Cottonwood-Oak Creek Schools

🎉📚 Last PLC of the Year! 🤝💙

Staff from across COCSD came together at Cottonwood Community School for our final PLC of the school year! It was a great opportunity to collaborate, reflect, share ideas, and celebrate the amazing work happening across our district. ✨📝🙌

A huge THANK YOU to our PLC Facilitators for their leadership and support throughout the year. Your dedication to collaboration and professional learning has made a positive impact across COCSD! 👏💡🍎

We also appreciated the delicious Fiesta taco bar from our Sodexo team! 🌮❤️

Thank you to all of our educators and staff for a year filled with teamwork, learning, and collaboration. Together, we make COCSD stronger! 💙🎉🤝

Last night’s Governing Board Meeting was full of celebration, recognition, and COCSD pride! 🎉

We were honored to have students from the COCSD Community Youth lead the Pledge of Allegiance. These outstanding students raised live animals and proudly showcased them at the fair — a wonderful example of leadership, responsibility, and hard work. 🐄🐖🐐

We also celebrated our Sparklight recipients:
⭐ Student: Isaiah Reyes
⭐ Staff Members: Bethany Campista and Jon Kaiser

Congratulations as well to Mrs. Stevie Culver, recognized as a YCEF Champion Educator! 🍎

Finally, we proudly honored our retirees and years of dedicated service to our district:
🎓 Lisa Clemson – 22 years
🎓 Shelly Zale – 35 years
🎓 Charline Kester – 40 years

A special thank you to Charline, our District’s own “Director of First Impressions,” for four decades of welcoming and serving our community with excellence.

Thank you to all who make COCSD such a special place for students, staff, and families. 💙

🍽️ Free Summer Meals for All Kids 18 & Under!🍽️

We’re excited to offer free summer meals to all children ages 18 and younger. Your family does not have to be part of the district to participate, ALL kids can receive meals!

Families can choose from two serving options:
1. Daily On-Site Meals
📍 CCS – 500 E Mingus Ave, Cottonwood
📅 Monday–Friday, June 1 – July 24 (Closed June 19 and July 3)
🕘 Breakfast: 8:00 – 9:00, Lunch: 11:00 – 12:30
Enjoy fresh, nutritious meals in a safe and welcoming environment.

2. Weekly Meal Pick-Up
📍 MVP – 2939 E Del Rio Dr, Cottonwood
📅 Thursdays: June 4, 11, 18, 25 and July 2, 9, 16, 23
🕙 Pick up available from 9:00 – 11:00
👉 Sign up for meal packs here: 5 Day Meals To Go - Sign Up
Grab a 5-day meal pack with breakfasts and lunches to go!

🥪Don’t miss out—meals are available all summer long!🥪
📞If you need more information please call our Food Service Office.

🎭✨ It truly takes a village! ✨🎭

We are incredibly thankful for our amazing partnership with Mingus Union ATORT and the incredible mentors who continue to pour into our COCSD theater program year after year.

Thank you for showing up ready to build sets, teach our young thespians, share your talents, and inspire the next generation of performers. Your mentorship and support mean more than you know.

A special thank you to Mr. Ball and Mrs. Hall for helping our program continue to grow and thrive. We are so grateful for you!

And families... don’t forget! Our talented young actors and actresses from all four COCSD schools have been working tirelessly to bring something truly magical to the stage.

🐱🎶 The Aristocats 🎶🐱

📅 Wednesday, May 6 at 6:00 PM
📅 Thursday, May 7 at 6:00 PM

🎟 Tickets are $5 at the door (Dr. Daniel Bright Elementary School)

Come support our students and enjoy an unforgettable performance! 💙

#COCSD #TheAristocats #StudentTheater #ItTakesAVillage #ArtsEducation #YoungThespians

Learning took off—literally! 🚀

Algebra students from OCS and DDB had an amazing day at Meteor Crater, where they built and launched rockets and explored the impact of a real meteor. They even connected their experience to algebra by applying quadratics in a real-world setting. What a powerful way to bring STEM to life! We are grateful to Meteor Crater for making this incredible experience possible!

Calling all Young Actors and Actresses!
What a wonderful opportunity! ATORT Summer Theater Camp.

📣 MUHS Cheer Preseason is Here! 📣

Thinking about trying out for the 2026–2027 cheer season? This is your chance to get a head start! ❤️🖤

Join us for preseason to:
✨ Meet the coaches and team
✨ Learn routines and build skills
✨ Gain confidence before official tryouts
✨ Make new friends and be part of something exciting

📅 Starting May 4th, 2026
📍 MUHS Field (1801 E Fir St)

💬 Stay connected and get updates by joining our Team Reach: MUHSCHEERFALL26

All are welcome—come see what MUHS Cheer is all about! 🎉📣

🎭✨ Cottonwood, get ready! ✨🎭

Missoula Children’s Theatre is coming back in June 2026 with a fun-filled production of The Tortoise and the Hare — and there are TWO exciting ways to get involved!

👧🧒 For Youth (Ages 6–18):
Audition registration is NOW OPEN! Participation is FREE, and it’s an amazing opportunity for kids to build confidence, make friends, and shine on stage.
📅 Auditions: Monday, June 8 at 10 AM
📍 Cottonwood Community Clubhouse

🎟️ For the Community:
Come support our local performers! Show tickets are officially on sale now.
📅 Saturday, June 13
🕒 Showtimes: 3 PM & 5:30 PM
📍 Cottonwood Community Clubhouse (805 N. Main Street)
💲 Youth: $5 | Adults: $10

👉 Register for auditions or grab your tickets today!
Let’s make this a summer to remember! 🌟

🏹 What an incredible Saturday at our COCSD Spring Archery Fun Shoot held at Mountain View Prep on April 25th!

We had an amazing turnout, great sportsmanship, and a morning full of focus, fun, and friendly competition. Our students represented their schools so well, and the team scores were incredibly close this year!

🏆 Final Team Results:
1st Place – OCS
2nd Place – CCS
3rd Place – DDB
4th Place – MVP

Congratulations to all of our archers for your hard work, growth, and outstanding attitudes throughout the season!

A huge thank you to Coach Guy Day and all of the amazing coaches who continue to support COCSD’s after-school programs by creating high-quality opportunities for our students.

A special thank you as well to the Rim Country Bow Hunters Association for your partnership and for helping us grow our archery programs. This year, the top shooters from each school were awarded a free one-year membership to their archery club. What an incredible opportunity!

We are so grateful for our 21st CCLC after-school programs and the community partners who make experiences like this possible for kids.

Thank you all for a Saturday full of fun, competition, and memories! 🏹💙

#COCSD #21stCCLC #AfterSchoolMatters #YouthArchery #CommunityPartners #MakingMemories

📢🔔SUN Bucks (Summer EBT/S-EBT): Information for Parents🔔📢
The Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program (Summer-EBT/SUN Bucks) provides $120 per elibigble student in grocery-buying benefits to low-income families with school-aged children who lose access to free or reduced-price school meals when schools are closed for the summer. 💳🍎🥪
Most children automatically qualify if they received SNAP, TANF, MKV, or Medicaid benefits any time during this school year. Each family that did not automatically qualify will receive an email from our Food Service Office with a link to apply for these benefits. You may also visit the SUN Bucks Website for more information and the application link: 💻 https://www.azed.gov/SUNBucks 💻
📌ℹ️ Please note that the SUN Bucks card will be sent to the mailing address on file for your child. If you have had a change of address you can contact your school. For questions reguarding your child's eligibility you can call the Food Service Office at 928-639-4703. For questions about this program please call the SUN Bucks Hotline at 1-833-648-4406.

💙🙏 Remembering Mr. Jesus Islas💙🙏

Jesus Islas, 90, passed away peacefully on April 22, 2026, surrounded by his loving family 🕊️

For more than 40 years, Mr. Islas faithfully served the Cottonwood–Oak Creek School District as a custodian 🏫✨ His dedication, strong work ethic, and quiet pride in his work made a lasting impact on generations of students, staff, and families. He was the kind of person who showed up every day with purpose—someone you could always count on 💪🤝

Beyond his work, Jesus was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦❤️ Married to his beloved wife Andrea for 68 years 💍, he built a life rooted in faith, family, and hard work 🙏🌿 He immigrated to Cottonwood in 1962, where he raised his family and became a pillar of the community 🏡🌄

Known lovingly as “Papo,” his greatest joy was his family 💕 His grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren were his pride and joy 🌟 He shared his love of the outdoors—fishing 🎣, hunting 🦌, and camping 🏕️—creating memories that will live on for generations.

He was also known for his craftsmanship 🧰, love of mariachi music 🎶🎺, gardening 🌱, and his warm, welcoming spirit 🤗

Mr. Islas leaves behind a powerful legacy of love, resilience, and dedication 💫 His life is a reminder of the impact one person can have through kindness, humility, and service 🙌

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Islas family during this difficult time 🙏💐

Services will be held on Friday, May 15 at 11:00 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Catholic Parish ⛪ in Cottonwood, followed by a gathering at the UVX Rustic Barn 🤍

Rest in peace, Mr. Islas 🕊️ Your legacy will live on in our schools, our community, and in the hearts of all who knew you 💙

🔬✨ Calling all young explorers! ✨🔬

The Y.E.S! Explorers Challenge is here—packed with hands-on STEAM fun, creative exhibits, and curiosity-fueled discovery your kids will LOVE!

📅 May 9th
⏰ 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
📍 Granite Creek Park

👧🧒 Suggested ages: 5–12
💲 Cost: $25 per child

🎉 Each registration includes:
✔️ Event T-shirt
✔️ 5 exciting STEAM activities
✔️ Fun goodies to take home

This is the perfect opportunity for kids to explore science, creativity, and hands-on learning in a fun outdoor setting! 🌿🔍

👉 Spots are limited—sign up today!

#STEM #STEAM #KidsActivities #FamilyFun #PrescottEvents #YESExplorersChallenge

🎡🎠 No School – Verde Valley Fair Day! 🎠🎡

There will be no teachers and no students on Friday, May 1st, 2026 in observance of Verde Valley Fair Day.

We hope everyone enjoys the fair and has a fun, safe day with family and friends! 🎟️🎆