Episode 35: Here’s How CSD Teachers are Spending their Early-Out Fridays
If the quality of schools is a measure of the greatness of its teachers, imagine what can be accomplished when really great teachers work together, pooling their knowledge, resources and ideas to help all students succeed. The Canyons Board of Education recently approved a uniform early-out Friday schedule to provide time and space for teachers […]
Episode 34 ‘First Class’ Reunion: Class of 2022 Reflects on Canyons District’s First 13 Years
The Class of 2022 is Canyons District’s “First Class” of kindergartners, and we couldn’t be prouder of the progress those fresh-faced 5-year-olds made enroute to becoming young adults who are ready to take on a world that has changed as much as they did. The Connect Canyons podcast crew recently invited a handful of graduates […]
Episode 33: Utah Author Lehua Parker on Books to Celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month
May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month and we’re celebrating with books! In this Connect Canyons episode, Utah author Lehua Parker, an advocate of Hawaiian culture and literature, talks about the need for authentic and diverse representation in books. Parker’s writings, including her popular “Niuhi Shark Saga” series, often feature her island heritage. She […]
Episode 32: Striking a Balance: Reimagining the Role of Technology in the Classroom
We’re zooming, live-streaming, and relying on technology like never before. Digital technologies were a lifeline during the pandemic, and kept workers working, families connected, and students learning. But as we begin to imagine life post-COVID-19, many of us are wondering: Are we spending too much time on our computers? Any doubts over the influence of […]
Episode 31 Why We Teach. A Conversation About Love and Learning with CSD’s Teachers of the Year
Teachers teach because they care, and Canyons District’s 2022 Teachers of the Year are some of the most outstanding professionals that public education has to offer. They mentor, motivate, and inspire, and operate under the mindset that children don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. They’re relationship-builders outside the […]
Episode 30 From Page to Screen: The Promise and Perils of Book-to-Movie Adaptations
There is an art to turning a beloved book into a film or TV series, and some narratives more easily lend themselves to big-screen adaptations than others. In this episode, we chat with a few booklovers — Canyons Library Specialist Gretchen Zaitzeff and Corner Canyon High School Librarian Maria Jones — about their favorite adaptations. […]
Episode 29 Picture-Perfect Career: Penny Petersen Looks Back on 49 Years at Brighton High
Penny Petersen has worked at Brighton High for almost as long as the 52-year-old school has been in existence. In her 49 years with the Bengals, she has worn many hats. But it was a non-paying side-hustle that endeared her to so many student-athletes. For three decades, she and her late husband, Bryce, took, displayed […]
Episode 28: Todd Bird Reflects on 35-Year Career, End of an Era for Utah Prison Education Program
South Park Academy Principal Todd Bird, who’s retiring this spring after 35 years in education, doesn’t hesitate to admit he was “a terrible, terrible high school student.” Fortunately, Bird learned about perseverance and redemption after his high school struggles. As Bird notes in this podcast, those lessons, in turn, helped the career educator, counselor, and coach help countless students — […]
Episode 27 The ‘Write’ Words: Utah author encourages students to ‘tell their story’
Tiffany Rosenhan “fell into writing books” after having completed college and finding herself at home caring for a newborn baby. Writing was something she enjoyed. It helped keep her mind sharp. “I wrote stories for fun for a year, until I realized that I had something that I couldn’t walk away from,” the Utah author […]
Episode 26 Ask a Librarian: Cozy Books to Curl Up With This Winter
Brrr. It’s cold outside, and what better way to thaw the chill of winter than by curling up with some hot cocoa and a good book? And who better to ask for book recommendations than a librarian? Canyons District’s school libraries are full of warm winter reads for book lovers of all ages. In this […]
