A veteran educator who has experience as a teacher, academic coach, assistant principal, principal and a recruiter in Canyon’s Human Resources Department has been appointed a director over half of the District’s elementary schools.

Sally Sansom, who has spent nearly a decade criss-crossing the country in search of the best teacher talent for Canyons classrooms, has been appointed to CSD’s Office of School Performance, which oversees the leadership at Canyons high, middle and elementary schools. The Board of Education approved her appointment on Tuesday, March 21, 2023.

Sansom fills the spot held by Dr. McKay Robinson, who will begin his new role as CSD’s Assistant Superintendent this summer. She will join School Performance Directors Alice Peck, Cindy Hanson and Tom Sherwood as the core group of administrators who will guide the principals and assistant principals at CSD’s high, middle, and elementary schools.

In her new role, which begins after the end of the 2022-2023 school year, Sansom also will serve as a member of the Superintendent’s Leadership Cabinet.
“I am excited to continue my work with principals,” said Sansom, also a former teacher at a Title I school. “For nine years, I have worked with them to find the best possible teachers and supporting them in all parts of their important work. I look forward to what we can achieve together.”

Sansom started working for Canyons District in 2009 — the inaugural year of CSD’s operations. At that time, she served as Principal of East Midvale Elementary, a post she held until becoming part of the team heading up CSD’s Human Resources Department. In addition to recruiting teachers for elementary schools, Sansom coordinated Canyons’ substitute-teacher program.

Sansom has a special affinity for two teachers who were recruited for CSD schools: Her daughters. One is a second-grade teacher at Crescent Elementary; the other, a first-grade teacher at Willow Springs Elementary. She said they provide her with good-to-know feedback about what it’s like to be a new teacher in a Canyons school.

“Having my daughters teach in our schools has given me more insight about what we do well — and what we can do better,” she said.

Canyons Human Resources Department Director Steve Dimond lauds Sansom’s abilities to find creative solutions to difficult challenges. “She’s one of the best problem-solvers of anyone I know,” he said. “She looks outside the box and is creative.”

Earlier this year, Sansom, who has been an educator for 29 years, received the Western Governors University’s “WGU Elevate Award.” Sansom is the first recipient of the award in Utah.

“I have loved my job in education every single year,” Sansom said. “I have truly loved my adventures in education and look forward to starting a new adventure in Canyons in my new position.”