Deweys Diary

Draper Elementary PTA Newsletter

Vol. 8 No. 4
Program title is 'Holiday Magic'.

aper Elementary PTA Newsletter draper

December 2012

December
6 12 13 Dragon Choir Holiday Concert, 7 p.m. School Community Council meeting, 3:30 p.m. Dads & Donuts, 8 a.m. Middle School Registration Information meeting for 5th and 6th graders, 6:30 p.m. Early Out No SchoolWinter Recess

Decembers Dragon Challenge Focuses on Attendance

The Dragon Challenge for December is focused on school attendance. In order to complete the challenge, students cannot have any tardies and no more than one absence during the month of December. Students meeting the challenge will receive a reward from the PTA.

Holiday Concert is Dec. 6

Our Dragon Choir has been rehearsing for months in preparation of its annual holiday concert, Holiday Magic. Please join us Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. as the choir rings in the holiday season. The choir, which consists of students in grades 3-6, rehearses in the mornings before school. The choir is directed by Lisa Pixton and Patsy Larson and accompanied by Diana Haggerty. The choir will perform for students on Dec. 5.

19 20-31

January
2 3 8 10 21 Classes resume Council Reflections Awards Night, 7 p.m., Indian Hills Middle School PTA Meeting, 9 a.m. Dads & Donuts, 8 a.m. No SchoolMartin Luther King Jr. Recess

Middle Schools Registration Meeting is Dec. 13

A meeting for fifth- and sixth-grade students and their parents to discuss and register for the new Crescent View Middle School for the 2012-13 school year will be held Dec. 13 at Draper Elementary in the Gym. Fifth-grade students should attend from 6:30-7:15 p.m., and sixth-grade students should attend from 7:15-8 p.m. Parents should attend the meeting with their students so they can register and have questions answered. If you cannot attend on this night, there will be other meetings at Oak Hollow (Dec. 11), Willow Springs (Dec. 12) and Lone Peak (Jan. 3) Elementary Schools. The same times apply at all three schools.

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

Draper Elementary
1080 E. 12550 S. Draper, UT 84020 Ph: 801-826-8275 draper.canyonsdistrict.org

Learn More About Our Online Resources

Have you heard about the online resources available for you to help your child with math and reading? You can follow their assessment progress and get additional resources based on their individual levels. The Mathematics curriculum, Envision, and English Language Arts curriculum, Reading Street, continues to bring great

Principals Message
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend and was able to spend a little time recognizing the good things around us. As I reflected on this, I think now is an appropriate time to share a thought about how simple acts of kindness can make a big difference in our crazy, busy lives. The Theory of the Dipper and the Bucket Each of us has an invisible bucket. It is constantly emptied or filled, depending on what others say or do to us. When our bucket is full, we feel great. When its empty, we feel awful. Each of us has an invisible dipper. When we use that dipper to fill others bucketsby saying or doing things to increase their positive emotions we also fill our own bucket. But when we use that dipper to dip from others buckets by saying or doing things that decrease their positive emotions- we diminish ourselves. Like the cup that runneth over, a full bucket gives us a positive outlook and renewed energy. Every drop in that bucket makes us stronger and more optimistic. But an empty bucket poisons our outlook, saps our energy, and undermines our will. Thats why every time someone dips from our bucket, it hurts us. So we face a choice every moment of every day. We can fill one anothers buckets, or we can dip from them. Its an important choice. As you visit our school, please note the buckets that have been placed in every classroom and office throughout the building. As the staff of Draper Elementary, we have set a goal to fill the buckets of those around us. I would like to invite you to join us and drop a positive note in our Draper Staff bucket. We have Dragon Scales made specifically for the staff and they are available in the office if you choose to join us. Thank you for your continued support and enjoy the beautiful season ahead.

learning opportunities to our students. Teachers skillfully implement the programs and continue to take advantage of the various resources available to support learning. One resource is the online digital components. Teachers can assign daily homework, digital readers, and videos for students to complete at home. Also, when students complete tests online, additional practice activities will appear in their student accounts based on questions missed on the test. Parents can also view their childs progress on tests. Please take a moment to explore the online resources available at www.pearsonsuccessnet.com. Each student has his/her own individual username and password.

Council Reflections Award Night

Congratulations to all our Draper Dragons who advanced to the South Councils Reflections competition. The Council Reflections Awards Night will be held Tuesday, Jan. 3, at 7 p.m. at Indian Hills Middle Schools auditorium. Good luck to our Dragons and thank you to all who participated in our PTA Reflections program this year!

PTA Presidents Message

I love the month of December simply because it is a time for giving, sharing and spending time with one another. With the spirit of the holidays floating about everywhere we look, one cant help but feel the buzz in the air. Most children get excited about the prospect of receiving gifts, but lets try to teach them to think of others through this time of year. Whether its sharing gifts, donating money or giving of our time we can make the world a better place if we think outside ourselves a bit. I hope we can all enjoy this holiday season and spend some extra time with our family and friends. We can teach them the principle of love by serving those in need. As we spend time celebrating Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa or other holidays, if we remember that Love and Time are the most important gifts, we will enjoy the season that much more. When the hustle and bustle of the month comes at us in full force, I enjoy reminding my family of a quote from Bob Hope: If you haven't any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble." I enjoy spending time with your children and working with our amazing school staff and PTA board. I hope you all have a wonderful December and remember to show those around you your gratitude for them and for the blessings you enjoy. May your heart be filled with joy this season!

Kenna Sorensen, Principal

Ashley Boyle, PTA President 2012-13, ashboyle@hotmail.com