September 2009

Brockbank Holds Annual Walk-A-Thon

Wed, 09/30/2009 - 11:37 | by ts

Pictured with fifth-grade teachers, Sally Nelson and Cynthia Loreen are fifth-grade students; back L to R-Cassidy Tharp, Mckell Stone, Kassidy Groves, Swade Jorgensen, Chance Ripple, Wyatt Baum, and Colton Sleper. Front- Randall Huff and Brady Gordon

Brockbank PTA along with Brockbank faculty recently held their fourth annual walk-a-thon fundraiser. It was a great success with lots of support from the students and parents. Students, along with many of their parents, walked laps around a track set up on the grass field as a way to exercise and raise money for the school. The funds will purchase four audio enhancement sound systems for classrooms that will complete our goal set several years ago to equip every classroom with these systems. They help every student better hear classroom instruction. Prizes, pizza, and treats were available throughout the night.

Thanks to Mountain America Credit Union and Nebo Credit Union, there was also a climbing wall that the students enjoyed climbing. Brockbank Elementary would like to thank the many businesses that were generous in their support to help our students. They were Barber Welding, MVP Sports, Zion's Bank, Bank of American Fork, Prestige Spa, Crips, Macey's, Shopko, Cal Ranch, and Taco Bell. Also a big thank you to the PTA for organizing this event and for all the volunteers, parents and teachers, that helped make the walk-a-thon a success.

Fourth-Graders Enjoy Educational Field Trip

Fri, 09/25/2009 - 13:13 | by ts

Pictured is parent volunteer, Derek White and Brockbank fourth-graders learning about environmental issues at Canyon View Park.

Fourth-graders at Brockbank Elementary recently attended a fun educational field trip to Canyon View Park located at the mouth of Spanish Fork Canyon. Several parent volunteers helped out to make the day successful. The students were divided into small groups and each group rotated around the many stations that parents or teachers instructed. All of the activities focused on the environmental issues, particularly conservation of resources, that are part of the science curriculum in fourth grade.

Brockbank Sixth-Graders Learn About Heat

Mon, 09/14/2009 - 17:39 | by ts

Pictured holding their projects are sixth-grade winners from L to R; Alexis Lanegan, Elise Wilson, Payton Sorensen, and Makayla Olson (not pictured is Lauren Mockett)

The sixth-grade students at Brockbank Elementary have been learning about heat for the past few weeks. Students learned about the different ways that heat transfers, as well as conductors and insulators. One of the assignments during this unit was for students to create the best insulating cups. The only stipulation for the cup was that it needed to be able to hold at least one ice cube.

Students could use any material they wanted to, they could even take an existing cup and improve it. The sixth-grade teachers were very impressed with the creativity that went into making the insulating cups.

They saw cups made out of insulating foam, saran wrap, and cardboard. One of the cups used chemicals to keep the ice cube from melting! The students had fun doing this activity and they were able to learn what materials make good insulators through a hands-on experience. The first place winner was Makayla Olson and the runners up were Alexia Lanegan, Elise Wilson, Payton Sorensen, and Lauren Mockett.

Brockbank Students Learn How to Be a Good Friend!

Mon, 09/14/2009 - 17:21 | by ts

Pictured from L to R is Emma Runolfson, Landon Nielsen, Garyn Jensen, Mrs. Kristel Peterson, Mr. Ryan Murray, and Brooklyn Pintar

Brockbank Elementary has a fantastic character education program! Each month, a different group of teachers act out a common scenario that could happen any day at school.

Marvin and Jessie (a.k.a. Mr. Ryan Murray, sixth-grade teacher, and Mrs. Kristel Peterson, second-grade teacher) are "students" at Brockbank who have differenet experiences each month that they share with the students.

The skits focus on a different skill each time and are a great way to teach students about different skills to help them be successful in all aspects of life. This month's skill was on Friendship. Some of the examples of ways a student can be a good friend is by sharing, being a good listener; by showing kindness, empathy, and respect to others; and by helping each other.

Students learned that, "a good friend treats others the way he or she would like to be treated."

Brockbank Has Great Parent Volunteers!

Wed, 09/09/2009 - 16:51 | by ts

Pictured are some of the wonderful parent volunteers from L to R; Tiffany Beus, Tami Christensen, Jenny Perkins, Shaunie Critchfield, and sixth-grade teacher Ryan Murray.

Brockbank Elementary is getting ready for a great school year, but we can't do it alone. Brockbank is lucky to have great parent volunteers that are willing to come and help in the classrooms. Thursday, Sept. 3, the PTA held a room parent meeting where parent volunteers came in and met with teachers to help plan for the fun school year.

Mary Briggs Retires As Librarian at Brockbank Elementary

Wed, 09/09/2009 - 14:48 | by ts

Mary Briggs Retires from Brockbank.

Mary Briggs has recently retired as the librarian for Brockbank Elementary School. Mary began working at Brockbank School at the beginning of the 1984-85 school year. In her twenty-five years at Brockbank, Mary has been a favorite among students and faculty. Mary has been a constant in a faculty that experiences changes each year. She is one of the first to welcome new faculty and staff members and instantly makes people feel welcome. She has worked for 3 of the 4 principals at Brockbank Elementary and has enjoyed positive relationships with each one.

When Mary first began working at Brockbank, the books were all indexed and sorted with a card catalog. Under Mary, the library has transformed dramatically in the past twenty-five years. Mary has computerized the library and made things much more automatic. Mary has increased her own skills in technology and made great efforts to continue growing and developing. Additionally, Mary instructed students each week on library skills and shared some of her favorite stories with the children. By the end of each week, Mary had seen each first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth grader in the entire school. When asked, Mary said one of the things she will miss the very most is seeing the students each day and hearing all of their fun stories. Students and teachers alike can attest to the kindness that Mary has shown to them everyday.

Mary is passionate about good books and kids. She loved her job and it showed in all that she did. We will miss Mary and wish her well in her retirement. Mary lives in Spanish Fork with her husband Garry. They have four children and 9 grandchildren.