We made it through the first two days. Now comes our first full week of school.
Our August focus is Make It Matter: Start Strong, and one of the most important ways students can start strong is also one of the simplest:
Be here. Be on time. Be ready to learn.
This is the week routines begin becoming habits—morning routines, attendance, getting to class on time, knowing the dismissal plan, and learning what it means to be part of the Bobcat community.
And with PTA-sponsored Hello Week running August 24–28, it is also a pretty great week to make a few new connections along the way.
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.
Start Strong: Your Week-Ahead Checklist
Make daily attendance and on-time arrival part of the family routine.
Send your child with a water bottle every day—our building is warm right now.
Check Bountiful Elementary Events for current dates, times, locations, and deadlines.
Need a school time? Use the Bell Schedule on the website.
Need to check an expectation? Use the school handbook and policies online.
Ask your child how they can help someone feel welcome during Hello Week.
Remember: Friday dismissal is at 1:30 p.m.
Musical Theater Workshop registration is due Friday, August 28.
Robotics applications for eligible 4th–6th grade students are now open.
Start Strong by Showing Up
A strong school year is built one school day at a time.
When students are here consistently and arrive on time, they are able to begin the day with their classmates, participate in instruction, build relationships, and stay connected to classroom routines.
The first few weeks are especially important because so much of what students are learning right now is not just academic. They are learning:
Where do I go?
What happens next?
How does my classroom work?
Who can I ask for help?
Where do I belong?
Being here helps those routines become familiar. Families can help by building enough time into mornings for students to arrive calmly and ready to begin.
Every day matters. Every minute matters. Starting strong begins with showing up.
Hello Week: Helping Bobcats Belong
Our PTA is bringing a little extra fun to the first full week with Hello Week: Happy to Sea You!
Students will find different ocean-themed activities throughout the week, including crafts, games, and opportunities to connect with classmates. The activities are fun. The bigger idea is even better:
Say hello. Learn a name. Make room. Help someone belong.
Check the Hello Week Event for the daily activities rather than relying on an old screenshot or message.
PAWS in Action: Kindness + Responsibility
Hello Week gives us a chance to practice two parts of PAWS at the same time.
Practice Kindness
Say hello first. Invite someone to join. Notice the person who seems unsure. Learn someone’s name. A small act may take only a few seconds and still completely change someone else’s day.
Act Responsibly
Come to school. Arrive on time. Bring what you need. Know your after-school plan. Follow the routines your class is learning. Starting strong is not one big moment on the first day of school. It is the small choices students keep making every day.
A Few Things That Will Make This Week Easier
Need a Time? Check the Bell Schedule.
Rather than searching through an old email, use the Bell Schedule page on the Bountiful Elementary website for the school day schedule.
That is the best place to check when you need arrival, breakfast, tardy, or dismissal information.
Need a Rule? Check the Handbook.
Dress code, attendance, safety procedures, school expectations, and other policies are available on the website.
Families do not need to memorize the Bountiful Elementary Student & Parent Handbook.
We do want everyone to know where to find it when a question comes up.
Keep Arrival and Pickup Safe
The streets around the school are especially busy while families settle into their new routines.
Please give yourself enough time to drive slowly, put distractions away, watch crosswalks, and look carefully for children walking, biking, or crossing nearby.
Getting everyone to and from school safely matters more than getting through the car line quickly.
Things to Practice This Week
Modern Manners: Three Ways to Make Conversations Work
This week, our Bobcats are practicing three simple habits that work together:
Wait Your Turn to Talk
Show You Are Listening
Control Your Volume
These are small skills, but they make a big difference in classrooms, friendships, and family conversations. They help everyone feel heard, keep conversations from becoming overwhelming, and make it easier to learn together.
Families can practice at home by choosing one meal, car ride, or conversation to focus on all three:
Can we wait until someone finishes?
Can we show we are listening with our eyes, face, or response?
Can we match our voice to the space we are in?
A simple challenge for the week: ask your child which of the three is easiest for them and which one takes the most practice.
Digital Literacy & Citizenship: Kindness Counts Online Too
PAWS does not stop when a screen turns on. Before sending a message, posting a comment, sharing a picture, or responding when emotions are high:
Pause. Think.
Would I say this face-to-face?
Is it kind?
Do I have permission to share it?
Could this hurt or embarrass someone?
Digital citizenship is not just knowing how technology works. It is knowing how to make thoughtful choices while using it.
Policy Highlight: Attendance & On-Time Arrival
This week’s handbook spotlight is an especially important one:
Students should be at school consistently and arrive ready to begin the school day on time.
Attendance affects more than completed assignments. Students who are present are able to participate in classroom instruction, conversations, routines, relationships, and experiences that are difficult to recreate later.
Two Deadlines Worth Knowing
Musical Theater Workshop
Registration for the PTA-sponsored Fall Musical Theater Workshop closes Friday, August 28.
Students interested in participating should review the workshop article for registration, fee, and schedule information.
Robotics Applications Are Open
Applications are open for:
Applications are due September 4. Read all about our Bobcat Robotics Programs for the complete information about applications, tryouts, expectations, fees, and the season ahead.
Make Our Website Your Habit
Our goal is not to squeeze every school detail into one newsletter. Instead, the newsletter points you in the right direction. The website keeps the information current:
Use What Matters This Week to know what deserves your attention.
Use Events for current dates, times, locations, links, and deadlines.
Use the Bell Schedule when you need school-day times.
Use the handbook and policies when you have a question about school expectations.
Use myDSD for information and actions specific to your student.
Use News, Live Feed, and Activities & Clubs to stay connected to what is happening around Bountiful Elementary.
Start Strong. Show your PAWS. Make It Matter.