She is known as a resilient teacher and member of the community. That is one reason why Bluffdale Elementary School teacher Donna Birrell was recently awarded the 2025 Utah Education Tribute Award as part of the “Resilient YOU” program. Ms. Birrell received the award during a surprise assembly honoring her as an outstanding elementary school teacher in Utah.

The “Resilient YOU” award is a statewide program, which recognizes and celebrates individuals and organizations working to build resilience in students, families, and communities. It specifically includes the Education Tribute Award honoring those who demonstrate exceptional efforts in promoting resilience in schools and the wider community. Additionally, the program utilizes music and entertainment to teach resilience-building messages to children, as well as featuring award-winning music that enhances classroom instruction and community engagement.

The award was presented by local recording artists Steve and Lisa James and Region 6 PTA representative, Todd Hougaard.

Congratulations to this amazing educator! Keep up the great work, Donna Birrell.

They are a truly talented and dedicated group of students taking their passion and talents to new heights this past week. The Mountain Ridge High School Percussion (front ensemble and drumline) returned home from Dayton, Ohio after competing at the WGI World Championships and they have something of which to be very proud.

Mountain Ridge is the first high school to make the trip in 20 years, and these amazing students represented the Intermountain region extremely well by advancing to the semi-finals round for the first time in Utah’s history! The ensemble and drumline consists of 34 students led by band director Cris Stiles.

To celebrate their success, the Percussion team will have a free Friends & Family night performance this Friday, April 18 at 7:30 p.m. in the Mountain Ridge High School gym.

Congratulations Mountain Ridge High Percussion and Drumline! You made us very proud in world competition.

They are packing their percussion instruments and headed out for a pretty prestigious competition. The Mountain Ridge High School percussion ensemble will be competing in the WGI 2025 Percussion World Championships this week in Dayton Ohio. A total of 34 students will be competing led by band director Cris Stiles.

They will be performing “Echoes of Ashes,” a set depicting the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in Pompeii when they compete on Thursday morning.

We wish these talented students the very best of luck!

Thank you to Daniel Olsen for the Mountain Ridge High School percussion ensemble photos.

Our school libraries are much more than just a place for students to check out books. They are spaces to discover knowledge and adventure, complete homework, explore new interests, and foster creativity and curiosity. All of this is made possible by the dedicated librarians who transform the school library into a welcoming hub at the heart of our schools.

To celebrate National School Librarian Appreciation Day today, we invited several of our wonderful school librarians to share one of their favorite books and explain why they love it.

It’s time to take a moment and thank all of the amazing paraprofessionals working in our Jordan School District schools. Paraprofessional Appreciation Day is Wednesday, April 2. It is a day to recognize and honor the hard work and dedication of paraprofessionals, also known as teacher aides, instructional assistants, or classroom assistants. These valued employees support teachers and students in the classroom and their contributions are invaluable.

On this day, and every day, we say a sincere thank you to paraprofessionals for their patience, support, and positive attitudes. You make a difference in education!