School Happenings

I ran the Zion Ragnar Trail Relay this last weekend. Unfortunately, I drew the lot to run the long eight-mile loop at 3:30 in the morning. To make matters worse, I awoke to the sound of a steady rain on the tent roof. During the course of the next three hours, the rain turned to snow and the dirt trails turned to mud. More than once, I found myself struggling in the pitch black to climb muddy hills that offered no traction whatsoever. The ...

Next week is Teacher Appreciation Week. This is a wonderful opportunity for students and parents alike to demonstrate their appreciation for the outstanding educators at Neil Armstrong Academy. Whether it be with a small note or a personalized picture, take the time to express your gratitude for the many things your teacher has done for you. The Armstrong teachers pour in hundreds of hours beyond their official assignments and do so out of ...

Many of our Armstrong students have worked tirelessly during the past few weeks on the SAGE end-of-year testing to demonstrate just how much growth they’ve accomplished during the course of the year. Their work has been inspiring. Day in and day out, we’ve witnessed students show diligence, enthusiasm, and ownership in their learning and growth. The quality of their work has been thrilling, and they’re setting the bar high. One year ...

Among the most powerful components of effective schools are Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). The term drives educators to collaborate intensely on answering the questions: What do we want our students to learn? How will we know if they’ve learned it? How will we respond if we don’t learn it? and How can we enrich and extend the learning for those who have already mastered it? These questions shift schools from a focus on teaching ...

While teaching about volume during a math lesson last week, Mr. Howe labeled the title of one column on a data chart “# of Cubes.” One student then asked, “What does ‘hashtag of cubes’ mean?” Mr. Howe laughed and thought (somewhat condescendingly), the student’s literacy skills were still underdeveloped. However, at the recent Utah Coalition for Education Technology (UCET) conference, the keynote speaker, George Couros, put up a slide of some ...

These past few weeks, the students here at Armstrong had the opportunity to visit the greenhouse. During their time there, they planted many fruits and vegetables for our Plant Sale, which will take place soon! The plants have sprouted, so get ready to sink your teeth into a delicious harvest grown right here at Armstrong! ...

The Community Council will have its April meeting in the library at 4:00 this Thursday (April 17). All are invited to attend. Community Councils play a very significant role in improving student achievement in each local school. By sharing their unique perspectives and expertise, parents, teachers and administrators have a wonderful opportunity to address the critical academic needs of the school. The agenda for this month’s Community ...

End-of-year testing is officially underway at Armstrong Academy. By the time this is published, most students in the 3-6 grades will have completed the first stage of the end-of-year testing—the SAGE writing test. So far, the Armstrong teachers have been nothing if not ecstatic with the effort and quality the students work. Whereas these tests were recommended to take only an hour, the students simply aren’t satisfied with that little amount ...

Last week, the end-of-year SAGE writing tests started for the first time at Armstrong. Every teacher nominated an Olympic pick during the testing time. Also, some of the students received a QR code. To find out what you won, scan the code with your iPad. You can claim your prize this Friday. Keep up the great work, Eagles! We are so proud of you! ...

Each month, all elementary schools throughout Utah do an emergency drill. This month, Armstrong will participate in the Great Utah Shakeout by having an earthquake drill on April 17th. We’ll have instructions on earthquake procedures on ABC News next Monday. The Great Utah Shakeout is a great opportunity for everyone in the state to practice how they should respond in an emergency situation and not just the students in school. Visit ...