Welcome to Desert Mesa Elementary

Welcome to Desert Mesa Elementary – Home of the Bobcats! Located in Yuma, Arizona, between Gila Ridge High School and Arizona Western College, Desert Mesa Elementary proudly serves students from Pre-K through 5th grade. We wear our maroon and gray with pride and are honored to hold a “B” letter grade from the Arizona Department of Education and a five-star rated preschool program.

Desert Mesa is a Purple Star School, recognized by the Arizona Department of Education for our commitment to supporting military-connected students and their families. We are proud to foster a welcoming, inclusive environment where all students feel seen, supported, and valued.

With just over 850 students, Desert Mesa is a safe, friendly, and engaging learning community. Our educators are committed to high academic expectations while nurturing the whole child. We offer enriching programs in physical education, music, art, and library, ensuring students grow not only academically, but creatively and socially.

Our school is proud to implement two powerful programs that guide our school culture and instruction:

• AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) – empowering students with skills to be college- and career-ready through organization, goal setting, and academic confidence.
• PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) – promoting positive behavior and teaching expectations that support a respectful, safe, and encouraging campus.

We are especially proud of our five-star preschool, which lays a strong foundation for our youngest Bobcats. With strong family and community partnerships, Desert Mesa continues to grow and thrive.

We invite you to join our Bobcat family and experience the difference at Desert Mesa Elementary – where pride, purpose, and possibilities come together!

A Message from Our Principal

Dear Parents,

We would like to welcome you to Desert Mesa Elementary School, where we commit to providing effective instruction and materials for each child at his or her appropriate instructional level. Our goal is academic growth and success for our students. We believe all children can achieve their fullest potential when given effective instruction, support, and personalized learning.

Desert Mesa educates the whole child by providing opportunities to students to explore their interests. We believe that all kids can be successful and practice Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) to ensure our student’s success.

We encourage support and partnerships with families, as well as the community, to deliver to our students the best possible learning. Our highly effective staff dedicates themselves to ensuring all students pursue their fullest potential in all areas of their education. Please come in and learn more on how you can get involved through our PTO or how to volunteer. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via email.

Sincerely,

Richard Gerber

Richard Gerber, Principal