It started three years ago as a big idea for little kids – and it’s growing.

To provide extra academic options to the community, CSD will again offer Supplemental Hours of Instruction for Kindergarten-age students in the 2018-2019 school year. One additional elementary school is accepting applications to the program – Canyon View – bringing the total number of possible locations to 15 (see full list below).

“This program has exceeded our expectations and is benefitting students both academically and socially,” says Instructional Supports Director Dr. Amber Roderick-Landward. “The extra time in class allows teachers to go into greater depth with their lessons and work one-on-one with students on things like conflict-resolution and turn-taking. These kids are leaving kindergarten better prepared to excel in first grade.”

At some schools, such as Altara Elementary, which was featured by KSLTV, test scores show 95 percent of supplemental kindergarten enrollees performing at or above grade level.

Students must be 5 years old on or before Sept. 1, 2018 to participate in the opt-in, tuition-based program, and will be accepted on a first-come-first-serve basis. Those who are accepted into the classes will receive nearly four additional hours of instruction every school day. Enrollees begin and end school at the same time as the school’s first- through fifth-grade students. Click here to see the bell schedules for all Canyons schools.

Canyons District will begin accepting online applications at 10 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 12. The application window will close at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, March 2. Computers will be available at Canyons schools for families who do not have computers or Internet connectivity at home.

The application can be accessed at the bottom of the Frequently Asked Questions page. Simply click the blue button that says, “Start.”

Cost for the program is $2,950 a year, and can be paid in monthly installments, August-May. A 10 percent discount is available for parents and guardians who pay the yearly tuition in full at one time. There also is a one-time, non-refundable registration fee of $100.

Financial-need scholarships also are available for qualifying students. Parents may apply for the financial assistance at the same time they submit enrollment applications.

The District plans to offer the classes at Alta View, Altara, Bell View, Bella Vista, Brookwood, Butler, Canyon View, Crescent, Lone Peak, Midvalley, Oakdale, Sprucewood, Sunrise, Willow Canyon, Willow Springs elementary schools. However, the program can only be offered at these sites if at least 20 students have enrolled in the program.

Children who qualify for transportation services will ride the kindergarten bus with morning-session kindergarten students and will ride home with the afternoon-session kindergarten students.

Efforts will be made to enroll students at the school closest to their homes – but the District cannot guarantee placement at any specific school. Placement notifications will be made by March 12 for the families who submit applications during the initial application window.

Questions? Call 801-826-5045 or send an e-mail message to communications@canyonsdistrict.org.