USBE recognizes Ashley Pistello and showcases student artwork on community buses

Superintendent Hart introduced Ashley Pistello as the Utah State Board of Education’s employee of the month, praising her role in school-safety training, coordination of the school safety conference and day-to-day support for teachers and principals.

"She works in our school safety area, and she does so many things," Hart said, describing Pistello as a former teacher who "jumps right in" to work with principals, teachers and students. Hart noted Pistello’s work as a PREPARE trainer and her role coordinating presenters and communications for the school safety conference.

During the education highlight that followed, Jamie Workman, BTS Arts specialist with the Utah State Board of Education, presented student artwork and explained Art in Translate Transit, a project that places student-created images on Cache/Logan buses to connect classroom learning to the community. Workman described classroom activities—mandalas that link patterns and fractions, observational drawings of the Teton Mountains and paintings of pollinators tied to language lessons—and said, "What students create has value." She noted participating schools including River Heights Elementary and Lakeview Elementary and emphasized that sharing student work beyond the classroom creates memorable opportunities for students.

The board applauded both the staff recognition and the student showcase. A brief celebratory moment earlier in the meeting marked the nation’s 250th birthday with cake and a group rendition of "Happy Birthday." No formal board actions or votes were recorded for either the recognition or the arts presentation.