Emily Dickinson & the PAC:
What to Expect
Welcome new students and parents!
Here are some of the fun experiences and activities your student will likely have an opportunity to experience here at Emily Dickinson Elementary School:
- Open Houses (food trucks and/or ice cream organized and paid for by the PAC): a great way to see what your child is doing at school, and its always fun to socialize with the school community. Don't forget to check the Lost & Found while you're there!
- Big/Little Buddies: upper grades often pair with lower grade level buddies for projects and learning.
- Walk-to-Read: students break into groups, sometimes between multiple classrooms, so that they can be paired with other students at a similar reading comprehension level.
- Fun Run (organized and paid for by the PAC): the students run many short laps outdoors, each grade at a different time, while parents and teachers provide water, snacks, and sideline cheering. The 5th graders get to wear white t-shirts and do a color run!
- Family Bingo Night (organized and paid for by the PAC): families gather in the auditorium for food and family fun, also often participating in lotteries or silent auctions for themed baskets and other donations.
- 5th Grade Orchestra/Band: all 5th grade students are required to chose an instrument and participate in either orchestra or band. Instruments can be rented through Eckroth Music. Parents might want to encourage students to choose the instrument in advance, so that they can rent or buy it and have it ready to go when orchestra and band begin in the fall of 5th grade.
- School Theater Performances (organized and paid for by the PAC): we hire Missoula Children's Theater or Bozeman's Children's Theatre to help with auditions and performances.
- Lunchtime Ice-Skating Rink (set up, maintenance, and volunteer supervisors organized by the PAC): in the winter months, students can go ice-skating at school! Helmets are required. Please sign up here to volunteer as a parent supervisor.
- Emily's Garden (organized by the Garden Committee, with assistance and funding from the PAC): there is a large garden on the north side of the school. It has primarily been used as an outdoor education location. We are working towards someday having edible elements!
- Student Testing Days (snacks and drinks organized by the PAC): the school will generally let you know in advance when big test days come up. You will receive printed reports comparing each student's progress over time.
- Staff Appreciation (organized and often paid for by the PAC): the PAC helps coordinate donations of time and money to get staff meals, snacks, or treats during lengthy conference days, for special occasions, or just because.
- Teacher Grants (paid for by the PAC): the PAC reviews teacher requests for special classroom costs or professional improvement opportunities, and approves them on a case-by-case basis.
- 5th Grade Legacy Project (organized by the PAC): every year, the 5th grade raises money to donate something to the school on their behalf, for posterity.
- Book Fairs (volunteers organized by the PAC): once or twice a year, there is usually a book sale in the Emily Dickinson library, often coinciding with Parent-Teacher Conferences.
- Science Fairs (catering provided by the PAC): older students are strongly encouraged to participate in the annual Science Fair.
- WordMasters: older gifted students have an opportunity to hone their vocabulary in small groups taught by parent volunteers. They may or may not participate in the official national WordMasters competition.
- Continental Mathematics League (CML): older gifted students have an opportunity to challenge themselves in math in small groups taught by parent volunteers. They may or may not compete in official CML competitive meets.
- Single-Subject Acceleration: all gifted students at Emily Dickinson have the opportunity to learn according to their ability. As these students get further ahead of many other Emily Dickinson students, they may have the opportunity to attend upper-level courses at Chief Joseph Middle School.
Together, Emily Dickinson community members donate immense amounts of their time and money to our students.
Please consider signing up to learn more about various PAC volunteer opportunities as they arise.