Connect Canyons

Send us Fan Mail

When Canyons was created in 2009, the school district inherited a portfolio of aging buildings, some of which hadn't seen major upgrades in decades. In 16 years, the District has made huge strides rebuilding or significantly remodeling 27 schools. 

These modernized buildings are safer, more efficient, and designed with today's learners in mind. But the work isn't done. With 49 buildings — ranging in age from 72 to two years of age — and 6.2 million square feet to maintain, Canyons is constantly juggling the day-to-day demands of upkeep while also planning for future improvements.  

For a behind-the-scenes look at how the District prioritizes facility needs, Connect Canyons sat down with some of the brains behind the bricks: CSD’s Associate Director of Facilities Ryan Jakeman and Jordan High Principal Dr. Bruce Eschler. No matter the size of the project — from replacing galvanized pipes and failing HVAC systems to installing new roofs and carpet — the goal is to create safe learning environments that make our communities proud. 

A well-kept school promotes student achievement, raises property values and contributes to local economies, said Jakeman. “Our schools build community pride and send the message to students that, ‘we believe in you’ and ‘what you are doing here is important.’”

Of course, just like with our homes, things are going to break and wear out from time to time, which is why Canyons employs professional custodians, electricians, journeymen, locksmiths, fire suppression experts — a whole quiver of jump-and-run experts to keep schools in tip-top shape.  

“We have such amazing Facilities staff who go above and beyond to ensure our schools are safe and our students are learning,” said Dr. Eschler. “A big shout out to them for all they do.”

1:44 – 1:52
We discuss major upgrades currently in the works and explain how we prioritize facility needs. Dr. Eschler talks about why “little things” like furniture and electrical outlets matter and how buildings must evolve as education evolves. 

3:52 – 4:24
When Canyons was performed, the District performed an audit of the buildings we inherited, which identified more than $650 million in deferred maintenance. How did the District prioritize rebuild and upgrades, taking into account the age of chillers, boilers, and electrical systems as well as seismic safety and the functionality of classrooms? What’s a Facilities Condition Index?

10:21 – 10:56
How does the District determine when a building would cost more to repair than rebuild from scratch?

11:50 – 12:31
How does the District balance ongoing maintenance needs with larger, longer-term improvement projects and how do we finance improvements? The District has ongoing capital facilities funding that is reserved solely for that purpose. For upgrades larger in scope, such as the rebuild of schools, the Canyons Board of Education has asked voters to approve general obligation bonds. CSD voters have approved two general obligation bonds in 16 years. Lease revenue bonds are another financing mechanism. The District also works to manage its money responsibly, often refinancing bonds to repay them earlier, saving taxpayers millions in interest payments. 

13:53 -14:14
Seeing the rising cost of construction, Canyons wisely invested early in rebuilding its largest buildings, including high schools. Among some of the ongoing projects are upgrades at Jordan High, Hillcrest High, Corner Canyon High, and Eastmont Middle School. Another priority for the District is equitably distributing resources to ensure all students have access to high-quality programs.

16:13 – 16:36
School safety is another priority. Canyons began investing in security vestibules well before they became required under Utah law. Security vestibules steer visitors into the Main Office to check in before they ca

Send us Fan Mail

In education, collaboration is key. No one person can do it all, and that’s where paraeducators come in, playing an indispensable role in the success of our students.

On National Paraprofessionals Appreciation Day, we recognize the contributions of these dedicated professionals. To better understand their impact, we spoke with Nate Edvalson, the Director of Special Education for Canyons School District, and Stacey Nofsinger, Principal of Jordan Valley, who both witness the powerful influence of paraeducators on a daily basis.

“As paraeducators, they often bring their own personal experiences and connections into the classroom,” says Edvalson. “Many enter the field because they’ve had a meaningful interaction with a student or a personal connection to the work.”

With nearly 300 paraeducators across the district, they provide support in numerous ways: offering behavioral assistance, aiding with health needs, and ensuring access to education through specialized instruction.

Nofsinger highlights the deep connections paraeducators build with students. “Our paraeducators create an environment that feels both welcoming and safe. When a student arrives at school and sees their paraeducator, you can see the positive shift—students are more at ease and their personalities shine,” she says. “It’s all because our paraeducators know them so well and help them feel truly seen.”

0:00 Introduction to Connect Canyons

1:08 What is a Paraeducator?

3:27 Jordan Valley School's Mission

4:57 Day in a Paraeducator's Life

8:04 Benefits of Team Teaching

11:44 Becoming a Paraeducator

18:45 The Human Heart of Education

Send us Fan Mail

The pencil was invented in 1795. The first documented use of the chalkboard in the United States was in 1801, and the ballpoint pen came into popular use in the 1940s. 

We’ve been using these tools in education for decades, and now we're sprinting into a new era with new tools.

How are Canyons District schools using such modern tools as Chromebooks and artificial intelligence? In what ways do these tools enhance learning, and what are schools doing to help students use them responsibly? Connect Canyons posed these questions to the District’s Digital Teaching and Learning Specialists Katie Gebhardt and Dr. Camille Cole.

After the pandemic, some may assume Chromebooks and other devices are the center of learning. Others have suggested AI will one day replace teachers altogether. But the truth, says Cole, is that technology is being put to use carefully and strategically. 

“An easy misconception is that kids are on their Chromebooks from start to finish of the school day, and it’s really not like that,” says Cole. “Any time a student is using the technology, it should be high quality learning opportunities — whether it’s active where they’re physically working, or passive learning, where they’re reading or just consuming information.”

Technology can give teachers immediate feedback on which concepts individual students are struggling to master. AI can make learning more accessible to students with disabilities. 

The litmus test in determining when and how to use a given technology is whether it advances learning, Cole says.  

Conversely, teachers are teaching students to use technology, not as consumers, but as creators. “Digital citizenship is really just using technology and our resources that we have today for good,” Gebhardt says.

Canyons District breaks up digital citizenship into five competency areas — Inclusive, informed, engaged, balanced, and alert. Students learn to check sources, use their technology to solve problems, balance their time on and offline, and make sure they are keeping safety in mind. 

1:06 Understanding Digital Citizenship

Our experts explain what digital citizenship means and how teachers work practicing good digital citizenship into their lessons. 

5:52 Technology Integration in the Classroom

We learn how teachers and students alike are using technology as a tool to enhance the learning experience.

9:53 Screen Time Quality vs. Quantity

Our experts share just how much time students are using devices and how those technological tools are being used.

17:21 Advice for Families at Home

We discuss how families can practice good digital citizenship at home and set examples for their children.

Send us Fan Mail

We all know reading is fundamental to learning. But did you know it also reduces stress?  Or that it can help you sleep better, keep your mind sharp, and improve your relationships?

Imagine, then, the benefits of an entire school community reading together, from every student and teacher to the custodians, Main Office staff, and principals — even the parents. 

 “I’ve never had such an immersive experience,” said Daniel Nayeri whose Newbery Honor-winning novel, “The Many Assassinations of Samir, Seller of Dreams” was the subject of an all-community read experiment at Albion Middle School. “To have the opportunity to speak with the students personally and work with them…I’m really thankful for that.”

Albion’s schoolwide book club was the brainchild of English teachers Stephanie Nasser and Stephanie Kourianos. They encountered Nayeri at a summer conference, and after listening to him talk about his tale of a young monk’s journey along the Silk Road, they knew they had found the right author and book to see their vision through. 

Send us Fan Mail

All across Canyon School District, students are working through real time scenarios with local businesses, and gaining hands-on experience through Career and Technical Education, or CTE classes and programs.

For the last week of CTE Month, we sat down with Canyons CTE Director Janet Goble and Alta High’s CTE Coordinator Stephanie Morgan to take a deeper dive into the opportunities available to students across the District. 

“The mission of Canyons School District is to ensure every student will graduate college-and career-ready,” says Goble. “Not only are they getting the academic side of things, but they will also be able to qualify for a job. We’re lucky that our students get to have a whole range of experience.”

From internships to job shadows, to networking and student-run programs and competitions, Canyons teachers are working to ensure every student has the tools they need to succeed, no matter what path they choose after college. 

Episode Chapters

00:48 Overview of CTE Programs

Our experts explain CTE and the many opportunities in place for Canyons students, regardless of their end goal after high school.

02:47 Hands-On Learning Experiences

We hear how CTE goes beyond the foundations of learning, providing the hands-on learning experience that will help students later in life. 

06:05 Job Placements and Internships

Goble and Morgan tell us about the partnerships the District has with local businesses and how they work to provide job placement and internships for students.

14:21 Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs)

We discuss the student-run programs and other opportunities for students to participate in, including a shoutout to the 47 DECA students who placed top 3 in the state competition.

19:13 The Impact of CTE on Students

Our experts share their favorite success stories of students who have taken CTE courses or participated in the many programs available across the District.

Send us Fan Mail

Imagine if schools prepared students for college and the world of work. Imagine if students graduated from high school with more than a diploma but also college credit and the credentials needed to immediately land high-paying high-tech jobs. 

 You might be imagining what’s known as Career and Technical Education (CTE), an educational model already firmly embraced in Canyons. From specialty programs like the Canyons Technical Education Center, to classes taught in CSD’s high schools in partnership with local businesses, CTE is an increasingly popular learning emphasis for students — and employers love it too.

 “CTE is basically where you’re taking all of the learning from your other core subjects and applying it to a real world context,” says Mark Mataya, Administrator at Entrada Adult High School. “we’re providing a seed for that student to say, ‘I can grow this into whatever I want.’ The bounds are endless.”

 February is National CTE Month and in this episode of Connect Canyons, Mataya lays out the ways CTE courses can help students, whether they aspire to study at one of the world’s leading universities or are looking to inherit the family business. 

 Every student should take at least one CTE class, Mataya says, noting these courses can open doors to unexpected futures. 

 One student, he recalls, attended a lecture by a chef in a culinary class and took the initiative to talk with the chef after, securing an internship. Now that student is the head chef at one of the top restaurants in Utah. “You can take your alpha type student, your Sterling Scholars, you put them into one of these trades and they would dominate, maybe learn to start their own business,” says Mataya, “I think most parents would be happy to have a child start their own business.”

 Mataya also talks about his excitement for the possibilities at the newly purchased eBay building which the District is transforming into an innovation center to house and build upon many of the District’s existing CTE learning pathways.

 “One of the pillars of the District is innovation,” says Mataya, “There’s something about when you take a learning environment and make it as real as it can be. It brings gravitas to it. When a student walks into those situations, they know something is different. We’re here trying to make it relatable to students and provide skills for them to go out there and have success.”

Episode Chapters

01:12 Business Collaborations and Programs

Our expert, Mark Mataya shares how Canyons School District works with a number of local businesses to provide real world experience for students while opening doors for internships and jobs directly out of high school. 

04:47 Real-World Experience through CTE

Mataya expands on how that real world experience can help students to make the transition from the classroom to the workforce. He shares his excitement for the newly purchased eBay building which will become the District’s new innovation center. 

07:41 Entrepreneurial Spirit in CTE

Some may think CTE classes are just for someone who wants to join the family business or learn a trade. Our expert explains how CTE classes can help everyone from someone who is looking to learn a specific skillset to a sterling scholar with their eyes on beginning their own business.

10:32 Inspiring Student Success Stories

Mataya shares one success story on how attending a single class led a Canyons student to a be the chef at one of the top restaurants in the state, and encourages other students to consider even one CTE class to help them on the journey to achieving their dreams after high school.

Send us Fan Mail

All across the nation, schools are struggling with what is called chronic absenteeism. Last year, 32 percent of Canyon School District students were chronically absent — meaning they missed more than 10 percent of the school year. The problem became prevalent following the pandemic, and Canyons is working to help keep our students learning, interacting with peers, and taking full advantage of everything the classroom has to offer.

In the latest episode of Connect Canyons, we learn about one of the many ways Canyons works to help students, their families, and Canyons employees alike determine whether a cough is due to dry air or something more serious. Canyons Nursing Specialist Jen Gerrard, shares details about how Canyons is one of the first in the state to pilot a new Telehealth program. 

“Adding the Telehealth just gives us greater access,” says Gerrard. “It removes so many barriers. It removes the barrier of time, so students aren't missing time from school, parents aren't missing time from work. It removes transportation barriers. Somebody who doesn't have a car has a real difficult time picking up their student and then also getting them to a doctor. That can be a real challenge for some families.”

Episode Chapters

00:57 Telehealth Program Overview

Our expert tells us how Canyons came to be one of the first in the state to pilot the telehealth program at 17 schools with the help of Intermountain Health.

02:20 How Telehealth Works

We learn how the telehealth program works from the moment a student feels unwell to speaking with a nurse, and how parents are looped in. 

06:42 Impact and Expansion of Telehealth

How the telehealth program has already helped Canyons students and employees and what the future could look like. 

11:19 Additional Health Programs

Gerrard explains other measures in place to help students and employees with a variety of health concerns. 

Send us Fan Mail

Student-athletes and their coaches take away so much more from a season than the memories of scored touchdowns or buzzer-beating wins. Among the life lessons are the opportunities to boost confidence levels, develop a sense of resiliency, and make friendships that will last long after the Friday Night Lights dim at the stadium for another year.    

These are just a few of the takeaways from Connect Canyons’ second-annual Super Bowl-themed podcast. This week, join some of the state’s top prep football coaches and former collegiate and professional athletes with CSD ties for an insider’s look at this Sunday’s matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles.  

 The all-star roster: Canyons Superintendent Dr. Rick Robins, a four-year quarterback for Southern Utah University; Corner Canyon High’s head football coach Eric Kjar; Brighton’s head coach Casey Sutera, and Bengal graduate and former NFL player Bryan Kehl. 

 “I think no matter how many years go by,” says Sutera, “you forget about the scores and even your records, but you don’t forget the relationships — and those carry on.”

 Episode Chapters

01:53 The Impact of Football

Our resident football experts share how being a part of a team at young ages impacted them in various ways and how they hope it is positively affecting students today. 

08:38 Advice to Young Athletes

They say hindsight is 20/20. Our guests look back on their own time as football players and whether they would change anything if they could go back in time

12:02 Super Bowl 59 Preview and the Chiefs Dynasty

Will the Chiefs enter a category all their own with a third straight Super Bowl win? Can Saquon Barkley push past the Chiefs defense and lead the Eagles to their first Lombardi trophy in seven years? Our guests predict the winner of Sunday’s Big Game. 

Send us Fan Mail

Children experience a language explosion at the ages of 3,4, and 5, and play   — intentional play — can help them channel that. In Canyons District, time is set aside in preschool and kindergarten for play, or for students to "plan, do, and review" a fun activity of their choice. 

 Think of it as educating not only the mind, but the heart, and connecting students at an early age with a "choose your adventure" mindset and the tools to get there.

 It may be the middle of winter, but it's already time to start thinking about where to enroll in "big kid school" for the next year. 

 On the latest episode of Connect Canyons, we sit down with two early childhood experts: Terri Mitchell, Canyons Early Childhood Administrator, and Kenna Sorensen, Administrator in CSD's Instructional Supports Department. Mitchell and Sorensen emphasize the importance of early participation in preschool, while providing insight into specialized programs like Dual Language Immersion and SALTA. 

Send us Fan Mail

The students holding pom-poms on the sidelines of Canyons District prep sport competitions are a far cry from the cheerleaders of yesteryear. Gone are the days of cheerleading as a social club or an extracurricular activity to encourage school spirit. Indeed, times have changed. Cheer, to be sure, has entered a new era. As seen on such shows at Netflix’s “Cheer,” students on CSD’s prep competitive cheer squads hit the weights to build strength, flip like Olympic gymnasts, and boast dancing skills of the choreographed squads who back up pop divas in music videos. This week, we talk with the award-winning coach and three members of the CSD cheer squad that has not only won the first-ever state championships in competitive cheer — but has made quite a splash nationally for the team’s tumbling skills, performing ability, and mental toughness. Corner Canyon’s cheer squad, led by Coach Whitney Lunt, are not just Instagram stars with 66,000 followers, but an elite force that is advancing the artistry and athleticism of a growing sport. 

00:00 Introduction to Modern Cheerleading

01:16 Meet the Corner Canyon Cheer Squad

01:50 The Evolution and Role of Cheerleading

03:01 Personal Stories and Challenges

07:38 Mental and Physical Strength in Cheer

14:27 Understanding Cheer Terminology and Roles

17:37 Competition Categories and Scoring

19:45 The Rewards and Challenges of Cheerleading

22:48 Conclusion and Best Wishes