Viking News
!["Viking News" text overlay on an photo of Val Vista Lakes Elementary with the school logo.]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1757536550/gilbertschoolsnet/qug6usgdldggprippmod/ValVistaLakesVikingNewsThumbnail.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1757536550/gilbertschoolsnet/qug6usgdldggprippmod/ValVistaLakesVikingNewsThumbnail.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1757536550/gilbertschoolsnet/qug6usgdldggprippmod/ValVistaLakesVikingNewsThumbnail.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1757536550/gilbertschoolsnet/qug6usgdldggprippmod/ValVistaLakesVikingNewsThumbnail.png","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1757536550/gilbertschoolsnet/qug6usgdldggprippmod/ValVistaLakesVikingNewsThumbnail.png","width":1600}])
Hello! I am Haley Loeffler, and I am a Kindergarten teacher at Val Vista Lakes Elementary. I have been teaching for eight years, and my favorite part of the job is getting to be part of a child’s very first year of school. I am so excited to welcome your child to Val Vista Lakes and start this journey together!
![The image depicts the silhouettes of three children against a blue background, with the text "Accelerated Kindergarten" displayed prominently.]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1764887069/gilbertschoolsnet/lixiowcxaiwxqttbdueg/valvistalakes-kindergarten.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1764887069/gilbertschoolsnet/lixiowcxaiwxqttbdueg/valvistalakes-kindergarten.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1764887069/gilbertschoolsnet/lixiowcxaiwxqttbdueg/valvistalakes-kindergarten.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1764887069/gilbertschoolsnet/lixiowcxaiwxqttbdueg/valvistalakes-kindergarten.png","width":1024}])
Learn about 2026-2027 Val Vista Lakes Kindergarten Classrooms!
![A band director stands before a student orchestra in a classroom with a presentation screen behind him.]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1779295148/gilbertschoolsnet/wpecsdfbhkvwgeacwrt1/HHSGraduationGOLDSquare.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1779295148/gilbertschoolsnet/wpecsdfbhkvwgeacwrt1/HHSGraduationGOLDSquare.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1779295148/gilbertschoolsnet/wpecsdfbhkvwgeacwrt1/HHSGraduationGOLDSquare.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1779295148/gilbertschoolsnet/wpecsdfbhkvwgeacwrt1/HHSGraduationGOLDSquare.png","width":1080}])
"My instructors have always prepared us for what comes next. They've been really good mentors, not only for the aspects of band and music, but for life."
At Highland High School, graduation is a year-long collaborative effort with contributions from every corner of the campus. From meticulous administrative logistics to the professional-grade performances rehearsed by student musicians, the entire campus works in harmony to celebrate the Class of 2026 and inspire students to RISE Above.
![Four smiling educators stand in front of a building and trees, with a graphic overlay announcing "Keeping Up With The Classroom Season II, Part III."]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1778020837/gilbertschoolsnet/hk0lqdx0fgtv6o9amkx2/KeepingupwiththeClassroomS2P3.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1778020837/gilbertschoolsnet/hk0lqdx0fgtv6o9amkx2/KeepingupwiththeClassroomS2P3.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1778020837/gilbertschoolsnet/hk0lqdx0fgtv6o9amkx2/KeepingupwiththeClassroomS2P3.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1778020837/gilbertschoolsnet/hk0lqdx0fgtv6o9amkx2/KeepingupwiththeClassroomS2P3.png","width":1080}])
"The connections I have made with my students this year have been truly humbling, awesome, and always filled with gratitude."
A school year is a journey of learning and growth for both students and the educators who lead them. In this final installment of Keeping Up With the Classroom, we check back in with our teachers to celebrate the professional milestones and personal growth that defined their first year in the GPS family.
![Circular graphic with the Gilbert public Schools logo and Congratulations Class of 2025 around it]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1777998609/gilbertschoolsnet/demezdoawc33dnbobzuk/Graduation_1.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1777998609/gilbertschoolsnet/demezdoawc33dnbobzuk/Graduation_1.png","width":512}])
Visit our 2026 Graduation page for ceremony dates and key graduation information.
![Blue line that fades away]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1776838538/gilbertschoolsnet/stvasmsnbzlkz4g6i2v2/CSOUpdateGOLDSquare.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1776838538/gilbertschoolsnet/stvasmsnbzlkz4g6i2v2/CSOUpdateGOLDSquare.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1776838538/gilbertschoolsnet/stvasmsnbzlkz4g6i2v2/CSOUpdateGOLDSquare.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1776838538/gilbertschoolsnet/stvasmsnbzlkz4g6i2v2/CSOUpdateGOLDSquare.png","width":1080}])
After months of planning and collaborating with industry professionals, Chief Science Officers across Gilbert Public Schools are turning their bold Action Plans into reality. From student-led robotics clubs to high-tech STEM fairs, these 6th through 12th graders are proving that student advocacy can transform a campus. Read more to see how Action Plans set at the beginning of the school year have evolved into real projects that are positively impacting campuses across the district.