Foothills Elementary

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About Foothills Elementary

Foothills Elementary School is located in a fairly new community in west Riverton, Utah.  Our mission is to prepare students for the future by providing an optimal learning experience and encouraging students to reach their highest potential.

  • General Information:
  • Foothills EmblemFoothills Elementary currently has students enrolled in Kindergarten through sixth grade.
  • The school features self-contained classrooms with exterior windows and interior hall skylights. A media center, multipurpose center, cafeteria, and stage complete this modern, attractive facility.
  • A delicious, nutritious lunch is prepared in our kitchen daily.
  • Chinese Immersion is offered to first grade students at Foothills Elementary. Students enrolled in the program receive instruction for half of the day in Chinese and half of the day in English. The whole school will be learning about Chinese culture and traditions with the hope of graduating children from our school with a more global education and experience.
  • Staff and Students:
  • Foothills Elementary staff includes certified teachers and specialists. Educational support professional employees serve in various other capacities.
  • All certified staff hold current teaching certificates with several teachers having earned advanced degrees and educational endorsements beyond the regular teaching certificate. In addition two teachers are currently working on their National Board Certification.
  • Two full time resource teachers and one part time Literacy specialist provide Tier II and Tier III interventions for students who are struggling academically. A part time school psychologist and one speech therapist are also on staff.
  • Teachers participate in Professional Learning Communities to meet individual student needs and collaborate on curriculum and common assessments.
  • All staff members are formally evaluated on a regular basis for the purpose of improving performance. Teachers continually participate in professional development classes to improve instructional skills.
  • The curriculum meets or exceeds all District and state requirements. Teachers utilize Balanced Literacy strategies to teach reading and writing in all subject areas. Math is taught using a combination of Investigations as well as the Scott Foresman/Addison Wesley curriculum. Science and Social Studies curriculum are taught using both district and teacher-designed guides and materials using a hands-on approach. Curriculum is individualized and differentiated to meet the individual needs of students.
  • Technology training is available to all students in all grades. Students have one to one access to laptop computers.
  • Students learn leadership and communication skills by participating in Student Council and Safety Patrol.
  • Community Involvement:
  • A School Community Group meets regularly to discuss local school problems, review District and state problems, and make recommendations for action to the principal.
  • The Parent Teacher Association is an active organization at Foothills Elementary. Volunteers spend hundreds of hours annually, assisting teachers and students in the classrooms.
  • Parents and community volunteers are encouraged to participate at Foothills. Volunteers help teachers with clerical tasks and tutoring small groups.
  • Visitors are always welcome at Foothills. It is our goal to provide opportunities for every student and family to give of their time and service to our students, the future leaders of tomorrow.
  • Our school boasts a great faculty and outstanding school spirit. We enjoy parent and community involvement, and student progress in academics and self-discipline is exceptional.
Student Achievement
RISE

RISE is a collection of computer-adaptive assessments given to Utah students beginning in grade 3 (science in grade 4) in English language arts (ELA), math and science. RISE assessments provide questions that assess students’ ability to apply higher-order thinking skills and better emulate real tasks students may encounter in education and in life.

RISE assessments were developed through a joint effort on the part of Utah teachers, parents, test development experts, and the Utah State Board of Education (USBE). The RISE assessment, together with the state’s suite of assessments in grades K-12, provide information to assist in determining students’ progress towards being prepared for college and careers upon completion of secondary school. Due to the school soft closure in March 2020, scores are not available for the 2019-20 school year.

Test Subject 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23
Language Arts 53.9% N/A 41.0% 46.5% 40.8%
Mathematics 46.1% N/A 38.8% 43.0% 43.5%
Science 55.8% N/A 45.2% 43.8% 47.0%
School Accountability Report Cards

School Accountability Report Cards are issued for each public school once a year by the State of Utah. The 2017-18 school year marks the first report card under this new accountability system. Elementary and middle school report cards have four main grade categories: achievement, growth, English learner progress, and growth of the lowest 25%. High schools have one additional grade category entitled postsecondary readiness. For the 2017-18 school year, achievement and growth scores are calculated from the statewide end-of-year SAGE assessment. In future years, achievement and growth was calculated from the new Readiness. Improvement. Success. Empowerment. (RISE) assessment for grades 3-8 and the Utah Aspire Plus assessment for grades 9-10. The English learner progress category score is calculated from the annual administration of the WIDA test, which assesses students’ language proficiency in English. For high schools, the postsecondary readiness score is calculated from 11th grade performance on the ACT, advanced coursework performance, and graduation rates. The state’s School Accountability Report Cards are intended to inform educators, parents, and community stakeholders about school performance as they work collaboratively to improve student outcomes. Due to the school soft closure in March 2020, scores are not available for the 2019-20 and the 2020-21 school years.

Category 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23
Achievement 30 N/A N/A 25 25
Growth 28 N/A N/A 34 34
ELL Progress 3 N/A N/A 2 5
Growth of the Lowest 25% 17 N/A N/A 16 17
Boundary Map & Safe Walking Routes