District Newsletter – February 7, 2025

Dear Salt Lake City School District community,

With so much tumult in our nation and community, including the worries many have about their families and friends, I want to state unequivocally that we welcome all students in our schools. Our teachers and administrators care about you and your child, and our school resource officers are here as partners to keep our schools and safe, not to act as immigration agents. We are unwavering in our commitment to provide safe and supportive learning environments for all students.

With that said, thank you for allowing me to highlight some of the great things happening in our district.

February is Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month, a time to celebrate how exposing students to career opportunities and real-world experiences early on helps them prepare for success after high school. As superintendent, I’m committed to opening new college and career pathways for our students so that, no matter what the future holds for them, they feel ready to tackle life after high school.

Our Board of Education has set a bold goal: by 2029, every student will be on a college or career pathway. To this end, we're strengthening partnerships with local businesses and colleges, offering more hands-on learning opportunities and exposure to careers that match students’ interests.

A “pathway” means a roadmap that matches a student’s interests with a series of classes they can take to develop different skills. A pathway helps students take what they learn in class and connects that with opportunities to apply those skills in a real-world setting. A pathway can lead a student to earn their first credential (like an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification or a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certificate). These credentials can turn into great jobs right out of high school or lead students to pursue further education.

Salt Lake City School District is leading the way in apprenticeship programs. Through partnerships with the state and with business partners, we’ve created a European-style apprenticeship in manufacturing, where students get paid while working toward their associate's degree. In collaboration with the state, higher education partners, and Grand America, we are expanding opportunities as we develop our new apprenticeship program in hotel management and leadership. My goal is to continue working with our generous partners to open doors for our students.

I encourage you to learn more about how our district CTE programs can benefit your student by visiting our district website.

Sincerely,

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

Excellence In Action

• Our Math Supervisor, Holley McIntosh, received the Don Clark Lifetime Achievement Award from the Utah Council of Teachers of Mathematics (UCTM) last week. This award recognizes a person who has made a substantial contribution to Utah mathematics or mathematics education over many years. Holley’s vision for math education is inclusive, progressive and reflects one of her core beliefs: that everyone can learn mathematics at high levels and enjoy it. Congratulations, Holley!
   
• Laleh Ghotbi, a 4th grade teacher at Mountain View Elementary, received the Karl Jones Award at the UCTM conference. This award is given to exemplary math teachers who encourage student achievement by providing activities that enhance understanding of math concepts. Laleh says teaching has always been a passion for her and seeing her students grow in their confidence and love for math is the greatest reward. 
  
  Laleh was also named the 2025 Utah Coalition for Educational Technology Salt Lake City School District Teacher of the Year. We’re so proud of you, Laleh!
   
• Todd Vawdrey from West High School and Ashley Hare, a former teacher at Edison Elementary, have been honored with the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching! These outstanding teachers, selected from past state-level winners, are shaping the next generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators. Their dedication to teaching and inspiring students in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and computer science is inspiring.

These awards are so well-deserved and more evidence we truly have Utah’s very BEST educators in the Salt Lake City School District!

Update Emergency Contacts

Ensuring your child’s safety is our top priority. In the event of an emergency, we need to reach you or a trusted contact quickly. That’s why we are asking all parents and guardians to make sure they have at least two people who can be designated as emergency contacts for your child.

These should be people you trust (like a grandparent, friend, or neighbor) and who are authorized to pick up your child from school if you are unavailable. Up-to-date contact information for these emergency contacts helps us respond quickly in case of illness, injury, or another unexpected event.

You can update your emergency contacts by calling the office at your student’s school for assistance.

East High Celebrates AP Capstone Diploma Graduates

Seventeen East High School students earned the AP Capstone Diploma™ and six students earned the AP Seminar and Research Certificate™ during the 2023-24 school year. In the previous year, the school had eight students earn the AP Capstone Diploma with six students earning the AP Capstone certificate. It is exciting to see the number of AP Capstone Diploma earners double in one year.

To receive the AP Capstone Diploma, students must earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar, AP Research, and on four additional AP® Exams of their choice.

Plumbing Problems

Did you know that so far this school year, we’ve spent $30,000 to unclog school bathroom pipes that were blocked due to flushing excess feminine hygiene products? We’re so glad that, thanks to recent legislation, every bathroom in our schools offers these critical products to students who need them. But we are asking parents to please speak with their students about how to use these products correctly and about what is and what is NOT appropriate to flush down school toilets. Toilet paper is the only paper product that should be flushed down school toilets. Everything else should be thrown in the appropriate waste baskets. Thanks for helping us make sure we can prioritize spending money on educational expenses – not on unclogging toilets.

Upcoming Calendar

• Feb. 17 – Presidents’ Day (No school, district offices closed)
• Feb. 18 – Board meeting, 5:30 PM at the district office (406 E. 100 S., SLC, UT 84111)
• Feb. 26 - Career and Technical Education Open House, 5:30 PM at the Career and Technical Center (1633 S. Edison Street, SLC, UT 84115)
• Mar. 4 – Board meeting, 5:30 PM at the district office (406 E. 100 S, SLC, UT 84111)