Cottonwood-Oak Creek Schools

No School – Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Please remember that there will be no school on Monday, January 19, 2026, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This day honors Dr. King’s enduring legacy of service, leadership, and commitment to community. Classes will resume on Tuesday, January 20. We encourage families to take time to reflect and serve in ways that strengthen our community.

🛡️📚 Members of our District School Safety Team recently attended the ADE School Safety Training in Flagstaff, gaining valuable updates from the Arizona Department of Education on new ARS legislation, school safety compliance, emergency operations planning, and student mental health.

The training also highlighted the importance of strong relationships between officers and students, shared by Laura Cervantes from Mesa PD, and emphasized engaging the greater community to keep schools safe.

We’re proud of our team’s commitment to learning, collaboration, and student safety! 💙🤝🏫

🎓 Rim Country Bowhunters Scholarship Announcement for High Schoolers🎓

Rim Country Bowhunters is proud to award (2) $500 scholarships this year!

📅 Application Deadline: March 31
📎 Application: Attached to this post

If you or someone you know is eligible, we encourage you to apply. We’re excited to support students in our community as they pursue their educational goals!

Please share to help spread the word.

🌟 Staff Spotlight 🌟 YCSO Deputy Hawkins

We are proud to recognize YCSO Deputy Alex Hawkins, our Campus Resource Officer at Dr. Daniel Bright Elementary School!

Deputy Hawkins is always helpful, approachable, and dedicated to keeping our campus safe while building strong, positive relationships with our students and staff. His presence brings a sense of reassurance to our school community, and he consistently takes the time to connect with students in meaningful ways.

In addition to his work on campus, Deputy Hawkins is a valued member of our district safety team, where he collaborates closely with district administration, facilities, maintenance, and the transportation department to help ensure the safety and well-being of our entire district.

We are truly grateful for Deputy Hawkins’ commitment, professionalism, and the positive impact he makes every day. Thank you for all you do to support our students and school community! 💙🚓

🌟 Staff Spotlight: Kathryn Hazelton 🌟

Kathryn Hazelton is one of our incredible CCS Exploratory teachers, bringing creativity, storytelling, and a lifelong love of the arts to our K–6 Theater program. She teaches K–6 Theater and has truly enjoyed every minute of inspiring students through performance and imagination.

Kathryn’s journey in the arts began early. After moving to Flagstaff in 1959, when her father was hired as an astronomer with Lowell Observatory, she grew up immersed in creativity. In high school, she was active in drama club, played the cello (which she began in elementary school), and served as president of the art club—experiences that laid the foundation for a lifelong passion for the arts.

She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from Northern Arizona University, followed by a post-degree certificate to teach K–8. In 2000, Kathryn was awarded a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education. Her 25-year career in education included teaching first grade and third grade before retiring in 2019.

But retirement didn’t last long! Kathryn is thrilled to be back in the classroom as the Exploratory Theater teacher at CCS. In her classes, students explore story concepts and genres through Reader’s Theater productions, sock puppets, and the creation of sets, props, and costumes—bringing stories to life in hands-on, meaningful ways.

Outside of school, Kathryn and her husband enjoy motorcycle riding and attending live performances. She also loves painting on canvas and stone whenever she finds the time. The couple enjoys their “retirement” home in the community and treasures being close to family in Flagstaff, including their twin four-year-old grandchildren.

We are so fortunate to have Kathryn sharing her talent, experience, and enthusiasm with our students at CCS!

🍗 Bright Bites Menu Highlight – January 14 🍍

Mark your calendars for January 14th—Sodexo is serving up something fresh and flavorful! Our featured dish will be Thai Chicken & Pineapple Fried Rice, a bold and satisfying meal that brings just the right balance of savory and sweet to your plate.

And that’s just the start. Be on the lookout for more new additions coming to our Bright Bites Menu, including General Tso’s Chicken, hearty chili served with baked potatoes, and classic chicken pot pies—the kind of warm, stick-to-your-ribs comfort food that never goes out of style.

Good food done right. Try something new and enjoy the comfort of favorites made well.

🌿 From Seed to Supper: Oak Creek Starts Strong! 🍽️💙

We're starting the year off strong in our Oak Creek School Agriculture and Culinary Program with Mrs. Ludden!

🌱Sowing, Growing, Eating, Gratitude💙

🌤️ Good morning, COCSD families!
The storm has passed and conditions have improved. All schools and offices are open today and operating on a regular schedule.
It is a cold one out there today, so please have students dress warmly.
Thank you for your patience and support, and please travel safely on your way to school. 🚍☀️

🎉 Congratulations to our honorees! 🌟👏
At our recent Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District Governing Board Meeting, we proudly recognized these outstanding students and staff for their dedication and excellence! 💙💛

✨ Above & Beyond Awards:
💙 John Chaddock
💛 Brian Lewy

🌟 Sparklight Awards (sponsored by Sparklight Internet Services):
⭐ Ruby Irving
⭐ Maria Valazquez
⭐ Bob Freeman
⭐ Kyla Sangiovanni

👏 A special thank you to Sparklight Internet Services for sponsoring and supporting staff recognition across our district!

#COCSDProud #AboveAndBeyond #SparklightAwards #ThankYouSparklight

Adverse Weather Ahead
Snow and ice may impact the start of school tomorrow. We will send notifications by 6:00 a.m. if there are any delays or closures. It is very important that you check your email, text messages, our website, Facebook page, and local radio stations for the latest information before sending your student to school. Thank you for your immediate attention and understanding.

Governing Board Update 📣

At last night’s Governing Board Organizational Meeting, the Board voted to retain Mrs. Mary Valenzuela as President for another term, with Mrs. Janice Rollins serving as Vice President.

We congratulate both and thank them for their continued leadership and dedication to our staff, students, and the Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District community. Their steady service helps keep our schools strong and focused on what matters most—student success.

Please join us in congratulating President Valenzuela and Vice President Rollins! 👏

Your Child's Day - Two Taps Away!
COCSD & ParentVUE: Keeping Families in the Loop

We’re rolling out Rooms, a new communication tool that allows teachers to connect directly with families—all in one place. Rooms will replace other classroom apps, including ClassDojo, simplifying how schools and families stay connected.

Through the COCSD app, families can receive classroom updates, see what’s happening in real time, and stay engaged in their child’s learning.

ParentVUE continues to be the go-to hub for important information—allowing parents to quickly update emergency contacts and stay on top of grades, attendance, and assignments.

One app. Clear communication. Stronger school-home connections.

🌟 Staff Spotlight: David Davidson 🌟

David Davidson has been a valued member of our team since May 2022, and he brings dedication and hustle to work every single day. 🔧🚌 As one of our mechanics, David is steadily building his knowledge in the diesel mechanic and school bus world, learning hands-on and sharpening his skills along the way.

But that’s not all — David also drives two back-to-back routes daily! 🚍🚍 In nearly three years as a bus driver, he has missed only 9 days behind the wheel. That level of reliability is something to be proud of. 💪⭐

With several years of mechanical learning under his belt and a strong work ethic to match, we’re incredibly lucky to have David on our team. Dependable, driven, and always willing to step up — he’s the kind of employee who keeps everything moving. 👏🔥

🙌 Thank you, David, for everything you do! We’re proud to have you with us! 💙

First day back after Winter Break and we got right to work 💪📚

Our team kicked off the semester with PAX and CPI trainings, sharpening skills that support strong classrooms, positive behavior, and student success ✨. Teachers also rolled up their sleeves and spent quality time collaborating within their grade levels, planning with purpose for the months ahead 📝🤝.

A solid foundation, proven practices, and thoughtful preparation — this is how great semesters are built. We’re ready to hit the ground running 🚀🍎

🌟 Staff Highlight: Jimmy Montgomery 🌟

We’re proud to recognize Jimmy Montgomery, who has been an essential part of the COCSD team since 2018. As our Lead Mechanic, Jimmy does far more than keep our fleet running safely—he’s the backbone of our transportation operations.

Jimmy handles all route creation and layout, manages mechanical parts ordering and inventory, and is always willing to step in wherever he’s needed. This includes driving any route at any time, and even spending half the year as a special needs driver to support our students.

With experience as a diesel mechanic since 1991, Jimmy brings an incredible depth of knowledge that has helped our department immensely over the years. His dedication, flexibility, and expertise make a difference every single day.

Thank you, Jimmy, for everything you do for COCSD! 👏🚌🔧