Superintendent’s Friday Message

Please click on the links below to hear or read the Friday Message from Canyons Superintendent Dr. Rick Robins. In this week’s message, Dr. Robins reflects on:

• The hard work and commitment of Canyons District employees throughout the school year.
• This week’s graduation ceremonies for CSD high schools and special programs. The Class of 2025 earned some $50 million in scholarship offers. 
• Alta High graduate Lilly Mazuran’s upcoming position as “governor” of Utah Girls State at Weber State University. 
• The efforts of high school commencement committees to make the graduation rites as organized as possible. 
• CSD school bus driver Jeremy Klung’s big win at the recent state bus-driver competition. He qualified to compete for national honors this summer. 
• The Canyons administrators and educators who received the “Science of Reading” award from the Utah State Board of Education. 
• Progress of the in-depth boundary and enrollment study of under-enrolled schools.  
• A big thanks to those who participated in CSD’s first-ever pickleball tournament, which doubled as a fund-raiser for Canyons Unified Sports programs. 
• Discount tickets to the June 14 Canyons District Night with Real Salt Lake will be available on the CSD website. 
• Congratulations to Jordan High tennis player Julian Laarman for winning a state title in 4A boys tennis, Corner Canyon and Brighton boys lacrosse teams for their 6A and 5A championship wins, the track and field student-athletes who won individual state titles, and Alta High’s victory in the 5A boys soccer finals. 
• Wishes for a relaxing and safe Summer Recess. 

Please click on the links below to hear or read the Friday Message from Canyons Superintendent Dr. Rick Robins. In this week’s message, Dr. Robins reflects on:

• The talents, skills, and creativity displayed during end-of-year student performances. 
• The good work done by CSD principals, in honor of National School Principals’ Day. 
• Region 17 PTA’s spring luncheon to thank PTA volunteers for their support. 
• ISD Jay Rudel earning finalist status in the AVID Global Achievement Awards. 
• CSD’s Jen Gerrard being named the 2025 Utah School Nurse of the Year. School nurse Tara Aka also has received an award for her work on CSD immunization clinics.  
• The winners of the 2025 Aspiring Canyons Educators Scholarships, which are funded by a payroll deduction program. 
• Registration is still open for CSD’s first-ever Pickleball Tournament.  The 5-9 p.m. event is Saturday, May 10 at Club Pickleball USA.  Register here.

Please click on the links below to hear or read the Friday Message from Canyons Superintendent Dr. Rick Robins. In this week’s message, Dr. Robins reflects on:

• Thursday night’s first-round NFL draft pick of former Corner Canyon Charger Jaxson Dart to the New York Giants. 
• The selection of Midvale Elementary DLI teacher Lucia de la Cruz Rodriguez as CSD’s 2025 Teacher of the Year. 
• Union Middle’s time in the spotlight as Fox 13’s “Cool School of the Week.” 
• A big thanks offered to personnel for Administrative Professionals Day. 
• CSD’s involvement in the Jr. Women in Business program.
• Diamond Ridge High’s successful first-ever band concert. 
• Sandy City awarding the Sandy One Mentor of the Year honor to Alta’s Caleb Shabestari. 
• The 5A and 6A state-title wins in theater by Hillcrest and Corner Canyon high schools. 
• CSD’s inaugural pickleball tournament for Canyons employees and their friends and family. The 5 to 9 p.m. event is on May 10.

Please click on the links below to hear or read the Friday Message from Canyons Superintendent Dr. Rick Robins. In this week’s message, Dr. Robins reflects on:

• Terri Mitchell’s appointment as CSD’s Director of Special Education. 
• The new faces that will be seen in schools across CSD this fall. Click here to see the list of administrative transfers and new appointments. 
• Awards presented to school administrators by the Canyons Association of Elementary School Principals.
• The recommendations of CSD’s Long-Range Planning Committee, which has been reviewing CSD school boundaries and enrollment trends, among other issues. Additional information will be presented during the May 6 meeting of the Canyons Board of Education. 
• The April 15 ceremony to announce CSD’s Teacher of the Year. The free community event will start at 7 p.m. at Midvale Middle. 
• The Canyons Education Foundation’s successful Spring Gala, which yielded some $90,000 in donations. 
• The contributions of CSD’s approximately 300 paraeducators in recognition of this week’s National Paraprofessionals Appreciation Day.  
• The Alta High color guard’s state-title win at the Winter Guard Competition.  
• This year’s successful Book Blitz contest, which resulted in a three-way tie for first place between Peruvian Park, Ridgecrest, and Willow Canyons elementary schools. 
• CSD’s plan to expand its daycare program for employees. The Canyons Board of Education has approved the addition of an Early Childhood Training Center at Brighton High in time for fall 2025. Click here for information. 

 Please click on the links below to hear or read the Friday Message from Canyons Superintendent Dr. Rick Robins. In this week’s message, Dr. Robins reflects on:

 The outpouring of support for Hillcrest High after last Saturday’s passing of a student in a car accident. 

• Canyons District’s Professional Development Day for Education Support Professionals. The well-attended event was last Monday at Jordan High. 
• Draper Park Middle AFM Andy Markus’ big win as the National ESP of the Year. 
• The great conversations during Superintendent Listening Tour stops this week at Glacier Hills, Oakdale, Brookwood, and Granite elementary schools, as well as Union Middle and Hillcrest High. 
• The successful and elegant night with business and education partners at the annual spring gala of the Canyons Education Foundation. 
• The start of the CSD community conversation about Internet-filtering protections for Chromebooks at the elementary level. Also, this week’s Connect Canyons podcast features CSD Digital Teaching and Learning Specialists Katie Gebhardt and Dr. Camille Cole. 
• The input CSD has received from employees regarding technology in elementary classrooms and CSD’s filtering systems. All employees are invited to be a part of the conversation. Messages can be sent via the website here:  https://www.canyonsdistrict.org/voice/.  

• Monday’s scheduled Teacher Preparation Day. Canyons also has planned free professional development for Education Support Professionals from 8:30 a.m. to noon at Jordan High. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Matt Townsend. The Board of Education and Administration are sponsoring an ESP Appreciation Lunch at the event.
• Draper Park Middle AFM Andy Markus’ status as one of five finalists for the National ESP of the Year Award. The winner will be announced this weekend by the National Education Association.
• The awards won by Hillcrest and Jordan high school counseling teams, as well as an honor given to Crescent Elementary’s counselor. 
• Jordan High Assistant Principal Kelcey Kemp’s appointment as the next JHS principal. 
• Brighton teacher Kristen Reuter being named the Utah Finalist for the 2025 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.
• The wins by Brighton’s Model United Nations team at the National High School Model UN Conference in New York City.
• Honors won by CSD teams at last weekend’s Utah FIRST Regional Robotics competition at the Maverik Center. 
• CSD’s community conversation about elementary-level Chromebook usage, the filtering system, and options for student access during and after the school day. All employees can provide input through the “Your Schools, Your Voice” portal.  Click here to provide your input. 
• To answer a question posed this week by some in the community, Canyons District does not receive financial compensation for the amount of time students spend on Chromebooks.
• Wishes of luck to CSD high school jazz bands at the state festival today and tomorrow at Alta High.

Please click on the links below to hear or read the Friday Message from Canyons Superintendent Dr. Rick Robins. In this week’s message, Dr. Robins reflects on:  

• A big thanks to the Canyons employees who arrived early Friday to clear snow and ice from sidewalks and parking lots after Thursday night’s storm. 
• The Canyons Transportation Department’s efforts to safely transport students, no matter the weather. 
• Albion Middle’s community reading project focused on “The Many Assassinations of Samir, Seller of Dreams,” the Newbery Award-winning book by Daniel Nayeri.  English teachers Stephanie Nasser and Stephanie Kourianos spearheaded this initiative with the help of an $8,000 grant from the Canyons Education Foundation. 
• Canyon View teacher Emily Weigel’s recent honor as CSD’s UCET Innovative Teacher. 
• The 30 health and physical education teachers who represented Canyons at the SHAPE-Utah conference. 
• Corner Canyon High teacher and coach Jeff Eure being named the SHAPE-Utah Teacher of the Year for Athletics and Coaching. 
• The discount tickets to the Utah Royals season opener on Saturday for the Canyons community. Click here to get tickets. 
• The amazing celebrations for the Teachers of the Year from CSD schools and programs.  The overall CSD Teacher of the Year will be announced April 15 at Midvale Middle. 

Please click on the links below to hear or read the Friday Message from Canyons Superintendent Dr. Rick Robins. In this week’s message, Dr. Robins reflects on:  

• A big thanks to the Facilities Department for clearing sidewalks and parking lots of snow before school on Friday. 
• The Purchasing Department’s contributions in honor of National Procurement Month.
• The recent Utah School Library Association’s 2025 Spring Mini-Conference at Union Middle School.
• Eastmont Middle teacher Marc Gregson’s nomination for a Beehive Award by the Children’s Literature Association of Utah.
• Big wins by Hillcrest and Corner Canyon drill teams at a national competition. 
• Thanks to CSD’s 43 social workers as part of National School Social Work Week.

Please click on the links below to hear or read the Friday Message from Canyons Superintendent Dr. Rick Robins. In this week’s message, Dr. Robins reflects on:  

• The hard work Canyons educators put into being prepared to engage with families during Parent-Teacher Conferences.
• Canyons District’s third consecutive year at the top of Niche.com rankings for Salt Lake area Salt Lake school districts.
• Indian Hills Middle’s time in the spotlight on Wednesday as Fox 13’s “Cool School of the Week.”
• Want to publicize an Open House for a CSD retiree? Send the information to [email protected]. 
• The Canyons educators who represented the District at the 2025 Utah Coalition for Education Technology (UCET) conference. 
• The UCET booth staffed by students receiving broadcast training in the CSDtv program. 
• Hillcrest Assistant Principal Katie Campbell’s honor of being picked as a “Question Leader” for the AP Art and Design Reading in Salt Lake City.  
• Congratulations to CSD girls and boys hoops teams and their coaches for fantastic seasons. 

• The Board of Education’s statement of support for public employees following the passage of HB257, which was signed by Utah Gov. Spencer Cox. Please see the transcript of this week’s Friday Message to read the full statement.  
• The news that Draper Park Middle AFM Andy Markus is a finalist for the National Education Association’s Education Support Professional of the Year Award. 
• This week’s middle school Unified basketball tournament. 
• National School Resource Officer Appreciation Day. 
• Girls wrestling championships won by Hillcrest, Corner Canyon, and Jordan high school student-athletes. 
• A Brighton student’s record-breaking performance at the 5A state meet. Three CSD students also won Unified swimming races, as well. 
• Alta High cheer bringing home the trophy for their division at USA Spirit Nationals. 
• Indian Hills Middle’s win at the recent CSD Middle School Chess Tournament. 
• The dedication of a CSD bus driver who was recently on the road for several hours after her Big Cottonwood Canyon route was drastically impacted by winter weather.