What Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District Families Need to Know for the Upcoming School Year
From the Desk of Superintendent Jessica Vocca
As summer begins to wind down, we’re eagerly preparing for the start of another exciting school year. Our team is looking forward to welcoming back students, families, and staff as we continue our mission of learning, growth, and community connection.
Parent Engagement/Communication
As we begin a new school year, I want to encourage all parents and guardians to stay engaged and connected with your child’s education. Your involvement plays a vital role in student success, and we value your partnership. This year, we will be surveying families to better understand how you prefer to receive communication—whether it’s by email, text, phone calls, social media, or newsletters. Your input will help us strengthen communication and ensure you're informed every step of the way.
Student Registration Begins July 14th
School offices will reopen and begin accepting registrations the week of July 14th. Whether you’re enrolling a new student or updating returning student information, now is the time to take care of those details. Parents may enroll online in our Parent View portal: https://cocsd.apscc.org/PXP2_Login.aspx
Important To-Do Items for Parents:
Emergency Contact Information: Please double-check that your child’s emergency contact details are accurate and complete. This helps us keep your child safe and ensures quick communication when needed, most importantly in the event of an emergency.
Immunizations: All student immunizations must be current before the first day of school. The only exception is for families who submit a valid immunization exemption form to the front office.
Transportation Info Coming Soon
Bus routes and transportation details will be posted on our district website shortly. We will continue to offer community stops this year as we are still looking for additional bus drivers. Please note that we will also not be transporting any students within the 1 mile radius of a school. Please keep an eye out for that update so you can plan ahead.
Kindergarten Readiness Camp is Around the Corner
Families of incoming kindergarten students. Be on the lookout for information coming soon from your school about our Kindergarten Readiness Camp. It’s a great way to help little learners get a confident start in their new environment.
Early Release Wednesdays Continue with Updated Schedule
Early Release Wednesdays will continue this school year, with a slight change to the schedule. Students will now be released approximately 2 hours early instead of 2.5 hours early as we did last year during the second semester. This change allows for 30 additional minutes of instructional time each week while still giving teachers dedicated time for planning and collaboration in their Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). Last spring, during the second semester, staff engaged in valuable professional development through Project Momentum, learning effective strategies that will continue to guide our work this year using that proven framework. Please watch for communication from your school site regarding specific release times.
Get Back in the Groove
We strongly encourage families to begin easing back into school routines, especially bedtime schedules, at least a week before the first day. Well-rested students are more focused and ready to succeed from day one.
Teachers Return July 28th
Our dedicated teachers return to campus on Monday, July 28th, and we’ll officially kick off the school year with our Annual Staff Welcome Back Event on Wednesday, July 30th at 8:00 AM at Dr. Daniel Bright Elementary School. This is always a wonderful way for our staff to reconnect and celebrate the start of a new year with cherished colleagues. If you are a local business or community member who would like to participate as a vendor to share your goods or services with teachers and would like donate a gift basket or prize to show appreciation for our teachers, please contact Tricia Winters at (928) 634-2288 or by email: twinters@cocsd.k12.az.us.
Open House Schedule
Join us for Open House events to meet teachers, visit classrooms, and get ready for a strong start:
Dr. Daniel Bright Elementary (DDB): July 29th at 4:30 PM
Oak Creek School (OCS): July 29th at 5:30 PM
Verde Tech High School: July 30th at 11:00 AM
Cottonwood Community School (CCS): July 30th at 4:30 PM
Mountain View Preparatory (MVP): August 12th at 4:00 PM
First Day of School: Thursday, July 31st
We can’t wait to see our students back in the classroom on Thursday, July 31st. Let’s work together to make this year a positive, productive, and memorable one for all.
Thank you for your continued support and involvement in your child’s education. Here’s to a successful start to the school year!