Desert Shadows Middle School

🎒✨ Open Enrollment is STILL OPEN at Nogales Unified School District #1! ✨🎒

There’s still time to enroll your child in Kindergarten for the 2026–2027 school year — and enrollment is open for other grade levels too!

If your child will turn 5 years old before September 1, 2026, they are eligible for Kindergarten. Don’t miss this important milestone — we’re ready to welcome our newest learners! 🍎📚

📍 Register at: NUSD #1 Registration Office
351 W. Plum St.
🕗 Monday–Friday | 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

https://www.nusd.k12.az.us/page/registration

Join a district where Excellence Knows No Borders and every student has the opportunity to thrive. 🌟

#NUSD1 #NogalesUSD #KinderEnrollment #OpenEnrollment #FutureApaches #EnrollNow #ExcellenceKnowsNoBorders #BackToSchool2026 #KindergartenReady #NogalesAZ

Dear DSMS Parents and Guardians,

Desert Shadows Middle School will be celebrating Valentine’s Day on Friday, February 13. Please review the information below carefully, as expectations will be enforced.

Dress-Down Day Guidelines
• Students may wear pink, red, or white school-appropriate tops only (no low-cut nor crop-top).
• Jeans are allowed provided they are not ripped, torn, distressed, or have holes
• Students who choose not to participate must wear their regular school uniform
• Students who do not follow the dress-down guidelines will be dress coded
o Parents/guardians will be contacted
o Appropriate clothing must be brought to the school or provided from home. This can interfere in missing class instruction while they wait for clothes/uniform.

Valentine’s Gifts and Arrangements
• Valentine’s gifts, balloons, flowers, or other arrangements must be delivered to the school no later than 10:00 a.m.
• Any items arriving at or after 10:00 a.m. will not be accepted and will be returned with the carrier
• Late deliveries will not be held in the office or delivered to students

General Information
• School hours will follow the regular daily schedule
• Classroom instruction will continue as normal throughout the day

If you have any questions or need clarification, please contact the Desert Shadows Middle School office.

Thank you for your cooperation and support in helping us maintain a safe, organized, and enjoyable Valentine’s Day for all students.

📝🏆 It’s almost time to spell! 🏆📝
The District Spelling Bee takes place tomorrow, Friday, at 9:00 AM. Come support our students as they compete, learn, and shine!
310 W. Plum St
Nogales, AZ 85621

Cheer on our students by watching the live stream here:
🎥 https://youtube.com/live/A7XQDkHVmjQ?feature=share

#NUSD1 #Excellenceknownoborders #SpellingBee #StudentAchievement #SchoolPride #FutureLeaders

2026 Future Chefs National Challenge.

Students in grades 3–5 are invited to submit their recipes using the QR code on the flyer or by completing a recipe card, which can be picked up from the elementary school lunch clerks. The deadline for recipe submissions is Friday, February 13, 2026.

One lucky winner from each elementary school will be selected as a finalist to compete at Nogales High School on March 4, 2026.

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of our DSMS amazing parents and families who contributed to our recent can drive. Your generosity truly made a difference!

A special thank you to our 11 incredible sponsors whose support helped us provide 75 families with a turkey basket to enjoy during this holiday season. Because of you and our parents, many of our families were able to celebrate with a little extra joy and peace.

1. Calixtro Distributing Co. Inc.
2. Calixtro Brothers & Friends
3. DSMS Student Council
4. Dr. Edith Hernandez & Family
5. Grower Alliance, LLC
6. Healthy Fresh LLC
7. K & K International Logistics, LLC
8. MESA Club
9. Next Level Produce Inc
10. Pom & Cheer Squad
11. Wisky Transport

This is what community looks like coming together to support one another. We are grateful for each and every one of you who helped make this possible.

Friendly reminder: Tomorrow, Friday, December 19, 2025, school will be dismissed at 11:30 a.m. for students who are picked up. Please plan accordingly. Thank you!

Happy Holidays!

Christopher Miranda, Principal
Santosh Kumar, Assistant Principal

Dear DSMS Parents and Guardians,

I’m pleased to share that the water repair at our school has been completed. We will resume classes tomorrow, Friday, October 24.

Important details:
School will be in session on Friday, October 24.
Early release will be at 11:30 AM. Please arrange transportation for your child accordingly.
All regular classes and activities will proceed as scheduled.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the school office at 520-377-2646.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we ensured a safe and healthy learning environment for our students.

Best regards,

Christopher Miranda, Principal

Good evening DSMS parents/guardians--

We were notified this afternoon by the Southwestern Utility Management, which oversees Valle Verde Water Company, that due to damage, they will be shutting off the water tomorrow to repair a break in the water line.

Due to this utility closure, we will cancel classes at Robert M. Bracker Elementary School and at Desert Shadows Middle School tomorrow, Oct. 23, 2025. The DSMS that parent-teacher conferences will also be cancelled and rescheduled for Oct. 30, 2025.

The company anticipates that repairs will be completed late tomorrow; if not, we will notify you. Therefore, unless there are any issues, we will resume classes at both schools on Friday, Oct. 23, 2025. We are very sorry for any inconvenience caused by this cancellation tomorrow. However, the safety of our students and staff is our top priority.

Thank you for your understanding and support--

Christopher Miranda, Principal

✨ October is National Principals Month! ✨
This month, we celebrate our dedicated principals who lead with vision, compassion, and unwavering commitment. Their leadership creates schools where learning thrives, teachers feel supported, and students are encouraged to reach their fullest potential. 💙

More than leaders, our principals are mentors and champions for every student. They inspire futures, open doors to opportunity, and go above and beyond to help each learner succeed. 🚀

#ThankAPrincipal #NUSD1 #LeadershipInAction #ExcellenceKnowsNoBorders

Absenteeism is a lost opportunity to learn. We can’t afford to think of absenteeism as merely a lack of compliance with school rules. http://bit.ly/1oqfID7
#HereTodayReadyforTomorrow #NUSD1 #ExcellenceKnowsNoBorders

When a student misses so many days, they are chronically absent (10% or more days), which means the lack of engagement in learning is an ongoing problem that needs to be addressed http://bit.ly/1oqfID7 #HereTodayReadyforTomorrow #NUSD1 #ExcellenceKnowsNoBorders

A student who is chronically absent in high school is 7.4X more likely to drop out: http://bit.ly/1oqfID7 #HereTodayReadyforTomorrow #NUSD1 #ExcellenceKnowsNoBorders

Building strong, trusting relationships that promote a feeling of belonging is fundamental to improving student attendance & engagement. http://bit.ly/1oqfID7 #HereTodayReadyforTomorrow #NUSD1 #ExcellenceKnowsNoBorders

Let’s help students build a habit of good attendance early & often: http://bit.ly/1oqfID7 #HereTodayReadyforTomorrow #NUSD1 #excellenceknowsnoborders

Fall sports are underway at Desert Shadows Middle School!
Our Diamondbacks are ready to strike this season with hard work, teamwork, and pride. This is just the beginning—watch them shine all fall long! 🐍

#DSMS #Diamondbacks #NUSD1 #FallSports #DBacksPride

📢 Reminder: All NUSD schools and district offices will be closed on Monday, September 1, in observance of Labor Day.
Classes and regular office hours will resume on Tuesday, September 2.

Enjoy the long weekend and stay safe!

Dear DSMS Parents and Guardians,

This is a friendly reminder that Benchmark Testing will take place from Aug 18-21 . We encourage all students to get a good night’s sleep and arrive on time each day ready to do their best.

Additionally, Picture Day is scheduled for Friday, August 22nd. Please note that all students must wear their school uniform for their picture day.

Thank you for your continued support in helping us make both events a success.

Sincerely,

Mr. Christopher Miranda
Principal

📢 New features are here in Rooms—our communication tool within the NUSD #1 app!

Now it’s even easier for parents and teachers to stay connected with updates, messages, and classroom info—all in one secure place.

📲 Watch the video to learn how these new features make communication faster, clearer, and more convenient for families and staff:
🎥 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5qhzRUj438