News and Events
There's always something new going on at Mary A. Otondo Elementary. Stop by this page often for more information on special events and awards as well as informational articles!
If there is to be a change in how your child gets home after school, please send that change in writing to the teacher or to the office staff. We prefer having this information 24 hours in advance. We know this is not always possible. If 24 hours notice is not possible, please send the note to school the morning of the change.
If you find a change is necessary later in the day, please notify the school office by phone, a minimum of 45 minutes prior to dismissal time. If your child tells us at dismissal that they are to do something different than they normally do, and we do not have confirmation from you, we will send the child home in the manner in which we were last notified.
Your child’s attendance is extremely important. Students cannot learn when they are not at school. State law states that it is a parent’s responsibility to have their child at school and on time.
Just a reminder, if you take your child out of school before 1:56 p.m. (before 12:49 p.m. on Monday), they are recorded as having attended for a half day. If you sign them out after 1:56 p.m., they will have a tardy.
Special note: We have many parents signing their children out early. Please allow your children to complete the school day! It is very disrupting to your child, the remaining students, the teacher, and the teaching-learning process when you check them out early. Thank you!
Parents, if you come to eat lunch with your child, please remember that they may not have other students eat with them. Thank you!
Please join us for cookies with Santa on Wednesday, December 11 from 7:00 to 8:30 a.m. in front of the school. There will be coffee, cookies, hot cocoa, candy canes, and photos with Santa. Don't miss out on the fun!
Winter break is on Monday, December 16 through Friday, January 3. School resumes on Monday, January 6. Have a safe and relaxing break and a happy holiday season!
Unified Sports is an inclusive sports program that unites students from all abilities as teammates for training and competition. We have approximately 55 students competing on Friday, November 22 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Yuma Valley Park. Please join us and come cheer for our students!
Please note that there will be no school from Monday, November 25 through Friday, November 29 for our Thanksgiving break. We hope you have a wonderful week and enjoy your time with family!
As we approach the end of 2019, please make sure that your child's lunch account balance is paid in full. Please contact Mrs. Enriquez between the hours of 6:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. in the cafeteria or by phone at (928) 502.8552 to make a payment or check your child's balance. If you have an online account, you may check your balance and make payments through your account. Thank you.
Our fall festival will be on Saturday, October 19 from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. Bring the entire family and help our PTO raise funds to support our school. There will be a trick-or-treat hall, haunted classrooms, games, a cakewalk, a petting zoo, face painting, jumpers, and so much more! See our October newsletter for more information!
Student illness has been on the rise recently here at Otondo. Please remember that students may not attend school with the following conditions:
- Fever (temperature over 100 degrees Fahrenheit)
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Excessive sneezing/coughing
Students must be free of fever for 24 hours without medication. Students must remain at home until the other conditions have subsided or a physician provides evidence that your child may return to school. Thank you for your help!
Fall picture day is on Wednesday, September 25. Watch for additional information coming home soon. Be ready to dress your best and smile!
Our PTO fall fundraiser is starting soon, and we encourage students to participate in this fundraiser by taking orders for cookie dough. Students should only take orders from friends and family under parent/guardian supervision. There is no door-to-door selling. Students will bring home information about the fundraiser. Please contact PTO with any questions.
Cell phones and personal electronic devices are not permitted without administrative approval. Students displaying possession of cell phones or electronic devices at school, on school-related outings/events, or on school buses, may have the device confiscated for parent pick-up at a later time. The school is not responsible for the breakage, loss, or theft of such personal devices. Please request cell phone agreements from the front office.
Transportation has worked very hard to make bus assignments for over 350 students at our school. It is very important that if for some reason your student needs to make a change from how they normally ride the bus, (parent will pick up, ride a different bus, or address has changed, etc.) the parent needs to write a note each time to the teacher. Without a written note from the parent, we will place the student on the assigned bus as usual. We cannot place your child on a different bus unless you have contacted transportation at (928) 502.8840 and made arrangements through them. Thank you in advance for your assistance!
A reminder that school releases every Monday at 2:10 p.m. Please make sure you make arrangements for your child’s dismissal and let your child’s teacher know your procedure. Thank you!
We are so excited to introduce you to Benchmark ADVANCE, our new English Language Arts curriculum. This will be new for the 2019–2020 school year. Please take a moment to read about this new curriculum, and feel free to let us know if you have any questions.
We want to keep all our students, staff, and visitors safe! Below are some tips to remain safe throughout the school year.
- Parents/visitors are not permitted on the school playgrounds unless there is a special class/grade level/school activity.
- Students should not arrive at school before 8:15 a.m. unless they will be attending Right At School.
- Parents dropping off students should only do so in the drop-off lane. Please pull forward as far as possible to help facilitate drop offs. (Use north crosswalk.)
- Please do not drop students off in other areas of the parking lot.
- Parents escorting students may use either crosswalk. Unescorted students please use the north crosswalk.
- At morning drop-off, students grades one through five are to enter the playground area through the front gate, closest to the south crosswalk by the end of wing C. Parents/visitors are not permitted on the school playgrounds.
- Dismissal time is very busy in the front hallway. Parents, please wait for children outside under the trees, weather permitting.
- We do not permit parents/visitors in any part of the building without permission, signing in, and wearing a visitor’s pass obtained from school office personnel. When you are ready to leave, please sign out at the office and remove your pass.
- We do not allow pets on campus unless you have made prior arrangements with school administration.
Don’t be a U.F.O. (Unidentified Friend of Otondo) Please check in at the office and obtain a visitor’s pass.