In 2020-21, the district provided Newsela, a K-12 online instructional content platform offering articles at five different reading levels with quizzes and writing prompts, to all schools to support online learning while we were remote. We continued to provide Newsela using ESSER funds through the end of the 2024-25 school year. Newsela is a supplement to core materials.
Our district-wide contract expires at the end of this year. If you would like to continue using Newsela at your school, the cost is:
If you have questions about usage at your school, please click hereto see your school’s use and which teachers are using the program so you can speak with them about it.
If you would like to continue with the program at your school, there is an order form on Tab 3. The district will place one order to get the legacy partner discount. If you do not want to continue with Newsela, please indicate “decline” to stop any further follow-up.
Expectations for Implementation:
Communication:
If you are going to purchase Newsela, please fill out the order form by MAY 16, 2025.
A gap in our assessment capability has existed in our ability to prepare for WIDA testing: both the students’ ability to practice the assessment in a meaningful way and in teachers’ ability to progress monitor students to adjust instruction to maximize effectiveness.
There are now a few companies providing this capability. The two programs receiving the highest reviews are Flashlight 360 and Summit K12. Of the two existing programs, we believe Summit K12’s Connect to Literacy program to be the better choice. The big reason for me is the ability to progress monitor all 4 WIDA domains and Flashlight 360 only monitors speaking and writing. We also believe the lesson supplements in Summit K12 are higher quality. However, for an official adoption, we will need to go through a formal Request for Proposal document, which will take more time than we have before the school year ends. Another new factor for consideration: I recently learned from Ellevation that they are currently in program creation and plan to release a program next spring, which is of interest due to our current use and satisfaction of their existing programs. While I am excited to see what they release, I also want to be responsive to the request I have received from several of you for a progress monitoring tool. For this reason, we have come up with a plan.
If you would like to purchase Summit K12, understanding it might only be for one year, we want to support you in that purchase. I will cover the cost of teacher licenses and training, and you will cover the cost of student licenses at $29.95 per student. If I am able to cover more of the costs once I know how many we anticipate participating this year, I will let you know the reduced cost. If you are an elementary or middle school and have not yet spent your Title 3 funds, this would be a great way to use it!
My recommendation: if you and your staff have been discussing the need for this type of product, especially if you have already reached out to our department asking about such a thing, I recommend you try it for the 2025-2026 school year. If this is a new consideration for you and your staff, I might encourage you to wait until we do an adoption in case something better comes along.
Regardless of your decision, please take a moment to answer this short survey by Friday, May 9. This will help me know that all schools have had an opportunity to consider it. https://forms.office.com/r/urB65XEru2
Below you will find information on the Summit K12 Connect to Literacy program. If you have additional questions, please reach out to Monty Eyink or me.
About Summit K12
From English learners, multilingual students, bilingual students and dual language learners who are struggling to read or write, Summit K12’s online, standards-based supplemental curriculum will close gaps and ensure growth for all students.
About Summit K12’s Connect to Literacy
Connect to Literacy (C2L) is a cutting-edge solution designed to enhance English language proficiency by leveraging the strengths of an online curriculum. A supportive online environment designed to fast-track English language learning, aid in quicker reclassification and vocabulary growth, and accelerate speaking, listening, reading, and writing development.
Designed Outcomes of the Connect to Literacy program:
Empower all multilingual learners (MLLs) to grow at least one proficiency level per year or your money back
Accelerate the reclassification of MLLs, including long-term ELs
Support every newcomer student with Language Foundation Skills and support of over 30 home languages
AI Auto-Scoring for Speaking and Writing
Years of intensive research and development and the analysis of thousands of actual teacher-rated English learner recordings and constructed response writing items
Dynamically evaluates 112 linguistic speaking dimensions
Rates student recordings by using artificial intelligence (AI)
Streamlines scoring of speaking and writing item types
3 Progress Monitoring ELD BENCHMARKS
Success with C2L is centered around the 3 ELD Progress Monitoring Benchmarks students take throughout the year which generate 3 corresponding Personalized Learning Plans (PLPs) and class grouping reports.
Personalized Learning Plans
The PLPs are divided into four domains: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Each PLP is designed to focus on the specific concepts and skills that each student needs the most. Students can progress through their PLP assignments at their own pace.
Each PLP contains:
Video lesson models, guided practice, assessments and model exemplars
Scaffolded and linguistically accommodated instruction
AI auto-scoring for Speaking and Writing item types
Comprehensive progress-monitoring and reports for teachers
Year-Round STATE ELD Assessment Readiness
C2L’s content is based on ELD Standards Framework, consisting of four components: ELD Standards, Key Language Uses, Language Expectations, and Proficiency Level Descriptors. Through accounting for all of these components and the three difficulty tiers, C2L’s program contains more than 1,400 unique items leveled to all grade-level clusters: K, 1, 2-3, 4-5, 6-8, and 9-12.
Science of Success: Igniting Early Literacy Success in Kindergarten
3-Part Webinar Series
Part 1: District Leader Perspective Wednesday, May 14, 11:00 am MST
Part 2: School Leader Perspective Wednesday, May 21, 11:00 am MST
Part 3: Teacher Perspective Wednesday, May 28, 11:00 am MST
REGISTER HERE
Part 1 Hosted by Dr. Jennifer Throndsen, Education Leader, Author, and Consultant with Guests Kathy Hall, K-5 Elementary Literacy Coordinator and Amy Mitchell, Executive Director of Elementary Education of Washington County School District
Part 2 Hosted by Dr. Jennifer Throndsen, Education Leader, Author, and Consultant with Guest Julie Smith, Principal of Coral Canyon Elementary in Washington County School District
Part 3 Hosted by Dr. Jennifer Throndsen, Education Leader, Author, and Consultant with Kindergarten Teachers of Washington County School District
Join us for a powerful three-part webinar series featuring educators from a 36,000-student district, with approximately 30% of students experiencing economic disadvantage, that consistently achieves 95% of kindergartners mastering all letters and sounds by November 1. Learn how they turned this ambitious goal into a district-wide reality—and how you can apply these same principles in your own schools. Grounded in implementation science, this series offers a step-by-step look at how lasting literacy gains were achieved and sustained across 27 elementary schools. Each session is led by the people who made it happen—district leaders, school administrators, and classroom teachers—sharing practical insights and actionable strategies.
Who Should Attend: District leaders, school administrators, instructional coaches, teachers, and other champions committed to early literacy success.
What You'll Learn: • How a clear, shared vision and aligned actions led to remarkable early literacy outcomes • The specific strategies used to overcome barriers and build systemwide consistency • The long-term impact on student learning as cohorts advance through the grades Don’t miss this opportunity to gain inspiration, tools, and a replicable model for accelerating literacy in your schools.
In 2020-21, the district provided Newsela, a K-12 online instructional content platform offering articles at five different reading levels with quizzes and writing prompts, to all schools to support online learning while we were remote. We continued to provide Newsela using ESSER funds through the end of the 2024-25 school year. Newsela is a supplement to core materials.
Our district-wide contract expires at the end of this year. If you would like to continue using Newsela at your school, the cost is:
If you have questions about usage at your school, please click here to see your school’s use and which teachers are using the program so you can speak with them about it.
If you would like to continue with the program at your school, there is an order form on Tab 3. The district will place one order to get the legacy partner discount. If you do not want to continue with Newsela, please indicate “decline” to stop any further follow-up.
Expectations for Implementation:
Communication: If you are going to purchase Newsela, please fill out the order form by MAY 16, 2025.
We have some important updates to share about the organizational changes within our district.
Effective March 5, 2025, the Teaching & Learning Department and the Special Education Department will merge to create the Teaching & Learning Division. This move reinforces the district’s commitment to an inclusive, data-driven, and instructional-focused approach to serving students with disabilities while improving collaboration between general education and special education teams.
By combining our special education and general education leaders into one division, we will be better able to:
Ensure that special education is fully integrated into district-wide instructional strategies and supports.
Create a system where general education and special education teachers collaborate more effectively to support diverse learners.
Embed special education expertise into PLCs to ensure teachers have access to strategies that support students with disabilities.
Foster and support shared responsibility for the success of each student.
Demonstrate a commitment to both legal and instructional excellence.
Change is inevitable and brings with it both opportunities and challenges. We are committed to a smooth transition that will support our ongoing collaboration and clear communication. We are excited about the possibilities that our new configuration will bring.
Teaching & Learning Division:
The Special Education Director will now report to the Executive Director of Teaching & Learning.
The Extended Learning Programs (ELP) department has been renamed as the Advanced Academics department. This will better reflect the K-12 focus of the department.
The STEMDepartment will coordinate math, science, and digital learning.
The Literacy Department contacts will be updated when a Literacy Supervisor is hired.
The Enriched Learning Department will coordinate Fine Arts programs, Health/PE, Social Studies/Civic Readiness, and National Board.
The Evaluation and Assessment Supervisor, when hired, will report to the Executive Director of School Leadership & Support. The E&A Supervisor will liaison with T&L and Information Technology to coordinate evaluation projects and assessment administration.
The Supervisor and Evaluation & Data Insights team are based in the School Leadership & Support wing.
The Assessment team, under the direction of the Chief Information Officer, will move from Beardsley into the district office at the end of the year. They will be based in the central section of the T&L wing and have shared space at Beardsley.
As we navigate this transition, we appreciate your adaptability, professionalism, and dedication to ensuring a smooth process. Your commitment to our shared goals and to supporting one another during this time reflects the strength of our team. Together, we will continue to create an environment that fosters collaboration, efficiency, and excellence. Thank you for your patience and hard work as we move forward.
Summary: The following information was provided to social studies teachers on 1.14.2025 to help them navigate topics that are, in Utah, deemed as “sensitive.” Our goal is to help teachers be able to navigate these topics in
classrooms if they are raised by students or encountered in classroom discussions.
Email
As social studies teachers, we know everything has a history. In learning social studies, part of our instructional practices call for teaching students to formulate and respond to compelling questions, conduct research, apply analytical thinking, and discern between valid and invalid sources as they seek to draw conclusions and formulate arguments about various current or historical topics. We know these are critical skills for an educated and civic ready citizenry, which is essential to sustaining our democracy.
We also recognize that today our students are savvy and care deeply about justice, and in response we provide students with valuable opportunities to explore topics compelling to them in an effort to help them better understand themselves and their communities. With
that said, as public school teachers, we are bound to follow Utah law. Our Board Policies are designed to capture the essence of the laws and inform what we must do to abide by Utah law.
This email is generated as a result of two laws: Utah Code Section 53G-10-402 and Utah CodeSection 53G-10-403. I know you are not teaching health, sex ed, biology or the like, but since everything has a history, you may find that students choose to investigate a topic for a
history fair or civic action project that may be considered sensitive or unlawful according to Utah law.
What does this mean for you as social studies teachers? It means that if any instruction or information pertains to any of the sensitive topics listed in the law, I strongly encourage you to do the following:
Review our Board Policy I-7 regarding Curriculum and Instructional Materials
and Board Policy I-12 Human Sexuality Education to empower you with appropriate information.
$30/hour PD rate and receive 1 relicensure point for completing the course.
Confer with your school administrator letting them know what you are doing and
what, if any, topics might be deemed sensitive. Together, determine the parameters of the project so it stays within the boundaries of the law.
Keep parents informed and get appropriate parent permission prior to proceeding or allowing students to proceed with any topic deemed to be sensitive.
Plan accordingly. If student projects include any materials deemed sensitive under Utah law/Board policy, students are not allowed to share their projects with any other students. Students are not allowed to receive peer feedback or present their projects in any school or district venue. In these cases, what are your plans for student alternatives?
Please Note: Utah History Day (UHD) is aware of Utah Code and working to determine how that may affect student presentations during UHD contests.
Please be assured that this email is not meant to alarm you or stifle student learning or your instruction. It is merely meant to equip you with important information. If you have further questions, please refer to your administrator.
“Aligning to Board Rule R277-700-4(6), a Local Education Agency (LEA) shall assess students for proficiency in keyboarding by grade 5 and report school-level results to the superintendent.
Each LEA will complete the Keyboarding Proficiency Report by June 1 each year.”
Action Items:
Coordinate with grade 5 teachers to ensure there is a planned time to administer the assessment.
Ensure grade 5 teachers have a plan to access keyboards for this assessment.
Confirm all grade 5 teachers have had the keyboard assessment training and understand the scoring procedure and how to submit their information.
Watch for an email from Sallie Warnecke by May 5 with the log-in information to submit your scores to the USBE.
Resources:
For the 2024-2025 school year, the district has purchased a premium license for all students in grades 2-6 from Typing.com. To access the premium license, students and teachers log in through Clever.
A Proper Technique Checklist (https://slcsd-my.sharepoint.com/personal/sallie_warnecke_slcschools_org/_layouts/15/onedrive.aspx?id=%2Fpersonal%2Fsallie_warnecke_slcschools_org%2FDocuments%2FKeyboarding%2FKeyboarding%20Technique%20Poster%2Epdf&parent=%2Fpersonal%2Fsallie_warnecke_slcschools_org%2FDocuments%2FKeyboarding&ga=1 ) has been created to post in schools.
Please note: There is only one required report per school, notteacher, to be submitted to the state on or before June 1, 2025. The window to submit opens on May 1, 2025.
Sallie Warnecke will provide professional learning opportunities throughout the spring via Teams and, upon request, will be available to provide in-person learning opportunities.
The first online PD will be held Monday, January 27 from 3:00-3:30 via Teams. Each fifth grade teacher will receive a Teams invitation to attend.
HB 182 establishes guidelines for conducting student surveys and mandates parental approval for certain types of surveys within public schools. Parents must be notified in advance about upcoming surveys that may require consent, have sufficient time to review the content, and be told that they can decide their child's participation.
Rationale:
HB 182 53E-9-203 Student Survey Amendments. The amended Section 53E-9-203 outlines the requirements concerning student surveys. This ensures transparency and parental control over sensitive student information collected by schools.
Requirements for Implementation:
Prior Written Consent:
LEAs must obtain prior written consent from a student's parent before administering any psychological, psychiatric examination, test, treatment, or any survey, analysis, or evaluation that seeks personal information. This includes data related to:
Political affiliations or philosophies
Mental or psychological issues
Sexual behavior, orientation, or attitudes
Illegal or self-incriminating behavior
Critical appraisals of close family members
Religious affiliations or beliefs
Privileged relationships (e.g., with lawyers or medical personnel)
Family income (unless required by law) 2. Annual Consent: LEAs must obtain annual written consent for students to opt in during registration for specific surveys, including those related to:
Early warning systems
Social-emotional learning
School climate
Unless otherwise agreed to by a student's parent and the person requesting written consent, the authorization is valid only for the activity for which it was granted. Failing to respond will be considered opting out of the survey.
3. Applicability: This requirement applies to all grades (K-12) and extends to all curriculum and school activities unless consent has been given.
4. Restrictions: LEAs cannot use consent from a previous school if a student transfers, nor can they reward or penalize students for participation or non-participation in such surveys or examinations. A written withdrawal of authorization submitted to the school principal by the authorizing parent terminates the authorization. A general consent used to approve admission to school or involvement in special education, remedial education, or a school activity does not constitute written consent
5. Parental Notification: The local educational agency shall directly notify the parent of a student, at least annually at the beginning of the school year, of the specific or approximate dates during the school year when activities described in item #2 are scheduled or expected to be scheduled. Consent is valid only if parents are first given written notice, including access to the survey questions, information on how the data will be used, who will have access to it, and the purpose of the data collection. Surveys must also be made available online for parents to review.
A school may administer a survey to students that does not request personal information or address on sensitive topics (e.g., political beliefs, religious affiliations, sexual orientation, mental health, etc.), or early warning systems, social-emotional learning, or school climate without prior written parental consent.
6. External Surveys. It is the right of a parent to inspect, upon the request of the parent, a survey created by a third party before the survey is administered or distributed by a school to a student (20 USC §1232h - Protection of Pupil Rights (PPRA)). All surveys from external partners, stakeholders, or agencies must be approved through the district’s external research request approval process first. Only surveys that have been approved for use in the district can be provided to parents to review and provide opt-in approval for their student’s participation. If an external party requests permission to administer a survey, direct them to the external researchlink.
Expectations for Implementation:
1. Communication:
o Administrators will communicate to all staff that surveys cannot be administered to students without review and administrator approval.
o If a survey goes out without approval, the administrator is responsible for addressing the issue with the teacher, including documented progressive discipline.
o Administrators should direct external participants who want a school to administer a survey to the external research approval process.
o Administrators are responsible for seeking clarity by asking questions when unclear.
o Administrators are responsible for sharing the information with impacted staff and the general school community in a clear and timely fashion.
2. Collaboration:
o If you have a question about the content of a survey, please contact Tiffany Hall and/or Sam Quantz before administering the survey.
3. Evaluation:
o The district will regularly assess the impact of any changes to our current practice by seeking feedback and will adjust as needed based on that information.
Conclusion:
For any survey related to sensitive topics, early warning systems, social-emotional learning, or school climate, the school must provide detailed information to parents, including the purpose, content, and how the data will be used. Additionally, parents must be allowed to review the survey and must provide written consent before their child participates.
Without parental consent, schools are limited to administering non-sensitive surveys that do not intrude into personal, familial, or confidential areas of a student's life.
Your cooperation and support in this endeavor are greatly appreciated.
For 2024-2025 ONLY:
Surveys that have not been approved through the registration process and that fall into one of the categories listed above as needed parental approval may go through a post-registration process this year only. If a school or external third party with an approved application wishes to administer a school climate or an SEL survey, they must complete the following:
1. Provide all parents with a description of (1) the purpose of the survey, (2) what information will be collected about the respondents, (3) how the information about the respondents and the information from the survey will be used, (4) who will have access to the data, and (5) how the data will be protected. Include the full text of the survey so parents can review all questions.
2. Inform parents that they must respond and agree to opt-in their student or to opt their student out of taking the survey. Failing to respond will be considered opting out of the survey.
3. Send this information to parents using an appropriate method: work with IT to setup a parent opt-in form that will allow the invitations and responses to be tracked and recorded.
4. After the deadline, which should be at least two weeks and include at least one reminder, schools may send the survey to anyone who has responded and opted-in their student for participation in the survey.
Questions? Tiffany Hall, Sam Quantz, Kristina Kindl
SLCSD educators are required to have an ESL Endorsement if they were hired after 2001-02. New employees must complete their endorsement by the end of their fourth year of employment. Registration for the next cohort opened on Monday, January 13 and closes on April 1. The registration is in KickUp, which is found in Clever. Click on the "Learning" tab and browse for "ESL Endorsement Cohort 8." The first class will begin on April 7.
Information about the ESL Endorsement and schedule is available on the ESL Endorsement Information page on the SLCSD website. Teachers have received this information through district email.
Endorsement Information
SLCSD offers an ESL Endorsement program to our educators. The courses are 3-unit graduate-level offered through SUU. Each term is 12 weeks long. Courses are facilitated in the SLCSD Canvas and are asynchronous. The district pays for the instructor and has built the materials into the course, so the only cost for the employee is the credit posting fee of $72. SLCSD has two different endorsement options: FULL and SLCSD Modified.
The full endorsement is six (6) courses, 18 units. This endorsement is placed on the Utah Teaching License and will stay current as long as the license is current.
The modified endorsement is only available to educators with specific teaching positions. This endorsement is only valid in SLCSD and does not attach to the state teaching license.
Who needs which endorsement?
Full Utah ESL Endorsement: Elementary teachers, core content secondary teachers (science, mathematics, ELA, Social Studies), and academic coaches in core areas are required to have the full ESL Endorsement.
SLCSD Modified Endorsement: Secondary elective teachers, administrators, and other educators can complete the entire endorsement or an SLCSD Modified Endorsement (1-3 classes, depending on position).
All educators are welcome to complete the entire credential.
Educators may also complete the endorsement by earning a passing score on the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Praxis Exam (5362). A passing score on this assessment will complete the endorsement. An ESL endorsement application must be submitted to USBE with the score report. If employees have already taken one of the courses listed in the endorsement within the last 10 years with a grade of C or better, they do not need to take that course again. If there is a question about whether or not a course can be used, USBE must make that determination as they are the granting agency. Questions? Contact Dr. Tiffany Hall (Tiffany.Hall@slcschools.org)
