- Academics
As the doors open for a new school year, the Scottsdale Unified School District is excited to welcome students, families, and staff back to classrooms filled with possibility, purpose, and opportunity.
Throughout the summer, our Teaching and Learning Department has been hard at work preparing for a successful start to the year. From supporting new educator onboarding to providing professional learning opportunities for returning staff, our focus has remained on ensuring every classroom is a place where students can thrive, grow, and achieve their highest potential.
This year, we are especially proud to welcome our newest educators and support professionals to the SUSD family. These talented individuals bring diverse experiences, fresh perspectives, and a shared commitment to excellence in teaching and learning. Their enthusiasm and dedication will help strengthen the exceptional educational experiences our students receive every day.
Across the district, teachers and staff have spent the summer refining instructional practices, exploring innovative learning strategies, and preparing engaging learning environments. Their commitment reflects the collective belief that every student deserves meaningful learning experiences that inspire curiosity, creativity, and achievement.
As we begin this new chapter together, we are grateful for the continued partnership of our families and community. Your support plays a vital role in student success, and we look forward to working together to create a year filled with growth, connection, and celebration.
Here's to a fantastic start to the school year and to the incredible possibilities that lie ahead for every SUSD learner!
- Academics
Summer is a wonderful time for students to relax, recharge, and continue exploring their interests. Scottsdale Unified School District is proud to support families with meaningful learning opportunities through our SUSD Summer Learning Site.
Our summer website is designed to provide families with a wide range of engaging resources, enrichment activities, and academic supports for students entering kindergarten through high school. Families can access the site by visiting Explore the SUSD Summer Learning Site or by going to the district website and selecting the “Summer Learning” link at the top of the homepage.
The site includes curated learning opportunities organized by grade level, making it easy for families to find activities that match their child’s needs and interests. These resources include hands-on enrichment ideas, academic practice, and links to trusted digital tools that students use during the school year.
Students will continue to have access to IXL and other digital learning platforms throughout the summer. By logging in through Clever, students can use IXL’s Summer Boost skill plans to practice key math and reading skills aligned to the grade level they will be entering in the fall, helping them build confidence and stay on track for the year ahead.
We encourage families to explore the Summer Learning Site and take advantage of the many resources available. Together, we can support students in staying engaged, strengthening their skills, and discovering new passions all summer long.
- Academics
This year, our district is taking intentional steps to strengthen math teaching and learning through focused professional learning on our newly adopted math curriculum and the upcoming launch of our Math Ambassadors initiative, both aligned to our Math Powers Possibility vision.
Throughout this spring, all math teachers are participating in training designed to support the successful implementation of the new curriculum. These learning opportunities focus on our new math instructional framework, understanding the instructional shifts embedded in the materials, unpacking standards-aligned lessons, and strengthening practices that promote conceptual understanding, mathematical discourse, and equitable access to grade-level content.
This work reflects our belief that math powers possibility when students are given consistent opportunities to think deeply, explain their reasoning, and engage in meaningful, challenging mathematics.
Beginning in May and continuing into next school year, our Math Ambassadors will begin supporting this important work across the district. Math Ambassadors will serve as instructional leaders and collaborative partners, helping teachers bring Math Powers Possibility to life in classrooms. Through modeling, coaching, and professional collaboration, they will support high-quality instruction that builds student confidence, curiosity, and readiness for future learning.
Together, these efforts lay the foundation for a coherent, equitable math system—one that supports teachers and expands opportunities for all students. By aligning curriculum training with Math Ambassadors support, we are investing in a shared vision where every student is empowered to see themselves as capable and confident mathematicians.
This April, our district is proud to celebrate Financial Literacy Month by launching a new initiative designed to help students build essential life skills: the Smart Money Challenge. This districtwide effort invites students to engage in short, meaningful activities that introduce important financial concepts such as saving, budgeting, responsible spending, and planning for the future. By connecting classroom learning with real-world decision-making, the challenge helps students develop habits that will serve them well beyond graduation.
Each school day throughout the month, students will be able to access a calendar featuring a daily, age-appropriate financial literacy activity. These activities are designed to be brief, engaging, and relevant across grade levels, making it easy for students to participate consistently. After completing each activity, students will be asked to reflect on what they learned, helping to reinforce key concepts and encourage deeper thinking. Students who regularly engage in the challenge will also have opportunities to earn prizes through drawings and incentives, adding an extra layer of motivation and excitement.
Financial literacy is a key part of preparing students for independence and long-term success. Through the Smart Money Challenge, students begin to understand the value of money, practice thoughtful decision-making, and build confidence in navigating everyday financial situations. These experiences are designed to be approachable and relevant, giving students opportunities to apply what they learn in ways that feel practical and empowering.
Families play an important role in reinforcing these skills, and the Smart Money Challenge creates natural opportunities for conversations at home. Simple discussions about saving, spending, and goal setting can help students make deeper connections and see the relevance of financial literacy in their daily lives. By working together, schools and families can support students in building strong financial habits early on.
The Smart Money Challenge reflects our district’s ongoing commitment to preparing students for success in school and beyond. By investing in financial literacy and partnering with our community, we are helping students take meaningful steps toward confident, capable futures. More information about the challenge and ways to stay connected will be shared with families throughout the month. Please reach out to your student’s teacher for more information.
What an incredible display of teamwork, creativity, and community spirit! This year’s Parada Del Sol brought together students, staff, families, and community partners across our district to showcase the rich academic and cultural life inside our schools. Every parade entry represented hours of planning, collaboration, and purposeful learning — from cross-curricular STEAM projects to performance rehearsals and community outreach — and the Teaching & Learning Department is proud to highlight how these parade submissions amplified students’ learning and strengthened school communities.
Classroom to parade: examples of instructional impact
- Design thinking in action: Students used iterative prototyping when creating float elements — sketching, building scale models, testing attachments, and refining for parade safety and aesthetics.
- STEAM integration: Engineering challenges (load-bearing structures, power for moving parts, simple circuits for lights) gave students hands-on practice solving constraints with creativity.
- Literacy and storytelling: Parade themes were developed through research, storyboarding, and written proposals — authentic audiences elevated students’ writing and presentation stakes.
- Performing arts rehearsal cycles: Marching bands and theatre groups translated daily practice into polished performances, learning long-term rehearsal planning and stage presence.
Recognition and gratitude and a huge thank-you to every school team, teacher, volunteer, custodian, district staff member, parent, and student who invested time and talent in their entries. Your work not only made the parade a joyful community event but also provided meaningful, standards-based learning experiences for our students.
Big congratulations to the 2026 Parada Del Sol SUSD winners as chosen by the judges:
- Hometown Favorite — Pima Elementary School
- Best School Entry — Laguna Elementary School’s STEAM float
- Best Marching Band — Coronado High School
- Best Youth Entry — Saguaro High School Theatre Program “Pooper Scoopers”
These awards celebrate excellence across creativity, academic integration, performance, and community engagement — well deserved