If the quality of schools is a measure of the greatness of its teachers, imagine what can be accomplished when really great teachers work together, pooling their knowledge, resources and ideas to help all students succeed. The Canyons Board of Education recently approved a uniform early-out Friday schedule to provide time and space for teachers to do just that. The goal is simple: student achievement. And the path to get there is what’s known in the education business as “Professional Learning Communities.” What are PLCs and why do they matter?  The Connect Canyons podcast crew recently posed these questions, and more, to PLC expert, educational consultant, and career educator Bob Sonju of Solution Tree.

The Class of 2022 is Canyons District’s “First Class” of kindergartners, and we couldn’t be prouder of the progress those fresh-faced 5-year-olds made enroute to becoming young adults who are ready to take on a world that has changed as much as they did. The Connect Canyons podcast crew recently invited a handful of graduates back to their old stomping grounds at Oak Hollow Elementary to reminisce and reunite with former classmates and teachers. The students re-enacted the photos they took at Oak Hollow’s first Kindergarten College-Ready Day back in 2009, reflected on their time with Canyons, and shared a few words of advice for the kindergartners of today and tomorrow.

May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month and we’re celebrating with books! In this Connect Canyons episode, Utah author Lehua Parker, an advocate of Hawaiian culture and literature, talks about the need for authentic and diverse representation in books. Parker’s writings, including her popular “Niuhi Shark Saga” series, often feature her island heritage.  She is joined by Canyons District teacher-librarians Jennifer Van Haaften and Elaine Zhang, and Library Specialist Gretchen Zaitzeff who share tips on books with true-to-life characters and intriguing plots that open both a mirror and window onto different cultures and experiences.

We’re zooming, live-streaming, and relying on technology like never before. Digital technologies were a lifeline during the pandemic, and kept workers working, families connected, and students learning. But as we begin to imagine life post-COVID-19, many of us are wondering: Are we spending too much time on our computers? Any doubts over the influence of teachers were certainly put to rest during the pandemic as it became clear that technology, for all its many uses, would never replace great teaching. But technology has a place in the classroom and can be a powerful teaching tool. So, how are schools striking a balance and using technology sparingly, and strategically, to help students succeed? What are we teaching students about the smart, responsible use of technology, and how can parents help reinforce those lessons at home? Connect Canyons host Kirsten Stewart recently posed these questions, and more, to Canyons  School District’s Educational Technology Specialists Dr. Camille Cole and Justin Andersen. Their timely, and wide-ranging conversation touched on the following topics and resources: What guidance does Canyons give teachers in deciding when, and how, to use technology. What did we learn about right-sized technology during the pandemic? For parents, how can technology open a window to the classroom and help them better understand what their students are learning each day? Exposing students to technology, along with science, math, engineering, and the arts, is prioritized as part of Canyons District’s strategic plan. How technology is used will look different in an elementary classroom than at a high school. But it is always highly-structured by teachers to achieve the following: Deepen students’ understanding of key concepts: small-group intervention, at-home practice, etc. Communicate with parents about student progress: electronic assignment submission allows for more immediate feedback on student progress. Promote collaboration: whole classrooms can share ideas and work together to solve problems. Promote creativity and student engagement: video examples, augmented reality, and other tools can make learning more relevant, inclusive, and fun. Promote critical thinking and keep instruction connected to the contemporary world: using the same software many of us use in the workplace, or virtual labs and maker-space applications can prepare students for solving real-world problems using real world tools. Extend the reach of the classroom: technology supports self-directed, personalized learning tailored to student interests. Online learning supports school choice and allows students to learn at their own pace and from the location of their choice. Improve teacher productivity How much time are Canyons’ students are spending on computers while they are at school? Understanding that not all screen time is created equal, what media consumption, digital literacy, and digital citizenship skills do we teach students? What is Canyons doing to safeguard students from over-using or inappropriately using technology? Parents, of course, are their child’s first and most important teacher. What can adults do to model and support healthy habits at home?      

Teachers teach because they care, and Canyons District’s 2022 Teachers of the Year are some of the most outstanding professionals that public education has to offer. They mentor, motivate, and inspire, and operate under the mindset that children don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. They’re relationship-builders outside the classroom, too, communicating with parents, collaborating with colleagues, and giving of their time and talents to strengthen their communities. In this episode, we ask Canyons District’s seven Teacher of the Year finalists why they got into education, and what they love most about their jobs.

There is an art to turning a beloved book into a film or TV series, and some narratives more easily lend themselves to big-screen adaptations than others. In this episode, we chat with a few booklovers — Canyons Library Specialist Gretchen Zaitzeff and Corner Canyon High School Librarian Maria Jones — about their favorite adaptations. They discuss what sometimes gets lost in translation, and the age-old question of whether to read the book first, or whether it’s sometimes OK to start with the movie.

Penny Petersen has worked at Brighton High for almost as long as the 52-year-old school has been in existence. In her 49 years with the Bengals, she has worn many hats. But it was a non-paying side-hustle that endeared her to so many student-athletes. For three decades, she and her late husband, Bryce, took, displayed and delivered about 40,000 photos for nine different Bengals teams. That, and her bright spirit, deep affection for teenagers, and desire to make Brighton into a welcoming haven for all who have called its halls, classrooms, and sports and arts venues home. It’s no wonder why colleagues and former students who refer to her as “an institution,” the “real deal,” and the “sunshine at Brighton High.”

South Park Academy Principal Todd Bird, who's retiring this spring after 35 years in education, doesn’t hesitate to admit he was “a terrible, terrible high school student.” Fortunately, Bird learned about perseverance and redemption after his high school struggles. As Bird notes in this podcast, those lessons, in turn, helped the career educator, counselor, and coach help countless students — including South Park’s adult learners at the Utah State Prison — learn and earn extra chances through education. Bird's future includes time with family, a focus on health, and renovation work on a classic truck, and his past was replete with educational and interesting experiences — a few of which he shares in this insightful interview.

Tiffany Rosenhan “fell into writing books” after having completed college and finding herself at home caring for a newborn baby. Writing was something she enjoyed. It helped keep her mind sharp. “I wrote stories for fun for a year, until I realized that I had something that I couldn’t walk away from,” the Utah author says. “I found creative writing, or rather creating writing found me, and I’ve never looked back.” But becoming a published novelist didn’t happen overnight, and it didn’t come easy. Just like Sophia, the main character in her debut novel, “Girl from Nowhere,” Rosenhan had to work hard to acquire the skills needed to achieve her goals — and teenage readers everywhere are now reaping the benefits.

Brrr. It’s cold outside, and what better way to thaw the chill of winter than by curling up with some hot cocoa and a good book? And who better to ask for book recommendations than a librarian? Canyons District’s school libraries are full of warm winter reads for book lovers of all ages. In this episode of Connect Canyons, we asked District Library Specialist Gretchen Zaitzeff and Brighton High Librarian Catherine Bates to list a few of their favorites.