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Teacher of the Year
What better valentine than a nomination for Teacher of the Year?
Only a few days remain in our public-nomination process for the Canyons District Teacher of the Year.
So don't delay — give some love to teachers at your child’s school! What better valentine for a teacher than to receive a nomination from a parent for the Teacher of the Year honors? Here is some information about the upcoming 2015 Teacher of the Year process. You’ll see that members of School Community Councils play important roles in selecting each school’s Teacher of the Year. The nominations window is open until Friday. Nomination forms are on the District’s website.
Process
While employees will be asked to submit their nominations to the principal’s office, school PTA Boards will accept nominations from the community. The Teacher of the Year will be selected by selection panels created at each school to include the principal, an ESP employee, and the SCC chair or SCC parent designee. The process includes the following:
- PTA Boards meet to examine community nominations March 2-6.
- PTA Boards forward up to 2 names to the Selection Panel for consideration by March 6.
- The School Selection Panel considers employee and PTA nominations and selects the Teacher of the Year by March 13.
- Schools host surprise announcements for Teachers of the Year on April 3.
- Board recognizes Teachers of the Year, announces District Teacher of the Year April 28.
Selection Criteria
The Teacher of the Year must:
- Have taught at least three years and be a career educator;
- Not have failed an evaluation at any time in the past five years;
- Demonstrate that his or her students are making progress;
- Demonstrate that he or she supports the Canyons District vision and goals;
- Demonstrate leadership skills and efforts to promote collaboration, student engagement, and community and family involvement.
All school Teachers of the Year will be honored at a special meeting and reception of the Board of Education on April 28. At that meeting, the District Teacher of the Year will be announced. Members of SCCs are invited to cheer for their school’s honoree.
All school Teachers of the Year also will be recognized at the Board of Education's annual Apex Awards, to be held Sept. 22 at Gardner Village.
Two of the main avenues for parents in Canyons District to be involved are the Parent Teacher Association and School Community Councils. What is the difference between the two? While both are important, they play different roles.
PTA is the organization for parents and teachers in elementary schools. In secondary school, the organization is for parents, teachers and students (PTSA). The aim of the PTA is to encourage parent participation and involvement in our schools. SCCs are made up of parents, teachers and administrators and have the statutory responsibility of creating the School Improvement Plan and allocating the resources from the LAND Trust funds that are given to each school every school. SCC members review school and collective student data to establish the greatest academic needs of the schools and to assist in setting the priorities for addressing these needs.
Apex Awards • New Category
Canyons District is pleased to announce a new category for the Apex Awards, which are the highest honors given by the Canyons Board of Education and Administration. This year, the Board of Education and Administration will give an award to the top Student Support Professional of the Year.
This award will be for all those important student- and classroom-support professionals whose jobs don’t fit into the already-established Apex Award categories. The category will be for our school psychologists, counselors, nurses, coaches, speech-language pathologists, curriculum specialists, Achievement Coaches, Education Technology Specialists, etc.
The other Apex Award categories are District Administrator of the Year, School Administrator of the Year, Teacher of the Year, Education Support Professional of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Business Partner of the Year, and the Legacy Award. Nominations will open in the spring.
It would be a delight to see a hard-working SCC member win this year’s award for Volunteer of the Year. Please be prepared to submit those nominations when the window opens.
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Lady Bengals Roar to the Top
Could it have been the navy-blue sweater of Brighton Coach Jim Gresh — which he's worn for about two weeks — that brought luck to the Lady Bengals on Saturday, Feb. 21 during the 5A championship game? "My wife said stop wearing that sweater. … She may have to wash it tonight," Gresh told the Deseret News. Perhaps the sweater helped a little bit — but the Bengals' tough defense and rebounding are being touted as the big reasons the team bested last year’s champs, the Fremont Silverwolves, to claim the state title. It was a battle from beginning to end — but the Bengals pulled away in the last quarter to claim the 2015 trophy. This is the first state championship for the Lady Bengals basketball team in more than a decade. More recognitions are coming for the Lady Bengals — Utah Sen. Brian Shiozowa, R-Cottonwood Heights, will honor the team on the Senate floor this Thursday. Congratulations to the students and their supportive parents. See the District's Facebook page for a photo album of the win.
Hoops Dreams
Brighton’s boys’ team is hoping to place a state trophy right next to the one earned by the girls’ squad. With a Monday win over American Fork, the team remains in the hunt for the 2015 title. The Bengals jumped out to an early — and never lost ground to the heavily favored Cavemen. The team from Alta fought valiantly in a first-round loss to Pleasant Grove and the Hillcrest Huskies hustled in their down-to-the-wire loss to the Layton Lancers. Next up for Brighton: Hunter High at 5:50 p.m. on Wednesday. The tournament is being played at the Dee Events Center at Weber State University. #gobengals
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NEW COACH FOR HAWKS:
Alta High has hired Alema Te’o, known for his role in founding the prestigious All-Poly Football Camp, as the Hawks’ head football coach. Te’o, a PE teacher, already has scheduled meetings with prospective players and their parents. We wish much luck to Coach Te'o in his new role in our District.
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DRILL TEAMS SHINE AT STATE:
Congrats to the team from Hillcrest and Corner Canyon’s Charelles for their top-five finishes at the Utah Drill Team Championships. Hillcrest finished in fourth-place in 5A and Corner Canyon ended up fourth in 4A. Alta and Brighton drill teams also qualified to complete. See our Facebook page for short videos of their performances. We also applaud the parents and guardians who are always seen cheering their students from the stands.
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Visit from Consul General of France
Butler Principal Christy Waddell, Oak Hollow Principal Corrie Barrett, along with EBL Elementary Director Amber Roderick-Landward, Assistant Superintendent Kathryn McCarrie and Dual Language Immersion specialist Ofelia Wade recently attended a luncheon with Paulina Carmona, the consul General of France in San Francisco. The Utah State Office of Education extended invitations to principals of DLI schools that have earned LabelFrancEducation status. There are only 56 such schools worldwide. Seven are in Utah and two are in Canyons District. At the event, French Cultural Attaché Gilles Delcourt presented gifts to each principal for their schools.
The District simply wouldn’t have the kind of success at its schools without the help of dedicated parents — and few are more dedicated than parents of children in DLI programs. We give a big thanks to SCC members who also are helping their children through the dual-language immersion programs.
'The Force' is with LEGO League Winners
Their name is Team Jedi — and, yes, The Force is with them. Team Jedi, which includes a student from Jordan High and Sunrise Elementary, won the recent FIRST Lego League championship at the University of Utah. The team advances to the FIRST LEGO League World Festival and FIRST Championship in St. Louis in April. “I didn’t want to say we could win, but we had done a lot of work, and we learned a whole lot this season,” Nicole Brooks, Jordan High freshman and Team Jedi member, told the University of Utah's news service. The Sunrise student member of the team is Allison Drennan. Other team members are from South Jordan Middle, Monte Vista Elementary, and Beehive Science Academy.
Team NXT Brain Factory, made up of students at Midvale Middle and one student at Hillcrest High, received a special award in Robotics Programming for their achievements at the state contest. The youth robotics and innovation program drew 297 teams of students ages 9-14 from across the state, a group that was whittled to 48 in regional competitions, one of which was held at Albion Middle in mid-January. Utah’s FIRST LEGO League program is headquartered at the University of Utah’s Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute, a division of the U.'s David Eccles School of Business. Congrats to both teams for their achievements, also reported by Fox13 and The Salt Lake Tribune.
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Middle School Intramurals Contests
Our two remaining Middle School Intramural Tournaments have been scheduled to take place on the courts of Jordan High and fields of Union Middle. The 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament is set for March 24, 25 and 26 for sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grades, respectively. The tournament will run from 4-8 p.m. at Jordan. The Middle School Intramurals Soccer Tournament is scheduled to take place on May 14 from 4-8 p.m. at Union. Good luck to the teams and their coaches.
Administrative Appointments
The Board of Education recently approved the appointment of the following administrators:
- Chip Watts, currently Assistant Principal, will become the new Assistant Principal at Midvale Elementary. He replaces Jessica Vidal, who resigned to pursue other opportunities.
- Brooke Rauzon, who is serving as the Achievement Coach at East Sandy, will become an Assistant Principal at Union Middle. She takes the position previously held by Watts.
We’re confident the SCCs at Midvale Elementary and Union Middle will enjoy working with Mr. Watts and Ms. Rauzon.
Alternative Diploma
The Board of Education approved on a one-year pilot basis an optional diploma that will be extended only to high school seniors who are at-risk for dropping out and meet certain criteria. The optional diplomas are intended to allow students who are at risk of not completing high school in their senior year to earn an optional diploma by completing the state-required 24 credits, which includes four credits of English, three credits each of math and science, and three credits of social studies, among other requirements. Canyons requires students to earn 27 credits, three of which are additional electives, to graduate with a traditional CSD diploma. Students would be extended the optional diploma only in their senior year and only after meeting specific requirements, including meeting with counselors, the school administrator and the student.
Legislative Issues
More than 1,200 bill requests were filed before the Jan. 26 start of the 2015 Utah Legislature.
You can stay up-to-date on the progression of education related bills by subscribing to an RSS feed from the Canyons District website. The CSD government-relations team does a daily update of the status of bills that have potential to impact public education. See our website to sign up for this and other RSS feeds.
What's on the School Lunch Menu? Your Recipe!
Time to dig out the old family cookbooks.Canyons District’s Nutrition Services Department is holding an across-the-district recipe contest for students. The winning recipe will become part of the school lunch menu and will be named after the student who submitted it. The winning recipe, which will be announced in March, National Nutrition Month, must be original and include a protein, a vegetable, and a grain. All components can be in one recipe, which cannot include any tree nuts or peanuts due to allergies, or may be included as side dishes. Only one recipe submission per student will be accepted. Submit recipes online at www.canyonsdistrict.org.
Money for College
Now that 83 percent – and counting – of CSD high school seniors applied for college during November’s Utah College Application Week, we’re helping them take the next step: Find money for college. Parents and students are invited to a series of workshops focusing on the FAFSA — Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Submitting a FAFSA form unlocks the door to $150 billion in available scholarships, work-study programs, low-interest student loans and grants. Why the push? Last year, about 60 percent of seniors in Canyons District high schools could have received free money through the FAFSA. Sadly, only 27 percent applied. Here are the dates, times and locations of the workshops:
- Feb. 25-26: 4-8 p.m., Alta
- Feb. 25-26: 5-8 p.m., Corner Canyon
- Feb 26: 5:30-7:30 p.m., Hillcrest
- March 19: 6:30-8:30 p.m., Jordan
$1,000 for FAFSA Completion
Good news! Jordan Credit Union is giving a $1,000 scholarship to each of our high schools to award to students who complete the FAFSA. While details are in the works, we wanted to share the good news with you right away. Recently, the District launched a campaign to educate students and families about the $150 billion in college aid available to students who complete the FAFSA. College money includes grants, scholarships, work-study programs, and low-interest loans.
Outstanding Principals
The Canyons Association of Elementary School Principals has selected its nominees for honors in the annual recognitions program of the Utah Association of Elementary School Principals.
“Each year, the Canyons Association of Elementary School Principals has the opportunity to recognize the hard work and dedication of a few of our colleagues,” says Lone Peak Principal McKay Robinson, the president of the CAESP. “The few who were selected this year have epitomized what it means to wear more hats than you can count as the instructional leaders of their buildings. I am sure I’m not alone when I express that I am so grateful for the opportunity to work with great individuals that continue to inspire me to be the absolute best principal I can be.”
Congratulations to the leaders who were chosen by the association to represent Canyons District in the state competition.
- Instructional Leader of the Year — Ridgecrest Principal Teri Mattson
- Innovator of the Year — Draper Principal Piper Riddle
- Mentor Principal of the Year — Willow Canyon Principal Marilyn Williams
- Community Leader of the Year — Butler Principal Christy Waddell
- Rookie of the Year — Altara Principal Nicole Svee-Magann
First Day of School • 2016
It’s official: school will start on Aug. 24 in 2016. The Board of Education on Tuesday, Jan. 6 approved the 2016-2017 academic calendar following extensive feedback from the public. The Board approved the calendar following input from nearly 250 patrons responding to an online survey open in October and November 2014, as well as recommendations by the District Calendar Committee, comprised of 23 parents, teachers, and school employees. The 2016-2017 calendar schedules school to start Aug. 24, 2016, end June 7, 2017. The calendar also includes a two-day Fall Recess, a three-day Thanksgiving Recess, a Winter Recess starting on Dec. 21 and ending on Jan. 2, and a Spring Recess during the first full week of April. In addition, the calendar includes 3.5 contract days for teachers before school starts.
The calendar is similar to that tentatively approved by the Board in 2013. Earlier this fall, the Calendar Committee proposed revising the calendar to start and end school one week earlier than shown on the tentatively approved calendar. The Board sought additional public input on the calendar proposal. Nearly 250 patrons responded to an online survey, and overwhelmingly favored the calendar with the Aug. 24 start date. The Calendar Committee reconvened to consider the additional input, and recommended the now-approved calendar.
Learn and Play
Are you looking for an inexpensive but high-quality preschool for your 4-year-old? Take a minute to check out Canyons District’s preschool programs. The District has started taking new-student applications for available spots in the preschool programs at Altara, Butler, Jordan Valley, Quail Hollow and Willow Springs.
Applications can be submitted on the District's website. All schools with space for tuition-paying students have morning and afternoon sessions. Morning sessions are 8:35-10:50 a.m. Afternoon sessions are 11:30-1:45 p.m. Students can enroll in a two- or four-days-a-week program. Cost is $70 for two days a week; and $140 for four days a week. Availability is based on a first-come, first-served basis. Acceptance letters will be mailed the first week of April. Students who are not accepted are placed on a waiting list and parents will be notified when space is available.
The enrollment window for the Title I school preschools opens Monday, March 2. There is no fee associated with the Title I programs, which are held four days a week. Students must live within the boundaries of the schools to attend.
Questions? Please call 801-826-5112.
Understanding Autism: Free Workshops
One more class remains in a series of workshops about autism and Aspergers Syndrome. The classes are taught by Melisa Genaux, a consultant and trainer on autism spectrum disorders who works with school districts nationwide. The final class is scheduled for 4:15-7 p.m. at the Professional Development Center of the Canyons Support Services Center, 9361 S. 300 East:
- March 26: Executive functioning strategies and coping with anxiety and depression
To register, please contact Shela Barker at shela.barker@canyonsdistrict.org. Please include “Focus on Autism” in the subject field, and include your name, phone number, and the sessions you would like to attend.
Let’s Hit the Slopes!
Wax up those skis! Saturday, March 21 is the third and final Canyons District Night at Brighton Resort for 2015. Lift passes are $25 for those who bring the coupon that can be found on the CSD website. Three dollars of each ticket sold with the coupons will go to the Canyons Education Foundation.
Questions? Call the Office of Partnerships and Community Service at 801-826-5115.
Facilities Update
Exciting news for the Alta View Elementary School Community Council! Progress is being made on the plans to rebuild the school. Programming and design starts this month, with construction beginning in early 2016 and a completion date in late summer 2017.
In addition, construction on Butler Elementary is expected to start in late spring, and demolition and construction at Midvale Middle could start at the end of the summer. Groundbreaking ceremonies will be planned for all three projects, which are being made possible by the $250 million bond Canyons voters approved in spring 2010.
Click here to see preliminary drawings of the new Butler Elementary.
Click here to see a new blog about the new Mount Jordan Middle.
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Additions to the Trophy Case
- The marching-band drumline at Alta High captured third place at the state competition held at Provo High.
- Greg Lamb, a student-athlete at Corner Canyon, won the top 5A wrestling medal in the 138-pound division. Tayler Johnson, from Jordan, claimed victory in 5A’s 152-pound division.
- Brock Harries, from Brighton High, won three state championships at the state swim meet. Harries is the 5A state champ in the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle races, and was a member of the top 200-yard medley relay team. The Bengal boys and girls teams finished in third place at the state meet.
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Representing Canyons
Canyons District was well represented at the recent National Title I Conference.The conference, organized by the National Association of State Title I Directors, was earlier this month at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City.CSD administrators presented at the recent National Title I Conference. Karen Sterling, Director of Student Advocacy and Access, presented with Ohio State University professors, and Sandy Elementary Principal Sandra Dahl-Houlihan presented with CSD teacher-specialist Salliane Wakely and former Superintendent David S. Doty. We're proud of the work that our School Community Councils are doing in our Title I schools. We appreciate your hard work!
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