October 2024

Rock Canyon Elementary Road Runner Beeps

Message from the PTA

September was a busy month at Rock Canyon. We had school-wide vision screening, bike-to-school week, marathon-in-a-month, and our annual fun run. Thank you to all the parents who coordinated and volunteered to make these events happen. We couldn’t have done it without you! We love these events that bring the whole school and community together. We were glad to see so many participate in Bike-to-School Week and Marathon-in-a-Month. We’re also excited for the students who medaled and so proud of everyone who participated in the fun run!

Upcoming events this month are Red Ribbon Week and our annual Halloween parade for grades K-4. Watch for more information.

Our monthly PTA meeting will be held on October 23rd at 10:00 am in the faculty lounge. We’d love to have you attend.

To join the Rock Canyon Elementary PTA, go to https://rockcanyonelementary.givebacks.com/store?limit=21&live=true

– Katie King

2024-2025 PTA President

October dates to remember:

October 17-22: No School October 23: PTA Meeting, 10 am in the faculty lounge October 28-November 1: Red Ribbon Week October 31: Halloween Parade and 5th/6th grade field trip to Classic Skating Support Rock Canyon with Box Tops

And remember — another simple way to support Rock Canyon is to use the Box Tops App!

Whether you shop online or in-store, you can use Box Tops to earn cash for Rock Canyon. You can learn more at btfe.com and download the app today!

Hope Squad

Congrats to our new Hope Squad student leaders who are helping plan school-wide kindness activities. Hope Squad students will have their next meeting on October 24th during lunch, 12:15-1:00 pm. Hope Squad student leaders will bring their home/school lunch to eat while meeting together to plan school-wide Kindness activities.

Kindness club

We have over 80 students who joined Rock Canyon’s Kindness Club! Our Kindness Club meetings this year will be held on November 7th, December 5th, January 9th, February 13th, March 6th, & April 10th.

NOTE: Club meeting location has changed to the CAFETERIA. Students will need to be picked up by 4:00pm behind the school (outside by the cafeteria doors).

If you’d like ideas of fun activities to do with your child, visit https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/

BULLYING PREVENTION:

Please remind your students to be “upstanders for kindness” and help them practice “Stop Walk Talk” by telling other students to “stop” when concerns arise, “walk” away, and to “talk” to an adult if they need help. Students are holding their hand up for the “stop” signal. See this link for more information about Stop Walk Talk.

Students in grades 4th, 5th, & 6th recently learned about the SafeUt app where parents/students can report anonymous tips directly to the principal if they are aware of bullying or other safety concerns at our school. These tips can be sent 24-7 through the app or online at https://safeut.med.utah.edu/

SCHOOL SAFETY

It’s important that every child feels like they belong and are safe at school. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the school or your student’s teacher if you have any concerns we can help you with.

Have you downloaded the SafeUT app yet? Our community has this awesome resource where any student or parent can report anonymous tips directly to the principal if they are aware of bullying or other safety concerns at our school. These tips can be sent 24-7 through the app or online https://safeut.med.utah.edu/. SafeUT also has counselors available to help students. You can also text or call the phone number 9-8-8 to speak with a crisis counselor.

FOOD, CLOTHING, & RESOURCES:

We have lots of resources for parents in need of food, backpacks, clothing, mental health, or coats for their students / financial assistance. Call contact the school or call Provo’s resource hotline 2-1-1 for more information. Please contact the school if your student could benefit from a donated weekend bag of food.

HOLIDAY ASSISTANCE FUND:

Looking to GIVE or RECEIVE help this Holiday Season? Rock Canyon Elementary wants to make sure our families have what they need this year. If so, please fill out the survey for Rock Canyon Cares at https://forms.gle/SsXUuRbv7n9WQfJw8 

ProvoREADS 

ProvoREADS is a district initiative to promote literacy and reading appreciation. Libraries throughout the district host activities and events connected to each year’s theme This year’s theme is “Out of this World”. We have enjoyed adding a space theme to our library decor. The students will receive prizes for reading 7 specific genres in grades third through sixth. Kindergarten through second graders will earn a prize for every seven books they read as they mark off their space reading maps.

Battle of the Books

Teams have been formed and students have begun reading their books.  We will hold the first practice battles in December.

Battle books are available in our library, SORA, and the Provo City Library.

Book Fair 

We will be hosting our annual Book Fair and library fundraiser November 11-15. Volunteers are needed for set up and take down. I’ll post the sign up on our instagram page, @rcmediacenter.

Reminder that books are checked out for one week.  Overdue notices are sent out the last day of the month.

Yours in books,

Mrs. Meibos

Tips to help your children show kindness to themselves

As important as it is to be kind to others, it’s just as important to be kind to ourselves. Encourage your children to use the following tips to show themselves some extra kindness this season.

Be kind to your body. Taking care of your body (eating healthy, sleeping, and exercising) helps you feel good about yourself and shows that you are worth taking care of. Take a break. Find a little time each day to unplug, put down work, and give your brain and body a break from daily activities. Do a hobby you love instead! Say kind words to yourself. Avoid phrases such as “I should have done this” and instead learn from your mistakes. Encourage yourself to keep trying. Write kind notes to yourself. Consider hanging them on your mirror or somewhere you can see them every day.

Helping Your Children Practice Inclusion

Practicing inclusion means treating others with respect and seeing them as valuable individuals. It means celebrating differences and diversity. Inclusiveness benefits others and can also benefit you. For example, inviting others into your conversations no matter their ethnic background could result in new friendships or experiences you never would have gained otherwise. Likewise, children who learn to be inclusive develop social skills, learn how to be respectful of others, and develop problem-solving skills. The remainder of the article gives tips on teaching your children to be inclusive.

Tips for Teaching Your Children to Practice Inclusion

Be a good role model. Make an effort to talk to and interact with those who cross your path—at school, in the neighborhood, or at the store. Show how to include those who are new or who may be feeling left out. Explain differences. Respectfully discussing differences will help your children more than ignoring or avoiding differences will. Your children may ask questions about the differences they see. Take the time to answer those questions (with age-appropriate answers). Support individuality. When questions about how others look, dress, talk, act, believe, etc. come up, remind your children that everyone is unique and has something worthwhile to offer. Encourage friendships. In whatever activities or communities your children are involved in, prompt them to start healthy relationships with different peers. Prepare for different scenarios. What will you do if your children ask about differences they see when you’re out in public? If they say a kid at school is weird? Making a plan will help you know what to do when the situation arises. Remember to gently correct your children and remind them that everyone is different (and that that’s a good thing!).