Davis School District -

🌷 Spring Break Reminder 🌷

All schools and district offices will be closed March 30–April 3 for spring break.

We hope you have a safe and relaxing week. School will resume on April 6.

What a great day for our junior high students.

The first-ever Junior High Unified Basketball Tournament recently brought together 12 schools and 24 teams for a morning of competition, connection and inclusion. With six divisions competing at Central Davis Junior High, students of all abilities took the court side by side—building confidence, teamwork and a true sense of belonging.

Division champions included:
Division 1 - Centerville Chargers Blue
Division 2 - North Davis Norsemen
Division 3 - North Davis Green
Division 4 - Central Davis Purple
Division 5 - Mueller Park Panthers
Division 6 - Horizon Court Commanders

Expanding Unified Sports to the junior high level creates even more opportunities for students to get involved and understand the power of inclusion. These experiences strengthen school culture, support academic success and help every student feel valued.

We’re celebrating Women’s History Month by highlighting the incredible women of Davis School District.

Jenny Westwood, a fifth-grade teacher at Wasatch Elementary, is inspired by her grandmother’s lifelong perseverance and love of learning. Her advice: “Be brave, work hard and never stop learning … your actions can make a lasting difference in someone else’s life.”

Cynthia Eck, a connection center assistant at Fairfield Junior High, is inspired by her mother’s strong work ethic. She shares: “Don’t let daily drama affect you … you are beautiful just the way you are. The sky is the limit.”

Samantha Smith, a special education preschool teacher, is inspired by a mentor who helped her see her potential. Her message: “Surround yourself with people who inspire you, challenge you and help you grow into the kind of woman who lifts others.”

These spotlights come from staff submissions and nominations. Stay tuned as we continue sharing more throughout the month.

We’re celebrating Women’s History Month by highlighting the incredible women of Davis School District.

Chelsea Hagman, an elementary media specialist, is inspired by her high school librarian to help students discover a love of reading. Her advice: “Find your passions that uplift you and find a way to make the world more beautiful.”

Ling Zhang, a Chinese teacher at Mueller Park Junior High, is inspired by her mother’s example of hard work and perseverance. She shares: “Believe in yourself and do not be afraid to try new things … every experience helps you grow.”

Emilie Ord, who works in the grounds department caring for district schools, finds inspiration in the women she works alongside every day. Her message: “Trying new things can lead to so many amazing possibilities.”

These spotlights come from staff submissions and nominations. Stay tuned as we continue sharing more throughout the month. #WomensHistoryMonth

Davis High School claimed the 6A State Debate Championship, earning top honors in a highly competitive field of 14 schools.

The Darts secured the title with 103 points, showcasing depth, skill and consistency across events.

Individual state champions include:
Isabella Wilt & Eric Jung — Public Forum Debate
Eve Larsen — Foreign Extemporaneous Speaking
Kimberly Roane — Impromptu Speaking
Abigail Morgenstern — Informative Speaking
Isabella Wilt — National Extemporaneous Speaking

An outstanding achievement that reflects countless hours of preparation, critical thinking and teamwork. Congratulations to these students and their coaches on an exceptional state performance.

Each month, a select group of students are invited to an event called Soup with the Supt. These students, nominated by their principals, are recognized for their outstanding contributions and positive impact on their respective schools.

Congratulations to the March honorees! Your dedication and commitment to helping others feel welcome make you true representatives of our district.

School leaders across the Viewmont Cluster recently joined together for a service project tied to the America 250 celebration, collecting and assembling hygiene kits to support students in their own community.

Each school gathered a different hygiene item through donations from students and community members, with a goal of collecting at least 250 of each product. Members of the Service Club at Bountiful Junior High School then assembled the items into complete hygiene kits.

Once the kits were ready, principals and district leaders delivered 252 hygiene kits to the Teen Center at Viewmont High School to help support students who may need additional resources.

Those participating included Elementary Director Ruthanne Keller and Secondary Director Deanne Kapetanov along with Bountiful Junior High School Principal Hadyn Call, Centerville Elementary School Principal Leslie Bertram, Centerville Junior High School Principal Aaron Hogge, Meadowbrook Elementary School Principal Chris Whitaker, Reading Elementary School Principal Roger King, Stewart Elementary School Principal Michelle Yoho, Taylor Elementary School Principal Darryl Denhalter, Tolman Elementary School Principal Cameron Forbush, Viewmont High School Principal Travis Lund and West Bountiful Elementary School Principal Joanel Whinham.

Good luck to all Davis School District juniors taking the ACT tomorrow, March 24.

Tomorrow is a big, future-focused milestone. Your hard work, preparation and focus truly matters, and -your efforts are very well appreciated.

Our districtwide ACT testing day is made possible by amazing school administrators who provided thoughtful schedule coordination, as well as school technology specialists and district IT staff members who provide an all-hands-on-deck effort to ensure a smooth, stress-free testing experience.

Best of luck juniors. We’re proud of you!

Our community showed up to Rock Their Socks!

Students and staff across Davis School District recently wore bright, mismatched socks to celebrate World Down Syndrome Day and raise awareness for individuals with Down syndrome.

Thanks to everyone who participated and shared their photos with us!

We’re celebrating Women’s History Month by highlighting the incredible women of Davis School District.

Lezlee Longhurst, a special education paraeducator at Orchard Elementary, was nominated by a colleague who highlighted her strength, compassion and resilience through life’s challenges. She is described as a supportive mentor who lifts others up and exemplifies strength and grace.

Katie Barber, a teacher at Central Davis Junior High, is inspired by her grandmother’s resilience and selflessness. Her advice: “Be your own champion … believe in yourself and don’t wait for someone else to validate your worth or your abilities.”

Julie Lundell, assessment director, finds inspiration in Neesha Killpack, a colleague who models bold leadership with kindness. Her message: “Don’t shrink your goals to fit what others expect … speak up even when your voice shakes.”

These spotlights come from staff submissions and nominations. Stay tuned as we continue sharing more throughout the month. #WomensHistoryMonth

We’re celebrating Women’s History Month by highlighting the incredible women of Davis School District.

Milla Chen, a 5th grade Chinese immersion teacher at Stewart Elementary, shared how her high school teacher inspired her to support students beyond the classroom. Her advice: “Every experience in life is a lesson… they will help you bloom into who you are meant to be.”

Janessa Gibbs, a math teacher at Shoreline Junior High, is inspired by her mom’s compassion and dedication to students. She shares: “Be confident. Believe in yourself and your abilities… don’t be afraid to pursue the things that excite and inspire you.”

Jelina Hollberg, a Refugee Family Advocate, finds inspiration in the women she works with every day. Her message: “Aim high, pursue your dreams… and never settle for less than what you deserve.”

These spotlights come from staff submissions and nominations. Stay tuned as we continue sharing more throughout the month. #WomensHistoryMonth

Strong attendance takes teamwork! When families, schools and communities work together, students thrive. Help our students show up every day for success.

Davis School District teams recently had a strong showing at the Unified Basketball State Championship at the Delta Center.

Bountiful White, Bountiful Redhawks, Woods Cross Navy and Clearfield Black each earned state wins, while Clearfield Grey finished second.

A great day of teamwork by all.

A group of students from across Davis School District recently gathered for a unique field trip focused on independence, mobility skills and connection.

Traveling by public transportation to a local theater, the students practiced real-world skills while also having the opportunity to enjoy a film together which included built-in accessibility features.

Meghan Stott, a teacher of the visually impaired, explained the students caught UTA buses and went to the theater to not only learn how to use public transit, but also to work on orientation and mobility skills, getting in line and learning how to order food at a movie theater.

“Today, we are watching a documentary called ‘‘Pick of the Litter,” Stott said. “It’s about guide dogs and how they go from puppies to servicing the visually impaired. The film has audio description, so if you don’t have any vision, it also describes the film as they’re watching it. It’s a unique opportunity for them to have a film with audio description already.”

Students also had the chance to learn about guide dogs and the training process, while meeting volunteers and puppies connected to the program.

“I coordinated that today because I know all the guide dog people,” said Lacey Goforth, a district orientation and mobility specialist. “We have two (dogs) here already and we’re expecting four more.”

Teachers said the experience gives students a chance to build independence while also connecting with others who share similar challenges.

“We’ve got students from all over the district because usually they’re the only ones in their school or one of two,” Stott said. “It’s nice to meet up with other kids the same age that have the same visual impairments and just being able to be excited about that.”

Students in Usha Mannepalli’s class at Ellison Park Elementary celebrated the Indian Festival of Colors, Holi. She gave a short presentation explaining that the festival celebrates spring, love, new beginnings and the victory of good over evil.

Students learned that Holi colors have special meanings—red for love, green for new beginnings, yellow for joy and blue for calmness. They were excited to participate by applying colorful powders to one another and creating festive crafts inspired by the holiday.

The event was filled with laughter, color and excitement, and students thoroughly enjoyed the experience. By learning about Holi, students learned how celebrating different traditions can bring the classroom community closer together and create a joyful learning experience.

World Down Syndrome Day is coming up.

On March 21, communities around the world celebrate individuals with Down syndrome. To show support, we’re inviting students and staff across Davis School District to Rock Your Socks.

Wear bright, mismatched socks to school on Friday, March 20, and again on March 21 to celebrate.

Don’t forget to send us your photos so we can share them!

We love seeing the creative ways our schools are helping students show up and succeed. At Creekside Elementary, a strong focus on attendance has helped the school reduce chronic absenteeism by 20% over the past two years.

One initiative making a big difference is On-timers. Twice a week, the school’s peer mentors surprise classrooms that are on time with a special treat. It’s a simple idea that builds excitement around being at school and ready to learn.

Creekside’s progress shows what can happen when students, staff, and families work together to support attendance. When we all encourage students to show up each day, we help create stronger learning opportunities across our entire district.

North Davis Junior High School was the epicenter of creativity and storytelling recently as New York Times Bestselling author Soman Chainani took center stage and interacted with the school’s ninth-graders about becoming writers and overcoming challenges.

Chainani was at North Davis thanks to a sponsorship from Operation Literacy-Book Drop and was a keynote speaker days earlier at StoryCon 2026 in Salt Lake City.

“It’s a really big deal to have someone like him in our building,” said North Davis Junior High School librarian Michelle Hurst.

Chainani is the author of the children’s book series The School for Good and Evil, which has sold more than 4.5 million copies. During his visit, he provided signed copies of the latest in that series to all of the students.

During his career, it’s estimated that he has visited more than 800 schools, sharing his belief that “reading is the path to a better life.”

Bountiful High School’s boys basketball team finished 2nd at the 5A State Championship. An incredible season defined by hard work, teamwork and Redhawk pride.
Way to go, Redhawks.