Dr. Rick L. Robins is the superintendent of Canyons School District. Dr. Robins, who was selected by the Canyons Board of Education after a national search, brings 24 years of experience as an educator to his role as the chief executive officer of Utah’s fifth-largest school district. Prior to joining Canyons, Dr. Robins, who earned an Ed.D. from the University of Las Vegas, for six years was Superintendent of the Juab School District, based in Nephi, Utah. While there, Dr. Robins, who also was the Juab High School Principal from 2009-2013, helped oversee efforts to improve the district’s graduation rate to 97 percent, a double-digit increase over a 10-year period. Other innovations he led in Juab included a partnership with Arizona State University for blended-learning opportunities; the launch of a districtwide competency-based personalized learning model driven by a 1:1 technology initiative and standards-based reporting system; and the construction of the STEM-focused West Campus Innovations Center, funded largely through private and corporate sponsorships. Dr. Robins began his career as a history teacher at Copper Hills High in the Jordan School District and has worked as an assistant principal and principal in the Alpine, Nebo and Juab school districts. He was the 2012 Utah High School Principal of the Year for the Utah Association of Secondary School Principals, and in 2014 earned the Lexington Institute Superintendent Fellowship Award presented to innovative superintendents across the country. Dr. Robins was starting quarterback for the football team at Southern Utah University Thunderbirds from 1991-1995, and in 2013 was inducted into SUU’s Athletic Hall of Fame. He has four children and one grandchild.
Leon Wilcox is a seasoned professional with 20 years of governmental accounting experience, with an emphasis on financial reporting, budgeting, and auditing. As Canyons District’ Director of Accounting from 2009-2013, Wilcox was intricately involved with the 2009 division of $1.5 billion in assets of the former Jordan School District, and was responsible for establishing Canyons’ original and subsequent budgets. Wilcox, a certified public accountant who earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from Utah State University, also has worked nine years in the Granite School District and six years in the State Auditor’s Office.
Supervises: Accounting and Budget Services, Facilities and Maintenance, Insurance, New Construction Budget, Nutrition Services, Purchasing, Payroll
Robert Dowdle has a Doctor of Education degree with an emphasis in Educational Leadership and Policy from the University of Utah, and more than 31 years of experience as a teacher and educational leader. He began his career at Mount Jordan Middle School, where he taught Earth Science, English and Social Studies. He later taught Advanced Placement Economics, U.S. History and World History at Bingham High School, and served as Principal of Jordan High School and Assistant Principal for Alta High School and Brighton High School. Dowdle has served in the District office for 11 years as Assistant Superintendent. This role has included various leadership responsibilities, including Chief of Staff and Chief Operating Officer. Dr. Dowdle currently serves as the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and School Performance.
The Board of Education is committed to studying policy matters as a way to improve education for Canyons students, and invites and welcomes the public to its meetings. The Board generally reserves the first and third Tuesdays of each month for Study Sessions and Business Meetings. Study Sessions typically include more in-depth discussions, while Business Meetings include discussion and official action. Both Study Sessions and Business Meetings are open to the public.
The Board is authorized to schedule a meeting in closed, or non-public session, only to discuss the character or competence of personnel, or strategy as it pertains to litigation, property acquisition or sale, contract negotiations, or security deployment as allowed under the Utah Open and Public Meetings Act.
For up-to-date meeting information, view the Agenda. Agendas are posted at least 24 hours in advance of each meeting.
In compliance with the American with Disabilities Act, individuals needing special accommodations, including auxiliary communications aids and services, during these meetings should notify Dan Harper, ADA Coordinator, at 801-826-5062 at least three working days prior to the meeting.
View the Public Participation Guidelines
The Canyons Board of Education is comprised of seven elected community leaders who are responsible for establishing education policy for the children who attend school in Utah’s newest school district. The Board of Education works to create and implement a vision for public education that is focused on student achievement, innovative practices, community engagement, customer service and fiscal accountability. To that end, the Board strives to support a school system that is responsive to patrons and ensures every student is prepared for college and careers when they graduate from high school.
The Board of Education works with the Superintendent and Business Administrator to guarantee the judicious use of taxpayer funds while providing leadership that promotes increased student achievement at all grade levels. The Board approves administrative appointments, decides policies and procedures, meets regularly in open session to deliberate and decide the public’s business, conducts Town Hall constituency meetings to maintain relationships with patrons, and advocates for the continued support of public education.
Every student who attends Canyons School District will graduate college- and career-ready.
Canyons School District is a public education system dedicated to delivering a high-quality education to students, valuing and rewarding the vital contributions of employees, and helping learners of all ages to be prepared for meaningful life opportunities. We value transparency and collaboration in governance. We work together with families, employees and community partners to establish and maintain safe, supportive, and academically challenging school environments which strengthen neighborhoods and communities.
9361 S. 300 East
Sandy, Utah 84070
801-826-5000
communications@canyonsdistrict.org
PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that the Board of Education for Canyons School District will hold a regular study session and public business meeting at the Canyons District Office building, 9361 S. 300 E., Sandy, UT each month unless otherwise posted. The Board may determine to conduct some business during a study session. All business meetings will begin at 7:00 p.m. unless changed by the Board and appropriately posted for the public.
Please note that ALL DATES, TIMES and LOCATIONS listed on this scheduled are TENTATIVE and are subject to change at any time. Please check this schedule often to be informed of any changes.
Unless otherwise specified, all meetings in the schedule below will take place as the Canyons District Office located at 9361 S. 300 E. in Sandy, Utah.
The Board of Education encourages public engagement and frequently schedules time to listen to patrons during its Business Meetings. Patron comment time is placed on the agenda at the Board’s discretion, with the exception of Truth-in-Taxation hearings, budget hearings, and Board-member compensation adjustments, in which public comment will be taken in accordance with state law.
Please note: The Board does not discuss matters which are not on the meeting’s agenda nor engage in public comment about personnel issues or individual students. Patrons wishing to address the Board about personnel issues are asked to do so in writing to communications@canyonsdistrict.org or:
Canyons Board of Education
9361 S. 300 East
Sandy, Utah 84070
Patron Comment Instructions:
The Canyons Board of Education values public input and, in this era of physical distancing, has created multiple ways for patrons to participate in scheduled Board meetings and provide public comment.
All Canyons Board of Education meetings are livestreamed and can easily be accessed on our YouTube Channel. Agendas are available online and published at least 24 hours in advance of each meeting, and patrons who wish to participate in the public comment portion of meetings can do so in person or remotely via our teleconferencing system.
If you choose to attend a Board meeting in person, please be advised that we ask visitors to observe the state’s physical distancing guidelines and wear face coverings. Audience seating within the Canyons Board of Education chambers and overflow areas are strategically spaced so as to allow for physical distancing.
Patrons may also continue to provide public comment remotely, an option first made available when Utah schools were under a “soft closure.” If you are interested in participating via the District’s teleconferencing line, please follow these instructions:
Having served from 2008 to 2012 on the inaugural Canyons Board of Education, Mont Millerberg re-elected to the Board in November 2016, and again in 2022, to represent District 1.
He was instrumental in the creation of the District as well as the Canyons Education Foundation, the fundraising arm of the District. Millerberg is a former chairman of the Hillcrest School Community Council (SCC) and former member of the Union Middle SCC. He currently serves as a member of the governing Board for the Utah School Boards Association.
Before retiring to enjoy time with his family and continue his tradition of public service, he worked as a business owner and a Certified Public Accountant. He and his wife, Kris, an educator, raised their six children in the Midvale area.
Contact: mont.millerberg@canyonsdistrict.org.
Amber Shill was first elected to the Canyons Board of Education in November 2014 and won re-election in November 2018 and again in November 2022. She represents District 2, which covers most of Cottonwood Heights.
The Utah native has deep roots in civic engagement. For 20 years, she has been involved in schools, serving on multiple district committees and in leadership capacities on the School Community Councils and PTA’s at Bella Vista Elementary, Butler Middle and Brighton High. She has represented Canyons on statewide boards, including the Utah High School Activities Association and the Salt Lake County Parks & Recreation Advisory Board. She has held leadership roles on the Utah School Boards Association, including serving as the organization’s President.
Ms. Shill graduated cum laude from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance. Her civic involvement includes volunteering in Cub Scouts, leading youth groups, and serving as a Salt Lake County Precinct Delegate.
Ms. Shill and her husband have four children who attend or have graduated from the Brighton feeder system.
Contact: amber.shill@canyonsdistrict.org
Nancy Tingey is a three-term member of the Canyons Board of Education, first elected in 2012 and again in 2016, representing areas of Cottonwood Heights and Sandy, and the Town of Alta. She is the first woman to serve as CSD Board President. In 2017, Mrs. Tingey served as President of the Utah School Boards Association. In 2018, she served as the association’s legislative liaison. She earned a Bachelor of Science from Brigham Young University, and has been an active parent volunteer in public schools for more than 30 years. In addition to classroom, PTA, and District committee experience, Mrs. Tingey has served on School Community Councils at Quail Hollow Elementary School, Albion Middle School, and Brighton High School for a combined 19 years, and as Chairwoman for eight of those years.
Contact: nancy.tingey@canyonsdistrict.org
A veteran of the U.S. Air Force and father of four school-aged children, Andrew Edtl was elected to the Canyons Board of Education in November 2022. A steadfast supporter of public education, he has volunteered in Canyons’ schools in many capacities, including serving two terms as PTA President and four terms as School Community Council Chairman. Representing District 4 encompassing parts of Sandy and Midvale, he is the first African American to serve on Canyon’s governing board.
Mr. Edtl’s roots in public service also extend to working as a job coach for refugee families and Scout master. Professionally, he works for the Utah Air National Guard where he held roles in human resources, global health management, operations, and security. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Western Governors University and Master’s in business administration from Westminster College.
The father of four children, three of whom are of school-age and attending Canyons schools, Mr. Edtl believes students succeed when parents and teachers and schools work together. He enjoys hiking, skiing, and traveling with his wife Diane.
Contact: andrew.edtl@canyonsdistrict.org or 385-522-3705
Karen Pedersen comes to the Canyons Board of Education with 41 years of classroom experience and an enduring desire to see all students succeed. First elected to the Board in November 2022 to serve District 5 in Sandy and White City, she is the first retired CSD teacher to join Canyons’ governing body.
An elementary school teacher with endorsements in reading, math, and English as a second language, Mrs. Pederson’s career culminated with her being named the 2021 Teacher of the Year for Willow Canyon Elementary. She has a bachelor’s degree in elementary and early childhood education from Utah State University and a Master’s degree in education from Westminster College. Believing that strong communities make for strong schools, she has always found time for service, having served various roles on the Canyons Education Association, including four years as Vice President. She also served on Canyons’ teacher evaluation committee and as the teacher representative on Willow Canyon’s School Community Council.
Mrs. Pedersen loves traveling with her husband, Craig and camping with their four adult children — all proud Jordan High graduates — and 12 grandchildren. She also enjoys watercolor painting, drawing, and rock collecting.
Contact: karen.pedersen@canyonsdistrict.org
Amanda Oaks first joined the Canyons Board of Education in January 2019 and was re-elected to serve a second term in November 2022. This is her second term serving on Board leadership as Vice President. A classically-trained musician, Oaks attended Brigham Young University (BYU) on full academic and music scholarships and received a Bachelor of Arts in Viola Performance. Desiring to become a more effective community advocate, she went on to earn a law degree from BYU in 2004 and thereafter practiced estate planning.
A Utah native and mother of five children attending Canyons District schools, Oaks believes collaborative partnerships between parents, educators, and administrators create stronger schools and communities. A Chinese speaker, she has long been a supporter of Utah’s Dual Language Immersion program. For the past three years, she has served on Canyons’ Arts Consortium where she works with teachers, administrators, and members of the local arts community to build on the District’s strong arts programs. She’s an equally passionate advocate for students with disabilities and hands-on learning in science and technology.
Oaks represents K-12 public school interests on the Working Group Committee charged with creating a plan for future development of the Point of the Mountain at the old Utah Prison site. She also serves on the Joint Legislative Committee of the Utah School Boards Association.
She and her husband, Sterling believe in the importance of humanitarian service, both locally and abroad. She rarely sits still, and enjoys pilates, researching classic books for her children’s reading, and educational travel.
Contact: amanda.oaks@canyonsdistrict.org.
Holly Neibaur joined the Canyons Board of Education on Jan. 5, 2021. She represents the Draper area in District 7. As a child, Ms. Neibaur set a goal to go to Brigham Young University, become a teacher and have seven kids. Following the events of her life, she believes dreams really do come true. As a former Alpine District middle school teacher, Ms. Neibaur graduated cum laude from BYU with a bachelor’s degree in English teaching and theater for secondary education. She has a long history of volunteering in schools both in Tennessee and Utah. She volunteered as an after-school science and drama club teacher in Tennessee and served on a volunteer parent and teacher board from 2006 to 2010. Ms. Neibaur began serving on School Community Councils in 2011 at Sunrise Elementary. Since then she has served on School Community Councils at Oak Hollow Elementary and Draper Park Middle. While at Sunrise Elementary Ms. Neibaur developed an “Every Eagle Soar” program from LAND Trust funds to help identify students at every learning level to achieve growth goals set by their teacher. The excitement she felt seeing progress in test scores through the “Every Eagle Soar” program fueled Ms. Neibaur’s passion to provide and protect many pathways for students to find success. She is the mother to seven sons and two Golden Retrievers. Ms. Neibaur can often be seen on the sidelines of basketball games and soccer fields. She is owner and partners with her husband at Neibaur Family Orthodontics.
Contact: holly.neibaur@canyonsdistrict.org
What a great, few days at the National School Boards Association’s 
Annual Conference! I always come away feeling inspired and empowered to make a difference in our schools. It was a true pleasure to spend time with my Canyons Board of Education colleagues and learn from other school board members from around the nation. #NSBA2023 #publiceducation
It was such a great experience to attend the Brighton High Feeder School luncheon, which was held recently. I loved getting to know other parents and administrators who care about Canyons schools as much as I do. We discussed the legislative session and got updates on Brighton High. Thanks to the Brighton School Community Council for bringing us all together! Shout out to the incredible students that made our meal! The churros were so yummy!
Hillcrest High theatre students continue to earn applause for their performances on the stage. On Monday, April 3, the nominees for 2023 Utah High School Musical Theater Awards were announced — and Hillcrest walked away with a whopping 10 nominations. I am not at all surprised Hillcrest’s production of “Catch Me If You Can” is nominated for Best Musical. In fact, I would have been surprised if it weren’t nominated. It was simply fantastic! We loved it. The cast and crew definitely deserve this nomination for being among the best in the state. When we attended the show, we found that our seats were right next to the father of the student who had the leading role. It was so much fun to sit next to the proud parent of the show’s star, especially because we’ve been friends for years. For being a nominee in the top category, Hillcrest students have been invited to perform a number from “Catch Me If You Can” during the May 13 awards ceremony at the Eccles Theatre in Salt Lake City. I can’t wait to see them perform! Here’s a list of Hillcrest’s nominations:
Best Musical — “Catch Me If You Can”
Best Actor — Jaren Ruff as Frank Abagnale Jr. in “Catch Me If You Can”
Best Ensemble Cast — “Oliver!”
Best Orchestra — “Oliver!”
Best Director — “Catch Me If You Can”
Best Choreography — “Catch Me If You Can”
Best Costume Design — “Oliver!”
Best Lighting Design — “Oliver!”
Best Student Set Design — “Catch Me If You Can”
Best Student Lighting Design — “Catch Me If You Can”
Every fall, it seems like the entire Canyons District clambers to get tickets to Hillcrest’s fall musical. The productions are full of show-stopping dance numbers, amazing vocal and instrumental performances, and Broadway-quality acting. It’s a well-known fact in our community that Hillcrest High’s theater department goes all out on the fall musical, and the auditorium is often sold out for the majority of the runs of the shows. However, in recent years, Hillcrest also has done major productions in the spring. Last year, audiences were taken to Narnia with “Prince Caspian,” and this year’s big spring play was “The Heart of Robin Hood,” a production that also has been performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company. If students were intimidated by the fact that the play has been tackled in the past by such serious professionals, you could not tell. The cast of 80 students was simply amazing, and we sat there in awe at the quality of the production. The set included rope-climbing and aerial silks for acrobats and also featured a string ensemble that played background music throughout the entire show. I applaud the cast and the directors, especially Hillcrest’s Performing Arts Chair Josh Long, for bringing such amazing entertainment to the Canyons community. I feel the need to express my appreciation for those who voted for the school-improvement bond proposal in 2017. Without the support of voters, we would not have been able to build a state-of-the-art auditorium at Hillcrest like the one we now have. One last thing: I want to say “break a leg” to the Huskies who are headed to state theater competitions! Recently, Hillcrest theater students won their eighth-consecutive region championship, and all 28 of Hillcrest’s entries qualified for the upcoming state drama competition. If their performances at the state contest are anything like the ones I saw at “The Heart of Robin Hood,” then the judges will definitely be impressed.
Reading isn’t something you typically think of being a group activity. 
But in Canyons, we are building communities of readers with activities like the annual Book Blitz and Book Blitz Jr. contests — and it’s a community that anyone can join! Book Blitz is a Jeopardy-style competition where student teams are challenged to answer questions about the characters and plots of pre-selected books. I had the pleasure of observing the District-level contest this year and was so impressed by the students’ grasp of the smallest details from the books they read. Keep in mind, many middle school students read all 20 required books and a good number of elementary students read all 12 of their required books. Congratulations to all who took up the reading challenge, and kudos to this year’s winners:
Individual Middle School Winner: Mary Grant, Indian Hills Middle
Winning Middle School Team: Draper Park Middle’s “Reading by Dusk” team: Anna Stephens, Alina Vannlord, Yulia Brattos, and Maya Halvorsen.
Winning Elementary School Team: The Sunrise Elementary “Word Ninjas:” Liam Sharkey, Thomas McCoy, Rossteen Esfavjani, Marcus Liu, and Van Hewitt.
During the first weekend of March, several Canyons District high schools participated in the regional FIRST Robotics competition for what has been referred to as “The Ultimate Sport for the Mind.” Adhering to stringent rules, time and resources, teams of students face challenges to build and program industrial-size robots, and use that robot to overcome obstacles in alliance with other teams. These teams also fundraise to meet their goals, design a team “brand,” and work to advance respect and appreciation for STEM within the local community. I delighted at the chance to visit our Canyons teams during the competition and witness unbelievable dedication from these students. Some of the students from Alta High’s team gave me a riveting tour, and exuded enthusiasm. They shared story after story about how their robotics team allowed them to learn problem-solving and creativity, and what FIRST refers to as “coopertition,” a value that promotes kindness and gracious professionalism in the face of competition. The conclusion of the event brought particular honor to Alta’s team, which received the Engineering Inspiration Award, landing them a place at this year’s FIRST National Competition in Houston. The Hawks robotics team ended the month in similar fashion. At the FIRST Idaho Regional Competition in Boise, held March 31-April 2, Alta took third place out of 48 teams and student Kassandra Holt received the Dean’s Award and teacher Ron Strohm, who has been instrumental in building up Alta’s robotics program, received the Woodie Flowers Award, a prestigious honor that is given to just one team advisor at each of the regional competitions. The award is reserved for those demonstrate top-tier teaching and communication skills in the art and science of engineering and design. Congratulations to all our teams and their coaches! You make me Canyons Proud.
Brighton students are giving the community the gift of music. This was evident at the Brighton High Bands Festival Concert I was able to attend on March 23. The program was wonderful! Each performing group did a fantastic job. I was especially impressed with the enthusiasm and joy with the enthusiasm and joy with which the students played each number. This enjoyable event was an example of the many opportunities Canyons students have to learn, progress, and shine. Many thanks to the amazing teachers who create learning environments to inspired young people to achieve their goals.
I had a great time at the Glacier Hills Elementary Spring Fling! It was wonderful to see our community come together, exploring and appreciating the school’s facilities. The kids had a blast participating in entertaining games, and the food trucks were on hand to serve up some tasty treats. The atmosphere was energetic, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Witnessing such enthusiasm and dedication to education in our community is truly motivating. As we continue supporting our local schools, we reinforce the importance of education to our children. Here’s to a successful event, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be part of such a memorable gathering!
I had the pleasure of attending the Book Blitz Jr. championship event and am delighted to offer my heartfelt congratulations to the amazing team from Sunrise Elementary for their exceptional victory in the districtwide competition. It was inspiring to see young students embrace the joy of reading and challenge themselves to explore new books and genres.
For those who are unfamiliar with Book Blitz Jr., it’s a competition that encourages students to read books and then answer questions about which book they’re from. This program promotes literacy while also allowing students to discover new books and genres they might not have been interested in otherwise.
I would also like to extend my congratulations to the team from Canyon View Elementary for their impressive second-place finish, as well as to all the other teams who participated in the competition. The students’ knowledge and enthusiasm for the books they had read was impressive and made this competition a rewarding experience for everyone involved.
Once again, congratulations to the winning team and all participants. It’s inspiring to see young minds so engaged in such an exciting and educational competition, and I encourage everyone to continue to nurture their love for reading and learning.
It’s truly inspiring to witness the passion and dedication of our young leaders as they strive to make a difference in their school community. I recently had the pleasure of spending some time with the Glacier Hills Elementary Student Council, and I can confidently say that the future is in good hands.
During my visit, the student council engaged in a lively discussion about the characteristics of a good leader. Their thought-provoking conversation touched upon qualities such as helping others, spreading positivity, being inclusive, and setting a good example. The students also emphasized the importance of teamwork, sacrificing time and energy, and being actively involved in their community.
Their understanding of leadership and their commitment to creating a supportive and positive environment were genuinely inspiring. 
These young visionaries have undoubtedly laid the groundwork for a strong foundation in leadership and community service.
A key figure in the success of Glacier Hills Elementary’s student council is Michael Price, the dedicated fifth-grade teacher who oversees the group. Michael’s passion, energy, and focus have played a crucial role in guiding these young leaders. He works tirelessly to teach the students the values of inclusivity and service, which are clearly reflected in the council’s approach and initiatives.
Michael’s invaluable contribution to the growth and development of these students cannot be overstated. His unwavering dedication to nurturing future leaders is an inspiration to us all.
The visit to Glacier Hills Elementary Student Council was a heartwarming and eye-opening experience. Their enthusiasm and genuine passion for making a difference in their school and beyond are a testament to the outstanding work of both the students and their mentors. I look forward to witnessing the incredible impact they will have on their school community and the world at large.
Keep shining, Glacier Hills Elementary Student Council! Your hard work, dedication, and positive spirit will undoubtedly create lasting change for the better.
The end of a school year is a whirlwind of exciting events, from award banquets and sports championships to field days, and art shows and performances. And to cap it all off, are the graduation ceremonies!
I have been fortunate to have attended a number of these. The Alta High Marching Band fundraiser and car show was wonderful! There were cool cars, awesome music by Alta Bands, clinics for the drumline, and good food. It was an excellent way to show the community what the Marching Band is all about!
Thirty friendly volunteers attended the luncheon hosted by the Willow Canyon PTA. The great food was matched only by the even better conversations. Our schools need to continue to recognize the importance of our PTA organization and the thousands of volunteer hours given to help support our students and teachers! It was hard without you during the pandemic.
Attending and being a member on various District committees is a vital way to help inform the conversations that help form future District needs. As a member of Long Range Planning, we discuss the populations of our schools, the cost of building maintenance, and how to provide programs to help improve instruction and building usage. In Health and Wellness, we are looking into the feasibility of providing a wellness center and possibly daycare for our employees in the future.
Thanks to fellow board member, Andrew Edtl, school board members were given the opportunity to see what the national guard can do for our graduates. It’s a great option the Guard offers to those wanting to serve their country close to home. We flew a refueling training mission in a KC135 to a C-17. This operation required the most incredible skill with both aircraft flying at exacting speeds and altitudes!
Spring must finally be here! I recently attended Glacier Hills Elementary’s Spring Fling open house. They opened the building to those in the community who live in the area but do not currently have students attending the school. They showcased student artwork and writing down the hallways. Teachers were running games outside. There were booths for AVID, the PTA, and Alta View Hospital, and of course, food trucks. The Yeti was wandering around for photos. Purchasing school t-shirts proved to be a big hit with the parents. It was a wonderful way to build school-to-community connections.
Canyons has the best teachers! It was an exciting evening honoring each of our school’s Teacher of the Year at the District’s Teacher of the Year celebration. Congratulations to all our winners. Listening to each teacher’s accomplishments reinforced my appreciation for the creativity, dedication, and focus on student success that Canyons teachers bring each day to our students. The school board was proud to share in your success.
I almost felt like a movie star as I attended the Canyons Education Foundation Gala to honor our student scholarship recipients and help raise funding for teacher innovation grants. It was a beautiful night with great food and good company. The Foundation is the fundraising branch with community outreach for the District.
I also attended the District Storytelling competition for K-3 students. I want to give a shout out to Peruvian Park Elementary for their exemplary students who took all three awards! This was excellent public speaking practice.
Finally, I had the opportunity to participate in a Zoom presentation on “The Weight of Injustice: Exploring the Intersectionality of Fatphobia, Racism, and Mental Health” presented by the Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC). This provided an interesting perspective on historical and present-day causes of some of the mental health issues facing children. Knowledge is the first step as we strive to always improve in supporting all students to reach their potential.
The week before Spring Break was busy! I started the week by visiting Diamond Ridge High and Entrada Adult High School. I was so impressed by the way the school building is evolving to meet the diverse needs of our nontraditional high school students. The classes are welcoming, teachers and staff know everyone by name, and most importantly, the students want to be at school! They have multiple supports: food pantry, counseling, showers and washing machines for the homeless, study/homework help, etc. The new science, cooking, and maker spaces will be ready for next year. One wing of the building is Entrada. This is open to the community to learn English skills and connect with community services, and earn GED diplomas. I so appreciate the support Canyons gives the community and our disadvantaged to have access to programs and are given an opportunity for success. Next, I visited with the wonderful employees who work in the Transportation Department. These bus drivers, dispatchers, routers, and mechanics keep the district rolling! They have the biggest hearts. Many of these employees are some of our oldest. When asked why they continue to work, they told me, “It’s because of the kids!” Being with our students is the highlight of their day. They shared with me some of their ideas to improve transportation efficiency, communication, and would love to someday have a new building. The building they are in is 60 years old. Newer equipment has been added as needed, but restroom upgrades, better office flow, break room space, and earthquake stability would be an important future goal for the District. I had the opportunity to attend a presentation concerning upgrades to our operations system Skyward. Our current version is very dated and unable to meet all of our District needs. It was impressive to see the what the new upgrade can do with teacher grading, reports, scheduling, attendance, lunch accounts, and enrollment. It may be worth the cost to upgrade a system the District is already familiar with. This information will inform future study sessions. I also attended the National School Boards Association recently. It was a wonderful opportunity to inform, share, discuss, and be in touch with issues facing our public schools all over the country. Three topics seemed to be reoccurring: school safety; student equity, mental health and resilience, and effective school board policy. It was reaffirming to see that many of the presentations aligned to our practices at CSD. We have a vision through our Strategic Planning, shared governance, and increased accountability for learning and less on operations. We have built strong collaboration between district leadership and board governance. We focus on students and their needs. It was nice to get to know each other better and strengthen relationships.
In the past few weeks, I was excited to be invited to participate as a judge at Willow Canyon’s Battle of the Books. I am always happy to support activities that help add the spark to our school curriculum. The students knew their books and answered with confidence. Such close competition! Everyone did such a great job. Way to go, Books of Knowledge team!
We are so blessed to have such talented students and amazing music directors! I was awed by the professional music performed by the Canyons Symphony Orchestra held at Corner Canyon High. Thanks for the invite! It was wonderful! I give a big shout out to Jordan Wright, Ranae Dalgleish, Caleb Shabestari and Mitchell Atencio, the high school directors.
It is always a good experience to be able to meet with dedicated parents and educators at School Community Council meetings. The hard work and planning for meeting the learning goals and observe decisions made on how to efficiently use available FTE, Land Trust, and TSSR monies was so well done. I attended the SCC meetings at Silver Mesa and Glacier Hills elementary schools and Eastmont Middle.
I also have met with various employee groups to discuss concerns and learn how each department works. Thanks to each of you for taking your time to meet with me, including the Education Support Professionals leadership, Jordan High, CTEC, Willow Canyon, Alta View, Silver Mesa, Glacier Hills and Albion Middle
It’s also been such a great experience to personally express appreciation to employees who are making us Canyons Strong. “Canyons Strong” is the Board of Education’s new employee-recognition program, and we’re dedicating time as Board members to thank our employees for the special ways they contribute to their schools and departments. Each month, every Canyons Board of Education member will write thank you notes to at least seven employees who are making a difference. I was able to hand-deliver my thank-you cards. The surprised look on their faces, and teary eyes as they were told “thank you,” was priceless to me.
Hello! Thanks for visiting this blog to find out about what I have been doing and how I have been representing you as a Board Member. This new website and format is just the beginning of many exciting innovations in Canyons!
A few months ago we adopted the Strategic Plan for the district. This is an outline of goals for our schools and students. This past month we adopted Portrait of a Canyons Scholar. This focuses on 5 characteristics we hope to see from Canyons students. We want them to be innovators, critical thinkers, resilient learners, impactful citizens, and collaborators.
The Strategic Plan will guide us as we find more opportunities for kids to connect in hands on, high quality, and collaborative learning.
I am part of the High-Quality Learning committee. This committee wrote the five characteristics and is committed to creating pathways to success for every type of learner. I have also met with department chairs about how to provide advanced learning opportunities for elementary and middle school kids.
Recently, I was able to meet with our Special Education Department and Business Administrator to ensure our special education students in the Accommodated Core Class would be able to stay at Willow Springs Elementary for two more years while we look at a strategic long-term plan. I hope to help these students establish a clean feeder pattern where they can move onto the same middle school as their peers.
I recently enjoyed watching the Unified Special Olympic basketball team take on Brighton High. It was a fun event and neat to see how everyone cheered on these brave kids! They did great!
I also just met with our Student Advisory Committee. We talked about their most interesting, engaging classroom experiences. Students are asking for less Chromebook time. And their classroom experience will be better!
Not to say that we don’t have awesome experiences in our schools! We certainly do! I just recently attended the career day at Corner Canyon and watched these high school students listen to two entrepreneurs. These Alta alumni started Dime Cosmetics. They have created a thriving, successful business.
A few weeks ago, I also had the opportunity to tour our CTE classes in Draper Park Middle School and Corner Canyon. I was blown away at all the fun things these kids get to do. I watched them program computer balls called spheroes to get into golf holes on mats. I also heard about a “Shark Tank” experience where the CEO of a successful company in California flies out to judge the competitions.
The tour ended at our CTEC campus. We have amazing programs there. I was talking to the cyber-security teacher who informed me our juniors are already being courted by cyber-security companies and offered six figure salaries! The only thing we need now is a nicer, newer space to house these programs.
Speaking of programs — our sports teams at Corner Canyon are nothing short of amazing. Congrats to our cheer team for winning nationals! Congrats to our basketball team for winning the 6A state championship! They will be playing in Washington, D.C., at a national tournament over spring break. Best of luck! Our track team is doing well and recently our drama department put on a fantastic dramatic play.
For a few years I have been having conversations about how to better meet the needs of our student athletes. Our soccer, lacrosse, baseball, and softball fields need improvement! That is a bit of an understatement. We have spent much time and money trying to take care of the water issues. I am happy to let you know field improvements at Corner Canyon are being discussed by the full board and a plan is being formed. We also know how difficult it is to schedule gym time. A field house is also in the plans.
Thank you for all the great support your family provides to our schools. Thank you for sending your amazing kids to our schools. Always know if you have any concerns or questions, you can email or call me. Thank you for letting me represent you!
Dr. Rick L. Robins is the superintendent of Canyons School District. Dr. Robins, who was selected by the Canyons Board of Education after a national search, brings 24 years of experience as an educator to his role as the chief executive officer of Utah’s fifth-largest school district. Prior to joining Canyons, Dr. Robins, who earned an Ed.D. from the University of Las Vegas, for six years was Superintendent of the Juab School District, based in Nephi, Utah. While there, Dr. Robins, who also was the Juab High School Principal from 2009-2013, helped oversee efforts to improve the district’s graduation rate to 97 percent, a double-digit increase over a 10-year period. Other innovations he led in Juab included a partnership with Arizona State University for blended-learning opportunities; the launch of a districtwide competency-based personalized learning model driven by a 1:1 technology initiative and standards-based reporting system; and the construction of the STEM-focused West Campus Innovations Center, funded largely through private and corporate sponsorships. Dr. Robins began his career as a history teacher at Copper Hills High in the Jordan School District and has worked as an assistant principal and principal in the Alpine, Nebo and Juab school districts. He was the 2012 Utah High School Principal of the Year for the Utah Association of Secondary School Principals, and in 2014 earned the Lexington Institute Superintendent Fellowship Award presented to innovative superintendents across the country. Dr. Robins was starting quarterback for the football team at Southern Utah University Thunderbirds from 1991-1995, and in 2013 was inducted into SUU’s Athletic Hall of Fame. He has four children and one grandchild.
Leon Wilcox is a seasoned professional with 20 years of governmental accounting experience, with an emphasis on financial reporting, budgeting, and auditing. As Canyons District’ Director of Accounting from 2009-2013, Wilcox was intricately involved with the 2009 division of $1.5 billion in assets of the former Jordan School District, and was responsible for establishing Canyons’ original and subsequent budgets. Wilcox, a certified public accountant who earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from Utah State University, also has worked nine years in the Granite School District and six years in the State Auditor’s Office.
Supervises: Accounting and Budget Services, Facilities and Maintenance, Insurance, New Construction Budget, Nutrition Services, Purchasing, Payroll
Robert Dowdle has a Doctor of Education degree with an emphasis in Educational Leadership and Policy from the University of Utah, and more than 31 years of experience as a teacher and educational leader. He began his career at Mount Jordan Middle School, where he taught Earth Science, English and Social Studies. He later taught Advanced Placement Economics, U.S. History and World History at Bingham High School, and served as Principal of Jordan High School and Assistant Principal for Alta High School and Brighton High School. Dowdle has served in the District office for 11 years as Assistant Superintendent. This role has included various leadership responsibilities, including Chief of Staff and Chief Operating Officer. Dr. Dowdle currently serves as the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and School Performance.
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!
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