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View District Performance Levels* Due to new ELA assessments, the release of the 2024-2025 report card from USBE will be significantly delayed
View District Performance Levels* Due to new ELA assessments, the release of the 2024-2025 report card from USBE will be significantly delayed
Some people leave behind memories. Our retirees leave legacies — ones forever etched in our hearts.
This year, Canyons School District proudly celebrates the educators, mentors, leaders, and support staff whose quiet acts of service have shaped generations of students and strengthened our school communities in lasting ways.
To our retirees: thank you for the gifts you have given to the Canyons community. Though you may be stepping away from your daily roles, you leave an indelible mark on the lives you’ve shaped and doors you’ve opened for so many.
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If a movie about super teachers were ever made, Lucie Chamberlain would be a prime candidate for a leading role. Fortunately for her kindergarten students at Alta View Elementary, she already thrives in a supporting role for them. Parents thank her for being a “super teacher.” She is also described as an “amazing colleague.” Whether students need help in the classroom or from home while sick, Lucie goes above and beyond to help them learn, overcome fears, and feel important and cared for. Lucie is the reason a number of kids went from hating school to loving it, according to parents. The way she exudes patience, sweetness, positive energy, and love for her students with special needs melts is appreciated and admired. One parent noted: “Both my kids wish she could be their teacher forever.” Another added: “She treats every student like their learning and their feelings are her priority.” Super teacher, indeed!
Sherilyn Andrizzi didn’t enter college with a master plan to become a teacher. She was attending Utah State University while her future husband served an LDS mission when one roommate casually suggested she try an education class. Sherilyn did and leapt into teaching straight out of college. Forty-five years later, after a career spent almost entirely at Crescent Elementary, she is finally joining her husband in retirement. Sherilyn is the kind of teacher who managed classrooms with a balance of structure and just enough laughter and organized chaos to keep learning fun. She especially loved winning over reluctant math students — the children who arrived announcing they “hate math” only to end up eagerly gathered around her math table a few months later. Over the years, Sherilyn has watched education evolve. But teaching, she says, has been and always will be about joy. Retirement likely won’t slow her down for long. Sherilyn plans to pour her self-described “hyper” energy into volunteering with children or walking dogs at the Humane Society. After all, as her husband has gently reminded her, retirement hobbies may be important for everyone’s well-being.
After 35 years in the classroom — nine teaching Spanish and the last 26 teaching psychology at Jordan High — Trudy Barnes is retiring with two things: a deep understanding of teenagers and an overflowing drawer stuffed with letters from former students. “I’ve kept everything,” she says. Originally inspired by a high school Spanish teacher, she always thought she might become a psychologist because, at her core, she simply wanted to help people. Instead, she found a way to do both, teaching psychology while quietly becoming the kind of trusted adult students sought out when life got complicated. She also learned a few hard truths about teenagers: pressure rarely works, motivation can’t be forced, and sometimes students need space before they come around. Among her favorite memories was watching struggling AP Psychology students somehow pull off near-perfect pass rates despite doubting themselves all year long. In retirement, Trudy plans to spend more time with family, especially helping care for loved ones in Logan.
Karla Bennett never planned on a career in education. After years as a banker and stay-at-home mom, she simply wanted a part-time job to help support her family. Instead, she discovered a calling. Karla spent 13 years as a special education paraeducator at Bell View Elementary before joining the new Glacier Hills community. Along the way, she learned that some of the most important victories happen quietly — a child reading independently for the first time, or solving a math problem they were convinced they could never do. One former student, now headed to college, recently reminded her just how much that mattered. “Mrs. Bennett,” he told her, “you helped me learn to read. I didn’t think I could do that, and I can.” In retirement, Karla plans to spend more time with her mother and eight grandchildren, travel, volunteer, and possibly help organizations that support families learning English. She also hopes to volunteer when the Olympic Games return to Utah in 2034. Looking back on her 17-year career, her greatest takeaway is simple: every child is capable — sometimes they just need someone to believe in them first.
For more than 25 years, Fred Bennion has been the man schools called when the freezers stopped freezing, the dishwashers quit mid-lunch rush, or a cafeteria’s entire operation was on the brink. As the lone food-service equipment technician for 43 kitchens across Canyons schools, Fred became something of a legend among cafeteria staffs. “There’s nothing more gratifying,” he said, “than coming and being the rescuer and being so appreciated when they see me walk in the door.” Fred got his start in restaurant maintenance at Arctic Circle in 1978. Over the years, he became a one-man Swiss Army knife of plumbing, electrical systems, gas piping, welding, and commercial kitchen repair. He maintained everything from milk coolers and walk-ins to stadium snack bars. At his recent retirement party, nearly 60 colleagues showed up to celebrate the man many credited with saving their bacon — sometimes literally — though he’ll tell you lunch workers are the true unsung heroes. In retirement, Fred plans to spend more time with his wife, children, and 16 grandchildren — though several family members have already booked him for full-time grandpa duty.
To be honest, school psychologist William Bodell may not remember all the counseling he’s given Canyons students over the last 51 years. But his students apparently do. “It’s good to see students who I’ve worked with do well in the future. They come back and they say, ‘Oh, remember when you said such and such?’ And I think, ‘Well, I don’t really remember all of that conversation. But I’m glad you remember it and it was beneficial to you,’” William says. Over the years, he estimates he’s helped thousands of students. “Just to be able to build a relationship helps them a lot. … You can’t short circuit it, do it in a quick way. It takes so much time.” That’s what made the COVID-19 pandemic, such a challenge, he said, trying to connect with students in need remotely. During his well-deserved retirement he has projects planned for some recreational property he has in central Utah and he’s also looking forward to spending time with his children and 14 grandchildren, with the 15th due soon. Education, he says, is a team effort: “It’s the classroom teacher, it’s the aides, it’s the administration. It’s everybody.”
Dean Bond’s career path to Canyons School District was anything but predictable. Before becoming an alarm technician six years ago, he had already repaired bowling machines, delivered mail for the Post Office, managed restaurant kitchens, sold mortgages, served in the Army, worked on radar systems, tested X-ray machines for GE Healthcare, and built a career as an electrician. By the time he arrived at Canyons in 2020, Dean had already earned multiple retirements — but wasn’t ready to sit still. At Canyons, Dean became the behind-the-scenes problem solver responsible for fire alarms, security cameras, and badge readers. In true Dean fashion, when something broke, he often fixed it himself. At one school, he even built custom replacement circuit boards for kitchen gas systems because paying $800 for four tiny parts “seemed silly.” Keeping the kids safe mattered to him, and so did doing the job right the first time. Now officially retiring at 65, Dean plans to spend more time golfing, camping, restoring a 1966 Mustang, and spoiling what will soon be 20 grandchildren. And if retirement somehow gets boring, history suggests he’ll probably just start an entirely new career by next Tuesday.
Amy Brand originally planned to become a journalist, but while studying at Utah State University, she was told she would make a really great teacher. Her journey into teaching was not always easy. Amy remembers having to fight for her place in Utah State’s highly competitive education program, an experience that taught her the value of persistence and resilience — lessons she later carried into her classrooms. After completing her student teaching at Edgemont Elementary, she spent 15 years there before joining Draper Elementary. Looking back on 30 years of teaching, Amy says relationships have always mattered most. “If you can build a relationship and find the positives,” she says, “you can do anything.” Whether cheering students on at football games, creating classroom “houses” and friendly competitions, or simply surviving school-day “shenanigans” alongside teammates, Amy built classrooms where students felt seen, valued, and loved. “I want them all to think they were my favorite,” she says. “Because everyone is my favorite.” Now retired, Amy looks forward to traveling through Europe, spending more time with her three grandchildren, and finally diving into creative projects, arts, crafts, and DIY adventures — with her beloved dog Daisy likely supervising nearby.
For 30 years, Denée Bringhurst has taught second grade at Sandy Elementary—same school, same hallway, same parking lot. In a profession where change is constant, she found her place early, and for three decades has chosen it again and again. “I always knew I wanted to be a teacher,” she said. Long before she had a classroom of her own, she was tagging along with her older sister on babysitting jobs or working for her high school’s on-campus preschool. A career aptitude test later confirmed what she already knew: teaching was it. Whether decorating her classroom with Star Wars-themed Grogu collectibles and wall hangings, or simply making learning fun, her driving force has always been the same: “These are my kids.” Now, she looks forward to traveling, driving with the top down on her Jeep, and volunteering at the animal shelter. She also hopes to foster a child with her husband. It won’t be easy stepping away, she admits. After all, when you’ve been doing the same thing with all your heart… even the parking lot starts to feel like home.
Seventeen years ago, Jeana Bluse found her way into education through the person who has shaped so much of her life — her daughter. When her daughter, who has special needs, attended South Valley School, Jeana became friends with her teacher and eventually joined the school’s Life Design program. What started as a job became something much more. She transferred to Jordan Valley School as a paraeducator just before the creation of Canyons District. The school felt like home. Jeana has witnessed remarkable moments of growth, such as students arriving in wheelchairs and later walking out on their own — moments that will stay with her forever. Caring for and serving others has always been central to Jeana’s life. She and her daughter have volunteered together at the Humanitarian Center, Bishops’ Storehouse, and Primary Children’s Hospital, where they donated handmade quilts. Her daughter, now 43, especially loves visiting care centers to spend time with residents. So don’t be surprised if, in retirement, you find the two of them quietly serving wherever they’re needed most.
For nearly three decades, Susan Burns has been the calm, capable person helping schools and administrators navigate just about everything imaginable — from complicated Land Trust reports and worried parent phone calls to the thousand behind-the-scenes details that keep a district running smoothly. An administrative assistant in Canyons School District’s School Performance Department, Susan recently was named Secretary of the Year by the Utah Association of Elementary School Principals — recognition that came as no surprise to the colleagues who’ve relied on her institutional knowledge, steady demeanor, and uncanny ability to always know exactly who to call for the right answer. Her journey into education began as a PTA volunteer at her children’s school before growing into a 27-year career supporting principals, staff, and school communities across the District. “Every day is different,” she says. Susan now looks forward to more time with her four grandchildren in Idaho, baking cookies and pies, and maybe sleeping in a little later — though after years of waking up at 5 a.m. to exercise before work, old habits may die hard.
Long before Shelly Christensen became a beloved teacher at Willow Canyon Elementary, she imagined herself on a stage. She loved theater and having an audience. In the end, though, she discovered the perfect audience had been waiting for her all along — inside a classroom. “When theater didn’t work out,” she jokes, “I brought my own audience to myself.” That audience has been generations of students over a career spanning roughly 40 years, including decades at Willow Canyon, where Shelly became known for filling her classroom with laughter, encouragement, and the occasional life lesson hidden inside a joke. Inspired by her mother — a University of Utah professor who taught human growth and development — Shelly believes students learn best when they feel cared for and understood, not simply managed by a curriculum. Former students have returned years later to tell her she helped them through difficult moments or made them believe in themselves. In retirement, Shelly plans to spend more time with her husband, travel, play pickleball, and spoil her 12 grandchildren. She’s already warned her husband that he’ll now be responsible for supplying at least 30 hugs a day to make up for daily hugs from her cherished students. 
Debbie Christensen is No. 17. Not in line at the grocery store or waiting for lunch — but the 17th District employee hired prior to the launch of Canyons in 2009. Her path into education began simply: she needed a job. Debbie loved volunteering in schools, and after a brief stint with Jordan School District, she was recruited to join Canyons back when District offices operated out of the old Cottonwood Heights Elementary building and administrators reportedly zipped through the hallways on scooters. As the head Administrative Assistant for the Instructional Supports Department, much of her work happened behind the scenes. But she never lost sight of the bigger mission. Nearly everything she did, she says, ultimately supported students by helping teachers and administrators succeed. She loved the challenge of constantly learning something new and helping solve problems others thought were impossible. In fact, she says that may be one of the defining lessons of her career: around Canyons, “impossible” was never a very popular word. Retirement will be less about solving problems and more about enjoying life’s sweeter moments. Debbie and her husband — affectionately known as “my honey” — plan to spend more time together traveling, gardening, researching family history, and especially doting on their 13 grandchildren.
Doreen Christenson volunteered so much at East Midvale Elementary that someone finally suggested she ought to get paid for it. Twenty-four years ago, the longtime PTA parent started working in the school’s behavior unit before eventually becoming a Title I interventionist. She says many of the children she worked with simply needed someone who cared about them. She still remembers one little boy whose backpack overflowed with papers he refused to take home because, as he quietly told her, “She doesn’t care.” Moments like that stayed with her and deepened her commitment to helping students feel seen and valued. Because she lives just down the street from the school, Doreen still occasionally spots former students walking through the neighborhood and realizes, years later, they were practically neighbors all along. She admits slowing down may take a little practice. But, by all accounts, her plate is still pretty full: tending to eight grandchildren — with a ninth on the way — tackling home projects, and possibly serving a mission with her husband.
Steve Dimond has been part of Canyons School District since the beginning, one of its first 100 employees and a foundational influence on the people and systems that keep it running. In 38 years, he has been called to serve many roles and has cherished them all. Whether teaching theater at Alta High School, or working as an assistant principal at Union Middle, the Principal for Indian Hills Middle, or recruiting and supporting educators as Human Resources Director, he has helped build a culture grounded in service and care. His work has not gone unnoticed. During the COVID-19 pandemic, his leadership in managing employment protocols and vaccine clinics earned him the Apex Administrator of the Year award. Earlier in his career, he was recognized with the prestigious Huntsman Award for Teaching. But Steve is known as much for his humility as his leadership. Whether shoveling snow or flipping burgers at the new teacher lunch, he has lived out the belief that no role is more important than another. As he often says, “If something is worth doing, it is worth giving your all.” Before entering education, Steve spent 17 seasons performing with the Sundance Theatre Company. In retirement, he looks forward to returning to the stage and rediscovering the joy of performing—something his adult children will now get to witness for the first time.
After volunteering for the PTA at her children’s schools, Lorie Easter realized education was where she could make the greatest difference. “I could be part of the solution,” she says, recalling her decision to return to college at age 38 and pursue teaching. After graduating from Brigham Young University, she joined Altara Elementary, where she has spent all 19 years of her teaching career helping students discover confidence, curiosity, and a love of learning. Originally, Lorie taught fifth grade — her self-described “first love” — where she especially enjoyed teaching math and social studies. More recently, she brought her talents to second grade, trading preteen sarcasm for a classroom full of hugs, missing teeth, and students who still think their teacher knows everything. She’s banked more memories than she can count, but one moment in particular that stays with her was the time a student just learning English wrote on the classroom whiteboard: “You made my life better.” Now retiring, Lorie plans to focus on family history research, birdwatching, gardening, and spending time with her eight grandchildren — soon to be nine.
“I’ve always thought it would be fun to work in a school” — little did Connie Evans know that uttering those words would set her on a decades-long path of working at Jordan High. As a support assistant, Connie dedicated 23 years to assisting with payroll and ensuring every class that needed it had a substitute ready to jump in at a moment’s notice. She would come in early and leave late to compile schedules that worked for Beetdigger teachers and subs, before helping to streamline the process. Her mentor, and the woman who suggested the job, Jordan Head Secretary Marilyn Collier, always said, “we try our best and angels can do no better.” Connie says the phrase stuck with her, taking it to heart as she worked every day. For Connie, it was all about the relationships, some which have grown through the years into lasting friendships. Already retired, she continues to see friends who she met at Jordan in between visiting her four grandchildren across the country. At the end of the day, she hopes her fellow Beetdiggers remember that no matter how you feel, being kind to others serves everyone.
Beth Fyans was 52 when she retired from the phone company after 32 years of service. “I was pretty young to retire and I thought, well, OK, could I handle driving kids?” she wondered. Turns out, the answer was yes. So in 2009 she became a bus driver for Canyons. Beth quickly discovered the students on her routes would become one of the best parts of the job. She became known for greeting every student as they climbed aboard. After noticing only some students returned the greeting, she devised an incentive system: Tootsie Roll rewards for kids who said hello back. Over the years, Beth quietly paid attention to the details of students’ lives, from those who climbed aboard without coats on cold mornings to those who would casually sing the periodic table on the ride home. “They were the most interesting kids,” she said. “Goodness.” Her post-retirement plans? Quilting. “I’m gonna retire and I’m gonna sew,” she says. Beth is also getting into genealogy and wants to do some traveling to Scotland and Ireland. How does she hope to be remembered by the kids on her bus? Simple: “That I was kind to them.”
For the past 18 years, students at Union Middle School have known Ginger Gines — affectionately called “Gigi” — as the friendly hall monitor keeping the Bobcats safe, smiling, and moving to class on time. But long before joining the Union family, she spent another 16 years at Mount Jordan Middle School working in the lunchroom, special education programs, the main office, and even supervising after-school detention. At Union, Ginger became known as much for her kindness as her watchful eye. She cheered students on in cross country, soccer, basketball, and chess, celebrated their victories — even noticed their new haircuts. Over the years, that care extended far beyond the school walls. A mother of nine who helped raise 12 children altogether, Ginger also opened her home to foster a Union Middle student who eventually became part of her family. Ginger believes schools are built on relationships and on showing up for students, especially during difficult times. “Every one of those kids have different challenges,” she says. “We keep going through these hard times and still give them the help that they need. We just can’t give up because they need us.”
Based on her name recognition — and her favorability rating among residents — Charlotte Graham may as well be the unofficial mayor of Midvale. Her near-celebrity status in the city is largely due to her ubiquitous presence at East Midvale Elementary, where she’s warmly welcomed families to the school for 47 years. While her lengthy tenure in the Front Office makes her the CSD employee with the most service years, it does not even come close to the amount of affection she has in her heart for the Eagles. Graham remembers her first days at the school with fondness. She had a telephone, typewriter, and pads of paper — a far cry from the technology that’s at her fingertips today. Yes, the advances of the 21st century have changed the way she completes her day-to-day duties in the Front Office of East Midvale, but what hasn’t changed is her approach to ensuring that every family that comes through the doors is made to feel like they matter, that they belong, that they are part of a community. In nearly a half-century she’s worked with 17 principals, hundreds of teachers and support staff and has navigated the changes that came with the creation of a new school district, where she’s played a big role in negotiating increased salary and benefits for all Education Support Professionals. While she won’t see the students’ smiling faces every day, she’ll still get her fill when they trick-or-treat at her nearby home on Halloween. This much we know for sure: East Midvale won’t be the same without Charlotte, but she can head into retirement knowing that all of Canyons won’t be the same without her. True to form, and perhaps as a nod to her dedication to education, she’ll continue her volunteer position on the board of Miss Utah, an organization with a mission of scholarship, service — and smiles. 
Eleven years ago, Tami Guidash was looking for a part-time job that matched her children’s school schedule after years working executive secretary positions at Kennecott. She found a home at Butler Middle School, and has worked there since the rebuilt school’s grand opening. Whether working as a hall monitor, in study skills, or most recently in attendance, “Miss Tami” built a reputation for treating students with respect, humor, and just enough sarcasm to keep life interesting. “If I could make a little trouble for somebody, I would,” she admits with a laugh. Family has always been central to Tami’s life. She and her husband adopted two children under extraordinary circumstances — one at just 36 hours old and another years later after a surprise phone call from the same birth mother. Her daughter still insists she somehow dreamed her little brother into existence before the call even came. Retirement comes partly because of major back surgery, but Tami already has plans: Lake Tahoe, Texas, Arizona, California, and a sisters’ cruise with all six of her sisters. After years of roaming Butler’s hallways, she’s ready to roam somewhere with better scenery and fewer tardy slips.
Doug Hallenbeck’s career in education began with a high school shop teacher in New York who saw potential in a student who loved technology, engineering, and building things with his hands. Thirty-three years later, Doug is retiring after a career spent building more than classroom projects. He built programs, systems, and opportunities for generations of students while navigating one of the biggest technological revolutions education has ever seen.
After first working as a reading aide and substitute teacher, Suzanne Hardy-Smith found herself at a crossroads one summer when an opening appeared at Willow Canyon Elementary just days before the school year began. She interviewed, stepped into the classroom as a long-term substitute, and never looked back. Thirteen years later, she still calls her now full-time teaching job “the best choice” she ever made. Originally from England, Suzanne spent parts of her childhood in England, Canada, and Utah before earning a degree in psychology and sociology from the University of Southampton. Inspired by a beloved sixth-grade teacher who made school feel safe, joyful, and full of music, Suzanne built her own classroom around those same principles. She also served on the executive board of the Canyons Education Association and participated on a Utah Education Association committee, advocating for educators and public education. Now retiring after nearly 18 years in education, she plans to continue substitute teaching and volunteer with children while spending more time with her grandsons in Nebraska and traveling to England to visit family — preferably without paying peak summer airfare prices.
For 27 years, Wade Harman has helped students stay seen, supported, and on track to graduate — no matter where learning had to happen. Some were recovering from chemotherapy or organ transplants. Others battled anxiety, depression, or other challenges that made traditional school impossible. As a Home and Hospital teacher, Wade’s job was to keep students connected to learning no matter the obstacle. His own path to teaching was anything but conventional. In 1998, he walked into a Jordan District school to substitute teach for the day, which immediately turned into a longer-term role. After earning his certification, he worked with incarcerated students in the prison system, taught youth living in a court-ordered group home, and eventually became Canyons’ first Home and Hospital teacher. What Wade loved most was the responsibility and trust that came with helping students one-on-one. Every student learned differently, and every situation required creativity, patience, and compassion. But when his students walked across the graduation stage, Wade felt the reward deeply because he knew exactly how much work it took to get there. In retirement, Wade hopes to spend more intentional time serving his family, church, and community. But above all, he hopes students remember one thing: someone was there for them when they needed it most.
When Michèle Harward first arrived in the United States from France, she barely spoke English. While living in Hawaii, she learned pidgin English before “proper” English — all while helping teach AP French students who, in return, helped her. So began a 30-year career in education. Over the next three decades, Michèle would become much more than a French teacher. She taught math, helped launch Lone Peak High School before the building even existed — choosing her classroom from a blueprint map — taught in Hillcrest High’s IB program, consulted with multiple districts, worked with the College Board, and eventually became Canyons School District’s World Language and Dual Language Immersion specialist. Along the way, she became known for her passion, flexibility, and ability to connect ideas, and people. Whether mentoring teachers through French workshops at the University of Utah or helping students earn the Seal of Biliteracy, Michèle constantly reminded others that learning isn’t about memorizing content. It’s about learning how to learn. Retirement, for Michèle, remains delightfully très flexible. She may continue working with teachers, spend more time with her grandson, or perhaps simply enjoy the rare luxury of not thinking for a few minutes. After 30 years of nonstop motion, a life in repose sounds pretty well deserved.
Denise Haycock began her journey in education as a software trainer and paraeducator at Jordan Valley School before becoming one of the first 100 employees hired by the newly formed Canyons School District. Over the years, she served as administrative assistant for the Special Education Department, Superintendent, Business Administrator, and Canyons Board of Education. But it was eight years ago, when she was hired as the Development Officer for the Canyons Education Foundation, that her passion truly found its home. “The foundation work for me has truly been a privilege,” she says. Through a deep belief in the power of community, Denise helped transform the Foundation into a force for good. What began as a golf tournament raising $25,000 now brings in more than $100,000 annually. Under her leadership, college scholarships expanded, teacher innovation grants flourished, and hundreds of thousands of dollars flowed into classrooms, Unified Sports, mental health supports, and resource closets for families in need. For all the lives she has touched, Denise’s final year in Canyons ended with her being named the 2025 Apex Award winner for Education Support Professional of the Year. As she looks ahead to traveling and spending more time with family, Denise leaves behind a legacy of compassion, determination, and countless “not yets” that became life-changing “yeses.”
After 45 years working with students — including the last 18 at Sunrise Elementary — first-grade teacher Bret Hodge has learned two things: patience matters, and sometimes the breakthroughs take a while. “I always say I learned patience from fishing,” he joked. “You sit around waiting, and then suddenly the big thing happens.” After decades working with everyone from Special Olympics athletes to troubled teens in California classrooms, he eventually found his sweet spot in first grade, where the growth from the beginning to the end of the year felt almost magical. Former students still track Bret down on Facebook to say thank you — including one who recently returned to Sunrise as a television news reporter covering a story. In retirement, Bret plans to travel the country visiting Major League Baseball stadiums with a scratch-off map his daughters gave him. He says he’d rather fly over the Coliseum than stand in it. After 45 years in education, he’s probably earned both the window seat and the legroom.