PRESS ROOM
PCEF donors support the district's Music Program through a Classroom Grant.
Ecker Hill Middle School’s band performed at the State Junior High Band Festival and earned straight superior ratings, the highest score possible. Out of 33 bands from across Utah who attended, Ecker Hill was one of only seven who achieved this top honor.
PCSD will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly completed expansion at Ecker Hill Middle School on March 27th from 4:30-5:30pm.
Trailside Elementary honored its Kindness Award winners this month, recognizing students who demonstrated compassion, respect, and care for their peers and school community.
The Kindness Awards kicked off in February and will be awarded monthly in partnership with the Park City School District, Park City Community Foundation, and PCEF.
Park City High School ProStart team showcases their culinary creations at the Utah ProStart Culinary State Competition on March 11 at the Mountain America Expo Center in Sandy. The team, led by instructor Kari Patterson, competed using only camp stoves to prepare their dishes, demonstrating skill, precision, and teamwork.
PCEF provides support to Culinary students by helping to fund kitchen equipment as part of its $350,000 investment into the new CTE building.
The March PCSD Newsletter includes: We All Belong Campaign, Kindness Awards, A Letter from the NEW Superintendent, Screenagers movie recap, PCHS Speech & Debate Excellence, Robotics at State, and more.
English and Spanish versions of the newsletter available at the link.
Through its 10-year partnership with the Park City Education Foundation, Park City Mountain and its nonprofit EpicPromise have donated nearly $500,000 to the foundation to help fund Preschool and education programs in the community.
Jen Billow, the foundation’s Vice President for Advancement, said with the most recent Vail Resorts EpicPromise donation, it has been able to increase Preschool enrollment for the 2025-2026 school year to allow for 100 additional students. “They're a big supporter of early childcare in general, so they've been supporting preschool for 10 years, including that $250,000 gift they made last year,” Billow said.
Park City has budgeted over half a million dollars annually as public service funds to partner with local nonprofits that provide essential services in the community. After the city approved the last wave of public service grants in 2023, the council requested an overhaul of the program to be more transparent and responsive to community needs. PCEF is one of 30 grant applicants and could receive $100,000 over the next two years.
Running with Ed is May 17th, register by the end of March and save!
“We're in early bird registration now, which would save you $50 a person if you register now, it's $100 versus starting April 1, it'll be $150,” PCEF's Vice President of Advancement, Jen Billow said. “It's our great eight-leg relay race around Park City. If you have teams of eight, everybody can run a leg. There's a leg as short as 1.3 miles. There are legs that are six miles. There are legs up the stairs of the UOP or you can take a chair lift, It’s costumes, it’s community. A great finish party. And it just, a great local community event.”
Upcoming events include a Second City comedy performance on March 20th and the Excellent Educator Awards on April 25th. Purchase tickets for Second City comedy on our website through March 13th.
The "Running with Ed" event, scheduled for May 17th, aims to raise $325,000, with early bird registration discounts. Register before the end of March and save. #RWE2025
PCEF provides funding to Real World Learning, like the Aviation program at Park City High School.
The program includes a private pilot ground school, a flight simulator lab, and drone certification courses. Students can take Aviation 1 and 2 together, forming a yearlong private pilot ground school. Marshall, a flight instructor with 18 years of experience, ensures that students leave prepared for the next step in their aviation journey.
The Park City High School Robotics Club on Saturday hosted 17 other teams from around the state to test their engineering and collaboration skills in the last event before the state championship on Friday in Cedar City.
The robots, software, computers and parts cost about $5,000 each. PCEF donors support Robotics as part of our Real World Learning initiative - one of eight signature initiatives.
On February 6, the Eccles Theater at Park City High School buzzed with conversation as parents, guardians, students, and community members gathered for a special screening of Screenagers, a documentary diving into the effects of excessive screen time, from social media to video games. Hosted by PCEF and coordinated by Larissa Fomuke, the event community together to reflect on digital habits and explore how parents can better support the next generation in navigating the ever-present world of technology. Following the movie, the Ingrid Whitley, President and CEO of PCEF moderated a panel discussion with local education experts.
In March of 2024, the district signed a two-year agreement with the U.S. Education Department’s Office of Civil Rights to resolve an investigation that found more than 180 incidents of harassment and discrimination at three local schools. The We All Belong kindness awards celebrate those students whose actions are modeling kindness to their school communities.The honors are handed out monthly at each of the district’s seven schools. At the end of the school year, a larger award, a $1,000 scholarship for a student and $2500 cash for an educator will be awarded.
CEO of Park City Community Foundation Joel Zarrow and PCSD's Caleb Fine (pictured). The Park City School District, in partnership with the Park City Community Foundation, has launched the "We All Belong Kindness Awards" to promote kindness among students and educators. The initiative aims to foster a culture of kindness beyond compliance. Monthly awards are given at the school level, with end-of-year grand champions receiving $1,000 scholarships for students and $2,500 stipends for educators.
Each PCSD school will select one student per month to receive an award. Grade-level teachers will choose the winners based on criteria outlined in the “We All Belong” initiative. The first round of student winners will be announced in February, with educator awards and grand prizes to follow at the end of the school year. The overall student winner will receive a scholarship, a teacher or faculty member will also be awarded for fostering the kindness culture in the district through this initiative.
Rebeca an Educator at Ecker Hill Middle School, involved with Latinos in Action at Ecker Hill Middle School, a PCEF board member, and community advocate.
The Park City Education Foundation is hosting a free film night featuring “Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age” at the Eccles Center Thursday.
PCEF, along with the PCCF and PCSD, are supporting the new 'We All Belong Kindness Awards' to promote kindness and community recognition. The Community Foundation is providing the funding through a gift to PCEF.
February's PCSD Newsletter includes: We All Belong Campaign, Kindness Awards, A Letter from the NEW Superintendent, PCSD's Wellness Plan, and more.
English and Spanish versions of the newsletter available at the link.
PCEF funds Real World Learning, one of its Eight Signature Initiatives. PCEF donors have provided over $350,000 in new equipment throughout the new CTE building at PCHS. Equipment including, kitchen smallwares for Culinary Arts - thermometers, zesters, pasta makers, and sifters – to name a few – ensuring success in the kitchen, and a future filled with possibility in the culinary industry.
Welcome and congratulations to PCEF Board Member Lyndsay Huntsman, PCSD's new Superintendent!
Lyndsay stated, "As I begin my journey as your superintendent, I’m committed to longevity — not only in the success of our schools, but also in the relationships and trust we build together. My vision is to develop a stable and enduring presence within the district, where long-term collaboration, consistent leadership, and a shared dedication to equity and excellence become the foundation of our collective growth."
PCEF, along with the PCCF and PCSD, are supporting the new 'We All Belong Kindness Awards' to promote kindness and community recognition. The Community Foundation is providing the funding through a gift to PCEF.
“It’s crucial for us to foster an environment where every student not only feels included but valued," said Ingrid Whitley, Park City Education Foundation President and CEO.
The Park City School District announced the launch of the We All Belong Kindness Award in partnership with the Park City Community Foundation and the Park City Education Foundation. The Community Foundation is providing the funding through a gift to PCEF.
“As an organization deeply committed to equity and inclusion, supporting this award was a natural fit,” said Ingrid Whitley, the president and CEO of the Park City Education Foundation. “It’s crucial for us to foster an environment where every student not only feels included but valued.”
PCEF, along with the PCCF and PCSD, have announced the new 'We All Belong Kindness Awards' to promote kindness and community recognition. The Community Foundation is providing the funding through a gift to PCEF.
“It’s crucial for us to foster an environment where every student not only feels included but valued," said Ingrid Whitley, Park City Education Foundation President and CEO.
PCEF donors have funded $350,000 of CTE equipment in the new CTE building and classrooms at PCHS, investing in Real World Learning.
Ingrid Whitley, President and CEO of PCEF, highlighted the importance of the district’s investment in CTE programs. “The Anatomage table is an incredible example of the state-of-the-art learning tools available to our students,” Whitley said. “What’s even more impressive are the myriad tools and equipment across many CTE subjects that ensure student learning is at a professional level—from airplane simulators to dozens of anatomical parts to the top-of-the-line professional kitchen. These facilities, and the best teachers around, are ensuring our students have pathways to college or career—careers that are available right here in Park City.”
Park City High School students Garrett Moreno, left, and Taylor Bergman worked on developing critical thinking-based history games through the Park City Centers for Advanced Professional Studies, or PCCAPS, program.
PCCAPS is supported by PCEF donors through a Classroom Grant.
Alec Lebwohl, a sophomore, and Shiva Minter, a junior at Park City High School are members of the Speech & Debate team. They came to tell the Park City Council of their love for Main Street, their hopes for its future, and that frankly, they see it slipping. Something must be done. They endorsed the broad vision of the Main Street committee formed through discussions since last May that culminated in the Main Street Area Plan.
They both serve on Park City High School’s student council. Minter is the junior class president, and Lebwohl is the sophomore class president.
PCEF supports Speech & Debate with a Classroom Grant.
PCEF President and CEO Ingrid Whitley and Vice President of Advancement Jen Billow provide an update on programs offered by the foundation including new Preschool spaces at Jeremy Ranch and McPolin Elementary schools which opened this year.
Preschool is supported by PCEF donor funding and is one of PCEF's Eight Signature Initiatives.
Two Park City High School Park City Centers for Advanced Professional Studies (PCCAPS) program students helped develop interactive history games for middle and high schoolers. The games not only teach kids about history, but how to think for themselves.
Taylor Bergman and Garrett Moreno were selected to help Victoria Sanders and her Wyoming-based company Elephanta Education by developing and testing history games for middle and high school classrooms. Bergman, a junior, said the mission was simple: create games for students, by students.
PCCAPS is supported by PCEF donors through a Classroom Grant.
Park City Education Foundation will hold a free screening of the film “Screenagers” — a documentary exploring struggles over social media, video games, academics and internet addiction that offers solutions to help kids find balance — at the Eccles Center on Feb. 6 from 5-7 p.m.
Anyone is invited, including parents, kids and community members.
DID YOU KNOW?
More than 2,000 Park City students have gone through the preschool program since it started in 2010!
WHERE PCEF DONATIONS ARE SPENT
→ $125,000 Invested into PCSD Preschool Each Year
Supporting PCEF means:
► High-quality early childhood education at PCSD.
► It is affordable & accessible.
► Preschool can expand to meet demand...
► Capacity increases from 156 to more than 288 next year!
► PCEF4Kids.org
Enrique Sanchez is a “Dreamer.” By the end of this story, you'll see that what he embodies is the traditional definition of a dreamer—not one who lives in a world of imagination and fantasy, but a visionary. DACA, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, has protected approximately 835,000 immigrants who have been brought to the U.S. as minors and remain undocumented, and who also are known as Dreamers, a term that stems from the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, legislation that would give immigrant youth legal status and a path to citizenship.
Enrique is a graduate of Park City High School, and was President of Latinos in Action (LIA). LIA is supported by PCEF donors as a Classroom Grant.
The Park City School District has announced that preschool registration for the 2024-25 school year will open on Monday, January 6, at 9am. Families in the Park City community can apply to secure a spot in one of the district’s early learning programs.
Preschool is one of PCEF's eight Signature Initiatives. The Park City School District Preschool started in 2010, with PCEF donors providing the seed funding. Since then over 2,000 students have gone through the preschool program.
December's PCSD Newsletter includes: We All Belong Campaign, A Letter from the Interim Superintendent, AP PCHS Platinum & Access Award, PCHS Performing Arts Showcase, Serving Up Smiles, PCSD's Wellness Plan, and more.
English and Spanish versions of the newsletter available at the link.
Over 7,000 locals donated over $5.1 million to Wasatch Back nonprofits. The goal was to raise $5 million and engage at least 7,300 donors. One of these goals was met; the event raised over $5.1 million with 7,042 donors.
The Park City Community Foundation’s 2024 Live PC Give PC event surpassed its $5 million goal, raising more than $5.1 million from 7,042 donors. The fundraiser will support 138 nonprofit organizations in the Park City area. Mountain Trails Foundation, Summit Land Conservancy, and Park City Education Foundation topped the leaderboard for donor count.
By the end of the 24 hours, Live PC Give PC exceeded the dollar goal by raising $5,145,757 from 7,042 donors for 138 organizations. Park City Education Foundation topped the Education board, sponsored by J.P. Morgan and Chase Co.
Park City School District will host open houses at two elementary schools in November to showcase its preschool programs, including new offerings at Parley’s Park and Trailside Elementary Schools, for the 2025-26 academic year. The events will be held at McPolin Elementary School on Nov. 20 and Jeremy Ranch Elementary School on Nov. 21. Both locations will offer sessions in English from 6-7 p.m. and Spanish from 7-8 p.m.
Park Record's 'Best of Park City 2024" Awards took place on November 14th at The Pendry. The most enthusiastic group in an enthusiastic evening was the one with the blowup “service flamingo” — the Park City Education Foundation, celebrating their win for Best Fundraising Event, Running with Ed.
The foundation funds various programs, including the Lucky Ones Coffee Camper, which provides educators with warm beverages and pastries in the fall. The foundation also supports the Utah Wellness Coordinator at Treasure Mountain and the cell phone pouch program, which has significantly reduced suspensions and conflicts.
Bright Futures recently celebrated the 10-year milestone of their founding and helping first-generation students make their way through their higher-education journey. “The statistic nationwide is that only 11% of first generation students make it through college,” said PCEF VP of Advancement Jennifer Billow. “We wanted to change that statistic in Park City, and especially because so much of our first-gen families are the families that are really making this town run.”
The Bright Futures program has evolved to focus not just on getting kids into college, but also on supporting them through graduation. Bright Futures is on of 8 PCEF Signature Initiatives.
Park City School District on Tuesday invited families to attend open houses in which attendees can learn more its preschool programs for the 2025-26 school year.
Registration for the program opens Jan. 6, 2025 at 8 a.m.
The Día de Los Muertos event has become a tradition hosted at the high school for more than a decade. The evening’s activities included face painting, coloring stations for kids and several photo backdrops to capture the moment. Students from Parley’s Park Elementary School performed a dance called “Danza de los Viejitos” which is a traditional folk dance from Michoacán, Mexico.
PCEF supports Latinos in Action with a classroom grant.
At McPolin Elementary, Café Con Amigos is more than just a morning meet-up over coffee; it’s a vital gathering where parents, educators, and community members come together to support students’ educational journeys. Held approximately every other month, these morning coffee meetings provide a welcoming space for Spanish-speaking families to join together to learn about school procedures, technology, attendance, and other topics crucial to their children’s success.
PCEF supports Café Con Amigos with a classroom grant.
Both Parley’s Park and Trailside Preschools will increase their classroom capacity from two to four, allowing for more families to benefit from high-quality early education in Park City. The expansion will also introduce a significant change to the current programming, with the three-year-old program moving from two half-day sessions per week to a full five-day option, providing greater access and consistency for young learners. Additionally, families of three-year-olds will now have the option to register for the after-school program, extending support and convenience for working families.
Preschool is one of 8 Signature Initiatives supported by PCEF donors.
November's PCSD Newsletter includes: We All Belong Campaign, A Letter from the Interim Superintendent, Preschool Expansion, Meritorius Budget Award, First-Gen Student's Path to Heathcare Career, Academic All State athletes, and Cafe Con Amigos.
English and Spanish versions of the newsletter available at the link.
The Park City Education Foundation and former board member and educator Tommy Tanzer celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Bright Futures program this October. Unlike their parents, over the last 10 years, 170 Park City High School students have had the opportunity to attend college.
Bright Futures is one of 8 Signature Initiatives supported by PCEF donors.
Jessica Loya, a Park City High School 2024 graduate and Bright Futures student, thrives on knowing and achieving her goals. Her hard work has earned her ten scholarships, including the Call to Action Foundation Scholarship and the Utah Sterling Scholar award, which fully funded her four years at the University of Utah.
PCEF funds Bright Futures - one of our eight Signature Initiatives.
First generation student Brian Rea plans to attend the University of Utah after graduation for two years before transferring to a specialized medical program. His ultimate goal is to participate in medical school. He credits the CTE facilities at PCHS for giving hime a solid foundation as he pursues his dream of becoming a doctor.
Bright Futures is one of 8 Signature Initiatives supported by PCEF donors.
The Park City School District’s preschool program will expand again this spring. There will be full-day options for 3-year-olds. Registration for the expanded preschool program on January 1, 2025.
PCEF donors provide over $125,000 in funding yearly to ensure Park City School District can provide affordable, high-quality preschool for 3—and 4-year-olds.
