Amber Shill Canyons School Board

I am proud to announce that the Canyons Board of Education has voted to approve a contract to acquire the former eBay campus in Draper to be the future home of an interdisciplinary center that signifies a close-knit partnership between innovation, industry, and education. The negotiated deal also includes enough land on the property for a school to handle enrollment growth expected to come with the development of The Point — also known as the former site of the Utah State Prison, Canyons District’s expected next growth area.

With this forward-thinking decision, Canyons positions itself to be part of the educational ecosystem of Silicon Slopes while also preparing for the influx of families to our District’s next big growth area. The timing of the availability of the property coincides seamlessly with the region’s economic trends and Canyons District’s long-range and strategic plans. Furthermore, the innovative plan to retrofit eBay’s former offices into a school instead of paying for new construction will save millions in taxpayer money and perhaps serve as a blueprint for districts across the country. The eBay building’s location is literally a prime spot for a high school with a focus on educational programming in such fields as robotics, engineering, business, and medicine, among others. With this decision, we are truly planning for the future.

As the new school year approaches in a matter of days, the safety and comfort of our students and their families is always top of mind for me. I was honored to join Mayor Weichers, Bella Vista Elementary Principal Barbara Winder, Hillcrest teacher Madeline Melini, and other dignitaries to celebrate the installation of a new HAWK signal crosswalk in Cottonwood Heights. This crosswalk, located at the junction of Nye Drive and Fort Union Boulevard in front of Bella Vista Elementary, represents years of dedicated advocacy by the city council and community. Efforts to secure this safety feature for our students and the community have finally come to fruition, providing a crucial safety addition that is second only to an underpass or overpass.

As a mother whose four children attended Bella Vista, this new installation holds special significance for me. I’m deeply grateful for the commitment to safety that this crosswalk represents. I had the privilege of taking the inaugural walk across the street with Cottonwood Heights Mayor Mike Weichers, city council members, and fellow Canyons representatives. It was a moment that underscored our collective dedication to the well-being of our students and community.

In summing up the feelings of all Canyons representatives, I want to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone involved in making this possible. Thank you for investing in the safety of our schools, our families, and our community.

Aloha to our new teachers! Welcome to the Canyons District and enjoy our back-to-school luau. Monday, at Mt. Jordan Middle, new teachers took a break from a day of training to enjoy lunch and meet your colleagues. 📚📕✏️🍎

Join us at City Hall on Monday, August 12th from 6PM-8PM to learn more about The Heights Town Center project and the proposed bond funding option!

For more information and to Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date on the project at: https://www.chtowncenter.com/

What a fun day at the Butlerville Parade with the Brighton High Student Body Officers! So many familiar faces and amazing community spirit. Cottonwood Heights City is the best. And a special shoutout to Miss Utah, Paris Matthews, a proud Brighton alum. Go Bengals! 🎡🎢🚌

Canyons District is showing up for teachers! The classroom is where the magic happens and we are proud to be participating in Utah’s Show Up for Teachers conference.

Happy 4th of July! Let’s honor the land of the free and home of the brave. 🇺🇸🎇

Congratulations and a big thank you to all the Canyons retirees! Together they have served students in the community for over 800 years! All of them— whether they worked in the classroom, in the cafeteria, on a bus, or behind a desk — have contributed to Canyons’ success. Just think of how many lives have been touched in all of those years. I love that the Canyons Board and administration say thank you by hosting this banquet to celebrate retirees every year!

The first photo is my neighbor and friend Cindi Pugmire. She taught for 31 years including at Brighton and Alta. She loved her students and has gone above and beyond to teach them and build relationships with them. She will be missed but I wish her the best in retirement!

The third photo is Terrie Butler.
For the last decade, students at Butler Middle School have been able to add another grandma to their educational family. Terrie Butler has been known as Grandma Butler of Butler Middle. “Grandmas give hugs, grandmas give crackers, grandmas listen. That’s what I wanted to provide for them — that comfort. Thank you Terrie!

The fifth photo is Cindi Hanson. A teacher through and through, Hanson spent 29 years in the classroom. Not quite ready to retire, she joined Canyons in 2013 where she served in high school and middle school administrative posts before stepping into the role of Director of Middle Schools. Colleagues know her as a hard worker and consummate professional who provided crucial guidance during the pandemic and helped lead the way to Canyons receiving districtwide accreditation. Cindi’s contributions cannot be measured. Thank you!

The seventh photo is of Doug Graham. While his sights were set on teaching in high school, Graham’s first job came as a middle school teacher in 1994. Looking back, he says, he wouldn’t have it any other way. For nine years, he channeled his competitive nature into being the “best middle school teacher” he could be for all students, including his own sons. He later served as assistant principal (including Butler Middle) and principal for several schools before wrapping up his 30-year career as an administrator at the District Office. Like the best linebacker, his constant objective was to remove barriers so students could make their play in life.

Thank you School Resource Officers for all you do for Canyons District students and families.

Best wishes in retirement! Hillcrest Principal, Greg Leavitt, didn’t become one of Utah’s most beloved and respected school leaders by happenstance. He was called to lead, colleagues say, because he’s an intuitive leader who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way with equal parts bullheadedness and compassion. It’s with that “Leavitt or Leave it” style he served several middle school administrative posts, including helming Draper City’s first middle school, Draper Park Middle, which staff and administrators referred to as the happiest place on Earth next to Disneyland under his leadership. It’s why Hillcrest High’s graduation rate, under his watch, rose 13 percent — an increase propelled by the gains of students who traditionally struggle the most. I want to thank him for his dedication and service to students! I will especially miss him singing at graduation as he does every year! .huskies

Baseball Wins Region 6 Championship and Receives #1 Ranking for 5A State Tourney Congrats to Coach Kleven and the boys on winning the Region 6 Championship!! They are also the #1 ranked team heading into the 5A State Tournament!

I want to give a big shout-out to our incredible Education Support Professionals! The dedication of Canyons District ESP is so inspiring. Not only do they help our schools and departments operate smoothly, our Education Support Professionals work hard to give our schools curb appeal. From mowing lawns to driving buses to serving nutritious meals, Canyons District’s ESP keep our schools thriving. I was honored to speak with the leaders of the Canyons ESP Association on Tuesday night. They are fantastic people who are dedicated to their school communities and the ideals of public education. For proof that the best of the best work in Canyons, we look at the winners of the top awards given by the Utah for Utah Public School Employees Association. We’re so proud of Draper Park Middle Assistant Facilities Manager Andy Markus, who is the Utah ESP of the Year. What a well-deserved honor!  The Facilities Department’s Brandon Wolf also was named the Outstanding Employee of the Year in Skilled Trades/Maintenance Services.  Congratulations, Brandon!  Canyons Education Support Professionals truly are the operational backbone of our District. Their work makes a difference. Please join me in applauding the work of our classified employees who contribute so much to creating and maintaining positive learning environments for our students.  Thank you for all you do!

May the Fourth be with you! Great tune today at the fun run to benefit Unified Sports! Such a great cause and it was a big success! Thanks to all who participated!

🇺🇸 Brighton High’s American Problems Mock Election is heating up! Two class periods battled it out, crafting their platforms and debating fiercely. Thanks to Mr. Hadfield’s innovative approach, students are fully immersed. It’s not just about textbooks—it’s about real-world engagement and leadership development.

Congratulations to all the Canyons District Teachers of the Year! Teachers are the foundation of any community’s efforts to ensure that children grow and learn. I appreciate all our teachers and their hard work and dedication. I especially want to recognize Brighton High School’s teacher of the Year, Austin Gillespie. He teaches Chemistry and he is one of Kimball’s favorite teachers. “He makes chemistry make sense.” That is what one Brighton High student said about Austin Gillespie, who teaches advanced topics in a way that nearly everyone can understand. Parents watch with delight as their children become inspired to excel in Gillespie’s class. They enjoy seeing their students progress and remark on the positive impact he has on the Bengals. Gillespie keeps his students laughing while they do their lab work, but it’s serious business when they start preparing for the AP tests. Gillespie’s students reward his hard work by notching impressive AP pass rates. Those who have seen him in action say it’s almost as if Gillespie inherently understands the nuances of teaching. He truly leaves a lasting impression on his students, many of whom say they will always be grateful for the lessons they’ve learned in his class.

Congratulations to Brighton High School! It ranked in the top 10 in the state for traditional high schools!

If success is hard, sustained success is even harder. Newly published rankings by U.S. News and World Report show Canyons District’s high schools continue to come out on top. Each of CSD’s five traditional high schools rank in the top 16 when compared to high schools in the Salt Lake Valley, according to the 2024-2025 rankings. Four are in Utah’s top 25 with most showing sizable gains from last year’s rankings, led by Jordan High, which rose 14 steps to land the Beetdiggers squarely in Utah’s top 45. “These rankings are a reflection of the deep bench of talent we have in CSD and a continued commitment to student success by our faculty, staff, students, and parents,” said Canyons Superintendent Dr. Rick Robins. “It takes daily effort and a focus on high-quality learning by all our schools, from kindergarten on up.” Read more: https://www.canyonsdistrict.org/general-news/canyons-high-schools-continue-to-claim-top-spots-in-u-s-news-world-rankings/

⭐️Canyons Education Foundation⭐️ Fun Run on May 4th! Proceeds will support Special Olympics and Unified Sports. This is such a great cause even if you can’t make! There is a 5k and a one mile option. $25 per person Hope to see you there! ⭐️🏃🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️⭐️

Congratulations to Kris Millerberg! She is a retired educator with 33 years of classroom experience and will succeed her late husband on the Canyons Board of Education. Kris was appointed Tuesday, March 19 by unanimous vote of the Canyons Board of Education to represent District 1 and serve for the remainder of the term left vacant by the sudden passing of her husband, Mont L. Millerberg. That term ends Dec. 31, 2024. She was among nine candidates interviewed Tuesday in a public meeting, following a process established in alignment with state law. “My journey as the first woman in my family to attain a college education fuels my belief in the transformative potential of quality schooling,” Millerberg wrote in her application, pledging to use her tenure on the Board to build on the District’s legacy. “I believe that education matters. I’ve spent my entire life in education. … I believe I can use that experience to be a strong advocate not only for the community where I reside, but also to build relationships that promote a safe and positive environment in which students and teachers thrive.”

Canyons District is mourning the sudden passing of a dedicated public servant, committed community leader, and fierce advocate of Midvale-area schools. 

In the midst of grief at the loss of our friend and colleague, we also honor the legacy Mont Millerberg has left as a founding father of Canyons District. Generations of children, especially in the Midvale area, will benefit from his vision of education in our community. Mont was plain-spoken yet outspoken, firm yet kind, and serious about the responsibility of his elected offices, but wise enough to know when laughter was needed to ease a tense moment. His presence will be missed by all those who knew him, and I will always cherish the memories we made together on the Board of Education.

The Midvale native made history when he was elected in 2008 to the first-ever Canyons Board of Education, which had the responsibility of overseeing the fledgling years of the first new school district to be created in Utah in nearly a century. 
 
The work of Millerberg and other members of the inaugural Board of Education set the course for Canyons, which quickly became a state leader in advancing student achievement, encouraging innovation, promoting community engagement, and providing top-notch customer service to the public. The inaugural Board’s major tasks included hiring CSD’s first Superintendent and Business Administrator and approving the appointments of the “start-up team” of administrators who had less than a year to lay the foundation for CSD’s primary days.

So excited that the board voted last night to give teachers 60 minutes of planning time every day Monday through Thursday! This will help our amazing teachers create even more engaging lessons for students!

Attended the first ever State of the City address! It was so informative in letting citizens know what our city council has been working on. Thank you Mayor Weichers!

Spent the day at the Capitol talking to legislators about bills and how they will affect Canyons School District. It was Utah School Boards Association Day on the Hill. I appreciate all the work of our legislators during the session and throughout the year.

It was so fun cheering on the Canyons District Unified basketball teams at the South Valley Basketball Tournament. I love that these students have the opportunity to participate on sports teams! Brighton had three teams and one of them took first place in their division! Go Bengals! 🧡💙🏀⛹️‍♂️⛹️‍♀️⛹️

Congratulations to the Brighton High Symphonic Band. This is such an honor to be asked to perform at the UMEA Conference!

Hope to see you at our Town Hall Wednesday night. If you cannot make it feel free to email any questions you may have to [email protected].

Great experience for students!

Here is the latest board meeting summary. We had some great discussions and made some facility decisions.

It has been a great couple of days at the Utah School Boards Association Annual Conference. I love learning from other school districts from around the state. I attended classes on AI, Legislative Hot Topics, Student Led Peer Court, and Current Legal Topics in Utah. One of the best parts of being a school board member is getting to know other school board members. They are some of the most genuine, caring and service oriented people I know.

Congratulations Sherise Longhurst!

This news is music to our ears! Ridgecrest Elementary's music teacher Sherise Longhurst has been selected as the Outstanding Elementary Educator of the Year by the Utah Music Educators Association. If you've ever heard the school's amazing choir, you'll understand why she's so deserving of this award. But Ms. Longhurst finds many creative ways to bring the arts to life every day for all Ridgecrest students. She will receive her award in February at the association's annual conference. Congratulations!