The wait is almost over. This week, classrooms fill back up, routines begin again, and Bountiful Elementary Bobcats officially return for the 2026-2027 school year. There is a lot happening so here is what matters most as we head into our first week together.
Our August focus is Make It Matter: Start Strong. Starting strong does not mean getting every little thing right on the first day. It means beginning with the habits that help students learn, belong, and take care of one another.
At Bountiful Elementary, we already have a way to remember those habits:
P.A.W.S. | Practice Kindness. Act Responsibly. Work & Play Safely. Show Respect.
These expectations will be everywhere this week; from how students enter the building and move through the halls to how they treat classmates, use the playground, care for the school spaces, and learn new classroom routines.
For complete details and the most current updates, please use the links below to see what's happening at Bountiful Elementary this week and to plan ahead for next week.
Your First-Week Checklist
Before Thursday morning:
Check your myDSD to confirm teacher assignment, complete any surveys, and review any documents which need your approval.
Come to Back to School Night Monday and help your student get familiar with their classroom and teacher.
Make a clear after-school plan: where to go, who to meet, and what to do if plans change.
Remember that Thursday AND Friday are 1:30 p.m. early dismissal days.
Keep toys and distracting personal items at home
Adults: remember your ID anytime you need to enter the building during the school day.
Plan a little extra time for arrival and pickup so you can slow down, watch for pedestrians, and drive carefully around the school.
Bookmark Bountiful Elementary Events for current times, locations, links, and updates.
Talk about PAWS: What does it look like to be kind, responsible, safe, and respectful while at school?
Start Strong with Back to School Night
Back to School Night is Monday, August 17.
Incoming kindergarten students begin the evening with Popsicles & Play at 5:00 p.m. on the kindergarten playground.
Back to School Night begins at 5:30 p.m. for Kindergarten through 6th grade families, with three sessions throughout the evening.
Beyond meeting the teacher, use Monday night to remove a few first-day unknowns.
Where's my classroom?
Where will I put my backpack?
What does my teacher look like?
Where should I go when I arrive?
Families can also find school and community resources during the evening, including clothing, backpacks, food, and other supplies. Assistance with completing free and reduced lunch applications will be available, along with PTA information and the ability to purchase Bountiful Elementary shirts.
P.A.W.S. in Practice
A strong start is built from a lot of small choices. PAWS is not just something students hear at school. Families can help make these expectations meaningful by using the same language at home.
Practice Kindness
Notice the classmate who may be nervous, Welcome someone new. Remember that everyone experiences the first week a little differently.
Act Responsibly
Come prepared, follow classroom routines, keep toys at home, and know your after-school plan.
Work & Play Safely
Follow arrival and dismissal routines, stay off the newly repaired grass while it becomes established and remember that all personal wheels must be walked while on school property, motorized or not.
Show Respect
Take care of school spaces, listen to staff directions, and help make classrooms and common areas places where everyone can learn.
Thursday: Here Come the Bobcats!
Students return to the school on Thursday, August 20. Four times worth remembering are:
8:20 a.m. - Breakfast begins
8:50 a.m. - School begins
8:55 a.m. - Tardy bell
1:30 p.m. - Dismissal
And one especially important reminder: Friday, August 21 is also a 1:30 p.m. early-out day, just like every Friday all year long.
The first morning may bring huge smiles, a few nerves, or a little of both. Staff will be ready to welcome students, help them get where they need to go, and begin building the routines that will soon feel familiar.
Have the Pickup Conversation Now
One of the easiest ways to help students Act Responsibly and Work & Play Safely is to make the dismissal plan before the first bell ever rings. Please make sure your student can answer:
Where am I going after school?
Who am I meeting?
What should I do if that person is not there yet?
Teachers will help students exit the building at dismissal, but knowing the family plan ahead of time can remove a lot of the first day uncertainty.
If you are ever unexpectedly running late, contact the school office.
Slow Down Around Our Bobcats
Arrival and dismissal are some of the busiest moments around our school, especially during the first few weeks when everyone is settling into new routines.
Please give yourself a little extra time. Drive slowly, put distractions away, watch crosswalks carefully, and expect children to be walking, biking, or crossing nearby.
A few extra seconds of patience can make a big difference. Getting everyone where they need to go safely matters more than getting through the carline quickly.
Make Our Website Your Habit
The first few weeks bring a lot of information. Details get added. Times and locations occasionally change. New events appear. Announcements are made.
That is why the Bountiful Elementary Website should be your first stop when you need to know when, where, or what.
Use Events for the latest details on our comprehensive calendar.
Use myDSD for student-specific information, forms and approvals, fees, yearbook purchases, and more.
Use News and Live Feed to stay connected to what's happening around Bountiful Elementary.
Use Activities & Clubs to explore the incredible enrichment opportunities available to your student.
The first week will be busy. There will be new routines to learn, names to remember, and probably a few things that don't go exactly as planned.
That's okay. Starting strong isn't about starting perfectly.
It's about practicing kindness, acting responsibly, working & playing safely, and showing respect—then coming back tomorrow and doing it again. As we begin this new year help us remind every Bobcat: What we do matters. How we do it matters.
Start Strong. Show your PAWS. Make It Matter.