UPC brings parents from across the district together to enhance the PVSchools experience! 

*UPC is independent from PVUSD and information posted in this newsletter does not represent the views of the Paradise Valley Unified School District.*

Please join us for the monthly UPC meeting on Wednesday, August 23rd. We will begin with a brief Q&A with Dr. Bales and then continue with the UPC meeting. Beginning at 10:00am, we will have the traditional first presentation of the year: "The Opening Bell" by Dr. Bales.

Wednesday, August 23, 2023

9:00am UPC General Meeting

10:00am "The Opening Bell"

This meeting will be held both in person and online.

To attend in person, please join us in DAC East/West at the District Office: 15002 N 32nd St Or please register in advance HERE to receive the Zoom link.

View the UPC Facebook Event HERE and click "Going"

Meeting Agenda

Proposed Budget

View the May 17, 2023 Meeting Minutes

Happy new school year to our returning UPC Representatives, Alternates and General Members - AND we would like to extend a very warm welcome to any NEW UPC Representatives, Alternates, and General Members joining the UPC organization this school year. We often get asked, “How can I become part of UPC?” So, as the new school year kicks off, we wanted to share a reminder about what UPC does and how YOU can be part of it. UPC Representatives are selected at the school site, typically through the respective Parent Group (if such a group exists). Parent Groups should consult respective bylaws to determine UPC Representative selection protocol. UPC Representation may also be selected by school site leadership (e.g., Principal). Keep in mind, you do not need to be a UPC Rep/Member to attend our monthly UPC General Meetings - these meetings are open to the public and all are welcome to join us. Use the link below to learn more…

Click here to learn WHAT IS UPC AND HOW CAN I BE A PART OF IT?

In an effort to streamline a safe and easy membership registration process, please use the online 2023-2024 UPC Membership Registration Form to complete your annual registration. ALL UPC Representatives/Alternates/Community Members must complete a new membership form each school year. And to make it easy, we are providing an invoice option to pay your Annual Membership Dues. Just select BILL ME as your payment option and a PayPal invoice will be sent directly to your school's parent group leadership (as applicable). Community Members can select this payment option too!

New this year, you can optionally include donations to UPC activities in your registration. Thank you for considering supporting our district-wide programs.

We kindly request Membership Registration and Annual Dues payment be submitted by August 31st. Thank you!

Questions about membership? Please email Andrea Convey, UPC's VP of Membership at [email protected].

UPC has once again partnered with the Arizona Cardinals to offer discounted Cardinals tickets to the PV community! Also, a portion of ticket sales will be donated to the UPC Outreach Committee so they can continue their efforts to support PV though events like Bus Driver Breakfast, Instructional Assistant Appreciation and holiday support for families.

Please use this LINK to purchase tickets!

Anyone can use this link to support the Outreach Committee, so please share it with your friends and family!

K-12 Social Studies Curriculum Resource

Adoption Committee

The district has announced it will be forming a committee of stakeholders to identify Social Studies curriculum resources for K-12. UPC is looking for parents with students in elementary school, CORE Knowledge elementary school, middle school or high school, that would like to be considered for participation in this committee.

Meeting will be held in person at the district off from 4:00pm-6:00pm on the following tentative dates:

Meeting #1: Monday, September 11, 2023

Meeting #2: Monday, September 25, 2023

Meeting #3: Monday, October 16, 2023

Meeting #4: Monday, October 30, 2023

Meeting #5: Monday, November 13, 2023

Meeting #6: Monday, November 27, 2023

Meeting #7: Monday, January 22, 2024

Meeting #8: Monday, February 12, 2024

Meeting #9: Monday, March 4, 2024

Meeting #10: Monday, March 18, 2024

If you are interested in participating, please complete THIS FORM. Jessica Crain, UPC President, will contact the parents that are selected with additional information.

This summer, the PV Gifted Department and UPC welcomed back Emily Kircher-Morris, M.A., M.Ed., LPC. At this session Emily discussed:

1) Identify the characteristics of a neurodivergent child.

2) Explore strategies to support a neurodivergent child.

3) Examine strategies to advocate for 2E students.

You can watch the recording HERE.

Learn more about the presenter:

Emily Kircher-Morris, M.A., M.Ed., LPC, inspired by her own experiences as a neurodivergent person, is dedicated to destigmatizing neurodiversity and supporting neurodivergent people of all ages. She started her career in education and is now in private practice near St. Louis, Missouri as a licensed professional counselor, where she specializes in supporting neurodivergent kids and adults (and their families).

Emily hosts The Neurodiversity Podcast, which explores the psychological, educational, and social needs for enriching the lives of neurodivergent people. She speaks at statewide, national, and international conferences and frequently provides virtual and in-person professional development to educators, mental health clinicians, and parents worldwide.

Emily is the author of two books related to the development of children and teens who are neurodivergent and cognitively gifted. “Teaching Twice-Exceptional Learners in Today's Classroom" (Free Spirit Publishing, 2021) focuses on supporting 2e learners in the educational setting, and the forthcoming "Raising Twice-Exceptional Children: A Handbook for Parents of Neurodivergent Gifted Kids" (Routledge, 01/22) is a guide for parents navigating the world of twice-exceptionality.

Come explore what it means to be a gifted learner and the challenges these students face in navigating our educational system. We will examine the continuum of gifted services offered through the Paradise Valley Unified School District. There are so many opportunities for gifted students to excel! Watch the recording HERE.

Do you know how PVSchools compares to other districts in terms of dollars spent in the classroom? Get all the information on the district's Classroom Spending Report webpage.

PVSchools has the lowest administrative costs of schools in our area per Average Daily Membership (ADM). We appreciate the district's commitment to prioritizing the students and their needs!

Mark your calendars for the September 27th UPC meeting!

More information to come soon!

Career and Technical Education

(CTE) Programs

PVSchools offers a wide variety of Career and Technical Education different programs at all five high schools. You can view a list of CTE Programs available at each school HERE. This presentation includes videos of many of the CTE programs and would be great to watch with your student!

Watch the recording HERE.

Positive Behavior Support

Jon Bowen, PVUSD District SEL Specialist, & Erin Smith, PV Special Education Department, will discuss Positive Behavior strategies at home and school. Families will receive easy to implement strategies to use at home, as well as, learn what strategies are used in PVSchools. 

Watch the recording HERE.

PVSchools Resources for Families:

HERE is UPC's List of Health and Wellness Resources 

View the District's list of Resources for Families: English and Español

PVSchools is hiring! Check out career opportunities HERE! 

Your participation is vital to the success of UPC and to supporting our students and PVSchools. 

If you have any questions or suggestions, please email [email protected]. 

With gratitude for all you do,

The 2023-24 UPC Exec Team 

PV United Parent Council