Silver Summit Academy students start school Wednesday, Aug. 13, and the rest of the district’s three schools in eastern Summit County begin a week later on Aug. 20.
Superintendent Greg Maughn said school buildings are already buzzing with activity.
“You see a lot of the teachers back already, just excited, working on their classrooms, getting them just perfect so that when students walk in day one, they walk into something wonderful,” he said on KPCW’s “Local News Hour” Tuesday.
Maughn said many parents are still enrolling their kids in school, but so far, early data indicate total enrollment is more than 1,500 students.
Maughn said in years past, it was predicted the district’s enrollment would grow, but numbers have stayed steady over the years. He said the COVID-19 pandemic may have played a part, but it’s more likely the cost of housing has prevented an increase.
“The cost of housing has just gone up so quickly and so much that a lot of families struggle to be able to move to our area, our district, and not just our district, but everywhere in Summit County,” Maughn said.
However, other areas of the Kamas Valley are experiencing growth, particularly Francis City. Maughn said the district hopes that will translate into more student enrollment. He said more families are also returning to the district after homeschooling or sending kids to charter schools for a few years.
New on campuses this year is a revamped cellphone policy.
Utah lawmakers passed a bill in February prohibiting students from using cellphones and other technology during classroom hours. The law allows districts to craft policies that are specific to the needs of individual schools.
South Summit’s new policy aligns with state code; cellphones must remain out of sight and turned off during classroom hours. Devices may be confiscated if students are caught using them.
