Kindergartners enjoying the assembly.
Doctors, nurses, cowboys, fishermen, and police officers were just a few of the many professions represented at a special assembly for kindergartners on Friday morning at Midvalley Elementary.
A superhero also made an appearance alongside these everyday heroes: kindergarten teachers Ashley Bell, Vicki Houmand and Jenifer Robinson, Principal Margaret Swanicke and Vice Principal Daniel Ashbridge.
A few fun Jr Huskies.
“Say ahhh!’ – Future Doctor
While administrators and teachers sported shirts supporting their alma maters — Brigham Young University, the University of Utah and the University of Washington — some Midvalley kindergarten students dressed up in costumes as career professionals.
As the most junior of the Jr. Huskies learned during the Kindergarten College-Ready Day event, there’s a pathway to college and careers in those professions, and so many more. “If you work hard,” Mrs. Houmand pointed out during her presentation, “you can be whatever you want.”
Such dream-building activities are a proud tradition in Canyons District, the perfect cap to the first week of kindergarten for the Class of 2034. Schools across the district set aside time to emphasize the importance of working hard every day in elementary, middle and high school to be ready for the rigors of college and careers after graduation. All schools were provided “Class of 2034” banners and every kindergarten student received a wristband that declared, “I will be ready for college … Class of 2034.”
“It’s a wonderful tradition that we have at all our Canyons schools. It’s fabulous,” Principal Swanicke said. “I think it sets the expectation that we are here to own our learning, own our behavior and listen to our teachers. …It creates a culture of learning where we all just do our best, where we are all learning and having fun together.”
Each school puts a creative twist on celebrating their students’ promising futures. The Jordan High cheer squad helped teach the alphabet by leading cheers in a Kindergarten College-Ready Day video they put together for the kindergartners enrolled in CSD’s new virtual school, Canyons Online.
At Midvalley, Mrs. Houmand gave a pep talk about attending college while wearing a cap and gown. The principals each read popular children’s books about overcoming obstacles and working together — ”Little Blue Truck Leads the Way” and “Sheep in a Jeep.”
After a few photos and fun-and-games in the gym, the students lined up and walked in orderly fashion back to their classes to continue their quest to be college- and career-ready in 13 years.
“I love my job. Every day is something new, and it’s just super fun. The kids are just wonderful to work with,” Principal Swanicke said. “As a teacher, I loved the upper grades, but as a principal kindergarten is where it’s at. They’re learning, they’re fun, they’re motivated.”
Even more so after participating this fun tradition.
