District Newsletter – December 6, 2024

Dear Salt Lake City School District families and community, 

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, because of the great food and time with family, and friends of course, and because it offers an opportunity to pause, reflect, and express appreciation for the many blessings we share.  

This spirit of gratitude aligns perfectly with my thankfulness for the educators in our district. We recently celebrated a number of teachers who have earned awards and recognitions, and we’re excited to acknowledge the talent, dedication, and expertise of those who work in our schools. These recognitions of teaching excellence are representative of the remarkable work happening every day in classrooms across the Salt Lake City School District.  

I express my deep thanks to our teachers. The dedication and passion you bring, especially during these busy weeks leading up to the holidays, are inspiring.  

To our entire community, thank you for supporting our schools and celebrating the achievements that make Salt Lake City School District a place of excellence and opportunity for all. 

With appreciation for all you do, 

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

Update on Highland High School and West High School 

Now that the bond has officially passed, work on Highland and West High Schools is underway. We have issued a request for bids to find general contractors, and the Board of Education has approved moving forward with the architects’ recommendations for site layouts. 

For Highland High School, the recommended option places the new building on the north side of the school property. For West High School, the recommendation moves the academic facilities to the east side of 300 West (where the track is now) and shifts all athletic facilities to the west side of 300 West. The historic main entry of the current building will be preserved and used as the entrance to the athletic facilities. 

You can view pictures of the approved site layouts on our website: www.slcschools.org/board-of-education/2024-bond-proposal/recommended-options. 

We look forward to keeping you updated as we continue to make progress on these exciting projects! 

Unity Summit 

Student leaders from four district high schools - East High School, Highland High School, Horizonte Instruction and Training Center, and West High School - joined local and state leaders at the Utah State Capitol for a Unity Summit designed to foster respect, reduce hate, and strengthen community bonds. Organized in partnership with many community organizations over the last year, this event empowered students to build communities rooted in dignity, respect, and civic responsibility. 

The summit goals mesh with the district’s Dignity Initiative and provided a platform for student leaders to engage in meaningful discussions and workshops focused on promoting inclusivity, empathy, and positive social action within their schools and neighborhoods. We are grateful to our community partners for helping organize the summit. 

Below are links to two news pieces about the event:  

• KSL Newsradio - https://www.ksl.com/article/51190862/disagreeing-with-dignity-salt-lake-school-district-hopes-to-be-nations-first-dignity-district 
• Univision - https://www.univision.com/local/salt-lake-city-kuth/organizaciones-comunitarias-y-lideres-promueven-la-inclusion-en-las-escuelas-video  

Magnet Gifted and Talented Testing 

Does your child understand new ideas or subjects with little effort, or see and create patterns in areas such as speech, art, music, numbers, and nature? If so, your child may be a great fit for our Magnet Gifted and Talented program. This program is designed for high ability students and offers them the opportunity to engage in learning with greater depth and complexity.  

Students must be tested before joining this program, and the online application for Magnet Gifted and Talented assessment is now open. Students who can be tested are: 

• Current 6th and 7th grade students.* 
  
  * - If your 6th grade student is currently in a district full-time magnet classroom, they do not need to retest. If you are interested in middle school Honors classes only, no testing is needed.
   
• Open Classroom kindergarten and 3rd grade students.  
• Kindergarten students NOT currently in a district elementary school.**   
• 3rd grade students NOT currently in a district elementary school.** 
  
  ** - All Kindergarten and 3rd grade students attending a district elementary school will test in their school in January 2025. No application is needed. 

The online application is due NO LATER THAN JANUARY 31, 2025. The direct link to the online application is https://apex.slcschools.org/apex/r/slcsd/extended-learning-program/login.  

If you have questions or want to learn more about our Magnet Gifted and Talented services, visit the department’s website or call our office at (801) 578-8573.  

Early Open Enrollment 

Salt Lake City School District offers a variety of programs and options for students. Our district includes traditional schools, K-8 schools, gifted and talented programs, Spanish dual-language immersion (DLI) programs, and much more. Utah law allows you to choose a school that has the options or programs you want, even if that school is outside your neighborhood boundaries. Early Open Enrollment is the time when parents can apply to have their students attend the school of their choice for the coming school year. Early Open Enrollment applications are being accepted now through February 7, 2025. 

Applications are reviewed and accepted based on the following priorities.  

1. Your student has a sibling at the school requested.  
2. You are a district employee.  
3. You are a district resident.  
4. You live outside of the district.  

Students will be accepted into schools with available space according to their priority. More information can be found on our Open Enrollment website.   

Hiring Bus Drivers 

Looking for a job with excellent benefits, flexible hours, and paid training? We are hiring bus drivers. The district will pay for your commercial driver license (CDL) training, and newly-hired drivers qualify for a $1,000 bonus after 60 days of active driving. Apply at jobs.slcschools.org to see open positions. 

Season of Giving 

This holiday season, you can make a big difference by supporting the Salt Lake Education Foundation. As the non-profit partner of the Salt Lake City School District, the foundation is dedicated to enhancing educational opportunities for all students. 

When you give to the foundation, you help fund important programs, such as: 

• STEM and Arts Programs: These help students explore science, technology, music, and art through hands-on learning and creative projects. 
• Reading Programs: Early reading support helps kids improve their vocabulary and reading skills so they can succeed in school. 
• Career Prep: The foundation provides scholarships, job training, and college prep classes to help students plan for the future. 
• Health Support: We partner with community groups to remove barriers like illness and stress that can stop students from learning. 
• Student Lunch Debt: The foundation collects money through donations and distributes it to schools to help pay for lunches if students can’t afford to pay. 
• Every donation helps students and their families thrive. Learn more or give today at saltlakeeducationfoundation.org. Your kindness can change lives! 

Upcoming Calendar 

• Dec. 10 – Board Meeting, 6:00 PM in the district office (406 E. 100 S., SLC, UT 84111) 
• Dec. 23-Jan. 3 – Winter Recess, all schools closed 
• Jan. 2 and 3 - District offices open while schools are closed 
• Jan. 7 – Board Meeting, 5:30 PM in the district office (406 E. 100 S., SLC, UT 84111)