Principal Shawna Schleif

August 2026

Dear Phoenix Elementary Families,

Welcome to the new school year! Whether you are a returning PES family or new to our community, we are so excited to begin this year with high hopes for all that is possible.

As I enter my 8th year as principal at PES, I do so with deep gratitude for everyone who helps make this such a special learning community. The idea that YOU make US better inspires me because it reminds us that every person has an important role to play in helping our students grow. Our students are at the heart of everything we do, and one of the most important things we can give them is the gift of being here each day. We know that when students are at school consistently, they have greater opportunities to learn, connect, and thrive. Last year, our collective efforts helped us grow our attendance by 7%, and we are excited to continue building on that success.

Our families make US better by partnering with us. This year, we will continue creating meaningful opportunities to learn and work alongside one another through our five family engagement events, Site Council, Family Engagement Leadership Team, family learning walks, and so many other opportunities throughout the year. Your voice matters, and we hope you will continue to share your ideas, questions, and hopes with us.

Our staff makes US better through the care, dedication, and belief they bring to students every day. I am continually inspired by the way our teachers and staff know our children, celebrate their strengths, and work tirelessly to help them become confident readers, mathematicians, thinkers, collaborators, and learners.

And most importantly, our students make US better. They bring curiosity, joy, creativity, and possibility through our doors each day. They remind us why we do this work.

As we begin this new year, I hope we will continue to imagine what is possible when we all show up, lean in, and learn alongside one another. We are better because you are here, and I can't wait to see all that we will accomplish together.

Here’s to a wonderful year of learning, growing, and belonging at PES!

With hope,

Shawna Schleif
Principal, Phoenix Elementary School

Thank you to all of our families who joined us for our Spring Showcase last night! It was wonderful to celebrate the incredible growth our students have made this year and to share their progress with you.

I am also excited to share that we have met our schoolwide attendance goal of 80%! In addition, our preliminary Smarter Balanced results indicate that we have met our English Language Arts goal and are very close to meeting our math goal. These accomplishments are a reflection of the hard work of our students, staff, and families working together.

We still have a week and a half left in the school year, and we're looking forward to finishing strong. Thank you for your continued partnership and support. We are proud of all that our students have accomplished this year!

Warmly,

Shawna Schleif, PES Principal

May 1, 2026

Dear PES Families,

Today we wrapped up our very first Monthly Mile, and it was truly incredible. It was amazing to see students supporting one another, pushing themselves, and simply enjoying being together as a whole school community. The beautiful weather made it even better, and students were so excited to participate, they’re already looking forward to our next Monthly Mile on June 9th!

Next week is Teacher Appreciation Week, and we are excited to celebrate and honor the incredible educators who make a difference for our students every single day. If you’d like to join us in showing appreciation, even a simple note or kind word goes a long way.

We are also gearing up for one of our favorite events of the year—our Jog-a-Thon on May 8th! Information was shared via email last week, and flyers are coming home today. This next week will be our big push leading up to the event, and fundraising will continue through the end of the month. Thank you in advance for supporting this fun and meaningful event for our school.

We are currently in the midst of state testing. Our students just wrapped up their ELA assessments, and next week we will move into I-Ready and Math testing. Thank you for helping your child be successful by ensuring they are well-rested, encouraged, and present each day.

Speaking of attendance, we are so grateful for your efforts in getting students to school consistently. Our current attendance rate is 83%, which is an improvement from last year. We still have about a month left of school, and every day matters as we work to finish the year strong. With many exciting events, field trips, and learning opportunities ahead, your support in maintaining strong attendance makes a big difference.

Thank you again for your partnership and for being such an important part of our PES community. We are looking forward to a fun and busy month ahead!

With appreciation,

Shawna Schleif

April 3, 2026

It’s hard to believe how quickly this time of year has arrived! It feels like just yesterday we were coming together for our Love of Learning event, where our 3rd–5th grade teachers shared more about the upcoming Smarter Balanced assessments. Now, after spring break, we are ready to begin.

State testing starts next week, and we will be easing into it with two weeks dedicated to our ELA assessments. This is an important opportunity for our students to show all they have learned this year, and we are excited to support them in doing their very best.

You can help set your child up for success by ensuring they are at school each day, well-rested, and well-fed. Consistent attendance during this time is especially important. As a school, we’ve been working toward our goals of 80% attendance and 30% proficiency in both ELA and math, and this is a key moment for our students to shine.

Thank you in advance for helping us create a supportive and encouraging testing environment.

We are so grateful for your partnership and all you do to support our students. We’re looking forward to cheering them on as they show what they know!

Warmly,

Shawna Schleif, PES Principal

• 80% regular attenders
• 30% meeting grade-level expectations on the state SBAC math assessment
• 30% meeting grade-level expectations on the SBAC English language arts assessment

October 31, 2025

We’re thrilled to share that our first quarter has been a wonderful success! We’ve made great progress toward our 80-30-30 goals, and we’re especially proud that 88% of our students are regular attenders — way to go, families!

As we look ahead, we’re excited to connect with you during family-teacher conferences next month. Teachers will be reaching out soon to schedule a time for you to join a small group conference. These meetings are a great opportunity to celebrate your child’s growth and partner together for continued success.

It’s been a joyful start to the school year filled with learning, laughter, and community — from field trips to our Pirate Parade and Costume Parade, students are creating lasting memories together.

Thank you for your continued partnership in making this such a strong and positive start to the year!

Warmly,

Shawna Schleif

October 17, 2025

We are off to a great start this fall! This year, our school is working toward our 80-30-30 goal. That means we want 80% of students with regular attendance, 30% meeting or exceeding grade-level goals in reading, and 30% meeting or exceeding in math. These goals help us stay focused on helping every student grow.

We are proud to share that 89% of our students are coming to school regularly! Thank you, families, for making attendance a priority. Last month, we sent home attendance trackers to help you keep track of absences. Please try to stay under 16 absences for the year—every day at school matters!

On our recent professional development day, our staff looked closely at student data and made plans to help all students keep improving. We are happy to report that in reading, our students improved 6% from last year’s beginning-of-year scores! This growth shows how powerful our teamwork is—students, families, and staff all working together.

Please mark your calendars for November 25 and 26 for our family conferences. Our goal is 100% participation this year because strong home-school partnerships make a big difference for student success.

Thank you for all you do to support your children and our school. Together, we make Pirate Nation strong!

With gratitude,
Shawna Schleif
Principal

October 4, 2025

Dear PES Families,

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Fall Family Night! We hope you left feeling more connected, informed, and equipped with tools to support your child’s success. It was wonderful to see so many families partnering with us to help students meet their goals.

From the surveys you filled out, you shared that the evening was valuable and meaningful for your family. We are so glad to hear that. At the same time, we are always looking for ways to grow—if you have ideas for how we can improve future family events, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We are here for you.

Speaking of goals, one of our big focuses this year is attendance. We set a goal of reaching 80% regular attenders, and thanks to your commitment, we are already surpassing that—nearing 90%! Just last Friday, only 8 students were absent, which meant a 97% daily attendance rate. That is incredible!

Thank you for doing the single most important thing to help your child learn and grow—sending them to school regularly. Every day makes a difference, and we are so grateful for your partnership in making school a priority.

With gratitude,
Shawna Schleif

August 22, 2025

Dear PES Families,

As the new school year begins, I want to extend a warm welcome to all our returning and new families. We are excited to embark on another year of learning, growth, and discovery together and we have a team of caring staff here for you.

This year, our theme is all about showing up! We are incredibly proud of the strides we've made in improving our attendance rates, and we know that being present is the first step toward success. When students show up, they not only build essential academic skills, but they also form the relationships and routines that will guide them throughout their lives.

PES is committed to being a place where care, connectedness, and strong relationships flourish. We believe that when students feel cared for and connected, they are empowered to dream big and take advantage of any opportunity that comes their way. We are here to support each child in gaining the skills they need to succeed, and we recognize that this is a shared journey.

Part of our commitment to partnership is our invitation to you, our valued families, to join us in leadership roles this year. We are seeking enthusiastic parents and guardians to serve on our Family Engagement Team and Site Council. Your insights and participation are vital as we work together to create the best possible environment for our students. If you are interested, please reach out to your child’s teacher or directly to me. Your voice matters, and we would love to have you on board.

In addition, we will continue to work closely with families by offering strategies and resources that you can practice at home to support your child’s learning. We believe that a strong home-school connection is key to student success, and we are here to support you every step of the way as we nurture the hopes and dreams of every student.

Thank you for entrusting us with your child’s education. We look forward to a fantastic school year filled with learning, growth, dreams, and community. Together, we can make this year one of the best yet!

Warm regards,

Shawna Schleif

Happy Friday, PES Families!

Wow—what a week! After an unexpected (but probably very exciting) three days off for snow, we were thrilled to welcome our students back. It’s always amazing to see their smiles, hear their laughter, and jump right back into learning together.

Attendance Matters!

With winter weather and all the sniffles that come with it, we know it can be tricky to keep routines steady. But every day in school is a day of learning, growth, and connection! Thank you for making attendance a priority and helping your child build great habits that will last a lifetime.

Join Us for Love of Learning Night!

Mark your calendars for next Thursday—we’re hosting our Love of Learning Night, and it’s going to be a fantastic evening! We’ll celebrate student progress, strengthen our school-home connections, and enjoy some well-deserved fun. Here’s what’s in store:

A Dessert Potluck – Bring a sweet treat to share!
Learning & Progress Updates – See what your child has been working on.
Dancing in the Gym – Because learning is more fun when we celebrate together!

We can’t wait to see our families there, building community and making wonderful memories.

As always, thank you for your partnership and support. Wishing you all a cozy and restful weekend.

Shawna Schleif - PES Principal

November 22, 2024

We are excited to connect with you during next week's conferences and look forward to discussing your child's progress. Your partnership is so valuable, and we appreciate the opportunity to work together to support your child's success.

I am proud to share some great news — our regular attendance has increased to 80%! This is a testament to the dedication and commitment of our families, and we are truly grateful for your efforts to make attendance a priority.

In addition, today the students participated in a fun vote and chose to enjoy hot cocoa during a lunch recess when we return from Thanksgiving break! This will be a cozy and fun way to celebrate together.

Thank you for all that you do to support our school community. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Shawna Schleif - PES Principal

November 8, 2024

Hello PES Families!

It’s hard to believe we’ve already finished the first quarter of the year! I am incredibly proud of our students and staff, who are working together to keep us all learning and growing. This month’s focus on the character traits of Gratitude and Generosity truly reflects how we feel about our students and the wonderful support we receive from our families.

Last week, three moms joined our Family Engagement Team as we explored new ways to strengthen our partnership with you. With that in mind, your child’s teacher will be reaching out in the coming weeks to schedule small group conferences. We believe that gathering in small groups with teachers and families will allow us to:

• Learn together about student progress
• Connect with one another
• Share ideas and strategies
• Create a stronger, more supportive community

We hope you enjoy the extended weekend as we honor those who have served and continue to serve our country.

See you soon!

Warmly,
Shawna Schleif - PES Principal

October 4, 2024

Dear PES Families,

I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to all of you and for taking time to show up for our kids! Last week we enjoyed the ever popular PHS homecoming parade and the week before we held our Fall Family Night. It was wonderful to see so many of you engaged in learning about our major academic goals for this year. Your involvement is key to the success of our students, and I hope you walked away with valuable strategies to support your child’s learning at home.

Through the feedback provided in our post-event survey, we are thrilled to hear that the vast majority of our families feel connected, supported, and have a clear understanding of how the school is helping students succeed academically. Your trust in our work means so much, and we are committed to continuing this strong partnership.

We also recognize an opportunity for growth in helping families connect with one another. Building a strong school community is a priority, and we will be working on more opportunities for families to engage and build connections. Please keep an eye out for events designed to foster these important relationships.

Looking ahead, we are excited for our Walk and Ride to School event this Wednesday! This is a fun way to promote healthy habits, build community, and start the day off together. We hope to see many of you walking, biking, or scootering to school!

Also, a reminder that Friday is an in-service day, so there will be no school for students. Our staff will be hard at work, learning more about the Science of Reading and diving into updates on our math curriculum. These professional learning days are essential to ensuring we are using the best methods to support student learning.

Finally, I want to take a moment to highlight the importance of regular school attendance. Attending school consistently helps students build a solid foundation for learning and ensures they don’t miss out on critical lessons. Please continue to prioritize attendance and reach out to us if your family needs support in this area. Every day counts!

Thank you again for your ongoing support and dedication to our students' success. Together, we can ensure a productive and enriching school year for all!
 

Warm regards,
Shawna
Principal, PES

August 23, 2024

Dear PES Families,

As the new school year begins, I want to extend a warm welcome to all our returning and new families. We are excited to embark on another year of learning, growth, and discovery together and we have a team of caring staff here for you.

This year, our theme is all about showing up! We are incredibly proud of the strides we've made in improving our attendance rates, and we know that being present is the first step toward success. When students show up, they not only build essential academic skills, but they also form the relationships and routines that will guide them throughout their lives.

PES is committed to being a place where care, connectedness, and strong relationships flourish. We believe that when students feel cared for and connected, they are empowered to dream big and take advantage of any opportunity that comes their way. We are here to support each child in gaining the skills they need to succeed, and we recognize that this is a shared journey.

Part of our commitment to partnership is our invitation to you, our valued families, to join us in leadership roles this year. We are seeking enthusiastic parents and guardians to serve on our Family Engagement Team and Site Council. Your insights and participation are vital as we work together to create the best possible environment for our students. If you are interested, please reach out to your child’s teacher or directly to me. Your voice matters, and we would love to have you on board.

In addition, we will continue to work closely with families by offering strategies and resources that you can practice at home to support your child’s learning. We believe that a strong home-school connection is key to student success, and we are here to support you every step of the way as we nurture the hopes and dreams of every student.

Thank you for entrusting us with your child’s education. We look forward to a fantastic school year filled with learning, growth, dreams, and community. Together, we can make this year one of the best yet!

Warm regards,

Shawna Schleif