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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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Dear High School Team,

Thank you for your continued leadership and commitment to creating positive, safe, and inclusive school environments. As we begin the new school year, I would like to reaffirm and formally document our shared expectations related to Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) implementation across our high schools.

These expectations have been reviewed and communicated previously through written correspondence and in multiple meetings. The following practices are essential components of our districtwide efforts to build a consistent and supportive culture across all secondary campuses:

  1. Hall Pass Protocols: Teachers will keep hall passes behind their desks so they are not immediately accessible to students.
  2. Classroom Dismissal: Teachers will not dismiss students early from class.
  3. Visual Expectations: Schools will hang visual behavior expectations in common areas to reinforce positive norms and support clarity for all students.
  4. Active Supervision: Teachers will be present in hallways during passing periods to promote school safety, foster positive interactions, and support a welcoming school climate. 

In addition, a small team comprised of school and district administrators will begin conducting PBIS walk-through observations to gather implementation data. These visits are intended to provide formative feedback and highlight areas of strength and opportunity. The observation tool is currently being finalized and will be shared with you in advance of any scheduled walk-throughs. Our collective goal is to ensure that expectations are being applied consistently and effectively, aligned with our district’s commitment to equity, inclusion, and student well-being.

Thank you once again for modeling the leadership and professionalism that make Salt Lake City School District a great place for students to learn and thrive. Should you have any questions or need support, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

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Dear High School Principals,

In our continued efforts to promote consistency and fairness across the district, we are implementing updated guidelines for allocating the 120 non-UHSAA days to staff.

Please note the following:

  1. Schools may use up to the specified number of days for each activity; however, it is perfectly acceptable to use fewer if that better aligns with your school’s needs.
  2. Individual activities should not exceed their designated allocation. For example, if six days are assigned to yearbook, that is the maximum permitted for that duty. The miscellaneous days are intended solely for activities not outlined in the plan.
  3. Please be aware that Esports and Unified Sports were inadvertently omitted from the UHSAA chart in the original agreement. Currently in 2025-2026 WA, we need to add: Esports 16 days for HC, 9 days for AC for a total of 25 days, and Unified Sports 14 days for HC,  9 days for AC for a total of 23 days.

Thank you for your continued leadership and collaboration in supporting equitable practices throughout our schools. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

Proposal for 120 Non-UHSAA days Distribution

Schools may use UP TO…

Should be able to produce evidence of time spent if asked

Activity                        Days

Dance                           8

Pep Band/Club             8

Newspaper                   6

Literary magazine         6

Yearbook                      6

Plays/musicals             (5 per performance) 15 (Plus 7 days for Drama from other chart)

SB Govt                        12

Music performances     8 (Plus 14 days for Music Instrument and Music Vocal from other chart)

Stage tech support       10

Filming/TV                     8

Fine Arts                        5

School (not student)
club advisors                  20

Misc                                8

Total                               120

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Dear Principals, Counselors, Department Directors, and SCC Chairs:

I am writing to provide you with an update regarding our ongoing collaboration with Salt Lake City Corporation, Utah Transit Authority (UTA), Salt Lake Education Foundation and Salt Lake City School District. This partnership is designed to improve transportation accessibility for our students, parents/guardians, and staff.

Please review the following updates and procedural reminders:

Bus Pass Access:

  • Current Pass Holders: Students who already possess a UTA bus pass will find that their pass remains active.
  • New or Replacement Passes: Students who are new to the district, require a pass for the first time, or those who have lost their bus pass can request one through their school secretary during registration or throughout the year.

How to Request:
To request more blank bus passes for students, staff, parents/guardians:
 

  • Please coordinate with your school secretary.
  • The secretary will submit a desk ticket to Information Technology (IT). 
  • IT will then provide the schools with blank cards for the school to assign accordingly. SLCSD Helpdesk Portal

UTA Field Trip Pass:
 

UTA bus passes may now be utilized for student field trips, contingent upon prior approval from the school principal. All field trips must adhere to the district’s established approval procedures and maintain appropriate chaperone ratios.

  • You will need one pass-holding adult to accompany every ten students. Please note: Since our school district has an agreement with UTA, our students are NOT limited on the number of field trips taken per year.
  • To Schedule a Field Trip:
    • Go to  UTA Field Trip Scheduling Page
    • Click on “Schedule a Field Trip”
    • Fill out the information about the field trip (students, chaperones, destination, date, etc.) on the form
    • Download Transit App and create a Transit Account with an email address
    • UTA representative will contact requestor within 3 business days to confirm scheduled field trip and/or instructions to access the field trip pass. Pass will be sent to requestor via Transit app.

Bus Routes and OnDemand Services:
 

For information regarding bus routes and OnDemand transportation options, refer to the following resources.


UTA Informational Materials:
 

UTA has provided instructional materials in both English and Spanish, including video guides on:
“Tips for Riding,” “How to Plan a Trip” and “How to Use Your Pass.” Please see the SLCSD transit “How-To” videos linked below:

Frequently Asked Questions:

For any further inquiries or assistance, please contact utacontact@saltlakeeducationfoundation.org or Salt Lake City School District: 801.578.8269.

Thank you for your cooperation and continued support in making transportation more accessible and convenient for our school community.

Sincerely,

James E. Yapias
James.Yapias@slcschools.org

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Title:               August Professional Development Days (Update with Times and Locations)

Date:              August 7, 2025

To:                  All Administrators

From:             Katie Ieremia, Supervisor for Academic Records & Credit and Professional Development, Teaching and Learning

   Dr. Tiffany Hall, Executive Director, Teaching and Learning

Subject:         August schedule and content

Summary:

The schedule has previously been released but the times and locations are now available in the spreadsheet below. By August, all teachers will be pre-registered and will receive an email from Kickup outlining their registration. (If they have a mistake on their registration, they should email professional.development@slcschools.org. Due to the volume of communication at the beginning of the school year, phone calls and emails to individuals cannot be responded to in a timely manner.)

Key learning for Day 2:

  1. Elementary
    1. Literacy / reading
    2. Inclusion and differentiation in math
    3. Performance Matters assessment platform
  2. Middle and High
    1. Content area focus and planning
    2. Math and ELA: Performance Matters assessment platform
  3. New curriculum materials for:
    1. Grades 6-8 Science
    2. Middle and High Health
    3. Middle and High Social Studies

Expectations for Implementation:

  1. Communication:
  2. Principals play a key role in communicating this information in their summer letter to their faculty.
  3. An email from Kickup, will be sent to each teacher with their registration and then a reminder email will be sent the day before each teacher’s “Opening Day” and “Day 2”.
  4. Collaboration:
  5. Email professional.development@slcschools.org if registration email from Kickup is incorrect or not received in school email by the second week of August.
  6. Evaluation:
  7. All participants will receive a feedback form for each of their two district days.

Keywords: Professional development, Kickup, August

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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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All instruction related to sex education must take place within the context of Utah State Law (53G-10-402) and Utah State Board of Education rule (R277-474). New legislation has added topics beyond health class which require parent notification and permission.

Any course which involves "Sex education instruction" [now includes] any course material, unit, class, lesson, activity, or presentation that, as the focus of the discussion, provides instruction or information to a student about:

· sexual abstinence;

· human sexuality;

· human reproduction;

· reproductive anatomy;

· physiology;

· pregnancy;

· marriage;

· childbirth;

· parenthood;

· contraception;

· HIV/AIDS;

· sexually transmitted diseases; or · refusal skills, as defined in Section 53G-10-402.

In accordance with Rule R277-474-7-4, teachers may answer student questions or correct inaccurate statements as long as the answer is consistent with state law and the approved instructional materials. Educators may also direct students to parents.

Teachers will be sent this survey and are required to indicate if they cover any of the listed topics. All teachers must respond by September 30, 2025.

The parental Consent Form is included in all student registration and information is available to teachers regarding the parent’s option for instruction.

Rationale:

Utah Code 53G-10-402 states: · That “parental consent requirements of Sections 76-7-322 and 76-7-323 are complied with”

· And, “require a student's parent to be notified in advance and have an opportunity to review the information for which parental consent is required under Sections 76-7-322 and 76-7-323.”

· “An LEA governing board shall provide appropriate professional development for the LEA governing board's teachers, counselors, and school administrators to enable the teachers, counselors, and school administrators to understand, protect, and properly instruct students in the values and character traits referred to in this section and Sections 53E-9-202, 53E-9-203, 53G-10-202, 53G-10-203, 53G-10-204, and 53G-10-205, and distribute appropriate written materials on the values, character traits, and conduct to each individual receiving the professional development.” To facilitate compliance, each secondary teacher is required to complete the form to let SLCSD know which topics they are and are not teaching.

USBE guidance states:

· “Health, CTE, science, and psychology teachers should [acquire parental permission and complete this training] if they teach eligible courses like Health, Child Development, Health Science, Medical Anatomy, Human Development, Genetics, or any course with instruction on sex education as defined in Utah Code 53G-10-403.”

Expectations for Implementation:

· Communication:

· Administrative memo will be sent to all building administrators to share with faculty.

· Link to required form will be sent to all educators with the deadline of September 30, 2025 for completion.

· The Canvas course required for all teachers who present an effected topic (listed above) will be provided once the USBE creates the course after July 1, 2025.

2. Collaboration:

· Contact Katie Lowery, Content Specialist over Health and Physical Education, for assistance.

3. Evaluation:

· The district will check for the completion of the required form by due date. If it is not complete, the assistance of building administrators will be requested.

· The district will keep a current record of all teachers who have completed the USBE Canvas course.

Keywords: Human sexuality, health education, Utah Code 53G-10-402

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Please integrate the following tasks to your Day One Ready List. We will be sure to get these on the master list in the future. Thanks!

July/August/September Priorities for student services include:

*Secretaries at Training August 4th-Do not schedule it as a registration day.

*Secondary Counselors have 195 day contract—determine the start date for counselors.

*Set up SSC/Counselor meeting to review students with tier 3 needs, cross check schedules, supports, consider parent meeting or home visit prior to school. 

*Set-up weekly Counselor Meetings, discuss Counselor Corner for staff meetings, discuss possible staff presentation for PD days.

*Set up your anti-harassment and bullying training dates for students

*Set up Mental Health Screening dates with social workers and counselors

*Set-up regular (weekly suggested) Mental Health Meetings with your district social worker.  Schedule a staff presentation.

*Set up a meeting with your school nurse to discuss CPR trained staff requirements, fall staff training, and vision screening

*Secondary set up a meeting with your SRO and PYP advocate.

*Set up a McKinney Meeting with Becky Baskett or Mike Harmon

Tasks for SEL and Prevention Services:

  1. Assign School Safety and Security Specialist, give name to Dr. Allison Martin, Allison.Martin@slcschools.org,
    1. Must be an assistant principal unless you have a split AP (split APs should be the SSaSS at one of their schools and the other one should assign the position to a counselor or teacher.
  2. Set standing day/time (at least once per week) for SSC meetings

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Dear Principals,

I hope this message finds you well and that your summer planning is off to a strong start.

I’m reaching out with a gentle reminder regarding the importance of timely approval of P-Card transactions. As outlined in Board Policy F-2 and detailed in the P-Card Manual (page 4), principals are responsible for ensuring that all credit card purchases at your site are in full alignment with district purchasing policies and procedures.

When you approve a transaction, you are verifying that this responsibility has been fulfilled. We’ve noticed delays in the approval process, and we want to support all sites in staying current and in compliance.

As noted in the manual, continued non-compliance may result in the loss of P-Card privileges—either for the individual staff member or, in some cases, for the entire site. While we know this is never the intention, we want to be proactive in avoiding those outcomes.

Please take a few moments to ensure your approvals are up to date and that systems are in place to keep them current moving forward. Your attention to this matter is greatly appreciated and helps us maintain fiscal integrity across the district.

Thank you for your leadership and continued partnership.

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Each year, the School Safety Plan must be updated to ensure all emergency procedures and school-specific information are accurate and current.

Purpose of the School Safety Plan

The School Safety Plan is designed to:

  1. Record all school-specific emergency information.
  2. Provide procedures for responding to various emergencies (e.g., fire, natural disaster, lockdown).
  3. Include emergency contacts, phone numbers, and evacuation sites.
  4. Serve as a guide for school staff, first responders, parents, and others who need to be familiar with the school’s emergency protocols.

Annual Update Process

1. Distribution of Template

  1. When: Second week of July each year.
  2. What: A 4-page Safety Plan Template is emailed to all school principals.
  3. Why: This template must be completed with the school’s updated emergency information, including:
    1. Emergency contacts
    2. Phone numbers
    3. Off-site evacuation locations

2. Principal’s Responsibility

  1. When: Completed template is due by the end of July.
  2. What: School principals must provide accurate and updated school-specific safety information by filling out the template and returning it to Facility Services.
  3. Why: This ensures each school’s emergency plan reflects current and accurate details.

3. Review and Compilation

  1. What: Once submitted, Facility Services:
    1. Reviews each school’s information for completeness and accuracy
    2. Updates each school’s safety plan accordingly
    3. Compiles the information into a standardized 32-page School Emergency Plan for each school

4. Return of the Final Plan

  1. When: By the end of August
  2. What: The finalized 32-page Emergency Plan is returned to each principal, containing all updated emergency procedures and contacts.

Principal’s Role in Plan Implementation

  1. What: Principals are expected to share the finalized School Safety Plan with all relevant staff and personnel annually, including:
    1. School staff (teachers, administrators, custodians, office staff)
    2. School Resource Officers (SROs)
    3. Substitute teachers
    4. Parents (limited to relevant information such as student pick-up procedures and off-site evacuation locations)
    5. Any other personnel who must be aware of emergency procedures
  2. When: The plan must be shared as soon as it is received and no later than the start of the school year (or immediately after receiving the final plan).

Mid-Year Updates

  1. What: If any changes occur during the school year (e.g., emergency contacts, off-site evacuation locations), schools must update their Safety Plan.
  2. When: Changes must be submitted to Facility Services as soon as they occur to keep the plan current.

Important Changes for the 2025–2026 School Year

  1. New Requirement: Beginning with the 2025–2026 school year, Safety Plans must also be shared with school leadership (i.e., administrators and district leadership), in addition to staff and first responders.

Timeline Overview

TaskDeadline
Template sent to principalsSecond week of July
Completed template dueEnd of July
Final Safety Plan returned to principalsEnd of August
Safety Plan shared with school staffBy start of the school year (or immediately after receiving the final plan)
Updates to Safety Plan (if any)Ongoing, as needed
Safety Plans shared with school leadership (2025–2026)By start of the school year (or immediately after receiving the final plan)
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