A parent guide to events and programs at Howard R. Driggs Elementary:
Year-long Programs
Library: All grades visit the library weekly to find new books and read with the librarian. Check-out privileges vary by grade.
PE: All grades have weekly time with a physical education teacher to work on motor skills, improve sportsmanship, and be active.
Art: All grades meet twice a month with an art teacher, in addition to art projects in regular classes. Our art program is funded by a Beverly Taylor Sorenson grant.
Gold Medal Mile: Students are encouraged to run laps outside during lunch recess on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Classes compete as a team for most laps run during the school year.
Dragon Dollars: Students can earn “dollars” for respectful behavior. These tickets are entered into weekly prize drawings.
BUG Lunch: Teachers each recognize one student every week for Being Unbelievably Great. Winners get a certificate and eat lunch with the principal at the end of the week.
Spirit Days: These are held on the last Friday of each month. Students who wear a school t-shirt from any year, including district kindergarten shirts, get a small prize.
Service Activities: Driggs hosts periodic service activities for the benefit of our community. These have included gathering canned food, writing letters to military service members, donating toys, and more.
Before and After School Clubs
Book Club: All grades. Students read a designated book each month and come before school to discuss it. Parents sign up to lead the discussion. Book lists are available for upper and lower grades.
Spanish Club: For 1-6 grades. For a fee, students can come before school to learn Spanish. This club is taught by parents with Spanish education experience.
Garden Club: For 3-6 grades. Students stay after school once a month to learn about plants and insects. This club is led by Ms. Jueschke and local gardeners.
STEM Club: For 3-6 grades. Students come before or after school once a month to participate in science demonstrations and learn about technology. This club is led by Ms. Ricks.
Ski/Snowboard Club: For 3-6 grades. For a fee, students ride a bus after school on select Fridays in the winter to Brighton Ski Resort for a 2-hour ski or snowboard lesson. This program is run by Millcreek Recreation Center.
Student Ambassadors/Safety Patrol: For 5-6 grades. Students assist before and after school in encouraging safe behaviors on campus, and in taking care of the school flag. Safety Patrol members are invited to a field trip to Lagoon at the end of the year. This club is organized by Mr. Black.
Grade Level Activities
Kindergarten: Students spend a day learning about community helpers.
1st Grade: Students learn about plants, insects, and the water cycle. Weather permitting, they walk to the Holladay Community Garden.
2nd Grade: Students learn about other countries and their cultures, languages, and food.
3rd Grade: Students learn about Native American cultures.They also celebrate the end of the year with a Harry Potter-themed party.
4th Grade: Students participate in a Mountain Man Rendezvous as they learn about early Utah settlers.
5th Grade: Students learn about the colonial times in the United States. They also spend a day at Junior Achievement Biz-town learning about business and employment. In the spring, 5th grade presents a patriotic music program for their families.
6th Grade: Students celebrate medieval times. A promotional ceremony is held for 6th graders as they graduate from Driggs. Memory book purchases are available for optional order.
Holiday Events
Halloween Parade: Students can wear costumes to school on Halloween day. Drop your child off and stick around to watch the costume parade. Parents also host parties in individual classrooms. All kindergarten classes come in the morning.
Sing Around the Tree: Each grade performs 2-3 Christmas and winter-themed songs for their parents. This popular program is held during the school day in the last week of school in December. Come early, as seating and parking are in high demand.
Valentine Exchange: Students bring valentine cards to give to each member of their class on Valentine’s Day. Parents host parties in individual classrooms.
Other Programs and Events
Registration: Come to fill out required paperwork, volunteer with various committees, and make optional donations. Registration is done in person before school starts; come by the office if you can’t come on the designated day. New kindergarteners should register in the spring before they begin school and are invited to an orientation meeting.
Kindergarten Testing: Students entering kindergarten take a state entry exam before the school year starts to assess basic skills. They are then placed into classes. At the end of the year, they repeat the exam. Because of this, kindergarten starts a few days later in the school year and has a few days off mid-May while exit testing occurs.
Student/Educator/Parent Conferences: These are held in September and February. Sign up online for an appointment to meet with your teacher. Bring your student to the meeting to review progress and make goals. Kindergartners have a different school schedule the week of SEPs.
Learning Centers: Kindergarten and 1st grade parents can help in the classroom one Friday each month by teaching 15-minute lessons about seasonal topics to small groups in rotation.
Family Week: Look for a schedule of activities to do together as a family each September. One day during the week, parents are invited to eat lunch with their students out on the lawn during the scheduled lunch period. Students whose parents cannot attend get to eat with the principal.
Reflections: This arts contest is held each fall for all grades. Students can enter original work in art, literature, filmmaking, dance, and music. School winners can move on to region, state, and national competitions.
Red Ribbon Week: Students learn about the dangers of drug use and pledge to make healthy choices. Look for a schedule of activities each October.
Vision Screening: Driggs hosts annual vision screening for kindergarten, 1st grade, 3rd grade, and 5th grade.
Maturation Programs: A puberty/health education program is given to 5th grade, with boys and girls taught separately. The curriculum is taught by a representative from Planned Parenthood, and the students’ parents are invited to attend with them.
STEM Fair: An optional science fair is held each year. See the office for details; projects must be preapproved. School winners from the 5th and 6th grades go on to the district level competition.
Read Across America: We celebrate reading and writing during the first week of March. The week ends with Books and Bagels, where parents and students spend time before school reading out loud together. Breakfast is provided!
Junior Achievement: Parents sign up to teach 30-45 minute lessons about money, taxes, community services, and employment options. Lessons are prepared for you by this national organization.
Field Day: During school in the last week in May, students spend a half-day playing large group games outside. Parents sign up to help organize games and treats.
Fundraiser Opportunities
Registration: Parents can buy PTA memberships or make donations to support school programs during registration.
Fall Fundraiser: This event varies by year and is the primary source of funds for our school programs. Driggs parents host the event to maximize profits. Thanks for your incredible support!
Art Night: A spring event sponsors arts opportunities at Driggs. You’ll enjoy food, crafts, a silent raffle, and see the great artwork our students create.
Box Tops: Cut and collect Box Tops for Education from products you buy, or scan the receipts for newer products. Bring Box Tops to school any time.
Store Rewards: Connect your account at Maceys, Smith’s Marketplace, Fresh Market, or Amazon Smile to direct a portion of your shopping proceeds to our school.
Book Fair: Families can buy books from our book fair during SEP conferences. A portion of the proceeds comes back to our school library. You can also purchase books requested by each teacher to sponsor reading in your child’s class. These “teacher wish list” books will be presented to each teacher after the fair.
To volunteer for any
of these activities, please contact the PTA board (ptadriggs@gmail.com), your room parents, or the
front office staff.
