Memo from the Mambas: February '26

A Message from Principal Johnson:

Hello Mamba Families! 🐍💚 Welcome to February! Can you believe we have already wrapped up the first month of 2026? January truly flew by, and as we transition into a new month, I want to take a moment to celebrate the incredible work happening across our campus. We are so proud of our scholars and staff for the many accomplishments we’ve seen recently. From academic growth and high-quality instruction happening daily in classrooms (A-Rated & Alignment), to our amazing cheerleaders competing and placing in the top 10—a true example of confidence, teamwork, and opportunity (Access). We are also seeing Mamba Pride in action through improved attendance and strong scholar engagement. Every day matters, and showing up ready to learn helps our scholars stay aligned to their goals and reach their highest potential (Attendance & Alignment). Thank you, Mamba families, for your continued partnership and support. Together, we are building an A-Rated school, strengthening attendance, ensuring strong alignment in instruction, and expanding access to opportunities for every scholar. Let’s keep the momentum going—Strike for Excellence, Mighty Mambas! 💚🐍

FEBRUARY: 💗

2/2-2/6: Black History Spirit Week - See Flyer

2/16: NO SCHOOL - Presidents Day

2/19: 3rd-5th Mastery Machine Assembly

2/20: 6th-8th Mastery Machine Assembly

MARCH: ☘️

3/2-3/6: Scholastic Spring Book Fair 🐛

3/2-3/4: Parent Teacher Conferences

3/2-3/4: Early Dismissal Days. No Aftercare Days.

3/9-3/13: NO SCHOOL - Spring Break

3/17: Spring Photos - Dress to Impress! 📷

3/19: Coffee with Counselors ☕

3/26: Kinder & 8th Grade Promotion Photos

📓 Instructional Events ✏️

FEBRUARY: 💗

2/2: K–2 Unit 4 Begins

2/5–2/17: Grades 3–8 ELA Persuasive Speech Research, Draft, & Final Window

2/6: Quarter 3 Progress Reports sent home

2/19: ELA Summative

2/20: Grades 3–8 ELA Unit 4 Ends

2/23: MOCK AzSci

2/24: MOCK AASA Writing

2/25: MOCK AASA/AzSci Makeups (Scoring takes place)

2/26: MOCK AASA Reading

2/27: MOCK AASA Math

MARCH: ☘️

3/2: Mastery Machine Begins!

We begin February with National School Counselor's appreciation week!

We proudly celebrate and thank our amazing counselors, Mrs. Boone and Ms. Mena! Their dedication, compassion, and unwavering support make a lasting impact on our students everyday. From guiding scholars through challenges to celebrating their successes, they are a constant source of care, encouragement, and strength on our campus.

Thank you, Mrs. Boone and Ms. Mena, for all that you do for our scholars, families, and staff. We are so grateful for you!

During the month of February, our Character Strong focus is on Honesty and Kindness—two core values that help us build a safe, positive, and connected school community. These traits support our scholars academically, socially, and emotionally, and we appreciate your partnership in reinforcing them at school and at home.

What This Looks Like on Campus

Scholars are encouraged to tell the truth, take responsibility for their actions, and learn from mistakes.
We recognize and celebrate acts of kindness, such as helping others, including peers, and showing respect to all staff and scholars.

What This Looks Like in the Classroom

Teachers model honest communication, fairness, and empathy.
Scholars practice kindness through teamwork, turn-and-talks, peer support, and respectful dialogue.

What This Looks Like at Home

Families play a powerful role in developing these traits! You can support by:

Encouraging your child to be truthful, even when it’s difficult, and praising honesty.
Modeling kind behavior through patience, respectful language, and empathy.

Q3 CLUB SCHEDULE

Mondays

K–2 Soccer | 4–5pm
3–8 Diamond Painting | 4–5pm
4–8 Karaoke | 4–5pm

Tuesdays

3–4 Soccer | 4–5pm
K–4 Just Dance | 4–5pm
Yearbook | 4–5pm
Student Council | 4–5pm

Wednesdays

K–4 Arts & Crafts | 4–5pm

Thursdays

5–8 Soccer | 4–5pm
3–8 Chess | 4–5pm
Student Council | 4–5pm

Fridays

4–8 STEM | 4–5pm

FEBRUARY SPORTS GAMES

🏀2/2 @ 4:30PM – Girls Basketball Away Game @ ARCH (Arizona Recreation Center)

🏈2/3 @ 4:00PM – Boys Flag Football Away Game @ Arizona Lutheran Academy

🏀2/4 @ 4:30PM – Girls Basketball Away Game @ Ridgeline High School Gym

🏈2/5 @ 4:15PM – Boys Flag Football Home Game vs. Sun Valley Academy South Mountain

🏀2/9 @ 4:30PM – Girls Basketball Home Game vs. Imagine at Cortez Park

🏈2/10 @ 4:15PM – Boys Flag Football Home Game vs. Legacy Traditional School West Surprise

🏈2/11 @ 4:00PM – Boys Flag Football Away Game @ Sun Valley Academy South Mountain

🏀2/12 @ 4:30PM – Girls Basketball Home Game vs. Sun Valley Academy South Mountain

🏈2/19 @ 4:00PM – Boys Flag Football Home Game vs. NFL YET College Prep

🏀2/19 @ 4:30PM – Girls Basketball Home Game vs. AMS Peoria

🏈2/23 @ 4:30PM – Boys Flag Football Away Game @ Harmon Park

🏈2/24 @ 4:15PM – Boys Flag Football Home Game vs. South Valley Prep and Arts Academy

🏀2/26 @ 4:30PM – Girls Basketball Away Game @ AMS Peoria

🏈2/26 @ 4:30PM – Boys Flag Football Away Game @ AMS Peoria

Mamba Athlete Appreciation!

Spotlighting Thalia A. from our girls basketball team! She lit up the court on January 16th, dropping a career‑high 15 points and showing exactly what hard work and determination look like! 🏀

Thalia continues to grow as a leader on and off the court, and her Mamba spirit shines every game.

We’re proud of her hustle, her heart, and the example she sets for her teammates.

Keep grinding, Thalia — the work is paying off. 💚🏆

Mamba Cheer is on a roll! 🐍📣

Our athletes showed up big this weekend—finishing Top 10 in BOTH categories and officially punching their ticket to the 2025 State Competition this March!

These cheerleaders continue to raise the bar, and we couldn’t be prouder of how they represent our program.

Let’s keep the momentum going. State, we’re coming for you! 🏆

Here are some office reminders to help keep our dismissal process smooth and secure:

🪪 All adults must present a valid photo ID when picking up. No photo ID = no release.

This policy is in place to ensure every child’s safety.

⏰ To help us manage dismissal efficiently, please note our daily cut-off times for front office pick-up:

Regular Days: 2:40 PM

Half Days: 12:40 PM

If you arrive after the cut-off, you’ll be redirected to driveline pick-up.

Front office release will resume after driveline closes at the end of dismissal.

🚗 Dismissal Times:

K–4: 3:00 PM (1:00 PM half days)

5–8: 3:30 PM (1:30 PM half days)

Walkers: 3:40 PM (1:40 PM half days)

📅 Want to know what’s happening after school? Check out Coach Kelby’s Corner for all the extracurricular updates!

Thanks for helping us keep things smooth and safe!

❤️RELATIONSHIPS MATTER: CREATING SAFE, SUPPORTIVE CLASSROOMS FILLED WITH LOVE

Every scholar deserves an adult who believes in them. #MsEvie💚

Scholars thrive when relationships come first.💚 #MsAnaiz

Relationships make the difference. 💚 #MrG

I see you. I hear you. I believe in you.💚 #CoachKelby

✨TEACHER AND STAFF OF THE MONTH ✨

Mrs. Howard goes above and beyond every single day through her intentional activities, strong relationships with students, and genuine love for our kindergarten babies. Her bright heart and dedication create a safe, joyful, and nurturing learning environment where our youngest scholars thrive. We are so grateful for all that you do, Mrs. Howard! 🌈📚✨

A big thank you and congratulations to Carlos, our Staff Member of the Month! ✨Carlos consistently goes above and beyond to keep our campus clean and welcoming. From spotless hallways to his friendly greetings for everyone he sees, he truly helps make our school a positive place to be. We appreciate your hard work, dedication, and positive spirit—thank you, Carlos! 🙌💙

✨CLASSROOM SHOUTOUTS ✨

Huge shout-out to Ms. Laura, Ms. Howard, Ms. Evie, Ms. Ballecer, Ms. Erving, Mr. Craig and Mr. Nash’s class for reaching 100% re-enrollment!

Every scholar in these classrooms has officially saved their spot for the next school year—way to show that Mamba Pride and commitment to our school community!

Huge shout-out to 3GREEN (Mrs. Weissinger), 4RED (Mr. Heath), 6RED (Ms. Sumayah), and KORANGE (Ms. Howard) for maintaining 90%+ attendance from the first day of school through the end of January!

Way to show consistency, commitment, and Mamba Pride—attendance matters! Everyday counts! Let’s aim for 90%+ attendance campus-wide.

BLACK HISTORY COMMUNITY EVENT

This is a free community event, and scholars are welcome to participate! Kids will enjoy a variety of fun activities including basketball, football, kickball, and an exciting snowball fight. There will also be opportunities to win prizes and enjoy many other surprises. And don’t forget, free food will be provided! We hope to see you there for a fun-filled day for the whole family.

REENROLLMENT WRAPPED 💌

A huge thank‑you to all of our incredible families who completed re‑enrollment for next school year. Your commitment keeps our community strong, and we’re already excited for another year of learning, growing, and making unforgettable Mamba memories together.

We also want to give a special shout‑out to everyone who jumped in early—your enthusiasm didn’t go unnoticed. Families and teachers were entered to win some exciting prizes as our way of celebrating and appreciating those who got re‑enrollment taken care of right away. We love rewarding our Mamba community for showing up and showing love.

Once a Mamba, always a Mamba! 💚🐍

Calling All Volunteers!

We’d love your support here at AMS South Mountain! 💚🐍

Come be a part of our campus family by helping out with:

✨ Assisting teachers in classrooms

✨ Supporting during lunch periods

✨ Lending a hand with school events and FIELD TRIPS!

Your time and dedication make a BIG difference in our scholars’ success and in building a stronger community.

👉 New this school year: All volunteers must complete an application to be approved. Whether you're helping with bulletin boards, reading to a class, or chaperoning a trip, you must be cleared through our volunteer process.

📄 Applications are available electronically or in person at the front office. It’s a timely process—so the sooner you apply, the better!

We can’t wait to welcome you into our volunteer family! ✨