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District Newsletter - August 14, 2025

Posted Date: 8/14/25 (4:50 PM)

Yellow school buses parked in a row, with the words 'School Bus' visible.

August 14, 2025

Dr. Elizabeth Grant

SUPERINTENDENT"S MESSAGE

Dear families and staff,

Whether you’re returning to our schools or joining us for the first time, I’m thrilled to welcome you to the Salt Lake City School District community, where we are proud to serve more than 19,000 students across our great city.

As we’ve ramped up for the new school year, I’ve shared the district priorities for 2025-2026. We have three Board-determined goals that guide our efforts this year: raising literacy proficiency, building college and career pathways, and increasing daily school attendance. We also introduced The SLCSD Way, which is our shared commitment to building a culture of good governance and collaborative practices where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.

The SLCSD Way means we engage multiple voices in decision making, communicate clearly, and create welcoming schools for students, families, employees, and community members. We are working hard to meet these goals. This means, as a parent or guardian, you can expect welcoming schools, clear communication, and consistent support from our 3,000 dedicated employees across our 36 schools. The SLCSD Way supports our vision of excellence and equity for every student, in every classroom, every day.

We are also excited to introduce a new look for our district with a refreshed logo and website. The update to our apple logo honors our proud legacy by mirroring the decades-old look but moving into the 21st century with a modern, vibrant logo that reflects the modern, vibrant practices in our classrooms. This change is about more than design; it’s about making sure our mission and vision, and the work of our educators and staff, are visible to everyone we serve.

Thank you for being part of our community. I’m grateful to be a partner with you and can’t wait to see what we will accomplish together.

With appreciation,

Elizabeth Grant, Ph.D.
Superintendent
Salt Lake City School District

A graphic shows the evolution of the Salt Lake City School District logo.
 

DAILY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE

Daily school attendance matters and is one of our Board of Education’s top priorities for Salt Lake students. When students miss school regularly, they miss out on important learning, friendships, and routines that help them succeed. Every day counts, and right now, nearly 1 in 4 of our students are chronically absent. That means they're missing 18 or more days a year; that’s 18 or more days of learning, friendship, and growth. That’s a big deal! This year, we’re asking families to please make daily attendance a top priority.

The reasons a student is chronically absent may vary across families, but we’re here to support you however we can. Does your family need help with basic needs like food, household supplies, or access to medical care? We can help! Connect with your school counselor to access support. Are there other concerns or unique circumstances impacting your family? Please talk to your school principal or school counselor. We want your student with us at school. Are you planning family vacations for the year and need a reminder of when our school breaks are? Check our district calendar to find out.

Thank you for helping us make daily school attendance a top priority across Salt Lake City this year.

 

STAY CONNECTED THROUGH PARENTSQUARE!

We use ParentSquare, a communications platform, to keep families in the loop. With ParentSquare, you can:
  • Get all school and district messages in one place (even for multiple students);
  • Choose a daily summary instead of lots of alerts;
  • Receive messages by text, email, app, or voice in your preferred language; and
  • Easily send direct messages to teachers and staff.

New this year: Middle and high school students can now use StudentSquare to get updates directly!

Download the ParentSquare app ( on the Google Play store or Apple App store) to access messages on the go or visit https://www.parentsquare.com to view messages on your favorite browser. And if it falls in line with your family’s home rules, encourage your middle or high school student to download StudentSquare, too!

 

ZUM BUS PASSES

Students who qualify for busing services will receive a Zum bus pass to use when riding the school bus this year. All riders must tap their pass when boarding and exiting the bus each day. This ensures parents can track their child’s ride in real time using the Zūm app. (download at the Google Play store and Apple App store)
  • Middle and high school students will use their new One Card student ID, which doubles as their Zūm bus pass.
  • Elementary students will receive a separate Zūm bus pass, as they do not receive student ID cards.
Only students who qualify for transportation services will receive a pass and be permitted to ride.

If you have any questions, please contact our Transportation Department at (801) 974-8345.
 

FREE SCHOOL MEALS APPLICATION

A healthy meal can make a big difference in how well a child learns and feels at school. That’s why every SLCSD school offers nutritious meals every day, and many families qualify for free school meals.

Visit our our district website to apply or pick up a paper application from your school. For questions, contact our Child Nutrition Department at (801) 974-8380. Apply today!

 

HELPFUL LINKS

 

IMPORTANT DATES

August 19, 2025
First Day of School!

September 1, 2025
Labor Day – all schools closed

September 2, 2025
Board Meeting – 5:30 p.m. in Board Room (406 E. 100 S., SLC, UT 84111)

September 16, 2025
Board Meeting - 5:30 p.m. in Board Room (406 E. 100 S., SLC, UT 84111)

September 26, 2025
Non-student Day – all schools

 
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406 East 100 South, SLC, UT 84111