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Park City High School's debate team won this year's Utah's 4A Speech and Debate tournament. They competed against 17 teams state-wide to bring home the championship for the first time in eight years.

Programs like PCHS Speech and Debate are made possible thanks to generous PCEF donors, who help fund the program through a Classroom Grant.

Teachers who have bright ideas for how to encourage learning can now apply for a grant from the Park City Education for next year’s classroom.

Almost 40 years ago, a Park City School District teacher wanted to send a couple of their students to a month-long space camp but didn’t have the needed district funding. The efforts of Park City residents who pitched in made the students’ Stanford camp dream a reality. “That is really how the foundation got its start,” Park City Education Foundation Vice President of Programs Kara Cody explained. “Some donors came together, and the rest is history.”

PCEF is accepting classroom grants from Park City School District teachers with ideas and initiatives that align with its mission and its values of partnership, classroom-centered, equitable and inclusive, Park City, nimble and unwavering. Teachers who want a classroom grant must apply by April 1.

Park City students in second through fifth grade competed in the Park Record's Spelling Bee Monday.

In February, the Utah State Legislature honored seven educators from Park City School District (PCSD) for achieving and recertifying their National Board Certification (NBCT). The educators, Kara Cook, Kit Howard, Amy Fielder, Liz Moskal, Melissa Nikolai, Andrea Solum and Liz Thompson, were celebrated for their dedication and commitment to educational excellence.

Early -bird pricing begins March 1. Racers can secure $100 adult registration pricing while it’s available. As a special thank you gift, the first 100 paid registrations will receive a custom 24oz Stanley/RWE ICEFLOW™ Bottle with Fast Flow Lid.

February News from the PCSD includes: a message from the Superintendent, Standard Response Protocol, Title IX in Action, JRES Spelling Bee, Safer Internet Day, Wellness Plan: Communication from the Heart, Get to Know: Michael Santarosa, Board of Education Recap, Celebration in the News.

The PCHS Robotics Club had their first robotics competition of the season over the weekend at Hurricane High School, where all five teams finished in the top eight in the First Tech Challenge qualifier. The event was a nice warmup for the robotics club, which will host another qualifier on its home turf later this month. Volunteers are needed for the event!

After a nationwide search, the Park City Education Foundation has hired a new president and CEO who has a rich background in education and fundraising, Ingrid Whitley. Her primary role will be to raise money to support the foundation’s initiatives. Whitley said, “That's really important and something that we're constantly thinking about,” she said. “So, hopefully I'll bring that to the table with my experience and fundraising consulting and I think there's a lot of opportunity there. But again, the work that's been going on has been incredible. And I want to just make sure that continues and grow our supporters.”

“I grew up in Park City and started at McPolin Elementary School, but not as a preschooler since this program wasn’t available then,” said Yoni Nava, “I finished elementary at Parley’s Park, and years later I now work here. My 4 year old is enrolled in preschool and it’s been a great experience. I had a
language barrier when I was younger, and it made things – like making friends and learning – much more difficult. My son doesn't have this same barrier, which has helped him so much. We mostly speak English at home, and my son is so much more confident to make friends, interact, and communicate at school, and looks forward to preschool every day.”

“I’m just excited to continue the great work that the staff and the board have already kind of laid the foundation for, find new opportunities either with funding or how to deepen our impact with the current programs that we support and I’m excited to kind of jump in this week,” she said. “I’m sure I’ll find other things I’m excited to do and ways that I will want to leave an impact, but that’s how I’m thinking about the work now at least.” -Ingrid Whitley, PCEF President and CEO

January News from the PCSD includes: a message from the Superintendent, Utah High School Principal of the year, School Board meeting recap, Positive Systems: Positive Impact, PCSD Wellness: Hard Work and Resilience, Bullying or Harassment Reporting, Preschool Registration, Get to Know: Amie Campbell, Progress Report: TMJH Soil Pile Removal, PCHS Students: Lessons on Learning.

The Park City Education Foundation (PCEF) is welcoming Ingrid Whitley as its new president and CEO. Whitley will begin her work with PCEF on Jan. 23, with more than a decade of expertise in education, educational nonprofit management and consulting, and fundraising.

Ingrid Whitley will start next week as the Park City Education Foundation’s new president and CEO, the foundation announced Thursday. Whitley has more than a decade of expertise in education, educational nonprofit management and consulting, and fundraising — including the leadership of a capital campaign that exceeded its goal by more than $10 million, according to the Park City Education Foundation.

Roger Arbabi, the Principal of Park City High School, has been named Utah’s Principal of the Year by the Utah Association of Secondary School Principals (UASSP). The recognition automatically nominates Arbabi for the National Principal of the Year award, conducted by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

The special education teachers at PCHS can't exclaim enough how much they appreciate PCEF and the grants provided to support their students. Throughout the day, students with disabilities utilize the special education classrooms for academic instruction but also time for breaks to regulate their learning state before returning to the general education classroom. PCEF supports special education programs across the district, including coffee carts, activities at the National Ability Center, community outings, social skills curriculum, and sensory resources.

Park City School District’s preschool will expand its hours and number of seats for 4-year-olds in fall 2024. The foundation’s Vice President of Advancement, Jen Billow, said 70 new spots will be available between the Jeremy Ranch and McPolin elementary schools. “That’s 70 more families that will have an affordable place for their 4-year-old to go to school,” she said. The foundation covers tuition costs on a sliding scale, depending on family income.

Park City Education Foundation Vice President of Advancement Jen Billow has an update on programs offered by the foundation and a recent Park City School Board vote to expand preschool sizes and add 70 more spots.

Starting next academic year, PCSD will introduce an additional 70 seats specifically for four-year-olds, thereby increasing the total capacity to accommodate 230 students aged three and four. This move is a part of the school board’s long-term goal to provide affordable and high-quality preschool education to all interested families within the district. To date, PCSD has welcomed 2,000 preschoolers into its program.

Ms. Pomeroy's 6th grade EHMS class discussed how computers can be programmed to perform specific tasks, but a robot has the added capability to sense and react to its environment. This simple insight kicked o! an hour-long, hands-on session where 6th graders created robots with the ability to do just that: sense, think, and act. “This thing is an actual block of wood,” was one student’s thought. Mrs. Marshall's response, “But, is it a robot? We’ll find out.”

Park City High School is adding five new classes to its course list next school year. Park City School District Superintendent Jill Gildea said Park City High School already has a robust list of courses. “It's really unbelievable for a school our size over 250 courses, but we approved some new courses.”

This week, the Park City School Board expanded the district’s preschool program for 4 year olds for next school year. District administrators Dan Gallery, Stacey Briggs and Todd Klarich presented the expansion plan Tuesday night to the board. Gallery said that two classrooms will be added to the program at both Jeremy Ranch and McPolin elementary schools.

PCEF donors provide funding each year to ensure the Park City School District is able to provide affordable, high-quality preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds - which means that more of Park City’s young learners start their educational journey off in the right direction.

PCSD conducted a community survey that had over 300 respondents. It found 86% of families needed five full days of preschool or five full days plus aftercare. The preschool program for 4-year-olds will be five days a week next school year instead of four. It’s from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. An afterschool program will also be available from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

"Infinite worth and immeasurable value of every child is a core belief of mine," TMJH Principal Caleb Fine. PCEF launched the Educator & Student Wellness Signature Initiative in 2022. Educator and Student Wellness is one of eight Signature Initiatives funded by PCEF to inspire all Park City students to successfully reach their academic and lifelong potential.

Dr. Scott Nowlin from the Air and Space Forces Association honored Park City High School’s Mr. Trip Marshall with the prestigious Chapter Aerospace/STEM Teacher of the Year Award. Selected as one of only two recipients in Utah, Mr. Marshall's exceptional contributions to STEM education were celebrated.

Park City Education Foundation discusses fundraising, including most recently Live PC Give PC and the new three-year Wellness Pilot Program at TMJH. The program infuses wellness best practices into Advisory classes and throughout the school integrating the Park City School District Wellness Plan, Utah State Board of Education Social and Emotional Learning Plan, and the Utah Portrait of a Graduate.

The evening was the finale of the school’s four-day Culture Week, which invited the Park City High student body to participate in themed days meant to celebrate the variety of cultures represented at the school. For the first time since before COVID, this year’s Latinos in Action chapter was able to plan Thursday evening’s community-wide event to honor the traditional Mexican holiday, Day of the Dead.

LIA is supported by PCEF donors with a Classroom Grant.

Park City High School’s Latinos in Action chapter has created a space for the school’s Latinos to celebrate their heritage and give a voice to underrepresented communities for the past 15 years. Culture Week was one of their biggest outreach programs of the school year. It featured four themed days: Jersey Day, Flag Country Day, Throwback Day and Traditional Attire. The week’s festivities finished with the public being invited to the school for Día de los Muertos.

LIA is supported by PCEF donors with a Classroom Grant.

Live PC Give PC, the fundraiser for nonprofits, had another successful year thanks to 7,160 donors who contributed a staggering $4,833,934.

One of Chesley Electric's standout accomplishments is the inception of the Park City Education Foundation’s Running With Ed fundraiser, a local favorite relay race that has proven to be a cause of great significance, offering steadfast support to numerous essential programs within the local schools.

The pandemic showed us just how essential it is to support educators and students beyond pure academics. That's why we invest thousands of dollars in programs that promote mental wellness for our educators who've been on the frontlines, and for our students who've suffered more anxiety and stress than ever before.

"We are proud of our students' progress and grateful for the exceptional educators across the district," Park City School District Chief Teaching and Learning Officer Stacey Briggs said. "The report not only highlights our students' achievements and development, but also guides us as we continue pinpointing areas where additional support is essential for their success."

More than 150 candidates have applied for the Park City Education Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer vacancy.
Since former President and CEO Abby McNulty left in July, Park City Education Foundation has been led by interim CEO Joelle Kanshepolsky of Pathway Associates.

Park City Education Foundation Interim CEO Joelle Kanshepolsky talks about the search for a full time replacement. Longtime PCEF CEO Abby McNulty left earlier this year to be the vice president of institutional advancement at Salt Lake Community College.

The PCHS Speech and Debate team took third place (out of 26 schools) at this weekend's tournament at the University of Utah.

Treasure Mountain Junior High School is fostering a robust learning environment where ninth-grade students delve into the realms of construction and architectural design. Through the Construction Tech program, the participants are guided to understand the fundamental principles of building and home renovation

Art funding was eliminated from Utah's elementary school curriculum in the 1980s, but in 2012 Park City Education Foundation, parents, the school district, and the Kimball Art Center came together to create Elementary Visual Arts (EVA). As one of PCEF's 8 Signature Initiatives, EVA is offered to all Park City elementary schools.

Education is the great equalizer. It's a vital process that helps people develop intelligence, gives them civic purpose, improves socialization and benefits the economy.

The ol’ apple on the teacher’s desk is poisoned for the Park City School District if you consider:
-Utah ranks last among all the states in funding public schools. Yep, 50th. First in several measures of economic performance and outlook.
-Park City has a great property tax base, obviously. Too bad 96% of the revenue for the schools goes straight out of town to other school districts in Utah.

The ol’ apple on the teacher’s desk is poisoned for the Park City School District if you consider:
-Utah ranks last among all the states in funding public schools.
-Park City has a great property tax base, obviously. Too bad 96% of the revenue for the schools goes straight out of town to other school districts in Utah.
These facts lay at the core of the message Park City Education Foundation board member Hoby Darling delivered along with the usual hopes and dreams to a roomful of dressed-up donors Saturday night at the Montage for the annual Red Apple Gala.

The Park City Education Foundation (PCEF) has asked for $180 per child as a part of its Beat the Call fundraiser, because it’s just $1 per school day.

Beat the Call will run from September 18-30. Give before September 30 and:

-PCEF won’t call you during its Phone-a-Thon.
-Help your school win money from the UPS Stores Park City.
-Boost students’ chance to win a party for their class for Elementary School, Middle School and Junior High, and, for High School families – donate for a chance to win VIP parking spot and six VIP seats at graduation (eligible for Senior families only).

Treasure Mountain Junior High School is fostering a robust learning environment where ninth-grade students delve into the realms of construction and architectural design. Through the Construction Tech program, the participants are guided to understand the fundamental principles of building and home renovation.

Park City Education Foundation gives students access to the arts and says donating even $1 will make a big difference in its annual fundraiser. PCEF is collaborating with the Kimball Art Center with the Elementary Visual Arts (EVA) program at three of the four elementary schools; Jeremy Ranch chose not to participate due to a previously existing art program.

Park City Education Foundation VP of Advancement Jennifer Billow and board member Laura Richey talk about the search for a new CEO for the Foundation, the Elementary Visual Arts program offered to all elementary schools in partnership with Kimball Art Center, and the "BEAT THE CALL" program September 18-30.

Park City High School jumped in the rankings of top Utah high schools according to U.S. News and World Report. Park City High School ranks fourth in Utah in the U.S. News and World Report high school rankings published Tuesday. Park City was slated at No. 21 in the state last year.

High schools across the nation were graded based on college readiness, state assessment performance and proficiency, graduation rate, underserved student performance, and college curriculum breadth. Park City HIgh School ranked #4 in Utah Rankings #802 in National Rankings, according the U.S. News report.

The Park City Education Foundation (PCEF) will host its annual Red Apple Gala the night of Saturday, September 30, at the Montage Deer Valley, from 6-11 p.m. Tickets are on sale now.

The Beat The Call program runs from Sept.18 to Sept. 30 is an incentive to give before you get a phone call. When you give $180 (anytime before Sept. 30, 2023), you "Beat the Call" before PCEF calls with a request to give during its annual Phone-a-Thon.

It's hard to top the scores of the Park City School District, which Niche gives an A grade for academics, college prep, teachers, and clubs and activities. The student-teacher ratio is 18-to-1 and expenditures per student is $16,906.

A mobile information center was but a glimmer in the eye of the Park City Chamber & Visitors Bureau. To bring this concept to life, it was brought to none other than…high school students—specifically, Park City High School’s Centers for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS) program.

Your Impact This Year

  • Students Reached

    4500

  • Invested in Our Schools

    $1,500,000

  • % Parents Giving 2022/23

    50%

  • Programs Funded

    100

  • Ascent Fund
    Ascent Fund
  • Beard Charitable Foundation
    Beard Charitable Foundation
  • Byrne Family Foundation Trust
    Byrne Family Foundation Trust
  • Dan & Terese Heintzelman Family Foundation
    Dan & Terese Heintzelman Family Foundation
  • Garen Family Foundation
    Garen Family Foundation
  • John C Kish Foundation
    John C Kish Foundation
  • Montage Deer Valley
    Montage Deer Valley
  • Park City Mountain Resort
    Park City Mountain Resort
  • Park City Municipal
    Park City Municipal
  • Parker Family Charitable Fund
    Parker Family Charitable Fund
  • Tatiana and Matthew Prince
    Tatiana and Matthew Prince
  • The Efrusy Family Foundation
    The Efrusy Family Foundation
  • United Way of SLC
    United Way of SLC
  • Zions Bank
    Zions Bank
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous
© 2024 Park City Education Foundation

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