September is here, and our Make It Matter focus this month is Effort Matters. Here's what Bountiful Elementary families need to know for September 6-13, plus a few dates worth putting on the calendar now. In case you missed it, you can read Principal Pickett's monthly message here.
Sometimes effort looks like sticking with something hard. Other times, it’s much smaller: leaving a few minutes earlier, checking the calendar, following a routine, slowing down, or noticing how our choices affect someone else.
This month gets very busy, very quickly. We recommend getting the family calendar organized before the chaos arrives. A little planning now can make a busy month much easier later:
Monday, Sept. 7 — Labor Day | No School
Sept. 14–18 — Safety Week
Sept. 17 — Fall Picture Day
Sept. 21 — PTA Family Magic Night Extravaganza
Sept. 22–25 — Scholastic Book Fair
Sept. 23–25 — Parent-Teacher Conferences | 1:30 p.m. dismissal each day
These are just the major dates to take note of, but there's plenty more happening at Bountiful Elementary. For complete details and the most current updates, please use the links below to see what's happening this week and to plan ahead for next week.
Take a Minute for myDSD
Take a few minutes now to sign in to your myDSD parent/guardian account and knock out these important tasks.
Sign Outstanding Documents
Review each of your students and complete any forms or acknowledgements still waiting for you. Keeping these items current helps avoid interruptions or last-minute follow-up later.
Schedule Parent-Teacher Conference
Parent-Teacher Conferences are September 23–25. Families can now schedule their appointments through myDSD.
Important: School dismisses at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, AND Friday, September 23–25. Families who need to adjust childcare, transportation, or work schedules may want to plan now.
Device Protection Plan — Deadline September 7
September 7 is the final day to purchase the optional District Device Protection Plan through myDSD.
Three quick checks now = three fewer things to worry about later.
Help Us Keep Arrival & Dismissal Safe
The minutes before and after school are some of the busiest of our day. Cars, buses, walkers, bikes, families, and more than 500 students are all moving through the same area. We need every adult to help.
Slow down and obey traffic laws, signs, crosswalks, and staff directions.
Do not block driveways, intersections, or crosswalks, even for a quick pickup or drop-off.
Stay in the drop-off line until you reach the designated unloading area. A simple visual cue: students may begin exiting vehicles once they are alongside the school building. If your vehicle is still alongside the field, courts, or playground, students should remain in the car.
Students should always exit from the passenger side of the vehicle, directly toward the curb—not into traffic.
Watch carefully for students walking or biking, especially between parked or moving vehicles.
Give yourself a few extra minutes when possible. A little patience makes arrival and dismissal safer for everyone.
The goal isn’t to get through the line as quickly as possible. It’s to make sure every Bobcat gets to school safely.
PAWS in Action
At Bountiful Elementary, we want students to know that effort and growth are worth noticing. Students can be recognized in several ways throughout the year:
PAWS Tickets
Staff may recognize students demonstrating PAWS expectations. Weekly office recognition and monthly drawings may also be part of the celebration.
Caught Being PAWSome Coins
Individuals or entire classes can be recognized for positive choices and work toward classroom goals.
Brag Tags
Students may earn tags for personalized academic goals or for demonstrating growth, effort, responsibility, kindness, safety, and respect.
Make It Matter | Student of the Month
Each month, teachers recognize students who exemplify that month’s focus. In September, we’re watching for Bobcats who show us that Effort Matters.
The goal isn’t to recognize only perfect results. We want students to see that trying, improving, making good choices, and contributing positively all matter too.
Family conversation: Ask your child what PAWS recognition they’ve noticed around school—and what effort they’re proud of this week.
Three Things We Are Working On
Modern Manners | Keep Your Body Clean
Taking care of our bodies is both self-care and consideration for the people around us. For elementary students, that means continuing to build age-appropriate habits like:
Bathing or showering regularly
Brushing teeth every morning and night
Washing hands well and often
Wearing clean clothes
Keeping hair and nails clean
As bodies begin to change, use deodorant when needed
These routines take practice, too. Every child develops at a different pace. Families can help by encouraging Bobcats to take more responsibility for personal hygiene as they grow.
Start a family discussion: What part of your morning or bedtime routine are you ready to take responsibility for on your own?
Digital Citizenship | It's Cool To Be Kind
This week, students in grades 3–6 learned about cyberbullying and online harms—what they can look like, how online choices affect real people, and what students can do when something doesn’t feel right.
At home, try asking something more specific than “How much screen time did you have?”
Conversation Starter: Who did you spend time with online?
How do people treat each other there?
What would you do if someone was being treated badly?
Families are encouraged to review family tips from Common Sense Education, linked below. Together we can help Bobcats learn to dodge the drama and stand up for others.
Policy Highlight | Student Dress & Appearance
Bountiful Elementary’s dress expectations help keep students safe, comfortable, and ready to learn. A few key reminders:
Clothing should provide adequate coverage during normal movement; underwear should remain covered at all times.
Halter tops, spaghetti straps, bare midriffs, and clothing which exposes undergarments are restricted.
Clothing may not include vulgar, explicit, hateful, violent, gang-related, or prohibited substance content.
Students need safe, activity-appropriate footwear, especially for PE and outdoor play.
Hats and hoods are generally not worn indoors except for approved reasons. Hats are permitted on Fridays.
Students should dress appropriately for outdoor recess and changing weather.
Any discussions held with students involving appearance are always respectful and private.
Families can reference expanded details any time in the Bountiful Elementary Handbook.
Know Where to Look
myDSD → student-specific information, forms, and acknowledgements
Newsfeed & Policies → everyday school information and expectations
Parent Information → family resources, school procedures, and helpful how-tos
The newsletter helps you know what matters. The website helps you find what you need.
Small Efforts Matter
A safe, positive school community isn’t built by one rule, one program, or one person.
It comes from hundreds of small choices every day: slowing down, showing up prepared, trying again, taking care of ourselves, looking out for others, and thinking before we act—online and off.
It's built by small efforts—from students, staff, families, and neighbors. Those small efforts add up. They matter.