Bring the whole family for a day full of food, fun, rides, and games. 🎠🍔🎯
This community favorite has something for everyone—and all are welcome!
Come out, support our Wildcats, and enjoy a fantastic fall day together. 🐾💙
✨ Governing Board Highlights from Last Night’s Meeting ✨
We are proud to recognize two outstanding staff members, Juanita Wilson and Duane Barto, for going Above and Beyond when a student experienced a medical emergency on the bus. Their quick thinking and calm response ensured the student received help right away. 💙👏
The Board and Administration also celebrated our Sparklight Award recipients:
🏆 OCS Student – Brian Castro
🏆 OCS Teacher – Stevie Culver
🏆 MVP Student – Madeline White
🏆 MVP Teacher – Mrs. Romey
Each recipient received a plaque and a $25 gift card, generously provided by Sparklight.
In addition, the Governing Board approved the 2026–2027 School Year Calendar and the Teacher 301 Pay for Performance plan.
We’re grateful for the dedication of our staff, students, and community who make COCSD a place where excellence shines every day! 🌟
What Is an Override Election?
An Override Election allows a school district to ask voters for approval to increase its budget beyond the state’s revenue limit.
Purpose: To fund operational needs such as teacher and staff salaries, programs, class size, and student services.
Amount: Districts may request up to 15% above the state-imposed budget limit. COCSD is being fiscally conservative and only asking for 10% at this time.
Duration: Overrides are approved for up to 7 years. Funding decreases by one-third in year 6 and two-thirds in year 7 if not renewed.
Funding Source: Overrides are funded through local property taxes, based on assessed value.
Failure to Pass: Without approval, districts must operate within the state revenue limit, which may require budget reductions.
Did you know your taste buds can detect five basic tastes? Tell us your favorite in the "comments" section below.
Each one plays a unique role in how we experience food:
🍫 Sweet – signals energy-rich foods (think fruits & treats)
🧂 Salty – helps the body balance minerals and fluids
🍋 Sour – often points to vitamin-packed fruits (or foods that have gone bad!)
🥬 Bitter – your body’s natural warning system, but also found in healthy greens
🍄 Umami – the savory “fifth taste” found in foods like mushrooms, soy, and cheese
Together, these tastes create the amazing flavor experiences we enjoy every day. Next time you take a bite, pay attention — which tastes are you picking up? 👅✨
#Sodexo #BiteScience #FoodFacts #TasteBuds
🍴 Bring your questions and your appetite!
Superintendent Vocca will be hosting a Lunch & Learn to share important information and answer questions about the upcoming COCSD Override Election.
📅 Date: Monday, September 30, 2024
⏰ Time: 10:30 AM
📍 Location: Verde Valley Senior Center
500 E. Cherry St., Cottonwood
This is a great opportunity to learn more about what the override means for our schools and our community. Everyone is welcome—come be part of the conversation!
#COCSD #CommunityMatters #LunchAndLearn #OverrideElection
A huge thank you to Bedrock Landscape Supply, Sedona Plant Company, Sedonuts, Verde River Growers, and an anonymous donor for making this possible. 💚
We’re still looking for a bench to complete the space—if you’d like to help, please reach out!
A big thank you to Coach Day for making it all happen—we appreciate your time and dedication! 💚
One of our favorite parts has been watching the older, more advanced students step up as mentors and help teach the younger kiddos. Such a great example of leadership in action! 🌟
Looking for something light, fresh, and delicious? Try making our Berry Crunch Salad, a Sodexo favorite! 🫐🍓🥬 It’s the perfect blend of sweet berries, crunchy textures, and wholesome goodness.
Whether you need a quick snack between classes or a refreshing light meal, this salad is packed with flavor and nutrients to keep you energized.
👉 Ask for the Berry Crunch Salad recipe from Sodexo — or better yet, look for the key ingredients right on the salad bar at your school and build your own!
#Sodexo #HealthyEats #BerryCrunchSalad #SnackSmart
The 21st CCLC after school program at Cottonwood Community School is thrilled to share a brand-new partnership with The Den MMA & Fitness in Cottonwood! 🥋✨
Through movement and exercise, students are learning lessons that go far beyond the gym—respect, focus, teamwork, and perseverance—skills they can carry into school, home, and daily life. 💪 Our students have been talking about it non-stop since their very first day at the gym on Monday and can't wait to go back!
Our after-school clubs are all about keeping kids engaged, active, and connected in positive ways. This partnership is another exciting step toward helping our students grow both inside and outside the classroom!
🎨 Mrs. Joan is back at Cottonwood Community School with our 21st CCLC after-school clubs, and this time she’s guiding students in creating a mural on one of our 90-foot walls! 🙌
Right now, the artists are still in the design phase, but we can’t wait to see what they come up with. 🌟 These students are bursting with creativity, and this project is going to be something special.
We’ll keep checking in on their progress and sharing pictures along the way—stay tuned! 👀✨
Today our Crosswalk K-12 GPS units arrived! These state-of-the-art systems will transform the way we manage school transportation by providing:
✅ Real-time vehicle visibility with 5-second precision
✅ Automated student ridership monitoring
✅ Smarter route optimization
With these tools, district leaders will be empowered to improve safety, increase efficiency, and give parents peace of mind knowing their child’s location.
Our team is working hard to have the units installed over Fall Break, with rollout scheduled once school is back in session. We’ll be sharing more updates once everything is up and running—stay tuned!
👏 A huge thank you to everyone who helped make this possible for our students, families, and community.
#COCSD #StudentSafety #TransportationExcellence
#COCSD21stCenturyLearning
