Thank you for your continued efforts in supporting our students with the NWEA assessments. Attached is the most recent participation chart, which shows where each school currently stands. Our districtwide goal is 95% participation, and the deadline for completion is Friday, September 12, 2025.
Please ensure the necessary arrangements are in place so that all students have the opportunity to participate and we can collectively meet this important target. Your leadership and attention to this matter are greatly appreciated.
Guidance for Implementing Arena Scheduling in High Schools
Effective: Second Semester 2025–2026 and Fall 2026
Dear High School Administrators,
As part of our ongoing commitment to equitable access, student voice, and efficient school operations, we are preparing to implement arena scheduling (class choice registration) for the second semester of the 2025–2026 school year and for Fall 2026. This is the first of what we anticipate will be several communications outlining processes and systems for this process.
Arena scheduling allows students to actively participate in building their schedules by selecting classes during designated windows of time. Research has shown that student involvement in course selection increases ownership over learning, reduces schedule change requests later, and promotes higher levels of satisfaction with school (Morrison, 2018; Levin, 2020). Additionally, when implemented with fidelity, arena scheduling improves balance in class sizes and maximizes staffing efficiency.
To ensure smooth implementation, we will follow a common registration calendar across all high schools.
Arena Scheduling Calendar
Month(s)
Action
Responsible Party
October
All new course requests or course changes submitted by end of fall break
Teachers, Principals
November & December
Course requests
Counselors, Students
January & February
Schools build schedules
School Administration
March & April
Load student requests
School Administration
May
Students modify their schedules (no teachers listed)
Counselors, Students
After July 15
Final schedule load
IT Department
Implementation Notes & Rationale
Promotes Student Agency
Students take greater ownership of their education when they have choice in course selection.
Involving students early supports better alignment between academic goals and personal interests.
Reduces Scheduling Conflicts
By allowing schedule modifications in May, schools can address conflicts before the fall semester begins.
This reduces stress on both families and counselors at the start of the year.
Supports Equity and Transparency
A consistent process across schools ensures fairness in how students access courses.
Clear timelines help families and staff plan ahead.
Improves Operational Efficiency
Earlier submission of requests and course loads gives schools more time to finalize staffing and resource needs.
Fewer last-minute changes means smoother school openings.
Next Steps for Administrators
Communicate this calendar and process to counselors, teachers, and front office staff to ensure alignment.
Support staff in preparing students for the new process by hosting informational sessions or providing resources.
Encourage teachers and counselors to highlight the importance of thoughtful course selection with students.
Thank you for leading this important shift. By implementing arena scheduling together, we are creating a more student-centered and efficient system that benefits our learners, our staff, and our schools.
The final day for students to complete credit recovery and graduate with their cohort is Friday, September 26, 2025 (the Friday before October 1). All coursework must be submitted no later than 8:00 PM on that day in order to count toward the student’s cohort graduation requirements.
Accessing Canvas for Credit Recovery
To ensure students can access Canvas over the summer, counselors must complete the following steps:
In PowerSchool, check the box labeled “Will take CR this summer.”
Submit a Help Desk Ticket with the following details:
Category: Applications
Subcategory: Canvas
Item: Add
Required Information: Student ID number and last name. Also indicate that the box has been checked in PowerSchool.
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.
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.
I'd like to introduce myself as a new face in SLCSD. My name is Julianna Wing and I'm joining the CTE team with the charge to help connect industry partners with our students. One of my initiatives is to ensure that career exploration opportunities, known as Work Based Learning, are shared with all grades, K-12. To best share information, I'm compiling a list of the contact person at each elementary and middle school. Please fill out the best contact person (administrator, counselor, etc.) for future Work Based Learning announcements on the spreadsheet below. There are two tabs at the bottom, one for elementary and one for middle school.
The first event to share with you is the Saturday Academy, hosting by the University of Utah. This is a look into healthcare careers for grades 6-12 on Saturdays, beginning in September. Parents will need to register students on their own and arrange for transportation. See the attached flier to pass along to families.
As more events come up, I'll be sending them directly to the contact shared on the spreadsheet. We're excited about more opportunities coming for students so stay tuned.
Last year we piloted the Sherpa AI absence tracking tool with 11 schools, free of charge. The pilot generated strong interest across the district and many schools are eager to use the tool to support attendance efforts.
However, because the cost of implementing Sherpa AI exceeds $50,000 we must go through a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) process. This ensures transparency and gives qualified vendors the opportunity to submit bids for the services we are seeking such as timely and improved communication with families regarding student absences, robust data tracking, and more.
This RFP process typically takes about 10 weeks to complete. During this time, please continue your efforts to connect with families of absent students. If you need support, I would be happy to join you and your attendance team in a meeting to generate ideas to continue to improve attendance efforts at your sites.
In the coming days, I’ll also be showing you how to access your attendance data on PowerSchool Analytics and Insights. This will allow you and your attendance team to begin identifying students who are chronically absent and to start developing targeted interventions. We’ll also begin thinking about systems and supports that can be put in place to better serve the student groups most impacted by chronic absenteeism.
As always, if you have any questions, please reach out any time.
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:
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.
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.
Evaluation
All teachers must have the appropriate endorsement, which is dependent on the content and level they teach.
During the annual Administrator Institute in July 2025, all administrators received an update on legislative changes, including new requirements related to toilet training.
The updated guidance is:
Schools must provide educational services to any student removed from school because of toilet training while they are at home.
Students may return to school for their Special Education minutes during the time they are working on toilet training at home.
During the elementary session, administrators asked the following questions. Responses are summarized below:
What if a student has a documented medical issue on a 504 plan, or toilet training concerns are part of an IEP? The student would not be removed from school. Appropriate accommodations would be made.
Can students have a goal on their IEP for toilet training? Toilet training goals can be written into an IEP if the toileting issue is directly related to the student’s disability and is necessary for their access to education (often as a functional or transition goal).
Can a student qualify for an IEP if they are not toilet trained? No. Toilet training by itself is not a disability. A student cannot have an IEP with a goal that is only toilet training.
If toileting concerns are developmental (a child is simply late in training) but not tied to a qualifying disability or medical condition, then it would not meet the threshold for IEP elibility.
In these cases, general education strategies and family support would be the avenue, not a formal plan.
Rationale:
H.B. 233 — School Curriculum Amendments prohibits local education agencies (i.e., public schools) from using or allowing health-related instruction or materials provided by entities that perform elective abortions. That includes materials created, funded, or donated by those providers, as well as any instruction delivered by their employees or volunteers.
SLCSD had approved several presentations from providers that are no longer permissible. The new Health curriculum will help support teachers in designing their instruction in Health I and Health II.
Expectations for Implementation:
Communication:
Please make sure appropriate teachers and staff are aware.
We have a new list of approved textbooks for 7-12 core social studies/history courses. When ordering textbook materials for social studies/history courses, please select from the approved list for the core classes:
Utah Studies
US History I
World Geography
World History
US History II
US Government & Citizenship.
Expectations for Implementation:
Communication:
The approved list of textbooks and the buy guides are located in the District Document Center under Teaching and Learning >> Social Studies.
When ordering new textbook materials, teachers must select from the approved list.
Depending on the available budget, teachers may choose from physical and/or digital materials.
We recognize not all teachers will purchase materials. Purchasing social studies textbook materials is at the discretion of school administrator and/or teacher.
For teachers using textbook materials as their main source of curriculum, it is important to update their materials within the school budgetary timeline for purchasing social studies materials.
Schools purchase the materials. The T&L Department can help coordinate your order.
