Programs
Box Top and Soup Label Drives
The PTA helps families earn cash for Falcon Ridge by collecting
- Box Tops for Education (boxtops4education.com)
- Labels for Education (www.labelsforeducation.com)
- Cream o’ Weber Milk Caps (www.creamoweber.com/promotions.htm)
- Tyson Project A+ Labels (www.tyson.com/projectaplus)
As families pay attention to the packaging of groceries they bring home, clipping any squares with education logos, and sending them to school with their students, nickels and dimes add up fast for Falcon Ridge! The logos should be cropped as closely as possible to make them less bulky when they are mailed in after being collected at the school.
Green Ribbon Week
Green Ribbon Week is filled with activities to focus on pedestrian safety. With increasing gas prices and widening waistlines, walking or riding bikes is the way to go!
Falcon Ridge Elementary participates in Green Ribbon Week in August as students begin the school year. Pedestrian safety is very important to the Falcon Ridge community. Green Ribbon Week can help educate and remind drivers to slow down and be more cautious. Green Ribbon Week can also help educate and remind walkers and bikers to stay on designated routes and show respect for other travelers, crossing guards, and volunteers, including the Falcon Ridge Safety Patrol.
Pedestrian safety is serious business. Our proactive efforts to forge good habits, exercise patience, and leave early to allow plenty of time are all worth avoiding the tragic loss of even one child hit by a car.
More about Green Ribbon week
The Green Ribbon initiative started in 1998 with the Davis County Safe Kids Coalition who wished to protect children from being hit in school zones and crosswalks. Green Ribbon Week can involve the whole community. The school, PTA, health departments, SAFE KIDS, government officials, media, police departments, and local businesses may all be included.
Adults can put a green ribbon on their car antenna after they take the Green Ribbon Pledge to drive slowly in school zones and residential areas, to educate children now on pedestrian safety, and to get involved in the community to make streets safer for children. School children can take the pledge to walk on sidewalks, look both ways before crossing the street, cross at crosswalks, and to walk with a buddy.
Green ribbons may be displayed on signs, cars, people, fences, and crosswalk poles to remind drivers to watch out for children and reduce speed in school zones and residential areas.
Falcon Ridge Safe Walking Routes
At the beginning of the 2008-09 school year, the Falcon Ridge principal mailed a school safety traffic routing plan, including a map of safe walking routes, to all registered Falcon Ridge households. Adults are strongly encouraged to review these critical routes and important safety guidelines and teach them to their children, especially by example. Adults should teach respect for crossing guards and all volunteers giving of their time to help keep pedestrians safe.
PTA Walk to School Day
Students are encouraged to walk or ride their bikes to school every day, particularly on PTA Walk to School Day.
Mrs. Thomson, the Falcon Ridge principal, has scheduled afternoon school safety assemblies on each Walk to School Day to further educate Falcon Ridge students about pedestrian safety.
Safety Patrol
Safety Patrol is a program at Falcon Ridge Elementary School that allows fifth and sixth grade students to help reduce the risk of pedestrian-auto accidents on school grounds. Younger students look up to the older students as examples and role models – fifth and sixth graders rule!
At Falcon Ridge, Safety Patrol students are selected, trained, and supervised to support crossing guards in helping children and adults cross safely and stay on safe walking routes.
The Falcon Ridge PTA provides a reward party at the end of the year for the students selected to do Safety Patrol – way to go, fifth and sixth graders!
Breakfast with Books
Each Breakfast with Books event is like a mini community read-a-thon designed to allow families a little extra quality time reading to each other. Children, parents, and stacks of reading books and glazed donuts fill the multi-purpose room at these fun, early-morning events. Breakfast with Books mornings set a great example for children as they see their friends and adult neighbors taking important time out of their day to read.
Literacy is a vital focus at Falcon Ridge Elementary School. One of the most important factors affecting the literacy progress of a child is the reinforcement they receive at home from their parents while being read to, or in the process of reading to mom and dad. In our hectic world, parents often have a difficult time squeezing that necessary practice into the already tight schedule of family activities. Breakfast with Books is a way for fathers and mothers, neighbors and others, prior to the beginning of their work day, to reinforce the importance of reading with children.
Round up the kids and a few of their favorite books and join us for Breakfast with Books! See the calendar for dates and times. If you are interested in helping serve doughnuts and milk at this activity, please contact the Falcon Ridge PTA!
School Spirit DaysThe PTA promotes Falcon Ridge School Spirit day on the last Friday of each month. The student council will choose monthly themes for school spirit days such as crazy hair day, silly sock day, and school colors day. School Spirit Days allow students and staff to show unity and school pride as they wear their school T-shirts or school colors. |
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Field Trips
The Falcon Ridge PTA covers any outstanding transportation costs (buses) for one field trip per class per year. Falcon Ridge teachers decide which field trips they want their class to take.
Crescendo
Falcon Ridge Elementary School has its own school choir! All students who can regularly attend weekly Friday morning practices and follow choir rules are welcome to participate.
The choir practices weekly in preparation for a Winter Concert and a Spring Concert. The concerts also feature the school orchestra.
Adult volunteers who can play the piano or lead music are needed to substitute teach for the choir on occasion. Please contact the Falcon Ridge PTA for volunteer opportunities with the school choir!
 Reflections Contest The PTA Reflections Program is an arts recognition and achievement program for students. The program provides opportunities for students to express themselves creatively and to receive positive recognition for original works of art inspired by a pre-selected yearly theme. Supporting the Reflections Program is one way you can support the arts in your home, school, and community. Entries for the reflections program are typically accepted in the months of September and October. See the calendar for specific dates. History "The cultural arts are happiness. Happiness is drawing, dancing, finger painting. Happiness is modeling with clay, making music or a poem, performing a play." - Mary Lou Anderson, founder of PTA's Reflections Program The Reflections Program was established in 1969 by National PTA board member Mary Lou Anderson. Since that time, more than 10 million students have participated in the program. The program's longevity and participation figures attest to its strength. The excitement and enthusiasm that the program generates for children, parents, schools and communities is unmatched.  Reflections Program Goals Participation and appreciation for the arts is the main goal of the Reflections Program. Although the program follows a "contest" format, winning is not the emphasis. Creating art is a valuable learning process. Artistic exploration and expression enhance and develop intellectual, social, and technical skills. When children express themselves through words, pictures, music, photography, and other art forms, they grow intellectually. They learn to analyze their thoughts, feelings, and ideas. They learn to look at things, people, and experiences in a fresh and exciting way and become more interested in the ideas and works of others. PTA's Reflections Program helps parents recognize and encourage the continuous self-discovery process of their children. The Reflections Program is designed to enhance rather than replace a quality arts education. It provides opportunities for students to express themselves and to receive positive recognition for their artistic efforts. Parents, teachers, and community members all play a critical role in fostering a positive learning environment for children. Supporting the Reflections Program is one way adults can help maintain that environment. Reflections Theme Yearly themes are selected from thousands of ideas submitted by students to PTA's Reflections Program Theme Search. Past themes have included "A Different Kind of Hero," "If I Could Give the World A Gift...," "Imagine That...," and "Exploring New Beginnings...." The theme for 2008 was "Wow." How to Participate in the PTA Reflections Program Participation forms are available at the front office at Falcon Ridge Elementary School. Students participate by submitting original entries, inspired by the theme, to their teachers or to the front office. See the calendar for entry deadlines.   Only original works of art are accepted. Students may enter one work of art in each of the following areas: Literature, Musical composition, Photography, and Visual Arts, including Dance, Theater, 3-D, and Film/Video Production. Participation in the Reflections Program is organized by grade level. Student works are critiqued against others in the same grade division. This allows recognition and judging of artwork according to appropriate developmental age and skill levels. Grade divisions are: Primary (preschool–grade 2), Intermediate (grades 3–5), Middle/Junior (grades 6–8), and Senior (grades 9–12). As with any student activity, parent involvement and support are very important. But parents must remember that student artists need to be responsible for their own work. Children must make their own decisions about what to create and what to enter in the Reflections Program. By producing their own pieces, children learn about the arts and, more importantly, they learn about themselves. |
Family Art Night
Family Art Night is an evening of fun for entire families to create special art projects together.
Many students have limited opportunities to create art in a medium other than crayons. Family Art Night gives them a chance to explore. Family Art Night is also a way to increase participation in the National PTA Reflections Program, though the art making on this night is not limited to Reflections-eligible forms. Parent-child collaborative efforts are highly encouraged and enjoyed at Family Art Night, and students and parents are encouraged to get messy and create art that is all their own.
More on Family Art Night
On Family Art night, the school cafeteria is transformed into an artist's studio offering a rainbow of supplies. Several stations are set up, each with its own art form. Parent and teacher volunteers supervise and assist at each station, encouraging individual creativity. Art supplies, including paper, paint, markers, glue, sponges, and clay, are provided by the Falcon Ridge PTA or local donations.
At Family Art Night, the possibilities are endless. Stations could include such things as tie-dying, metal impressing, paper mosaic, clay sculpture-making, sponge painting, "stained glass" tissue paper, rubbings, collage-making, or any art forms and media safe enough for elementary-aged children. Any number of art materials might be used: marbles, feathers, egg cartons, buttons, doilies, pompoms, pebbles, empty cans, carpet samples, beads, googly eyes, sequins, cotton balls, Q-tips, lunch sacks, foam board, felt, washers, wallpaper samples, building materials, or anything art and imagination related.
Volunteers are needed to help with Family Art Night. If you or anyone you know can plan and supervise a child-friendly art project, please contact the Falcon Ridge PTA!
AssembliesThe Falcon Ridge PTA funds a few extra school assemblies.   Past assemblies have included a Brad Wilcox reading and writing assembly and the Corbin White Everyday Heroes assembly on bully prevention. |
Red Ribbon Week
Red Ribbon Week is an initiative of prevention and education about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. During this week in October, students all over the country make pledges to live drug and alcohol free.
If you are interested in helping with Red Ribbon activities or with the distribution of fliers or red ribbons, please contact the Falcon Ridge PTA.
More on Red Ribbon Week
Red Ribbon Week is the most far-reaching and well-known drug prevention event in America. The National Family Partnership estimates that over 80 million Americans participate in Red Ribbon events. Red Ribbon Week is an ideal way for a community to unite and take a visible stand against substance abuse. Many of those who feel most strongly about substance abuse education and prevention are those who have lost a loved one to the abuse's devastating effects.
Parents don't always think to talk about drugs and alcohol with their children. Red Ribbon Week can be a reminder for family discussion. Teaching even young children the whys and hows of saying "No" to recreational drugs and alcohol can save lives years down the road. Children can be taught that even medicines given by a doctor should be used carefully, as directed, because they can become like poison if taken at the wrong times or in the wrong amounts.
Halloween Carnival
Falcon Ridge students enjoy a big Halloween Carnival in the gym which features fun games and activities for each grade level. Parents are welcome and encouraged to attend even if they are volunteering for the event. Off-track students and parents are also invited.
Book Fairs
Book fairs at Falcon Ridge are held in conjunction with Parent-Teacher Conferences in November and March. Before or after meeting with the teacher, parents and students can browse the book sale and even pick out a book or two to donate to their teacher's classroom wish list.
Literacy is a vital focus at Falcon Ridge Elementary School, and books make great gifts for students and teachers! Book fairs also provide the school library with credit that can be used to build up the school library selection. Book fair credit can even used to purchase books for Principal's Pride incentives and to provide books to all incoming Kindergarten students. The book fair offers a great selection of books at lower prices than retail stores, including a different selection of books from those available through classroom Scholastic book orders.
Volunteers are always needed to fill cashier positions and provide general help at book fairs. Please contact the Falcon Ridge PTA if you are interested in helping for 4-5 hours in the afternoon and evening on the day of a scheduled fair. See the calendar for specific dates.
Teacher Appreciation Activities
We have truly outstanding teachers at Falcon Ridge. They are heroes in our community and our greatest asset at our elementary school. We want our teachers to know how much we appreciate them and all that they do. The Falcon Ridge PTA provides dinner for the teachers at Parent-Teacher Conferences in November and March.
The PTA also sponsors a Teacher Appreciation Week typically in April or May. Parents and students are invited to join the PTA in expressing appreciation for our teachers throughout the year – especially during Teacher Appreciation Week.
Student Birthdays
Happy Birthday, Falcon Ridge students! The Falcon Ridge PTA provides a small recognition and treat for each student on his or her birthday.
Principal's Pride
Hooray for our students! Students at Falcon Ridge are recognized and rewarded for good behavior and educational achievement.
Principal's Pride is held once a month and includes a lunch brought in by McDonald's. The few students chosen for the monthly Principal’s Pride get to each lunch with the Principal!
Weekly recognitions and rewards also include books, prizes, and treats, which the PTA helps provide. When your child brings home a certificate recognizing his or her achievement, you will know your child did especially well that week!
Vision and Hearing ScreeningsPTA volunteers help the school nurse with vision and hearing screenings at Falcon Ridge Elementary in the fall. Please contact the Falcon Ridge PTA if you are interested in helping with vision and hearing screenings. |
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Maturation Night
Ready or not, the terrific teens are on their way! Falcon Ridge PTA assists with Maturation Night by providing gift bags and refreshments. The school provides a maturation presentation separately for the girls and their parents and the boys and their parents.
Maturation Night is a yearly event that fulfills Jordan School District requirements for a maturation program in each elementary school. Along with various health and hygiene topics, the main purpose of Maturation Night is to provide accurate information about sexual development and to encourage discussion in the home. Boys and girls have completely separate presentations by knowledgeable professionals chosen by the Falcon Ridge principal, Mrs. Thomson.
Fifth grade students at Falcon Ridge are invited to attend Maturation Night with their parents. Some students from other grades may also attend. For additional details, contact Mrs. Thomson.
Bring Your Family to School WeekPTA Bring Your Family to School Week helps parents share in their children's school experience. Believe it or not, the students are also very proud to show off their parents! Bring Your Family to School Week features a variety of fun events for students and their parents. |
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Cultural Night
PTA Cultural Night is an evening for families to share part of their culture or a culture they are familiar with. Right here at Falcon Ridge, we have a great variety of cultural backgrounds and experiences to share.
Volunteers are needed to help Falcon Ridge students and their families experience different cultures through food, photos, dance, song, or artwork. Please contact the Falcon Ridge PTA if you or someone you know might be willing to help us travel the world on Cultural Night!
PTA Day at the Legislature
Each year, the Utah PTA has a special day at the Capitol, usually in the month of February, when you can visit with your legislators, sit in on meetings and ask questions of PTA commissioners. The event ends with a press conference and reception for our legislators in the evening. Everyone may attend!
For more information on PTA Day at the Legislature, see www.utahpta.org/advocacy.htm.
White Ribbon Week
"Pornography can and will destroy a nation, a state, a city, a neighborhood, a family and an individual if we do not fight it." – Mike Daniels, Mayor of Pleasant Grove, Utah, February 2008
Patterned after Red Ribbon Week, National White Ribbon Week's purpose is to increase parent and student awareness of the harm done by exposure to pornography. In Utah, White Ribbon Week takes place anytime in February or March.
Falcon Ridge participates in White Ribbon Week through internet safety training for students and resources for parents to help prevent pornography exposure.
Classroom Emergency Kits
Though we hope they'll never be needed, the Falcon Ridge PTA provides each classroom with a kit containing food, water, and other supplies to be used in the event of an emergency. Fresh emergency kit supplies are provided each year by the PTA.
If you are interested in helping with emergency kits, please contact the Falcon Ridge PTA.
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Kindergarten OrientationEach spring, Falcon Ridge Elementary School holds an orientation session for incoming Kindergarteners and their parents. The PTA helps facilitate the orientation and provides pencils, books, and refreshments. Volunteers are welcome to assist with this event! Please contact the Falcon Ridge PTA if you are interested in helping with the Kindergarten Orientation in April. |
Spring Carnival
The Falcon Ridge Spring Carnival is a celebration of school and community unity. Typically held in May as the weather warms up, the carnival gives students the opportunity to come together, enjoy an evening with their families at the school, and have some fun!
Field DayFilled with plenty of outdoor fun and games, field day marks the culmination of a rigorous school year. Falcon Ridge Field Days are held in June. Volunteers are always needed to help supervise field day activities. Please contact the Falcon Ridge PTA if you are interested in helping with a Field Day, in the morning or afternoon. |
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