Deweys Diary

Draper Elementary PTA Newsletter

Vol. 8 No. 1

draper
Join us for Curriculum Night Sept. 12

September 2012

September
10-14 12 12 12 13 14 17-21 21 24 24 25 Presidential Fitness Testing Fall Pictures Curriculum Night, 6:30 p.m. Art Through the Ages Training, 9:30 a.m. Dads & Donuts, 8 a.m. Kickoff Assembly for Reflections and Fun Run Presidential Fitness Testing Room Parent Orientation, 2 p.m. SALTA application deadline National A Day to Eat Dinner With Your Children Chick-fil-A Spirit Night, 5-7 p.m.

Our annual Curriculum Night is Wednesday, Sept. 12, from 6:30 to 8:15 p.m. Our PTA will have a short general meeting as part of our evening. The school will be sharing information on our new language arts curriculum. Teachers will offer two sessions in their classroom to share information specific to their classroom procedures and expectations.

First Dads & Donuts is Sept. 13

The first Dads & Donuts of the year is Thursday, Sept. 13. Dads, as well as other adults, can bring their students to the gym at 8 a.m., grab a donut and enjoy 30 minutes or reading with their kids.

Our Schools PTA Needs Your Support

Our PTA is so excited to start another school year and provide support for all our students. For only $6 each, parents are invited to join the Draper Elementary PTA. Membership forms are available in the office, and will also be available at the Curriculum Night on Sept. 12 and at Dads & Donuts on Sept. 13. We also encourage parents to become more involved in our classrooms and the school by volunteering. You can see all our volunteer opportunities on our blog at: draperelementary.blogspot.com.

October
1 2 5 8 10 11 17 18-19 22-26 31 Dual-immersion window opens until Nov. 1 PTA meeting, 9 a.m. Fun Run, 9 a.m. No SchoolTeacher Work Day School Community Council Meeting, 3:30 p.m. Dads & Donuts, 8 a.m. Retake Day for Pictures No SchoolFall Recess Red Ribbon Week Halloween Parade, 1 p.m.

Fun Run Moved to October

We have moved our annual Fun Run to Oct. 5 this year in an effort to utilize the money this year. Thanks to the support of parents and corporate sponsors, we raised $46,000 during last years Fun Run. A portion of that money was used to purchase a mobile computer lab equipped with 30 laptops and a cart. The lab will rotate between classes and allow students more technology time while at school. Our kickoff assembly is Sept. 14. Mark your calendars and plan to join us for our Fun Run next month!

Stay Informed
Like Draper Elementary on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and visit our PTA blog at draperelementary.blogspot.com

Its Not Too Soon to Start on Reflections Entries Draper Elementary

1080 E. 12550 S. Draper, UT 84020 Ph: 801-826-8275 draper.canyonsdistrict.org Each year, the PTA Reflections Program challenges students to create art inspired by a specific theme. The 2012-13 theme is "The Magic of a Moment. Reflections is an annual program that encourages students' artistic talents. Students are invited to submit entries in the categories of: Music, Photography, Visual Arts and Literature, Dance, Theatre, 3D and Film and Video. Our kickoff assembly for this years program is Sept. 14.

Principals Message
Welcome back to school! We are looking forward to a wonderful year full of exciting activities and cultural experiences for our students. Getting your child organized can start the year off right. There are many things you can organize at home that will help your child at home and school. TIME: Kids put things off until the last minute. You can help organize your child by blocking out regular times for homework, play and other activities. Make a large calendar and write down all of your childs activities. Dont forget to schedule in homework time. After youve made the plan, try to stick to it. This will help your child know that he cant flop in front of the TV after school because its homework time until 5 p.m. Or maybe you want to schedule in some playtime after school and do homework after dinner. Do whatever works best for your child and your family. EVENINGS: Get your childs day off to a good start by taking a few minutes in the evening to get ready for school. Have your child lay out the clothes for the next day. Pack the backpack, sign any notes, put the homework in the folder and have your child in bed at a regular time. STICK WITH A STUDY ROUTINE: To do their best in school, students need to study every day. If they dont have assignments, they can review or read. Hopefully, these suggestions will help organize your child and they will have a great year in school! Also, parents, please sign up to volunteer at the school. Our PTA works hard to make sure students are receiving the best possible educational experiences. You can volunteer at school or at home. You can spend a lot of time or just a little. The teachers will have sign ups in their rooms for parent volunteers in the classroom. This year the district has asked all volunteers to register on the Canyons District website. To streamline the voluntarism-application process, they have created one form for all prospective volunteers in all schools. That form is provided under the Community tab. All volunteers in schools, including members of the PTA and SCC, need to complete the form. Dont forget to join the PTA. They are working for you and your child! It is the partnership with Draper Elementary, great parents and an outstanding community that makes our school such a great place! Were off to a great beginning. Go Dragons!

School Community Council Elections

Nominations are currently open for new parent positions on our School Community Council (SCC). Parents are a key piece of this body which develops our annual school improvement plan, approves the use of state Land Trust funds, and serves as a sounding board for school climate issues. Parents elect parent representatives for a two-year term. Nominations will be taken through Sept. 7 and elections will take place Sept. 10-14. Candidacy forms are available in the school office for all interested parents.

Changes to School Lunch

In an effort to provide students with more options, our lunch menu now includes a third entree option. We are also rotating two entree options weekly. The biggest change is that students select a fruit or vegetable each day, and maximum serving guidelines encourage variety during the week.

Open Enrollment Permits Due Nov. 1

To adequately prepare for the districtwide grade reconfiguration in fall 2013, Canyons District has slightly altered the time frame to submit requests to attend a school other than the one assigned to your family by geographic boundaries. The school open-enrollment application window for the 2013-14 school year is Aug. 1 to Nov. 1. Those attending Draper Elementary on permit will need to file a new application with the district. The forms are available on our school website.

PTA Presidents Message

I am thrilled to begin this school year! We have so many exciting programs and activities planned for your kids! I have been thinking about how the Labor Day holiday, that we celebrate each September, can be a launching point for the school year. Did you know that we have celebrated the holiday since 1882? It was created to celebrate the value of work as a tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. I hope we can use this as an opportunity to encourage our kids to be hard-working, contributing members of a great society. We are what we are as a people, because our ancestors were not afraid of honest, hard work. Our forefathers understood the necessity of it; sheer survival demanded it. A common ingredient among all successful people is an understanding of what constitutes paying the price of success....an inner grit of determination. The principle of work has been taught from the foundation of the world. It is the bottom line of any forward motion of success. The frightening disappearance of work as a part of our basic ethic is alarming. We constantly hear the statements, "It's too hard," and "I want it now." We can reverse these trends and teach our kids to be diligent in all that they do, whether its school work, family life, athletics or ethics. What a great time of year to renew our commitment and dedication to hard work. The PTA is ready to dig in and WORK, to make this year as successful as it can be. Helping our children succeed is our number one objective. W e cant wait to give it all we have, and we invite you to join our efforts in this common goal!

Kenna Sorensen, Principal

Ashley Boyle, PTA President 2012-13