August 11, 2011 5-7p.m. August 15, 2011 4-6p.m.

These meetings are held at the District Office in the Governing Board chambers. Your unit MUST have a representative attend one of these two meetings as a step in the process of applying for Governing Board approval as a recognized parent organization at your school. Please discuss among yourselves who will attend on behalf of your unit. Failure to attend one of these two meetings and send in the appropriate forms will prevent your unit from being allowed to fundraise as well as participate as a recognized organization on your school's campus. Basically, it renders your PTA unit defunct so it is imperative that you have someone attend one of these two dates as well as send in the forms that they will provide at the meeting.

Our PTA Council will be having our first meeting of the school year immediately following the district's meeting on August 15. Our meeting obviously is not mandatory, but the district's meeting is so if you happen to be attending the August 15 meeting, please consider staying for our meeting. It will be 1 hour long and we will be voting to approve our audit, budget, and standing rules as well as having a brief presentation about how to conduct your first meeting of the school year.

Desert Moon PTSA

100% Teacher Membership

Grandparent Membership

Business Membership

Focus on Fathers

Kingswood PTSA

100% Teacher Membership

Grandparents Membership

Focus on Fathers

Marley Park PTA

100% Teacher Membership

Surprise PTSA

100% Teacher Membership

100% Support Staff Membership

Grandparent Membership

Business Membership

Focus on Fathers

Thompson Ranch PTA

100% Teacher Membership

Dysart ECEC Preschool PTA

Largest New Unit in Arizona and Largest New Unit in Maricopa County

And special congratulations to Dr. David Stoeve from Ashton Ranch who received an Arizona PTA Lifetime Membership Award for his positive contributions and support to the Ashton Ranch PTA and the Surprise-El Mirage PTA Council.



Congratulations to Thompson Ranch PTA for being 1 of 10 PTA units to win the 2010 McDonald's Go Active $1000 grant! The PTA and Coach Kuhn plan on purchasing a Wii with the Dance Dance Revolution game as well as pedometers. With the extra equipment the students will have a greater understanding of the importance of living a healthy and acti...ve lifestyle throughout their entire lives. Congrats Thompson Ranch PTA!

Welcome to our newest PTA units here in the Dysart Unified School District--Sonoran Heights PTA and Western Peaks PTSA! We are so excited that you have joined our family! This makes 15 of the 20 schools in our district PTA schools!

From left: Treasurer Anne Gabriellini, Member Richard Perry, President Beth Simek, National PTA President Chuck Saylors, Vice President Philis Kortgard, Co-Secretary Ronni Fredrickson, Co-Secretary Darlene LaBarbera at the 2010 Arizona PTA State Convention

Congratulations to all of our hard working PTA/PTSA units here in the DUSD! The following schools were recognized with membership and local unit awards at the Arizona PTA State Convention:

Surprise PTA is one of 10 Arizona PTAs receiving $1,000 grants for its literacy programs from McDonald’s Readers Are Leaders Award program. The grant program provides funding for the books and reading materials for school libraries to enhance book collections and offer titles that kids will want to drop everything and read. This is the 3^rd time in 4 years that Surprise PTSA has won this grant.

Applications were judged on creativity, ability to make good use of books, and solid strategy for long-term reading promotion activities.

Surprise PTA President Beth Simek said the school plans to use the grant money to purchase popular award-winning books to inspire students to read even more.

McDonald’s and Arizona PTA began the grant program in 2007 and have since awarded $45,000 to Arizona PTA school libraries. “Arizona PTA believes that one of the most important things families and schools can do is to encourage children to love to reading.  Projects like McDonald’s “Readers Are Leaders” provide the tools to develop this love for reading and thereby improve learning,” Betty Garcia-Pendley, president of Arizona Parent Teacher Association.

“We are proud to support literacy in our local schools,” said Don Mellon, Sr., Surprise McDonald’s owner/operator.  “Our restaurants are committed to the communities we serve, and investing in education is a top priority.”

Pictured are Mrs. Jelleson, Dr. Dumon, Mrs. Simek and El Mirage City Councilman Ben Lewis along with Ms. Peratt's 7th grade class!

Congratulations to Ashton Ranch PTA for being this year's McDonald's Go Active $1000 Grant winner! 

From left to right:From left to right: Jeanette Hudson-Secretary, Jenny Truncelitto-Treasurer, Coach P-ARES PE Teacher, Anne Gabriellini-President, Don Melon-McDonalds Owner/Operator, Melanie-McDonalds Supervisor

Support Dysart Schools and receive a dollar-for-dollar state tax credit! It’s easy! Pick an extra-curricular activity and school to support and 100% of your donation goes to the activity and school you choose. 

Tax Credit Form

What is Tax Credit?

Arizona Law (ARS 43-1089.01) allows married couples filing jointly a tax credit of up to $400 and individual taxpayers a tax credit of up to $200 when they contribute to extra-curricular activities in public schools. This tax credit is available to all who reside in Arizona and have a tax liability at least equal to that of their donation. You DO NOT have to be a parent of a child in school to benefit from this law. Corporations are not eligible. Contributions are donated directly to schools.  This means your donations are used directly to support student activities of the Dysart school of your choice.

A tax credit is a full refund of your money provided you have a tax liability equaling or exceeding your donation.  For example, if you have a $900 Arizona State tax liability and you make a $400 donation to a public school, $400 is subtracted from your tax liability. Then, you would owe only $500.  A husband and wife who file separate returns for a taxable year for which they could have filed jointly may each claim only one-half of the $400 tax credit that would have been allowed for the joint return. The credit allowed is in lieu of any deduction pursuant to Section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code for charitable contributions, which would also be taken for Arizona tax purposes. In other words, you cannot take the charitable contribution deduction on your state income tax return and take the tax credit as well. Deadline to make a donation is December 31 of each year.

To claim the tax credit, taxpayers must contribute to an extra-curricular activity for which the school district requires a fee or funds to operate the program. Extra-curricular activities are optional, noncredit, educational activities that are offered before, during or after school hours.  Examples include field trips, enrichment activities, athletic and music programs, and after school clubs. These programs depend on fees from students. The Governing Board has approved a fee schedule, which designates the appropriate extra-curricular programs.

How do I receive my tax credit?

Please do the following if you would like to receive the tax credit:

What do I do when I prepare my taxes?

Show your pre-numbered receipt to your tax preparer, which should have ARIZONA FORM 322 to report your tax credit. This form is also available on the Department of Revenue web site. If you prepare your own taxes and you do not have a computer, call 623-876-7056. We will be happy to mail a copy of Form 322 to you.

Because Dysart must keep strict records of the funds received and report their use to the state, there will be no refunds should you discover that you do not have a tax liability to cover the tax credit. However, you would be able to carry the credit forward for up to five years.

Can I mail my check and request form?

Mail your check with the Tax Credit Program form, postmarked by December 31, to:

Dysart Unified School District No. 89
Attn: Tax Credit Program
15802 North Parkview Place
Surprise, Arizona 85374

As a PTA/PTSA, we are 501(c)(3) tax exempt with the federal government. We are still required to file tax documents with the IRS in order to remain in compliance with Federal Law and PTA Bylaws.

The IRS will not be sending out 990 tax package information this year in order to save the cost of printing and mailing. You can fill out the 990 forms online via www.irs.gov or contact the IRS at 1-800-TAX-FORM (1-800-829-3676) and they will send you a form in the mail.

It is the Treasurer's responsibility to file on behalf of your PTA/PTSA by November 15 of each year.  The 990 form has been significantly modified so do not use previous year forms. 

Arizona law requires that public schools provide the supplies required for academic success. All materials required for a student’s education will be provided by the Dysart Unified School District. This supply list represents optional, supplementary items which you may supply at your discretion. Teachers may recommend additional student supplies during the year as supplemental supports for your child. If you have questions regarding the optional supply list, please contact your local school.

Optional School Supply List

The organizational meeting of the new Surprise-El Mirage PTA Council was held on Thursday July 16, 2009 at 6:30PM at the Dysart Education Center. Board members were elected and installed by Arizona PTA President Betty Garcia-Pendley. Welcome and congratulations to our new board of directors and to the newly formed council!

 From left to right:

Christina Hite, NW Maricopa Region Director

Darlene LaBarbera, Council Secretary

Betty Garcia-Pendley, AZ PTA President

Beth Simek, Council President

Anne Gabriellini, Council Treasurer

Patience Potter, Ashton Ranch PTA

Dianna Neff, West Point PTA

Melissa Maier, AZ PTA Treasurer