We are proud to highlight the incredible work of Dr. Shane Hunt in expanding the Doctoral School Psychologist Program within the Saddle Mountain Unified School District.
Each year, Saddle Mountain welcomes at least two doctoral-level psychology interns from across the United States, in addition to practicum students from Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University. This program continues to grow under Dr. Hunt’s leadership, creating meaningful opportunities for future school psychologists while strengthening the supports available to our students.
This initiative benefits our entire community. By bringing in highly trained interns and practicum students, we are able to increase staffing, enhance services, and provide additional layers of support for students and families. At the same time, we are helping develop the next generation of professionals who may one day serve right here in our schools and community.
Saddle Mountain is committed to both supporting students and investing in the future of the profession—and this program is a powerful example of that work in action.
Congratulations to Mrs. Tammy Doerksen, Principal at Desert Sunset Elementary School, for being named Outstanding Principal of the Year in Saddle Mountain Unified School District.
Day ten of our trip didn't go exactly as planned but that's ok. We started with breakfast at McDonald's and then saw the world's second largest hammer. After that it was a series of neat misses. We were supposed to see a 30 ft robot in Santa Fe, but for rerouted due to an accident, we missed Petroglyph National Monument due to trying to see a roadside classic car museum that is no longer there. We did have Blake's Lota Burger for lunch and Chile Chicken for dinner. Tomorrow we will finish our trip.
Day nine of the RoboColts trip. We left Iowa early this morning and made it all the way to Denver. We saw the Archway Museum, ate lunch at Runza, explored downtown Denver, stopped by Casa Bonita, and had dinner at Panda Express. Off to Albuquerque in the morning.
You can follow the RoboColts in action today and Saturday while they compete in the US Open in Iowa. Go to this link and scroll down to the Middle School section. Team 4461A is the red division and team 4461B is in the blue division.
https://create-webcast.netlify.app/home
Day six of our trip was the first day of the tournament for skills only. Both teams passed inspections quickly and got their skills runs in. Before the competition the kids pushed the last snowball down the hill. We also swung by DQ for free small cone day! Tomorrow is the first day of qualification rounds.
Day five of the RoboColts trip was action packed. We started with breakfast pizza from Casey's, a trip to the Lauritzen Gardens to see the trolls, we scoped out the high school robotics tournament, had lunch at PepperJax, got the annual bag haircuts, took ATV rides around the property, played with the last of the remaining snow, dinner at Pizza Ranch where Selman knocked down a PR of 20 over cream cones. We closed the night with a trip over the walking bridge. We begin our tournament tomorrow afternoon!
Day five of the RoboColts trip was action packed. We started with breakfast pizza from Casey's, a trip to the Lauritzen Gardens to see the trolls, we scoped out the high school robotics tournament, had lunch at PepperJax, got the annual bag haircuts, took ATV rides around the property, played with the last of the remaining snow, dinner at Pizza Ranch where Selman knocked down a PR of 20 over cream cones. We closed the night with a trip over the walking bridge. We begin our tournament tomorrow afternoon!
Fun event for families, we hope to see you there.
Day four of the RoboColts journey to Iowa was a full day. Not only did we get to see it snow, but we also saw the Black Angel statue, the Abraham Lincoln Lookout, the Dodge House, lunch at Taco John's, the Durham Museum, World's Largest Ball of Stamps, a part of the original Lincoln Highway, Hollywood Candy, and dinner at California Tacos from Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives
Today was day 3 of the RoboColts road trip and we finally made it to Iowa. Our first stop off the day was at the very first Pizza Hut, lunch at Spangles, a cool experience at the Whispering Bench, and finally pizza at our destination in Council Bluffs.
Day 2 of our trip to Iowa was VERY windy. We followed Route 66 from Albuquerque to OKC. Our stops today included the world's largest flip flop, Cadillac Ranch, lunch at Buc-ees, dinner at the Garage, and a stop at the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial. Tomorrow, we will arrive in Iowa.
Today the RoboColts began their journey to Council Bluffs, Iowa for the US Open national tournament. On the way we made stops at the Navajo County Historic Courthouse, had lunch at Colonel Mustard's, saw the Continental Divide, and had some Detroit Style Pizza at Thicc's Pizza, downtown Albuquerque. Tomorrow we head to OKC.
☀️🚀 TVHS CTE Summer Camp is Back! 🚀☀️
Tonopah Valley High School is hosting an exciting, hands-on CTE (Career & Technical Education) Summer Camp — and you’re invited!
📅 June 9-12
⏰ 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM
👥 Open to all incoming Saddle Mountain Middle School students!
Students will get to explore high-demand, high-interest programs, including:
🔨 Carpentry
🧸 Early Childhood Education
🎨 Graphic Design
🚓 Law & Public Safety
🩺 Medical Assisting
💻 Software & App Design
This is an incredible opportunity to discover new passions, build skills, and experience what CTE is all about — all while having fun!
📌 Check out the attached flyer for details and scan the QR code to register.
🛑 Registration closes FRIDAY, APRIL 3RD — don’t wait!
Tonopah Valley High School is hosting an exciting, hands-on CTE (Career & Technical Education) Summer Camp — and you’re invited!
📅 June 9-12
⏰ 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM
👥 Open to all incoming Saddle Mountain Middle School students!
Students will get to explore high-demand, high-interest programs, including:
🔨 Carpentry
🧸 Early Childhood Education
🎨 Graphic Design
🚓 Law & Public Safety
🩺 Medical Assisting
💻 Software & App Design
This is an incredible opportunity to discover new passions, build skills, and experience what CTE is all about — all while having fun!
📌 Check out the attached flyer for details and scan the QR code to register.
🛑 Registration closes FRIDAY, APRIL 3RD — don’t wait!
Join us 3/4/2026 at SomeBurros and support the TVHS Baseball Team. Must show the flyer or mention the fundraiser when ordering.
Over the weekend, the SMUSD Elementary Robotics teams traveled to Queen Creek to compete in the Arizona Elementary VEX IQ State Finals. It was the first time in SMUSD history that all three elementary schools were represented at the State Finals! All three teams did great, but the Winters' Well RoboScorpions made it to the tournament playoffs and finished with a ranking of #6 in the state! They also won the first-ever State Finals award for SMUSD. Great job to all the students and coaches for their hard work this season.
Transportation will be using alternative routes at dismissal. We anticipate a delayed drop off time for many buses. We thank you for your patience as we ensure our students all get home safely.
Due to an accident, the I-10 is closed. We are currently assessing the situation to determine how or if it will impact transportation at dismissal. We will provide an update as the impact on dismissal becomes more clear.
Join the Saddle Mountain Family!
Our Director of Curriculum & Instruction, Patti Thompson, presented to the Governing Board during the February meeting last week about the Northern Arizona University (NAU) West Valley Pathways to Teaching Program, which leads to teacher certification in Arizona.
The NAU West Valley Pathways to Teaching Program is a collaborative “Grow Your Own” educator preparation initiative offered by *Northern Arizona University* in partnership with multiple West Valley school districts in Arizona. This program is designed to expand access to teacher certification for local community members, current district employees (such as paraprofessionals and instructional assistants), and others interested in pursuing a career in education.
The initiative provides state-approved undergraduate and graduate degree pathways that lead to full Arizona teaching certification. Coursework is offered in flexible formats to support working professionals — including in-person classes at district sites in the afternoons and evenings as well as asynchronous and synchronous online coursework. Students complete the teacher preparation curriculum required for certification, including practicum experiences and full-time student teaching.
Key features of the program include:
Grow Your Own (GYO) model: Focuses on recruiting and preparing future teachers from within the local community, particularly those already working in education roles or serving diverse student populations.
Degree options: Eligible degree programs include elementary education, special education, secondary science teaching, and other certification tracks.
Flexible delivery: Blends online instruction with local, site-based courses to accommodate employed students.
Financial support: Many students qualify for the Arizona Teachers Academy Scholarship, which can cover tuition and mandatory fees, making the program tuition-free when combined with other aid.
Students often receive advanced consideration for employment within partner school districts upon completion of the program.
Overall, the West Valley Pathways to Teaching Program aims to strengthen the local educator workforce, support community members in becoming certified teachers, and address the teacher shortage in Arizona by making certification more accessible, affordable, and aligned with community needs.
The NAU West Valley Pathways to Teaching Program is a collaborative “Grow Your Own” educator preparation initiative offered by *Northern Arizona University* in partnership with multiple West Valley school districts in Arizona. This program is designed to expand access to teacher certification for local community members, current district employees (such as paraprofessionals and instructional assistants), and others interested in pursuing a career in education.
The initiative provides state-approved undergraduate and graduate degree pathways that lead to full Arizona teaching certification. Coursework is offered in flexible formats to support working professionals — including in-person classes at district sites in the afternoons and evenings as well as asynchronous and synchronous online coursework. Students complete the teacher preparation curriculum required for certification, including practicum experiences and full-time student teaching.
Key features of the program include:
Grow Your Own (GYO) model: Focuses on recruiting and preparing future teachers from within the local community, particularly those already working in education roles or serving diverse student populations.
Degree options: Eligible degree programs include elementary education, special education, secondary science teaching, and other certification tracks.
Flexible delivery: Blends online instruction with local, site-based courses to accommodate employed students.
Financial support: Many students qualify for the Arizona Teachers Academy Scholarship, which can cover tuition and mandatory fees, making the program tuition-free when combined with other aid.
Students often receive advanced consideration for employment within partner school districts upon completion of the program.
Overall, the West Valley Pathways to Teaching Program aims to strengthen the local educator workforce, support community members in becoming certified teachers, and address the teacher shortage in Arizona by making certification more accessible, affordable, and aligned with community needs.
