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Author: Leeson Taylor

Published on

May 26, 2026

To:      Elementary School Administrators

Fr:       Erin Anderson, Special Education Director

            Dr. Tiffany Hall, Executive Director

Re:      Placement and Transition for Students Moving to HUB schools

This memo provides guidance regarding the placement and transition of students into Academic Support Units (ASUs) and Behavioral Support Units (BSUs) located at designated HUB schools (Backman, Emerson, and Franklin Elementaries). These programs are designed to provide intensive, specialized instruction and supports for students whose needs cannot be appropriately met through less restrictive services and placements.

HUB schools serve as district centers that offer a continuum of specialized services while maintaining opportunities for inclusion with general education peers to the maximum extent appropriate. Academic Support Units provide highly individualized instruction for students with significant academic and adaptive learning needs. Behavioral Support Units provide intensive behavioral, social-emotional, and instructional supports for students whose behavioral needs require a more structured setting.

Placement

Placement decisions for these programs are made through the IEP team process and are based on individual student needs, data, and consideration of the least restrictive environment. It has been a common practice within the district to state that there are boundaries for HUB schools. However, there can be many factors that determine the placement of a student in a specific location, including student needs, current classroom enrollments, bus routes, etc.

As district programs, the enrollment at the three HUB schools should be relatively similar. The resources for the schools are similar, so none of the schools should have significantly more students than another. This requires oversight at the district level. Transportation is another consideration; we attempt to have students on a bus for 30 minutes or less. In looking at existing bus routes, the decision between two schools could be determined by which school has the most expedient route. We have also dealt with situations where students cannot be at the same school or in the same class. This may require students to be enrolled at locations that might not appear to be the closest or easiest.

To provide greater clarity, the Special Education department will no longer use language such as “feeder pattern” or “boundary school” when talking about placement. As a district, we will use the following priorities to determine location:

  1. Student needs as described in the IEP
  2. Enrollment numbers at HUB schools/classes
  3. Bus routes and ride time
  4. Student restrictions on placement (no contact contracts, etc.)
  5. Student’s potential middle school location
  6. Other considerations

The Special Education division cannot always disclose a reason for that location. To the extent possible, the division will provide context for placement decisions.

Transition

When a student is moving to a HUB school, a thoughtful transition process helps students and families feel welcomed, supported, and confident as they enter a new community. Meeting with teachers and key staff before the first day provides an opportunity to build relationships, share important information about the student's strengths and needs, and answer questions that families may have. These early connections can reduce anxiety and help ensure that appropriate supports are in place from the beginning. A warm welcome and well-planned transition set the foundation for a successful start and promote a strong partnership between the family and school.

To improve communication about transportation and notification for new students, the following protocol has been developed and implemented. Implementation will be monitored and adjusted throughout 2026-27.

If a change in location/placement is indicated by the IEP:

  1. The change in location/placement will be scheduled no earlier than the fifth business day after the IEP meeting (i.e., a change made on a Wednesday will go into effect the next Wednesday, etc.).
  2. Directly after the IEP meeting, the site administrator will send an email with the student’s information and the date of the change to the district Special Education consultant (if the consultant is not in attendance at the IEP). The district SpEd consultant will email:
    1.  the administrative team and head secretary at the sending and receiving schools with student information and the day of transfer. The student will remain enrolled at the sending school until the date of the change.
    1. the transportation routing coordinator for Special Education (cc’ing the SpEd Director and the Transportation Director) with the student’s information and the date of transfer.
  3. The school secretaries will drop and enroll the student (the parent does not need to facilitate the school enrollment change).
  4. The transportation routing coordinator will review and change the bus routes and communicate changes to families on the route. 
  5. The sending and receiving teachers will coordinate a discussion to review the student’s file and any pertantent information.

This process should allow schools and families to prepare for an organized transfer to the new school.

The district is committed to ensuring that every student is welcomed, valued, and provided with a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and other applicable civil rights laws. Placement and transition decisions must reflect each student's individual needs, meaningful family participation, and consideration of the least restrictive environment.

By establishing clear communication processes, defined roles and responsibilities, and consistent transition practices across schools, we can strengthen partnerships with families and ensure that students experience a smooth and supported transition into their new educational setting.

Additional training and support will be provided to administrators, teachers, and office professionals to support the implementation of these practices beginning in summer 2026.

Questions: Erin Anderson, SpEd Director

Key words: HUB, placement, transportation, Special Education

Published on

Date:           5/20/2026

To:               Administrators supervising those eligible for HB396

From:          Katie Ieremia, District Supervisor for Professional Development
                   Teaching & Learning Department

Subject:      HB396 2026-2027

Summary:

Overview: For 2026-27, HB396 will provide funding for 28 hours of paid professional development for qualifying full-time educators and administrators. Each 1.0 FTE educator or building administrator is eligible to participate, at their hourly rate, for work completed outside of contract time. The increase in the number of hours is because people did not submit plans in 2025-26 and there is a carry-over. This may not be the number of hours in the future.

  • Eligible Staff: General & Special Education Teachers, Counselors, School Specialists, Library Technology Teachers, School Psychologists, Speech Pathologists, Audiologists, Building Administrators. Not Eligible: Hourly teachers
  • Requirements:
    • Plans must be submitted by September 30, 2026, on the DISTRICT ONLINE FORM. There is ONE online form for everyone this year. HB396 participants may:
      • Select a university course or endorsement (no supervisor/building administrator approval required), or
      • Propose an Individual Plan (requires ADMINISTRATOR approval)
        • The teacher will enter the administrator’s name and date you approved their plan as part of their submission. There is nothing for you to sign until the timecard after they complete the work.
    • Either choice requires THIS FORM to be submitted.
    • Individual Plans: If an individual is not completing a university/college course or a formal endorsement program, they must have their plan approved by their administrator. Under HB396 (Utah Code §53F‑7‑203), the paid professional hours are not open-ended—they must be focused on improving teaching practice and student outcomes in specific ways defined in statute. Their HB396 hours should focus on: Improving teaching skills, deepening content knowledge, using data to drive instruction, supporting student learning outcomes, and should be aligned with school/district goals.
    • Work can only take place between July 1, 2026, and May 27, 2027.
    • When a participant completes their hours, they complete ONE timecard and activity log. Submit an original card with original signatures (not typed, stamped, etc.) to the district Professional Development Office.
    • May 27, 2027, is the last day for hours to be completed
    • June 10, 2027 @ 5pm is the final deadline for all completed and signed timesheets and activity logs to arrive at the district PD office.
    • Educators will be paid their hourly rate based on Employee Online records based on the date the work was completed.
    • Payments will begin to be processed once the district receives funding from the state (anticipated early 2027).

Rationale: 

The revision and additions to the bill for 2023 are available HERE in HB489. The revisions and additions to the bill for 2024 are available here in SB137. Updates to timelines are also found in Education Reporting Amendments here. The core law governing educator professional hours remained in place and largely unchanged in 2026.

Expectations for Implementation: 

  1. Communication
  2. Principals are responsible to help communicate with their staff on the HB396 dates, understand their eligibility, review and sign timecards and activity logs.
  3. Collaboration: 
  4. Contact Katie Ieremia or her secretary, Morgan Crossley, for questions/assistance
  5. Morgan.crossley@slcschools.org or 801-578-8256
  6. Evaluation
  7. Signed and submitted timecard and activity logs prior to deadline of June 10, 2027.

Keywords:

HB396,professional development

Published on

Due to recent legislation in HB 273, we are adjusting our student computer refresh this year as follows:

  • Elementary Schools
    • Elementary schools will not receive new student computers this summer, and no existing student computers will be removed at this time.
    • Following guidance from USBE, teams from IT, Teaching and Learning, and School Leadership and Support will begin gathering stakeholder feedback to help determine appropriate screen time levels for different grade levels.
    • Until this review process is complete, requests for new student devices (including laptops, iPads, and similar technology) will be on hold.
    • We will continue to support students by replacing broken devices and ensuring that those with IEP or 504 requirements have the necessary technology accommodations in place.
  • Middle Schools
    • Middle schools will receive replacements for student devices that are 5 years old.  Allocations will be adjusted to match the most recent October 1 enrollment counts.  Parents will need to opt-in during registration to use a district provided 1:1 device.  IT, Teaching and Learning, and School Leadership and Support will work with middle schools to establish a common technology framework for all middle schools.

  • High Schools
    • High schools will receive replacements for student devices that are 5 years old.  Allocations will be adjusted to match the most recent October 1 enrollment counts.  Parents have the opportunity during registration to opt-out of using a district provided 1:1 device.

Published on

Please remember to be actively promoting PowerSchool ParentPortal with your families.  Communications and IT will be beginning a notification campaign next week. 

  • We’ve created a couple of videos that will help you setup and troubleshoot parent portal accounts.
  1.  Identifying Students Without a ParentPortal account
  2.  Troubleshooting ParentPortal

When notifying parents about ParentPortal, you may share the following website containing instructions and videos to help them access their account.

Salt Lake City School District - PowerSchool Parent Portal

Published on


To: All School Administrators
From: School Leadership & Support
Date: May 8, 2026
Subject: Planning Expectations and Key Dates for the 2026–2027 School Year

As we begin preparations for the 2026–2027 school year, School Leadership & Performance would like to provide the following information and planning expectations to support a strong and organized start to the year.

1. School Day Report and Calendar Preparation

Administrators are asked to complete the first draft of the following items in the Apex application by Friday, May 22, 2026:

  • School Day Report
  • Calendar Setup
  • Bell Schedule (High Schools)
  • Daily Calendar

We appreciate the work many of you have already begun in preparation for next year and encourage you to continue refining these items to ensure timely completion.

The School Day Report should include the following components:

  • Faculty meeting schedule
  • Planning time
  • Weekly PLC/Collaboration time
  • Parent/student meeting opportunities
  • Professional development time

Once drafts are completed, please collaborate with your Area Director to review, refine, and finalize the reports as needed.

Reference Document:
School Day Report 2026-27 185 Day Calendar

2. District Leadership Collaboration (DLC) and Professional Learning Schedule

To provide consistency and intentional professional learning opportunities throughout the year, the following meeting structure is being planned for the 2026–2027 school year:

  • 1st Thursday: Principal DLC Meetings
  • 2nd Thursday: Assistant Principal Meetings
  • 3rd Thursday: Principal PLC Meetings
  • 4th Thursday: Teaching & Learning Sessions

Please note the following exceptions:

  • December & May: GAM will replace the 1st Thursday meeting
  • Additional meetings for all administrators will occur on an as-needed basis

Please reserve these days on your calendars and plan to engage in ongoing professional learning and collaboration. Our goal is to ensure that learning and leadership development remain embedded within daily practice and directly connected to school improvement efforts.

3. Administrator Institute

Please reserve Monday, July 27, 2026, through Thursday, July 30, 2026 for the annual Administrator Institute.

This year’s institute will be structured in a conference-style format designed to provide meaningful learning opportunities, collaboration, and leadership development aligned to your professional growth and the district’s strategic priorities.

Additional details, including session information and schedules, will be shared in the coming weeks.

Thank you for your continued leadership, preparation, and commitment to supporting students, staff, and school communities across the district.

Published on

Date:              May 8, 2026

To:                  All Administrators

From:             Teaching & Learning

Subject:        Schedules for the end of 2025-26 to prepare for 2026-27

Summary

Several groups of teachers need dedicated time to complete critical end-of-year work to ensure a strong close to this year and readiness for next year. Please read this carefully, as there have been changes made during negotiations that are reflected here.

Elementary Music
The last day for elementary music services will be Friday, May 22. Music teachers will use May 26–29 to:

  • Complete inventory and transition plans for each school
  • Identify instruments needing repair
  • Plan for instrument deployment in the fall

Please do not schedule music during the last week of school.

Additionally, music teachers will spend the first two weeks of school determining which program students will enroll in for the year and moving instruments to appropriate locations. Music services for grades 4-6 will begin the week of August 31. (Questions? Adam Eskelson)

Elementary PE
The last day for elementary PE will be Tuesday, May 26. PE instructors will use May 27–29 to:

  • Inventory and store equipment
  • Prepare lists of equipment needs for next year
  • Support end-of-year activities

Additionally, PE instructors will complete their required training for the year BEFORE the first week of school. This change was negotiated this year to enable schools to begin with specials on the first day of school.

CHANGES

PE instructors will begin training Tuesday, August 11 - Monday, August 17 with district staff to prepare for the first day of school. You will need to budget to pay your PE instructor for six (6) hours per day x five days. This training will include CPR, First Aid, PlayWorks, and other required elements to prepare for the school year. They will also have some set-up time in their building. Please ensure that your PE instructor is aware of the new start date for 2026-27 before they leave for the summer. (Questions? Katie Lowery about PE; your area director or HRS about contract changes)

Library Learning Centers
The library will be closed Tuesday, May 26 - Friday May 29. The library will be ready for students the first week of school.

Librarians need time at the end of the year to finish inventory, reporting, and repairs. This is important to complete before the end of the school year when student records are updated and so librarians are ready to support website updates and new student records when they return in August.

Required annual tasks include:

  • Inventory reporting - this must be completed annually and takes about 25 - 40 hours to complete.
  • Book and supply orders
  • Budget documentation and carryover
  • Equipment organization and security

Additionally, librarians will have a final opportunity to select books and materials from Hawthorne, MWJ, and Bennion. (Questions? Dr. Tiffany Hall)

Content Area Specialists (CAS)
Job-embedded learning with Content Area Specialists will continue through Friday, May 22. After that, CAS will focus on:

  • Planning professional development for 2026-27
  • Aligning instructional documents
  • Reviewing assessments to ensure readiness for next year

Some elementary schools may have adjusted schedules; your CAS has already communicated any differences.

(Questions? Dr. Chelsea Malouf, ELA; Holley McIntosh, Math and Science; Sallie Warnecke, Digital Learning)

Rationale: 

This schedule is required to both allow groups to prepare for the end of the year and the start of next and to reflect new changes in our agreements to begin specials at the start of the school year.

Expectations for Implementation: 

  1. Communication
  2. Principals are responsible to communicate with their faculty and teacher groups as appropriate to ensure that the schedule for the end of the year is understood.
  3. Collaboration: 

If you have specific scheduling concerns, please work with your staff to identify solutions and reach out to the appropriate supervisor as needed.

Keywords: end of year, scheduling, PE, music, library

Published on

Date:                  05/08/2026

To:                        Elementary School Administrators

From:                 Holley McIntosh, Director of STEM

                                Tiffany Hall, Executive Director of Teaching and Learning

Subject:          Eureka Math Catalyst Teacher Leaders

Summary:

The math department will be supporting a cohort of teacher leaders to explore  Eureka Math Catalyst resources. Math Catalyst supports a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) for students. Professional development and coaching support will be provided for two teacher leaders from each school.

 Math Catalyst provides resources for students who need additional support to master grade-level content. Teacher feedback indicates this is an area of need in math classrooms.

Math Catalyst provides the following:

  • Concept Mini Lessons- short, targeted lessons for small Tier 2 or Tier 3 groups
  • Practice and application tasks that support Tier 1
  • Resources to assist in lesson planning
  • An adaptive and systematic program designed to move students through carefully sequenced objectives and concepts
  • Embedded structures to help students understand and use precise mathematical language
  • Built in supports for multilingual learners

Rationale: 

USBE has not yet approved a revised Utah Math Core Curriculum. As a result, SLCSD will be continuing with Eureka Math as our adopted K-6 program for the 2026-27 school year. Eureka has enhanced, refined, and reorganized some of their resources since our original adoption. Math Catalyst is an example of their extended resources and development.

Expectations for Implementation: 

  1. Communication
  2. Principals work with their faculty to select two teachers committed to utilizing Catalyst with their students in the 2026-27 school year.
  3. Provide Holley McIntosh with the names of your Catalyst teacher leaders.
  4. Principals will purchase Catalyst licenses ($7.35 per student) for those teachers using Catalyst. Catalyst licenses are an option on the Eureka Buy Guides.
  5. Teacher leaders can use this project for the HB396 funds during 2026-27.
  6. Collaboration: 
  7. Professional development will be provided for teacher leaders using Catalyst in their classroom. Ongoing collaboration with Eureka, the Math Department, and district math coaches/CAS will ensure teachers are supported in using the Catalyst resources with students.
  8. The Math Department will communicate with IT to roster classrooms for teacher leaders.
  9. Contact Holley McIntosh or Morgan Crossley if you have questions about purchasing Eureka Catalyst licenses.
  • Evaluation
  • Administrators will work with the Math Department to ensure the Catalyst resources are used appropriately and effectively.

Keywords: Math, Eureka, Catalyst, license, lead teacher

Published on

Date:                     April 20, 2026

To:                         All Administrators

From:               Christy Hart, Director of Finance

Subject:              Retirement Celebrations

As the end of the year is quickly approaching, a reminder that public funds may not be used for retirement or other employee celebrations.  This includes all school or district funds, including school discretionary funds.  Faculty Sunshine funds or other donations may be used. 

Published on

Date:                       April 17 , 2026

To:                               All Site Administrators

From:                     Katie Lowery, Health and PE Specialist
                                        Adam Eskelson, Extended Learning Director
                                        Teaching & Learning

Summary:

SLCSD must have parents on the Human Sexuality Committee. This committee reviews all materials used to teach health topics related to maturation, sexuality, relationships, etc. We would like to have 10 parents from throughout the district agree to be on the committee. We need to have names by May 1 so we can have them approved by the Board. A flier is available to share with parents (click here to download).

Rationale: 

State administrative code and district AP I-12: Human Sexuality Education indicate that we must have “at least as many parents as school employees” on the committee. We would like to have wide parent representation to review materials that will be used in Health classes.

Expectations for Implementation: 

  1. Communication
  2. Ask parent groups for volunteers to participate for the 2026-27 school year.
    1. There are up to  5 meetings a year, scheduled from 4:00 – 5:00PM (If there is not a program to review, the meeting is canceled.)
    1. Meetings are held in person, but parents can participate online.
  3. Collaboration: 
  4. Katie Lowery is available to help answer questions and talk with parents, 801-578-8208.

  5. Evaluation
  6. Please send names to katie.lowery@slcschools.org by May 1, 2026

Keywords: Human Sexuality, committee, health, state requirements

Published on

Date:             April 17, 2026

To:                  High School Administrators

From:             Tiffany Hall
                        Teaching & Learning

Summary:

GRADE DESIGNATIONS
The NG designation is used when a student has not attended enough of a class to demonstrate achievement of the learning objectives. This may occur due to excessive absences or late entry into the course, as outlined in Administrative Procedure I-8: Student Progress and Academic Achievement. An NG does not carry credit or grade points. The NG communicates that insufficient days of enrollment or excused absence prevents a teacher from making a valid determination of learning.

An “I” is used when a student has participated sufficiently in the course to demonstrate learning but is missing significant work. The teacher expects that the student can still complete the missing work and demonstrate mastery. Typically, the student is given until the end of the following term to submit the required work. Once completed, the I is replaced with a grade and the appropriate credit is awarded. After one term, the I will be replaced automatically with an F. A student can still apply for a grade change, but after a term the “F” will be on the report card and GPA.

Section IV.H.  Assigning a ‘No Grade’ (NG) 

  1. A NG can replace a letter grade when a student has an excused absence longer than 10 days but cannot be used as a consequence for unexcused absences.
  2. The NG marking may be used as outlined in Section III.A.3.b.
  3. The NG should not be used to avoid assigning an ‘F’ grade.
  4. An NG does not convey credit or affect a student's grade point average.

Section III.A.3.b Students who transfer in after the midterm without a grade will be assigned a ‘no grade’ (NG). If there are extenuating circumstances and the students can demonstrate sufficient mastery of the content, the teacher may use their discretion to determine if a ‘P’ would be an appropriate option. A ‘P’ conveys credit for graduation but does not affect the grade point average.

Rationale: 

During the pandemic (2019-20, 2020-21), teachers used the NG when students were not participating in school. This decision reflected concerns from teachers and administrators that many students were not able to access online instruction consistently, and therefore, an “F” was not an appropriate representation of their learning.

Following this period, some teachers continued using the NG for students who were attending class but not achieving academically, substituting it for an “F.” This was not aligned with Administrative Procedure I-8. 

In 2024-25, schools were reminded that the NG may not be used in place of an “F.” An email was sent to administrators, counselors, and teachers in October 2024 reinforcing this expectation. Counselor training on the appropriate use of the NG occurred in November 2024. This was to be implemented by the start of the 2025-26 school year. 

CREDIT RECOVERY

Knowing that the NG = F from T4 2020 until 2024-25, credit recovery has recognized those NGs as Fs and allowed credit recovery to be assigned. However, NGs earned in 2025-26 and beyond are not considered Fs and eligible for credit recovery. This is because credit recovery is based on the student completing an original credit class and recovery key learning, and the NG means that they were not in the course for sufficient time to evaluate key learning. 

The credit recovery system should recognize an NG granted in before this year (2025-26) as an F and grant access to CR courses. IF IT DOES NOT, please use the blue "+credit recovery button" and use "NG from 202X-XX not recognized." That will be checked and assigned if appropriate.

Incompletes can't be recovered until they are changed to an F grade. Again, this happens automatically at the end of the next term for a course taken in this district (we can't change grades that come in from other schools). However, it is always better to have a student complete the course with the teacher.

Expectations for Implementation: 

  1. Communication
  2. Principals are responsible to ensure that teachers and counselors are aware of this information.

Keywords: NG, I, report card, grades

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