Dear Olympus Junior High Families,
What an incredible week at Olympus Junior High! This week we celebrated Connection Week, completed our Grit 5K, launched our first Bike Bus, and found many opportunities to strengthen the connections that make OJH such a great community. We cannot thank our PTA and the Connection Week Committee enough! This has been a remarkable week! What is Connection Week?
Connection Week – Stronger Together
Connection Week is our Olympus Junior High version of Red Ribbon Week. Throughout the week, we focused on helping students form and strengthen meaningful connections with others as an antidote to harmful choices and addictions.
We had a packed week, and we hope you’ll ask your student to tell you about some of the things they learned and experienced!
Monday – FIND Connections
Students wore camouflage as we worked to “find” connections. Our student officers introduced the acronym FIND:
- Find someone new
- Invite someone in
- Notice things that matter to others
- Do something for someone else
Students played a name game, helped create a giant 7′ x 16′ mural featuring every student’s name, and participated in a connection-themed scavenger hunt during lunch.
Tuesday – ENJOY Connections
Students came in comfy clothes and learned that having a few strong and meaningful friendships is more important than simply being popular. We talked about how, in order to have a good friend, we first need to be a good friend.
Students wrote sincere thank-you notes to people they appreciate and “heart attacked” their Advisory classrooms with sticky notes completing the phrase, “A good friend is…”
Lunchtime included games on the field, Gaga Ball, Caterpillar Walk, the Right/Left Stick game, and Move the Hula Hoop.
Wednesday – EXPAND Connections
Western wear filled the halls as students learned an important message:
“Within these walls, we are all connected.”
We don’t have to be best friends with everyone, but every student at OJH should feel that they belong. Students participated in a yarn web activity, received horseshoe keychains for their backpacks, and even joined together for some Boot Scootin’ Boogie at lunch!
Thursday – CHARGE Forward with Connections
We started the morning with music from Rocky and Chariots of Fire before taking on the Grit 5K!
Students learned that when we do hard things together, hard things become easier. After completing the 5K, students enjoyed field activities, a BBQ, and lots of prizes.
We are especially proud of the students who participated, challenged themselves, and stayed engaged throughout the entire experience. Thank you as well to the parents who encourage their students to participate in school activities and learn that they can do hard things!
Friday – CELEBRATE Connections
Students wore red as we wrapped up Connection Week with a fun bubble celebration during lunch.
A huge thank you to our PTA volunteers, student leaders, teachers, staff, and everyone else who helped make Connection Week possible. Our OJH community is incredible!
Families who would like to watch the student-created Connection Week videos can view them here:
https://youtu.be/xpU02bhtB2Q
https://youtu.be/XUovzDi0R7U
https://youtu.be/hSK7fgCGcPI
https://youtu.be/8Q7ScXfc6S4
PTA Reflections – Entries Due Monday!
The National PTA Reflections program is underway, and this year’s theme is:
“What My Culture Means to Me”
Students are invited to explore the arts, express themselves, and submit an entry reflecting on this year’s theme.
Submit entries online by Monday, October 5, 2026.
Learn more and get involved at www.utahpta.org/ref.
For additional information, contact Katelyn at 801-518-7300.
We would love to see our Olympus Junior High students share their talents and creativity!
Bike Bus Success!
Our first Bike Bus ride to school this morning was a smashing success! Fifteen students joined us for the ride to Olympus Junior High.
Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make it such a fun way to start the day.
Watch for a future message announcing our next Bike Bus ride-to-school opportunity!
FOX 13 Cool School
We are excited to share that Olympus Junior High will be featured as a FOX 13 Cool School on Thursday, October 22!
We look forward to showcasing our students, staff, programs, and the many things that make Olympus Junior High such a special place.
Looking Ahead
A few important dates coming up:
- Monday, October 5 – PTA Reflections entries due
- Wednesday, October 7 – Orchestra/Choir/Steinway Concert 6:00, Band/Jazz Band/Steinway Concert 7:30
- Monday, October 12 – Soccer Finals, 3:00 p.m.
- Thursday, October 15 – Fall Break – No School
- Friday, October 16 – Fall Break – No School
- Thursday, October 22 – FOX 13 Cool School at Olympus Junior High
Thank you for your continued support of Olympus Junior High. Connection Week reminded us that schools are about much more than classes and grades. They are communities. When students know they belong, are valued, and that people care about them, they are better prepared to learn, grow, and succeed.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Mike Douglas
Principal
Olympus Junior High School
The Student First and Always
