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Category: Human Resources

Published on

Date: September 23, 2026

To: All Administrators and Secretaries

From: Nathan Elkins, Director HRS – Certified

Subject: Roving Substitute Guidelines Message:

During the 2023-24 school year, we authorized schools to use the roving substitute code for emergency situations in which a special education paraprofessional was unavailable for continuity of services. We also authorized the use of the roving sub code for PE instructors at the elementary level to ensure there was no break in PE programming. In some cases, the need for a roving sub in either of these situations was due to a vacancy in that specific position, and our hope was that allowing schools to use the substitute pool would help buy time to find a more permanent solution through the hiring process. Unfortunately, in some cases, the roving substitute became the long-term solution, and the respective positions were never filled. Consequently, the abundant use of roving substitutes over the past year created situations in which regular substitutes were not available for classroom assignments in addition to an unsustainable increase to the district's substitute expenses.
The purpose of this memo is to provide information regarding the current situation and guidance moving forward to address the needs of support staff (specifically, special education paraprofessionals and PE instructors) and the increased substitute expense. Please be aware of the following guidelines:

  • Requesting a roving substitute for the express purpose of providing coverage for a PE instructor (elementary) or a special education paraprofessional is still allowed at the maximum use of 20 days
  • After 20 days, a roving sub will no longer be allowed to provide coverage for that PE instructor or special education paraprofessional
  • A single-day use for a roving sub is still allowed if being used to help cover multiple classes throughout the school day
  • Roving subs may not be requested to cover office personnel, a general instructional paraprofessional, or to provide additional support for a school activity (e.g., field day, field trips, etc.)
    Excellence and Equity: every student, every classroom, every day slcschools.org 2
  • Roving subs may not be requested in anticipation of potential teacher absences
  • Roving sub requests that do not include a reason for the request noted in the administrator comments may be removed from SmartFind (applicable only to roving sub assignments)
    We understand that unique circumstances arise from time to time, and as such, any request for a roving sub that navigates outside these guidelines must first have approval from HR. Such requests can be made directly to me (nathan.elkins@slcschools.org) or Lauren Knotts (lauren.knotts@slcschools.org). As we move forward throughout the school year, we will closely monitor the use of roving subs in SmartFind and will contact you directly if we discover a potential issue. We are hopeful that these guidelines will provide our schools the latitude to navigate challenging staffing situations while maintaining sustainable substitute expenses. We ask that you please review these guidelines with all school staff that may be responsible for requesting a roving substitute assignment. If you have any questions regarding these guidelines, please reach out to me or a member of HR staff copied on these guidelines, thank you.
    Nathan Elkins, Director HRS - Certified Lauren Knotts, HR Analyst Krystal Hernandez-Cortes, HR Specialist Kim Hill, HR Specialist

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Dear Administrators,

As you continue planning school activities and staff meetings, please be mindful of the scheduling expectations outlined in Article 4.4 of the Written Agreement. This provision specifies that district or school activities involving teachers may not be scheduled after 3:30 p.m. on the first and third Wednesday of each month.

To ensure compliance with the agreement and to support consistency across schools, please avoid planning meetings, professional learning sessions, or other activities that require teacher participation during those times. School or district meetings may be scheduled on other days of the week as needed.

Thank you for your attention to this guidance and for your continued leadership in supporting clear communication and thoughtful scheduling practices within your schools. Your efforts to honor these agreements help maintain positive collaboration and strong working relationships across our district.

Please feel free reach out to either me or Logan Hall, Executive Director of HRS (Logan.Hall@slcschools,org) if you have any questions.

Sincerely,
Leeson M. Taylor II, Ed.D.
Executive Director, School Leadership and Support
Salt Lake City School District

Published on

Date:                  January 29, 2026

To:                  All Administrators

From:              Katie Ieremia, Supervisor, Academic Records and Professional Development

Dr. Tiffany Hall, Executive Director, Teaching and Learning

Subject:         August 2026 schedule for teachers

Summary:

A strong start to the school year is built through shared learning and clear communication. The district opening days and professional development in August are designed to support this purpose at the district and sites.

The 2026 schedule for the first five days includes the following activities: a district opening session; 1.5 school days led by site administrators; 1 district professional development day focused on district instructional goals and priorities; and 2 teacher workdays, reserved for teachers’ classroom preparation and collaborative planning.

District professional learning is organized by level—elementary, middle, and high school—on different days to ensure the content is relevant to each setting. All administrators are welcome and encouraged to attend district days with their teachers for all or part of the day, as shared learning strengthens alignment, relationships, and collective understanding across our system.

 Tuesday
August 11		Wednesday
August 12		Thursday August 13Friday
August 15		Monday
August 17
ElementarySchool dayDistrict openingTeacher workdayDistrict professional developmentTeacher workday
School day after opening
MiddleDistrict openingSchool dayDistrict professional developmentTeacher workdayTeacher workday
School day after opening
HighDistrict openingDistrict professional developmentSchool dayTeacher workdayTeacher workday
School day after opening

District Professional Development Day Focus

District professional learning will focus on strengthening instructional practices across all content areas in ways that directly support classroom teaching from the start of the school year.

Mathematics may have new K–12 standards for 2026–27; if so, the new mathematics standards will receive targeted attention. Our broader focus will remain on high-quality instructional practices that can be used across all disciplines.

Professional learning will center on instructional planning, scaffolding instruction to support English learners, and using proficiency scales to clarify learning targets and expectations, particularly in English/Language Arts.

Across grade levels and content areas, we will continue our work in academic discourse by supporting students in using speaking and writing to explain their thinking, engage with peers, and deepen their understanding. Teachers will collaborate to analyze student work, practice instructional strategies, and plan together to ensure aligned instruction as the year begins.

Administrators are encouraged to join their teams in the district professional development sessions whenever possible. Shared learning strengthens alignment and collective understanding.

Expectations for Implementation:

  1. Communication:
  2. Principals play a key role in communicating this information in their summer letter to their faculty, especially faculty hired after the end of the school year.
  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. Participants will have an opportunity to provide feedback about their experience.

Keywords: Professional development, Kickup, August 2026

Published on

This information was originally sent on 12/6/2022 in the Letters for Leadership v.18.  Please note the following:

 Winter Weather Guidelines

We want to ensure that you are aware of the expectations for the chilly time of the school year.   Please reach out to you community and communicate to parents that students should be dressed and prepared for the cold weather with the following items: warm coats, sweaters/ hoodies, boots, hats, scarves, mittens/gloves, etc. Please ensure that these items are marked in case they are misplaced or lost. Students should come prepared to go outside, get some fresh air, and exercise outdoors daily.  The exceptions to going out daily are listed below:

Morning:

  • Inside morning in the gym, IF there is significant rainfall or snowfall. (IF students will be getting wet outside.)
  • Inside morning in the gym, IF the temperature is below 20 degrees.
  • Students sitting on their pockets, not running around, playing sports, etc.
  • Inside mornings are from (List the time for your school)________ to ensure our outside-duty teachers are in the gym to help supervise.

Recess:

  • Teacher/Grade Level Discretion
  • Inside recess IF the temperature is below 20 degrees. Recess time is held inside the classroom.

Lunch Recess:

  • Admin/Office Discretion
  • Inside lunch recess, IF there is significant rainfall or snowfall (If students will be getting wet outside), recess time is held inside the classroom.
  • Inside lunch recess, IF the temperature is below 20 degrees, recess time is held inside the classroom.

Please reach out if you have any questions or need further information.  Thank you for all that you do for the children of our district.

Published on

From: Logan Hall

Hello Administrators,

The purpose of this email is to notify you about a new process for hiring school-based administrators. Please read through these updates carefully as there are some significant changes as well as important reminders for current administrators. 

What's New? 

In an effort to recruit from the best available administrators to SLCSD, we understand that we must draw upon potential candidates earlier than we have previously done. To that end, we will open a school-based administrator pool near the end of October. This recruiting pool is for external candidates only—current administrators should not apply to this pool. 

This school-based administrator pool will undergo a multi-interview process in order to identify top talent that will best match the unique needs of our schools. At the conclusion of each round of interviews, we will be able to consolidate our top candidates and move them on to the next round. It is anticipated that the first round of interviews will conclude near the end of November with a second round of interviews in or around January. These procedural changes follow similar processes and timelines of our neighboring districts. Ultimately, our goal is to create a list of top candidates for school-based selection committees to interview and recommend to the Superintendent for a final interview.  

HRS will provide more details on this process at an upcoming DLC, as we want to provide you with as much transparency as possible. 

Reminder for Current Administrators

For anyone interested in being considered for a change in your current assignment for the next school year, you will need to apply to the internal transfer request posted through SchoolSpring (see posting "Current Administrator Transfer and Promotion Request"). HR Certified Analyst, Lauren Knotts, will send an email to all current administrators when the transfer and promotion request has been posted, which will contain additional information regarding this request.   

We acknowledge the uncertainty that comes with a change in any process, and we hope that this email along with a discussion in DLC will help provide a clear vision for how we can ensure we continue to recruit top talent for our students, families, and employees of SLCSD. 

Thank you,

Logan

PART II Transfers

Hello Everyone,

We recognize and understand the need for current SLCSD administrators to periodically seek different assignments over the course of their career. If you are interested in a transfer or promotion for a school-based assignment for the 2026-27 school year, you must fill out the application using this School Spring link: https://slcschools.schoolspring.com/ 

Upload your letter of interest (cover letter) in order to be considered. Please keep in mind that the Superintendent may effectuate transfers in order to meet the needs of the district, but this is your opportunity to express interest in a change of assignment or position. 

Additionally, please be aware of the following conditions and procedures regarding requests:

  • Applications must be submitted by the close of business on December 12, 2025 using the link above. This will be our only method of collecting interest from current administrators.
    • External candidates and employees who are not current administrators will need to apply to the School Administrator Pool posting.
  • Under section X, Administrative Vacancies, Transfers, and Rotations, of The Written Understanding, it states, "In determining whether to rotate an administrator, the District will consider the length of appointment, interests of the administrator, and needs of the District."   
  • Requesting a transfer demonstrates your interest in a different assignment or change in location and is not a guarantee of a change in assignment or location.
  • Requesting a transfer for an assignment paid on a lower lane will result in you being paid at the appropriate step on that lane. 
  • You must submit your preferences for a change in location in the transfer request by uploading a letter of intent in the "cover letter" section of the application.   

We appreciate the work you do to ensure positive learning outcomes and safe environments for our students. If you have any questions regarding this process, please contact me, Nathan Elkins, or Logan Hall. 

If you experience an issue with finding this position that has been posted to internal applicants only, please ensure you are using the Internal side of School Spring by clicking the Internal Jobs tab and signing in (or creating an account) with your district email address to demonstrate you are a current employee. 

Thank you,  

Lauren Knotts

Human Resources Analyst
Salt Lake City School District

District Office: (801) 578-8599

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

Published on

Scholarship for Teachers

Are you interested in teaching Concurrent Enrollment classes at your high school but are not qualified? Do you want to take the college classes so you are qualified? What if we pay for the tuition? 

Let's jump in!

We are excited to offer an opportunity to pay for your tuition to take a class (or two, not an entire Master's degree) to become qualified to teach concurrent enrollment. 

Apply Here!

If you don't know if you are qualified or want to have a conversation about offering additional concurrent enrollment classes, please reach out to your CTE Coordinator or the Business Development Coordinator: 

Julianna Wing, CTE Business Development Coordinator 

Anne Martin, CTE Coordinator, East High School 

Emily Grass, CTE Coordinator, Highland High School 

Sarah Wilson, CTE Coordinator, West High School 

Published on

We are pleased to share that the school board has approved the creation of a Level Two Campus Safety Coordinator position. This new role offers a higher compensation and is designed to enhance our campus safety leadership structure.

  • Please note the following key details:
    • The Level Two position will count as one of the three existing Campus Safety Coordinator roles at each high school.
      • Each campus will continue to have a total of three Campus Safety Coordinators.
      • Human Resources Services (HRS) will post the position collectively for all high schools.
      • HRS will organize the interview process and form the selection committees. The committee will include one administrative representative from each high school.
      • The posting will be limited to current employees who are already serving as Campus Safety Coordinators.
      • We ask that you speak with your current Campus Safety Coordinators about this opportunity. HRS will also send a direct communication to all incumbents to ensure they are informed.
      • Thank you for your support in promoting this opportunity and helping us identify strong candidates for this important role.

Published on

Summary:

All SLCSD educators must have an ESL endorsement. Depending on their teaching area, they can have a district modified or state endorsement. New employees must complete their endorsement by their fourth year of employment.

The ESL Endorsement is granted by USBE and can be earned by completing six courses or by taking and passing the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Praxis Exam (5362).

Certain categories of educators – including administrators – in the district can earn a modified endorsement with fewer classes. The classes are determined by the educators’ role and are outlined in the district’s ALS Master Plan. The modified endorsement is only recognized by SLCSD. More information about modified endorsements is on the district’s ESL Endorsement page.

Rationale: 

State and federal law, policies, and regulations provide parameters regarding the education of students who are Multi-Language Learners (MLL) in the United States. School districts must identify students, assess their abilities to understand, speak, read, and write English, and provide comprehensible and content-based instructional programs.

SLCSD designed the program to begin in the spring to support new teachers by not crowding too much into the first semester of their work with students in the district.

Expectations for Implementation: 

  1. Communication
  • Please share this information with your new teachers.
  • Please check with your teachers during your ECAP sessions to ensure they have completed or are on track to complete the ESL Endorsement or Modified Endorsement.
  •  Full information about the endorsement and its requirements can be found on the district’s website. ESL Endorsement Information.
  1. Collaboration: 
  • SLCSD provides an ESL endorsement program designed to provide educators with the knowledge and strategies to support English language learners in their classrooms.
  • ESL Endorsement classes are graduate-level classes offered with university credit, so they will count toward a professional lane change. The complete ESL Endorsement (six classes, earning grade of C or better) is granted by USBE and is recorded on the teaching credential. The modified endorsement is only recorded on your SLCSD record.
  • Cohorts begin every spring. Registration information is sent through the district email system in February and can be found on Clever in KickUp. Classes are online.
  • The district funds the instructor and provides materials. The cost per class is $72 for posting fees.
  • Please contact Dr. Tiffany Hall with questions.
  1. Evaluation
  • All teachers must have the appropriate endorsement, which is dependent on the content and level they teach.

Keywords: ESL Endorsement

Published on

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 

Published on

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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