Congratulations to UCTE Utah Language Arts Experienced High School Teacher of the Year Mr. Justin Shaw!

We are so lucky to have Mr. Shaw at Roy High School, and can't imagine anyone more desrving of this award!

Attention musicians, composers, and poets. West Field High School in Taylor is seeking entries for their School Hymn and Fight Song contest. The artist whose work is chosen will receive $250 in cash and the distinction of knowing that they have created a legacy for all future generations who will attend West Field High School. 

Contest Guidelines include:

1. The style for the School Hymn is Alma Mater. Keep in mind that the School Hymn will be sung by the entire school at various events, but it could also be performed by the choirs of the school at events and concerts. An arrangement for the band may also be submitted for the School Hymn.
2. The Fight Song will be played at various events and school games and accompanied by the school band. It could also have lyrics submitted with the entry and should be able to be arranged for the school band to play.
3. Entries may be for words only or words and music.
4. The words and/or sheet music should be readable and suitable for reproduction. They can be done by hand, or a music software program.
5. Recordings will be accepted, along with sheet music, but are not necessary.
6. If chosen, the songwriters/composers would need to allow the district to copyright the songs or copyright them with permission for us to copy, arrange, and perform the pieces.  
7. Entries are due by March 1, 2024 to 

West Field High School

℅ Weber School District

5320 South Adams Avenue

Ogden, Ut 84405

The final selection will be made by April 1, 2024. All entries not chosen will be returned to the composers after this date.

For more information, contact:

Choir Director Thomas Saunders

Band Director Joseph Windsor

Principal Michael Martini

1/11/2024

Dear WSD Administrators, Employees and Parents/Guardians,

As you likely know, Governor Cox recently issued a letter to school and district leaders, requesting that cell phone use be disallowed in classrooms. I've provided the Governor's Letter and resources he provided (attached). We fully support the thoughtful consideration of the Governor's request, but want to ensure that our school leaders engage in discussions with the educators, parents/guardians, Community Councils, PTAs and student leaders in their school community before "hard and fast" school policies are enacted which ban cell phones in the classroom. Gleaning stakeholder input is essential. Some of our schools have already created policies which restrict cell phones in learning spaces/classrooms. These schools enacted a very intentional process, and involved stakeholders in that process, prior to the determination to implement such policies. A very important piece to consider is how student discipline related to cell phones should/will be managed. 

At the district level, leaders are engaged in discussions related to the cell phone issues we are seeing in our schools. Our district's secondary and elementary leadership, along with our policy committee, will provide guidance and support to our schools as we create a more formal determination of how cell phones will be managed in all our schools. Research studies have well documented the fact that cell phone usage is impacting the social connections, mental/emotional health, self-regulating behaviors, brain development and functioning, and learning and achievement in our young people. The rise in cyberbullying incidents directly impact our students' perception of a "safe and healthy" school environment. 

Many teachers are reporting that they cannot manage the "distractions" created by cell phones and disengagement they observe in their students with access to these devices in learning environments. Their jobs are to educate and inspire, not manage the cell phone usage of their students. Some educators are reporting a weariness and diminishing job satisfaction level due to having to constantly intervene and redirect students related to cell phones. The management of cell phones in the learning environment requires a great amount of time and effort by school personnel. There is no doubt that this time and effort could be more productively utilized to directly support learning and forge positive connections with students. 

The members of our Board of Education are fully committed to mitigating the negative impact that cell phones and social media are having on children's emotional and mental health. Weber School District joined other Utah districts in legal action aimed at holding large social media platforms accountable for the mental/emotional effects we are seeing in our children. As a district, we are fully engaged in the process of determining next steps and policy decisions related to Governor Cox's imperative. 

We welcome your feedback concerning cell phones in the classroom! We encourage you to reach out to your school leaders to share your perspectives and input. 

Sincerely,

WSD Superintendency
Gina Butters, Superintendent
Clyde Moore, Assistant Superintendent
Dave Hales, Assistant Superintendent

Secondary Education
Brock Mitchell, Director
Matt Williams, Assistant Director

Elementary Education
Mary Jo Williams, Director
Kirt Swalberg, Assistant Director

Documents

#	Name	Size	Downloaded
1	Social Media Harms	1.09 MB	236 times
2	School and District Leaders Cell Phone Letter	193.41 KB	466 times
3	Policy and Resource Links	89.96 KB	234 times

Three Weber School District Band Directors - Matthew Kinney (Roy HS), Timothy Koster (TH Bell JH), and Joseph Windsor (Weber HS) - were selected to join a marching band of 400 band directors from across the country in the historic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® on November 23, 2023. The Saluting America’s Band Directors parade entry conveyed its theme, “America’s band directors: We teach music. We teach life.” to recognize the extraordinary dedication and accomplishments of band directors and music educators everywhere. Congratulations Matthew Kinney, Timoty Koster, and Joseph Windsor!

Dear Weber School District Parents and Students,

We are excited to share the news that the district has concluded the level three boundary adjustment for the 2024-2025 school year. District officials have put together information to help answer many questions that may arise. Please refer to the links below for detailed information regarding specific topics relevant to your situation and your students.

• Updated Boundary Maps
• Grandfathered Student Declaration Process (Current 5th, 8th, 10th, and 11th grade)
• Open Enrollment/Boundary Application Process
  • Open Enrollment Application (Download)
  • Open Enrollment Application - Spanish
• Open Enrollment Schools 2024-25

Please note that while the new boundaries have been established, the bus routes, pick-up times, and walk zones will be updated and available in late spring/early summer for the 2024/25 school year. We are diligently working on ensuring a smooth transition for all students, and we appreciate your patience during this process. Rest assured, we will inform you of any changes to the bus routes and timings as soon as they become available.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we strive to enhance the educational experience for our students and navigate the large-scale school boundary adjustments necessitated by the addition of a new high school (West Field), junior high (Mountain View) and elementary school (yet-to-be-named) in our district.

We hope you enjoy the upcoming holiday season!

All the best,

WSD Superintendency
Secondary Education
Elementary Education

On October 6, Orchard Springs had an amazing STEM day with 23 presenters from our community and two assemblies. Orchard Springs students were able to choose 3 areas of interest and were able to learn about an area in STEM. Paramedics and Firemen also brought their vehicles for students to tour.

Join us Saturday, November 11 at Weber Innovation Center for a full day of mentoring and workshops with published authors.

Keynote Speakers

Brandon Mull

Brandon Mull will be the keynote speaker at the Teen Author Boot Camp held at Weber Innovation High School on Saturday, November 11.  Find more information about additional authors who will be presenting at this site.  If students would like a half-price registration coupon code, talk to your school librarian.  These codes are limited, so see your librarian today! Students who are 13-18 years old are invited to attend.

Jennifer Nielsen

Jennifer Nielsen will be the keynote speaker at the Tween Author Boot Camp held at Roy Junior High on the evening of Wednesday, November 8.  Find more information about the other authors who will be presenting at this site or ask your school librarian for more info. Students who are 9-12 years old are invited to attend.