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Send us Fan Mail Telling scary stories is a practice as old as time, from families swapping spooky tales around a campfire to children whispering ghost stories under the protection of a sheet with a flashlight held to their chins.  Scary books are having their moment, and in this Halloween-inspired episode of Connect Canyons, we’re exploring why. Local author, Lehua Parker joins Canyons Library Specialist Gretchen Zaitzeff and teacher librarians Bridget Rees and Jennifer Van Haaften for a conversation about how scary stories give us a controlled way to process real-world fears. They can even function as cautionary tales, reinforcing moral and social codes. Enjoying a spine-tingling thriller with friends and family can even be a bonding experience.

Send us Fan Mail October is officially recognized nationwide as Bullying Prevention Month, a time when schools, families, and communities unite under a common goal, ensuring that every single student feels safe, valued, and connected when they walk through the doors of every school in Canyons School District.  "Middle school is difficult,” Eric Garder, principal of Albion Middle School said in a recent episode of Connect Canyons. “It is difficult to transition, and it's that time in life that you're making new friends, losing old friends, navigating some social things. And so we just try to make it as a positive environment as possible for the kids every day.”

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to prepare a student for the future? Strong academic skills matter. But success in college, the workplace, and life also depends on qualities that aren't always captured by a test score: the ability to solve problems, work with others, generate ideas, persist through challenges, and contribute to a community.  Those skills are at the heart of Canyons School District’s Portrait of a Canyons Scholar, a framework that defines the habits every student should develop by the time they graduate from high school. Canyons is now piloting an effort in its middle schools to intentionally embed these competencies into everyday learning.

Send us Fan Mail As we celebrate World Literacy Day, two Canyons experts explain on the latest episode of Connect Canyons how our native languages provide the building blocks students need to grow and learn in other languages.

Send us Fan Mail With the start of each new school year comes a fresh set of nerves. Some students and even teachers and administrators are getting into new routines, students are finding their new classrooms, and everyone is meeting new faces.  Students aren’t the only one who get the jitters during the first week of school, Dr. Angela Wilkinson has dedicated nearly 20 years to educating young minds, 11 of which she has been at the helm of elementary schools — most recently, Sunrise and East Sandy elementary schools. This year, she’s finding her own new routine as principal of Draper Park Middle School.  “It’s been a mishmash of feelings,” Wilkinson said on a recent episode of Connect Canyons. “Seeing the students and the teachers, that has been so exciting. But prior to them coming, I have been very nervous. Obviously, I have a pit in my stomach wanting to make sure that you're meeting and greeting everybody, and making everybody feel welcome in your building.”  Wilkinson isn’t the only one, Paige Mangan, one of Canyons’ certified social workers, says it’s common for adults — parents included — to feel nervous during the first week of school.   “I am grateful that we're living in a world that is increasingly more accepting of grown-ups and kids and teenagers being able to talk about the hard things that we go through, the hard things that we think about,” Mangan says.  Wilkinson and Mangan have a few tips and tricks to manage anxiety whether as a parent, or to help students understand and recognize their own feelings.  “We are very excited to have our families and our students back,” Wilkinson said. “I want all the students and families in Canyons District, and other districts as well, to know that we are here for your students and for you, just ask. Come talk with us. We're excited to have conversations, and we're excited to have them back.”

Send us Fan Mail The Class of 2026 have turned their tassels, leaving behind their childhood years and setting their sights on the horizon. Some will head to college, others look to build their own business, and still more will begin to pursue their dreams of the future.  In this episode of Connect Canyons, we sit down with someone who walked a similar path and now has his sights set on the horizon, quite literally. TJ Newman is a Canyons alum who dreamed of being an engineer and eventually of a career supporting space exploration. Now, he supports the science experiments taking place onboard the International Space Station, turning his classroom skills into mission-ready work. He shares how teachers here at CSD helped open doors for him, how the arts helped him get where he is today, and his advice for anyone with dreams. We hear a little bit about his love for sci-fi movies and geek out on science experiments too.

Send us Fan Mail A Brighton High graduate is shining in the national spotlight as a star of the fourth season of Netflix’s Emmy Award-winning unscripted series “Love on the Spectrum.”   Bengal Emma Miller, who earned her diploma in 2020, is one of the young adults on the autism spectrum who are filmed while navigating dating, relationships, and, well, love.  “My mom is a big Netflix show watcher, and she told me about ‘Love on the Spectrum,’” Miller said during a recent episode of Connect Canyons. “Then we watched it and my mom’s like, ‘Emma, if they knew about you, they would have you.’ And then, surprise, foreshadowing.”

Send us Fan Mail There’s a quiet revolution happening at Alta High School—and it starts with 20 minutes of silence. Not the awkward kind. The good kind. The kind where teenagers are flipping pages, lost in books they chose themselves. If that sounds improbable, even a little magical, you’re not alone. “Sometimes I’ll look up and think… wait, they’re all reading?” said English teacher Peggy DeVeny. “And then I don’t say anything because I don’t want to ruin it.” Like many educators across the country, DeVeny was seeing a troubling trend: students disengaging from reading. Assigning whole-class novels—once a staple—wasn’t landing the way it used to. So, a few years ago, she tried something different. Instead of telling every student what to read, she gave them a structured choice. The results were immediate—and surprising.

Send us Fan Mail Experts have found students who participate in theater exhibit higher test scores, improved analytical thinking and communication skills, and are more likely to graduate. Look no further than theater students right here in Canyons District to see the proof. The theater departments at all five of Canyons’ traditional high schools are competing in the state championships this week.  If that’s not proof enough, Alta and Hillcrest have a combined 14 finalist nominations for the 2026 Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards. Winners will be announced Saturday, May 9 at the Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City.

Send us Fan Mail We sit down with Canyons School District Nursing Specialist Jen Gerrard to translate the medical jargon around communicable diseases and explain why measles, pertussis (whooping cough), and varicella (chickenpox) trigger a very different level of school response than the common cold. We talk through how these viruses spread, what prevention actually helps, and why staying home with fever still matters. Jen also clears up a point that causes constant confusion: “exposure” vs “outbreak” depends on the specific disease, and measles can be treated as an outbreak with a single confirmed case. You’ll hear how school nurses coordinate with the Salt Lake County Health Department, how risk levels are determined, and what can happen when immunization documentation is missing. Then we get practical. We cover how to find your vaccination records, why older records can be tough to track down, and how Utah’s Docket app (connected to the Utah State Immunization Information System) can help you access and maintain your immunization history. We also discuss titers, re-vaccination options like the MMR series, and why herd immunity is about protecting the people who can’t get vaccinated, including babies, pregnant people, and immunocompromised community members. Finally, we share what to watch for because measles often starts with cough, runny nose, red watery eyes, and high fever, while the rash shows up later, after contagious spread may already be happening. If you found this helpful, subscribe, share the episode with a friend. Chapters 0:00 Measles Cases And Local Context 2:12 Communicable Vs Infectious Basics 3:22 Prevention That Actually Reduces Spread 6:02 School Nurse Response Protocol 7:14 Exposure Vs Outbreak Defined 9:01 Tracking Immunization Records With Docket 13:22 Titers And Re-Vaccination Options 15:22 Upcoming Student Vaccine Clinic 15:46 Risk Levels And Herd Immunity 19:56 Protecting Vulnerable Students And Families 22:49 What To Do If You’re Unsure 23:37 Early Measles Symptoms And Contagious Window 25:56 Masks Telehealth And Safer Testing 27:16 Listener Outreach And Wrap-Up

Send us Fan Mail We sit down with new Superintendent Dr. McKay Robinson and trace the personal moments that pulled him into education and still guide how he leads. We talk about relationships, strong teaching, valued support staff, and why building on a solid foundation beats disruption.  • Dr. Robinson’s journey from student to superintendent  • A third-grade teacher’s impact and why connection matters  • Why elementary school is a powerful foundation for learning  • Balancing leadership demands with family and mental health  • What makes a strong educator: passion, flexibility, high expectations, lifelong learning  • Professional development supports that help teachers grow  • The often unseen work of support staff and why they are essential  • Leading with stability by building on Canyons’ strategic plan and focusing on kids  If there's a topic you'd like to hear discussed on the podcast, send us an email to communications at CanyonsDistrict.org.  Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram at Canyons District or on our website, CanyonsDistrict.org.

Send us Fan Mail At Union Middle School, the books are moving. A lot.  So far this school year, Union students have checked out 6,601 books — more than any other secondary school in Canyons District. To put that in perspective, that works out to about 1,200 titles a month, or 7.2 per student.  In an age of constant scrolling, short attention spans, and endless digital distractions, those numbers say something important. At Union Middle, reading is cool. Or, dare we say (using modern vernacular): No cap, at Union Middle, students are leveling up and slaying their literacy goals, because reading is lit. More than a chore or school assignment, reading has become a daily habit sealed in the heart of what it means to be a Bobcat, due in large part, to the work of teacher librarian Elaine Zheng.

Send us Fan Mail In an era where “logging on” is as routine as brushing your teeth, it is important to prioritize the mental health and digital safety of students. New data from the Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) reveals a striking reality: 80% of Utah students aged 12 to 18 spend at least two hours every day immersed in social media, gaming, or texting. While this connectivity offers unprecedented access to information, it also brings “heavy realities” into the palms of students’ hands, including exposure to graphic world events and misinformation. The impact of that digital tether is discussed in this  episode of the Connect Canyons podcast, where district experts—including Mental Health Specialist Lori Hunt, School Psychologist Brandon Segura, and Social Worker Shad Roundy—discuss the shifting landscape of student wellness.

Send us Fan Mail As Seattle and New England prepare to face off for Super Bowl LX, Canyons District’s resident gridiron experts sound off on The Big Game. In Connect Canyons' third-annual Super Bowl predictions episode, Canyons Superintendent Dr. Rick Robins is joined by Corner Canyon's Casey Sutera, Jordan High's Marc Albertson and Peruvian Park Elementary teacher and former University of Utah football standout Cal Beck for the yearly conversation about the expected action between the two teams in the world championship game. Also joining the conversation was Sealver Siliga, a former NFL star from Utah who played for both Seattle and the Patriots. “I know for me personally with my own family, my own son, just how important football is,” Robins says. “It has really done so much for my life on a personal and professional level as it has for my family. And I know that's impacted all of you, and I think about just the great coaches and mentors and people that have been in our lives and what it means to the school and to the cultures that, that you all impact.” The discussion also highlighted parallels between coaching and teaching. Panelists noted that preparation, repetition and review — whether in practice or the classroom — help students build confidence and resilience. Learning to accept feedback and recover from setbacks, they said, is a skill that extends well beyond athletics. As Super Bowl week unfolds, the group also discussed the game itself, pointing to defensive match-ups, coaching strategies and attention to detail as factors that often determine outcomes on the sport’s biggest stage. While predictions varied, the panel agreed that preparation and trust — developed well before kickoff — remain central to success at every level of football. But the conversation also underscored a broader message: while wins and losses matter, the lasting impact of football is often found in the lessons learned, the relationships built, and the confidence students carry with them long after the final whistle. "I know our young people are going through a lot,” Robins says, “Everything that's happening in our world and all the pressures and mental health issues and things that our students are dealing with, hope that they listen to you and listen to our podcast today and can just gain a little bit of hope.”

Send us Fan Mail Believe it or not, we're nearly halfway through the 2025-26 school year. Students are transitioning from playing games with their families over winter break to turning their alarms back on and getting back in the habit of classes and homework.   At the beginning of the year, we discussed how to get in that back to school groove. Now, on the latest episode of Connect Canyons, we’re hearing from two of our AVID experts about how now getting in a refresher on some of those methodologies would be helpful for teachers, students, and parents alike as we start out 2026.  “It’s important to review the basics with your students,” says Jenny Warner, Instructional Coach at Glacier Hills Elementary. “You almost have to pretend like you’re starting the year again, reviewing the routines and the rules with the students. One thing too, I think is really important, is to let the students have a voice in that. They have such powerful voices and listening to what they think is really important and maybe changing it and making it work for your whole classroom community.”