Parley's Park Press

Happy October! The leaves are changing, the mornings are getting cooler, and fall is officially here in Park City. October is always such a fun month at Parley’s Park, and we have so much to look forward to together!

Before we jump into October, I want to take a moment to celebrate our incredible school community. September was a HUGE fundraising success! Thank you to all of our families who participated in PCEF’s Build a Foundation campaign and our PPES Fun Run. Whether you donated, helped your child collect donations, volunteered, cheered students on, or simply helped build excitement, you made a difference. The money raised through these efforts directly impacts your child’s experience at Parley’s Park. Your generosity helps provide opportunities, programs, resources, and experiences that make our school such a special place to learn and grow. We are incredibly grateful for your support and partnership!

October brings some of our favorite PPES traditions! We are looking forward to several fun activities in the weeks ahead, including our PTA Fall Festival (10/9/26), Trunk or Treat (10/28), and Halloween Parade (10/30). These events are about much more than just having fun. They are opportunities for our students, families, and staff to spend time together and strengthen the connections that make Parley’s Park such a wonderful community. Please watch for additional information from PPES and our PTA about dates, times, and details for each event.

As we move into our second full month of school, I also want to remind our families of the three words guiding us this year: Kindness. Connection. Growth.

We want every child at Parley’s Park to know that they belong here, that they are surrounded by people who care about them, and that we believe in their ability to grow.

• Kindness is how we treat one another.
• Connection is how we build a community where everyone belongs.
• Growth is what happens when children feel safe, supported, challenged, and encouraged to keep trying.

These aren’t just words we talk about at school. They are values we hope our students experience each day in their classrooms, on the playground, in the cafeteria, and throughout our community. Thank you for reinforcing them at home and for helping us create a school where every child feels known, valued, and supported.

As we head into this beautiful fall season, I continue to be grateful for our students, our staff, and families. Thank you for your partnership, your support, and the many ways you contribute to our Parley’s Park community.

Here’s to a wonderful October filled with kindness, connection, growth, and a little fall fun along the way!

Kim Howe, Principal

Parley's Park Elementary School

Park City School District

We had a mammoth-sized surprise at PPES today! The Utah Mammoth Education Department joined us during recess for some hockey fun with our students. Coach Jen, who teaches hockey skills in PE, secretly set up this special visit—and our kids loved it! It was even more fun to see so many students sporting their Mammoth gear to celebrate Utah’s new NHL team. What a great day to be a hockey fan at PPES!

Decked out in their Mammoth gear, our young hockey fans loved getting in on the action! It was incredible to see so much energy and enthusiasm on the playground as our kids celebrated Utah's new NHL team in style. 🏑👕✨

Our Pocket Trumpeteers blew us away at our "Practice Makes Stars" prep session! We had an incredible turnout as our young musicians gathered to get concert-ready—16 early risers joined us in the morning, and 10 eager players brought the energy in the afternoon!

With the PCEF Carpool Concert right around the corner this Friday, we made sure our repertoire included music for every skill level so all of our Trumpeteers could jump in on the fun and shine on stage.

Be sure to catch our stars in action at our upcoming fall lineup:

• 🚗 PCEF Carpool Concert – This Friday!

• 🍂 PTA Fall Festival Performance – October 9th

• 🇺🇸 Veterans Day Concert

Thank you to our dedicated trumpeters for putting in the extra practice—we can’t wait for you to hear them play! 🎶✨

Ms. Tarmina’s fifth grade class was absorbed in some great books during Utah’s Statewide Read-a-Thon on Friday, October 2! There’s nothing better than seeing our Parley’s Park students get lost in a good book.

Our sweet kindergarteners were so proud to help deliver homemade cards to our amazing custodial team! Mrs. Shane's class put so much heart into showing these hardworking heroes just how much we appreciate everything they do to keep our school clean, safe, and shining bright every day.

Happy Custodian Appreciation Day!

• Late Night Parent Conferences: Tuesday, October 6, 3:45-7:45PM

School pictures: Thursday, Oct 8th

• Order Form: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Icgn8fAGKsmTMUOtgxY7Wi-PXYKslRHC/view?usp=sharing
• 801-479-4624
• www.bellphoto.com
• Retakes: November 20th

PPES PTA General Meeting: Thursday, October 8, 8:30AM, Oasis

PPES PTA Fall Festival: Friday, October 9, 4-6PM

• English: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HQM6DWtJ-ttnjBpL4w0YUHe87bI-jcIO/view?usp=sharing
• Spanish: https://drive.google.com/file/d/17ifsnv3kr2_wY5DnSRtgawRd649cyGIh/view?usp=sharing

Soles4Souls Fundraiser: September 1 - October 31, 2026

• English Flyer | Spanish Flyer

Fall Break - No School: October 15 & 16, 2026

No Students- Teacher Professional Development Day: Friday, October 23, 2026

Preschool Parent Conferences: October 26-30, 2026

Trunk-R-Treat: Wednesday October 28, 2026, student lunch recess

Halloween Parade: Friday, October 30, 2026, 9:00AM

PCHS Student Council's Candy Buy Back: November 2 & 3, student lunchtime

Dear Families,

We will be honoring Veterans's Day on Friday, Nov 6. We are inviting any active duty, reserve or veterans related to current Parley's Student to our assembly. Due to space and schedule constraints, only current active duty relatives, reservists or veterans of students are invited to the assembly.

If you are a family member who is currently active duty, reserve, or a veteran, please RSVP by clicking on the link below:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdr00-UP0Qgo8qqgfzBttrAbDS6tBfUIi6iNSUfNhrSZFyCYg/viewform?usp=header

• Lunch Accounts

  Please take a moment to review your student's meal account balance and refill as needed: https://paypams.com/HomePage.aspx

• PowerSchool Access Codes for Digital Report Cards - T1 8/29/26 - 11/13/26: As a reminder, our school has gone digital with report cards! You can now view all of your child’s grades through our PowerSchool Portal: https://ppes.pcschools.us/ On Monday, September 14th, Mrs. Gertz will email your personal access codes and passwords so you can create your parent/student account. Please keep an eye on your inbox (and check your spam/junk folder just in case!). Additionally, Mrs. Gertz will provide printed copies of your login information to teachers to distribute during our upcoming Parent-Teacher Conferences.

• 26/27 Report Cards:
• Semester 1 Report Cards: Available by the end of the day on January 15, 2027
• Semester 2 Report Cards: Available by the end of the day on June 4, 2027

• Visitor Self Check-In Kiosk & Front Desk Policy:

• Please bring a valid driver's license to scan at our two new self-check-in kiosks near the main office entrance.
• To help our staff assist you promptly, please finish or pause personal phone calls before approaching the desk.

• Checking Students Out:

  • Valid photo ID is required for pickup.

  • To minimize disruptions, no early check-outs are allowed within 15 minutes of dismissal (No check-outs after 2:50 PM Mon–Thu, or after 12:15 PM on Fri).

• Reporting Absences & Tardiness: Notify both your homeroom teacher and Courtney Pedry (cpedry@pcschools.us).

• Office Phone Usage: The office phone is strictly for school business and emergencies. Please arrange all playdates and transportation changes before the school day begins.

• Food Delivery Policy: DoorDash, Uber Eats, and other delivery services are not permitted on campus. Students must bring lunch from home or purchase a school lunch via the Nutrislice Website or app.

• Digital Report Cards: Physical report cards will no longer be sent home. Watch for setup instructions for the PowerSchool Portal via email in late September.

• October 2026 Lunch Menu: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TkiJD-RKx_LywPqmEZUNz6bk1rYrYczT/view?usp=sharing

• Volunteering at PPES: All volunteers need a completed background check.

  • New Volunteers: Complete the Volunteer Application & Confidentiality Form and turn it in to the front office or email Courtney Pedry (cpedry@pcschools.us) or Jobana Gertz (jgertz@pcschools.us).

  • Mass Events at PPES (Concerts, Fun Run, Halloween Parade) and classroom parties: NO fingerprinting required.

  • Field Trips: YES, fingerprinting is required

  • New Volunteers: Must complete the entire process, including fingerprints.

Character Focus for October: Respect

This month, our school family is turning our spotlight to Respect—treating ourselves, others, and our environment with value, care, and consideration!

Respect is at the heart of a safe and joyful learning community. When students practice respect, they learn to value different perspectives, practice active listening , use kind words , and treat school property with care .

How You Can Support at Home:

• Practice Active Listening : Encourage eye contact and full attention when someone is speaking. Show your child what it looks like to listen without interrupting!

• Use "Respectful Words" Everyday : Reinforce simple manners like "please," "thank you," and "excuse me" as powerful ways to show appreciation for others.

• Care for Shared Spaces : Involve your child in taking care of shared family spaces or belongings, highlighting how keeping things tidy shows respect for everyone at home.

Thank you for partnering with us as we work together to live out our school mission—Leading with Kindness, Building Connection, and Inspiring Growth in every student, every day!

Give Your Halloween Gourds a Green Second Life!

Halloween treats shouldn't turn into landfill trash! Parley's Park Elementary School is thrilled to announce that we are partnering once again with Momentum Recycling for our annual Pumpkin Composting Drive.

Instead of tossing your carved jack-o'-lanterns or leftover display pumpkins into the garbage, bring them to school! Composting keeps organic waste out of our local landfills, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and transforms your festive gourds into rich, nutrient-dense soil for local crops and gardens.

Location: Parley's Park Elementary School (PPES) grounds

• Look for 4 designated collection bins clearly marked near the school drop-off area

Accepted Items: Carved jack-o'-lanterns, uncarved whole pumpkins, and decorative gourds

How You Can Help

1. Save Your Gourds: Once Halloween night is over, set your pumpkins aside instead of throwing them away.

2. Prep Your Pumpkin: Please ensure all candles, wax, plastic decorations, tea lights, glitter, and stickers are removed before dropping them into the bins.

3. Drop Them Off: Bring your whole or carved pumpkins to any of the 4 designated collection bins at PPES between October 30 and November 13!

Keep an eye out for a detailed flyer coming home soon with additional information and quick tips on pumpkin prep!

Let's team up to make this Halloween our greenest and cleanest yet. Thank you for supporting our eco-friendly initiatives at Parley's Park Elementary! ♻️🌱

We love celebrating our Falcons! This year, we’re keeping up our fun tradition of honoring student birthdays by grade level during lunch.

Here is what your child can look forward to on their special celebration day:

• Sweet Treat: Every birthday student gets a special ice cream treat after finishing their lunch!

• Grade-Level Sing A Long: All of their grade-level peers will join together to sing Happy Birthday!

Check the Schedule & Mark Your Calendars! Take a moment to write down your child’s celebration date from the picture above. Please help us make sure your child is at school on their special day so we can give them the celebration they deserve!

2026 Falcon Fun Run

Dear Parley’s Park Families,

WE DID IT! Together, we raised an incredible $81,601 for Parley’s Park!

Our original goal was $65,000, which means we exceeded our goal by $16,601!

The $81,601 total includes $25,237 raised through our Auction. Thank you to everyone who donated to students, bid on auction items, supported student-led fundraising, and came out to support our students at yesterday’s Fun Run!

A huge thank-you to our Fun Run committee and volunteers who gathered donations, set up and tore down, worked the event, distributed prizes, ran the Parley’s Store, and handled countless details behind the scenes. We could not have done it without you! SO much time and effort goes into this fundraiser.

We are so excited to use these funds throughout the school year to support our students, staff, and school.

Auction pickup: Winners can pick up their items after school on October 12 or October 21. More details will be sent to auction winners.

And now… FALL FESTIVAL IS NEXT FRIDAY 10/9! Check out the attached flyer and SignUpGenius and sign up to volunteer. Let’s make it an amazing night for our kids!

• Sign Up to Volunteer

Thank you, Parley’s Park, for making this fundraiser such an incredible success!

With gratitude,
Parley’s Park PTA

Get ready for some theatrical fun! The PTA is thrilled to host the Missoula Children’s Theatre for an exciting, week-long program from November 30 – December 5, 2026!

All students in grades K–5th are invited to audition for a role in this year's production of Rapunzel—and the best part? Every single student who auditions will get a spot! 🌟

After a fast-paced week of learning lines and practicing routines, our talented cast will take the stage for a spectacular final performance.

🗓️ Mark Your Calendars & Rehearsal Schedule:

• Monday, 11/30 (3:15 – 5:15 PM): Auditions (followed immediately by rehearsals)

• Tuesday – Friday, 12/1 – 12/4: After-school rehearsals

• Saturday, 12/5: Big Performance Day at the Ecker Middle School Auditorium (exact showtime TBA)

Keep an eye out for more details coming home in early November! We can't wait to see our young stars shine! 🎟️✨

• PTA Involvement: Get connected with our wonderful PTA! Reach out anytime at parleyspta@gmail.com.

Dear Parents,

Help us shower our teachers with some extra love! The PTA is collecting Keurig K-Cups and other tasty snacks to restock the teachers' lounge.

• https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0B4DA4AC2AA46-40583943-stock#/

You can drop off any donations at the front desk. Thank you for your kindness and support!

Warmly,

PPES PTA - parleyspta@gmail.com

Looking for a quick, fun way to keep up with everything happening at Parley’s Park? Follow @parleyselementaryparents on Instagram! It’s your go-to spot for real-time event updates, helpful reminders, behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, and fun community highlights.

Tap the link to follow us today so you don't miss a beat!

https://www.instagram.com/parleyselementaryparents?igsi=MXFxc2pydmxoZGNucg%3D%3D

Girls youth basketball tryouts are Wednesday the 21st at 5:30pm at Park City High School. They do not have a flier, but for more information parents and athletes can contact Coach Terry Tyson at ttyson@pcschools.us.

My name is Georgi Panos and I am head of fundraising for Park City High School's Student Council! Starting on September 1st we are having our annual Soles4Souls fundraiser and would love your help!

Soles4Souls is a non-profit organization that transforms shoes and clothes and provides relief for communities by creating jobs and working towards breaking the cycle of poverty. The donations are then distributed across the U.S. and 139 countries worldwide with direct partner networks in Haiti, Honduras, Guatemala, and more.

Every couple of weeks we will stop by and pick up the donations. Students, teachers, parents, etc. can donate old shoes and clothing items to help support this cause. If you have any further questions about this event please email me at gspanos28@pcstudents.us or visit the Soles4Souls website.

English Flyer

Spanish Flyer

I’m excited to announce that Yoga & Mindfulness with Randi Jo will be offering after-school enrichment classes for students at Park City elementary schools during the 2026–2027 school year.

This year, the Compass Catalog, typically offered through the Park City School District, will not be available. As a result, Yoga & Mindfulness with Randi Jo will be one of the few after-school enrichment opportunities available to students in our community.

Our classes are open to Pre-K through 5th grade and provide a fun, supportive environment where kids can:

• Move and stretch their bodies
• Learn simple breathing techniques
• Develop mindfulness and self-regulation skills
• Build confidence and body awareness
• Play, connect, and have fun
• Unwind and reset after a busy school day

Classes are designed to be age-appropriate, engaging, and welcoming to all students—whether they are brand new to yoga or already love practicing.

Class Schedule (Starting September 14)

Time: 3:15–4:15 PM

Monday: PPES
Tuesday: MPES
Wednesday: TSES
Thursday: JRES

Registration and additional information are available at Yogawithrandijo.com or by calling (310) 403-4645.

Warmly,

Randi Jo
Yoga & Mindfulness with Randi Jo
Yogawithrandijo.com
(310) 403-4645

• Kiss & Go Zone (Car Valet): Drivers stay in the vehicle while staff assist students.
• Park & Walk Zone (Church Parking Lot): Parents are welcome to park and walk their child to the cafeteria doors.

Partner with us to help your student crush their reading and math goals this year! We’ve created grade-specific learning activities tailored for Kindergarten through 5th grade (link below).

• https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PMsP7jq8mbKHHeTw1la72ZiPJF9s-oQEPuJsk1K_1Ws/edit?usp=sharing

Simply scan the QR codes or click the links in our guide to dive straight into fun practice games for reading comprehension, math computation, phonics, and more!

Need a quick refresher on what these scores mean? Watch our quick video guides included on the sheet to learn:

• 📖 What is Acadience Reading?

• 🔢 What is Acadience Math?

• 📊 How to read your student's Parent Report

We're bringing back two of our favorite academic contests for students in grades 3–5! WordMasters Challenge is a challenging vocabulary and analogy showdown, and the Noetic Learning Math Contest, a fun and engaging math competition! These are fantastic opportunities for kids who love a good brain-stretching challenge. Interested in signing your 3rd–5th grader up? Just email me at kmccombs@pcschools.us We'd love to have them join in the fun.

To help ensure a smooth, safe, and welcoming start to the school day for all students, here is a quick reminder regarding our morning arrival routines:

• 8:10 AM — Exterior Carpool Doors Close: Our carpool exterior doors close promptly at 8:10 AM. This allows our staff members on duty to return to their own classrooms so they can be at their doors to greet arriving students, who begin entering classrooms at 8:11 AM.

• 8:10 AM – 8:15 AM Arrival: If your child arrives on campus after the exterior carpool doors close at 8:10 AM but before 8:15 AM, please drop them off at the main front entrance. They will enter through the front office and head straight to class—they will not be marked tardy as long as they arrive at the office before 8:15 AM.

• 8:15 AM — Tardy Bell: All students should be inside their classrooms and settled by 8:15 AM. Students entering the front office after 8:15 AM will be marked tardy.

Thank you for your partnership in helping our mornings run efficiently, safely, and warmly for every student!

• Calendar 2026-2027

• School Schedule:

  • Mon – Thu: 7:50 AM Doors Open | 8:10 AM First Bell | 8:15 AM Tardy Bell | 3:05 PM Dismissal

  • Friday: 7:50 AM Doors Open | 8:10 AM First Bell | 8:15 AM Tardy Bell | 12:30 PM Dismissal

• Key Links:

  • PPES School Website & Welcome Letters

  • PPES Parent/Student Handbook (Please read with your student and return ONLY the signed last page to their teacher)

  • Lunch Menus & Nutrislice

• Key Contacts & Programs:

  • Arrival & Dismissal Plans: Please notify your homeroom teacher of your child's daily travel plans.

  • Transportation & Bus Policy: Call 435-645-5660 for questions. Note: Students may only ride assigned routes to/from their home address; open enrollment students are ineligible for bus transportation.

  • Camp Falcon After-School Program: Michelle Coy (mcoy@pcschools.us) or Merrylin Pham (mpham@pcschools.us).

  • Preschool Questions: Missy Tschabrun (mtschabrun@pcschools.us) or Heather McCrory (hmccrory@pcschools.us).

  • Health Plans & Nursing: Nurse Ben Macon (bmacon@pcschools.us).

  • General Front Office: 435-645-5620 | Jobana Gertz (jgertz@pcschools.us).

Email: khowe@pcschools.us
Website: https://ppes.pcschools.us/
Location: 4600 Silver Springs Drive, Park City, UT, USA
Phone: (435) 645-5620
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parkcityschools/
Twitter: @parkcityschools