and upgrade playground equipment and add safety cameras around our campus—making this an especially impactful time to give.
An Arizona Tax Credit allows you to direct your state tax dollars to our school. Instead of those dollars going to the state, they come directly to PTES—at no additional cost to you. You receive a dollar-for-dollar credit on your Arizona state taxes for donations up to $200 for individuals or $400 for married couples filing jointly.
Your support directly benefits our students and helps enhance learning opportunities, safety, and enrichment at PTES. Thank you for investing in our Bobcats! 🐾
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Theme: St. Patrick’s Day & Engineering
Focus: Engineering, problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking
Grade Level: K–5 (easily adaptable)
🧠 The Challenge: Design and build a trap to catch a leprechaun before he steals your gold!
Students must:
- Plan their design
- Build using household materials
- Test and improve their trap
🛠 Materials (Household Items):
- Paper towel rolls
- Tissue boxes or shoe boxes
- String or yarn
- Tape or glue
- Popsicle sticks
- Construction paper
- Aluminum foil (for “gold”)
- LEGO bricks (optional)
- Coins (real or paper)
- Markers/crayons
📋 Steps for Families
- Ask & Imagine
- What do we know about leprechauns? (They’re small, tricky, fast!)
- How could we design something that catches one?
*Plan
- Draw a simple design.
- Label the parts.
*Create
- Build the trap using materials at home.
- Add a “bait” (gold coins).
*Test
- How will it close?
- Does it stay stable?
- Can it actually “trap” something small (like a toy)?
*Improve
- What worked?
- What would you change?
🎨 Add the “A” for STEAM:
Encourage students to:
- Decorate their trap with rainbows and shamrocks.
- Write a short story about what happens when they catch the leprechaun.
- Create a “Wanted” poster for their leprechaun.
💬 Family Discussion Questions:
- What made your trap strong?
- What was the hardest part of building?
- How did you solve problems when something didn’t work?
- If you had different materials, what would you try next?
📚 Skills Students Practice
- Engineering design process
- Creativity and innovation
- Measurement and spatial reasoning
- Problem-solving
- Perseverance
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February brought a tough flu season, and we hope everyone is feeling better and back to full health!
Currently, our school’s chronic absenteeism rate is 19%, which is higher than this time last year. This means that 19% of our students have missed 10% or more of the school days that have taken place so far. In the state of Arizona, a student is identified as chronically absent if they miss 18 or more days during the school year. Chronic absenteeism impacts not only individual student achievement, but also our overall school letter grade when the percentage (chronic absenteeism) does not decrease.
Consistent attendance is critical to academic growth and social development. When students are healthy, it is so important that they are in school, on time, and ready to learn each day. Thank you for your continued partnership and support as we work together to improve attendance and ensure every student thrives at Peralta Trail.
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Safety is a priority and we want to make sure that the procedures are followed for a smooth arrival and dismissal. Any transportation changes MUST go through the main office (480-677-7540) no later than 1:00 pm.
Please remember the following:
- Gates open at 8:15am, there is no supervision prior to this time; students should not arrive early
- Pull all the way up in the car loop for drop-off and pick-up
- Blocking the car loop is not permitted, please park if you need to go into the office
- Parent drop-off students, walkers, and bike riders will enter school at the front gate upon arrival
- Please make sure that your child is exiting the car on the passenger side of the vehicle
- Have your student pick-up sign clearly in your front passenger side window at dismissal
- Parent pick-up students will exit school through the cafeteria back doors as staff call their names
- Car loop students will be dismissed first for the safety of all, then parent walk-up will be dismissed
- We encourage all of our families to use the car loop for a more efficient and safe dismissal for all
- PTES staff will supervise and assist with drop-off (arrival) and pick-up (dismissal)
- Please be patient and on time
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Please use the QR Code to add money to your child's lunch account or to apply for free and reduced lunch; we encourage everyone to apply! Did you know that Peralta Trail Elementary receives Title I funding for important programs? Our allocation of Title I funding depends on the percentage of students who qualify for Free & Reduced lunch; this is why we encourage you to apply each year. Be sure to apply if you have not done so already for the 2025-26 school year. Thank you! |
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Last year, AJUSD adopted a cell phone policy for our campuses. Thank you for your support and reminding your child of our Cell Phone Policy. Last year we only had a few issues and students were more focused during the school day. If a student has a cell phone, once on campus they are to turn it off and secure it in their backpack as it is not permitted to be out during school hours. Please see the new policy below:
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