2022-2023 Summer Newsletter

July 11th, 2022 /
Shauna Sprunger /
Message from Administration, News, Newsletter, Public Relations, Updates/Announcements

Every summer, the school district sends out a Summer Newsletter to every home in Provo. You can watch for your copy in your mailbox. If you missed it, below is all the information in that newsletter.

Superintendent Message

As I write this message to you, I am reflecting on the wonderful end of year events throughout the school district. Timpview High School graduated approximately 570 students at the commencement ceremony on May 21. Provo High School had about 450 graduates honored on May 24. The Provo Adult Education program held their graduation on May 19, and Independence High School’s event was on May 26. End of year events took place in schools throughout the district, and in late May we said goodbye to more than 40 retirees. It was a busy and bittersweet May.

A few months ago, the Provo City School District Board made the decision to proceed with reconstructing sections of Timpview High School, a full rebuild of Wasatch Elementary School, and a new Middle School in southwest Provo to be known as Shoreline Middle School. All three projects were due to the need to address seismic/safety issues. The Timpview project will continue for the next couple of years. The new Wasatch should be completed by July 2024, as should the new Shoreline Middle School.

The last two school years have been very difficult for everyone involved in and related to public education. This includes parents, children, teachers, custodians, transportation workers, child nutrition workers, administrators, etc. Of course, I am referencing the COVID-19 pandemic. We are all hoping it is permanently behind us. I want to express my thanks to the Utah County Department of Health for their leadership and care in advising us as to effective strategies for us to employ in the Provo City School District. At a time when media reports, political preferences, and governmental directives felt arbitrary and contradictory, the County Health Department staff was very level-headed and helpful.

I am hoping that the coming 2022-2023 school year represents a return to pre-pandemic levels of operations and activities. Thank you for your support and understanding over the past two years. Like our teachers, students, and patrons, we are hoping for better times ahead.

Keith Rittel, School District Superintendent

School Board President’s Message

In May, Extravaganza returned to Rock Canyon Elementary. We also had an end of year carnival at Centennial Middle School. I was thrilled to see these come back and the smiles and excitement they brought to students’ faces, but more importantly, the sense of community that comes from these events. I am thankful for all the opportunities that public education offers our community. Football games, choir concerts, talent shows, enriching programs like ProvoCAPS, and vigorous academic choices are just a small sampling of what Provo City School District offers.

I recently read the book Together by Vivek H. Murthy. One of my favorite quotes from the book is, “Being connected to others gives us a stake in more than our own interests. It expands those interests to include our whole community and thus increases our motivation to work together.” As a community, we are all interwoven together to see that our students receive the best education.

There are many ways we can ensure this happens: join and participate in PTA, serve on Community Council, offer to be a crossing guard, volunteer to read in classes, support neighbors in plays, games, and concerts, thank teachers, encourage students, etc. Elena Aguilar said, “Every child has the right to feel loved and cared for and to feel that they belong to a community.” Provo City School District strives to be a place of support, safety, and understanding. As we collectively prepare students to contribute to our diverse community, we endeavor to foster a culture where everyone in our buildings feels safe, valued, and that they belong (DEI statement, 2022).

I look forward to the upcoming school year and seeing how our amazing Provo community will rally together to make this the best year ever.

Melanie Hall, School Board President

School Registration Information

Online Registration for New Students

Starting school can feel daunting– but we’re here to help. Below is our guide to getting new, returning, and inactive students– students who withdrew from school before July 15, 2022– through our three-step online registration with some valuable tips. Full new student registration instructions can be found here.

Find your school using our School Boundary Locator
Fill out the pre-registration form
- Your school will create a PowerSchool account and email you instructions to access that account within 5-7 business days. During the summer it may take longer.
Login to PowerSchool using the email sent from your school. PowerSchool will ask for digital copies of your child’s birth certificate, immunization records (including shot dates / exemption certificates), proof of address (utility bill, rental agreements, etc), and parent photo ID.
- Note that the portal is closed each year from July 1-15 during a system update.

All students must be 5 years old on or before September 1, 2022 to register.

Returning Student Registration

Remember that you must complete the online registration annually through the Parent Portal Account in PowerSchool. The Portal offers access to grades, attendance, assignments, and vital safety notifications and communications from your school and district. Please note the portal is closed from July 1-15 during a system update.

Middle and High School Registration and Orientation Events

Our middle and high schools have unique registration and orientation events. Find out more about those events on their websites.

Title I Preschool

It’s time to register for preschool! Learn more and register on our preschool website here. Contact Information: Ari LeCheminant 801.370.4616 or titleoneprek@provo.edu

You must live within the boundary of one of the 7 Title I schools
Your child must be 4 years old by September 1, 2022
Your child must be screened to qualify for the preschool
School is Monday – Friday
AM & PM sessions available
Tuition is $20/Month
Parents must provide transportation to and from school

Resources Roadmap

The school season comes too quickly. It’s easy to feel lost between inspecting the school boundary maps, sorting through school fees, trying to locate lunch waivers, and charting transportation. But don’t stress– we’ve got the shortcuts in our Resource Roadmap to get you were you need to go.

Learn more on the Resources Roadmap webpage

Programs Overlook

Every Student by Name and Need -The Educational Experience

Provo City School District believes it is our calling to create specialized experiences fitting you and your child’s ambitions. Whether it’s rubbing shoulders with elite entrepreneurs, coding bots, or learning new languages, we have a path for you. Start your academic journey within minutes.

Learn more on the Programs Overlook webpage

2022 District Art Contest Winners

Empathy Through Art

Anjolie Aguirre, K-2 Winner

Anjolie Aquirre Artwork

Sadie Gwilliams, 3-4 Winner

Sadie Gwilliams artwork

Janelli Castro, 5-6 Winner

Janelli Castro artwork

Madeline Hoyt, Secondary Winner

Madeline Hoyt Artwork

Provo Kindness Report

In Provo City School District, we are striving to create schools where every student feels safe, welcome, and valued. As part of this objective, our Provo Kindness initiative places an emphasis on building a culture of kindness and compassion. Every school in the district has a Kindness Club, where students lead out on kindness efforts in their schools. It’s been wonderful to see the many ways in which our students are increasing kindness and connection among their peers!

Our theme for the 2022-23 school year is Kindness Starts Here. We encourage you to join us in starting a chain reaction of kindness here- with yourself, in your home, school, workplace, neighborhood, and our entire community! For regular reminders of kindness for people of all ages, you can follow @provokindness on Instagram and Facebook. And if your child would like to be a part of the school Kindness Club, watch for sign ups as school starts or talk to the school social worker or principal.

AuthorCon September 22,2022

Meet your favorite authors at the PCSD AuthorCon coming September 22,2022.

Author Workshops
Swag Bags
Food Trucks
And More!

All Provo City School District students and their families are welcome!

Location: Provo High School
Time: 5:00-8:00 p.m.

ProvoREADS 2022 Reading…Your Passport to Adventure

Explore the world the year by opening a book. You never know where the story will take you.

provo reads logo

PCSD Stakeholder Report

Learn about our School Board Representatives on the School Board webpage here

Schools 2021-2022

Total Schools: 18 Plus Specialties

13 Elementary, 2 Middle, 2 High and 1 Alternative High School
Specialty Schools include: Preschools, eSchool, Adult Ed. and Special Ed.
7 Diverse Title I Schools with excellent academic growth data
5 Dual Immersion Schools:French, Portuguese, Chinese and 2 Spanish

Staff 2021-2022

Total District Employees: 2016

Student to Teacher Ratio

Elementary = 25.2 to 1
Secondary = 28.1 to 1

Educators By Degree

497 Bachelors
273 Masters
7 PHD

High Ratio Student Services staff including:

17 Speech Pathologists
12 Psychologists
22 Counselors
20 Social Workers

Students 2021-2022

Total Enrollment: 13,956

Ethnic Minority 42%
Economically Disadvantaged 35%
Special Education 12%
English Language Learners 19%

INSTRUCTION 2021-2022

70.1% of Budget Spent on Instruction

With innovative learning we provide technology-enhanced learning to equip all students for global participation.

1 to 1 Student Devices with 18,000 Chromebooks
Over 1,600 Students Enrolled in computer science-related courses including programming, robotics, web development, game development, and cybersecurity across our middle schools and high schools
Educator Professional Development
- 480 Teachers Earned Lane Advancement Credits
- 425 Teachers Utilized Instructional Coaches
- 240+ LETRS-Trained Staff
- 29 Canvas Specialists District-Wide