Welcome to Kiva!

Here's everything you need to know to get started and stay informed throughout the school year.

SCHOOL HOURS

  • Gates Open: 8:20 AM | Gates Close: 8:40 AM
  • School Start Time: 8:45 AM (First bell rings at 8:40 AM)
  • End Time: 3:15 PM (Monday-Friday, except early release days)
  • Early Release: Kindergarten: 1:00 PM | Grades 1-5: 1:15 PM

LATE ARRIVES & EARLY PICKUPS

  • If you arrive after the first bell (8:40 AM), you must walk your child into the front office and sign them in. Students are marked tardy after 8:45 AM.
  • If you need to pick up your child early, go to the front office with your ID. You will need to sign them out in person--students will not be released until you arrive.

TRANSPORTATION

  • Find your child's bus stop or route: Visit www.susd.org > Transportation > Find Your Route - Bus Route

LUNCH & MEALS

  • Monthly Menus: https://scottsdale.nutrislice.com/menu/kiva/lunch or use the free Nutrislice app.
  • Add Money to Your Student's Lunch Account or register: https://linqconnect.com/main
  • Free/Reduced Lunch Application: Linq Connect > Menu (Three Bars upper left corner) > Free & Reduced Meal Application > Scottsdale Unified School District > New Application
  • Parents are welcome to eat lunch with students on designated days. Please check in at the office.

ATTENDANCE & OFFICE INFO

  • Report Absences: Call our 24-hour attendance line at 480.484.2260
  • Main Office Number: 480.484.2200
  • Lost and Found is located near the cafeteria. Label all items clearly.

BEFORE & AFTER SCHOOL CARE & ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS

  • Kids Club / Enrichment Zone: Visit www.susd.org > Departments > Community Education > Kids Club/Enrichment Zone
    • Enrichment Zone offers engaging after-school classes throughout the year, led by local vendors, giving students the chance to explore new interests beyond the classroom.
    • Kids Club provides licensed before and after school care, with daily activities like arts and crafts, games, science, technology, team-building, and supervised homework time--plus a daily snack.

CAMPUS SAFETY

  • Kiva is a secure, closed campus. Visitors must check in with a driver's license, sign in, and wear a visitor's badge at all times.

ACADEMICS & COMMUNICATION

  • Contacting Teachers: Reach out via SUSD email or ParentSquare
  • ParentSquare: School-wide communication for messages, photos, signups, and scheduling. Log in at https://www.parentsquare.com/signin
  • ParentVUE & StudentVUE: Scottsdale Unified uses these apps to help families stay on top of their student's academic progress. Log in at https://synergyvue.susd.org/
  • Parent-Teacher Conferences: Held in fall and spring. Watch for communication via ParentSquare.
  • Gifted/Special Education: Contact your child's teacher or the front office for details.

PTO, VOLUNTEERING & EVENTS

  • What is the PTO? The Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is a volunteer-run nonprofit that supports Kiva through events, fundraising, teacher appreciation, and community building.
  • How do I join the PTO? All Kiva parents/guardians are automatically part of the PTO.
  • How do I become a voting member? To become a voting member, register and pay a $10 annual fee via credit card at https://kivapto.membershiptoolkit.com. Voting members can vote on budgets, elections, and key decisions.
  • What's the difference between general PTO involvement and being a voting member?
    • General Member: You are automatically included and can attend events, volunteer, and receive updates.
    • Voting Member: You officially register and pay the fee to participate in PTO voting matters.

STAY CONNECTED

QUICK LINKS

IMPORTANT EMAILS

 SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR FAMILIES

  • Free & Reduced Meals: This program provides nutritionally balanced school meals at low or no cost based on household income eligibility. You can apply online via the LINQ Connect website: https://linqconnect.com/main
  • Healthy Packs: This initiative offers supplemental weekend food packages for students in need, provided through a partnership with the City of Scottsdale. Enrollment is available through the City of Scottsdale enrollment form: https://www.cognitoforms.com/CityOfScottsdale1/HealthyPacksEnrollmentForm
  • The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP): This is a federal program that provides emergency food assistance to low-income individuals and families. Please pick up the application from our Community Specialist at school. 
  • The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act: This is a U.S. federal law ensuring homeless children and youth have immediate, stable access to free, appropriate public education, removing barriers like enrollment delays and guaranteeing transportation and services. It defines homeless students broadly, including those in shelters, cars, parks, or sharing housing due to hardship, and requires districts to appoint liaisons to help them enroll, attend, and succeed in school. 
  • Soles 4 Souls: This is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing new shoes to children in need. The challenges the McKinney Vento families may face, and this organization wants to ensure that every MKV student has comfortable, properly fitting footwear so they can focus on their education and participate fully in school activities without worry. This program helps by offering a free pair of new, high-quality shoes to eligible students. 
  • Coronado Community Closet: The closet is staffed by Coronado HS employees and student volunteers who are eager to lend a hand. It is well-stocked with seasonal clothing, footwear, domestic goods, and children's toys. We simply want to help families reduce expenses on these essentials so they can better manage grocery costs and other necessities.

Seasonal Programs for Families

  • Back to School Program: This program provides SUSD students with backpacks, school supplies, clothing, shoes, dental hygiene bags and food. 
  • Thanksgiving Food Drive Program from Feeding Students USA: This is an annual community effort, primarily in the Phoenix area, to provide complete Thanksgiving meal kits (including turkeys, stuffing, veggies, and fixings) to local, food-insecure families who often fall through the cracks of state assistance programs, relying on community donations and volunteers to serve thousands of children and parents across multiple school districts. 
  • Adopt-a-Family from City of Scottsdale: This program connects community sponsors with low-income Scottsdale families for holiday support, providing Thanksgiving meals and gifts for children at Christmas, based on family wish lists, helping them celebrate with dignity. Donors "adopt" a family by shopping for specific needs like clothes, toys, and food, while the city screens families for eligibility, ensuring the help reaches those truly in need.
  • Los Ojos de la Familia Arizona: This is a local charity that provides "Holiday Baskets" filled with 65 pounds of food, household essentials, and toys for children to needy families across the Phoenix Valley, relying on volunteers and donations for their massive delivery event, which helps over 500 families annually get a joyful December holiday season. 
  • Cops & Kids from Scottsdale Police: This program, primarily run by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge 35, is a community outreach initiative where police officers build positive relationships with local underprivileged children through events like December holiday shopping sprees for gifts and school supplies, helping kids get essential items for the year and fostering trust between youth and law enforcement. The goal is to create positive connections, show kids police as friends, and provide memorable experiences, often involving holiday shopping with officers for clothing, toys, and supplies.
  • ELD Summer Program: This program provides specialized instruction for English Learners (ELs) to boost their English skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing) during the summer, ensuring they stay on track academically, often focusing on core content and language acquisition through targeted lessons, building on their regular ELD services and aiming for language proficiency.

 

Participation in these programs is simple and confidential. For more information, please contact:

 

Rocio Daniggelis

KIVA & ECS Community Specialist 

rdaniggelis@susd.org

480-484-7513