
π¦ Thanksgiving is a Time to Be Thankful π
This Thanksgiving, SVUSD is deeply grateful for our incredible staff, students, and community. ππ Together, you make us an A-rated school district, and we couldnβt do it without your unwavering support.
Thank you for coming together and being truly amazing! π Wishing you all a safe and joyful Thanksgiving!
#Thankful #SVUSDStrong #CommunityPride #Gratitude #EmpoweringYou #SVUSDProudARatedDistrict



π§π Last week, SVUSD 4th-grade students from Bella Vista, Huachuca Mountain, and Pueblo Del Sol gathered with other 4th graders from the area at Veteran's Memorial Park to celebrate Water Day! πβ¨
Students enjoyed a morning of hands-on learning with activities facilitated by the University of Arizona's Water Wise and Project WET programs, as well as volunteers from Arizona Water Company and Liberty Utilities. π° They explored topics like groundwater, watersheds, sustainability, and the water cycle through interactive experiments, demonstrations, and fun games. π§ͺπ
A special thank you to Ms. Alex Kosmider, Water Wise Youth Coordinator at U of A, for teaching our 4th graders these important lessons about caring for our planet, both at the event and during her classroom visits! ππ #WaterWise #ProjectWET #EnvironmentalEducation #4thGradeAdventures #EmpoweringYou #SVUSDProudARatedDistrict



π Staff Spotlight: Cara McCrary, Principal Secretary at Huachuca Mountain Elementary π
Let's take a moment to celebrate Mrs. McCrary, who has been an essential part of the Huachuca Mountain family for 11 years! π
Born and raised in Tennessee, Mrs. McCraryβs journey brought her across the globe with her husbandβs military career. Theyβve lived in Texas, spent 10 Β½ years in Germany, and finally made their way to Fort Huachuca. After her husbandβs retirement, Mrs. McCrary began working at Huachuca Mountain, where she has held multiple roles: PE paraprofessional, kindergarten paraprofessional, and office clerk at Village Meadows before becoming our amazing principal secretary for the past 5 years!
Mrs. McCraryβs love for Huachuca Mountain runs deep, as does her passion for supporting Principal Perez, families, and the staff who make this school such a special place. π«β€οΈ
Fun facts about Mrs. McCrary:
π΅ She loves music, especially Queen.
ποΈ She enjoys riding motorcycles with her husband, Dean.
βοΈ Her time in Germany left her with a love for travel, a deep appreciation for family-oriented cultures, and even a stint playing the clarinet in a German music band! πΆ
π¨βπ¦ She adores her two grown sons, who make her incredibly proud.
Mrs. McCraryβs dedication, kindness, and adventurous spirit make her a true treasure to our school community. Thank you, Mrs. McCrary, for all you do to keep Huachuca Mountain shining bright! π
#SVUSD
#StaffSpotlight
#HuachucaMountainFamily
#WeAreSVUSD
#EmpoweringYou


Our SVUSD app keeps getting better and better! Parents/guardians who have already created a Rooms account can now access new app features like chat and class streams via web and in the app.
Download for Android https://bit.ly/3JcTPUs
Download for iPhone https://apple.co/3OPpfSc


πβ¨ Christmas Fun Meets Childhood Delight! ππ
Join Buena Fine Arts Productions for their magical performance of The Day Before Christmas! Bring the whole family and experience the heartwarming tale of Santa and his helpers as they work to teach Jack Frost the true meaning of Christmas. πβοΈ
π
Dates:
Thursday, December 5th at 7pm
Friday, December 6th at 7pm
π Location: Klein Center
π Tickets: $7 at the door
β€οΈ Non-perishable food donations are welcome!
Donβt miss this festive event filled with holiday cheer and the magic of giving. See you there! π
πβ¨


πβ¨ SVUSD Teacher Feature of the Month: November - Mrs. Natalie Wise, Huachuca Mountain β¨π
Weβre thrilled to spotlight Mrs. Natalie Wise, an exceptional kindergarten teacher at Huachuca Mountain Elementary School. With six years of teaching experience, Mrs. Wise brings creativity, innovation, and a deep passion for early childhood education to her classroom daily.
Married to a retired military veteran, Mrs. Wise began her SVUSD journey as a kindergarten paraprofessional at PDS. Her familyβs military path took her from Fort Huachuca to Texas and Alaska, where she earned her degree and spent three years teaching kindergarten. While in Alaska, she embraced place-based education, using the local environment to enrich learningβa practice she now integrates with SVUSDβs new science curriculum! π±π»
Mrs. Wiseβs classroom is alive with hands-on learning and joy! From fishing for letters and sight words to math lessons with βTen Pigs in a Tub,β her students engage through play, movement, and creativity. Yoga brain breaks and midline-crossing exercises enhance coordination and build skills in reading, writing, and math. π§ββοΈπ
This year, Mrs. Wise introduced Huachuca Mountainβs Kindergarten Jumpstart Program, helping new students transition smoothly into school life. She also mentors new teachers, revitalized the school garden, and led the Balloons Over Broadway Parade. Inspired by the book of the same name, the event taught students about the Macyβs Thanksgiving Parade as they designed their own balloons for a Huachuca Mountain celebration. ππ¨
Outside the classroom, Mrs. Wise enjoys hiking, gardening, spending time with her husband and daughters, and working toward her yoga instructor certification. She also revived the district-wide Kindergarten PLC, fostering collaboration among teachers to enhance teaching and learning.
Currently pursuing National Board Certification, Mrs. Wise exemplifies lifelong learning and excellence in education. π
We are so grateful to have Mrs. Wise as part of our Huachuca Mountain family. Her dedication to students and the community is truly inspiring. π
#TeacherFeature #HuachucaMountainPride #EmpoweringYou #SVUSDProudARatedDistrict


ππ¦ Happy Thanksgiving from SVUSD! π¦π
Weβre so grateful for our amazing students, families, and staff. π We hope your holiday is filled with joy, gratitude, and quality time with loved ones.
We canβt wait to see our students back on Monday, December 2nd, refreshed and ready for learning!
π Reminder: All SVUSD offices will be closed from November 25th through November 29th.
Enjoy the break, and weβll see you soon! π #HappyThanksgiving #Gratitude #EmpoweringYou #SVUSDProudARatedDistrict


π΄ββοΈπ Bike to School Day - Friday, November 22nd ππ΄ββοΈ
Join us in honoring the LaPaglia family by celebrating Mr. LaPaglia's legacy and love of biking. Let's come together as a community to show our love, appreciation, and support for our cherished teacher and her family during this time.
Bring your bike, your helmet, and your heart, and let's ride together in a spirit of unity and remembrance. π
#BikeToSchoolDay #CommunitySupport #InHonorOfMrLaPaglia #SVUSD


π Staff Spotlight: Terri Neitring, Technology Instructional Paraprofessional at Huachuca Mountain Elementary π
Join us in celebrating, a dedicated member of the Sierra Vista Unified School District for 10 years! π
Mrs. Neitring began her career as an ESS paraprofessional at the middle school before taking a short break to focus on family. After her youngest daughter started kindergarten, she returned to work in ESS at PDS and later became a kindergarten paraprofessional. For the past two years, Mrs. Neitring has been part of the Huachuca Mountain team as the Technology Instructional Paraprofessionalβand sheβs making a big impact!
π‘ Mrs. Neitringβs passion for community support led her to co-found the Student Council at PDS, and now sheβs proudly leading Huachuca Mountainβs council into its second year with 34 students alongside Coach Mac. Together, theyβve taken on incredible projects like:
Placing flags on veterans' graves.
Supporting Santa on the West End.π
Participating in the Stocking Stuffers Program and Shop with a Cop.π
Mrs. Neitring also played a key role in establishing the PBIS store at Huachuca Mountain, which has been a huge success in promoting positive behavior among students.
πBorn in Hawaii, Mrs. Neitring moved to Sierra Vista at age 9 and even attended PDS herself! Now, as a proud mom of three, sheβs paying it forward by helping every student grow and thrive.
Thank you, Mrs. Neitring, for your creativity, leadership, and unwavering dedication to our school and community! π
#SVUSD
#StaffSpotlight
#HuachucaMountainFamily
#WeAreSVUSD
#EmpoweringYou
#SVUSDProudARatedDistrict


Our SVUSD app keeps getting better and better! Parents/guardians who have already created a Rooms account can now access new app features like chat and class streams via web and in the app.
Download for Android https://bit.ly/3JcTPUs
Download for iPhone https://apple.co/3OPpfSc


π Community Support Room Grand Opening at Huachuca Mountain! π
Today, members of the SVUSD Maintenance Team, Huachuca Mountain staff, and Site Council members came together to officially open the Community Support Room at Huachuca Mountain! π
This room currently features a washer, dryer, and storage cabinetβall donated to support our students. Its mission is to help reduce barriers to school attendance, such as not having enough clean clothes to wear. The ultimate goal is to expand this space to include hygiene and clothing resources, ensuring no student faces obstacles to attending school.
π‘ If your family needs support, please contact the nurse at Huachuca Mountain, Regina Beaudry, at 520-515-2960.
We are incredibly grateful to our maintenance team and the generous community members who made this vision a reality. Together, we are proving that it truly takes a village to support our students. π«πͺ
#CommunitySupport #SVUSD #HuachucaMountain #StudentSuccess #StrongerTogether #EmpoweringYou #SVUSDProudARatedDistrict


πββοΈπββοΈ SVUSD Story: Congratulations to our Buena Swim Team and Mountain Bike Team on amazing State performances! π
Swim Team - State D2 Meet Results
Individual Results: Emmy K. - 100 Free: 29th Landon L. - 200 IM: 39th Spencer MD. - 100 Fly: 26th Oliver D. - 200 IM: 22nd & 500 Free: 14th
Boys Team Relays: 200 Medley Relay: 23rd - 200 Free Relay: 25th - 400 Free Relay: 19th
Girls Team Relays: 200 Medley Relay: 23rd - 200 Free Relay: 18th - 400 Free Relay: 22nd
π₯ Mountain Bike Team crushed it with an incredible season finish! They took 1st Place in the Southern D1 Conference and earned 2nd Place at State, competing against 14 teams from all over Arizona! π
π΄
Upcoming Games π Girls Flag Football hosts their first-ever playoff game tonight at 6 PM! π Tackle Football plays on Friday at 7 PM!
Letβs show our support! Go team! #ColtPride #EmpoweringYou #SVUSDProudARatedDistrict






All SVUSD offices will be closed on Monday, November 11th, in observance of Veterans Day.
Thank you to all veterans for your service and sacrifice! We honor you today and every day. #VeteransDay #EmpoweringYou #SVUSDProudARatedDistrict



ππ The past couple of weeks have been an absolute blast across all SVUSD schools! Our incredible PTOs hosted festive fall carnivals at PDS and Carmichael, TC had an exciting PBIS Carnival, and HM Student Council held a fun-filled family dance. JCMS celebrated with their 2nd Annual Trunk or Treat, while character parades lit up campuses, Huachuca Mountain held a Fun Run, and Buena hosted an inspiring College Night! πππ
Weβre also so proud of the celebrations happening in our classrooms! Village Meadows, Carmichael, and Bella Vista held special events to honor student achievements across different categories. PDS 4th graders showcased their Hero Pumpkins, and T&Cβs 5th graders wowed us with their Volume Zoo research projects! π¨ππ
And last but not least, SVUSD is officially an A district! All six of our elementary schools received an A letter grade, and Buena received a B. Huge congratulations to our students, staff, PTOs, and volunteers who go above and beyond to make every moment special and memorable. Weβre so proud of all your achievements! ππ
#SVUSDProud #CommunityStrong #SVUSDFamily #AchievingExcellence #EmpoweringYou





π’ SVUSD Families β Reminder! π’
This Friday, November 8th is a half day for all SVUSD schools! Please see the release times below:
Buena High School: 10:30 AM
Elementary Schools: 11:15 AM
Joyce Clark Middle School: 12:30 PM
There will also be no school on Monday, November 11th in observance of Veterans Day. SVUSD extends our gratitude to all who have served our country!



Our Huachuca Mountain Lightning Bolt Student Council is hosting a Stuffed Animal Drive in support of Santa on the West End! π
β¨ Students can donate gently used stuffed animals from November 8th through 15th to help bring a smile to a childβs face this holiday season.
π The class with the most donations will win a kickball game against the Student Council!
Letβs bring in the cheer and show our support for this wonderful cause. π§Έπ #LightningBoltGiving #EmpoweringYou


πΈ Missed Picture Day? Or maybe wasn't their smile quite right? Donβt worry! Picture Retake Day is coming up on November 5th! This is your chance to get the photo you missed or try for that perfect smile. π Rembrandt Photography will be on campus to capture the moment.
#PictureDay #Smile #RembrandtPhotography #SchoolLife


π£ What an amazing Fun Run today! π Huge thanks to all the parent volunteers who came out to have a blast with our students and support the BOLT PTO! π Your energy made the day extra special!
The PTO is thrilled with the donations so far, and if you havenβt had a chance to donate, thereβs still time! π The website will be open all weekend for contributions. Letβs keep the momentum going!







π Happy Halloween, SVUSD families and community! We loved seeing all the amazing costumes today! Have a fun, safe night! π»π§‘ #SVUSD





π’ Tonightβs Challenge: The Class with the Most New Donations TONIGHT will earn Extra Recess! Good Luck!
