News From Laguna

By Brooke Williams Principal

Things are still looking sunny at Laguna Elementary School this year! And though we continue to take precautions to keep everyone safe, we always manage to have fun, learn, and do amazing things at school!

We are currently in our third and final year of becoming a STEAMcertified school, (Science, Technology, Engineering, The Arts, and Math). While we have been using a STEAM approach for quite a while, it will certainly be a feather in our cap to be officially certified. Many schools in our great state teach “STEM,” but only a handful teach “STEAM,” and even fewer are actually certified. We are lucky to have two classrooms that were converted several years ago into a giant Makerspace, where kids can plan, create, and “make” creative solutions to real-world problems. Kids sure love visiting it!

What sets us apart from other schools in our area is that we truly have something for everyone! We have the lead music teacher for the district at our school, as well as the lead art teacher for the district at our school. We also have a full-time PE teacher, orchestra teacher, and band teacher. All fourth and fifth grade students get to choose either orchestra, band, or music, which is very exciting! Many of our students go on to play in middle school and high school. We also have an on-site Preschool, Media Club, Student Council, Gifted Program, Kids’ Club, and we’ll be restarting our Robotics Club, Drama Club, Makerspace Club, and Runner’s Club soon. We are also conveniently located right next door to a Boys and Girls Club, which is extremely helpful to working families.

Even during a pandemic, we have found new and innovative ways to enhance our students’ learning. All students have their own personal Chromebook, which is checked out to them, similar to a library book. We also have a new full-time Librarian, who is currently updating our Library for our students. And, new to us this year, is our full-time Reading Specialist who works with small groups of students from all different grade levels to help close the “learning -gap,” which a lot of students developed as a result from online learning.

Our students, staff, and community have continued to amaze us each and every day with their positive attitudes, strong work ethic, and desire to give back. Most impressive is their ability to adapt and be creative. Just last month, we had a “Family Math Night,” which was online so all families felt comfortable to attend. Even during a pandemic, the learning doesn’t stop, we just have to be a little more creative!

We are also proud to welcome many new families to Laguna this year! We are still giving tours before and after school, so if you’re interested in visiting our campus, please call our front office at 480-484-2400, and schedule a tour today! We are still registering students, but classes are almost full, so please don’t delay. Have a great holiday season, enjoy your families, and don’t forget to READ!