Sixth grade students recently had a local author visit them and inspire them with the love of reading and writing. Lance Conrad shared some of his experiences in building stories. He started off as an avid reader and once read a book with a disappointing ending, so he thought, "I can do better than that." He then began his journey as a writer. Lance is the author of several young adult fantasy books.
Both casts of The Little Mermaid were amazing! Hopefully you had the opportunity to see them in action this last weekend. Here are a few pictures of the Gadgets cast. Again, we are so grateful for the parent volunteers and the staff at Spotlight Performing Arts Center for helping these students with costumes, make up, choreography, singing, musical direction, stage directions, learning lines, confidence, and much, much more! #theatrematters #davisschooldistrict @spotlight_performingarts
Here is a sneak peek under the sea of the Gizmos cast performing The Little Mermaid. Showtimes are tonight, tomorrow, and Saturday (November 21-23). If you don't have tickets yet, go to Spotlight Performing Arts Center's website. Both casts have been working diligently, so swim on over and be a part of their world! Thank you to all the parent volunteers and the Spotlight crew for helping our students shine! https://www.onthestage.tickets/show/spotlight-performing-arts-center/671bd69779b396142111430f
#theatrematters #davisschooldistrict
Look at some of these amazing portraits and drawings that students did as part of the PTA Reflections art contest: Accepting Imperfection. We love to see students' creativity!
Thanksgiving Break is around the corner! There is no school on Wednesday, November 27 through Friday, November 29. Enjoy the extra time with family and loved ones. We are grateful for each student at Taylor Elementary School and their families!
Just for fun: How do little pumpkins cross the road?
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With a crossing gourd.
Our first and second grade team is amazing! They collaborate so well together, and we love to see all the wonderful things happening in their classrooms. We are grateful for Miss Merrell, Mrs. Palmer, and Ms. Stark!
Kim Merrell teaches the first graders how to read, write, and much more. She loves watching them grow and get excited about learning. She is thrilled to see students progress through elementary school and life to become awesome young people. This is her fourth year at Taylor Elementary, but 23rd in Davis School District. Miss Merrell says, “I love Taylor Elementary! The families who send their children to Taylor are amazing, supportive, and so helpful in supporting their children in learning. I love the teachers and admin I get to work with and learn from. This is the BEST school I have taught at in the district by far, and I LOVE this community!” She is an avid Harry Potter fan and loves to travel.
Annette Palmer absolutely loves teaching! She has worked at Taylor for 18 years and attended Taylor as a student when she was younger. She currently teaches the first and second grade split class. She likes to go outside and hula hoop during recess. You will often see her outside after school to help make sure that every student is picked up and safely on their way home.
Rhonda Stark loves to teach the AMAZING second graders at Taylor Elementary. This is her second year at Taylor but has taught in other districts and states for several years. She loves the students, parents, staff, and community members! A fun fact about Ms. Stark is that she comes from a big family; she is the youngest of 8 children!
The National Association of School Psychologists and schools across the United States will celebrate our school psychologists this week! We are grateful for our very own, Steven Hill, as Taylor Elementary's school psychologist. This is his first year at Taylor, but eleventh as a dedicated psychologist. He provides psychological services to students in the school setting, which often includes psychometric and emotional-behavioral testing, counseling, and consulting. He is very open and ready to talk or help anyone at any time. Mr. Hill is the father of two young boys and loves history. Make sure to say hello to him when you see him.
The two casts of The Little Mermaid Jr. are just about ready to perform! We are excited to see our actors in action. Students will be walking to Spotlight to watch performances on either November 20 or 21. Permission is required! There is a form on guardian's myDSD account to give permission for their student(s) to join the walking field trip and view the performance. Performances for families and community members will be on November 21, 22, and 23 at 5:00 pm and 7:30 pm. Tickets are required and can be purchased (starting on November 11 at 10:00 am) on Spotlight's website: https://www.spotlightpac.org/
A friendly reminder that Daylight Saving Time ends this weekend. Enjoy the "extra" hour of rest!
Next Friday (November 8) will be our annual Veterans Day Assembly. Veterans and their families are invited to attend the assembly in person. Though we wish we could invite all parents to attend and watch the students perform, we just don't have the space. For the veterans and family members that come, please remember to bring government issued ID to enter the school building. We will not be livestreaming the assembly, however, we will have it recorded and will send home a link afterwards. We appreciate and support all active and retired military personnel and their families!
Sixth grade students were visited by a representative from Clark Planetarium. Following the Utah Science with Engineering Education (SEEd) Standards, these students learned more about the structure of the solar system. Space rocks!
Earlier this month, our student council members were able to go to the Student Council Leadership Conference in West Jordan. Leadership trainings were provided by highly sought after speakers: John Bytheway, Meg Johnson, Brad Barton, and Ryan Radebaugh. Students learned to do their best and that they can have a big impact by even the simplest acts of kindness. Sometimes, "less is more." We are grateful for our student council and all of the wonderful things they do for our school community!
Fourth grade students went on a field trip to the Alf Engen Ski Museum at Utah Olympic Park in Park City. Some highlights were the math and science of Utah Olympic Park's bobsled track and ski jumps, learning about the immersion of Native American culture and civil rights history in the Winter Games, and the many interactive and experimentation stations.
Mrs. Palmer's class tracked the movement of the sun by tracing their shadows at the beginning of the day and then again at lunch. These awesome first and second graders were excited to see how much their shadows changed in a few hours' time.
Reminders for Halloween Parade on Thursday and no school on Friday.
We will have our student Halloween Parade on Thursday, October 31, from 9:00-9:30 am. Please carefully read the following message from our principal Dr. Denhalter, and JSSC for October 2024.
Dear J. A. Taylor Elementary Parents,
Our Joint Staff School Committee (JSSC -representative school employee leadership team) decided again this year to hold a student Halloween costume parade. We held a successful parade last year and felt we could again rely on students and families to be “Safe, Kind, and Reliable.”
Our Halloween Parade will happen first thing in the morning on Tuesday, October 31. We plan to begin by 9:10 and expect the parade will last about 20 minutes. Students will parade for each other indoors and will parade for parents outdoors, next to the building around the playground courtyard. We would like parents and guests to keep about 10 feet clear of the exterior walls of the school, where students will parade.
For those who choose to participate, please have the students come to school on October 31 dressed in their costumes. They will need to remove their costumes after the parade. Students who choose to not dress up may choose to walk with their class in the parade or stay in their classrooms. Classes may have class parties later that day.
There are a few guidelines that must be followed -basically, keep things fun and positive for everyone. Please avoid potentially offensive costumes from ethnic or cultural groups, those which may cause political or other controversy, and avoid extreme gore, masks, and costume makeup. School dress standards still apply (https://taylor.davis.k12.ut.us/o/taes/page/policies).
We appreciate your support and working together to create a positive school experience and memory for the children.
Thank you,
Dr. Denhalter and the Joint Staff School Committee
Kindergarten students were able to go on a field trip to Cross E Ranch last week. Look how much fun they had!
Our student council is hosting a Food Drive! Our goal is to collect 1500 pounds of canned goods! Donation boxes are available in each classroom. We need things like peanut butter, macaroni and cheese, canned meats, chili, spaghetti-o's, ravioli, canned fruits, and boxed meals. Please do your best to make sure they are low sodium, low sugar, no high fructose corn syrup, and natural ingredients. If we make our goal, we will have a Turkey Trot and other fun games. The grade level with the most pounds of food will get an extra recess! If you have any questions, ask a student council member or one of the 6th grade teachers (Mrs. Larsen or Mrs. Squires).
The PTA has a fundraiser for the next few weeks. Purchase a discount card for a local business and support the PTA and the local business. It's a win-win. Click on the link to see what is offered for each discount card: https://jataylorpta.givebacks.com/store?limit=21&live=true&category=Fall%20Fundraiser
Calling all students! We want your design for our 2024-2025 yearbook cover! If you would like to participate, please get a template from the main office. Entries are due on Wednesday, October 23. Rules are as follows: 1) The image must be original artwork from the student, 2) Any words need to be spelled correctly, 3) Must be in portrait format, 4) Must include "Taylor Elementary" and the theme for the year, "Every1", 5) Write the student's first and last name and the teacher's name on the BACK of the paper. Entries will be chosen for the front and back cover of the yearbook. Good luck!
Sixth grade students in DEEP (Davis Enhanced Education Program) were challenged to create sidewalk chalk art using fractions, percentages, ratios, and geometric shapes. Students had to choose from a list of criteria to create their designs.
