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Category: Communications

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SmartBoard Replacement Information

After a thorough year-long review, including feedback from school administration, teachers, technical evaluation, and cost/benefit analysis, it has been determined that we will move forward with the following interactive devices in the classroom. 

ViewSonic Interactive Boards at the Elementary Level

Deciding Factors

  • Feedback received through visits and teacher survey.
  • We save almost $200-300 per board.
  • We will have a 7-year warranty instead of a 5-year warranty.
  • ViewSonic software will run the Smart Notebook software that many elementary teachers use.
  • ViewSonic boards performed better than the SMART brand.
  • Will support untethered teaching as well

Installation plan

·IT will work with school administration to determine which classrooms are updated first with as little classroom disruption as possible.

·Installation will take a coordination with district electricians and installers. 

·We are currently working on creating that plan with Auxiliary services and will send out that plan once it is finished. 

·Goal is to replace about 150 boards this year

·The rest of the boards are being replaced over the next 3-5 years.

·The goal is to begin installation in October/November.

Budget Needed

·Schools will not need to budget for this as it will be paid out of the district capital technology outlay funds.

Training

·School technicians are being trained within the next few weeks so there is onsite support.

·IT will work with school administration to develop training opportunities as boards are installed in the school

·IT will work with Teaching & Learning and School Leadership and Support to develop a comprehensive training plan going forward.

Epson Interactive Projectors (still in testing phase) at Secondary Level, with optional ViewSonic Interactive Board option

Deciding Factors

  • Feedback received through visits and teacher survey.
  • having more whiteboard space was one of the most frequent requests.
  • The vast majority of secondary classrooms do not use SMART notebook software or use the touch capability
  • The picture will be displayed on the whiteboard, allowing the whiteboard to serve dual functionality.
  • Allows for untethered teaching.
  • If the Epson Projector does not work in the classroom, ViewSonic Interactive boards will be installed 

Installation plan

·These devices have already been installed in some classrooms in the district

·IT has reached out to high school principals to receive the names of a few teachers willing receive these new projectors for additional testing.

·After final testing is completed, installation will take place over the next 3-5 years.

Budget Needed

·Schools will not need to budget for this as it will be paid out of the district capital technology outlay funds.

Training

·School technicians will be trained on the boards for onsite support.

·IT will work with school administration to develop training opportunities as boards are installed in the school

·IT will work with Teaching & Learning and School Leadership and Support to develop a comprehensive training plan going forward.

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As we approach the 10-Day Drop window, please review the following guidance carefully. Our goal is to ensure consistency across schools while supporting students and families through clear communication and outreach.

Board Policy S-4 states:

“School administration and/or their designees will attempt at least one home visit before implementing a 10-day withdrawal. The home visit will be logged in PowerSchool.”

Recognizing the unique challenges at the start of the school year, outreach efforts such as phone calls, emails, and text messages may be documented as interventions in lieu of an immediate home visit. When feasible, a home visit should still be made, but it is not required prior to initiating the 10-Day Drop.

Please follow the updated procedures below:

1. General Education Students

  • Who: Students who registered for this school year but have not attended at all.
  • Action: Drop the student the day after 10 unexcused absences.
  • Drop Deadline: September 2
  • Exit Date to Enter: September 3
  • Requirements:
    • At least one documented intervention is required prior to dropping the student.
    • Acceptable interventions include: phone calls, text messages, emails, or home visits.
    • Document the outreach in PowerSchool.

2. Special Education Students

  • Who: Students with an IEP who have 30 consecutive unexcused absences.
  • Action: May be dropped after 30 consecutive unexcused absences.
  • Exit Date to Enter: Day after the 30th absence.
  • Requirements:
    • Special education teachers must document all attempts to connect with the family.
    • Email documentation to Erin.
    • Fill out the 10-day Ready and Willing Letter FORM document at 10 days of consecutive absences.
    • Complete the SCRAM link on the DDC.
    • Exit the student using code M.

3. Students Who Rolled Over from Last Year (Not Registered This Year)

  • Who: Students who appear on your roster but did not complete registration for the current school year.
  • Action: Drop at date of entry.
  • Exit Date to Enter: First day of school or the listed entry date.
  • Note: No intervention is required. However, please carefully verify that the student truly did not register or attend before proceeding.

Key Reminders

  • Equity and care are central. Our outreach efforts should reflect compassion and the intent to reconnect families to school.
  • Document everything. Whether by phone, text, email, or home visit, please ensure all interventions are logged in PowerSchool.
  • Seek support if unsure. When in doubt, reach out to your supervising director for clarification.

Together, these practices ensure we meet compliance requirements while also extending every opportunity for students to engage with school. Thank you for your continued commitment to students and families as we begin this school year.

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Bri Conley

Director of Educational Equity and Access

Published 8/29/2025

· 1 min read

Dear Principals,

As part of SLCSD's Strategic Plan Pillar 3, Goal 1, we are beginning baseline data collection on student and family attendance at key school events:

  • Back-to-School Night
  • Two additional family engagement events this year(selected by your school)
  • Fall and Spring SEP Conferences

Please complete the School Event Attendance Count form by Thursday, September 4. The form includes:

  • Attendance counts or estimates for 2025 Back-to-School Night
  • Method of tracking attendance (e.g., sign-in sheets, digital check-ins, estimates)
  • Prompts to identify your next two 2025-26 major events and SEP dates
  • Input about last year's most attended events at your schools

Thank you for your timely attention and support.

Published on

As we kick off the new school year, we’d like to highlight a few important IT procedures.

After-Hours and Weekend IT Support

If you experience an IT issue outside regular hours, please submit an IT help ticket (https://helpdesk.slcschools.org).  When we receive a report of a network or system outage in the evening, it will be addressed the following morning.  If the request comes on the weekend, the problem will be worked on within 24-48 hours, though holiday support times may vary.

If you are having an activity after hours or on weekends relying on the computers or network and would like system support,  please schedule that with me at least two weeks in advance. Be prepared to provide an account number for potential technician overtime costs.

Monthly System Maintenance

To ensure the smooth operation of our IT systems, regular maintenance is necessary. We’ve established a maintenance schedule for the 2025-26 school year to minimize disruptions for staff and students.

Maintenance will occur on designated weekends each month, during which intermittent system outages may be expected. We will send out notifications each month detailing the affected systems.

The planned maintenance window is typically from 5 pm on Friday through Saturday.  Occasionally, maintenance may continue into Sunday.    Critical updates may be applied outside this planned maintenance schedule.

Please review the maintenance dates below and plan accordingly. 

  • August 29-30
  • September 26-27
  • October 24-25 (limited due to end of term)
  • November 14-15
  • December 19-20
  • January 23-24
  • February 27-28
  • March 27-28
  • April 17-18
  • May 15-16
  • June 26-27
  • July 17-18

IT Help Tickets

When requesting support, please remember to use the IT help ticket system (https://helpdesk.slcschools.org).   Tickets submitted through this system are prioritized over emails or phone calls. Utilizing the help ticket system allows us to better analyze data and improve our service.

We wish you a successful start of the school year.

Best regards,

Sam Quantz
Chief Information Officer
Salt Lake City School District
Office: 801.578.8329

www.slcschools.org

www.slcschools.org

Published on

As shared during Admin Institute, our district is joining the Utah State Board of Education’s (USBE) attendance initiative, Every Day Counts, for the 2025–2026 school year. This initiative directly supports our District Board Goal to reduce chronic absenteeism from 28% to 10% by 2029.

To support this important work, USBE has provided a variety of resources through their Absenteeism and Truancy Prevention page, including:

  • Flyers to display throughout your schools
  • Attendance Handouts for Parents
  • Monthly social media templates and themes to promote attendance on your school's platforms

USBE is actively working to translate these materials to ensure accessibility for all families. If the Attendance Handout for Parents is not available in translated form by mid-next week, we will collaborate with our Communications Department to ensure it is translated and ready for distribution.

Our Communications Department will also continue developing additional tools throughout the year to reinforce this message.

Back to School Night is a great opportunity to introduce the challenge to families. Please emphasize that improving student attendance is a district priority, and we are committed to supporting families in every way possible. Families in need of support can reach out to their school counselors, who are ready to assist with accessing resources and meeting basic needs.

Please also encourage your teachers to join us in promoting the Every Day Counts message. It’s just 180 days and we’re making each one count.

Let’s ensure families know it takes a village to improve attendance, and we can’t do it without them. Their partnership is essential to helping every student succeed.

As we look ahead, please keep in mind that September is Attendance Awareness Month. We’ll be resharing ideas and strategies to help promote it and build momentum. Since our goal is to bring awareness every month, this is a great time to start thinking about how your school can participate.

We are equally committed to supporting you in this work. If you have any questions about the attendance challenge or need support with anything related to attendance, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m available and happy to assist in any way I can.

I’m excited for what we will accomplish together this year!

In solidarity,

Bri Conley, Ed.D. 

Director, Educational Equity and Access

Salt Lake City School District

Office: 801-578-8281

slcschools.org

Follow the district: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter   

Excellence and Equity: every student, every classroom, every day

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Good Afternoon Administrators!

I'd like to extend an extra special welcome to all new administrators joining SLCSD this year. I am an education specialist in HRS, and the focus of my job is pre, new, and early educators. This email is to explain the process regarding pre-educators that spend time in our district.

We LOVE hosting student teachers, practicum students and interns! Especially since we have wonderful educators and students to learn from. SLCSD receives requests from several of our state colleges and universities as well as some online programs to place their students in our schools. HRS has worked with these institutions in developing MOUs and a placement process to ensure the success of all involved with this collaborative effort. 

The placement process starts in HRS with receiving requests from mostly placement coordinators. I also get requests from instructors, cohort leaders, and students themselves. This all depends on our arrangement with each institution. When you receive a placement request for observations, practicum or field hours, or student teaching, please direct the requester to contact me directly. After the details of the placement are reviewed, I will facilitate that placement with a school administrator before anything is confirmed. 

For internships, usually in school counseling or administration, there is an application and screening process. This would include anyone interested in fulfilling internship requitements for licensing, even current employees of SLCSD. You can also direct those individuals to me and I will provide them with next steps. 

If you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to reach out. I'm here to help! I look forward to collaborating with each of you this year in various capacities. 

Kellie May, M.Ed. (she/her/hers) 

Education Specialist - Mentors/Alternative Pathway to Professional Educator License (APPEL) / Grow Your Own (GYO) / Pre-service Educators  

Salt Lake City School District 

2019 Utah Teacher of the Year   

Office (801) 578-8215 

https://www.slcschools.org/departments/human-resource-services

Follow the district: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter 

Excellence and Equity: every student, every classroom, every day 

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Hello Principals,

Welcome to a new school year!  It was just over a year ago that we were in final stages of preparing for multiple school boundary changes due to school closures; that heavy lifting made us a year wiser as we reflect and prepare for the upcoming year(s). 

We need your input as we anticipate future needs.  The purpose of Board Policy G-5 (and its newly updated administrative procedures) is to "ensure a regular systematic review of the configuration and organization of district schools and, in compliance with state law, establish a process for adjusting boundaries, relocating or closing special enrollment programs, or permanently closing schools."

Our focus right now is to "ensure a regular systematic review"... I need 30-60 minutes from you (just you for now - on a Teams call) to discuss your specific school's boundaries and special enrollment programs (if you have one).  What's going well?  What needs to be adjusted (if anything)?  What feedback have you received in your community?  And if you're a principal new to your school, you may have many more questions. 

Just click on this link and sign up for an available hour that works for you - I'd like to meet with you before you kick off the school year with staff and students:  Book time with Brian Conley: Boundaries & Planning Meeting

Please respond before July 15.

Sincerely,

Brian

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Dear Salt Lake School District Team,

We hope this message finds you well. We are writing to provide guidance regarding HB 77 – Flag Display Amendments, which was recently passed by the Utah Legislature and will take effect May 7, 2025. This legislation outlines specific regulations regarding which flags may be displayed on or within government property, including public school campuses.

For years, Salt Lake City School District has been known for our commitment to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for all students and staff, and we remain committed to this goal and the values underlying that commitment. We also appreciate the pride and passion many of our students and staff feel in their beliefs and causes. While this law imposes certain limitations, we will continue to foster school environments where all students feel seen, supported, and valued.  In order to understand and implement this legislation, we are providing the following protocols for our schools.

Key Provisions of HB 77

HB 77 defines “display” as placing a flag in a prominent location where the flag is easily visible. A “flag” is defined as a usually rectangular piece of fabric with a specific design that symbolizes a location, government entity, or cause.

To ensure district-wide compliance, please note the following flags are permitted for display:

  • The official United States Flag
  • The official Utah State Flag
  • The current and official flag of another country, state, or political subdivision (e.g., another school district or city)
  • A flag that represents a city, municipality, county, or other political subdivision within Utah
  • A flag representing a branch, unit, or division of the U.S. military
  • The National League of Families POW/MIA flag
  • A flag that represents a recognized Indian tribe
  • An officially licensed college or university flag
  • A historic version of the U.S., Utah, or other state/national flags
  • An official public school flag
  • An official flag of the U.S. Olympic/Paralympic Committee, International Olympic/Paralympic Committee, or a specific Olympiad/Paralympiad that occurred or will occur
  • A flag of an organization authorized to use space within a public school, during the time they are using the space

We understand that some of you may feel inclined to demonstrate your support for various causes, groups, and beliefs by displaying items that do not meet the definition of flag and thus do not violate the new law. While we support you in your goal of signaling a welcome environment, there is additional information that you should consider in displaying items. In addition to HB 77, the Utah State Board of Education (“USBE”) issued a letter on April 10,2025, reminding educators of Utah Admin. Code R277-217(25), Educator Standards, that states that an educator may not “through instruction, materials, or symbols . . . endorse promote, or disparage” a particular viewpoint. The letter also indicated how the public may report violations of this section. We are providing you with this information not as a threat of district action, but as an awareness that USBE, as the licensing authority for Utah educators, has indicated that compliance with these rules and laws is not only expected but vital.  

Action Steps for Schools

  • Review all flags currently displayed in your school or on your school property, including in classrooms, hallways, and offices.
  • Remove any flags that do not fall within the categories listed above by the end of school onMay 6, 2025, to ensure full compliance with the law upon its effective date.
  • When in doubt, please consult with the General Counsel before displaying a new flag to confirm it meets the legal criteria.
  • Ensure that flags displayed during temporary use by authorized organizations are removed promptly after their use of the space ends. 

The Office of the State Auditor is tasked with overseeing compliance with this legislation and may impose fines for violations. As such, we must be diligent and proactive to ensure our flag displays align with this new legislation.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter and for your continued leadership in ensuring our schools remain compliant, welcoming, and student-centered.

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Dear Principals,

As we continue to prioritize student safety and manage risk responsibly across our district, we want to clarify our position regarding the use of inflatables and requests for field trips to trampoline parks.

Due to risk management and liability concerns, Salt Lake City School District does not permit the use of inflatable structures (such as bounce houses, inflatable slides, etc.) for school-sponsored events. Similarly, field trips to trampoline parks will not be approved and will be denied upon submission.

While we understand the desire to provide engaging and enjoyable experiences for students, we must ensure all activities align with district safety protocols and minimize unnecessary risk.

Thank you for your understanding and for your ongoing commitment to providing safe, enriching opportunities for our students. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need assistance identifying alternative options for student activities.

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Dear Team:

We are writing to inform you of the finalized school start and end times for the upcoming academic year. Given that this has been a topic of considerable interest and discussion in recent years, we wanted to ensure you had this information in advance, anticipating that questions may arise from members of our community.

We are solidifying a two-tier schedule where every school follows either the Tier 1 start and end times or the Tier 2 start and end times.  These tiers specify the bell schedule for each school as well as early dismissal times and Fridays as early dismissal days.  The two tiers’ bell schedules are presented below.

Bell Schedule Overview:

  1. Tier 1: 8:00 AM – 2:30 PM
    Early Dismissal: 1:30 PM
    1. Schools:
      (18 Elementary) Ensign, Emerson, Rose Park, Liberty, Franklin, Meadowlark, North Star, Edison, Indian Hills, Washington, Nibley Park, Mountain View, Whittier, Newman, Parkview, Backman, Uintah, Escalante
      (5 Middle) Bryant, Clayton, Glendale, Hillside, Northwest

       
  2. Tier 2: 8:45 AM – 3:15 PM
    Early Dismissal: 2:15 PM
    1. Schools:
      (5 Elementary) Bonneville, Wasatch, Beacon Heights, Dilworth, Highland Park
      (6 High Schools) East, Highland, West, SCORE, Innovations, Horizonte

       

Key Considerations for Implementation:

  1. SLCSE-Bryant Middle School Schedule Adjustment:
    SLCSE-Bryant Middle School will transition to Tier 1. This change resolves a key audit finding related to wait times for students at West High School.
  2. Universal Tier Assignment for All Schools:
    Regardless of current transportation needs, all schools will be assigned to either Tier 1 or Tier 2. This is essential, as transportation services must be available for any student who may require it, including those that may be subject to an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).
  3. Aligned Early Dismissal Times:
    Early dismissal dates and times have been adjusted across schools to align with transportation schedules. This alignment will help minimize disruptions to instructional time, ensuring greater efficiency and continuity in the learning process.

We anticipate that seven schools will be adjusting their bell schedules for the upcoming year. SLCSE-Bryant Middle School will transition to the Tier 1 bell schedule, while Uintah, Bonneville, and Escalante will be placed on a designated tier. Meadowlark and North Star will have a revised early release time, and Rose Park Elementary will shift its early release day to Fridays instead of Wednesdays.

We trust that these adjustments will positively impact our schools and the wider community. If you have any questions or would like further clarification, please do not hesitate to reach out.

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