Black Mountain Elementary School PTO

Calling all Bobcat grandparents! ☕️🍩

Join your grandchild for a special Grandparents Day Breakfast on Thursday, September 10! Enjoy a light breakfast, coffee, drinks, and some special time together before the school day begins.

Grandparents are also invited to stay for our Patriot Day Ceremony at 9:10 AM, where our entire school will come together to honor and celebrate the first responders in our community. 🇺🇸

Please RSVP using the QR code on the flyer or the link in our bio. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

***This morning is meant to be a special time for students and their grandparents, so parents you can sit this one out!

A little comfort food and a whole lot of appreciation for our teachers!

Our BMES Hospitality Crew treated our teachers to a baked potato bar this month—and they absolutely deserve it. The Hospitality Crew takes care of our teachers each month with either a stocked fridge or a special lunch, making sure they feel a little extra appreciated along the way.

We’re so grateful for the volunteers who keep finding ways to love on our teachers and make BMES feel like home. 💙🐾

From our very first conversations with April Brown, it was clear that her heart for children and her values aligned beautifully with who we are at BMES.

This summer, we were so excited to hire April, but what we have seen since has made us even more grateful that she chose BMES. She moved back to Arizona and immediately went to work, spending day after day preparing, learning, and doing everything she could to be ready for her kids. Her work ethic, attitude, and genuine care have been so impressive.

And now that the year has begun, we are seeing what a wonderful teammate she is too. She jumps in, supports others, works incredibly hard, and truly wants what is best for ALL kids.

We are so excited that April is here. She is already making BMES better, and we cannot wait to see all that lies ahead for her and her students.

Welcome to Stories from the Hearts of BMES.
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My name is April Brown, and I am excited to join the BMES community as a third-grade teacher. Although I have lived in Knoxville, Tennessee for the last 5 years, Arizona has been my home since 1991. My husband and I have raised 4 children in the North Phoenix area and we now have 5 grandchildren. I love hiking, nature, everything about the arts, and gardening.

I am thrilled to be coming home to teach! I have a BA in Environmental Science and just recently received my Master’s degree in Elementary Education. I have most recently worked as an educator in both kindergarten and second grade classrooms. My passion for teaching comes from a desire to help children discover their strengths, develop confidence, and cultivate a lifelong love of learning. There is nothing more rewarding than watching a student master a challenging concept and realize what they are capable of. Knowing that I play a small role in shaping their future is both humbling and rewarding.

Although I am new to BMES, I knew that this was the school for me when I could feel the enthusiasm of the staff during my first conversations with them. I was especially impressed by the collaborative spirit among teachers and the shared commitment to student success. Seeing educators come together, support one another, and focus on helping students become high achievers confirmed that Black Mountain Elementary is the kind of school community that I am proud to join.

I hope students leave Black Mountain years from now feeling confident, capable, and proud of what they have accomplished. I want them to remember all of the teachers who believed in them, classmates who encouraged them, and experiences that sparked curiosity and a love of learning. As I begin my journey at Black Mountain Elementary, I am already inspired by the kindness, dedication, and sense of community that I have experienced.

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A message from our Principal:

Dear Bobcat Families,

On Fridays, CCUSD schools release early, giving our teachers valuable time to continue learning, planning, and working in collaborative teams for ALL students. Thank you for giving us this time. What happens during those hours makes a real difference for our kids.

For 16 years, BMES has been building something unique and special. Year by year, team by team, we have worked tirelessly to live our mission: to collectively ensure high levels of learning for ALL students. That mission is a promise we make to every child, and it takes all of us.

Yesterday was a beautiful reflection of that promise. As I watched and listened, I saw every team working with incredible engagement, care, and complete commitment. Our scheduled time ended, and the workweek came to a close, but every team stayed well beyond it. No one asked them to stay. Their purpose simply would not let them leave the work unfinished.

Friday was not an isolated moment. It was a window into who we have become. At BMES, this kind of dedication has been built over time. It lives in the way our teachers share ideas, study student learning, support one another, and take collective responsibility for every child.

I sincerely have never been more excited about a team than I am right now. Our entire staff, certified and classified, is united by purpose and dedicated to working together for our kids. This is not the norm for a school. This is BMES. It is rare, it is special, and I could not be prouder.

Thank you for giving us the time to meet, plan, learn, and keep reaching toward our mission.

I want to finish with a story that illustrates who we are for our kids at BMES.

Going the Extra Mile

It started with a car ride. Years ago, a group us, teachers and Matt, loaded up and made the long, 158 mile drive down to Mesquite Elementary School in southern Arizona. We had heard they were doing something different, something innovative. They had found a way to actually meet the needs of every student during the school day. And we wanted to learn how.

That trip gave us more than just ideas. It gave us a vision. It gave us a reason to believe that with teamwork, creativity, and a little bit of courage, we could do the same.

Along the way, we learned that some teachers can drive without looking at the road (you know who you are). But more importantly, we learned something about ourselves: We are the kind of team that will go the extra mile (literally and figuratively) for kids.

We came back from that trip and built something of our own. We took what we saw, shaped it into something that fit our students, our school, our culture. That’s how Enrich and Reteach was born.

It’s more than a block of time in the day. It’s a belief system. It’s teams of teachers coming together, sharing students, and using common formative assessments not just to measure learning, but to respond to it. It’s reteaching when students haven’t yet mastered a skill, and enriching when they’re ready for more.

It’s collaboration in action. It’s flexibility with purpose. It’s love with structure. And it all started with a group of passionate educators, willing to sit shoulder-to-shoulder, drive across the state, and ask, “What more can we do for our kids?”

This is who we are. We don’t settle. We drive. We dream. And together, we deliver.
___ ___ ___

And that is one more reason I end every email with the words, “Proud Principal.”

Matt Owsley
Proud Principal
Black Mountain Elementary School

Another Buster Birthday Bundle delivery! 🎁

Buster was back today with another special birthday surprise for one of our Bobcats! We’re loving seeing these birthday celebrations happen around campus. 💙

Want Buster to surprise your Bobcat too? 🎂

• Choose their birthday gift
• Buster delivers it on Friday of their birthday week
• Your Bobcat gets a special photo with Buster to remember the day!

👉 Order your Buster Birthday Bundle at www.bmespto.org/shop

Not sure how it works? Swipe to the next slide for all the details!

☀️ And if your Bobcat has a summer birthday, you can still celebrate with Buster during the school year!

Don’t Forget Bobcats… Tomorrow is Spirit Wear Friday!

Show off your Bobcat pride by wearing your BMES spirit wear and stop by the Spirit Store for a special prize! 🐾

🛍 Need some new BMES swag?
We’ll be open 8:40–9:00 AM with lots of new styles just in!

✨ Wear your gear. Show your spirit. Get rewarded! ✨

August 21–23, it’s time to KICK OFF THE SCHOOL YEAR together! 🎉📚

The CCUSD Back to School Bash is a district-wide celebration benefiting PTOs across our schools, and we’d love to see our entire Bobcat community there!

📍 Dynamite B Co. | 28212 N. Tatum Blvd.
📅 August 21–23
🎶 Live music Saturday & Sunday, 3–6 PM

Here’s how you can help:
📚 Bring new school supplies to help local classrooms start the year strong.
💙 A portion of proceeds from the weekend will be donated back to CCUSD school PTOs, helping support students and schools throughout the district.

Whether you’re stopping by to enjoy the live music, dropping off school supplies, or simply showing your support, every little bit makes a difference.

Let’s kick off the school year by showing up for ALL of our CCUSD schools! 🐾

There is something special about watching someone who grew up in our Cave Creek schools return to pour her own heart into the next generation of children.

Last year, Kennedi Bacon spent the year learning and growing alongside us at BMES. Along the way, we had the opportunity to see her heart for kids, her dedication, and the genuine care she brings to this work. We knew we had someone special.

Now, Kennedi has begun her journey as a first-grade teacher, and we could not be more excited to watch the difference she will make.

We invite you to get to know one of the incredible hearts behind Black Mountain. Welcome to Stories from the Hearts of BMES.
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My name is Kennedi Bacon, and I am so excited to be joining this wonderful BMES community! From the moment I stepped onto campus, I could see that this school is built on love, dedication, and unwavering support. It is truly a place where students and teachers are encouraged to grow and succeed.

I grew up in Cave Creek and have always felt a strong connection to this community. Whether I was attending school sporting events, watching the local parades, or enjoying breakfast at Local Johnny’s, I always appreciated the close, welcoming atmosphere that makes this place so special.

When I reflect on my school experience, I can’t help but smile. I was fortunate to have teachers who made me feel supported and valued every day. Their encouragement and belief in me left a lasting impression and inspired me to become a teacher. My dream is to provide every child with that same sense of belonging, confidence, and encouragement.

Last year, I had the privilege of completing my student teaching at BMES, and I quickly felt right at home. The caring staff, supportive families, and positive school culture create an environment where students can truly develop a love of learning. I am incredibly grateful to return as a teacher and be part of something so special.

This year, I aim to create a classroom where every student feels safe, respected, and encouraged to do their best. By building strong relationships, encouraging curiosity, and creating engaging learning experiences, I hope to help each student grow both academically and personally.

Outside of the classroom, I enjoy teaching dance, spending time with my family and friends, going on walks, and curling up with a good book.

I am excited for a great year at BMES and look forward to working together to make it a fun, successful, and unforgettable school year!