Principal Heather Lowe

December 2025

Dearest TES Community,

I am writing today with a full heart, reflecting back on the year and the time we get to spend together as a school community. We have made significant gains in the areas of reading, math, and attendance. Our schoolwide systems are getting tighter and more aligned with our goal areas. Our PTA group is thriving with meetings full of energizing ideas and collaboration. Our teacher teams are working closely with grade-level colleagues across the district to ensure equitable, effective delivery of our curriculum. Our classified support staff are immersed in a year-long learning journey focused on supporting our learners. And, finally, our community is rallying around our mission like never before.

This collective effort will undoubtedly heed positive outcomes for our students. When we work together, rowing our boat in the same direction, we get further faster. Thank you for coming alongside us in this work and thank you for attending your child's conference last month. As a school, we had 86% of our families join us for these important meetings. If you were unable to connect with your child's teacher for some reason or another, please reach out so you can meet with them sooner than later.

As we head into the holiday season, I hope you take extra care of yourself. Though the season can be special and fun, it also brings with it extra stress. Whether it is the pressure to buy gifts or the challenge of getting enough food on the table, or maybe the visiting family from out of town, things can get a little intense around this time of year. My hope for all of you is that when you feel that bubbling up, you can take the time you need to breathe and reset. What we know about brain science is that we can temper our emotional reaction to stress through very concrete ways. Walking outside, doing art, taking deep breaths in the moment, getting extra sleep, all of these tools help us manage emotion. Parenting is not the easiest of jobs and we all know, myself included, that we are our best for our kids when we aren't overwhelmed by stress, especially this time of year. Plus, you deserve a break!

Below you will find all the fun that is planned for the coming weeks and months. There is A LOT happening, so please read through the entirety of this newsletter. You won't want to miss out on any of it!

May your days be merry and bright this holiday season. 💫

With love,

🥰 Ms. Lowe

Proud Principal, TES

October 2025

Dearest TES Community,

Happy Fall to the best of all! (That's you!) I hope the changing of the seasons has brought you joy. These chilly mornings and warm, colorful afternoons have my whole heart happy as can be.

Now that we are settled into the school year, I want to bring our collective attention to our school-wide goals that align to the district's strategic plan. You have likely see the recent message regarding progress towards these goal areas. What we've learned over time is that when we share these goals become the center of our conversations and focus, we can make larger gains by working together.

In case you missed it at our Family BBQ a couple of weeks ago, our goals for the 2025-2026 school year are 85-55-55.

• 85% Regular Attenders
• 55% Proficient in Language Arts
• 55% Proficient in Math

Everything we do every day is centered on these targets. Whether it is sharing with families how to support learning at home, providing professional learning opportunities for staff, creating welcoming environments, or even setting individualized goals, every action is aimed at improving these outcomes.

Because we are keenly focused on these three areas, some of you may receive a letter home this week sharing your child's current attendance rate. If your child has dipped below the ideal 90% target, you will receive an individualized letter and attendance tracker to use at home. We know that it can be hard to keep track of all the busy comings and goings of life so we are here help you keep track of it all. Please tape these to your refrigerator (or in another well-seen area at home) so that you can best support your kiddo getting to school every day.

If your child has fallen below 80%, you can also expect an individualized goal-setting sheet that your student will complete with their teacher. Copies of these will be shared with you and strategies for support will be communicated by your child's teacher. Those in this category will make a tiered goal to get them back to the acceptable 90% in a set period of time. If/when they meet their goals, we will find a fun reward to celebrate their successes. Finally, this group of kiddos will do daily check-ins with Ms. Alma in the front office. As is always the case, we are here to partner with all of our families to break down any barriers that your family may be experiencing. Please don't hesitate to reach out.

I know that by working together, we will reach the highest of heights this year! Check out the important information about Picture Day.

With all my love and appreciation,

🥰 Ms. Lowe

Proud Principal, TES

September 1, 2025

Dearest TES Community,

Here we gooooooo! I am thrilled to welcome you to another year of loving to learn and learning to love. In so many ways, that is what we do in schools. We discover the wonder of the world around us and learn how to navigate friendships. Simple and sweet. That’s why we love elementary school... because things really are simple and sweet.

Whether you are new to TES this year or a long-time Mustang family, I hope you feel this same spirit in your interactions with us. We want to keep things simple and sweet. In this life, we all deserve a little simplicity and a lot of sweetness.

Thank you for making our Family Orientation Night such a smashing success on Thursday. I was in absolute heaven receiving hugs from so many returning kiddos. Truly, there is no better job on the planet!

The first week of school is always fast and full of energy. We learn new routines, explore new expectations, and meet new friends. Having started 20 school years in PTS, I can tell you that the buzz in our hallways and playground never gets old. There’s so much excitement (and yes, a few nerves too!).

If you or your child are feeling those butterflies, remember this: we are in this together. That’s it—simple and true. When schools and families work side by side with calm, compassionate, and courageous hearts toward a shared goal, there is no mountain we cannot move. Time and again, I’ve seen this community achieve the incredible.

So in this new school year, let’s aim high. Let’s shoot for the stars and exceed even our wildest dreams. Our kids deserve it. You deserve it. And our community of educators deserves it, too.

With all my heart,

💚Ms. Lowe

Proud Principal, TES

June, 2025

To Our Amazing Families,

As we wrap up the school year, I want to extend one last thank you to our Mustang community here at TES. I know I speak for all of our staff when I say, it is a honor to be able to serve our families. Schools like ours have the distinct privilege of serving the most precious asset in our community, children. We firmly believe that ALL students belong here and can thrive given the right supports. When we stand together, seeing the unique strengths of each student, anything is possible. When we work together and remain committed to learning and loving together, we model kindness, compassion, and courage.

This year we accomplished so much together. For a third year in a row, we have seen gains in our regular attendance rates. We are sitting at 78% right now. (THANK YOU!!!) Our student performance indicators in reading and math also saw increases over last year. iReady reading saw a 32% increase in proficiency from beginning to end-of-year data. iReady math saw an impressive jump, as well, with a 36% increase from beginning to end-of-year. Finally, preliminary state testing results for students in grades 3rd-5th indicate increases in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math from spring 2024 to this spring. Specifically, inital results in ELA show a 5% increase and Math is showing a whopping 12% increase.

This growth is a direct result of school, families, and community working together to improve outcomes for our students. This shared purpose has created the container for this celebratory growth. Your involvement, care, and collaboration have made a lasting impact, helping us create a learning environment where every student shines brightly. Thank you for being essential partners in this journey. Together, we have built a foundation that not only strengthens academic success but also fosters a sense of belonging, joy, and growth for all.

This summer will likely bring a wide range of experiences for all of us. Whether you are digging in and working this summer, traveling, or relaxing with loved ones, I hope you reflect back on this year knowing that YOU made a difference.

In service and love,

💚Ms. Lowe

April 11, 2025

To Our Amazing Families,

I simply cannot believe that we are in our final quarter of the school year. I feel like every time I sit down to write a formal letter to you all I am baffled at how fast time is flying. Is this an aging thing?!?!! Or are the days passing twice as fast?!

As we enter this final quarter, I want to acknowledge that life is feeling stressful out there in the big wide world. If you and your family are experiencing additional stressors and need our support, we are here for you. We may not have the magic wand to make everything go away but we will always advocate for and stand alongside you in whatever capacity we can. We LOVE our families!

Speaking of loving you all, we have some really fun events coming up these next two months to help spread the love and joy that we feel here at school. First, next week we celebrate Día del Nino next Thursday. This is our 25th year celebrating the holiday here at TES (100th anniversary of the holiday) and we want to make it extra special for our children that we love so much. Look for flyers and details coming your way soon.

We also have our first Walk and Roll event on April 22nd on Earth Day. As the weather warms up, we want to encourage students and families to walk or ride to school. Not only is walking or biking to school good for the environment, starting the day with a nice walk or bike ride is a healthy habit that promotes wellness. Details to come on that, as well!

Finally, we are making a concerted effort to help our students make connections to the community they live in through service projects. Second graders are working to gather coins to donate to help the animal shelter. Mrs. Bolstad and Mrs. Wulff's classes are working with Fire District 5 to develop fire safety lessons for students. Mrs. Kuriyama and Mr. Glickel's classes are working with Talent Maker City to create informational signs to be installed at local bioswales, and they are going to make mosaic stepping stones to be placed at TMC to help protect plants around their property. Several classes are working with local businesses/organizations to provide art for the upcoming City of Talent Art Walk on the evening of April 25th. Several other classrooms are working with OUR Community Forestry to plan and implement a big tree planting event at TES in celebration of Arbor Day. Thank you to all those involved who are making these special connections for our students.

In sum, we have been busy!!! And, there is even more on the docket! We will need volunteers for many of these events so please reach out if you have time to help us pull off these fun events. It takes us all investing in our kids to make this magic happen. 💫💞💫

In service and love,

💚Ms. Lowe

March 10, 2025

Wonderful TES Families,

Every spring I am filled with joy as the sun starts to shine warmly on our faces, days become longer, and we see the first signs of spring flowers popping up. There is something energizing about the shift in weather. I hope you all are feeling the goodness of the season warm your soul, as well.

Coming up this Wednesday we have our second annual District Math Night. The event will be hosted at PHS from 5:30-7:00. There will pizza served and TONS of prizes to win, even a couple of iPads! Experts from iReady will be here to help parents learn how to access this important learning tool from home. Mid-year performance data shows that students who spend 30-45 minutes each week working on their individual learning pathway on iReady reading and math are more likely to hit their typical growth targets by the end of the school year. The classroom with the most students in attendance will win a class pizza party. Make sure you stop by for some fun with math!

Finally, I want to extend my appreciation to our wonderful PTA here at school. Last Friday they hosted our annual Family Dance Party and it was a blast! Seeing students and families come dressed up and dancing together really made my heart pitter-patter. I know I say it all of the time, but every time we get to spend time together, I am reminded just how lucky I am to serve as your principal. It is truly my dream job!

With all my happy, springy love,

Ms. Lowe

January 16, 2025

Hello, TES Community!

I am happy to report that we have kicked off 2025 here at school in the best fashion. Students quickly settled back into the routines and structures of school after the long winter break. They are diving into mid-year assessments and showing us some impressive growth. And just as important, they are having fun! I have witnessed lots of laughs, connections, and genuine friendly reunions. All of that warms my heart in this chilly winter month. Thank you for sharing your fun-loving kids with us!

You will see below that we have more good things coming our way. First, this week we have a spirit assembly to honor our students on Friday which is followed by the monthly Fun Run. Then, next week we have auditions for the annual Talent Show. Choir also starts very soon! And, the Future Chef competition is here. All of these enable our students to succeed in important ways that aren't always reflected in regular school measures. I highly encourage you to help your child get involved. With a little encouragement, these little lights will shine brighter than ever!

On a more serious note, you have likely heard or seen information about our district's attendance campaign: Rise and Shine; Every Day Matters. We have been digging into our on-going challenges to understand why some students aren't coming to school on a regular basis. Though this problem isn't unique to Phoenix-Talent, it is one that we take very seriously. We are already seeing the long-term effects of missing 10+ days a school year. It is not good, y'all.

The state sets a target of 90% regular attendance rate for schools. This equates to about 18(!!!) missed days a year. Which, in my humble opinion, is far too many. Our curriculum is designed for students to engage and participate every day so content knowledge and skills practice builds upon itself. When a student misses even 1 day, they come back out of the loop. Can you imagine doing that 18 different times during a 9 month period? I, a fully developed, educated adult, can barely miss one day a year at work without feeling behind or missing key information. Learning is a social process and when our kids miss this opportunity, holes grow bigger and bigger. Unfortunately, those holes can become isolating mirrors of self-doubt that turn into disengagement with school. This is a well-documented outcome from chronic absenteeism.

I share this with you not to make anyone feel bad or shame in any way. I truly believe that knowledge is power. As a single parent of a 2nd grader, I am living this reality with you. All of it can feel overwhelming and impossible. That is so real for many of us. But I am here to express that we, as a school and community, are here with you through the challenges. We have tools and resources to support you and your children reach every goal you want to set. The sky is the limit and we can (collectively) dream big!

I will be reaching out to families who have students in our target zone (less than 90%) to make plans for support. If you have a student(s) who struggles to attend school regularly, please start thinking about barriers we can help remove and supports we can put in place. Our community is here in partnership to take care of you, your family, and each other.

Thank you for everything you do for our children. These little humans all hold space in my heart and bring me hope for our future. I witness their care and compassion every day and leave work inspired to do better for them. It's an unreal gift that I will never take for granted.

Let's make 2025 one for the books and shatter every glass ceiling of possibility!

With every little ounce of my love,

💫 Ms. Lowe

Proud Principal, TES

January 5, 2024

Greetings and Happy New Year, TES Families!

I hope the winter break brought everyone lots of joyful time with loved ones.  Hopefully, everyone also got a chance to decompress after the busy holiday season.  Having those extra few days after New Year's to settle back in really felt luxurious!  

Before we hit the ground running on Monday, I wanted to put a few important details back on your radar:

• PTA Meeting Tomorrow (Monday, Jan. 6th) at 6:00 in the library or via zoom
• SART Lessons Jan. 14th-16th (See below for more information.)
• Talent Show Auditions Jan 22nd and 23rd 
• Mid-year assessments Jan. 13th-23rd
• No School Jan. 20th (MLK Holiday) and Jan. 24th (End of Quarter 2) 
• Talent Show February 5th @ PHS Rose Theater

In compliance with Erin's Law, we will host our first round of lessons on sexual abuse prevention this month. Partners from Jackson County's Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) will deliver these lessons in all classrooms.   The content of these lessons is age-appropriate and designed to help children understand healthy relationships.  Students are taught the importance of personal space, empathy, consent (asking first before giving a hug, for example), respectful relationships, and how to get help if they need it.  Students are encouraged to identify trusted, helpful adults in their lives that they can talk to.  If you would like to opt your child out of these lessons, please let me and your child's teacher know and we will arrange an alternative activity.  

That's it for now!  Rest up and get ready to roll into 2025 with gusto and grit!

With love,

Ms. Lowe

December 2024

Season's Greetings, TES Community!

It is with the warmest of hearts that I write today. As we enter the last calendar week of the year here at school, I am reflecting on our time together. The fall and early winter have been nothing short of fantastic here at TES. Students have settled in and are showing incredible growth both academically and socially. Our staff continue to demonstrate unmatched dedication to service. And our families (that's YOU!) continue to show up and support our mission in unimaginable ways. It is truly a humbling experience to be your leader when I am surrounded by such superstars. Thank you for making my holiday wishes come true.

We have a lot to look forward to as we round out the year and start 2025. This week we have our fabulous Winter Concert to look forward to on Tuesday at Talent Middle School. The ski program with Mount Ashland starts after the New Year. And, when we return from break, we prepare for mid-year assessments and host auditions for our annual Talent Show. Things sure are moving and shaking around here! Families, be sure to check the lost and found, there are so many winter coats hanging up on the racks, and I'm sure your kiddos will need them over the winter break.

Whatever your plans for the long winter break, I hope you find peace, joy, and some extra rest during this busy time of year. For most of us, I think the holiday season brings a very heighted sense of stress. (Or is it just me?!) My wish for all of us is that we are able to keep ourselves grounded in what matters...our children, our families, our friends, and our community. I know for me, the people that I love are what are most important. And, this especially includes you all. 💚

Warmly,

💫 Ms. Lowe

Proud Principal, TES

November 2024

Dearest TES Community,

I hope this finds everyone happy and healthy. We are heading into the busy holiday season when our regular schedules are thrown off a bit and when the seasons change drastically. These factors can add an extra bit of stress to our already busy lives as parents/caregivers. My hope for our community is that everyone can take good care of themselves and their loved ones. For me, I combat the pressure of the season by grounding myself in gratitude and noticing the little things that are going right.

Speaking of gratitude, I want to share my deep appreciation for all of our families and our staff here at TES. It is remarkable see the dedication and care that unfolds in our community each day. From students carrying in food donations smiling ear-to-ear with pride, to the countless volunteers who come in each day to help our students and staff, it is clear that this community cares about the wellbeing of each other. Thank you for lifting our school up in all the big and little ways that you do. We are here for the sake of our children and that fact shines brightly in our actions and interactions with one another.

As part of our continued improvement efforts, last night a group of parents and staff engaged in an in-depth analysis our school practices. We looked at how our systems support learning, engagement, and decision-making empowerment for staff, students, and families. It was an inspiring process and allowed me to hear from representatives across our communities. Our conversations spurred new, creative ideas and also offered small adjustments that can support our on-going growth as a school community. Thank you to all of the staff and parents who engaged in this important dialogue. If anyone is looking for ways they can be more involved here at school, please reach out. The doors are open for you to engage in whatever capacity that you have.

There is one final positive thing I want to point out in my correspondence today. You may have seen the message that went out last night from the district regarding attendance. If you missed it, there was some amazing news about TES...we have improved our regular attender rate by 8% from last year at this time of year. It may not seem like a big deal, but an 8% increase in this metric is a BIG deal. A huge shout out to everyone for this accomplishment. They say it takes a village to raise a child and together we are raising some wonderful children who will be well-prepared for the big world out there. Thank you for your concerted efforts in the getting your child to school every day when they are not truly sick. Congratulations to all of you!!!

With love,

💚Ms. Lowe

Proud Principal, TES

October 2024

Dearest TES Community,

And just like that, we are in the middle of October!! Can you even believe it?! There is nothing like the rapid growing of a child or the passing of months in a school year to make me feel older than the hills. ;-)

In the coming weeks you will likely see messaging coming from our school and district surrounding the vital importance of regular attendance. Like many other districts in the state, we are collaborating with families and community to reverse the trend we have seen in regular student attendance since Covid. This year we will ensure we have all hands on deck to support these efforts by making more strategic partnerships between our own local businesses and entities with the school. (I cannot wait to share more about what we have in the works when we have details ironed out!)

What we know is that regular attendance is directly correlated with higher student performance. There is no doubt that when students miss school, they miss key concepts and learning opportunities. Over time, skill gaps and misunderstanding grows exponentially. For some, a day here or there can feel like it's no big deal. But when we add up the days and instructional minutes over a school year, or worse, a school career, it can really impact a child's chances at future successes into their adulthood.

If you have a student who struggles with meeting our regular attendance threshold of 90%, please know that we are here to support you in any way we can. We recently sent out our first round of letters to families who have students who are not meeting our 90% target. These are not meant to shame or blame but, rather, to bring attention to this very important component of success in school. Some students have also been placed on formal tracking incentive plans. Others will receive direct contact from myself or a team member to help establish a plan for future success. Together, we/ve got this!

Lastly, please keep reading below because we have some really FUN events coming up. This Friday is our annual Pink and Demin Fun Run when staff raise funds to support local cancer survivors. Then on the 31st we have our highly anticipated Trunk-or-Treat event. Lots of good coming our way!

With all my heart,

💚Ms. Lowe

Proud Principal, TES

September 2024

Dearest TES Community,

Hello and congratulations on making it through the first few weeks of school! (ish 😉) It has been an absolute pleasure getting to welcome back our students/families and to be able to get to know many of our new students/families over these past several school days. The energy and zest for learning is palpable in our classrooms and hallways. Both students and staff are up and running with the school year learning routines, establishing classroom agreements, making friends, and diving into our learning resources. It is awesome to see how quickly our students have been able to readjust to the school setting. (A BIG hats off to our teachers and staff for their patience and structured practice as everyone gets reacquainted with how to be most successful at school!)

Now that we are back in business, we have some great things coming up in the next couple of weeks. We have outlined those below, starting with our monthly Fun Run on this Friday. Healthy kids + healthy families = Healthy Community! Then we get to welcome families for our annual Fall Family Night and BBQ on 9/24. And on 10/2 we have get to participate in the annual PHS Homecoming Parade, dubbed the Pirate Country Parade.

Speaking of the Family BBQ on 9/24, each year our incredible PTA sponsors a school-wide BBQ where our heroes from Fire District 5 grill up some good old fashioned burgers (and veggie burgers) and hotdogs. Following dinner, we will leave the kids in the care of our awesome staff while parents/guardians make their way to their child's classroom. (If you have more than one student, bring a family member/friend, if you can, to attend your other child's session! It takes a village to raise these babies!). During this adult time in classrooms, we will share important student performance data that we have been collecting these past couple of weeks and help families set goals for each child. In addition, we will share strategies that families can employ to help get their student to grade-level in a targeted standard area. These family engagement practices are researched-based and proven to accelerate student growth. We know that when we (schools, families, community) row our boat in the same direction, we get farther faster. With our collective efforts, I know we can achieve the highest heights this year.

There are so many other words that I would love to share with everyone because I am giddy about this year. However, I know you all are very busy. So with that, I will say one last thing: Thank you. Thank you for your support as we begin this new year. And most importantly, thank you for sharing your most prized and important little humans with us and entrusting us with their safety and future success. The opportunity to positively impact your family's life is not lost on any of us and we take that as a gift. We are in this together!

With all my heart,

💚Ms. Lowe

Proud Principal, TES

August 16, 2024

Amazing TES Families,

Happy New School Year!  At Talent Elementary we are beyond excited to kick off the new year with our incredible families.  Greek philosopher Socrates once said, “Education is the kindling of a flame not the filling of a vessel.”  Our goal this year is to do just that.  In the coming months we hope to fuel the flames of curiosity, passion, joy, friendship, and love of learning within our community.  

We stoke the flames of learning by intentionally co-creating experiences where children are empowered to take the lead in their learning journey.  Through transparent data sharing and targeted goal setting, students can take ownership of their academic and social progress.  Part of this empowerment is rooted in an understanding that each child has certain strengths that can be leveraged to help catapult their growth forward.  Student leadership will be a cornerstone of our efforts as we navigate our learning journey together.

This year we will continue our work to elevate family engagement practices, centering this mission on three key practices:

• Facilitate opportunities for families to connect and foster relationships within their students’ classrooms.

• Share student performance data and set strategic goals to help ensure students meet grade-level benchmark standards.

• Empower families to support learning at home by teaching high-leverage skills that bridge the school-home connection.

In addition to these key practices, we plan to further deepen these vital connections by inviting parents and caregivers to serve on various committees throughout the school year.  We have a wonderful Parent-Teacher Association whose members help us plan and fund many special student events.  We ask each classroom to have two formal “room parents” who serve as volunteer coordinators/liaisons between other families from your child’s classroom and the PTA.  We also have a Site Council which is comprised of parents and staff.  This committee oversees our School Improvement Plan and monitors progress towards our school and district goals.  We also boast school-wide leadership teams who carry our district initiative work forward.  This year we are aiming to include parents on our teams, especially our Family Engagement Team.  

We are eager to unveil all of the amazing upgrades that took place over the summer. If you had the chance to drive by the school grounds over the past few months, you likely noticed that the campus has been a major construction site.  Crews have been busy securing the structural integrity, making our buildings safer in the case of an earthquake.  In addition to these vital safety upgrades, classrooms, the gym, and the cafeteria are getting major facelifts.  Students and staff will enjoy new insulated walls, flooring, windows, and cabinetry in classrooms.  Our gym boasts a beautiful new floor and a special surprise that you will have to wait to see!  The cafeteria is bright and shiny making for a more enjoyable dining experience.  All of our roofs have been redone.  And, finally, some of our student bathrooms are getting a much-needed overhaul.   Three cheers for the amazing construction crews who have worked endless hours to bring us these beautiful and important upgrades!

It is going to be an incredible year at TES.  If there is anything that we can do to support your child(ren) or family this year, please don’t hesitate to reach out.  We are here for you!

In service,

Heather Lowe, Proud Principal, TES