Picture Day will be on Wednesday, March 26. This will be for the class photo and individual spring portraits. Send your students to school with a smile! A flyer with photo package information from Bell photography has been sent home. Order your student's class and individual photos online at bellphoto.com.
World Down Syndrome Day is coming up and Davis School District is celebrating in a fun, colorful way—by Rocking Our Socks! 🧦
On Friday, March 21, we encourage all students and staff to wear mismatched socks to raise awareness and show support for individuals with Down syndrome. Why mismatched socks? World Down Syndrome Day is observed on 3/21, symbolizing the three copies of the 21st chromosome in individuals with Down syndrome. Socks were chosen because under a microscope, chromosomes look like mismatched socks.
Let's make this day colorful and meaningful. 💙💛
Get ready to #RockYourSocks and help spread awareness in our community.
Parents, we need to hear YOUR voice! Taylor Elementary School PTA is currently accepting nominations to fill open positions on the PTA Board for the 2025-2026 school year. The PTA Board plays an active role in overseeing events, financial obligations, fundraising efforts, managing correspondence, coordinating parent volunteers, and more. Nominations are due on Monday, March 31. If you have any questions, please reach out to jataylorpta@gmail.com.
You can scan the QR code in the picture or use the following address to get to the nomination form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdHKr_lO4aHZGnGV5IhRkw1FAp5jf0AHh0Rq75DseSfMnEvlw/viewform
We are grateful for our Math Team! Marianne and Heather are our math specialists. They help our students improve their math skills and become mathematically proficient in engaging mathematical content and concepts by administering Acadience math testing, tracking and analyzing student data, and small-group interventions.
• Marianne Hellewell has been at Taylor as a math specialist for four years, but you may have seen her around longer than that as she has volunteered a lot with the PTA. Marianne is an amazing cook and actually teaches cooking classes in the summertime.
• Heather Bushnell is new to Taylor this school year. She loves being here and says that Taylor Elementary is awesome! She loves math and says that it makes her feel calm. “I love the order and reason in an otherwise chaotic world.” She also loves nature, hiking, wildflowers, plants, animals, rocks, basically anything outside.
And since it is March 14 (aka 3.14), Happy Pi Day!
We are grateful for our Recess/Clerical Team! These three are office aides that are assigned to many different stations where they are needed like ground duty to ensure student safety at recess and before and after school, lunch duty, and clerical work. We are grateful for what they do to help keep our students safe and keep the school running smoothly.
• Arlene Carr has been working at Taylor for 3 years. She cares about each of the students at our school! She loves being outside with them and helping the staff with any clerical needs. A fun fact about Arlene is that she is a twin!
• Monica Wilmot
• Cynthia Naylor
We are grateful for our Resource Team! We have students that learn better in small group settings for reading, writing, and math and may need specific accommodations and support to be more successful with academics and social-behavioral skills. The students that are eligible for the Resource class through specific qualifications from referrals, evaluation, and interventions can receive extra support with an IEP (Individualized Education Program). The resource team works with other special education teachers, related service providers, and general education teachers to help students progress.
• Adrienne Dixon is our certified teacher in resource. This is her third year at Taylor Elementary. Prior to coming to Taylor, she taught in other special education classes: Functional Skills for eight years and Essential Elements for two years. She says that she has the best job at the best school! When she was growing up, she was a huge fan of the Backstreet Boys. To this day she still knows almost every single one of their songs (I’d say that she is still a fan).
• Diane Call has worked at Taylor for many years and has done so much to help students progress. She loves to see our Kindergarten students learning and growing.
• Tamara Sieverts is one of our para-educators in resource. This is her first year at Taylor and she loves it! She says that we have “kind students, kind teachers, kind administrators. Everyone is helping each other which makes every school day fun!” She loves her six children, three children-in-law, and seven grandchildren. Her family has had many dogs over the years with six litters of puppies. She was a realtor for nine years and has lived in eight different states.
Sixth-Grade Students and Parents,
There are many awesome opportunities for you at your future junior high school. For the most current information for those future 7th graders, please pay attention to Centerville Junior High School's website, emails from school counselors and office personnel, and social media.
For those of you interested in cheerleading at CJH, there are applications in Taylor Elementary's main office. Applications are due Thursday, March 27. Along with the application, you will need a photo, report card, and teacher evaluation forms so make sure you get started right away!
We are grateful for our Reading Team! Each of these individuals help our students progress with fundamental skills in reading and writing!
• Lisa Curtis is our school’s Literacy Coach. She supports teachers by modeling English Language Arts lessons, provides feedback, and analyzes data. She assists a lot with the curriculum, CKLA (Core Knowledge Language Arts), and testing. This is her first year at Taylor Elementary, but her third year as a Literacy Coach. She says that Taylor Elementary “fosters a truly supportive and engaging learning environment where students feel encouraged to explore their potential and excel in their studies.” She loves to read and work out at the gym.
• Heidi Allred works specifically with Mrs. Palmer’s 1st/2nd grade split class. This is her second year at the school with us. She loves Taylor Elementary and the amazing students and staff. She likes walking, working in her yard, decorating, being with her family and dog, being in nature, and taking trips to Disneyland.
• Lindsay Dewitt helps run the SIPPS (Systematic Instruction in Phonological Awareness, Phonics, and Sight Words) intervention program and administers Acadience testing. She has worked at Taylor for 4 years.
• Ann Barker works specifically with Mrs. Lang’s kindergarten class. She has worked at Taylor for many years and has done so much to help students progress. She loves to see our Kindergarten students learning and growing.
• Mackay Kendrick works specifically with Mrs. Davis’ kindergarten class. She has been here for about two months now and we are so happy to have her! She assists Mrs. Davis with whatever she needs, whether that is helping keep the class focused or leading group discussions. Mackay says that she has felt “very welcomed here at Taylor and has loved getting to know and work with the kids and teachers.” She is a certified ASL interpreter and loves the deaf community. In her down time, you will find her working on her photography website, playing soccer, or hiking.
Aloha from our Beach Day! 🌴☀️ Today, our students stepped into a tropical oasis right at school! We had a delightful picnic, built creative sandcastles out of cups, hula hooped, and played with beach balls. Then, we even ventured outside to experience Utah's "white sand"—snow! ❄️ A huge thank you to all the parent volunteers who helped make this day extra fun and memorable! What was your favorite part of Beach Day? 🏖️💖
Sixth-Grade Students and Parents,
We are excited to be part of the process in choosing a great seventh-grade officer who
will represent Taylor Elementary next year at Centerville Junior High. In fact, the new officer will start working soon. Please read all of the information along with the following timeline regarding the selection process for the new officer.
March 3 – March 14: Application online. This should be completed by the student. The application will be due by 5:00 pm on March 14th.The following link must
be accessed with student’s school login.
Application link: https://forms.office.com/r/YYwxvqBKBx
March 17-20: Teachers and administrators will read through all applications and use a
rubric to assess points in the areas of application, academic ability, responsibility,
quality of work, citizenship, attendance, social ability, and behavior.
March 21: Finalists will be notified and given an interview time for the next week.
Those not advancing will also be notified of our appreciation for applying.
Week of March 24-27: Interviews for finalists conducted and again a rubric will be
used to score the interview. This score will be added to the other scored areas to
determine rankings.
March 28: Final decision made; students will be notified by the end of the school day
and parents emailed.
Our hope is that all 6th graders will have a desire to serve their future school and peers
by applying! You are a fantastic group of students, and we look forward to seeing a lot
of applicants. Also, if you would like to apply, but are worried about the expense of the sweater, please don’t worry too much. If you qualify for free or reduced lunch, you will qualify for help with that fee. It is called a fee waiver. If you still need help paying the fee, talk
with Mrs. Larsen or Mrs. Squires about what other help there may be.
We wish you the best of luck! Even the act of applying and thinking about these
questions is a victorious feat! We are proud of you and the great strides many of you
have taken this year.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Larsen, Mrs. Squires, Dr. Denhalter, & Mr. Reid
The end of third term is fast approaching: Friday, March 7 marks the end of term three! There will be no school for students on Monday, March 10. Term 4 will begin on Tuesday, March 11.
🌴🌊 Get ready to kick those winter blues away! On March 7, we’re throwing our Annual Winter Beach Party! 🎉✨ We encourage students to wear Hawaiian-style shirts and bring a beach towel for lunch on the floor! After lunch, PTA parents will have exciting beach games for the students during recess! 🏖️💙
Our student council is on a mission! We’re putting together hygiene care packages for the homeless and less fortunate in our community, and we need your help! 🥰 Bring your donations to school (between now and March 14) and drop them off in one of the boxes. Plus, we have some awesome incentives waiting when we hit our goals! Let’s make a difference together! 🌟💖
Brand-new, full-size items needed: shampoo, deodorant, bars of soap, combs, washcloths, toothpaste, and toothbrushes (individually packaged).
Prize incentives: When we have enough items to make 30 Care Packages, the student council will get pied in the face. 50 Care Packages, all students will earn an additional recess and game time. When we have enough items for 65 Care Packages, a few of our teachers will get pied in the face and if we meet our school goal of 75 Care Packages, Dr. Denhalter and Mr. Reid will get pied in the face!
Our sixth-grade teachers are instrumental in preparing our sixth-grade students for secondary school and real-life situations. Core learning happens within earth and space sciences, world civilizations, past and current global issues, statistics and probability, research projects, and more. We are grateful to Mrs. Larsen and Mrs. Squires for all that they do for our students.
Anna Larsen has been teaching at Taylor Elementary for eleven years; the last four as a sixth-grade teacher. Mrs. Larsen has always wanted to be a teacher. Ever since she was a young child, she would teach what she knew to whomever would listen, including siblings, neighbors, and stuffed animals. She says that teaching students is her favorite and that “Taylor Elementary is an AWESOME school to be a part of!” Mrs. Larsen loves being with her family (her husband of 31 years, 6 children, and 2 grandchildren), traveling, hiking, and camping.
Catherine Squires is new to Taylor Elementary this school year but has been teaching for eleven years in elementary and junior high school (1st and 3rd grades and special education). This is Mrs. Squires’ first year teaching sixth grade and she loves it! She especially loves “seeing kids light up when they understand a new concept.” As BYU alumna with a Bachelor of Arts in English, she loves BYU football and enjoys finding ways to base lessons on football scenarios. Along with football, her other interests include camping, reading, and teaching. Her family is very important to her! She recently got married and has a blended family of 3 sons, 2 daughters, and a son-in-law, ages five to twenty-five.
Mrs. Larsen and Mrs. Squires are also the advisors for student council and assist with school spirit activities, extracurriculars, and helping them become better leaders. We are grateful for our sixth-grade teachers!
Family Advocates connect families with the resources they need to support themselves and thrive. They help families identify physical and emotional self-care and stress-coping mechanisms, and advocate for their needs. We are grateful for Taylor Elementary School's Family Advocate: Sarah Young!
Sarah is new to Taylor Elementary this school year and we love having her here! She said that "from the moment I started at Taylor, I have felt so welcomed and like an important part of the school! All the faculty and staff have been so kind, and I love working here!" She is a definitely an important part of our school. She helps countless students and families make sure that they have the support that they need. She helps provide families with clothing, food, medical resources, mental health resources, and anything else that could help them focus more on learning and less on the difficulties that they may face in their lives. Sarah says that she absolutely loves helping students and their families.
Thank you, Sarah, for all that you do for our community!
💕 Happy Valentine's Day! 💕 Our students had an amazing time in their class parties. A heartfelt thank you to our dedicated parent volunteers whose support made this day full of fun and learning! We appreciate you all!
No school on Monday, February 17 for Presidents' Day. Enjoy the long weekend!
The Davis School District Audiologist and a trained team will be conducting a hearing screening at Taylor Elementary on Thursday, February 27th. Students in PreK, Kindergarten, 1st grade, 3rd grade, and students new to Davis School District will be participating. If your child is not in one of these categories and you would like them to participate, please contact the school office manager at 801-402-1500. If you DO NOT wish to have your child’s hearing screened, please send a written statement informing the school that your student should not participate in the hearing screening to the school office manager at kagamble@dsdmail.net, as soon as possible.
El Audiólogo del Distrito Escolar de Davis y un equipo entrenado realizarán un examen de audición preliminar en Taylor Elementary el jueves 27 de febrero. Participarán del examen el estudiante de Pre-K (preescolar), K (kindergarten), 1er y 3er grado y lost estudiantes nuevos al Distrito Escolar de Davis. Si su hijo no está en una de estas categorías y le gustaría que participara en examen de audición, por favor comuníquese con el gerente de oficina de la escuela al 801-402-1500. Si usted NO desea que se evalúe la audición de su hijo, envíe la negación por escrito al gerente de oficina de la escuela al kagamble@dsdmail.net.
Our fifth-grade teachers are exceptional, and we appreciate all that they do for our students and community! Mrs. McGuire and Mrs. Wilkinson motivate our fifth graders to learn and are passionate about what they teach. Students learn all about the United States government and citizenship, current national issues and possible solutions, computations with fractions and decimals, reading, writing, Earth’s place in the universe, ecosystems, heredity, biological evolution, and so much more. We are grateful to Mrs. McGuire and Mrs. Wilkinson for helping students learn this essential knowledge and developing skills.
Michelle McGuire has taught fifth grade at Taylor for 5 years but has been teaching for 13 years (teaching computer class and 1st, 2nd, 5th, and 6th grades). She says that “Taylor is a great place to work!” She loves to spend time with her family, read, cook, bake, and travel. She especially loves to travel to warm locations with a beach, like San Diego, where she can enjoy the ocean breeze while reading a great book.
Kathy Wilkinson has taught fifth grade at Taylor for 7 years but has been teaching for 15 years (teaching 1st, 5th, and 6th grades). She says that “the kids at Taylor are amazing! It is a fun and positive place to work!” If you have ever been in Mrs. Wilkinson’s classroom, you know that she loves elephants! She has quite an extensive collection of elephants in the form of figurines, drawings, office supplies, and more. She went on her dream trip to Kenya. She loves to read, rollerblade, and play racquetball.
Our 4th graders took flight at the Hill Air Force Base Aerospace Museum! ✈️They dove into stories of the Heroes of Hill and their significant contributions to our community. From engaging in hands-on activities like parachute-making to learning about the inspiring Candy Bomber and exploring the fascinating history of aviation, these students had a blast!
#DavisSchoolDistrict #FieldTrip #HillAerospaceMuseum #HAFB #HillAirForceBase #LearningIsFun #STEM @aerospaceutah
