The countdown to the first day of school is underway, and PVSchools is preparing to welcome both returning students and families who are joining the community for the first time.
Classes begin Tuesday, Aug. 4 and school leaders are encouraging families to take advantage of upcoming welcome events designed to help students start the year feeling confident, connected and ready to learn.
“I’m excited to welcome students to the 2026-2027 school year,” said Principal Patrick Clancy. “Whether students are returning to Mountain Trail, or walking through the doors for the first time on Aug. 4, I look forward to making this an incredible year.”
Starting a new school year can bring excitement and uncertainty, particularly for students transitioning to a new campus. Mountain Trail has two back-to-school events to help ease first-day jitters, answer questions and give students an opportunity to become familiar with their new surroundings before classes begin.
These events are designed to help students navigate campus, meet staff and begin building connections with classmates before the first bell rings. Families will have the opportunity to learn more about school procedures, expectations and resources.
By providing opportunities to become comfortable with the campus and school community ahead of time, PVSchools officials hope every student will feel welcomed from day one.
PVSchools officials encourage all students and families to participate in the upcoming welcome activities and complete any remaining back-to-school preparations before the start date.
Editor’s note: A grant from the Arizona Local News Foundation made this story possible. The foundation awarded 15 newsrooms to pay for solutions-focused education reporters for two years. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
Meet Stacy Stacy Mantle is joining the team at Independent Newsmedia, Inc. as an Education Solutions journalist, thanks to a grant from the Arizona Community Collaborative. She has a long history in education that ranges from teaching junior high and middle school to developing curriculum and standards-based assessments.
Community: A longtime advocate for animal welfare, Stacy is deeply involved in rescue efforts and volunteers with several nonprofit organizations.
Random Fact: Once upon a time, she shared her home with a pet coyote and two wolf hybrids. The experiences were wild enough to become the subject of her first book!
Education: She holds a BA in English with a minor in Political Science, a Post-baccalaureate in Secondary Education, and an MBA with a emphasis on Marketing.
Hobbies: In her spare time, Stacy writes fast-paced urban fantasy novels, crafts small-batch artisan soap, and is always up for hiking or off-roading through the Arizona wilderness with her husband of 23 years.
By 
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here