August 2022 | Vol. 22 Iss. 08
FREE
factory seconds blowout!
only $
IT’S CURTAINS FOR THE SANDY MOVIES 9 DISCOUNT MOVIE THEATER
50 count box! DRIVE BY PICK UP AVAILABLE
727 E 9400 S, SANDY UT, 84094
20
or 3 for
50
$
Saturday, August 13th • 9am -2pm
By Heather Lawrence | h.lawrence@mycityjournals.com
S
andy was one of the last holdouts of “the dollar theater” or discount movie theater with its Movies 9 location at 9539 S. 700 East in the Sandy Mall. Despite reopening after the initial pandemic shutdown, it closed permanently as of May 31. “I was there on the last night with my wife and daughter seeing ‘The Lost City.’ I don’t think the employees were supposed to say anything, but somehow the news got out and everyone was so sad—they didn’t want to leave,” said Bill Becker of Sandy. The closure seemed to come as a surprise to everyone. The next day signs were posted on the doors explaining it was closed permanently. “After 33 years of sharing the magic of movies with this community, we regret to inform you that Cinemark Sandy Movies 9 is closed for good. “We thank you for your generosity and support over the years. Thanks for the memories!” the signs read. Becker, who moved to Sandy in 2006 and has been going to the theater ever since, said he hears the same reaction from everyone when they find out it closed. “They’re always disappointed. It was the kind of place you could go with the family and get popcorn and tickets without dropping $40. If you could wait a month or two to see the movie, it was fun,” Becker said. Some people online will be nostalgic for the 1990’s décor, which is rumored to have been designed by the wife of Cinemark CEO in 1988 when
Continued page 9 the theater opened. (Bill Becker)
TREE TRIMMING & REMOVAL
• Stump Grinding • 24/7 Emergency Services • Powerline Trimming • Land Clearing • Demolition Options Available • Organic Mulch Products
Mention this Ad for 10% off Expires 9/15/2022
Local Postal Customer ECRWSS Scan Here: Interactive online edition with more photos.
Now Hiring! $35-$80K + Full Benefits & Bonuses
Call 801-262-1596 or email: trent@diamondtreeexperts.com
Certified Arborists On Staff. Fully Licensed, Insured & Bonded
Call for a FREE ESTIMATE
801-938-4345 DiamondTreeExperts.com
PAGES MONTHLY NEWSLETTER 19-25
Presort Std U.S. Postage PAID Ogden, UT Permit #190
UTAH REAL ESTATE RESOURCE CENTER
OUR SERVICES: › Find a Home › Home Value › Communities
LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE
DISCOVER YOUR NEXT HOME VISIT UTRERC.COM Page 2 | August 2022
Sandy City Journal
OPEN JOI N US AT OUR
We're way more than your average music school.
Aug. 27th, 11am-2pm Music, food, and fun!
Piano • Strings • Drums • Guitar • Voice
OPEN HOUSE
Online lessons • KiddyKeys Piano Preschool At Sandy Music Academy, we teach a variety of instruments and disciplines, accepting students across all ages and abilities. Located in Sandy, Utah and online, our teachers are warm, encouraging and EXCITED about their instruments! We ensure our teachers carefully personalize each 30 minute lesson to the specific needs and passions of the student.
LESSONS
FOR ALL AGES AND ABILITIES!
Mention this ad to receive
1/2 OFF 1st month’s tuition Expires 9.15.22
Our instructors are University-trained and/or have professional performance experience. Although we value education and skill, the ultimate assets we ensure our teachers possess is kindness, patience and a fun approach to learning. Our instructors have access to continual training. This provides our students with motivation, variety, up-to-date industry trends and above-standard technique. Sandy Music Academy welcomes a diversity of people and maintains a profanity-free, non-smoking and alcohol-free environment.
Become the best version of you sandymusicacademy.com
385-342-0198
10297 S 1300 E � SANDY
Have a fun summer and enjoy the outdoors, safely. S andy Journal .com
August 2022 | Page 3
Students to see new administrative faces as they return to school this fall By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
W
hen students return to Union Middle School, they will see longtime Hillcrest High assistant principal Brenda McCann as their new principal. Union’s Kelly Tauteoli, who has been the middle school principal since 2015, will work as a human resources administrator in Canyons School District. “I'm recruiting the teachers for the secondary schools, so it has a step away from kids in that way, but I will have a big impact on kids in that I’m recruiting and hiring the best teachers,” she said a couple weeks after she packed her belongings where she was principal of the school that serves 850 students. “It's bittersweet. It really is. I’ve poured my heart and soul into a place that I care so much about and care about the outcomes for the kids and for the people that work there. The students keep me laughing all the time. Middle school students are hilarious, and tender and sweet—and I know that's not what people usually say about middle school kids, but they really are. I love the people I worked with and that's one of the hardest things, is to leave that amazing team at Union, the people that I love and respect so much.” During her tenure, Tauteoli helped to build a caring community. “It is just such a solid, wonderful supportive community. One thing I love about Union is, I love the diversity and how the community and the staff just wrap their arms around kids and support them. Just so many times, parents have come forward and said, ‘How can I help, what can I do, can I gather school supplies, can I pay for somebody else's yearbook?’ The staff just goes absolutely above and beyond for the kids at Union. Students are really getting a very caring community and support in every way at Union,” she said. “I hope that's a legacy that I've left and I know it will continue because the people that I worked with care about that too.” Tauteoli also has ensured there are academic as well as social-emotional supports in place for students. “We’ve really strengthened our academic supports and our students have done remarkably better on the state tests at the end of the year,” she said. “We’ve also worked heavily on mental health for students. The kind of pressures they face and the increase in anxiety, we’ve ramped up adding more check-ins with kids, creating a plan where we talk and share concerns, teaching life and social skills, adding staff to help. In general, in schools, we’re seeing more mental health issues, more anxiety, more depression, more social isolation, with kids, and you just never can have enough support in that area. They just think they need it. They need a lot.”
Journals T H E
Part of Tauteoli’s time also has been meeting regularly with a construction team on the re-build of Union Middle, a position that now has shifted to Union alumna and now principal Brenda McCann, who helped with the construction process at nearby Hillcrest High. “I had so much fun helping in the design process for Union; it was a fun thing for me to be able to be part of and they're doing a great job. I think Brenda has good experience on how to make a transition into a new building, so she'll do a great job when that happens at the end of the school year,” she said. The new Union is set to open fall 2023. Hillcrest High also has changes with two other administrators as longtime assistant principal Jan Hansen retired and assistant principal Quinn Linde moved to Murray High School as principal. Linde previously had taught biology and been an assistant principal at Corner Canyon before serving at Hillcrest the past three years. “I think from teaching, coaching and being an administrator at schools, I’ve learned that relationships are really at the heart of everything I’ve tried to do,” he said. “Seeing the potential in every student and helping them to reach their goals and potential has been something I’ve kind of prided myself on and it is what motivates me. I’m going to miss the staff, admin team and the student at Hillcrest and all the programs I was having the opportunity to build there. They’re just great kids and such a good community at Hillcrest.” Jordan High assistant principal Dina Kohler; Katie Campbell, a Canyons School District multi-tiered student support specialist; and Andrew Yawn, a behavior specialist are joining the Hillcrest High administrative team. Jordan High Athletic Director Jason Long will step in the shoes of Kohler for the Beetdiggers. At Mt. Jordan, Brighton Assistant Principal Ryan Durant will serve as principal as Matt Watts will become a Canyons special education department administrator. Linda Hall, a special education specialist, also will become a special education administrator as current administrator Nate Edvalson will become the department’s director. Current Special Education Department Administrator Tifny Iacona will become Glacier Hills assistant principal. Jordan High Assistant Principal Mary Simao will become an assistant principal at Brighton and Corner Canyon Assistant Principal Sara Little will move to Jordan High to take Simao’s position. Corner Canyon counselor Misty Jolley will take Little’s
C I T Y
Y O U R C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R S
SANDY CITY TEAM
The Sandy City Journal is a monthly publication distributed directly to residents via the USPS as well as locations throughout Sandy. For information about distribution please email brad.c@thecityjournals.com or call our offices. Rack locations are also available on our website. The views and opinions expressed in display advertisements do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions held by Loyal Perch Media or the City Journals. This publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of the owner. © 2019 Loyal Perch Media, Inc.
SANDYJOURNAL.COM
FACEBOOK.COM/ SANDYJOURNAL/
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Bryan Scott | bryan.s@thecityjournals.com
TWITTER.COM/ SANDYCITYNEWS
Kelly Tauteoli, seen here at the new Union Middle’s groundbreaking in April 2021, will leave her post as principal to work as a human resources administrator in Canyons School District. (Julie Slama/ City Journals)
current position. Brighton High Assistant Principal Marielle Rawle will transfer to Corner Canyon High. She will replace Christian Cowart who, in turn, will transfer to Brighton. Draper Park Middle Assistant Principal Randall Seltz will transfer to Mount Jordan Middle as an assistant principal. He replaces Sierra Segura who, in turn, will transfer to Draper Park. Granite Elementary Principal Ronnie Mulqueen will serve as Draper Elementary principal, replacing Christy Waddell who is retiring. Bell View Principal Tamra Baker also is retiring. Edgemont Principal Elcena Saline will replace Mulqueen at Granite. Instructional Coach Aimee Wagner will become Copperview Elementary assistant principal. She will replace Cassie Kapes, who is relocating to another state.l
Connect social media
CIRCULATION COORDINATOR
EDITOR
Brad Casper | brad.c@thecityjournals.com 801-254-5974 Rack locations are also available on our website.
DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING
EDITORIAL & AD DESIGN
Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com Ryan Casper | ryan.c@thecityjournals.com 801-254-5974
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Mieka Sawatzki | mieka.s@thecityjournals.com Jason Corbridge | jason.c@thecityjournals.com
Ty Gorton Amanda Luker Stacy Bronson Anna Pro
LINKEDIN.COM/ COMPANY/ CITY-JOURNALS
MISSION STATEMENT
Our mission is to inform and entertain our community while promoting a strong local economy via relevant content presented across a synergetic network of print and digital media.
PUBLISHER
Designed, Published, & Distributed by
SANDY CITY JOURNAL
9500 South 500 West, Suite 205 Sandy, UT 84070
PHONE: 801-254-5974
Page 4 | August 2022
INSTAGRAM.COM/ CITYJOURNALS
FREE | COMMUNITY | PAPERS
Sandy City Journal
Elementary students learn first hand about careers, advice for dream jobs
T
hroughout the spring, Canyons School District students had the opportunity to learn about careers from professionals in the field. Presenters were asked to tell the students a little about themselves and their job, including skills they have, what they learn on their job and fun parts and maybe not-sofun, but necessary parts. Many presenters brought tools with them to illustrate what they may do, talked about an average day and shared if they were bilingual and how it helped with their careers. At East Midvale Elementary, Midvale Mayor Marcus Stevenson was among the presenters. Stevenson was two months into his new position and was asked by a student what he does. After answering that he oversees 200 employees including police, fire and public works, he also told them he has multiple conversations on topics ranging from family shelters to clean air. He brought with him a huge pair of scissors and ribbon so students could experience cutting the ribbon as he does for new buildings and businesses. Another student asked Stevenson the most important skill he has as mayor. “To be a good listener,” he answered. “I have to be able to listen to thousands of people. They tell me about issues they care about and I’m the voice for them. I also need to be able to bring people to work together.” Stevenson was “pleasantly surprised” by the students’ engagement. “I was asked so many questions and it was good to see they have opinions and concerns,” Stevenson said. “It’s important they know they have a voice.” At Oakdale Elementary, guest speakers ranged from a commercial pilot to an artistic director of a children’s choir. In a second-grade classroom, Brigham Young University chemistry professor Rebecca Olsen almost magically created a spark of fire for the students. “I love chemistry and it’s fun for the kids to get a glimpse of what they can learn,” she said. “A lot of them were asking questions and were excited.” Second-grade teacher Shannon Prado said the presenters get students excited about learning about their careers. “Our students are able to talk to them to learn what skills they learned in school will help them,” she said. “We had a life and wellness coach share what she does and many of the students didn’t know a thing about that career. We had a police officer show students not only his tools, but also demonstrated how he is able to de-escalate a situation with his voice. It was amazing and really interested the kids.” In another classroom, FBI agent Ryan Blair shared with kindergartners and fourth-graders about what he does, mostly investigate white collar crimes across the country. He answered questions about drugs, cybercrimes, national security, terrorism, espionage— breaking it down in simple terms to the youngsters. “Think of us as the federal police investigating crimes across the country and helping keep people safe,” Blair said. After allowing a couple kids to put on his gear, a student asked what is needed to become an agent. “One hundred thousand people apply, and we hire 2,000 of them so do well in school, stay away from crime and those involved in crime, and be good to other people,”
S andy Journal .com
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Oakdale students got excited to see chemistry in action from Brigham Young University chemistry professor Rebecca Olsen during the school’s career day. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Blair replied. At Canyon View, entrepreneur Terrance Jesclard explained to students what an entrepreneur is and how and why he became one. Then, he shared how he and his parents developed a fuel tank fire suppression kit. “Basically, before these, the gas tanks would explore when the bad guys shot at the gas tank,” he said. “Now, this is on every vehicle to keep the military safe.” Second-grade teacher Ann Fisher said the kids were excited to learn about different careers. “They’re finding their passions and being exposed to a lot of different jobs,” she said. “I’m sure they’ll talk to their parents about what they liked, but we’ll also write about what they learned and write our presenters thankyou notes.” In a fifth-grade room, David Schonberg told students he was impressed with what they already knew about solar energy. They told him that the natural resource uses sun’s energy, it can save money and provide cleaner air and can help create electricity. He also had them calculate that one solar panel produces roughly 500 kilowatt hours of energy per year per panel on a house roof. He said there are approximately 20 solar panels per roof and in Utah, with a great amount of sun, it can provide homeowners greater savings and help air quality. Fifth-grade teacher Karla Antivilo said that career day was a good tie-in to their experience at Junior Achievement business town when they role-played positions in several businesses. She planned to have students share their strengths and talents with possible careers at their morning meeting. Midvalley held a couple large speaker sessions for students before returning to rooms for classroom speak-
ers. The multipurpose speakers included an environmental engineer, who had hands-on examples for students to see how decisions impact the quality of water; a Girl Scout membership support specialist, who shared with them about her position supporting the Girl Scout mission; and a certified equine therapist, who explained how she helps massage and relax horses—and took one class out to get a first hand look how she does it. Many students were excited to see their former school office staff team member Polly Gallman return to the school as a registered nurse to share about her journey and what she now does for her patients in the medical/ surgical unit at Primary Children’s Hospital. “I check for bumps on their head, take their pulse on their wrist or foot, check their eyes and their mouth, listen to their heart and lungs and belly, take their blood pressure, look at their back and feet, press on their belly, and make sure they’re drinking water—all as part of my assessment,” she said. “Many of you know me from working here at the school office and I’d help you if you got sick, now I’m doing it for more kids. I found my passion in helping kids get better. What I want you to remember is that you’re never too old to go back to school so don’t ever give up on your education.” Canyons Career and Technical Education Coordinator Patti Larkin said that career days gives parents and the community a chance to play an essential role in children’s education. “Each parent or community member brings a unique perspective and job they can share with our students,” she said. “Especially now as COVID allows, it has been great to get our presenters back into the elementary schools helping our young students explore their interests and learn about possible careers.” l
August 2022 | Page 5
Oakdale librarian does more than stock shelves, she connects with students
O
n an Oakdale Elementary library bulletin board, students had written favorite memories—getting a dog, doing a cannonball off the high dive, riding roller coasters, eating macaroons with a great-grandpa—on little paper balloons. It was an engaging activity, tying into “The Memory Balloons,” a book where a grandson shares his favorite memories he had with his grandfather, who had forgotten them. “I liked doing that,” one student said. “She always gathers us on the rug, reads a story, then we can draw or write about it. We’ve done ones on poetry and Earth Day. Last year, we had one about making a difference in the world. She knows where to find all the good books.” She is Tami Carlson, or sometimes “Mrs. Carwash” as students have fondly combined her name with her with longtime colleague Shannon Walsh, and through Carlson’s 31 years at Oakdale, she has intermixed activities with library time, breaking the stereotype of a librarian holding her index finger up to her lips to shush students or stocking the shelves of a bookmobile. Former Oakdale Principal Lori Jones recalled a lesson where Carlson would introduce the character trait of kindness. “She read the kids stories about being kind and then, they wrote letters to seniors in nursing homes to cheer them up,” Jones said. “A lot of the teachers do that too, but she reinforced the bigger picture going on in school and made the library a fun and cheerful place to be.” Carlson started working at Oakdale as a playground and copy center aide while her mother was the school secretary. The next year, Carlson slid into the open position in the library and has worked there ever since. She has worked under the direction of nine principals, through changing enrollments (its high was more than 600 students, now it is about 400) with five co-librarians, including Walsh who has worked beside her for 16 years. “We just can't imagine working without each other,” Carlson said about her colleague, who used to be a reading interventionalist and would work with students in the library. Walsh feels the same way. “Tami is just hilarious, and she is just an easygoing person. She's a storyteller. You know when she tells a story, she's very animated with the kids. When she's talking about a lesson, she brings it to life and connects with the kids,” Walsh said. “Tami loves children, and she loves reading in that order. She just loves being around children and making them smile, but she also loves the reading sector and what they learn from it from them. I don’t think she’ll ever leave this job. I think she enjoys it too much.” Alice Peck, who served as Oakdale principal for four years, remembers Carlson knowing all the students. “She has a familiar face, and she knows all the students by name. She’s always bubbly, upbeat, and positive and never in a bad mood. She has a lightness, a smile for everyone, so kids just adore her,” she said. “She and Shannon just work together so well, whether it’s checking in books with the barcodes or doing lessons for the kids. When they found out I was moving to the district, they created a bulletin board of students’ limericks that was the sweetest thing. Then, they presented me them in a big binder. It was just touching. They’re the dynamic duo.” Through the years, Carlson has seen change in education. When she started, the school featured open classrooms. “It's so ridiculous that anyone ever thought that would work. You could literally roll a ball from the office down to the sixth grade or hear a piano playing and singing going on or hear a video over here or hear a teacher who spoke loudly
Page 6 | August 2022
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Oakdale Elementary librarian Tami Carlson is excited about a set of new biographies. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
over there,” she said, also recalling that they’d prop open the school doors so even a stray dog wandered through the school a couple times. Walls and air-conditioning were installed in the 1990s after a before-school fire broke out in the music room, which was located inside the back door. “Back then, none of the doors were locked. Most of the teachers were here and a few students were outside because the opening bell had not run yet. We think someone came in that back room and set the music room on fire. We didn't know who or why because there weren't security cameras back then, but man, that fire marshal and two other men in suits sat on one side of a table and you were on the other and they interrogated all of us one at a time in a very intimidating manner. Like, ‘Do you smoke? Have you ever had a vendetta against anyone at this school?’ We did learn an accelerant was used and that room was filled with storage from floor to ceiling with desks, equipment, chairs—and with student records. That room was burned to the ground and then the fire traveled through the false ceilings. There was a lot of smoke damage, especially to our beautiful art collection that we inherited from the old Union Elementary. They had to send all those paintings out to be cleaned with the smoke damage. Our school wasn't closed for more than a few days. It was the end of the year, so they brought in those giant fans, and gave a warning to kids that have breathing problems,” Carlson remembered. She was at Oakdale on Sept. 11, 2001. “I had been just watching the news like I do in the morning when I'm getting ready for work and saw those planes hit those towers. I just wanted to stay home, curled up in a ball
and cry all day, but we had to come to work that day. The principal called us in and said, ‘We're not going to bring it up with the kids. If they ask, you smile and say that you're safe here.’ And we didn’t know that, but we were told to try to have as normal day as possible. We had to just keep quiet and carry on and know that their parents can help them when they get home. That was a day I wished we’d have off because that was a hard one to get through,” Carlson said. She also worked at Oakdale when the Jordan School District split, and Canyons School District was created for the eastern schools. “A lot of people were highly opinionated about it. Are you for or against? I think it's been a really good thing because that district was so big and it was hard to get help or be heard because there were so many schools,” Carlson said. “Canyons has been so good about technology. We have technology devices and support in every school. There’s someone to answer your questions on the phone or send someone over. We have someone assigned to our school to help just with that and that has been a wonderful thing, especially recently during COVID.” During the pandemic, the library had assigned seating, which started when students were tracked to minimize the spread of COVID-19. “It somewhat mimics who they sit by in class and that's actually been helpful to minimize the distractions and interruptions, but now, younger students who were at home are needing to learn all the normal routines of how to walk quietly, sit still and not wander around and be disruptive. At the beginning of the year, they scattered like mice. We'd have to call the office and say, ‘I've got three kids on the loose’
Sandy City Journal
because I’d just look up from a lesson and they’d be gone,” Carlson said. “I think most kids if one thing they learned from that is they do love going to school and they never want to go home again and do schooling.” Jones said that when schools transitioned to COVID-19 protocols, “Mrs. Carwash” was there. “They had jumped in and helped us with a lot of things like checking out the Chromebooks and helped me with that immensely. They also helped with checking out new curriculum to our teachers, doing bulletin boards, posting what teachers and staff were reading to interest kids in reading, and they are able to wear so many different hats,” she said, adding before COVID, they maintained the Red Bookshelf, which provided students a place to grab a free used book. Carlson’s own job has changed from those early years when there was a card catalog. “When we got a book, we would create cards. That book had a card for the author, another card for the illustrator and so on. One book would have maybe six 3-by-5 cards that needed to be filed. Then, if someone asked if we have a book about unicorns, we’d go to the card catalog to look up unicorns. It was time consuming and insane making up all those cards, then filing them and discarding them when we got rid of the book. Now the kids can go to the student computers and look up unicorn and be able to find the book. We still use the Dewey Decimal System because it works. We've worked with the kids to teach them to find their own books because county and government libraries are still using the Dewey Decimal System,” she said. Walsh said that when they get new books, “It’s like Christmas to us. Tami gets all giddy because we get to read new books to students and show them all the new books and introduce them to new genres.” Those new books are put on display; recently, Carlson put out some new biographies she was excited to share with students. “Biographies used to be hundreds of fine print pages and few pictures, and the kids would have to read the entire book to find out basic facts about someone. Now, we can Google, but these books are just beautiful and inviting. Look at this one about Kamala Harris. You know how she wears the sneakers? On the inside cover of each of these is something unique to the person and hers is sneakers. It’s just fun and engaging. These kids are just dying over these books and they’re going to learn all about these people and they’re just colorful and beautifully illustrated. The books are made with better quality ink and pictures, and they’re nicely bound,” she said, recalling when she started in the library, the district would send books to the school. “We had no say in it whatsoever; they ordered the same books for every school, and they’d weed out the surplus books that were out-of-date or not being checked out. But we do everything now which we should because we know our
S andy Journal .com
school population and we have kids ask for certain books and we try to make that happen.” As Carlson and Walsh place orders, they make a conscious effort to get books that represent diversity. “We try very hard to choose books that kids can see themselves in and their families. So, children of color and children with disabilities, or say, my parents are divorced, or I have two moms, so we look for books that are inclusive. We don't sit we don't talk about it too much, but we have books that reflect that. We buy books about different holidays, so they aren't all Christian holidays. We want them to find books that are age appropriate and aren’t all mainstream, so all our students can see themselves and their families in them,” she said. That’s something former principal Peck appreciated about Carlson: “She’s very much an educator that is beloved by kids. She chooses books that are appropriate and enjoyable on any level and often, they correlate with topics in the classroom, so we have an integrated support for our curriculum.” Carlson said the library continues to check out classic children’s books. “We just ordered a bunch of new copies of Beverly Cleary books, and I love a book by Kate DiCamillo called, ‘Because of Winn-Dixie;’ we have four copies that are constantly being checked out,” she said. “I can’t choose my favorite book because it is like choosing a favorite candy. It can't be done.” “Mrs. Carwash” also works with teachers to match their library lessons with the class curriculum. “Back in the day, we read them a story and let them check out books. Now we always plan. We teach them library skills. We look at the core curriculum and try to hit on as many of those as we can. Sometimes we find a book that we just love, and we do a lesson around that book,” Carlson said, adding that in recent years, they’ve also begun to meet on a regular basis with the school principal to learn about schoolwide schedules, trainings, drills and concerns so they’re in the loop with faculty and staff. “We also meet with other school librarians. We can exchange ideas and trade book suggestions and support each other.” Even with the skills and lessons that are taught in the library, Carlson said there is a goal above those. “We try hard to make the kids feel loved and to make them feel like this is a safe, happy place. When they come in here for a minute, we want there to be no stress, just a place that they can relax and enjoy,” she said. “That’s the most important thing for me, more important than learning about the genres of the books and how to do research. That's my goal.” This is the second of three profiles spotlighting longtime Canyons School District employees. l
Earn great rates with a Money Market account. Rates as high as 1.00% APY* 0 penalty withdraw • Savings always accessible • Monthly dividends •
chartway.com
Rates effective 8/1/22. No minimum balance required at account opening. Minimum balance of $250,000 to earn advertised APY. Rates displayed include 0.10% APY Relationship Bonus. For Money Market Plus Relationship Bonus Rate accounts, you must maintain a LifePlus or Business Checking account during the calendar month. The monthly qualified cycle is defined as the period beginning on the first calendar day of the month and ending on the last calendar day of the month. APY = Annual Percentage Yield. Fees could reduce earnings on the account (applies only to maintenance or activity fees). Variable rates. Rates subject to change at any time. UT/NV
August 2022 | Page 7
Mindy Wissler receives the Sandy Mentor of the Year Award By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
M
indy Wissler is the first line of defense at Mount Jordan Middle School. As the school’s registrar, she meets with students and families to identify individuals who might need some extra support during the school year. Her work with youth in crisis includes addressing basic needs like food, shelter and safety. Wissler was nominated by her colleagues to receive the Sandy Mentor of the Year Award for her dedication to helping teens and was presented with the award this spring. “I feel like the schools are having to step up their game a little bit more in caring for their students,” Wissler said. “I have a lot of kids that when they go home there is really and truly no food in the pantry.” As part of the counseling center for eight years, Wissler works with students experiencing high levels of anxiety. They also deal with gender identity issues, depression and homelessness where their family is living in a shelter, a motel or sharing an apartment with several other families to help make ends meet. To combat hunger, Wissler arranged to have weekend food bags sent home with students to ensure they have something to eat while away from school. She has a room filled with food and snacks where students can take anything they need. Wissler said many Sandy elementary schools offer free lunch through the summer for
anyone under the age of 18. “Our need is just starting to grow more here in Sandy,” Wissler said. “Especially with the homelessness. I feel there’s been an uptick in that during the last two years.” Wissler, who’s been at Mount Jordan for 18 years, helps kids get caught up with schoolwork so they can stay on track, and she works with families to find affordable housing. But often, even with a housing voucher, there is nothing available. People in the community continue to donate items needed for students at Mount Jordan Middle School. For more information, or to find ways to donate, contact Wissler at 801-826-7407. “These kids are so amazing. They’re so resilient and they have been through so, so much. And for a lot of them, that’s the only life they know,” Wissler said. “School is a safe place for them so we’re just lucky we’re there to support them and watch out for them and let them know they’re loved.” l
Sandy Mayor Monica Zoltanski (left) presents Mindy Wissler with the Sandy Mentor of the Year award for identifying and helping youth in crisis.
Don’t let NASH be your silent partner
(fatty liver)
The NATiV3 Study is now enrolling expires 8/31/22
expires 8/31/22
NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis) is the result of fat buildup and inflammation in the liver, which can cause serious health hazards. If you have been diagnosed with NASH or liver fibrosis, you may be eligible to participate in a clinical study evaluating an investigational treatment.
PROSLC.COM
Physicians’ Research Options
To see if the NATiV3 Study is right for you, please contact us: Page 8 | August 2022
LLC (PRO®)
DAVID B. JACK, MD, PI
385-446-9867 DRAPER UTAH CLINIC
Sandy City Journal
Continued from front page He heard all kinds of rumors. “I heard that the wife of the CEO of Cinemark decorated the interior herself in the early 1990s. “I also heard that the lease was up and they didn’t want anyone in the community to know about it, so the employees had to keep the closure a secret so no one would fight back. I don’t know if it’s true, but there are a lot of people who loved going there,” Becker said. Locals posting on social media also complained about the closure. A question on Reddit about why it closed prompted dozens of responses. “This theater was one of the neighborhood spots growing up. I remember walking down there many times…with some friends,” said one person. Others remember it as an inexpensive place for a date. “Bummer, had a first date with my wife there 25 years ago,” someone posted. “Dollar movies were great! I can’t count the number of movies I saw here. From a young teen going out for the first time with friends, to being a broke college student taking his future wife on a poor man’s date, this place was special and it will be missed,” was something another person remembered. But there are some who were surprised that it held out as long as it did. “This theater has been dead for a while, even when it was open. The movie times always seemed to be at odd hours, and streaming services kinda took over dollar movies,” one person commented. Another mentioned that they’d be nos-
talgic for the dated décor. “Dang, I’ll miss going there on rainy afternoons and stepping into a time machine to 1997.” Movies 9 officially opened Nov. 10, 1988 as a first-run theater with seven screens. By 1991 it had added two more screens, thus becoming Movies 9, and had 2,250 seats. It was the main theater in Sandy until Larry Miller opened the Megaplex at Jordan Commons in 1999. Despite showing premieres of current big movies like “Star Wars Episode I” in 1999, the theater couldn’t compete with Jordan Commons. It transitioned to a discount theater Feb. 25, 2000. Since then, it’s been a mainstay of inexpensive dates, first jobs, a hangout with friends, a place for daycares and summer camps to entertain large groups and an air-conditioned reprieve for harried parents with young kids. “It’s sad and anticlimactic that it just closed. I bet a lot of people went there the following days and weeks and were shocked. “A lot of times my wife and I went there as parents just looking for something for the kids to watch, and that’s what we did that last night just by coincidence. Everyone was sad, they were kind of in mourning,” Becker said. He compared it to the shift that happened when drive-in movies weren’t as popular. “When I was a kid, going to the drivein was the best. Discount movies closing is similar to when the last drive-ins closed,” Becker said. “It’s kind of a part of history, and something especially meaningful for those who went to it as teenagers.” l
We Make Getting Beautiful New Floors Easy
50%OFF 50%OFF 50%OFF
Carpet, Hardwood, Tile, Vinyl & Laminate
Padding & Materials
Professional Installation
Select styles.
You Can Save Thousands!
Schedule a FREE In-Home Estimate! Call 385-341-2851 or visit
A few weeks after closing, the posters and lights had all been taken down, and a sign on the door informed people of the permanent closure. (Heather Lawrence/City Journals)
S andy Journal .com
Empiretoday.com/save
*Discount is applied to the regular price of select styles of carpet, hardwood, tile, vinyl, and laminate, basic installation, standard padding, and materials. Excludes upgrades, stairs, take-up of permanently affixed flooring, non-standard furniture moving, other miscellaneous charges, and prior purchases. Product may not be sold separately from installation. Residential installations only. Not available in all areas. Valid through 9/11/2022. Subject to change. Details at EmpireToday.com. Sales (except CA, MA, UT) and installation are provided by independent contractors. Licensure at EmpireToday.com. CSLB 1047108 © 2022 Empire Today
August 2022 | Page 9
Constantly learning, instilling challenges key to Canyons’ outstanding teacher By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
I
t had been a long night. Katie Tinoco had her high heels in her hands, walking barefoot on the red carpet that was placed in Hillcrest High’s commons for the parade of teachers, each representing their schools, excited to be recognized for their positive impact on Canyons School District’s 34,000 students. Even at the late hour, Tinoco had a smile on her face even as the cameras and cell phones had faded to just those of family and friends. Tinoco had just been announced she was Canyons School District’s teacher of the year. This month, the outstanding teacher will be putting on the finishing touches of lesson plans and room decorations before she greets a new group of second-graders. “I originally did not want to be a teacher,” Tinoco said. “I wanted to be a pediatrician or do business. I was Sterling Scholar state runner-up for business and marketing and that’s the path I started when I first started college at BYU (Brigham Young University). Then, I got into my classes, and I just wasn't loving it. So, I did some reflecting on what do I really love, and I just kept coming back to I love learning, reading, helping people, working with kids. Those things together led me to teaching. Once I started the program, I never looked back. I knew teaching was what I was supposed to do. It's just an awesome profession.”
Now the Brighton High alumna who was a FBLA national champion is in her 12th year of teaching, eight of those at Draper Elementary. “I loved school when I was a kid. I would go to school sick because I didn't want to miss school and then my teacher would have to send me home. I was that kid,” Tinoco said. While her third- and sixth-grade teacher Janice Flanagan had a huge impact on her, Tinoco’s love is teaching second grade. “It's just the sweet spot in my opinion. They're old enough that they have been in school and know what to do, but they're still young enough that they are still eager to learn. They're excited to be here,” she said. “And the amount of growth that second-graders make from the beginning of the year to the end of the year is just exciting to watch.” However, Tinoco has taken Flanagan’s love of incorporating real-life learning in her teaching. This year, her students embraced that lesson when they read a story about writing petitions. “After reading the story, I challenged my kids to write a petition and I gave them the example of how a student can go to his HOA (homeowners association) and ask for longer pool hours, with all his neighbors signing the petition. This year, my kids wrote a petition saying they wanted a class pet. They thought of all the reasons I could say no, and included that they’d
Draper Elementary teacher Katie Tinoco smiles as Canyons School District’s teacher of the year along with runners-up Mount Jordan Middle choir and theater director Skyler Bluemel and Brighton High chemistry teacher Nicole Shon and Canyons officials. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
pay for it, take care of it, clean its cage and take it home on breaks and weekends. They all signed it and so I told them that since they did all the work, we’ll get a class pet. So we have a hamster—Scout Cookie,” Tinoco said, adding that it was named by her student who is a Girl Scout and her family that stepped forward to buy the hamster. “The hamster will be in third grade with them next year and likely go all the way through
fifth grade with them." Tinoco’s class was part of the process when she was selected teacher of the year. “The committee came in to observe our class and watched part of my morning meeting and part of my phonemic awareness lesson and part of my phonics lesson. My kids were like, ‘What's going on?’ I told them why the people were there, and the kids were really excited. I
City Journals recognized multiple times at the 2022 SPJ awards (Society of Professional Journalists) HERE ARE THE WINNERS FROM DAVIS:
Front page design First place – Anna Pro and Roger Tuttle • Honorable mention – Anna Pro Best single page design • Honorable mention – Anna Pro Best photographer • Honorable mention– Roger Tuttle Humor/lifestyle • Third place: – Peri Kinder • Honorable mention – Peri Kinder Best newspaper reporter • First place – Becky Ginos Medical/Science • First place – Becky Ginos General news • Third place – Becky Ginos
Page 10 | August 2022
and Roger Tuttle Military • Third place – Becky Ginos Sports • Third place – Tom Haraldsen Military • Honorable mention– Tom Haraldsen
HERE ARE THE WINNERS FROM SALT LAKE:
Sports • First place – Julie Slama • Second place – Carl Fauver Personality profile • First place – Julie Slama • Second place -- Sarah Morton Taggart • Third place – Sona Schmidt Harris Religion/values • Third place – Sarah Morton Taggart
Medical/science • Second place – Julie Slama • Third place – Shaun Delliskave Military • First place – Julie Slama Education • Second place – Jet Burnham • Third place – Jet Burnham • Honorable mention – Jet Burnham Environment • Second place – Deb Hafner Diversity and equity • First place – Julie Slama COVID-19 investigative • First place – Cassie Goff Continuing coverage • First place – Cassie Goff
Business/consumer • Second place – Sarah Morton Taggart Arts and entertainment • First place – Julie Slama Best newspaper reporter • Second place – Carl Fauver • Third place – Cassie Goff
Sandy City Journal
reminded them that ‘we’re like this always, it doesn't matter if there's someone in our room or not, because we're awesome all the time,’” she said. It wasn’t an easy year for Tinoco. As a dual immersion teacher, she’s used to teaching two classes of 28 students on the English side while her colleague teaches them math in Mandarin. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic-related travel restrictions, he was detained in China, and she worked with several substitute teachers. “We started the school year with what was supposed to be a long-term sub. I did a ton of extra work, but I also had a lot of support from the school’s Chinese team helping me create Chinese content. It’s tricky to teach two different classes and switch during the day, so we tried not to overwhelm her, but unfortunately, it was too much. She was a new mom and her husband got sick and she had to put her family first,” Tinoco said. “So, then our next long-term sub stayed till Christmas break. All of January was just one sub after another, and I constantly was reinforcing what they were learning. There always is a lot of collaboration, talking about the kids and where they're at and how they did on this and making sure we’re seeing the same things. But January was probably the hardest time just helping the kids and reassuring parents that the teacher was coming back because they were justifiably worried if their kids would be on the level to continue to the program. I’d tell them, ‘He's going to catch them up.” Nobody else could do what he's done with these kids. It's incredible. I'm very lucky to have him as a teaching partner.” Draper Principal Christy Waddell appreciated Tinoco’s dedication. “She did not complain once to me with the extra workload that she had. It was definitely a lot of hard work, and she has a little one at home. But she's still so professional and did everything she could because she wants the best for these kids,” she said. When the April 19 awards night approached, Tinoco said her principal and second-grade team wanted to come support her. “I told them, ‘You guys don't have to come. It’s going to be really late. I'm not going to win. Don't worry about it,” she said. Disregarding her, they came as well as her parents, husband, and 16-month-old. “I read through all the bios of all the teachers that have been nominated. I'm like, ‘They're so amazing, so incredible.’ And they're like, ‘Yeah, well, so are you,’” she recalled. On stage, she was surprised when she was announced she was the elementary teacher candidate. But when she learned of the other two finalists—Brighton High chemistry teacher Nicole Shon and Mount Jordan Middle choir and theater director Skyler Bluemel—she thought the overall teacher of the year would be one of them. “When the announcer started reading, and mentioned dual language, I knew it was me and I was really shocked, overwhelmed, really humbled, really grateful. It was a huge, huge surprise,” she said. “I feel like I do a good job in my classroom, but nobody goes into teaching to get awards and praise and attention. It's been overwhelming and just incredible. Everybody deserves to be honored like this. Teachers do so much and make such a difference.” During Waddell’s first observation of her
S andy Journal .com
in the classroom, she knew there was something special about Tinoco. “When I first got here five years ago, I knew right away that Katie was a good teacher. You can tell anytime you walk by her class,” Waddell said. “She is so calm and positive; the kids are all doing what they're supposed to be doing. She's so kind to them, but she also has standards for them to reach. The kids, they all just love her. I mean it's seriously a very good place to be, in her classroom.” Meanwhile, after the ceremony, her toddler was making his own fun. “He is having such a great time carrying around my giant check. He thinks it’s the new coolest toy ever,” she said. The next morning, many students already knew Tinoco was Canyons’ teacher of the year. At before-school choir practice, the students gave her a round of applause. Second-grade teacher Madison Ellingson directs the choir with Tinoco. “Katie is just an amazing educator and is always thinking of her students and what they need the most,” Ellingson said. “She’s always doing something meaningful with her students that is going to make a difference in their academics or their life. She's really mindful of the growth of her students and that’s with each of her 56 students. She knows exactly what progress each kid is making and how close they are to their end of year goals. As a teammate, she has some awesome ideas and is always willing to share them and be supportive. When we collaborate, she always brings in, ‘Let's make this a little bit deeper or let's add a component that would make it a challenge for our students.’ She has such a positive energy that we love and that the kids love. They were so excited to congratulate her.” Once school began, Waddell made an announcement. “My class cheered and was asking me what it’s like to be the national teacher, and I'm like, ‘Whoa, whoa! We go to state first,’” she said, adding that submitting her state application was on her summer schedule. “They’re very much invested in this.” As Canyons’ teacher of the year, she received a crystal award as well $1,000 and a gift basket of prizes and gift cards to area businesses. It’s been a far cry from her first four years teaching at a charter school where she created her own curriculum, paid for most every material she used in class and didn’t have a support system. “I saw that Canyons was in line with the type of professional that I want it to be. I wanted to be in a place that was going to encourage and support my desire to always try to be better. I’ve earned my master’s in education from SUU (Southern Utah University) and I’ve been supported each step of the way,” she said. “There’s always learning involved with being a teacher. Even with this award, which is a huge overwhelming honor, it’s not like OK, I am now the ultimate teacher that I could ever be. It’s never like that with teaching. You can always be tweaking and changing and bettering and trying new things and with every class. Every class brings different challenges and exciting things.”l
What’s your legacy?
Serving Local Families Since 1885 COMPASSIONATE FUNERAL PLANNERS During one of life’s most difficult moments, you deserve the utmost respect, kindness, care, and guidance. Six generations of Larkins have been devoted to serving Utah families in their time of need, and that unique experience enables us to guide you in preparing services for your loved one with consideration and respect. 4 LOCATIONS ACROSS THE WASATCH FRONT Larkin Mortuary 260 East South Temple Salt Lake City, UT 84111 (801) 363-5781
Larkin Sunset Lawn 2350 East 1300 South Salt Lake City, UT 84108 (801) 582-1582
Larkin Sunset Gardens 1950 East Dimple Dell Road (10600 S.) • Sandy, UT 84092 (801) 571-2771
Larkin Mortuary Riverton 3688 West 12600 South Riverton, UT 84065 (801) 254-4850
www. LarkinCares .com August 2022 | Page 11
High school students tour, observe, gain hands-on opportunities during job shadows By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
T
hroughout Canyons School District, high school students had the opportunity to job shadow professionals in several fields before summer hit, allowing them to learn more about the careers during the summer months, possibly find an internship or take a summer class. “We had a lot of new businesses step forward and offer to have students job shadow them this year and we had three return businesses in a law office, a chiropractor and Larry H. Miller Companies,” said Chris Morgan, Corner Canyon High’s work-based learning facilitator. “This opportunity gave students more time to focus on their future and they have been so enthusiastic about their experience.” Many of the job shadows happened on one morning, after which Morgan, as well as other high school work-base coordinators, hosted a luncheon for students at Corner Canyon to debrief and share their experiences. Some 22 students had spent the morning at area businesses to job shadow, and Morgan had scheduled another 20 for another day. Senior Aidan Richmond shadowed a Draper City detective. “I’ve always been interested in what they do at crime scenes, what a victim ad-
vocate does, the forensics surrounding cases and programs they offer,” he said. “I met the police chief and learned how he works with all sorts of people outside the department as well as within. The detective said they recently investigated and closed a cold case, and it was interesting to hear. It was very rewarding experience.” During freshman Stella Cianflone’s visit with Dr. Blaine Awerkamp at Awerkamp Chiropractic, she oversaw his treatment of five patients and learned he treats people suffering from stress to car accidents. “I’ve thought about going into the medical field, but I didn’t think about being a chiropractor,” she said. “It’s a good combination of medical and business, where I’d run my own business, set my own hours and have that flexibility, which I like.” Senior Anna Page toured several departments in Lone Peak Hospital and also donned a hair net and shoe coverings to be in the operating room. “They taught us basic CPR, chest compressions and lifesaving techniques we could do on a dummy, and we toured the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) and used a stethoscope to hear a baby’s breathing pattern,” said the student who is on the pre-med pathway. “We saw the lab, pharmacy and a
number of departments and it was great to see how they interacted with one another. It gave us an opportunity to see patient care and really solidified my wanting a career in medicine.” After spending a morning with Conyers & Nix PC, criminal defense lawyers, junior Catalina Giraldo was excited. “We got to see the court rooms, meet judges and ask questions and it was so amazing,” she said. “I’m taking a business law class, so this just inspired me.” Junior Carlee Earnhart job shadowed at the neurorobotics lab at the University of Utah where she learned about prosthetics. “They showed us what the prosthetics can do and said that they work continuously to upgrade their abilities,” she said. “I’m interested in the engineering and medical aspect and went to CTEC (Canyons Technical Education Center) in the medical forensics program and I’ve been on our robotics team two years, so this was an opportunity to learn more about this field and how engineering and medicine work together. It was just fascinating to be in their work environment and
learn about it firsthand.” Brighton High Work-Based Learning Facilitator Eileen Kasteler said that their research indicates high school students who make work-force connections are more likely to graduate and continue post-secondary education and training. “This activity is designed to impress upon students the benefits of career exploration,” she said, adding that the goal for the 110 Canyons students who participated in job shadow day include discovering career opportunities, engaging in high school work-related classes, entering post-secondary education with career-oriented focus, developing important workforce connections and networks and being inspired while gaining real-world experiences. Other companies that participated include Avalanche Studios, Cottonwood Heights Police Department, Ensign Engineers, Filevine, Hunt Electric, Jordan Valley School, Merit Medical, Savage Services and Think Architecture. l
To learn more about Paws With A Cause and to find out how you can help, just download this simple app and watch this story come to life:
GET ZAPPAR ZAP THE CODE TO DONATE
Provided as a community service by this civic minded publication and the Association of Community Publishers
Page 12 | August 2022
Canyons School District students donned protective coverings before heading into Lone Peak Hospital’s operating room as part of their job shadow day. (Photo courtesy of Anna Page/Corner Canyon High)
Sandy City Journal
Celebrate good times, come on! Altara kids dance to 1980’s tune that hit the charts same year school opened By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
T
here's a party goin' on right here (at Altara Elementary) A celebration to last throughout the years (42 to be exact) So bring your good times and your laughter too (the whole community) We gonna celebrate your party with you! And celebrate, they did. Especially since the school’s 40th birthday party was put on hold for two years, thanks to Covid restrictions. “We had a big celebration planned in 2020 and everyone was getting involved, then the pandemic hit, so we’ve just put our plans on hold for two years,” Principal Nicole Svee Magann said. “We still wanted to do a big birthday celebration, but now it’s also, a welcome back. It’s our first big event to welcome back our community.” Amongst the celebration was a deejay playing 1980s music — including the 1980’s hit “Celebration” by Kool and the Gang, for families to dance to and several people wearing “big hair” to fashion of the day, right down to the leg warmers. PTA President Mindi Nielsen and others wore MTV T-shirts and were selling vintage Altara T-shirts. “It’s a fun way to bring back memories and help fundraise for PTA activities,” she said. The T-shirt sales will help fund events such as Reflections, Red and White Ribbon weeks and other activities. The community also could purchase auctioned items and students’ artwork to help fund the PTA events.
Patty Mead came to see the school for the first time with her second-grade granddaughter, Anya. “I moved here a couple years ago and COVID hit, so I never got to come into her school until tonight,” Mead said. “It’s wonderful and this is so much fun. I’ve bid on a couple gorgeous carved cutting boards and am watching so I don’t get outbid. They’ll make beautiful gifts, and I can support the school.” Also helping at the birthday bash were seven members of Kohl’s department store staff, who cleaned tables and gave directions. “We love giving back to our community,” said Lisa Staley, who grew up in the Sandy area, and was with Abby Kynaston helping with students’ artwork. Second-grade teacher Heather Sullivan has taught at Altara for the past 25 years. Before she joined the faculty, Altara was surrounded by fields, where horses grazed. Since then, homes have been built and surround the school, which was on a year-round schedule and had open classrooms until 1990s, right before Sullivan started. Since the late 1990s, she has seen trees planted, new playground equipment, introduction of accommodated preschool, brain boosters’ classes and the dual immersion Spanish program, updates in curriculum and testing, a new parking lot, a secure entrance, skylights, new carpet, and other remodels—yet the orange cabinetry of the 1980s still remains.
Altara’s Kittyhawk dances to 1980’s music with kids during the school’s birthday party while adults checked out the silent auction fundraiser. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
“We haven’t had a lot of turnover of teachers and staff,” Sullivan said. “People love it here and don’t want to leave.” Principal Svee Magann also has found a home at Altara since 2013. “We have an amazing turnout and it’s so great to have the support of our community,” she said. “This is the community I love and the ’80s were my years in middle and high school, so this is my music, my hairstyle. It has been a lot of fun reliving that time.” l
We Have the Best Qualified Medical Professionals in Utah! Call now for a FREE consultation.
Call now for your FREE CONSULTATION Book your appointment for August and get
$50 OFF
Your Medical Cannabis Card!
385-281-9846
922 Baxter Dr, Ste 110 | South Jordan, UT 84095 www.mountainwestmedicalclinic.com mountainwestmedicalclinic@gmail.com
S andy Journal .com
August 2022 | Page 13
Final curtain call receives standing ovation for ‘Harry Potter’ cast, Alta View teacher By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
I
t was a final performance—and it was met with a standing ovation. The roaring applause wasn’t meant alone for the student cast of “Harry Potter.” Crowds swarmed their fifth-grade teacher, Libby McShinsky, standing to the side of the stage. McShinsky, who after decades of teaching and years of directing student plays, retired this summer. Many former students and parents came to give her hugs, flowers, cards, and take photos at a retirement reception that followed the show. Never one to talk about herself, although she did say she is excited to spend time more with her husband upon retirement, McShinsky said that through the years, she has directed shows such as “The Hobbit,” “Alice in Wonderland,” “Princess Bride,” “Wizard of Oz,” “Snow White,” “Peter Pan” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and it’s been a much beloved tradition amongst the students. McShinsky looks at the class to determine which play works best. She felt that this class could perform the difficult “Harry Potter” play. “I did ‘Harry Potter’ once before and I told myself, I’d never do it again because it’s a lot of work, but this year, it just felt right,” she said. “I thought they could do it. These students are awesome. Everybody has to have a speaking part; no one is just stage crew, and they all have to agree to it before I agree to put on a play.” After the class agreed, they read the J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter book “The Sorcerer’s Stone” the play was based on and “we completely go script and compare and contrast the difference between a script in a book and then we add things from the book that wasn't in the script,” McShinsky said, who also decked her classroom all year in Harry Potter décor. In January, the students auditioned, reading parts from at least three characters in the script, said fifth-grader Tye Newman. “We had to put on the whole two-hour play with only 25 kids so everyone had to have multiple parts except for the main characters,” he said. “I got Hagrid. I’m naturally kind of loud so I thought it was very fitting. The hair was fun, but I didn’t like that it was really hot. And the hair was made out of yarn, so it was really heavy.” His classmate, Brooklyn Quinney, said she wanted to be Petunia, but landed one of the leading roles as Hermione. “It’s been a very, very fun role to play,” she said in her first-ever acting role. “I love Harry Potter. It's like, one of my favorite things. It's mostly mystery, and I just love mystery things.”
Page 14 | August 2022
Alta View students give their teacher and “Harry Potter” director Libby McShinsky gifts and hugs at a post-play retirement reception. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
During the months leading up to the performance, McShinsky said they learned skills they may not have learned otherwise, such as stage presence. “They learn how to project their voice because there's no microphones at Alta View, and they have to have eye contact with the audience. They learn how to have some humor so that they figure out what works for an audience to laugh. ‘Harry Potter’ is a tricky one because the scenes change often and it’s a lot of memorizing, but we still want to engage the audience and have fun,” she said. Tye said they were able to pull it off because they had the support of their teacher, who has been Alta View’s teacher of the year and received Jordan Credit Union’s “Project 100” program for teaching excellence during her tenure. “She is a really good teacher. She taught us how to act, where to be, how to be that person (character) and what to do when we're not on stage. It took a lot of effort on her part, but the verdict was incredible,” he said. “I was really impressed that she could show us how to act on stage, but she still managed to squeeze in a bunch of learning to get us ready for the next grade.” The dual immersion Spanish classmates said they’d manage to get in about an hour of rehearsal amongst their reading, math, history and other subjects. Tye said “it’s apparent that she really likes the students. She kind of helps us with our individual needs. She kind of focuses on what we're struggling on and makes it so it doesn't seem as bad.” In 2015, McShinsky was on the forefront of Canyons School District’s technology, volunteering as the school’s tech club adviser, introducing a green screen to her students and securing a $4,300 grant for iPads for her students so they could
Alta View fifth-grade students perform the play, “Harry Potter” based on J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter book “The Sorcerer’s Stone” before standing room-only audiences. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
learn to use iMovie to act out story problems so they could learn them better. “She’s always innovative, engaging and making learning fun. She always says ‘this is going to be really boring, but I'm going to try to make it fun’—and she does,” Brooklyn said. Tye agrees: “If there was such a thing as a fun class, she would have aced that like five billion years ago.” Brooklyn said that after months of rehearsing, the excitement of the play drawing near built when they tried on their costumes. “When we got our costumes, we just put them on and actually acted with our costumes on. It made us feel that we were our characters more,” she said, but also said with three layers under her robe and “it was boiling hot.” Tye said he also had a pillow under his shirt as well as a heavy trench coat and his heavy beard. “Everyone was struggling during dress rehearsal and the heat made it really difficult to focus and concentrate. Like backstage, the letter shooter was going, and we used it as a fan. Every time I went off stage, I had to take my beard off to keep me from overheating,” he said. The play was double cast so both dual immersion classes had three performances. Parent performances filled and had several patrons standing though the entirety of the show, which included humorous tidbits and funny songs that kept the story moving.
After the excitement of the play was over, Brooklyn was still on a high, but a bit sad. “Overall, the whole play was just like the best,” she said. “But on Wednesday, we all came back to school and we felt like, a part of us was missing without the play. It’s definitely one of my favorite elementary school memories and we learned we can do stressful and hard things. We're so glad we did it. Ms. McShinsky is the best teacher. She gives life to the class.” Tye adds: “She’s the life and soul of the play and the classroom. She makes everything special and fun. It’s been great to have a teacher who’s positive and really happy. We can pull off really funny things and we really kind of have a knack of finding a way to make her laugh and she makes us laugh so learning is fun.” McShinsky said for her, the best part of teaching is seeing the student growth, especially now with the play. "They've been able to do something hard. Students can do hard things. You just have to let them do it,” she said. “I just like the kids and watching them grow up.” Was this her favorite production? Like every good teacher and parent, she doesn’t say, but instead, changed the question. “Which one is most exhausting? ‘Harry Potter,’ McShinsky said. Then added: “It’s a good one to go out on although the fourth-graders aren’t happy I’m retiring.” l
Sandy City Journal
CTEC job fair offers students learning opportunity, job possibilities By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
S
hortly before summer break, area employers staffed booths hoping to interest Canyons Technical Education Center students for a job or internship. AMES Construction assistant recruiter Joana Gurney said she had been impressed with the questions asked by the students. “They want to know how they can further their skills and advancements in career opportunities as well as how it pertains to their studies,” she said. Her colleague, Christine Heidel added: “They’ve been interested in applying after learning our starting wage and about our apprenticeship program.” Grifols Center manager Curtis Jones said it gave students an opportunity to learn about careers they hadn’t considered as he answered many students’ questions. “They may know about nursing, but not about phlebotomy or even donating plasma,” he said. “I was able to tell them the benefits and options and it provided a good learning opportunity as well as a career or job possibility.” l CTEC offered a job fair for students to ask questions and learn about job opportunities. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
elizabeth.s@thecityjournals.com
Replenish Landscape Garden 4660 South 200 West, Murray • 801-252-5962
Business Spotlights are a service offered to our advertisers to help them inform our readers about their businesses. For information on scheduling a Spotlight, please call us at 801-254-5974 or email us at ryan.c@thecityjournals.com
Twenty-seven years is an important milestone for any business. In fact, only 20 percent of all businesses will survive to see their 20th anniversary. At Replenish, we believe our business model of providing top quality landscape materials, at a fair price, together with exceptional customer service, has provided the foundation of our success for these 27 years. Beautiful gardens, lawns, and landscapes all start with the foundation of quality, nutrient-rich soil. While that is easy to say, it is much more complicated to sort through the numerous companies that all claim to sell the best. Whether you are starting a new flower garden or growing your own fruits and vegetables, Replenish Landscape Garden Products is here to help make your gardening goals a reality. Replenish (the compost) and Replenish the Earth Products (the company) were created by Connie Cannon in 1994 in the driveway of her home. She wanted to create a compost mulch that would be high in nutrients, low in salts, as well as dark and rich in appearance. After seeking counsel from Peter Lassig, who had been the head landscape architect at Temple Square for over 40 years, she came up with the superior formula and blend for Replenish Compost. Mixing it together in her driveway, she would have her children put the compost in bags and sell it in their neighborhood.
S andy Journal .com
“Whether you are picking up material at our yard, or having us deliver or install material in your yard, the service is always outstanding and to your satisfaction. As our customer, we have your best interest in mind,” said Mike Nitz, the current co-owner. The Cannons sold the company 10 years later to the current owners, Mike Nitz and Greg Bettinson. After purchasing the company in 2004, Mike and Greg gave it a new name – Replenish Landscape Garden Products – to better describe what the business was all about. They also moved the business from West Valley City to its current location in Murray, at 4600 S. 200 West. Over the past 15 years, they have grown the business by expanding the variety of landscape materials offered and expanding their customer base to cover the entire Wasatch Front. “There are a number of options when it comes to landscape materials, but they are not all created equal,” explained Greg. “We believe
that in Replenish Compost, we have the finest and most versatile compost available, period! To complement our signature Replenish Compost product, we have made it our focus to develop, or find, the very best soil blends, barks, wood mulches certified playground chips and soilless mixes specifically formulated for growing vegetables and flowers in containers or box gardens. Quality is what we sell.” Any of Replenish’s products can be picked up at their Murray yard, in either bulk or bag. They also deliver in bag, bulk, or in the 1-cu-
bic-yard Super Big Bag to homes and businesses from Brigham City to Price. One of the unique services Replenish offers is their “Blower Truck” service. With this truck, they have the ability to install through a hose any of their products (except the rock and sand) directly into gardens, lawns or playgrounds. Make your garden and yard work a successful, rewarding, and enjoyable experience. Call Replenish Landscape Garden Products at (801) 252-5962 for any question you might have or for a free quote.
August 2022 | Page 15
Elementary art shows display talent from visual art to live performances By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
F
lemish artist Peter Paul Rubens is known to have said, “Every child has the spirit of creation.” That was evident as students’ year-end visual artwork was shared at several Sandy elementary schools, yet each show had a different twist. At Quail Hollow, students performed in a talent show as well as looked at a display of faculty and staff artistic talents. Park Lane Elementary Panthers performed in the orchestra as well as tried their hand making creations in a couple of art forms. Lone Peak students were amongst those to see the unveiling of their yearlong fused glass project which shows what community means to them. Much of the visual art on display was produced under the direction of their Beverley Taylor Sorenson art specialists. Many Quail Hollow students—and even a staff member— took to the microphone to sing, play instruments or perform in other artistic ways, such as martial arts, gymnastics, dance, puppetry, magic tricks, a film showing skiing highlights, and even solving a Rubik’s cube in less than one minute. They were sometimes joined by family members. Each act was introduced by emcee Principal Shad DeMill, who often was entertaining in his own right—and complimentary to students, even inviting one young singer to perform at his next dinner party. While about 40 students performed to an audience that extended beyond the number of chairs set up, some other families looked at artwork of red rocks, pandas with bamboo, colorful tissue-paper sea horses, birds perched in tree branches during snow storms, self-portraits, pupils of an eye, autumn leaves and more hung by clothes pins draped on twine across the multipurpose room. Blakey Cragun was excited to look at his fourth-grade son Charlie’s artwork. “He has several paintings up and he just loves it,” he said. “He discovered art as a way to let his artistic side shine through. It speaks volumes as his language. This is pretty special.” Dragons are Charlie’s specialty. First-grader Max Reece likes drawing dolphins. “He begged to come and was so excited to be here,” his father, Todd said. His third-grade daughter Emma also loves art. “I like doing art, especially drawing and painting,” Emma said. “I like to blend the colors.” In addition to the talent show and display of art, several areas were set up for hands-on opportunities, such as wooden necklace painting, watercolor resistance, yarn weaving, paper sculpting with the Utah Museum of Fine Arts and even a guess the artist game. Quail Hollow’s art night started in 2018, but like many events, it was sidelined during COVID-19, said Melinda Rosevear, who is the PTA art night chair. “We need to really highlight art,” she said, adding that art night allows an opportunity for all school children to participate. “I just feel the art is so important to our children and to our community. It gives our children a chance to develop their brains, a way to gain confidence, a chance to develop their fine motor skills and it’s good for anxiety in our children, for their emotional wellness. It also really creates a sense of accomplishment in our children. They have created something that they are proud of and can show their parents. When they walk into the gym, they’re like, ‘wow, look at this art. It is so cool.’” Rosevear credits the help of many volunteers who have stepped up to teach and lead activities as well as help the 500 families who attended that night. “We hold several parent and family events during a typical school year, and this is hands down, the most popular,” she said. “It creates such a sense of community, a sense of belonging and
Page 16 | August 2022
Families checked out the rows of student artwork during Quail Hollow’s art night. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Park Lane’s orchestra performance drew in the community during the school’s art night. (Julie Slama/City Journals) Over the past year, Lone Peak students created a fused art mural showing what community means to them, which was revealed during their annual art night. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
a way to celebrate the arts. I love the many things that it accomplishes.” Park Lane’s Night of Arts not only included the orchestra performance, but a chance for kids to express themselves through chalk and paint. “We have art experts come and do art with the kids and they love it,” Principal Justin Jeffrey said. Before the pandemic, they’ve created murals from artwork students painted on 3-inch by 3-inch tiles and have invited the Museum of Contemporary Art to hold interactive activities. Students, who have been in the school musical, have performed songs and dances and traditionally, the choir holds its concert in conjunction. This year, Jeffrey said it was simplified being the first one back from the pandemic. That was fine for Mady Huff’s thirdand fifth-grade kids. “They love to express themselves and be creative,” she said. “They used watercolor, salt and glue to create a bumpy texture. It’s pretty cool.” Lone Peak’s community anxiously awaited the unveiling of its glass mural. It was a yearlong process where kids drew what community meant to them, then working with Lone Peak Elementary artist-in-residence Allison Klinger, they created the school building, the playground, the trees and almost every piece with glass to create the mural that now hangs outside of the school’s multipurpose room. “Because the students create the pieces and Allison puts them together, it will be more authentic since students are the ones designing it,” said Cassie Walker, the school’s Beverley Taylor Sorenson art teacher. “At the end of the day, we really want kids to look at it and know they actually created it, and that their ideas are used and a professional artist helping to facilitate
that.” The unveiling was bittersweet for Klinger as it marked the end of the year working with students on the design and elements of the piece. The kindergartners got to work on flowers, the first- and second-graders and even some third-graders, created the bricks for the school building, other third-graders made the mountains, fourth- and fifth-graders put together the students and fifth-graders laid glass to be fused for the trees. “The whole experience was satisfying and despite COVID restrictions, we were able to pull this together; I can’t be more thrilled for these students,” Klinger said. “They can come back, see this art mural and be reminded of the time they had creating this and being here at school.” That is something Principal Tracy Stacy also wanted. “This has been unbelievable,” she said. “It’s an experience and a memory they’ll have forever— and can live on through their amazing artwork.” First-grader Liam Arendtsen pointed to the part he did to his mother, Karen Kennedy, as well as his self-portrait and fluorescent Monarch butterfly in other parts of the art show. “This show is amazing,” Kennedy said. “To be able to work with glass is really cool, but more so, how he is able to be creative in artwork.” Another first-grader, Rocky Holmoe showed his mother Carlee, his artwork and together they looked at others’ art, including the clay sculptures and handsewn felt stuffed animals. “My son really likes art, and this is an opportunity for them to learn about all the different forms and be exposed to that early,” she said. Canyons School District Superintendent Rick Robbins also was on hand for the art show and the mural unveiling. “The art show at Lone Peak is a great reflection on the school community and the district’s commitment to the arts; it’s really important that our students have the opportunity to demonstrate their passions and their love,” he said. “This mural is a great example of the students’ passion for arts and a symbol of hope as we come out of the pandemic with the inclusion of a rainbow and a sense of togetherness and community.”l
Sandy City Journal
Indian Hills art students learn art techniques by drawing live animals. (Photo courtesy of Breanna Holtry/Indian Hills Middle)
Indian Hills art students created their school logo as a Rubik’s Cube art project. (Photo courtesy of Breanna Holtry/Indian Hills Middle)
Indian Hills art students explore, expand skills in summer challenge
I
t’s not uncommon for a school to prepare a summer reading list or even suggest going over some math facts, but Indian Hills Middle School students have had the opportunity to keep up on their art skills this summer. Thanks to their art teacher, Breanna Holtry, students have had a chance to learn and develop skills from YouTube tutorials she has shared. This past spring, she was developing the summer art challenge. “I will link a document or prompts for them and then say, ‘whatever you make this summer, send it to me and we'll show you off as making progress this summer,’” Holtry said. Recently she learned how to use alcohol-based markers and created a tutorial. “With this video, I show them, ‘This is something I've never tried before. It's OK when we start something new, and you struggle with it.’ That's how I'm framing this video and I tell my students find other YouTubers that you like or just keep watching for my videos. There are so many resources out there online where they could develop their art practice,” Holtry said. She does it to help them develop and grow and because they have told her, “I'm going to miss the class so much.” Holtry has fun with her students as she teaches them skills. Besides typical art assignments, she has brought in a dog for them to learn gesture drawing after they tried it on each other. “Gesture drawing is basically drawing super fast and like just getting the basic posts of a person or something. I'd bring the dog in
S andy Journal .com
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com and have them like hold still sitting, standing, or, you know, different poses,” Holtry said. Then, she asked her students to focus to drawing a certain part of the animal and also brought in two cats. The students had eight minutes with each animal. “Instead of trying to draw like the full animal, they draw just specific parts. I created a worksheet where they try to draw his ear or an eye or the nose and the mouth. I brought in more than just the dog because I can't fit 30 kids around one animal to have a good view,” Holtry said. “Having the live animal models is totally different versus drawing from photos. You tend to see more detail obviously from life and how the shadows change. I knew it would challenge their skills to be able to capture something quickly because the animals are going to move. It's training them to be quicker in their drawing and to decide what's most important.” She also applies it to Disney animation, such as the movie, “Bambi.” “They actually had deer in their studio and did a whole bunch of animal studies and drawing and learning how they move to be able to animate it,” Holtry said. “We apply what we learn to career opportunities such as animating in this case.” Another student favorite is creating a Rubik’s Cube mural. “This year, we just had kids who are wizards at Rubik's Cube and we just created the school logo. Last year, we did a one, a portrait, of a school administrator who was leaving. It’s a fun little thing. I expected it to take us multiple days, but these kids are so good at Rubik's Cubes, they had it done
fast,” she said. Holtry said school librarian Marissa Merket who was able to secure a grant to buy Rubik’s Cubes for the students so now it’s an exercise that will continue annually. She prepares students for the Canyons School District middle school art show as well as for her own classes’ virtual art show. “I'm so blown away by the talent,” Holtry said. “Some of their work are paintings, some of them are color, pencil artwork. Some of them are copper embossing. Some of them are just charcoal portraits. I look at how hard these kids work, and I just really want them to be recognized. It always makes me feel good when I hear people talk and are like, ‘Oh my gosh, this was created by a sixth-grader or an eighth-grader.’ Our students have great talent and it’s validating to show their work. For most of my students, art is their thing. So, it's a big thing for them to be recognized and to see how amazing they can be.” She has had students submit drawings for the Utah flag and the school district film festival and encourages her students to enter into other art shows. “Typically, other art shows happened over the summer, after I don't have my students anymore, but I’ve made a goal to come up with a list of shows where my kids could be submitting to. I encourage them to learn from these experiences,” Holtry said. Underlying the art techniques is teaching students life skills. “The first week of my class, some students say, ‘I can't even draw a stick figure.’ I remind them that’s why we have classes, to help you learn how to be better, to de-
velop skills. So just because you can't draw now doesn't mean you can't draw. It's more like you can draw and you need to learn the skills you need to learn how to do it. That's something I always ask for my students is to be very patient with themselves. Just trust the process. That's why we start with just line drawing and then we slowly build more skills,” she said. Holtry’s semester-long classes starts out with learning about design, value, shading and color. They learn to color mix with watercolors and then dive into perspective, texture and even graphic art. Through the years she has had students do a variety of projects, from painting on hats to learning landscape painting. “Art teaches you so many skills that you can't typically get from other classes, namely, how to truly learn how to see and observe,” Holtry said, adding that learning to recognize detail or see color can be applied to other professions, such as doctors seeing detail in negative spaces so they can recognize anomalies better in MRIs. “It’s also just like such a great way to learn how to kind of process feeling and emotions. One thing I train my students to learn is how to accept mistakes as a great life lesson. When we get to watercolor, it's not super easy to control. You have to let it go and be OK with it. So, I’m helping them to not only learn that skill in an art class, but also in life—so they know it's OK to make mistakes and to let it go, to roll with our mistakes and accept those challenges.” l
August 2022 | Page 17
Comcast introduces new service offering to support the ACP, where Utahns can apply for free internet By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
I
n today’s world, access to high-speed internet is not a luxury, it’s a necessity. Unfortunately, many Utah families can’t afford to pay for internet access without cutting back on other essentials. The Affordable Connectivity Program, created as part of a bipartisan infrastructure law, helps millions of American families reduce internet service costs. As the only internet provider in Utah participating in ACP, Comcast has increased its efforts to bring awareness to the program while helping families receive $30 each month toward connectivity costs. “It's never been more important to make sure that every Utahn has access to in-home broadband,” said Bill Crim, CEO of United Way of Salt Lake. “We are grateful for Comcast's contribution to closing the digital divide and will continue to work with Comcast and our other partners to remove barriers and address the needs of those without access in every zip code in our community.” To access the savings, people can sign up for Internet Essentials Plus, a service that is free after the ACP Benefit, at local Xfinity stores. Internet Essentials Plus includes 100 Mbps speed, a cable modem, access to WiFi hotspots and unlimited data for $29.95 per
CELEBRATING
month. Any Xfinity customer across all Comcast markets who qualifies for ACP can apply their $30 credit toward their monthly internet bill. As an added bonus, Internet Essentials customers can get one Xfinity Mobile Unlimited line with 5G for $24.95 a month plus tax when they qualify for ACP. In addition, through its Project UP program, Comcast commits $1B to advance digital equity and build a future of unlimited possibilities. “Our state is making great strides toward digital equity, thanks to engaged community members and dedicated partners like Comcast,” said Liz Gabbitas, digital access and education program manager with the Utah State Library Division. “These collaborations are how we'll get every Utahn connected.” ACP is available for homes with an income of less than twice the federal poverty level, $55,000 a year for a family of four or $27,000 a year for an individual. Also, those who receive SNAP/EBT, Medicaid, or free and reduced-price school lunch would also qualify. ACP is a game-changer that makes highspeed internet available to families across the state. United Way of Salt Lake operates a 2-1-1
With Comcast and Xfinity, families can get free internet access through the Affordable Connectivity Program. (Photo courtesy of Comcast)
help center in Utah, where 6% of calls are related to bill payment assistance. The center will refer inbound callers to Internet Essentials and ACP when calls refer to internet bills. “Working toward all Utahns having access to high-speed, in-home broadband is the
right thing to do,” said Deneiva Knight, Comcast external affairs director. “We're proud to support the Affordable Connectivity Program, which provides people with the digital resources needed to actively participate in today's society.”l
27 Years
SELLING PREMIUM LANDSCAPE MATERIALS FOR 26 YEARS
• Barks • Colored Mulches • Replenish Compost • Premium Soil Blends • Playground Chips • Sand - Gravel • Landscape Fabric & More
AVAILABLE IN: BAG BULK OR SUPER BIG BAGS (1 cu. yd)
DELIVERY OR PICK-UP 4660 South 200 West
801-252-5962
replenishcompost.com
801-252-5962 Page 18 | August 2022
RECEIVE A
10% DISCOUNT
ON ALL PRODUCTS & MATERIALS
replenishcompost.com Sandy City Journal
AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 IN THIS ISSUE:
Connect With Us! sandy.utah.gov/citizenconnect
Z News.............................................1
Sandy Arts: Spelling Bee ....................5
Sandy Heritage Festival .....................1
Sandy Amp Open Mic Night...............5
City Council Corner ...........................2
Sandy Amp 2022 Season ..................5
Sandy Jobs ......................................2
Women in Water - Quality Report .......6
Neighborhood Watch ........................2
Staying Waterwise in the Heat ...........6
Alta Canyon Sports Center.................3
Slow Down Sandy .............................6
River Oaks Golf Course .....................3
Construction Updates .......................7
Parks & Recreation ...........................4
Bulk Waste Rules ..............................7
Sandy Arts: Crazy for You ...................5
Calendar of Events............................7
Photo contest winner: Marcus Xavier
Z News Dear Sandy Resident,
I hope you’re all having a great Sandy Summer! It has been so exciting to see our city come back to life with community events, festivals, concerts, picnics, parades, and celebrations of our civic pride. One sure sign of summer I always look for is seeing the progress of beautiful garden beds that have taken root all around our city. Tens of thousands of plants were nested by hand all around our city, with the help of our wonderful resident volunteers. I get so many compliments on the beauty of our public spaces in Sandy. Our residents love our city – and it shows in so many ways. Even our geraniums know it! You might have noticed a new focus on traffic safety and enforcement in Sandy. I hear from every corner of our city how much people want drivers to slow down. With Back to School just around the corner, it is more critical than ever to observe the speed limits. Please watch for kids in the crosswalks and drive 20 mph in school zones. Sandy Crossing Guards work hard to keep our school kids safe in all kinds of weather and we appreciate their dedication. Make sure to say thank you when you see them out in the neighborhood! If you would like to become a part of Sandy’s amazing Crossing Guard team please visit sandy.utah.gov. In 2017, the City reviewed the conditions of certain Sandy City facilities to plan for their long-term viability. The facilities that were identified as needing to be replaced or for major renovation are the Public Works Building, the Parks and Recreation Building, Fire Station 31, and the Alta Canyon Sports Center. It was determined that these four facilities needed attention due to maintenance costs that continue to increase, a desperate need for replacement due to poor facility conditions, safety risks and, in turn, the longevity and retention of dedicated employees, the need for expansion to meet the growing demands of a modern city I S S U E # 95
AU G U S T – S E P T E M B E R 2 0 22
and poor location due to Sandy City’s community growth. For more information about the history, background and concerns of these facilities visit sandy.utah.gov/capitalprojects. This month, the city council will be discussing these capital project needs in Sandy. I urge you to tune into the city council meetings to receive all of the information and join the discussion. These are big decisions for our city and we need your input! We will be launching the Community Ambassador program by the end of this year. This is a mayoral priority initiative and my staff has been working for months to coordinate. This resident group is for citizens interested in connecting with the city, engaging their elected officials, learning about city processes, giving feedback to staff and sharing information with their neighbors. We currently have 16 community groups that focus on public safety, emergency preparedness, the arts, planning, water and community needs. We are always looking for more residents to get involved and five residents to serve on an advisory committee with the Mayor and Council office. Please check back on sandy.utah.gov in the coming months to sign up and learn more about this program or email Kim Bell at kbell@sandy.utah.gov. If you are a Facebook user, please take a minute to follow the Sandy Mayor Monica Zoltanski page. Social media is a quick and convenient way to share with residents the daily goings on in the Mayor’s office. It is also a great way to bring attention to any matters that need immediate action. By the time you read this, I will have completed my first seven months in office. The main focus of my efforts is transparency and sharing important information with our community so people in Sandy are the most informed and up-to-date. Sign up for Sandy Notify to be contacted via text, email and calls during an emergency at sandy.utah. gov/myalerts. You can always connect with us by going to our City websites sandy.utah.gov and SandyNow.com and by accessing our social media channels Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube for daily updated information. To reach me directly, please send an email to mayor@sandy.utah.gov. Yours in Service, Mayor Monica Zoltanski P A G E
1
Neighborhood Watch Member Highlight Patrick “Patch” Henderson is a Neighborhood Watch Area Leader Volunteer. This year he and his neighborhood are celebrating 30 years in the Neighborhood Watch Program. As an Area Leader, his volunteer responsibilities are to oversee Neighborhood Watch in his neighborhood and coordinate with Block Leaders, members, and the Sandy City Police Department. He is a resource to Neighborhood Watch participants and he keeps communication open by passing on information from the Police Department to help his neighborhood stay safe and practice crime prevention. He also hosts yearly neighborhood gatherings as part of National Night Out Against Crime. On top of being an Area Leader, in the early 2000’s Patch volunteered as a Neighborhood Watch Coordinator Volunteer and served the Neighborhood Watch members and Area Leaders of the entire Crescent Quadrant (1300 E to the West boarder and 10200 S to the South boarder) in conjunction with the Police Department. With the development of technology this position was eliminated but Patch always continued serving. He wrote articles for the Neighborhood Watch Newsletter, helped with the Mobile Watch Program (which in 2007 became the Volunteers In Police Service Program), and promoted the idea that waving hello to neighbors is an easy way to get to know them better, develop a sense of friendliness and a way to scare off potential criminals. Patch has always had a love for McGruff the Crime Dog. As recently as last year Patch went above and beyond again by helping the Police Department get the McGruff the Crime Dog Costume in good working condition for National Night Out Against Crime. The Police Department is grateful for the many years of dedicated volunteerism that Patch has given to the Neighborhood Watch Program. The Police Department has a slogan written on their patrol vehicles that says “It’s Your Community – Get Involved” Patch is the perfect example of this.
Neighborhood Watch – Join Today
Want to know the best crime prevention device ever invented? A good neighbor! In fact, neighbors working together in cooperation with law enforcement can make one of the best crime-fighting teams around. We call it...Neighborhood Watch! What is Neighborhood Watch? Neighborhood Watch is a crime prevention program, which enlists the active participation of residents in cooperation with law enforcement to reduce crime in communities. It involves neighbors getting to know each other and working together in a program of mutual assistance. It also involves citizens being trained to recognize and report suspicious activities in their neighborhoods and, implementation of crime prevention techniques, such as home security, #sandysecure, operation identification and others.
HR JOB CORNER Full-Time
Seasonal/PTNB
• Street Maintenance Worker I
• Custodian
• City Surveyor
• Crossing Guard
• Drainage Maintenance Worker
• Passport Agent
• Water Construction Maintenance Worker
• Public Works Laborer • Official/Referee/Scorekeeper I&II
To see all available openings visit: sandy.utah.gov/jobs 2
P A G E
Why start a Neighborhood Watch? There cannot be a law enforcement officer on every corner; therefore, resident involvement is essential to combat crime. You and your neighbors are the ones who really know what is going on in your community and by cooperating with each other and the police, people can help fight crime in the most effective way-before it begins! How do I start a Neighborhood Watch program in my area? Starting a Neighborhood Watch program might seem like a huge task. Where do we begin? What kind of timetable? Who will be involved in it? How can interest be maintained? What materials are needed? What are the benefits of a Neighborhood Watch Program? All these, and more, are common questions you might ask when facing the challenge of starting a crime prevention program such as Neighborhood Watch. For more information please visit sandy.utah.gov/464/Neighborhood-Watch. Furthermore, Amy Bryant – Crime Prevention Specialist with the Sandy City Police Department can be a resource to you if needed. Her contact information is Amy Bryant 801-568-7200 Abryant@sandy.utah.gov.
River Oaks Golf Course 9300 South Riverside Drive, Sandy, Utah (801) 568-4653 Sandy.utah.gov/golf RIVER OAKS GOLF COURSE
9565 S. Highland Drive, Sandy, Utah 84092 LEARN & PLAY PRESCHOOL
September 6–May 26 8 a.m.–2 p.m. Children will enjoy their day at Play & Learn Preschool with a variety of games and activities! There is playtime, class time, lunch, and more playtime. Our teachers work hard to make learning fun and engaging. See website for more information.
BEFORE & AFTER SCHOOL (K-5TH GRADE)
We provide transportation to and from school. We also provide all day care for children when off school. Children enjoy games, arts and crafts, field trips, homework time, snacks, and many fun activities throughout the school year. Schools: Brookwood, Granite, Park Lane, Quail Hollow, Silver Mesa, & Willow Canyon. Sign up online.
NOW HIRING
Program Counselors are a vital part of our program! Seeking individuals who will assist in the successful operation of the Before & After School program. Check it out at: jobs.citysuitehr.com/sandycity
Hosting corporate and private golf tournaments is what we do best! River Oaks Golf Course would love to host your next luncheon, meeting, seminar, corporate and charity golf tournament. We are located in the center of Salt Lake Valley with easy freeway access, so it just makes sense to have your event at River Oaks. B A N Q U E T R O O M AT S A N D Y C I T Y
D R I V I N G R A N G E AT S A N DY C I T Y
NORTH RANGE TEACHING ACADEMY
With our experienced golf course staff and highly skilled food and beverage concessionaire, we make it a point to give you a no hassle experience that will let you get done what you have to do and still relax during the process. With hundreds of successful events behind us, we are eager to help you make your event memorable. Weddings, luncheons, family parties and dinners are all on the menu at River Oaks. We take pride in our facility and are dedicated to delivering excellent customer service! Come and see for yourself the unmatched quality and commitment that our staff provides all of our customers.
GOLF LESSONS WITH PGA PROFESSIONAL RYAN HOLT Ryan has been teaching golf for 13 years and has taught over 8,000 lessons. Adult Rates:
$120/50 minutes
$60/30 minutes
Adult Packages:
5–50-minute lessons
$500
Jr Rates:
$80/45 minutes
5–45-minute lessons $350
Any questions, call Ryan at (435)840-3102 or email at ryanholtgolf@gmail.com or ryanholtgolf.com
FALL GROUP PROGRAMS Our programs are taught by PGA Professional. Half hour, 1- and 2-hour programs are held once/ week. Each class has 5.1 students to instructor ratio. 11, 6 AND 5-week programs are available. Register online at inmotionjumiorgolf.com or call 801-980-0162.
altacanyonsportscenter.com
POOL HOURS
Pool hours change August 15. Please check the website for updates before heading out!
KARATE:
Dedicated to teaching Shotokan Karate, IMA is a family-oriented dojo offering classes to children and adults of all abilities and levels. Friday night class at Alta Canyon Sports Center from 5-6 p.m. imautah.com
I S S U E # 95
AU G U S T – S E P T E M B E R 2 0 22
P A G E
3
FALL PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT Dates: Time: Cost: Divisions: Deadline:
Friday & Saturday September 30 & October 1 Friday late afternoon/evening Saturday 8 a.m.-3p.m. Times are estimated and subject to change! $50/team Men’s, Women’s, and Coed Doubles Until Full
PARK S & RE C R EAT I O N
FALL SANDY SOCCER ACADEMY
AUGUST HAPPENINGS (Visit our website for costs and more details)
SANDY HIKING CLUB
Instructors and staff will be provided by Utah Avalanche Soccer Club. Each week we build on what’s learned from the previous weeks. Curriculum for the various age groups will be modified based on current skill levels of the players in an age group. Registration includes Academy t-shirt and soccer ball. Day/Time: Mondays & Tuesday /5 p.m. & 6 p.m. Dates: Mondays: Sept 12, 19, 26, Oct 3, 10. Tuesdays: Sept 13, 20, 27, Oct 4, & 11 Age: 3-8 years old Location: Lone Peak Park 10140 South 700 East
• Hot Air Balloon Festival – Sandy’s annual hot air balloon festival launch is Friday & Saturday, Aug.12 & 13 at sunrise, at Storm Mountain Park 1000 E. 11400 S. Balloon Glow will take place Saturday evening from 7-11 p.m. on the Sandy Promenade (10000 s. Centennial Parkway, Sandy, UT) sandy.utah.gov/ government/community events • Movie in the Park – Bring your family, friends, blankets, lawn chairs and enjoy outdoor cinema at its best. On Friday, Aug. 5, the movie is “Encanto” held at Flat Iron Park 1700 E. 8600 S. Movie is FREE. • Family Night at the Skate Park – Great fun for the whole family. Family Night is a great opportunity for families to enjoy the skate park. Theme Nights are Monday, August 22with “Family Skate “Children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. 6–9 p.m. at Lone Peak Skate Park, 10140 S. 700 E.
BALLOON FEST 5K Date: Time: Location: Registration Fee: Online Registration: Late Registration: Late Registration Fee:
Saturday, August 13 9:00 p.m. Sandy Promenade (10200 S. Centennial Pkwy (170 West) $25/individual or $20/family discount Closes August 12 at 7 a.m. August 12-14 Online not available $30/individual $25/family discount
FALL ADULT SOFTBALL LEAGUES Come play a short 8 game season. Teams play 2 games per week. Registration: August 11 or until full Divisions: Mens and Coed Leagues Begin: Week of August 22 Cost: $330/team
FALL PICKLEBALL CLINICS Age: Cost: Days: Dates: Deadline:
15 & up $40/person Monday & Wednesday Sept 7-28 Until Full
ADULT KICKBALL LEAGUE Cost: Days: Start Date: Deadline:
4
$285/team Mondays August 29 August 12
FALL PICKLEBALL LEAGUE Age: Cost: Days: Thursday Dates: Deadline:
15 & Up $35/person Tuesday & Sept 6-29 Until Full
Days: Time: Start Date: Cost: Deadline:
Thursdays (August 25, September 1, 8, 15 6:30-8:30 p.m. August 25 $25/individual Until Full
AUGUST CAMPS Basketball – Shooting & Offensive Skills Dates: August 1, 2, 3 Time: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Grades: 7-12 Location: Albion Middle School – 2755 East Newcastle Drive (8890 S.) Cost: $150 / participant; register at sandy.utah.gov/registration Utah Elite Soccer Dates: August 8-12 Times: 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (varies by ages) Ages: 4-12 Location: Willow Creek Park – 8400 S. 2000 E. Cost: $45-$60 / participant; register at sandy.utah.gov/registration Skyhawks Multi-Sport Dates: August 8-12 Times: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Ages: 6-12 Location: Willow Creek Park – 8400 S. 2000 E. Cost: $199 / participant; register at sandy.utah.gov/registration Challenger Soccer Dates: August 8-12 Times: 8 a.m.-12 p.m. (varies by age) Ages: 3-14 Location: Falcon Park – 9200 S. 1700 E. Cost: $104-$170/participant; register at sandy.utah.gov/registration
2022 YOUTH FALL SPORTS (*Registration has passed, please call for availability) Sport/Programs T–Ball / Coach Pitch * Recreation Soccer * Flag Football *
Age / Grade 4-7 Grades PreK-12 Grades 1-4
Cost $40 + late fee $52-$67 + late fee $62 + late fee
Games Begin Week of August 8 Saturday, August 20 Week of September 12
ONLINE REGISTRATION FOR ALL PROGRAMS: sandy.utah.gov/registration PARKS & RECREATION JOB OPENINGS: sandy.utah.gov/jobs
P A G E
Page 22 | August 2022
Sandy City Journal
Sandy Arts Presents: Crazy For You If you love Gershwin music, fun dancing, and a fast-paced love story, you will love Crazy For You! Stage-struck Bobby Child works as a banker for his overbearing mother but spends his off hours sneaking into auditions. Unfortunately, Bobby’s showbiz career is going nowhere, and his strident fiancé is insisting that he name the date, so Bobby jumps at the chance to get out of town on business to seize a property. Arriving in hot, quiet Deadrock, Nevada, Bobby falls for Polly Baker, whose father happens to own the beautiful, but decaying, Gaiety Theater, which he has been sent to seize. Now lovestruck, Bobby comes up with a plan: call in his friends, cast the local cowboys, and put on a show to save the old building. Polly falls in turn for the enthusiastic young man, but feels angry and betrayed when she discovers that he comes from the bank. Bobby disguises himself to be near her, but Polly is falling for his impersonation, not Bobby! With a fast-paced and light-hearted script by Ludwig, and a collection of the most beloved tunes of George and Ira Gershwin, including the day-dreamy “Can’t Be Bothered Now”, the catchy, high-energy “Slap That Bass”, and the plaintive, romantic “Someone To Watch Over Me”, Crazy For You is a truly delightful homage to the beloved, optimistic musicals of the 1930s: a world of showgirls and cowboys, in which a city boy and a country girl reconcile their differences, fall in love, and save a theater, the old-fashioned way. Crazy For You runs July 29 - August 13 at The Theater at Mount Jordan. Tickets on sale at sandyarts.com.
I S S U E # 95 AU G U S T – S E P T E M B E R 2 0 22 S andy Journal .com
P A G E
5
August 2022 | Page 23
Women in Water & the Annual Water Quality Report This year’s annual water quality report is now available to Sandy residents on our website, or you can call and request to have a copy mailed to you directly (see information below). Great news! Sandy continues to deliver top-quality water to our residents, and we are within safe limits on all the EPA required reporting standards. In addition to being safe, our water provider (Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake and Sandy) recently won a regional award from the American Water Works Association Intermountain Division for best tasting water for the second year in a row (2109 and 2021; 2020 was cancelled). Sandy is proud to deliver safe and delicious water to our residents 365 days a year. We are also proud of the women who are integral to delivering this clean water and reliable information, including Karen Hoagland, our Water Compliance Officer, and Myrna Groomer, our Water Resource Analyst. Sandy City’s Annual Water Quality Reports will be distributed electronically via the web starting July 2022. You can view this report at sandy.utah.gov/waterqualityreport This report will not be mailed to your home unless you contact us with your name and full mailing address. This can be done by contacting our Public Utilities Department at (801) 352-4400. Paper copies can be obtained at City Hall 10000 S. Centennial Parkway or at the Water Operations Center 9150 S. 150 E.
Karen Hoagland
Karen Hoagland is the Compliance Officer for Sandy City Public Utilities and has been employed with the city for 26 years. She is essential to the department, as she is responsible for monitoring water quality throughout Sandy. Karen routinely collects water samples and delivers them to the labs for analysis. She compiles reports of the results and ensures that our water quality is in compliance with federal and state safe drinking water regulations. Sandy Public Utilities is dedicated to providing safe water to our residents, but once the
water passes through the meter on your property, it is exposed to a whole new unregulated environment in your home. Despite this, Karen troubleshoots water quality issues with customers and walks them through things they can do to solve any issues on their end. Her willingness to go above and beyond to help customers reflects the pride she takes in her work. Karen is currently working on updating our inventory for the lead and copper rule. She will be testing for lead and copper in your drinking water for homes built before 1986. If you would like to volunteer for free testing, please call 801-352-4400 or email khoagland@sandy.utah.gov. The testing will be conducted between July 18 – August 19, 2022.
Myrna Groomer
If you are a regular consumer of our annual water quality report, you will notice that this year’s report has even more information and a new look; this is due to the hard work of Myrna Groomer, our Water Resource Analyst. She has expanded the report to include extra explanations and clarifying information about the water quality report, which should help all our residents make sense of the technical document. Myrna has been with Sandy for just over two years. In this time, Myrna has become the hub for all water numbers and data in public utilities. In addition to generating and monitoring water stats and reports, she also keeps an eye on state and federal water regulations and keeps our departmental website running and user-friendly. Sandy is fortunate to have Myrna putting her University of Utah degree in Environmental and Sustainability Studies to good use in our department.
Tips And Tricks for Staying Waterwise in The Heat of Summer
• Irrigate efficiently º Get a free water audit from the USU Experts: extension.usu.edu/cwel/watercheck º Install a smart controller. Rebates available! www.utahwatersavers.com º Switch planting beds to drip irrigation. º Follow the state watering guidelines: conservewater.utah.gov/weekly-lawn-watering-guide/ • Install a Water Sense toilet. Rebates available! www.utahwatersavers.com • Put off landscaping projects. Wait to plant until cooler months when your new projects can thrive. • Play our H2O conservation game! sandy.utah.gov/1972
6
P A G E
Page 24 | August 2022
Sandy City Journal
Construction Updates Besides the overlay project on 1300 East from Creek Road to Highpoint Parkway, the following projects have been completed this summer: 9400 South 840 East HAWK Pedestrian Signal: Installed a raised median, ADA compliant ramp, and widened the sidewalk between 840 East and the canal. In addition, a sidewalk section was constructed on 840 East from 9400 South to Oakhampton Drive. Bowen Construction completed all the concrete work and the Sandy Canal trail connections while Salt Lake County installed the signal system. 9270 South Sidewalk: Created a meandering 10 ft. walk from Benson Way to 150 East along the north side of Jordon Commons. This will make it easier for pedestrians and fans going to and from Rio Tinto Stadium to safely walk to the TRAX station through the recently realigned Rimando Way corridor. Porter Rockwell Trail Extension: Extended and completed this 10 ft. wide multiuse pedestrian trail in Sandy City from Pioneer Avenue to the private development on the north city border. If you have any questions, please contact Public Works at (801) 568-2999.
SANDY CITY CALENDAR OF EVENTS Jul 29-Aug 13 Aug 1 Aug 2 Aug 3 Aug 4 Aug 6 Aug 9 Aug 11 Aug 12 Aug 12-13 Aug 16 Aug 15 Aug 18 Aug 17 Aug 18 Aug 24 Aug 24 Aug 25 Aug 26 Aug 30 Sep 1 Sep 1 Sep 3 Sep 10 Sep 15 Sep 16 Sep 17 Sep 23 Aug 24
Crazy for You Little Feat Junior Firefighter Academy The Dead South Yoga in the Park Mat & Savanna Lukas Nelson Yoga in the Park Whiskey Myers Balloon Festival & 5K Mt. Joy Food Truck Night Planning Commission First Aid, CPR and AED Class Andy Grammer & Fitz and the Tantrums First Aid, CPR and AED Class Free - International Folk Festival Elvis Costello Imagine+ Robert Plant & Alison Krauss Planning Commission Air Supply IDKHow & Joywave Sandy Heritage Festival & Horse Parade Planning Commission The Lower Lights Elton John’s Classic Hits - Live! Jackson Browne Free - International Folk Festival
7:30 p.m. 7 p.m. 9 a.m.- 12 p.m. 7 p.m. 8-9 p.m. 7 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 8-9 p.m. 6 p.m. 10 a.m. 7 p.m. 5:30 p.m. 6 p.m. 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. 6 p.m. 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7 p.m. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7 p.m. 8 p.m.
|
AUGUST–SEPTEMBER 2022
The Theater at Mount Jordan Sandy Amphitheater Station 31: 9010 S 150 E Sandy Amphitheater Sandy Amphitheater Park Sandy Amphitheater Sandy Amphitheater Sandy Amphitheater Park Sandy Amphitheater Storm Mountain Park Sandy Amphitheater Sandy Amphitheater Park Council Chambers Station 31: 9010 S 150 E Sandy Amphitheater Station 31: 9010 S 150 E Sandy Amphitheater Sandy Amphitheater Sandy Amphitheater Sandy Amphitheater Council Chambers Sandy Amphitheater Sandy Amphitheater Main Street Park 90 E. 8720 S. Council Chambers Sandy Amphitheater Sandy Amphitheater Sandy Amphitheater Sandy Amphitheater
sandyarts.com sandyamp.com sandy.utah.gov/fire sandyamp.com sandy.utah.gov/summeryoga sandyamp.com sandyamp.com sandy.utah.gov/summeryoga sandyamp.com sandy.utah.gov/Balloonfest sandyamp.com sandy.utah.gov/1918/Food-Truck-Night sandyutah.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx sandy.utah.gov/fire sandyamp.com sandy.utah.gov/fire sandyamp.com sandyamp.com sandyamp.com sandyamp.com sandyutah.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx sandyamp.com sandyamp.com sandy.utah.gov/heritagefest sandyutah.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx sandyamp.com sandyamp.com sandyamp.com sandyamp.com
All events subject to change due to COVID-19. Go to sandy.utah.gov for more events. I S S U E # 95 AU G U S T – S E P T E M B E R 2 0 22 S andy Journal .com
P A G E
7
August 2022 | Page 25
Many Sandy students will study at new schools this fall, construction underway at other campuses By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
S
tudents will return to school this August at the new Beehive Academy of Science & Technology, Glacier Hills Elementary, Challenger Sandy campus and Diamond Ridge High School and Entrada Adult High School. Construction will continue at several other campuses, including Waterford School, Union Middle and Peruvian Park Elementary. Beehive Academy The ribbon-cutting for the tuition-free charter school will be held at 5 p.m., Aug. 10 at 2165 E. 9400 South. The new school location, former home of Shopko, will open with the main level at 94,049 square feet and is expected to expand from 700 students to more than 900 students, opening the school to younger students so it will serve kindergarten through high school seniors. The 22,553-square-foot second floor will be finished in the future. The building was purchase at $12.4 million with another $13.4 million being earmarked for renovations and fees, Beehive Academy Principal Hanifi Oguz said. “I am very excited and thrilled about the growth of the school and how we are now finally able to offer the same quality of education to even more students,” he said. “Our wonderful STEM program will be part of our elementary also, and we have spared no expense to be able to have STEM labs, computer labs and engineering programs, offered even to the youngest of students.” Glacier Hills Elementary The ribbon-cutting of the 95,000-square-foot Glacier Hills will be at 6 p.m., Aug. 11 at 1085 S. 9800 South. The new $30,660,000 Glacier Hills will house students from the former Edgemont and Bell View elementary schools to create a unified student body in the new home of the Yetis. The school has skylights, large windows and glass sliding classrooms so students can collaborate in small areas. “It has lots of natural daylighting; I think that's probably my favorite feature,” Canyons Chief Financial Officer and Business Administrator Leon Wilcox said. “I like the layout of the playground and I like how we have our buses separated from our parent drop off. That should work out great.” There also is a designated space for counselors and other professionals to visit with students and a youth academy, a program to help elementary students with study skills, credit recovery, behavior skills and support, which will be completed in December. This and other Canyons School District remodels and rebuilds were made pos-
Page 26 | August 2022
sible when voters approved a $283-million tax-neutral bond in 2017. Challenger Challenger’s Sandy location will hold an open house from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Aug. 5 at its new school campus at 10650 S. 700 East. The new 52,000-square-foot school features 30 preschool through eighth-grade classrooms, a computer lab, a science lab, and a large multipurpose auditorium. In addition, the school will feature a large synthetic turf field and track as well as a preschool and kindergarten playground and two playgrounds for elementary and middle school students. The student capacity of the new campus is 810 students. “Our current campus served us well, but was close to needing a complete overhaul,” said CEO Hugh Gourgeon about the 41-year-old campus a few blocks east of the new school. “And, we built it in stages over the years. So, while it worked, the facility wasn’t optimal. This new campus is a purpose-built facility, designed to allow us to provide the best education for our students. We are really pleased to have been able to complete its construction in time to open before school begins this fall.” There have been no decisions made regarding the use of the old campus. Diamond Ridge High School and Entrada Adult High School Remodeling of the former Bell View Elementary is underway to transform the school to Diamond Ridge, Canyons School District’s alternative high school, and Entrada, Canyons’ adult educational high school. “The main thing we're doing now is restrooms because they’re little kids’ restrooms, so we’ve got to convert those into bigger kids’ restrooms,” Wilcox said. There also will be a second entrance and office remodel so both programs will have separate entrances and offices and a counseling suite. There are plans for science labs, art classrooms, family and consumer science labs, a teen-parent room and a preschool. Additional office space will be made for outside services, so vocational rehabilitation and the Division of Workforce Services can meet with students and their families. Diamond Ridge, which opened in August 2015, is expected to limit enrollment at 120 students this year, but the school should be able house up to 300 students the following school year, Wilcox said. Meanwhile, all eight Diamond Ridge portables at Canyons Technical Education Center are expected to be moved, allowing for more parking space. The space the
Waterford School held a ground-breaking ceremony for a new science center on the Sandy campus, which is expected to be completed fall 2023. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
programs used in CTEC’s building is earmarked to start a pharmacy tech program in 2023 as well as expand the current cosmetology and criminal justice programs, he said. Phase I of the Diamond Ridge remodel is $1.6M, which is being funded through a capital grant from the state, Wilcox said. The phase II remodel has not been bid yet. The two schools will hold a joint open house and ribbon-cutting at 6 p.m., Aug. 10 at their new home, 9800 S. 800 East. Waterford In early April, Waterford School held its ground-breaking for a new science center on the campus. The facility is to be at the center of student learning, with state-ofthe-art integrated lab spaces, a robotics and tool space, and an intentionally-designed nature lab space for the outdoor program with an observation deck that looks out to Little Cottonwood Canyon. The project is part of $27-million Waterford Rises fundraising campaign designed to enhance student experience and support teaching excellence, Head of School Andrew Menke said. “The science center will bring a STEM education alive as students work alongside facility conducting experiments and engaging in hands-on, immersive learning,” he said. Along with the $22-million science center, the school has plans to use the campaign funds for a new student commons and turf field in the future. Sophomore Lily Moshirfar spoke at
the new science center ground-breaking, recalling several science moments in classes she has had at the school since attending from age 3. “Those lessons of science really put this world into perspective for me,” she said. “They taught me how to think and see and question things from a scientific view. It is my dream to become a scientist. I believe that science is everything and everything is science. This building will bring this community closer as we take advantage of the space to fill our minds and learn together.” Also in the science center, there will be a nature lab to house “a huge donation of really nice specimens from all over the world,” said science teacher Daniel Osipovitch, who added it will “be almost like a natural history kind of classroom hybrid. It’s going to be super cool.” Junior Rohit Singh said even though the building will be completed in fall 2023, after he graduates, he wants to return to tour the chemistry and physics labs, the biosafety lab and the robotics space. “It's going to definitely make a lot of the newer students more passionate about science,” he said. Union Union Middle is expected to be on schedule with its opening to students in fall 2023. During the next few months, crews will begin on the roof and “be working heavy on the mechanical and electrical; those two big areas,” Wilcox said. After the school year is over for the
Sandy City Journal
Sandy high school students recognized for their excellence in art By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
S
everal area high school students had their art selected for the 50th Utah All-State High School Art Show, a juried show that honors the best high school artists in the state for their creativity, talent and dedication at the Springville Museum of Art. This year’s show had 335 works, representing 108 high schools. Here is a selection of area work that was displayed this spring. l
Kaylie Davis of Diamond Ridge High created “Two Faced,” which was selected for the 50th Utah All-State High School Art Show. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Calleigh Crowley of Alta High painted “Botanical Sanctuary” and was honored as one of the best high school artists in the state. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
2022-23 school year, the existing school, which opened in 1968, will be torn down to put in soccer fields and parking. That is expected to be completed in December 2023, he said. Ground was broken for the new Union Middle in April 2021. The new school, that will sport the school colors of blue and yellow, will have state-of-the-art technology as well as skylights to allow natural light to flood into the building. The classroom wings, located near the main office, will have collaborative spaces for each grade level. An additional wing will house students with disabilities and a collaborative area for psychologists, speech pathologists and others. An adapted PE area, that includes a ramp and outdoor learning equipment, for those with physical disabilities is planned as well. The performing arts area, with a 650seat auditorium, will be located near the main office as well as arts and career and technical education classes. The family and consumer sciences rooms will include a culinary setup with steel moveable tables so the room can be shaped in lines or in a U-shape to watch demonstrations. The gymnasium, which will feature an indoor track, will be used for dance and PE classes. Equipment that is similar to that on “American Ninja Warrior” as well as a climbing wall will be located nearby, close to the cafeteria. There also will be the Bobcat Den, a large learning space where multiple classes can meet, or it could house district professional development staff meetings. The construction cost of Union comes in at $62,181,000, Wilcox said.
Peruvian Park The supply chain issues resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic as well as trying to get supplies from the Baltic states during the Ukraine-Russia war has slowed progress on Peruvian Park Elementary, Wilcox said. Once it was determined last winter that were would be delays with steel, it was announced the new school building wouldn’t be ready until this fall, after the start of the school year. Since then, there also have been supply issues with concrete powder and glass and aluminum framing that comes from the Baltic states. “We're also struggling with the mechanical, the HVAC or some of the electrical because we just don't have enough workers there. A lot of construction projects across the Wasatch Front have been impacted as well. It’s a very fluid situation,” he said. “Everybody's frustrated. I'm sure parents are going to be frustrated or teachers are frustrated. I'm frustrated. We're trying our best.” Construction began on the new $23,140,000 Peruvian Park in late March 2021 and by that summer, the 1964 Peruvian Park school building was demolished. The new two-story school will feature its school colors of red and black and can house up to 800 Panthers in its 92,000-square-foot design. It will be a seismically safe, energy-efficient building that has updated technology in all 30 classrooms and skylights for natural lighting. Two classrooms will be dedicated to music and art instruction. l
S andy Journal .com
Waterford School’s Lucza Brewer created “Embrace,” which was one of 335 works representing 108 high schools in the all-state high school art show. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Jordan High’s Ashley Meza’s pen drawing of “Incertitude” was selected to be part of the all-state high school art show. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Students introduced to Glacier Hills Elementary community Photo by Julie Slama
G
lacier Hills Elementary students recently had the chance to meet their principal Julie Winfree, teachers and support staff—as well as take a photo with a cut-out of the Yeti mascot—at a meet-and-greet recently at nearby Big Bear Park in White City. The student body merges former Bell View and Edgemont grade schools’ students who will attend school in a new building that is scheduled to open this fall on the former Edgemont campus. Bell View’s school building will be used for Diamond Ridge and Entrada students. l
August 2022 | Page 27
Beloved Park Lane teacher left legacy in life lessons By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
A
t the end of the school year, Park Lane third-grade teacher Susan Homer watched her students play during the annual Field Day. Her chair was on the painted state map on the playground— actually on the islands of Hawaii, a trip she had booked in 2020 that got canceled because of COVID-19 restrictions. “We joked with her that she was finally getting to go to Hawaii,” Principal Justin Jeffery said. “I suspect she wasn’t feeling great. She learned over spring break her liver wasn’t functioning properly.” Before she left for the summer, Homer picked up new curriculum materials and confirmed with Jeffery she’d be at the training in June. She never made it. One week after school ended, Homer went into the hospital with bacterial meningitis. She died in a coma two weeks later. Park Lane PTA, teachers and students lined the streets surrounding the school with purple ribbon —her favorite color. A makeshift memorial of flowers, notes, pinwheels and even her alma mater Utah State University pennant placed by the school marquee. When the family left the service for her at the church, they drove past the school. “There were a bunch of students and parents waving and flowers and ribbons were there front of the school,” Susan’s husband Drew said. “It was pretty touching.” Homer leaves a legacy. She taught at Park Lane Elementary for 32 years—22 years in kindergarten and the last 10 in third grade. Former Principal Karen Medlin remembers that transition. “Susan came to me and said, ‘I want you to consider moving me to that open thirdgrade position.’ I was shocked,” Medlin said. “I said, ‘Are you sure?’ She said, ‘No, but I think I am ready for a new adventure.’ The amazing thing is that she built a whole new reputation as an excellent third-grade teacher. She was a teacher at heart. She knew how to teach, knew how to inspire students, and knew how to build a strong team among her team members and colleagues.” This upcoming year, Homer was to be the team lead for third grade. “One of my last conversations I asked if she wanted to be the team lead again or if she wanted to let someone else take the lead. She was like, ‘Oh, come on. One more.’ She likes being in the know and making decisions,” Jeffery said. “Susan was always somebody that spoke her mind which I appreciate. I loved having her on our building leadership team because she absolutely loved Park Lane. She would do anything for kids. As we would talk in the meeting, if there was something she disagreed with, Susan would go super silent because she was respectful. I’d wait, then I would ask, ‘Susan, what do you think?’ She’d say, ‘OK, if you want to know my opinion,’
Page 28 | August 2022
and then I always knew that we were in for a conversation. She wouldn’t put anyone down or talk all over them or railroad them. She would just go super quiet and then, we’d know to back pedal and give her time to talk about another perspective of whatever we were talking about. But if she agreed with what we're going to do, Susan was all in. She wanted to do whatever was best for the kids and Park Lane—always.” Medlin, who remembers standing by Homer, singing the school rules to students, agrees: “She was the ultimate leader. She spent many years on the Building Leadership Team and the School Community Council. She shared wisdom, dedication, creative ideas, and love for her students, her school, and her community.” Homer also was a friend as well as a colleague, teacher Angie Haycock said. “She was one of the teachers that interviewed me” for a Park Lane teaching opening years ago, Haycock said, remembering even a few months into the school year, Homer “always was checking on me to make sure I knew what was going on and asking if I needed any help. She always had a way of knowing things, like ‘hey, seems like you're having a rough day. What's going on?’ She was very positive, happy, upbeat—and always had a smile.” The best interest of students extended to teaching them life lessons. “A lot of kids remember her life lessons, even after they graduate,” Jeffery said. “If there was a problem at recess, they'd come in after recess and she'd say, ‘Before we start on math, we're going to talk about a life lesson.’ She would talk to them about how to get along and how to work together with somebody they don't always see eye to eye with. She taught these types of life lessons because they needed to know them to survive life.” He remembers when he talked to Homer about starting the day with her life lessons. “I was trying to get all my teachers to do community circles or morning meetings that talk about the expectations of the students and their day,” he said. “She told me she does life lessons. I’m like, ‘Can you do them in the morning?’ And she said, ‘Yes, but I'm also going to do them in the afternoon and whenever else they need to happen. I want to be able to have a life lesson with my kids so they could learn.’” Drew Homer said the life lessons was what “she was famous for” in addition to her motto, “You can do hard things.” “She had hard things in her life, and she wanted to give confidence to the kids that they can handle it,” he said. “It basically comes from who she is—her faith, her personal beliefs, her outlook on life, what's right and what's wrong. She wasn't there just to teach math and science. She was teaching the whole person.”
Susan Homer, former Park Lane teacher, was known to cheer on her Aggies as well as the Beetdiggers. (Photo courtesy of Karen Medlin)
A make-shift memorial around Park Lane’s marquee along with purple ribbons tied around the trees were in honor of beloved teacher Susan Homer, who died in mid-June. (Photo courtesy of Karen Medlin)
That mantra was on a sign at the school’s make-shift memorial. Jeffery said the message of being able to do hard things was in a video his son made for Homer, one of many get-well videos she received. “She knew how kids learned. She didn't teach down to them. She just said, ‘This is how we do it and it can be hard. And it’s OK for it to be hard, but we can do hard things,’” he said. Her message is on the school’s website: “You can do hard things. Always believe in yourself. And it's OK to make mistakes. Learn from them and move on. Never give up. Remember to find joy in your journey.”
Former Principal Kelly Tauteoli remembered how Homer taught in her classroom. “Her room was very calm and positive and fun; she laughed with the kids a lot,” she said. “Susan really cared about every kid. You hear teachers care about students, but Susan really got to the heart of kids because she understood them. She had them very well trained in the procedures and they knew the expectations and she was consistent in them. She was very patient and had supports and was very well organized. She always knew exactly how the kids were doing. She was very on top of their learning and had everything in place to make sure kids thrived.” Tauteoli also said often times, Homer
Sandy City Journal
D
1
R
TT
NATIO
’S
TH
E
N
S andy Journal .com
spected about her is that she never complained or said she wouldn’t do something. There always is something new, but she was always willing to give whatever the district asked of her to do a try. She would give it her best, whatever was good for kids,” he said. Another memorable lesson was when Homer reached out to the Jordan High band director and the drumline. They not only would play for students, but they taught thirdgrade students how to drum on five-gallon buckets. “Instead of singing a song at the singalong, they would drum with the Jordan High School drumline. They had so much fun, and it made a connection for them for the future and it really was cool experience for them,” he said, adding that Homer was a “big-time Jordan alum” that was always supporting her alma mater. “She also had a friend in the community whose son has a disability and loves to dress up as Santa Claus. Every year, he would be the one that comes in dressed up like Santa Claus—and she’d emcee. I don’t know what we’ll do because that’s the thing, nobody wants to fill shoes that are unfillable.” The veteran teacher was named 2015 teacher of the year for her school and received the 2018 Sandy Youth Council teacher of excellence award. “She was extremely proud and appreciative of the gratitude and thoughtful notes that people would send her, just people recognizing that she made a difference in their lives,” Drew Homer said. Throughout her career, his wife brought home papers to grade and lesson plans to complete, but she would put family first. She found time to make quilts and pillowcases for her sons and her granddaughter Hallie as she’d watch “Jeopardy!” or “Family Feud” or listen to “wholesome” music, as her husband called it. Her favorite singer was Donny Osmond. Medlin remembered Homer “always displayed Donny memorabilia in her classroom” and was “on cloud 9” after meeting him. Haycock added: “The photo of her with Donny was hung on a cabinet in her room. Sometimes she would throw him in there, play little clip for Donnie for a meeting or whatnot.” While the Park Lake community was secretly making plans to surprise her for the day when she might retire by inviting Donny Osmond to perform, Jeffery can’t help but laugh. “I can just see Susan one step ahead of me, asking what she always did, ‘How’s that working for you?’ In this case, I’d have to say not very well,” he said, adding now he hopes to install a purple bench on the playground in her honor. “She had a way of asking so we’d re-evaluate what we’re doing, but always saying it in a positive way. She’s still teaching those life lessons.”l
GU
would have some of the “harder” students in her classroom. “Susan really seemed to get a lot of the harder kids because she was good with them. She was very patient and had supports in place, and she didn’t cuddle. She wanted to make sure all her students were learning,” she said. Haycock agrees: “She was an amazing teacher—and tough, but they knew she loved them. She could touch the hardest student and they would love her until now and forever. She always had kids coming back to say hello and tell her what they were up to and she loved that. She loved her students and she lived in the Park Lane neighborhood. Susan would find out when the kids’ plays and musicals were or any sporting event and she would try to go to them, even while her own boys were young.” She even included students in the fun when she turned 50. “She came dressed in her poodle skirt, having fun with a ’50s theme, and had a birthday party with the students,” Haycock said. “We also had a ‘Polar Express’ day where they could watch the movie and we served hot cocoa and doughnuts.” Homer knew how to engage her students in fun experiences such as “unlock the classroom” worksheet competitions and creating poster biographies in her lesson plans. “She always would say she's a dinosaur when it comes to computers, but she would make Google Slides for her students and we’d be like ‘Susan, what do you mean you can’t do technology?’” Jeffery said. “Anyway, Brett Williams—he taught with her for years and they're just a really good team—he did a biography on Susan and showed it to her class. The biographies are posters with a space cut out so their heads can go through along with a bunch of facts. His picture showed her riding a dinosaur. It was adorable and so funny.” Jeffery said that Homer became “pretty savvy” with technology during the 2020 soft closure of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic when she switched her lesson plans online. “It was very stressful for me,” Homer had said at the time. “Teaching online just freaked out an old schoolteacher like me. I left in tears one day.” That day, Homer knew how to fix her meltdown—by reconnecting with her students. “I emailed the parents and went to the kids. I left them packets on their porch and wrote to them how much they meant to me. Then, I stood back on the sidewalk and saw them. I really, really miss the kids,” Homer said. “I saw their cute faces and I remembered why I do what I do. I saw how much what I did meant to them and that gave me the courage to push forward and go online with new material.” Jeffery said Homer had seen a lot of changes in her career, and she did what was best for the kids. “One of the things that I've always re-
ER GUA
INSTALLS ON NEW & EXISTING GUTTERS
BACKED BY A YEAR-ROUND
CLOG-FREE GUARANTEE EXCLUSIVE LIMITED TIME OFFER
15 +
% OFF YOUR ENTIRE PURCHASE *
+
5% OFF
10
% OFF
SENIORS & MILITARY ON TOP OF THE 15%!
TO THE FIRST 50 CALLERS ONLY **
FINANCING THAT FITS YOUR BUDGET!1
www.LeafFilter.com/newspaper| Promo Code: 300 Subject to credit approval. Call for details.
1
1
Micromesh
2
uPVC Frame
Hanger
3
4
New or Existing Gutters
LIFETIME WARRANTY
CALL US TODAY FOR
A FREE ESTIMATE
385-341-2799
*The leading consumer reporting agency conducted a 16 month outdoor test of gutter guards in 2010 and recognized LeafFilter as the “#1 rated professionally installed gutter guard system in America.” *For those who qualify. One coupon per household. No obligation estimate valid for 1 year. **Must present at time of estimate. See Representative for full warranty details. Manufactured in Plainwell, Michigan and processed at LMT Mercer Group in Ohio. CSLB# 1035795 DOPL #10783658-5501 License# 7656 License# 50145 License# 41354 License# 99338 License# 128344 License# 218294 License# 603 233 977 License# 2102212986 License# 2106212946 License# 2705132153A License# LEAFFNW822JZ License# WV056912 License# WC-29998-H17 Nassau HIC License# H01067000 Registration# 176447 Registration# HIC.0649905 Registration# C127229 Re gistration# C127230 Registration# 366920918 Registration# PC6475 Registration# IR731804 Registration# 13VH09953900 Registration# PA069383 Suffo lk HIC License# 52229-H License# 2705169445 License# 262000022
August 2022 | Page 29
AIR DUCT CLEANING What’s Hiding in Your
AIR VENTS?
We can sanitize your vents to help strengthen your immune system.
BACTERIA
DUST MITES
POLLEN
PET DANDER
ARE YO U EXPERI E N CIN G: • Allergies • Asthma • Headaches • Coughing/Sneezing • Excessive Dust?
Do you KNOW what your Family is Breathing? WITH SUPERIOR QUALITY
100% GUARANTEED AIR DUCT CLEANING DRYER VENT CLEANING ASTHMA & ALLERGY TREATMENT
CALL US
TODAY!
801-618-4649 Page 30 | August 2022
49
$
10 vents,1 return, and 1 main comes with free system analysis/inspection
Additional vents priced separately. With coupon. Expires 9-1-22.
FREE
dryer vent cleaning with any complete air duct system cleaning
With this coupon. Expires 9-1-22.
50
%
OFF
allergy/asthma sanitizer with any complete duct cleaning
With this coupon. Expires 9-1-22.
SUMMER CLEANOUT SPECIALS
WE WILL BEAT ANY PRICE
www.theapexcleanair.com
Sandy City Journal
35+ Years of Helping People... ...SELL their current home and BUY the new home of their DREAMS.
With rates at an alltime LOW, there is no time like the present to buy or sell a home.
Caps off! Alta View students earn dual immersion certificates Photo by Julie Slama
A
lta View dual immersion fifth-graders throw their homemade mortarboards after they were honored and received a certificate of competition of dual immersion for grades one through five from the Spanish Academy Embassy of Spain. l
WORK WITH SOMEONE
YOU CAN TRUST!
“Real Estate Joe” Olschewski 801.573.5056 joeolschewski41@gmail.com
*We are dedicated to ensuring your home is protected year round, which is why we offer a no-clog guarantee.* If your LeafGuard® gutter ever clogs, we will come out to clean at no cost to you. • One-Piece System • Protective Overhang/Trim • ScratchGuard® Paint Finish
• Customization Options • Professional Installation`
The permanent, clog free 385-300-0869 gutter solution!* Receive a $100 Visa gift card with your FREE in-home estimate! EXPIRES AUGUST 31, 2022 *All participants who attend an estimated 60-90-minute in-home product consultation will receive a $100 Visa gift card. Retail value is $100. Offer sponsored by LeafGuard Holdings Inc. Limit one per household. Company procures, sells, and installs seamless gutter protection. This offer is valid for homeowners over 18 years of age. If married or involved with a life partner, both cohabitating persons must attend and complete presentation together. Participants must have a photo ID and be legally able to enter into a contract. The following persons are not eligible for this offer: employees of Company or affiliated companies or entities, their immediate family members, previous participants in a Company in-home consultation within the past 12 months and all current and former Company customers. Gift may not be extended, transferred, or substituted except that Company may substitute a gift of equal or greater value if it deems it necessary. Gift card will be mailed to the participant via first class United States Mail within 10 days of receipt of the promotion form. Not valid in conjunction with any other promotion or discount of any kind. Offer not sponsored and is subject to change without notice prior to reservation. Offer not available in the states of CA, IN, PA and MI. Expires 8/31/22...
$99 Insatallation! EXPIRES AUGUST 31, 2022
Offer does not include cost of material. Discount applied by representative at time of contract execution.
LeafGuard operates as LeafGuard of Utah in Utah under license number UT 11650889-5501
S andy Journal .com
Guaranteed not to clog for as long as you own your home, or we will clean your gutters for free! August 2022 | Page 31
Young Sandy rec teams play at Smith’s Ballpark By Heather Lawrence | h.lawrence@mycityjournals.com
T
wo kids’ teams from Sandy’s softball program played on the Bees professional field during the annual Playball Weekend June 11. The teams were invited along with others from around the valley. “Sandy City has been partners with the Jr. Bees for years. Because of that relationship, we were invited to participate at the field in the Playball program,” said Laura Tobler, recreation program coordinator for Sandy City. The Bees were just one of 150 Major and Minor League teams who hosted clinics for Playball Weekend. Clinics and games encourage youth in the community to get excited about baseball and learn new skills. “We were excited when Sandy Parks and Rec reached out to me to see if my team would want to participate,” said coach Matt Payne of Sandy. His 7-year-old son Remy plays on his coach pitch team. “We got five or six kids from our team there. It was a really hot day, but we had a great time on the pro field. All the kids got up to bat a few times and got to run,” Payne said. Payne grew up in Sandy and his family is active in Sandy Rec flag football, soccer, baseball and other sports. “We’re always involved in something, and Sandy Rec is a great organization,” Payne said. “At this age these kids are just learning how to play, and I think these experiences are really cool.” Payne said since he used to work for the Bees, Remy is a “bit spoiled” and has been to the field before for games and other events. But for the other kids on his team it was a new experience. “Remy was really excited to share it with his friends.
He’s been to the Smith’s field, but this is the first time he’s played on it. They kept thinking the grass wasn’t real because it was so green. I told them it was just really well taken care of,” Payne said. Payne’s team played against another Sandy team of 7-year-olds coached by Dallas Reid. Reid’s son William plays on the team. “Playing at the field was amazing. We got free tickets to a Bees game. You have to swing harder because the field is bigger. And running the bases takes a long time—it just keeps going on and on!” William said. Ricky Wagner is on Reid’s team, and the game was doubly memorable for him. “He lost his first tooth during the game!” said Ricky’s dad Ryan Wagner. “He went around telling everyone who would listen that he lost his tooth.” Cohen Carter was excited to play on the field because he’d gone to a Bees game just a few nights earlier. “Batting is what I really like, and Coach Reid taught us to ‘squish the bug’ to make the hit smooth.” Kade Bagley loved playing on the field but got tired “because of all the running.” When their team’s game was done they got to go to the real diamond and run the bases. “I got a hit and got to go all the way to home,” Kade said. Davis Begent was playing his third season with Sandy and was on Reid’s team. His mom Laura said he’s loved playing on Sandy teams. “Davis loves playing with coach Reid and getting to know more kids in the neighborhood by being on a team with them. And then being able to play with his buddies in the big stadium, that was such a neat thing for them to experience
Coaches Matt Payne (left) and Dallas Reid (center) of Sandy both got to take their Sandy Rec teams to Playball Weekend at the Smith’s Ballpark June 11. (Matt Payne)
together,” Begent said. The purpose of the program is to get more kids excited about playing baseball. In addition to the games going on that day, the Bees hosted clinics which all filled up fast. Coach Payne said this is an experience that will stick with the kids. “Whether it really clicks with them and they love to play baseball or not, having the experience of playing on the field is really cool,” Payne said. “It’s something they and their families will remember for a long time.” l
Sandy Arts Guild brings Gershwin classics to summer nights in ‘Crazy for You’ By Heather Lawrence | h.lawrence@mycityjournals.com
Q
uick: think of a George Gershwin song. Whether you came up with “I Got Rhythm,” “Someone to Watch Over Me” or “Embraceable You,” all three numbers and more are included in Sandy’s production of “Crazy for You.” The musical plays July 29Aug. 13 at the (air conditioned!) Mount Jordan Theater. “This is a show that appeals on a very wide array of levels to a broad audience. There’s a lot of singing, a lot of dancing and a light comedy/romance storyline,” said director David Hanson. “Crazy for You” combines the best of old and new musical worlds. It’s a relatively new show written in the early 1990s using classic Gershwin songs from the 1930s. “The show combines the Gershwin brothers’ more popular songs with a book from the 1990s. So it’s part recreation of the era and part homage to it,” Hanson said. The story is about a banker who wants to live out his dream as an actor. When he’s asked by his bank to close down a dying theater in Nevada, he decides instead to put on a show to raise the funds and save it. And of course, he falls in love and has to win the girl. In addition to well-known songs, the Sandy production has some amazing dancing. “There is a lot of dancing! Jazz, tap, soft
Page 32 | August 2022
shoe; this is a very dance-filled show. It really is representative of the old Follies shows. “Then they’ve woven in a really nice story, a classic Broadway story. Guy meets girl, guy falls in love with girl, trouble ensues and they figure it out by the end of the show,” Hanson said. “Crazy for You” was an immediate and award-winning success when it came out in the early 1990s. During its introductory season it won the 1992 Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Musical and Outstanding Comedy, and Tonys for Best Musical and Best Choreography and Costume Design. It was also a hit in London winning Olivier Awards in 1993 for its original season and 2012 for the revival. “I think it’s interesting that there are a lot of people who aren’t familiar with the show. You tell them it’s a story built around Gershwin tunes. Then you start listing off songs and they realize they know them. It’s a bit of nostalgia for people even if they don’t know it yet,” Hanson said. The two leads in Sandy’s production are Jared Saunders and Makayla Conner. Saunders plays reluctant banker Bobby Child, and Conner plays Polly Baker, a resident of the Nevada town that’s seen better days. When they meet, it’s love at first sight—at least for Bobby.
Makayla Conner and Jared Saunders play Polly Baker and Bobby Child in the Sandy Arts production of “Crazy for You” in July and August. (Sandy Arts Guild)
“We tend to get a lot of the same actors back to Sandy productions time after time. I think it’s a testament to how great it is to work with Sandy, both in the process and the quality of the shows. They put a lot of effort into making these shows as good and as enjoyable for the cast as possible,” Hanson said. Tickets are available at www.sandyarts. com and range from $8-$15. The show is family-friendly and runs July 29-Aug. 13. All
shows begin at 7:30 p.m. Though Sandy Arts sometimes performs at the amphitheater, they moved this one inside to The Theater at Mount Jordan in Sandy at 9400 S. 300 East. “We decided to put the show inside so we could enjoy it in an air-conditioned theater,” Hanson said. “But it won’t keep the actors from sweating—they’re acting, dancing and singing their butts off onstage!” l
Sandy City Journal
Are you looking at me?
So are 250,000 of your potential customers! Your business can market to over 250,000 homes and support the local community—all at the same time—with the City Journals. Our newspapers are the most widely read publications on the Wasatch Front. A current survey shows over 70% of homeowners read their City Journal.
Ask us how you can receive a FREE AD. www.TheCityJournals.com
801.254.5974 S andy Journal .com
CALL US TODAY FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION August 2022 | Page 33
Patient Advocates who support the right
to choose natural medicine
$50 OFF
use code "FeelGood4" Lone Peak Principal Tracy Stacy tosses fifth-grade egg containers from the school roof. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Egg toss lands things sunny side up… and down By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
www.empathetix.com
Utah’s Simplest Medical Marijuana Card Screening • ONLY $170 for City Journal readers with “feelgood” code • Relaxed Atmosphere & friendly staff • Lots of locations - St. George to Logan • Thousands of happy patients • Dozens of Friendly QMP Specialist We are a team of professionals dedicated to helping patients in Utah get safe legal access to Medical Marijuana. Our team is here to guide you through every step of the process of getting your Medical Marijuana Card so you can feel safe using your preferred medications.
L
one Peak fifth-grader Jonas Thorpe took a cleaned-out hummus container and put a raw egg in it, packaged with cotton. He then dropped it 5 feet at his home and the egg survived. Feeling good about his packaging, he brought it to school shortly before school was over so he could participate in the fifthgrade egg drop, where Principal Tracy Stacy tossed the containers from the roof. The tradition is long-standing. Before Stacy, McKay Robinson was on the roof tossing the eggs over the edge. Both principals have dressed up in fun costumes for the occasion. Water streamed and music blared,
adding to the fun hour. “It was in place long before me and the kids love it so much,” Stacy said. “We have fun dancing, singing and tossing eggs.” While not mandatory, all fifth-graders are invited to try to make egg-proof containers and most do. Prizes were given out to students whose eggs survived and those who did not. Jonas, who received a cube toy afterward, was in good spirits despite the demise of his egg. “It didn’t work that well from that high up,” he said. “It’s still fun.” l
Our QMPs understand cannabis and Utah’s laws surrounding it. At Empathetix we are advocates for cannabis, for you, your safety and for your well being. You don’t know until you try..
Start feeling good again!!
801-804-3166 info@empathetix.com
South Jordan • 10382 S Jordan Gateway # 160
Page 34 | August 2022
Sandy City Journal
CARPET. HARDWOOD. TILE. LAMINATE. LUXURY VINYL. AND MORE!
$250 OFF*
ARE YOU READY FOR NEW FLOORS? Find the flooring you’re looking for. Floor Coverings International® carries a full assortment of flooring. Discover the durability, beauty, and wide variety of flooring styles. Floor Coverings International® is the only flooring company that brings the showroom to you!
America's Choice in Home Care® Visiting Angels provides essential senior homecare, allowing your loved one to remain where they are the most comfortable…in their own home. • • • •
Bathing Assistance Dressing Assistance Grooming Assistance with Walking
• • • •
Medication Reminders Errands Shopping Light Housekeeping
• • • •
Meal Preparation Friendly Companionship Flexible Hourly Care Respite Care for Families
801.542.8282 VisitingAngels.com/SLC
Book a Free In-Home Consultation!
385-341-2809 booknowfci.com
®2021 Visiting Angels is a registered trademark of Living Assistance Services, Inc. Each Visiting Angels agency is independently owned and operated.
*Exclusions may apply. Each Franchise is a Locally Owned and Independently Operated Business.
S andy Journal .com
August 2022 | Page 35
Page 36 | August 2022
Sandy City Journal
“To you, it’s the perfect lift chair. To me, it’s the best sleep chair I’ve ever had.” — J. Fitzgerald, VA
3
Pictured is Luxurious & Lasting Brisa™. Ask about our 5 Comfort Zone chair.
CHAIRS IN ONE:
SLEEP/RECLINE/LIFT
You can’t always lie down in bed and sleep. Heartburn, cardiac problems, hip or back aches – and dozens of other ailments and worries. Those are the nights you’d give anything for a comfortable chair to sleep in: one that reclines to exactly the right degree, raises your feet and legs just where you want them, supports your head and shoulders properly, and operates at the touch of a button. Our Perfect Sleep Chair® does all that and more. More than a chair or recliner, it’s designed to provide total comfort. Choose your preferred heat and massage settings, for hours of soothing relaxation. Reading or watching TV? Our chair’s recline technology allows you to pause the chair in an infinite number of settings. And best of all, it features a powerful lift mechanism that tilts the entire chair forward, making it easy to stand. You’ll love the other benefits, too. It helps with correct spinal alignment REMOTE-CONTROLLED EASILY SHIFTS FROM FLAT TO A STAND-ASSIST POSITION Now available in a variety of colors, fabrics and sizes.
and promotes back pressure relief, to prevent back and muscle pain. The oversized biscuit style back and unique seat design will cradle you in comfort. Generously filled, wide armrests provide enhanced arm support when sitting or reclining. It even has a battery backup in case of a power outage. White glove delivery included in shipping charge. Professionals will deliver the chair to the exact spot in your home where you want it, unpack it, inspect it, test it, position it, and even carry the packaging away! You get your choice of Luxurious and Lasting Brisa, Genuine Italian Leather, stain and liquid repellent Duralux with the classic leather look, or plush MicroLux microfiber, all handcrafted in a variety of colors to fit any decor. Call now!
385-341-2819 Please mention code 601264 when ordering.
Chestnut
Light Gray
Saddle
Chocolate
Brisa™
Genuine Italian Leather
luxurious & lasting
classic beauty & style
Long Lasting DuraLux™
Burgundy
Tan
Chocolate
Blue
stain & liquid repellent
MicroLux™ Microfiber
breathable & amazingly soft
enjoying life never gets old™
Because each Perfect Sleep Chair is a made-to-order bedding product it cannot be returned, but if it arrives damaged or defective, at our option we will repair it or replace it. © 2022 Journey Health and Lifestyle.
S andy Journal .com
ACCREDITED BUSINESS A+
46622
mobility | sleep | comfort | safety
August 2022 | Page 37
NOBODY
WOLFE PACK
THE
KNOWS THE SANDY HOUSING MARKET
BETTER Property values are peaking... NOW is the time to sell. Hit us up today for a FREE property valuation:
Text “CMA” to
801-406-1637 ©2022 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.
$5 0FF $25 Or More THE NEXT STEP FOR YOUR BUSINESS • Business Training Courses • Leadership Workshops and Mentoring Opportunities • Monthly Networking Luncheons • Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies
• Women in Business Lunches • Executive Forum • Member Discounts • Marketing and Advertising • Online Exposure
JOIN TODAY! southvalleychamber.com (801) 566-0344
Education. Connection. Growth. Page 38 | August 2022
801-446-6644 www.tusharexpress.com 1078 West 10400 South • South Jordan, UT 84095
10% OFF 801-980-9697
www.freshcoatpainters.com/sandy
elizabeth.s@thecityjournals.com
Sandy City Journal
Peri Kinder Life and Laughter
To infinity and beyond
N
early one million miles away from Earth, the James Webb Space Telescope is gazing into space with the intensity of a teenager watching TikTok. The most powerful observatory ever launched (Hubble orbits a measly 340 miles away from Earth), the JWST navigated to its location and deployed its mirrors, telescopes, solar panels and antennas, unfolding like a Transformer in the middle of space. NASA (Nerding About Space Again) was unsurprisingly geeked about the first images from the JWST and organized a live event to reveal the pictures to the world. I’m an astronomy fangirl, so it made my nerdy
heart happy to see the images unveiled on July 12 during the NASA production. I couldn’t help but appreciate that Hollywood hadn’t produced the reveal show. It would have been completely different, with movie stars turning it into a literal song-anddance. It would have included a Gorgeous Galaxy red carpet event before the Beautiful People, dressed in sequins and velvet, highlighted the space pictures “right after these messages.” Instead of talking to actual astrophysicists, the Beautiful People would have interviewed actors like Matthew McConaughey and Tom Hanks, asking them what it was
SANDY DECKS & HANDRAILS
Utahs Best Decks Building Utah’s BEST Decks for over 25 years with quality & integrity. BestDecksInUtah.com Call John today for a FREE estimate.
801-205-5999
METAL EXTERIORS
ASPEN ROOFING
Specializing in metal roofs, wall panels, and exterior window treatments.
Call for a FREE estimate today
801-882-2332
WATER SOFTENER RELIABLE SOFT WATER without the typical water softener problems
• Zero maintenance • No breakdowns • 2/3 LESS salt
For free in-home estimate:
visit www.KineticoUtah.com or call 801-890-5344
ROOFING
801-272-7000
All types of roofs
$650 OFF any reroof over 2,000 sq. ft.
www.aspen-roofing.com
GUTTER REPAIR
CONCRETE WORK
21 years experience - licensed and insured
Reasonable Prices, Quality Work, Prompt Service
De-icing and leaf protectors Call or text Jack
Flat work, Driveways, Patios, RV Pads, Sidwalks, Etc.
Jack’s Pro Gutter and Cleaning 85% of gutters are repairable! SENIOR DISCOUNTS
801-865-6382
YARD SERVICES
Affordable Yard Care / Tree Trimming & Removal Flower Beds, Hedges, Railroad Ties, Mulching, Sod, Mowing, Concrete Senior Discounts
Call Dan:
801-518-7365
S andy Journal .com
Call Dan:
801.518.7365
PATIO COVERS & HANDRAILS ENJOY THE OUTSIDE THIS SUMMER
• Steel Covered Carports, Patios & Porches • Steel Handrails • Quality Decks
Call John today for a FREE estimate.
801-205-5999
Quality and Integrity for over 25 Years
like portraying an astronaut in the movies. There would have been glitzy graphics, a soundtrack by Lizzo and brief glimpses of the space images before the cameras returned to the Beautiful People so they could talk about how much they liked planets. Thankfully, NASA did the whole program themselves. It was like someone handed the high school astronomy club an iPhone and told them to prepare a science project about the Webb telescope. They didn’t use professional spokespeople. They weren’t dressed in formal wear. It was just astrophysicists literally (yes, literally) bouncing with excitement as the world saw the photos for the first time. There was even a technical glitch when NASA tried to connect to scientists in Canada but couldn’t get through. NASA can relay images from billions of light years away, but can’t connect with colleagues in Montreal. Stupid Zoom calls. Astronomers explained the images sent from the JWST that included dying stars
LEAFGUARD RAIN GUTTERS
Guaranteed not to clog for as long as you own your home. If it clogs, LeafGuard will come out and clean it for you.
One-Piece System, Professional Installation
CALL AND RECEIVE A $200 VISA GIFT CARD WITH YOUR LEAFGUARD PURCHASE!
Free Estimate - 385-300-0869
HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING
Apex Clean Air
Installations & Repairs Call today for a free in home estimate.
801-449-1939
DRYWALL REPAIR & PAINT
and black holes and cosmic cliffs and binary stars, which I don’t think are legal in Utah. It showed a universe teeming with galaxies never seen before. At least not by people on Earth. The telescope can see through space dust, asteroid rubble and alien trash to get the clearest pictures ever created. Scientists once thought there was only one galaxy in the universe, but one JWST image showed thousands of galaxies in a teensy bit of sky. Hopefully, this will prove to politicians that the world does not revolve around them. Webb’s mission is to search for light from the first stars and galaxies that formed the universe after the Big Bang, unless you don’t believe in the Big Bang. In that case, you can sit next to those who think the moon landing was fake, the earth is flat, evolution is a fraud, the Mars mission is bogus, the moon is an alien spacecraft, that it’s NASA’s job to create space hoaxes and we’ve never crossed the Van Allen Belt. But if you’re a star-nerd, like me, watching something so vast is mind-boggling. We’re a tiny, blue marble floating through the enormity of space, doing our best not to fall into a black hole or get vaporized by a meteor. So many evolutionary steps had to happen for us to even be here. What a rare gift. Let’s stop messing it up. l
CONCRETE
T3 Concrete LLC
Specializes in Driveways, Walkways, Patios, Foundations, Retaining Walls, Basement Entrances Stamp & Color Concrete Call Mate’ for a FREE Estimate
801-918-8843
VEHICLES WANTED
We’ll buy your running & non-running, wrecked or broken car, truck or van.
(801) 506-6098 CarSoldForCash.com A Local Utah Company
Windows and Doors
40 Years Experience
Ace Windows and Doors
Call Mike for Free Estimate
Senior Discounts Saturday Install Available
Focus on Quality & Honesty! Textures, Water Damage, Patches, Trim, Basements
17 Years Experience, Licensed & Insured Free Estimates
TREE SERVICES
INTERMOUNTAIN TREE EXPERTS
Removals . Trimming . Pruning Licensed and Insured / 15 Yrs Experience
801-244-3542 FREE ESTIMATES
FLAT ROOF SPECIALISTS
OLYMPUS ROOFING
801.887.7663 SERVING WASATCH FRONT SINCE 1973
LANDSCAPE MATERIALS
REPLENISH LANDSCAPE
Barks, Colored Mulch, Compost, Soil Blends, Playground Chips, Sand-Gravel, Landscape Fabric & More
801-252-5962
4660 S 200 W Murray
801-696-7735
Call Lee 801-214-4532
Mention this ad for 10% Off
HOME IMPROVEMENT
CONCRETE
SIDING
Excellent Paint Jobs - Affordable Prices Interior/Exterior . Residential/Commercial
WE SPECIALIZE IN CONCRETE.
Call Katie 385.628.7514
Call Ala for Estimate 801-835-0051
Katie Sheen Painter LICENSED AND INSURED
FREE ESTIMATES! NO JOB TOO SMALL!
Concrete Installation & Removal | Flatwork Patios | Walkways | Driveways | RV Pads Stamp & Color | Garages | Retaining Walls
AnEConstructionLLC@gmail.com
Capitol Exteriors
Siding – Soffit – Fascia – Raingutters
Call NOW For SPECIALS (801) 253-2566
August 2022 | Page 39
BR LD AC RE ES N FO & AD R UL TS
DR. TONY SKANCHY
CH I
ORTHODONTIC SPECIALIST
Nothing Expresses Beauty and Confidence Like the Perfect Smile
750 OFF
$
UCF
INVISALIGN TREATMENT Expires August 31, 2022
Schedule Your FREE Orthodontics Evaluation Today
Utah’s #1 Provider 10220 South 1300 East Sandy • 801-523-1111 www.DrSkanchy.com