Welcome to the 2015-2016 school year! Canyons School District is preparing to roll out the red carpet for students, new principals and educational innovations, and to celebrate the student successes to come.
“During summer break I hope all of our students and families in CSD had an opportunity to reconnect and enjoy family and friends,” Canyons Superintendent Dr. James Briscoe said. “The Board of Education and Administration are looking forward to welcoming students back to school for CSD’s seventh academic year, and to continuing our commitment to providing a safe learning environment and outstanding instruction that will prepare students for college and careers.”
On the first day of school Aug. 19, Canyons’ 29 elementary and eight middle schools will roll out the red carpet literally to welcome students on the first day of school. As students enter the building, parents and teachers line the red carpet as “paparazzi” to cheer for their up-and-coming college-ready stars. The red-carpet welcome, which has become tradition in Canyons School District, serves to celebrate the start of a new academic year and underscore the importance of school as a child’s path to success and college- and career-readiness.
Also on Aug. 19, students in 14 CSD schools will be welcomed by new leaders:
– Hillcrest High: Greg Leavitt, former Draper Park Middle Principal
– Draper Park Middle: Mary Anderson, former Union Middle Principal
– Union Middle: Kelly Tauteoli, former Park Lane Elementary Principal
– Park Lane Elementary: Justin Jeffery, former Assistant Principal, Humble Independent School District in Texas
– Midvale Middle: Wendy Dau, former Jordan High Assistant Principal
– Canyon View Elementary: BJ Weller, former Midvale Middle Assistant Principal
– Crescent Elementary: Mindy Robison, former CSD middle-school math team lead
– Midvale Elementary: Chip Watts, former Assistant Principal
– Quail Hollow Elementary: Shad DeMill, former Midvale Elementary Principal
– Ridgecrest Elementary: Julie Winfree, former CSD Standards-Based Grading Team and Dual Immersion Team member
– Oak Hollow Elementary: Julie Mootz, former Brookwood Elementary Principal
– Brookwood Elementary: Corrie Barrett, former Oak Hollow Principal
– Sandy Elementary: McKay Robinson, former Lone Peak Principal, replaces Sandra Dahl-Houlihan, the new District Administrator of Evaluation and Leadership.
– Lone Peak Elementary: Tracy Stacy, former elementary school Principal, Eagle County School Districtâ¨in Colorado.
In elementary schools, students will experience a new schedule that brings back early-out Fridays and gives teachers uninterrupted time during the school day to collaborate and plan. Trained specialists will teach students in areas such as arts and physical education during teacher planning time. The schedule, approved by the Board of Education last spring, was crafted by a task force of teachers from every CSD elementary and Jordan Valley School, and is designed to better prepare students for college and careers.
Welcome back, students. Here’s to a great year.
