Wasatch board celebrates preschool program; state coach calls district a statewide model
Summary
Board heard a multi‑speaker celebration of the district preschool program, which serves up to 382 children across several sites, highlights family engagement and PLC-driven instruction, and was praised by a Utah State University coach for meeting state fidelity benchmarks.
The Wasatch County School Board on Tuesday recognized the district’s preschool program for growth and quality, hearing from teachers, an outside coach and volunteers who said the program supports family engagement and prepares children for kindergarten.
Tara Boswell, introduced by the board, thanked trustees for supporting the district’s early‑childhood work and said the district runs multiple preschool programs—including an expansion at Daniels Canyon and an Early Start District site at Heber Valley Elementary—that together support "up to 382 preschoolers" during the year. Boswell described the classrooms as planned, intentional and aligned to district goals.
Preschool teacher Amrita Holiday told trustees the program uses a pre‑K through 5 professional‑learning‑community (PLC) structure to set learning goals, measure proficiency and coordinate instruction across grade levels. "We build bridges between school and family life," Holiday said, describing family events and monthly PLC meetings that let teachers share strategies and review data.
Olivia Hales, a Midway Elementary teacher, gave an example of a family engagement activity—"coral reef family day"—and recounted a case in which a child kept a classroom project as a lasting memory after a parent’s unexpected death, saying such moments show the program’s emotional as well as academic impact.
Amy Andolan, project coordinator for the Utah Pyramid Model at Utah State University’s Institute of Disability Research, Policy and Practice, told the board Wasatch is one of the state’s implementing sites and has reached benchmarks of quality. "When we think of fidelity and high practices, Wasatch Preschool is the standard," Andolan said, adding that other programs come to Wasatch to observe implementation.
Board members and the superintendent praised staff and volunteers for the program. Trustees also noted the program’s funding mix—grant dollars plus district funding secured by earlier boards—which they said has helped maintain stability and avoid year‑to‑year funding fights.
The board invited preschool staff and Wasatch Parent Network volunteers to remain for a group photo before continuing the meeting.
