Important Dates:
January 26th - First Day of Clubs
February 9th-12th - Parent/Teacher Conferences, NO Clubs
February 16th - Presidents Day, NO School or Clubs
March 16th- 20th - Spring Break - NO School or Clubs
April 16th 4:30-5:30 pm - 21st CCLC Showcase Night!
April 23rd - Last Day of Clubs
🧥 Warm Hearts, New Warm Coats for Kids 🧥
Great news, Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District families! We have just received a truckload of coats through our continued partnership with the Yavapai County Education Services Agency (YCESA). Jackets are available in all sizes, ensuring our students can stay warm during the colder months.
We are truly grateful to YCESA and to the anonymous donor whose generosity makes this possible year after year. This is what community looks like—neighbors taking care of one another and putting students first.
If your student needs a jacket, please reach out to Lauri Squier at our COCSD Resource Center:
📞 Phone: (928) 634-2288 ext. 1127
📧 Email: lsquier@cocsd.k12.az.us
No child should be cold at school. We’re proud to stand together as a community to make sure that doesn’t happen. 💙💚
Our 21st CCLC Young Jedi After-School Club is full of teamwork, friendship, and of course, the Force! 🌌 This week, our little Jedi worked together, practiced their skills, and had a blast learning how to support each other — all while exploring their galaxy of imagination.
A huge thank you to Ms. Way for guiding our young Padawans and helping them grow their teamwork and friendship skills. 💫
This week, Ms. Sam’s students were acting out different jobs, and we had to guess what they were! Some of the fun performances included a basketball player, a veterinarian, and a police officer. 🏀🐾👮
Thank you, Ms. Sam, for guiding our little learners as they explore and grow their imaginations! 💡✨
✨ You’re invited! ✨
Join us for MUHS STEAM Night on Tuesday, February 10th from 4–6 PM at Mingus Union High School!
Explore Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math through hands-on activities led by school groups and community partners, including the Verde Valley SciTech Festival.
🎉 This FREE event is open to the whole community—bring the family and come curious!
✨Governing Board study session and meeting highlights!✨
During the study session, we received an update on the district’s bond capacity and current tax rates from Michael LaVallee with Stifel.
At the board meeting, Mrs. Genna Adams shared her video book, The Heart of a Teacher, with the board and spoke about the strong collaboration between COCSD and VACTE. The Board approved an MOU that will allow Mrs. Adams to relocate her Education Professions Teacher Training I & II classes to the Cottonwood Education Services campus. This exciting move will give students real classroom experience in close proximity to Mariposa Preschool and Cottonwood Community School.
We also approved the 2026/27 Student Handbook and Athletic Handbooks, with a shift toward providing these resources online for families. Online registration for next school year opens this week.
Finally, we proudly celebrated our February Sparklight Award recipients, Mrs. Stephanie King and Mrs. Lesley Pecharich, for their outstanding work districtwide as New Teacher Mentors. Thank you both for the impact you make every day! ✨
#COCSD #GoverningBoard #StudentSuccess #TeacherMentors #CommunityStrong
💙 Happy National School Counseling Week! 💙
We are so grateful for our COCSD school counselors and the incredible impact you make every day. Your compassion, advocacy, and dedication help students grow academically, socially, and emotionally. You create safe spaces, break down barriers, and inspire students to believe in themselves.
Thank you for all you do for our students and families—today and always! 🌟
#COCSD #SchoolCounselorsRock #NationalSchoolCounselingWeek
ATTENTION! The school district is currently running an on-line auction for Apple MacBooks! These are great devices for home use. We now have proxy bidding enabled, which allows you to enter a maximum bid, and the system will increase your bid incrementally to keep you in the lead! Tell your friends!Enter the auction here!
The DDB Book Fair will run from Thursday, February 5th to Tuesday, February 17th from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, and until 6:00pm on Thursday, February 12th. We hope to see you there to browse and find some fabulous new reads for this year, as well as tons of other goodies.
Early Childhood Day at the Arizona State Capitol
Mark your calendar and register for Arizona's Early Childhood Day at the Capitol on Monday, February 16, from 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM. We invite parents, children, and early childhood champions to join the conversations and speak with legislators and highlight key policies that support young children and families.
https://act.stand.org/a/azecalobbyday2026
💘 Parent’s Night Out – Valentine’s Day Edition! 💘
Looking for a fun night out while your kids have a blast? We’ve got you covered! 🥰
📍 Cottonwood Recreation Center
🗓 Friday, February 13th
⏰ 4:00 – 8:00 PM
💲 $25 per child
👧🧒 Ages 3–11
Enjoy your Valentine’s plans while your kids enjoy games, activities, and fun in a safe environment! 🎨🎲❤️
⚠️ Pre-registration is REQUIRED
📲 Scan the QR code below to register
📧 Questions? Contact Nick Hull at nhull@cottonwoodaz.gov
📞 (928) 639-3200 Ext. 3210
💕 Spots are limited — sign up today! 💕
📣 Parents, we need your voice! 📣
Please take a few minutes to complete BOTH of our important surveys:
✅ Cognia Climate & Culture Parent Survey
✅ 2025–2026 Parent Communication Survey
👉 QR codes are available on the flyer—just scan and go!
🎁 Incentives!
• Return the Survey Completion Confirmation and your child(ren) will receive a fun pencil topper ✏️
• Middle School parents: your student will be entered into a $15 Baskin Robbins gift card drawing 🍦
Your feedback helps us improve our school and better serve our families. Thank you for partnering with us! 💙
Sci-Fi Fest Kickoff at the Verde Valley Science Vortex
🚀✨ The Sci-Fi Fest kickoff at the Verde Valley Science Vortex today at Cottonwood Education Services was a huge success! We loved seeing so many organizations from across the Verde Valley come together to celebrate science, creativity, and imagination.
It was especially great to see so many families in attendance, exploring hands-on activities and sharing the excitement together. Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make this kickoff such a fun and inspiring community event! 🌌🔬
☕🍫 Sodexo Food Service Reminder 🍫☕
January 31st is National Hot Chocolate Day—a long-standing winter favorite and a perfect excuse to slow down and enjoy a simple family moment.
Try this lighter, feel-good version at home:
Healthy Hot Chocolate
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1–2 teaspoons cocoa powder
Sugar alternative to taste (stevia, monk fruit, or your go-to)
Warm gently, whisk well, and enjoy!
No fuss. No extras. Just a warm mug, a classic treat, and a few quiet minutes together. Take the time to relax, unwind, and enjoy being present with family—it matters more than ever. ❤️
Here at Cottonwood Community School, our 21st Century After School Program is in full swing!
We have so many fun clubs happening—from playing Barbies with friends, to singing songs in Music & Movement, and even hosting stuffed animal parades!
Full of laughter, creativity, and joyful moments—this is what after-school memories are made of! 🧸💖🎶
🌟 Staff Spotlight: Alison Sandall 🌟
Do you ever wonder who keeps our school running smoothly behind the scenes? The person who makes sure attendance is done correctly, every student is registered properly, all information is up to date—and somehow still finds time to run our after-school clubs? That person is Alison Sandall.
With over 20 years of experience working with children, Alison brings dedication, organization, and heart into everything she does. From knowing every student by name to making sure each child feels included, safe, and excited to learn, her impact is felt throughout our entire school community.
Beyond the office, Alison plays a huge role in our after-school clubs—making sure kids are having fun, learning new things, and feeling connected. Her love for her job, our staff, and our students shines through every single day.
We truly cannot express enough gratitude for all that Alison does. Our school would not be the same without her, and we are incredibly lucky to have her as part of our team. 💙
👏 Thank you, Alison, for everything you do for our students and families!
📍 Prescott, AZ | Collaboration in Action
Vice President Rollins, President Valenzuela, Superintendent Vocca, and Mrs. Winters recently attended the Yavapai County School Board President’s Roundtable in Prescott. 🤝
The meeting was facilitated by former Yavapai County Superintendent Mr. Tim Carter and brought together board members from across the county to brainstorm ideas, discuss policies and procedures, and network with one another. 💡📋 The discussion also focused on Open Meeting Law, supporting transparency, collaboration, and effective governance for our schools. ⚖️
COCSD values opportunities like this to learn, share, and strengthen leadership in service of our students and community. 💙📚
#COCSDProud #LeadershipInEducation #SchoolBoardLeadership #CollaborationMatters #ServingStudents #YavapaiCounty #PublicEducation #StrongerTogether
