Cougar Tracks

Week 5 Newsletter
September 14-18, 2026

UPCOMING EVENTS

Click to expand. For a list of all upcoming events, visit our school website.

WEEK 6

Monday, September 21

- Rocky Mountain Elementary PTA School Carnival and Silent Auction, 4:30-7:30pm

Wednesday, September 23

- Beginning of Year 4-6 Acadience Reading Testing

WEEK 7

September 29-October 2

Book Fair

Wednesday, September 30

- Parent/Teacher Conferences

Thursday, October 1

- Parent/Teacher Conferences

Friday, October 2

- Picture Make-up Day
- Whole School Read-a-thon, 1:00-2:00pm

WEEK 8

Wednesday, October 9

DLI Parent Focus Group Meeting - 2:30-3:30pm in the Rocky Mountain Elementary Library

Thursday, October 8

- Rocky Mountain Elementary PTA Meeting, 7:00pm (this is an evening meeting, intended to make it easier for parents to attend who otherwise can't attend our 1:00pm monthly meetings--we hope to see you there!)

Friday, October 9

- School Community Council (SCC) Meeting, 8:00am

WEEK 9

Wednesday, October 14

- End of Term 1

Thursday-Friday, October 15-16

- Fall Break (No School)

WEEK 10

Monday, October 19

No School (Teacher Work Day)

REMINDERS

Rocky Mountain Family Carnival 🎪

The Rocky Mountain Elementary Family Carnival is almost here! Join us Monday, September 21, from 4:30-7:30pm for an evening of music, games, food, activities, and plenty of fun for the whole family.

View the Carnival Map

Preorder Your Carnival Meal 🍕

Make dinner easy by preordering your carnival meal for $4. Each meal includes:

One slice of pizza
A drink
A chocolate chip cookie

Preorders are available until 5:00 p.m. today! The price will increase on the day of the carnival, and supplies will be limited, so we encourage families to preorder ahead of time.

Preorder your carnival meal here.

We Need Adult Volunteers

Our carnival takes a lot of helping hands! There are a variety of volunteer opportunities throughout the evening, and we would love to have parents and other community members join us.

Sixth Grade Volunteers

Our sixth graders are invited to be part of the fun by volunteering at the carnival! This is a great opportunity for students to serve others, take on responsibility, and contribute to their school community.

We can't wait to see the Rocky Mountain community there! Bring your family, invite your neighbors, and come enjoy a great evening together.

Announcement: Parent-Teacher Conferences

Parent-Teacher Conferences Are Looking a Little Different This Year!

This year, changes to the Parent-Teacher Conference structure give schools and teachers greater flexibility in how conference time is used. At Rocky Mountain, we want to use that flexibility to provide meaningful communication and connection for every family, while allowing more focused individual conference time when a deeper conversation would be helpful.

This coming week, every family will receive an update on their child's current academic progress and teacher feedback. These updates will help families and teachers identify whether a more focused conversation is needed. Rather than automatically scheduling an individual conference for every student, this year we will prioritize individual conferences based on student need.

Two Types of Family Connections

To understand the two types of connection opportunities during Parent-Teacher Conferences, it can be helpful to think about the difference between a routine medical well check and a longer visit to the doctor when there is a specific concern that needs attention.

A well check gives you a chance to check in, see how things are going, celebrate growth, and ask questions. Our Open House serves a similar purpose. It gives every family an opportunity to visit the classroom, see their child's learning, and connect with the teacher. For most families, this will provide the communication and connection they need.

An individual Parent Teacher Conference is different. Like a longer doctor visit, it is intended for situations where there is a specific concern, question, or need that would benefit from more time and attention. If a teacher has a concern about your child's progress or needs, the teacher will reach out to schedule an individual conference. Likewise, if you have a concern that you feel requires a more focused or private conversation, you can request an individual conference with your child's teacher.

Not every family needs an individual conference, just as not every doctor's visit requires a longer appointment. Our goal is to make sure every family has the right opportunity to communicate with the teacher and understand how their child is doing.

Open House — All Families Are Invited!

Wednesday, September 30 | 2:30–4:00 PM

Come visit your child's classroom, see what they have been learning, and connect with their teacher. Students may also have an opportunity to share some of their learning with you! For most families, this is all you need to plan for during conference week.

If an Individual Conference Is Needed

If your child's teacher would like to meet with you individually, they will contact you to schedule a time. Individual conferences will primarily take place Wednesday, September 30, and Thursday, October 1, between 4:00-6:45pm. Your child's teacher will provide the specific times they have available and the means to sign-up for an appointment.

You are also welcome to contact your child's teacher if you feel a longer, private conversation would be helpful. Teachers will work with families to find a time they are available, which may be outside of the two days designated for Parent-Teacher Conferences.

So, What Should I Plan On?

All families should plan on coming to the open house, Wednesday, September 30, 2:30-4:00pm.

If your child's teacher feels an individual conference would be helpful, they will contact you to schedule one.

Different families may have different conference experiences this year, but our goal remains the same: meaningful communication, strong family-school partnerships, and the right support for every student.

INFORMATION & UPDATES

Picture Make-up Day

Not quite feeling like your school picture captured the real you? No worries, our picture make up day is Friday, October 2!

School Store Volunteers Needed!

We’re making some exciting changes to the Rocky Mountain School Store this year! Instead of opening every two weeks, the School Store will now be open once each month. This change is designed to give students more time to save, set goals, and practice waiting for something they really want while still providing regular opportunities to make purchases.

We’ve also introduced a new school bank, the Cougar Vault, where students can save their Cougar Cash toward purchases they have their eye on in the School Store. Students will even have the opportunity to earn interest on their savings, giving them an extra incentive to save and watch their balance grow.

To make each School Store day a success, we are looking for 5-6 parent and community volunteers per date to help students with their purchases.

If you’re able to help, please sign up here! We’d love to have you join us in making the School Store a fun and meaningful learning experience for our students.

Background Checks Required for All Adult Volunteers

As a reminder, all adult volunteers must have a cleared background check with the Alpine School District before their volunteer opportunity. More information about the background check process is available here.

Secure Entry Procedures

Please be aware that all visitors must present photo ID before entering the school. Enter through the main (center) entrance and use the black communication box to your right. Press the button, then hold your photo ID up to the camera. Once verified, staff will unlock the door. You can then proceed to the office to check in. Thank you for helping us keep our school safe!

FROM OUR PTA

PTA Reflections

Calling all Rocky Mountain artists and creators, PTA Reflections is open! This year’s Reflections theme is “What My Culture Means to Me.” Students are invited to get creative, share what the theme means to them, and submit their work through the Utah PTA Reflections website.

Submission Requirements:

Only new pieces of artwork inspired by the theme may be submitted.
Each entry must be the oritinal work of one student only.
Dimensions must not exceed 24x30 inches, including matting.
Framed entries are not accepted. Shadow boxes are not allowed.
Accepted file formats are: JPG, JPEG, PNG.

How to Submit:

All entries must be submitted online at www.utahpta.org/ref. all judging will be conducted online.
Be prepared to upload a digital copy of your entry.
Your school may request a physical copy of your entry for display purposes.
Printed entries should be matted or mounted on sturdy material such as cardboard or poster board.
Label the back of physical entry with student's first and last name.

FROM THE TIMPANOGOS SCHOOL DISTRICT

Over the last week and a half, the Timpanogos School District (TSD) Board of Education and leadership have held a public hearing, multiple focus groups, and four community “cluster” meetings to take public input and discuss the possible advantages and concerns of moving 9th grade to the high schools and 6th grade to a middle school model.

We wish to thank everyone who participated in these meetings. The board is listening and is so grateful for the candid feedback and the chance to learn and carefully consider all of the alternatives.

Throughout the conversations, one of the most frequent concerns expressed relates to students transitioning at a younger age to a new school and being with older students. We hear you, and we share your commitment to making sure every child feels safe, supported, and confident no matter what is decided.

In order to ensure that each student is supported, the district is actively studying the differences between the traditional junior high school structure and a middle school model that is designed to meet the unique developmental needs of younger adolescents.

To ensure we make the best decision for our community, district leaders will be visiting neighboring districts that utilize a middle school model, researching possibilities, and collaborating closely with leaders at all schools in the district.

Some of the questions and possibilities we are grappling with as we consider the grade configuration change from the 7-9th grade model to a 6-8th grade model:

How do we design middle school schedules that align with adolescent needs?
How do we intentionally foster safety and belonging?
What should a 6-8 technology implementation look like?
Is there a way to schedule in recess or a nutrition break to meet the physical and mental needs of students?
How do we assure an orderly and thoughtful reassignment for employees that would need to move schools?

In addition, we want to be sure that families with students enrolled in special education services, dual-language immersion programs, and advanced learning labs are being considered for our thinking and planning. We see you and are very aware of your students' unique needs. We are committed to finding the best possible ways to support each of your students.

As a reminder, the board has not finalized decisions regarding reconfiguration of grades, and will continue to consider all of the possibilities as we anticipate potentially voting on the issue in the public board meeting scheduled for October 21, 2026.

For your reference, here are some additional resources that you may want to access and utilize moving forward:

Official TSD FAQ & Boundary Page
TSD YouTube Channel to watch Board Meetings
Official TSD Question Form to submit questions and comments for the board to consider

Thank you again for your engagement and participation in this process.

Sincerely,

Timpanogos School District Leadership

FROM OUR COMMUNITY

Teacher of the Month: Community Recognition Opportunity

Rogers & Russell, a local Pleasant Grove law firm, sponsors a Teacher of the Month program to honor and recognize outstanding educators in Pleasant Grove and Lindon schools. Teachers can be nominated by students, parents, staff, PTA members, or other community members. Each month, a selected teacher will receive a $250 deposit to their classroom foundation account.

Families who would like to nominate a teacher can complete the Google Form linked below. This is a great way to celebrate the dedication and impact of local educators in our community, especially those right here at Rocky Mountain!

Link: Teacher of the Month Nomination Form

Art Submissions Needed for 2027 Character Calendar

Rocky Mountain students have an opportunity to have their original artwork featured in the 2027 Character Calendar, created by the Lindon Character Connection and the Wasatch Behavioral Health Advisory Board.

Students can create an original, colorful drawing that illustrates one of the calendar’s character themes, including: generosity, friendship, respect, integrity, courage, family health, preparedness, community and character, steadfastness, honesty, citizenship, and peace.

Artwork should be 8×10 inches in landscape orientation and must be the student’s original work. Please write the student’s name, parent or guardian phone number, grade, teacher, school, and character trait on the back of the artwork.

Artwork must be turned in to the Rocky Mountain Elementary office by Friday, October 23.

For more information, click here.

CONNECT WITH RME

rockymountain.alpineschools.org

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