District Newsletter – April 15, 2025
Dear families,
As we near the end of the school year, students will begin taking year-end assessments. These tests help us understand how much your child has learned and where they may need additional support. Testing also gives us valuable insight into how well our schools and programs are meeting students’ needs.
Once testing is complete, teachers and school leaders carefully review the results. This information helps your student’s teacher next year know where your student could use reinforcement and helps us improve instruction by adjusting lesson plans and teaching strategies to better serve all students.
You can support your child’s success by:
- Ensuring they get plenty of rest the night before each test,
- Providing a healthy breakfast to start the day, and
- Encouraging your child to arrive on time, so they can settle in and start the test feeling prepared and focused.
We understand that your child’s well-being plays a crucial role in their performance. Thank you for your ongoing involvement in your child’s education.
Warm regards,
Elizabeth Grant, Ph. D.
Superintendent
Salt Lake City School District
Community Meetings for Future Highland and West High Schools
In a couple of weeks, the district will hold two community meetings to discuss with students and families, and other community stakeholders, accessibility issues with architects as they design the new Highland High School and West High School to make sure all community members will have access to the buildings and to the many spaces within the buildings. Please join us to share information important to you and your future high school student(s).
Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Highland High School Auditorium
2166 S. 1700 E., SLC, UT 84106
6:30 – 8:00 PM
Thursday, May 1, 2025
West High School Auditorium
241 N. 300 W., SLC, UT 84103
6:30 - 8:00 PM
Spanish translation will be provided for the meeting. If you would like to request translation in another language, please call (801) 578-8378.
Excellence in Action
Salt Lake City School District is filled with dedicated and talented educators and staff. We celebrate and appreciate their contributions to students and families.
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Mark Unruh, a school counselor at East High School, has been named Wasatch Front Counselor of the Year. Mark has dedicated over 35 years to serving students in the Salt Lake City School District, beginning as a teacher at West High before transitioning to his counseling role at East in 1998.
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Alison Bulson, an AP and On-Level Physics teacher at West High School, received the prestigious Woodie Flowers Award at the Utah Regional FIRST Robotics Competition. This award, one of the highest honors in the FIRST Robotics program, is especially meaningful because it is student-nominated and student-written, highlighting Alison’s profound impact on her students.
Unified Sports
We are excited to announce that the Board of Education has approved the district’s full participation in Unified Sports! These teams bring together an equal number of students with and without disabilities and are dedicated to fostering social inclusion through shared training and competition. Now sanctioned by the Utah High School Activities Association, Unified Sports will receive full district support thanks to the board’s approval. This includes funding for uniforms, equipment, travel to competitions, and coaching.
We encourage interested students to reach out to their high school Athletic Director to learn more!
We Are A Dignity District
Dr. Tim Shriver, CEO and Co-creator of the Dignity Index, visited Highland High School this week to speak with students about the importance of respectful dialogue. The Dignity Index is an eight-point scale that rates speech on a spectrum, from contempt to dignity, in an effort to promote understanding and reduce division.
During his visit, Dr. Shriver emphasized that students, with their knowledge of social media and their role as future voters, are uniquely positioned to make a lasting impact. He encouraged them to treat their fellow students with dignity, even in moments of disagreement, and to expect the same from their local and national leaders.
Dr. Shriver’s remarks were part of the “Ram Fam” speaker series, an initiative organized by Highland High student leaders.
Salt Lake City School District is proud to be a Dignity District. Through our partnership with the Dignity Index, we are committed to teaching students these vital principles and fostering a more respectful, inclusive environment in our schools.
Starborn Academy
Middle school students across the district are learning science in a whole new way with Starborn Academy, the largest virtual reality education program in Utah. With Starborn Academy, students step into the role of astronauts. Using virtual reality headsets, they build rockets, design rovers, program robots, do science experiments, and explore space farming. A few students even get to try on spacesuits. It’s a fun and hands-on way to learn about science, technology, and engineering, and the program aligns with the district’s focus on preparing students for high-demand careers in computer programming, engineering, and space science.
We are thrilled to have this exciting program, created by Uplift Aerospace and supported by the Utah State Board of Education and the Salt Lake Education Foundation, in all five of our middle schools. Studies show it is in the middle school years that some students prematurely dismiss a future STEM career as a possibility. We continue to work to make sure students know the range of educational opportunities available to every Salt Lake City School District student.
Board Reports
We’ve recently updated the format of our board reports. The new format allows readers to quickly and easily review the topics discussed at board meetings. For those who want more information on a specific topic, the new format includes links to board agenda documents and links to the district’s YouTube channel, where they can watch the full reports and discussions in English. If you would like to request translation of a board agenda document into another language, please email news@slcschools.org, and we will provide that to you as quickly as we can.
The latest board reports are posted on ParentSquare and on the district website.
Upcoming Calendar
April 15, Board Meeting
5:30 PM in the district board room (406 E. 100 S., SLC, UT 84111)
April 30, Board Meeting (on Wednesday, not Tuesday)
5:00 PM in the district board room (406 E. 100 S., SLC, UT 84111)
This meeting is a professional development session.
May 6, Board Meeting
5:30 PM in the district board room (406 E. 100 S., SLC, UT 84111)
May 20, Board Meeting
5:30 PM in the district board room (406 E. 100 S., SLC, UT 84111)