Cottonwood-Oak Creek Schools

🎅✨ GET READY! Annie’s Elves Arrive December 12th! 🎁

Families, the holiday magic is officially on its way! Annie and her team of cheerful elves will be visiting our campuses on Friday, December 12th, delivering special stockings for our students. 🧝‍♀️🎄

The elves will quietly drop off the sealed boxes in the front offices, where they’ll soon make their way to classrooms. We’re asking everyone to keep the boxes closed until our Annie’s Secret Wish celebration the week of December 15th–17th. The surprise is part of the fun—and we don’t want to spoil the excitement!

Annie and her elves can’t wait to bring a little extra joy to our schools this season. 🎁✨. Thank you, Annie, for helping us keep the magic alive for the kids in our community once again.

With holiday cheer,
Elf Jingle 🧝‍♀️💚

Help support our Athletics!
Download RAISE365 and use code 95035179.
Top fundraising class = extra PE + new recess gear!

#MountainViewPreparatory #HomeoftheOcelots #Raise365 #SupportAthletics #SchoolPride #Fundraiser #TeamWork #PEDay #RecessFun

MVP Robotics Club with Mrs Romey

The MVP Robotics Club had an amazing trip to Flagstaff to compete in this year’s robotics competition!
Our students designed and programmed their very own robot and put their skills to the test against teams from other schools.
A huge shout-out to Mrs. Romey, our dedicated club leader, for making this opportunity possible for our students every year!

#MountainViewPreparatory #HomeoftheOcelots #MVPRobotics #MVP21CCLC #MVPAfterschool #MVP-COCSD #MVPTeamwork

MVP School Christmas Spirit Week is Here!

Get ready to spread the holiday cheer! Join us as we celebrate the most wonderful time of the year with our Christmas Spirit Week! From festive outfits to fun-filled activities, it's going to be a week packed with joy, laughter, and MVP school spirit!

#MVPChristmasSpirit #MountainViewPreparatory #HomeoftheOcelots #MVPHolidayFun #MVPXmasWeek #ChristmasSpiritAtMVP #MVPSeasonOfJoy #MVPHolidayCheer #MVPFestiveFun

Something unusual is on the move.

Somewhere on the highway between Phoenix and Cottonwood, a very large surprise is making its way to the Science Vortex.

Thanks to the Children’s Museum of Phoenix, we are becoming the proud new caretakers of… well… let’s just say it has wings. Or had wings.

Stay curious, Cottonwood.

❄️ Staff Spotlight: Mrs. Winters ❄️

Around here, you don’t need a calendar to know the holidays have arrived—you just wait for Mrs. Winters’ snowmen to take over the district office. Once they start popping up, it’s full-on festive mode. And believe it or not, the crew she brings to work is nothing compared to the snowman army she has at home.

But the real holiday drama begins when her grandsons’ favorite trio—Pixie, Trixie and Dixie the Elves—show up. Those elves waste no time stirring up trouble, and when the snowmen get involved, the mischief level goes off the charts. Some years it’s a showdown… other years it’s a full-blown circus.

Mrs. Winters brings just the right amount of holiday fun to our district office! 🎄⛄✨

This week, we had a few amazing events take place during after-school clubs:

- First, we had graduation ceremonies in Denisha Ozuna's and Chelsea Henderson's (pictured here) Read Better Be Better clubs! These kiddos really supported each other's reading goals this semester and went home with new books to read. Help us in congratulating them on their accomplishment!

- Second, we had our Fall Showcase Night yesterday! Our wonderful MVP families joined together in the gym to see students' work on display, play bouncy tennis with our tennis coach Andrea Meyer, make puppets with club leaders Sherry Davis and Officer Scarim (pictured here), shoot bopper arrows with archery instructor Becky Dennis, and chow down on hot school lunch (stunningly good hamburgers and hotdogs). If you missed it, you missed a good time — but don't worry, we'll have another one in the spring!

🌟 Staff Spotlight: Armida Cervantez 🌟

This week we’re proud to highlight Armida Cervantez, whose heart for tradition and family shines just as brightly in her work as it does at home.

Armida shared a cherished memory that has shaped the way she builds community today:

“I have fond memories of sitting around a large kitchen table and making tamales with my aunts. I carry this tradition to my own family and friends join us too.” — Armida

There’s something timeless about gathering around good food and good people, and Armida brings that same spirit of connection, patience, and care to our campus every day. Her dedication reminds us that traditions and food not only ground us—they bring people together in meaningful ways.

Thank you, Armida, for sharing your story and for the warmth you bring to our school community.

🌾🐄 First Grade Farmers in Training! 🐄🌾

During Mrs. Ludden’s agriculture class this week, and we’re pretty sure we just witnessed the future of farming — OCS style. Using chalk and their huge imaginations, our first grade students created their own perfect farms.

We saw rainbow animals, extra-fancy farmhouses, crops taller than Mount Everest, and yes… the mysterious number 67 showed up everywhere. Why 67? Only the first graders know... and they’re not telling. 😂

One student drew a cow with sunglasses, another invented a “super chicken,” and at least three farms were run entirely by goats. Honestly, iconic.

At Oak Creek School, a STEM-certified school, we love seeing hands-on learning turn into hands-down hilarity. 🌱🎨🚜

Great job, first graders! Keep those farm dreams growing (and the goats contained). 🐐💛

#STEMSchool #OCSProud #FutureFarmers #FarmLifeOCS #CreativeKids #GoatTakeover #MrsLuddenRocks

🍪 Happy National Cookie Day! 🍪
Sodexo Food Service wants to share a quick reminder to slow down today, warm up the kitchen, and bake something together. December 4th is all about celebrating those simple, time-honored traditions that bring families closer.

Gather the crew, preheat the oven, and enjoy making a batch of fresh, hot cookies at home. It’s a perfect way to kick off the holiday season—sweet, warm, and shared with the people who matter most.

Good food. Good moments. Good memories.

🎉 Highlights from Last Night’s COCSD Governing Board Meeting 🎉

Our Governing Board approved the revised budget for the 2025–2026 school year, and we’re pleased to report that the district remains in strong financial health. It’s steady footing like this that keeps our schools moving forward with confidence.

We were proud to recognize the MVP Girls Volleyball Champions, who opened the meeting by leading the Pledge of Allegiance. Their hard work and teamwork are exactly what we hope to see in our students.

A well-earned acknowledgment also went to Bethany Campista for her dedicated work in supporting our National School Lunch Program. Her efforts help ensure our students receive the meals they count on every day.

We also celebrated our December Sparklight Award winners — Mrs. Laurie Altringer and Verde Tech student Carla Sanchez — whose contributions shine bright in our school community.

Thank you to everyone who continues to support our students, staff, and schools. Onward! 💙📘

🎄 Staff Spotlight: Ms. Robertson – Mountain View Preparatory 🎄

Some people bring a little extra light to the season, and Ms. Robertson is one of them. Her sense of humor and down-to-earth warmth show up in the classroom, for students and at home—especially this time of year.

Here’s the holiday moment she shared with us:

“Happy holidays! Here's an angel from my real-life home Nativity scene set – my pup Kaibab trying on the halo I actually wore this Halloween lol.”

It’s a good reminder that traditions don’t always have to be serious to matter. Sometimes the things we end up cherishing are the small, genuine moments—the ones that make us smile and keep the season feeling real.

If anyone else has light-hearted traditions or seasonal snapshots that always make their holidays brighter, feel free to share them in the comments. It’s a good time to enjoy the simple things that carry us through the year.

🎄 Staff Spotlight: Mr. Cox – Dr. Daniel Bright Elementary School 🎄

This time of year tends to bring out everyone’s roots, and Mr. Cox is no exception. Around campus, he’s known for his consistency and heart—and that carries right into how he spends the holidays.

Here’s what he shared about the traditions that mean the most to him:

*“I’ve always loved decorating my house for the holidays, especially with blow molds and my collection of M&M dispensers. These decorations aren’t just fun, but they remind me of my grandparents. Their front yard used to be packed with Christmas blow molds, including ones very similar to my Mickey, Minnie, and Tigger. Every year, they’d bring out the M&M dispensers, and my grandparents had several of those pictured. They would fill them with different candies while they displayed them for the season.

I set up my decorations, and it reminds me of Christmas at my grandparents' house and of the family traditions I get to keep going.”*

There’s something steady and grounding about carrying on the same traditions our families held onto year after year. It’s a reminder of where we come from and why these moments still matter.

If anyone else has traditions that bring back memories or just make the season feel right, add them in the comments. It’s always good to share the things that keep our holidays meaningful.

During Morning Meeting, Mrs. Ozuna’s third graders had ONE job…

DON’T LET THE PIGEON GET ON THE BUS!

But that sneaky pigeon?
Oh, he zoomed, he zigged, he zagged…

Some kids reached out—
“I almost got him!”

Others missed him by just a few centimeters—
“WAIT! COME BACK, PIGEON!”

The classroom was full of giggles, gasps, and VERY serious pigeon-catching faces.
What a hilarious, high-energy way to kick off the day!

Thanks to @Mo Willems Workshop for the quick, interactive fun.
(Next time… maybe we’ll actually catch that pigeon.)

https://live.myvrspot.com/iframe?v=YzNiZjQwN2U5OGQ5NmU5YTk4NjE2YjZhMjcwZTRkYjc

Sodexo has knocked it out of the park for their December Feature with their Thai Chicken & Pineapple Fried Rice. 🍍🍗. Keep your eyes out for this dish on the menu.

Bright flavors, fresh ingredients, and a dish that actually will get students talking !

Always nice to see our cafeteria bringing something bold and fun to the menu while keeping it wholesome. Great job, Sodexo! 👏✨

Science Vortex Stop & Motion:

Mountain View Preparatory 2nd graders had an exciting day at Science Vortex! Mrs. Bivanco’s 2nd grade class had a blast on their field trip learning all about stop and motion.

Hands-on activities, big smiles, and lots of creativity—such an awesome way to learn!

#MountainViewPreparatory #HomeoftheOcelots #MrsBivanco2ndGrade #MVPScienceVortex #MVPFieldTripFun #MVPSecondGradeAdventures #MVPHandsOnLearning #MVPSTEMEducation #CreativeKids