Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
SANDY — Around 33,000 students returned to the classroom on Monday as the Canyons School District reopened its doors for the 2024-2025 school year.
Students at Union Middle School walked into their first day of school, as last year, it was still under construction for part of the year.
"We want everyone to have that school spirit," said Paige, a cheerleader for Hillcrest High School.
Safety is at the top of my mind for teachers, students, and district officials.
"I can pull up any school in the district right now and look at any camera we needed to," said Ryan Jakeman, risk manager for Canyons School District.
Jakeman has what you could call the keys to the kingdom, with a view of all the cameras across the district that help keep students and staff safe.
While he is focused on that, the district is taking steps toward more safety features, including an app called CrisisGo, which is downloaded on every teacher's and administrator's device.
"We're also able to catch bullying and altercations that might be happening among students. We're able to see if people are coming in through doors that they shouldn't be. Those types of things," Jakeman said.
Jakeman showed the app has different alert notifications and can call for a lockdown, a secure hold, evacuation or shelter in place.
"It is connected through our (school resource officers), and there is a feature where if I do this lockdown, if I were to slide this over, it would ask me if I wanted to call 911. And then it would connect me to 911," he said.
Rick Robins, superintendent of the Canyons School District, said things look a lot different this year than in the past. They are ready to go and essentially fully staffed at the top of the school year with teachers and bus drivers.
"This year, we have turn-by-turn navigation for all of our bus drivers," said Jeremy Wardle, director of transportation with the Canyons School District.
The district had around 170 buses with that new technology on the road as students returned to school.
Both students and the facility have the same goals for this year: to make lasting memories and develop skills that will help them through adulthood.
"I think in Canyons, we have high expectations for our kids, and they know it, and it shows in all that they do," Robins said.
"We get to make everyone feel included at school and outside of school at activities," added Belle, a cheerleader for Hillcrest High School.
