DHHS Joins The Gilbert Days Parade!

Desert Hills HIgh School students were out in full force at the recently held Gilbert Days Parade in downtown Gilbert. A large group of students marched in the annual event, which featured appearences by the Desert Hills High School FFA organization and Agricultural Department, along with the Desert HIlls Cheerleading Squad!

Test Drive The Latest Car, And Support Your School

Test driving the newest, fastest vehicle off the showroom lot can be a fantasy experience. But in September, driving a new car can provide a real benefit to your neighborhood school.

On Thursday, Sept. 8, visitors to Desert Hills High School’s Fall Open House will have the opportunity to test drive new cars, courtesy of San Tan Ford. And for every test drive, San Tan Ford will donate $20 to the school.

Last year, a similar event was deemed a big success for the school, and this year’s showcase, dubbed “Drive One For Your School,” will bring an all new selection of vehicles to the Desert Hills campus.

The DHHS Fall Open House kicks off the 2011-2012 school year, and will feature presentations and information about an array of school offerings, from sports to academic organizations, including National Honor Society, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Future Farmers of America (FFA), and many others.

Desert Hills High School is located in Gilbert, at 1515 S. Val Vista Drive. For more information on this event, contact the front office at 480-813-1151, or visit our website at www.deserthillshs.com.

KTVK Channel 3 Features Desert Hills

Desert Hills High School was recently featured on news station KTVK Channel 3, in a Saturday morning segment, "Your Life A-Z". The segment, conducted by news anchor Lisa Haffner, covered Desert Hills' sports, academic and scholarship programs.

School Photos Coming Up

School Photos are scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 24, with Duke Photography.

Fall Sports Meetings Scheduled

Fall Sports Meetings have been scheduled! If you are interested in playing a fall sport at Desert Hills, be sure to attend an informational meeting. The following sessions are scheduled for the first week of school:

o Tuesday, August 9th, during lunch:
 Room 4 – Soccer
 Room 5 – Football
 Room 6 – Volleyball
 Room 7 – Cheerleading

o Sports Tryouts will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 10th, and Thursday, August 11th, during 4th period. Transportation will be provided:

 Room 6 – Cheerleading
 Freestone Recreation Center – Volleyball
 Crossroads Park – Football and Soccer

o Games start August 22nd!

'Fall Farm Festival' Slated For New School Year

Desert Hills' Fall Farm Festival, featuring green house tours, hay rides, pumpkin carving and a clinic on raising chickens in an urban setting, has been scheduled to celebrate the new school year.


Guests at the festival, slated for Saturday, Oct. 22, will have the opportunity to tour our green house, showcasing a wide array of flowers and hydroponic tomatoes. Also featured will be horse and hay rides, a pie-eating contest and an informational session on raising chickens in a backyard setting. Call 480-813-1151 for more information.

DHHS News For August 2011

• SnapGrades is now JupiterGrades!

The online grading program utilized by Desert Hills to keep parents and students continually informed about grades and attendance has changed its name. But the exceptional program remains the same.

With JupiterGrades, you can log in any time to check your student’s grades, homework, missing assignments, test scores and report cards, in addition to communicating with teachers. The system is secure, and no one else can view your personal information.

We strongly urge parents to use the JupiterGrades website. One of the most significant factors in school achievement is effective communication between students, teachers and parents. At Desert Hills, we believe JupiterGrades is the ideal program to enhance this communication.

JupiterGrades is accessible at www.jupitergrades.com. For more information, call the front office at 480-813-1151.

• School Begins Monday, Aug. 8th! We hope you have enjoyed your summer, and we look forward to seeing you soon!

Get Ready For Cougar Sports!

Get ready for the new year in DHHS Sports!

Football conditioning is now underway for the upcoming Desert Hills season, and preparation for cheerleading and volleyball begins with the new school year, starting the week of Aug. 8th! Contact us now for information on joining the fighting Cougars!

New Student Orientation Scheduled In July

Orientation for new students at Desert Hills High School is fast approaching!

New Student Orientation for freshmen will be from 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, July 19, at the DHHS campus. Orientation for new students in grades 10, 11 and 12 will be from 10 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, July 20.

Orientation topics include:

* School Policies
* Scheduling
* Transportation
* Sports Sign-Up
* Club Sign-Up
* Attendance Policies

We look forward to seeing you next week! For more information, call the school office at 480-813-1151.

Win Harkins Movie Money At Our Ice Cream Social!

Win Harkins Movie Money and GameStop credit at Desert Hills High School's Open House and Ice Cream Social, scheduled from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 13.

Come and visit the school, take a tour and enjoy an ice cream sundae or a root beer float. A raffle will be held for $20 in Harkins Movie Money, $20 in GameStop credit, and other great prizes. Beat the heat and join us for a fun afternoon!

Call the school office at 480-813-1151 for more information.

Desert Hills Expands College Credit Offerings

Students at Desert Hills High School in Gilbert now have more opportunities to earn college credit while still in high school.

This year, juniors and seniors can take several courses at the DHHS campus in conjunction with Chandler-Gilbert Community College. Students earn three college credits for each course completed, as part of the DHHS Dual Enrollment College Program.

Courses offered in the 2011-2012 school year will be Introduction to Business (GBS 151) and Accounting Principles (ACC 111) in the fall. English 101 will be offered in the spring, and space is limited.

Desert Hills High School is located at the northeast corner of Val Vista and Ray roads in Gilbert. For more information on this educational opportunity, contact the DHHS front office at 480-813-1151.

Liberty Arts Academy Sponsors "Christmas In July"

Hayden, a fourth-grade student at Liberty Arts Academy in Mesa, has a deep appreciation for toys and games, as do most children his age.

But unlike other elementary-age kids, Hayden has turned his personal interest into a public service movement, by creating a summer toy drive to help children languishing in hospitals over the holidays.

“Hayden’s Summer Toy Drive” will be featured as part of the “Children’s Health and Wellness Carnival,” slated from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, July 23, at Liberty Arts Academy, 3015 S. Power Road, in Mesa.

Guests can gain entrance to the carnival by providing a toy for the drive, or a donation. Toys will go to children in local hospitals during the holidays. Hayden’s goal is to ensure that no child goes without a present this season. He calls it “Christmas in July.”

Liberty Arts Academy, a sister school to Desert Hills High serving children in grades K-8, is seeking sponsors for the event. Those interested should contact School Leader Cheri Wasiel at 480-830-3444.

Desert Hills Offers "The Leona Promise"

Desert Hills High School is pleased to announce an exciting college scholarship opportunity available to our students!

Desert Hills is offering a $1,000 annual college scholarship to any student attending Desert Hills for four years. This scholarship, renewable for four years up to a maximum amount of $4,000, is open to any qualifying students who graduate from Desert Hills and attend an approved post-secondary program, four-year college or university. Students must be continuously enrolled at Desert Hills from 9th through 12th grades.

For more information on this scholarship opportunity and qualification requirements, contact the DHHS front office at 480-813-1151.

Upcoming Events At Desert Hills!

• Prom is Friday, May 13, at the beautiful Villa Sienna Resort in Gilbert! Tickets are on sale now - $60 for a couple, and $45 for a single, with prices increasing at the door. Join us for an outstanding “Black Tie” affair, with memories captured by Duke Photography! See Ms. McGlothlin or Ms. Fieman for more details.

• The Sunsplash Getaway is Friday, May 20. Sunsplash Water Park in Mesa will open exclusively for Desert Hills students, with access to water slides and lunch provided. Tickets are $20, and available to the first 60 students in good academic standing. Transportation will be provided by Desert Hills. See the front office for more information, or call 480-813-1151.


• Desert Hills’ 2011 Graduation ceremony will be held at 4 p.m. Friday, May 27, at the Mesa Arts Center! Graduating seniors seeking tickets to the event should see Mrs. Eaton.

The Cougar Yearbook Is Now On Sale!

The Desert Hills 2010-2011 Yearbook is now on sale!

Featuring more than 80 full color pages of clubs, sports and student activities, the DHHS Yearbook is an invaluable memory of this exciting school year.

Books can be purchased in the front office for $40, and feature more than a print edition. Students who buy a hard copy will have access to special online personalization features available through the yearbook creator, Mbrosia.com, such as video and audio clips embedded within the book, and a lasting presence on the web.

Students who order by April 29th will qualify for a yearbook signing party to be held on campus. Desert Hills is accepting cash, check and credit card payments for the 2010-2011 Yearbook. For more information, contact the front office at 480-813-1151.

Desert Hills' Extravaganza: Celebrating Colleges, Careers And Community

Desert Hills' annual Extravaganza, held Thursday, March 10, featured appearances by a wide variety of college recruiters and technical school officials, along with military representatives and community leaders.

The event was deemed a great success, according to Fawn Eaton, Academic and Career Center Director, and the organizer of the event, which drew more than 200 guests to the Gilbert campus, including Gilbert Arts Academy Principal Nan Allen and DHHS student Careasa Hayes, pictured above.

"We're extremely pleased that so many colleges and institutions sent representatives to the event," says Ms. Eaton. "Our goal is to give our students as much information as we can on post-high school opportunities, so that they can make informed decisions about their futures."

Guests at the event included representatives from Arizona State University, Chandler-Gilbert Community College, DeVry Institute, Grand Canyon University, Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts and Everest College.

Also on hand were officials from ITT Technical Institute, The Barbizon School, The American Institute of Dental Assisting, Pima Medical Institute, The Bryman School and Mesa Community College, among other institutions.

DHHS Plans Spring 'Extravaganza' And Career Fair This Thursday

Representatives from colleges and universities across Arizona will meet with high school students on Thursday, March 10, when Desert Hills High School in Gilbert hosts its annual career fair “Extravaganza.”

Military officials and representatives from vocational schools and out-of-state universities will also be appearing at the Extravaganza, which runs from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the school, located at 1515 S. Val Vista Drive. Students and parents are invited to attend the fair and explore a wide array of post-high school opportunities.

“This is an excellent chance for students to educate themselves about the possibilities awaiting them after graduation,” says Fawn Eaton, DHHS Academic and Career Center Director. “We’re very excited to help them prepare for this next important stage in their lives.”

An academic services session is scheduled for 6 p.m. detailing changes in graduation requirements for Arizona students. Food and prizes will be offered at the Extravaganza, along with examples of artwork from Desert Hills’ students.

Representatives from Arizona State University, Chandler-Gilbert Community College, Central Arizona College and Mesa Community College will be appearing, along with officials from the Bryman School, Carrington College and DeVry Institute.
Other institutions slated to appear include Everest College, Grand Canyon University, Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, Pima Medical Institute, Rio Salado College, ITT Technical Institute, and the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts.

Also on the list are Arizona Christian University, the Barbizon School, Brookline College, the American Institute of Dental Assisting and the University of Advancing Technology, among other academies and institutions.

For more information on the Extravaganza, contact the Desert Hills school office at 480-813-1151.

Drug Abuse Prevention Organization Hosting Presentations For Parents And Students

The following presentations by the notMYkid organization, designed to provide parents and students with information on drug abuse issues and prevention strategies for teens, have been scheduled in February at Desert Hills High School:

* Parent Presentation - 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011.

* Student Presentations - Speaking will be young recovering addicts (ages 18-25) who have been sober for at least one year. These speakers go through a 20 hour training with notMYkid to ensure that they are able to share their message with other students without glorifying past drug and alcohol abuse. They also will be accompanied by a representative from notMYkid. The speakers will discuss how their addictions began and consequences faced as a result of their decisions. Resources will be provided to students requesting them following each 1 hour presentation. The class presentation schedule is as follows:

* Wednesday, Feb. 23 - 1st period (Mrs. Lyro); 2nd period (Ms. Fieman); 3rd period (Mr. Haasch).
* Thursday, Feb. 24 - 1st period (Mr. Balagna); 2nd period (Ms. Quinn); 3rd period (Ms. Darley).

For more information, contact the Desert Hills office at 480-813-1151.

Cougars Storm The Fiesta Bowl On New Years Day

One hundred Desert Hills athletes, teachers and family members were in attendance when the University of Connecticut Huskies took on the Oklahoma Sooners in the 2011 Fiesta Bowl on New Year's Day in Glendale. The Sooners proved victorius in the contest, but the real winners were the fans in attendance at University of Phoenix Stadium.