Welcome to the 2019 – 2020 school
year at Desert Foothills Junior High School!
Desert Foothills offers a true middle school experience in which students are
placed on an academic team consisting of five core teachers providing a
school-within-a-school atmosphere. This environment provides purposeful
interventions where needed and improves communication and integration. Each
team of teachers builds camaraderie and infuses the DF team spirit while
watching out for the students’ well-being and promoting positive youth
development during the impressionable 7th and 8th grade years. All academic
teams offer advanced classes in math, reading and science. In addition, an outstanding
group of special education teachers works with each team to meet the needs of
students with learning disabilities in reading, writing and math. We offer
Language Live, Intervention Math and Title I math for regular education
students struggling with those concepts.
Middle school students need exposure to a lot of different exploratory
programs. Our great variety of elective classes helps our students find their
interests leading them to select courses later in high school that ultimately
will enhance their careers in the future. Desert Foothills offers
drama/theatre, music, choir, orchestra, band, guitar, keyboarding/piano, PE,
art, technology, multi-media and leadership as elective classes. Our
school day begins in homeroom with breakfast in the classroom and an
advisory/intervention period focused on the social and academic growth of all
of our students. We strive to create a
safe atmosphere in which all students can be academically successful and
experience positive social development throughout their middle school
years.
There is such a thing as a free lunch at Desert Foothills! We will be
participating in the Community Eligible Provision (CEP) for the 2019-2020
school year. The CEP allows schools to offer free, nutritious school meals to
all students through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs.
What this means for families at Desert Foothills is that all students will be
able to receive both breakfast and lunch at no charge for this school year
without having to fill out a meal application. If your child just wants a
beverage instead of a full meal, he or she can purchase milk or juice for 35
cents or a bottle of water for 50 cents. We are excited about this opportunity
and hope you take advantage of it.
It is an honor to serve as the principal of Desert Foothills. I am committed to
creating a whole school of excellence for Desert Foothills that promotes the
academic and social growth of every student. Please know my door is open for us
to communicate and partner for your child’s success. You are always welcome to
call or come to the office. The Desert Foothills staff and I welcome you to our
school and look forward to a wonderful school year. Go Scorpions!
Sincerely,
Susan P. Smith
Principal | 
