Presenter Information
Utah passed Sensitive Material laws in 2022, which applies to assemblies and presentations. Subsequently, the Utah State Board of Education has developed related rules and Canyons Board of Education has adopted policy to comply with these laws.
These laws, rules and policy apply to any assembly, guest lecture, live presentation, or event in a school setting (defined as a public school, classroom, school library or on school property) including presentations by an organization or individual or an organization outside of a public school, if a public school or the District sponsors in any way, including hosted by PTA (which is the recognized parent group in Canyons).
To that end, Canyons has created an Assembly Presenter Approval Committee, made up of administrators, parents and principals, who review and approve all presenters in Canyons District. Principals may follow the same approval process for single classroom presentations.
Thank you for your interest in presenting in Canyons Schools. To apply please read and follow the instructions listed on the Assembly Presenter Application Cover Letter (found below).
Please send all completed application materials to Susan Burns @SUSAN.BURNS@canyonsdistrict.org
Background Check. Apply HERE
Important Dates
School Administrator Information
General information about assembly presenter approvals
Administrators are often asked to provide opportunities for students to extend learning and support curriculum through a classroom guest speaker, school-wide assemblies or specific small group presentations. In addition, teachers, vendors, PTA, SCC and other groups often request time and administrator approval for presentations with students. To this end, Canyons has formed the “Presenter Approval Committee” made up of principals, administrators and parents to review and approve presenters. This committee will meet to approve entities twice a year; once in the spring for primary approvals for the upcoming school year and again in September/October for any late requests. The committee has currently
approved close to 100 presenters in a variety of topics. All approved presenters may be found at: https://www.canyonsdistrict.org/depts/external-relations/assemblies/approved-presenters/
Questions to consider before agreeing to host an assembly or presenter:
- Is the presenter approved?
- Instructional time is limited and needs to be preserved
- Is this a daytime student assembly and/or an evening assembly for parents?
- Impact on the daily schedule
- Number of presentations students participate in
- Purpose of the assembly
- Cost
- Resources
- What is expected by the presenter as far as handouts, promotional material, sales of books/supplies?
IF you decide an assembly or presenter is right for your school:
1) Choose from the approved presenter list if this will be school-wide or a larger audience than a single classroom. View list of approved presenters
2) Approve a single classroom presenter yourself by following the process listed below:
School Administrator Approval Guidelines
The following guidelines will help administrators understand the procedures needed to present to our students and are in congruence with the Canyons School District Board policy, State Board rule and Utah law. All presentations larger than a single classroom should be chosen from the approved list. Principals and CTE/Work-based Learning may schedule
presentations for single classroom or career presentations with principal approval, but must follow the same guidelines as the Presenter Approval Committee follows.
- Review content of presentation and any additional materials.
- Content of presentation:
- Aligns with and is educational/relevant to established CSD principles, standards and curriculum.
- Provides value in exchange for instructional time.
- Administrators should consider if content of presentation is already satisfactorily covered under current curriculum or if you are looking to add additional emphasis to the considered topic.
- All content, product or businesses referenced in the presentation must be age appropriate for minors.
- Presenters are qualified for the topic they are presenting by applicable credentials (i.e. degree, professional license, educational background, qualifying experience).
- Mental health, suicide prevention and child abuse presenters need to be traditionally educated in counseling, psychology, or therapy and currently licensed. Content must also be vetted by the principal and Dr. Brian McGill, Director of Student Services, prior to scheduling the presentation.
- Content is appropriate in a school setting.
- Review the presenter’s social media to see what a child sees if they look up the presenter.
- Content may or may not align with state educational standards but will be expected to demonstrate a significant benefit to our students in an academic, career, safety or mental support area.
- Authors must be published by a reputable, third party publishing company in the USA and any sales/offers must be disclosed well in advance and included in parent notification.
Principals do not need to turn approval form into School Performance but should keep review process notes and description for review in your files in case of questions.
Utah passed Sensitive Materials law and subsequent Utah State Board of Education rule in 2022, that included assemblies and presenters with the following definition:
Canyons Policy, taken from Utah Code and State Board rule:
600.06-1:
15. School setting: means, for a public school, in a classroom, in a school library, or on school property. School setting includes the following activities that an organization or individual or organization outside of a public school conducts, if a public school or the District sponsors the activity:
1. an assembly;
2. a guest lecture;
3. a live presentation; or
4. an event.
The guidance the approval committee has been given is that any assembly or presentation that is given must be vetted by adopted standards and only approved entities may present. Basically, any presentation Canyons or Canyons schools are going to allow (or PTA as our recognized parent group) needs to be approved through the committee . The committee is made up of principals, parents, and administrators.
I am a School Administrator
I am a Presenter
