Parley's Park Press

Welcome to November! As the crisp autumn air settles in and the leaves finish falling, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who made our October celebrations so memorable.

🎃 October Highlights

Our Halloween festivities were a highlight for our school family! Seeing so many students, staff, and families come together for our parade was so fun. A special thank you to our parent volunteers and room parents who organized and hosted such festive classroom parties. Our students had an absolute blast! We also want to thank all of our visitors for your patience and flexibility as we continue transitioning to our new front-desk self-check-in kiosks. Your cooperation plays a vital role in keeping our campus safe and secure for everyone.

🍂 Looking Ahead in November As we move into November, our focus turns toward gratitude, community, and reflection. Here are a few important events coming up this month:

• Candy Buy-Back: Students can participate in the PCHS Student Council Candy Buy-Back during lunchtime on November 2nd & 3rd.

  
  

• Veterans Day Assembly: We look forward to honoring our school's active duty, reserve, and veteran family members on November 6th.

  
  

• Pumpkin Composting Drive: Keep an eye out for our eco-friendly post-Halloween composting drive running through November 13th!

  
  

⏰ Important Reminders: Morning Drop-Off & Afternoon Pickup Help us keep our school days running smoothly and safely! We have seen a high number of morning tardies (35–70 daily) and late afternoon pickups (5–15 daily). Starting on time sets a calm, focused tone for students, while prompt dismissal pickups allow our staff to attend scheduled meetings and prep for the next day. With winter weather right around the corner, getting into a solid routine now helps everyone:

• Morning Arrival: Please have your child at school a few minutes before 8:10 AM.

  
  

• Afternoon Pickup: Please pick up your child promptly at 3:05 PM (or call the office if an unexpected emergency arises).

  
  

Thank you for your continued partnership, support, and dedication to making Parley’s Park Elementary such a caring and safe community for our students!

Kim Howe | Principal

Parley's Park Elementary School | Park City School District

We are so proud to share the latest Utah State Board of Education 25/26 report card results for Parley’s Park Elementary! Thanks to the hard work of our students, the dedication of our teachers, and the support of our families, PPES achieved outstanding ratings across key areas:

• Academic Achievement (Exemplary): Strong proficiency rates across all core subjects—73.6% in English Language Arts, 73.2% in Science, and 70.2% in Math.

• Student Growth (Commendable): Highlights include impressive growth in ELA and Science, with solid growth in Math and for our lowest 25% of learners.

• English Learner Progress (Exemplary):71.4% of our English learners made adequate progress toward language proficiency, with 25.7% reaching full proficiency! While we are thrilled with these results, we aren't stopping here. Our team is committed to the "power of yet" as we actively work toward 100% of our English Learners achieving full proficiency.

• Early Literacy & Attendance: 77.8% of our students are reading on grade level (with 70.7% making typical or better progress), while maintaining an 84.1% attendance rate.

Thank you for continuing to partner with us to support high academic growth and success for every Falcon! 🌟

https://reportcard.schools.utah.gov/

Additionally, 25.7% of our EL students reached full language proficiency, outperforming both district (22%) and state (13%) averages.

Thank you to our dedicated teachers, specialists, and families for supporting our students' language and learning journeys! 👏

https://reportcard.schools.utah.gov/

We are thrilled to share the extraordinary academic progress our 3rd–5th grade Falcons have made on the RISE assessments since the 2020–2021 school year! Thanks to the relentless dedication of our teachers, the hard work of our students, and the strong support of our families, Parley’s Park has achieved steady, remarkable gains across all core subjects:

• 📐 Math: Steadily climbing from 55% proficiency in 2020–2021 to a high of 70.2% in 2025–2026 (+15.2%)!

• 🧪 Science: Surged from 55% in 2020–2021 to an impressive 73.2% proficiency this past year (+18.2%)!

• 📚 English Language Arts (ELA): Rebounded and surged to a school record of 73.6% proficiency in 2025–2026 (up from 57% in 2020–2021)!

These long-term trends reflect the incredible resilience, focus, and academic culture at Parley's Park Elementary. Thank you for partnering with us as we continue to inspire growth in every learner! 🌟

We have some incredible news to celebrate! Parley’s Park Elementary has been officially named a 2027 U.S. News Best Elementary School, placing among the top 40% of elementary schools in the state of Utah!

This prestigious recognition reflects the incredible hard work, heart, and dedication of our teachers and staff, the determination of our students, and the strong support of our Parley’s Park families every single day.

We are so proud of our school community and grateful for your continued partnership in making PPES such a wonderful place to learn and grow! 🌟

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

Halloween Pumpkin Composting Drive running through November 13th

PPES PreK Open House: 11/4, 5-7PM

PCEF's Live PC Give PC: 11/6, All Day

• https://www.livepcgivepc.org/
• Students and Staff encouraged to wear orange

PTA General Meeting - Thursday, 11/12, 8:30-9:30AM

Big Smiles Dental - Thursday, 11/12

PCEF's Red Apple Gala - Saturday, 11/14

Thanksgiving Break (No School) - Wednesday, 11/25 - Friday, 11/27

Missoula Children's Theatre - Monday, 11/30 -12/5

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)

Our 5th graders recently enjoyed a wonderful fall afternoon together at the park for a grade-level picnic! It was a fantastic opportunity for students to unwind, play games, and connect with their peers outside of the classroom. Thank you to our 5th-grade teachers and parent volunteers who helped organize and chaperone such a fun, memorable outing!

A huge round of applause to our incredible Specials team (PE, Art, Music, Library, Dance, and Coding) for bringing extra magic and creativity to campus on Halloween! Their fantastic team costumes added happiness and excitement throughout the day. Thank you for making school so much fun for our Falcons!

Talk about a delicious reward! Our lucky Falcon Fun Run auction winners got to enjoy a special pizza party with our very own Ms. Heidi, PPES counselor! The room was filled with big smiles, great conversations, and plenty of cheesy goodness. Thank you to everyone who supported our Falcon Fun Run and helped make awesome memories like this possible!

A huge thank you to all of our amazing PPES teachers and staff members who jumped into the Halloween spirit and dressed up! From creative group themes to fun individual costumes, our staff brought so much joy and energy to our campus celebrations.

Pictured here getting into the festive fun: Tricia Perkins (3rd Grade English DLI), Amy McGarr (3rd Grade Traditional), Katelin Gortat (1st Grade Traditional), along with Jill Kindt (Kindergarten Aide) and Amanda West (Kindergarten Teacher) who had everyone smiling dressed up as Kindergarten students! 🌟

Our Kindergarten classes recently ventured out to the Park City Nursery Pumpkin Patch for a day of hands-on autumn learning! Armed with their observation skills, our youngest Falcons explored the patch while documenting their five senses, from the crunch of cold leaves and the smell of fresh pine to the feel of bumpy pumpkin ridges and spooky sights along the way. Despite a few silly chills and spooktacular surprises, everyone had a wonderful time! A huge thank you to the Park City Nursery for hosting us and to our parent chaperones for helping keep our little explorers safe! 🍁✨

On Friday, October 30th, our school morning was filled with extra magic (and music!) thanks to our talented Pocket Trumpet students! Our young musicians, led by Sara Marchetti, greeted everyone as they arrived for the day, serenading students and staff with spooktacular songs as they walked to class. It was such a fun, festive way to start the morning and showcase our students' musical talents. Bravo to our pocket trumpet performers! 🎶🎃

Halloween at Parley’s Park brought out so much creativity across our school!

A huge shout-out to our Special Education team and Instructional Coach, who brought the cute picture book The Day the Crayons Quit to life! Dressed as colorful crayons complete with "I Quit!" signs, their group costume was a total hit with students and staff.

Plus, our leadership team got into the spirit to highlight this year's schoolwide theme! Principal Howe and Dean Ledesma geared up in full camping attire to celebrate our 2026–2027 school year theme: "Camp Parley's!" 🌲🏕️

Thank you to our incredible team for bringing so much fun, energy, and smiles to our campus celebrations! 🌟

• 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.

• November 2026 Lunch Menu:
• https://drive.google.com/file/d/19b6YXrgMdi_Y_PkPufbmF71E6YCYjYNS/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, Class Parties): NO fingerprinting required.

  • Field Trips: YES, fingerprinting is required

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

This month, our school family is celebrating Kindness—choosing to lift others up through encouraging words, thoughtful actions, and genuine empathy!

Kindness creates a sense of belonging where every student feels safe, valued, and encouraged. Whether it's including a classmate at recess , sharing a simple smile in the hallway , or offering a helping hand , small acts of kindness create a big wave of positivity across our entire school!

How You Can Support at Home:

• Catch Them Being Kind : Notice and praise small acts of helpfulness at home. A simple "You shared with your sibling today. That was so kind!" reinforces positive behavior.

• Perform "Secret Acts of Kindness" : Challenge your child to do something nice for a family member, neighbor, or friend without being asked or needing credit.

• Reflect Together at Dinner : Ask a daily kindness question during family time, such as "Who did you show kindness to today?" or "How did someone make you feel supported today?"

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!

Questions? PPES' School Counselor, Heidi Gwinn @ hgwinn@pcschools.us

3rd–5th Grade students will participate in a Firearm Safety lesson with Heidi Gwinn, School Counselor, and Officer Baker, PPES Resource Officer. This lesson fulfills the requirements of Utah House Bill 104, which mandates firearm safety education for students. The purpose of this lesson is to help students:

• Recognize unsafe situations

• Know how to respond appropriately

• Identify trusted adults they can go to for help

This lesson is designed to help students strengthen essential social, emotional, and everyday life skills that support their success both in and out of the classroom.

Questions? PPES' School Counselor, Heidi Gwinn @ hgwinn@pcschools.us

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

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

• 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