Staff Writer | American Fork Citizen

The Timpanogos School District (TSD) Board of Education voted unanimously Wednesday, Aug. 26, to move forward with formal closure studies involving 13 schools as part of the district’s ongoing boundary study.

This pivotal action marks the “Optimize” phase of the district’s comprehensive boundary study, known as MOABS (Mother of All Boundary Studies). The initiative was launched to ensure every TSD school is fully equipped to deliver optimal academic and social opportunities for all students.

The Board emphasizes that the study aims to strengthen schools, optimize district resources, ensure equitable, high-quality academic experiences for all students, while empowering educators to build environments where students thrive.

The schools include Canyon View, Oak Canyon and Orem junior highs, as well as Aspen, Bonneville, Foothill, Lindon, Northridge, Orchard, Orem, Parkside, Rocky Mountain and Windsor elementary schools. No final decisions have been made yet. The Board stresses that thorough study and community input are required before determining final consolidations. Three junior high schools will be studied for one potential closure, and 10 elementary schools will be studied for three to five closures.

Shifting from traditional models that only notify schools facing almost guaranteed closure, TSD is deliberately naming a broader group of potentially affected schools. This ensures all impacted communities are formally notified and invited to participate in the upcoming 90-day public feedback process.

Potential closures remain strictly secondary to the study’s primary mission: creating robust, high-quality learning environments district-wide, guided by TSD’s core vision, values and robust school criteria.

“In the Timpanogos School District, students will always come first,” said Superintendent Joe Jensen. “I want to reassure our families that the overriding, primary goal of these studies is to make school absolutely awesome for each and every child in our community. This is a focused effort to guarantee that regardless of where your family lives, your child will have access to the school culture, opportunities, and support systems that will allow them to learn to thrive.”

Board President Jen Lyman voiced TSD’s commitment to putting the community first. “We recognize that discussions around school boundaries and consolidations naturally bring anxiety and uncertainty to the families in our district. We want our community to know that a few of us on the board have lived through consolidations and closures. We know how hard it can be and we know how great it can be on the other side. We are fully committed to listening to parents, teachers, families, and others as we evaluate different options and determine what will be best for our kids and our community.”

“As a Board, we pledge to be as transparent and open as we possibly can be throughout the process of evaluating all the available options to strengthen our schools and the academic opportunities for our children,” shared Board Vice President Sterling Hilton. “Our decisions will be guided by the Robust School Criteria that came out of intensive engagement with the public. Any structural changes we eventually make will be designed to expand opportunities and ensure we can truly cultivate joyful, thriving students in a culture of exceptional care.”

Staff Writer | American Fork Citizen

Utah Valley University (UVU) has launched the Freshman Concurrent Enrollment Merit Scholarship, aimed at rewarding high school students who took college courses through its concurrent enrollment program. Qualifying students can earn up to $20,000 toward their degree.

UVU’s Concurrent Enrollment Program has long given high school students access to real college courses that are affordable and high-quality, allowing them to jump start their higher education. The new scholarship builds on that foundation, ensuring those students have an even clearer and more affordable path to completing their degree once they arrive on campus.

The scholarship offers two tiers of awards ranging from $3,500 to $5,000 per year, based on the number of UVU concurrent enrollment credits a student completed in high school. Both awards are renewable for up to four years, meaning qualifying students could receive as much as $20,000 over the course of their college career.

“When concurrent enrollment students arrive on campus as college freshmen, they have already proven themselves academically. They come in disciplined, prepared, and eager to advance their education,” said Senior Director of Concurrent Enrollment, Spencer Childs. “What we have not had, until now, is a scholarship that truly reflects that. This is the first scholarship at UVU built specifically to reward that effort, and we think it will make a real difference, not just for students who are already enrolled in concurrent enrollment courses, but for students who now have a reason to start.”

The new scholarship structure is designed to encourage high school students to start pursuing college coursework earlier. Students who earn more concurrent enrollment credits while still in high school may qualify for a higher scholarship tier, meaning the effort put in before graduation can pay off in a big way. For students who might have been on the fence about enrolling in college courses early, this scholarship offers a tangible financial incentive to get started and to keep going.

Since all UVU Concurrent Enrollment students are automatically admitted as UVU freshmen, students only need to submit an official high school transcript during their senior year by Feb. 1. For more information about this opportunity, visit uvu.edu/concurrent/merit-scholarship.

Staff Writer | American Fork Citizen

The Timpanogos School District (TSD) Board of Education considered a formal proposal to launch public boundary studies and evaluate potential school consolidations and closures during its meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 26.

This pivotal action marks the “Optimize” phase of the district’s comprehensive boundary study, known as MOABS (Mother of All Boundary Studies). The initiative was launched to ensure every TSD school is fully equipped to deliver optimal academic and social opportunities for all students.

The Board emphasizes that the study aims to strengthen schools, optimize district resources, ensure equitable, high-quality academic experiences for all students, while empowering educators to build environments where students thrive.

No final decisions have been made yet. While specific schools will be named for evaluation, the Board stresses that thorough study and community input are required before determining final consolidations. Three junior high schools will be studied for one potential closure, and 10 elementary schools will be studied for three to five closures.

Shifting from traditional models that only notify schools facing almost guaranteed closure, TSD is deliberately naming a broader group of potentially affected schools. This ensures all impacted communities are formally notified and invited to participate in the upcoming 90-day public feedback process.

Potential closures remain strictly secondary to the study’s primary mission: creating robust, high-quality learning environments district-wide, guided by TSD’s core vision, values and robust school criteria.

“In the Timpanogos School District, students will always come first,” said Superintendent Joe Jensen. “I want to reassure our families that the overriding, primary goal of these studies is to make school absolutely awesome for each and every child in our community. This is a focused effort to guarantee that regardless of where your family lives, your child will have access to the school culture, opportunities, and support systems that will allow them to learn to thrive.”

Board President Jen Lyman voiced TSD’s commitment to putting the community first. “We recognize that discussions around school boundaries and consolidations naturally bring anxiety and uncertainty to the families in our district. We want our community to know that a few of us on the board have lived through consolidations and closures. We know how hard it can be and we know how great it can be on the other side. We are fully committed to listening to parents, teachers, families, and others as we evaluate different options and determine what will be best for our kids and our community.”

“As a Board, we pledge to be as transparent and open as we possibly can be throughout
the process of evaluating all the available options to strengthen our schools and the academic opportunities for our children,” shared Board Vice President Sterling Hilton. “Our decisions will be guided by the Robust School Criteria that came out of intensive engagement with the public. Any structural changes we eventually make will be designed to expand opportunities and ensure we can truly cultivate joyful, thriving students in a culture of exceptional care.”

The meeting where the proposal was launched was held on Wednesday, Aug. 26 at the Alpine School District Special Education Office in Lindon. Live-stream and agendas are available at
timpsd.org.

Jennifer Thomas | American Fork Citizen

The Timpanogos School District (TSD) and the Aspen Peaks School District (APSD) have finalized a joint transportation agreement to share maintenance facilities, parking infrastructure, and personnel for an upcoming fleet of roughly 80 buses.

According to TSD, it has established a Memorandum of Understanding with APSD. Under the agreement, TSD will lease space at the APSD transportation facility.

“This collaborative arrangement is designed to provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective services for the district’s anticipated fleet of approximately 80 buses,” TSD officials said. They will reportedly have at least 90 parking stalls and two-and-a-half maintenance shop bays.

“In the split, each district will get a number of buses to commensurate with the student population in that district,” said Tyler Vigue, Timpanogos School District Director of Communications.

According to Vigue, both districts will “share five support personnel.”

“The shared support personnel will generally provide the same maintenance and fleet service to the buses owned by each district, reducing redundancies in those roles. Each district will have their own ‘Transportation Director’ to administer the work of transportation for their respective district fleet,” stated Vigue.

“There will be overlap in maintenance, but there will be clear divisions within the space for the parking of the buses,” continued Vigue.

The TSD Board of Education approved a three-year lease payment plan. They will pay the first two years by giving APSD their allocated “vehicle parts inventory” to cover lease costs. They will pay the final year by “transferring ownership of a portable administrative office trailer that TSD will install at the site,” according to TSD officials.

“This is a three-year agreement that could be renewed in the future,” clarified Vigue.

The collaborative arrangement aims to optimize operational efficiency, ensure high-quality vehicle safety and lower overall overhead costs for area taxpayers.

“We are so grateful for our partners in Aspen Peaks who have been willing to accommodate our needs and have afforded us this opportunity to continue our collaborative working relationship,” said Superintendent Joe Jensen. “And we appreciate the support of the public as we worked through this process, while striving to maximize resources that keep our focus on our core mission of helping every student thrive.”

“We know that at the end of the day, everyone involved cares about all of the students and employees impacted by this reconfiguration of school districts, and we are so grateful for the collaborative approach of those who have made this arrangement possible; especially our counterparts in Aspen Peaks,” stated Vigue. “Considering the timing and many other challenges facing these new school districts, we are thrilled to have this opportunity to avoid unnecessary expenses and burdens on employees, administrators, citizens and taxpayers.”

Megan Wallgren | American Fork Citizen

Community members gathered to learn more about the upcoming division of Alpine School District into three new districts during a Let’s Learn Utah event at the Cedar Hills Country Club.

Alpine School District Superintendent Rob Smith was the featured speaker. He provided an update on the transition to the Aspen Peaks, Timpanogos and Lake Mountain school districts and answered questions from community members.

Candee Myers, a candidate for the Utah Senate District 21 seat, organized the event. Myers said she organized the non-partisan event after speaking with residents who had questions and concerns about the district split.

“As I’ve talked to people through my campaign, the school district seems to be a concern, and I didn’t have the answers,” Myers said. “I wanted to organize this event where people can come and listen to the speaker and enjoy the community. Sometimes, when people are upset, it’s because they don’t understand what is going on. Information calms. My hope is that we can get the facts and then move forward.”

Smith spoke to an audience made up of ASD parents and residents, as well as several officials from the three new school districts and elected officials from cities currently within ASD boundaries.

He said the transition from Alpine to the three new districts remains on schedule for major steps, such as dividing assets and liabilities and hiring three new superintendents, as Alpine prepares to cease operations when the three new districts begin full operation on July 1, 2027.

Smith said that when he came out of retirement to serve as Alpine’s superintendent during the transition, he identified four primary goals: maintaining student achievement, helping create three strong school districts, providing ample support for the new districts, and supporting employees through the transition.

“Student achievement is our moral compass and our contract with parents,” Smith said. “We have continued to provide for those students.” He said Alpine reached its highest post-pandemic success in several key measures this past school year. Those included 74% of third graders reading at grade level, 87% of junior high and middle school students on track for graduation, and a 93% district-wide graduation rate.

To facilitate a smooth transition to 3 new school districts, Smith said Alpine staff created a “playbook” for each department to help guide the transition and held joint training and learning sessions with new district school boards and staff.

The three new boards are already functioning and working with their respective superintendents, business administrators and other staff members. “We’re really proud of the work those three boards did,” Smith said. “We acted as a coach, providing information, but they’ve done the hard work to set things up.”

State law requires the new districts to make employment offers to district employees by January 2027. Smith said Alpine expects to complete that process by the end of the week, several months ahead of the statutory deadline.

However, many employees of the new districts are also currently filling roles in Alpine School District. Smith said some employees are working on transition responsibilities after hours and on weekends and receiving stipends for the additional work.

Smith said Alpine and the three future districts currently operate as one organization while staff members work toward the transition. That relationship will gradually change as Alpine winds down its operations and the new districts ramp up. “Alpine is one, the three are part of us, and we are part of them. We will support each other to keep us working as smoothly as possible through the transition,” Smith said.

Audience members had questions about the financial outlook for the three districts. Of particular interest was the per-student dollar allocation and how financial projections compare with actual numbers. Smith said the district will not have a complete picture until the current year’s budget is closed and the audit is completed, expected in early September; however, the district’s projections appear relatively close to actual figures so far.

The new boards will begin developing their own budgets in September or October using audited numbers as a starting point.

School boundaries are another significant issue facing the new districts. Individual school boundaries sometimes cross both city and future district boundaries, making boundary decisions particularly complicated.

Utah’s open-enrollment policies mean families can choose where their children attend school, Smith said, adding that district leaders do not control student numbers but can respond to enrollment trends.

In response to questions about possible future school closures or boundary changes, Smith said school boards for the new districts will have to address enrollment patterns as the new district takes shape. “The future district boards will ultimately have to determine how to address that challenge,” he said.
Future boards will also determine whether student-to-teacher ratios or other staffing decisions change as enrollment patterns become clearer.

Community members also asked how the split could affect special education programs and extracurricular activities.

Smith said each new district has already begun discussing whether programs will remain the same or whether individual districts will take different approaches. The districts will also have to consider growth, enrollment and available resources when making those decisions.

Smith said the community will need to give the new districts time to establish themselves before judging what comes next.

“Let the dust settle, get year one under, and then what happens next,” he said.

Elizabeth Spencer | American Fork Citizen

Entering high school is a big deal for most students, but staff and teachers at American Fork High School are easing newcomers’ nerves. AFHS sophomores received warm welcomes from AFHS teachers and staff at their homes this past week. As the class of 2029 enters high school, they will hopefully recognize a few familiar faces, instilling confidence and comfort.

Incoming sophomore Shae Waldvogel wasn’t home when her visit came, but with efforts made to welcome her, she’s feeling more comfortable as she enters a new school and school year.

Her mother, Stacy, shared, “I think the kids felt so special having the staff come. It showed they care. When I told Shae they came, she was really surprised and got a really big smile and started laughing. ‘They came here? To our house?’ It was a really nice surprise.”

Head football coach and teacher Aaron Behm isn’t just preparing the team for the upcoming season; he’s preparing his students for a successful start to their new year.

“Visiting the incoming sophomores is starting to become a pretty great tradition at a school that already has a lot of great traditions. It is a fun way to get to know some of the sophomores. I saw some of them on my roster already for the first day of school, so it is also nice as a teacher to know a few more faces when all the kids file into the classroom,” shared Behm.

Cole Blackhurst was home when Behm and teacher Jason Herrud appeared at his door. “It’s cool they spent their morning going to see dozens of kids,” shared Cole.

As a former teacher, his mother, Ashley, added, “I know that the days leading up to back-to-school are insanely busy. Between getting your classroom ready and professional development meetings, there’s not much time leftover. I’m not sure how the teachers fit these visits in. Getting out and welcoming the kids seems like the absolute best use of time. Every person feels the need to belong. This task was a great first step.”

Vera Petersen also received a warm welcome from staff. Vera was surprised to see her visitors on her porch and called them “very sweet.” She thinks welcome visits like this are important to soothe first-day nerves.

Vera’s mom, Jenilyn, saw the message from the school that they were going to try to come by and welcome the sophomores. “I thought surely they won’t go to every single student, but then I asked my kids and they said they came by,” Jenilyn shared. “It’s above and beyond probably what they get paid to do. … The kids are nervous to go to a new school, especially high school, so I thought it was really sweet.”

“If they’re making this a priority, then they really care about the kids,” said Jenilyn. “We’ve loved AF. I think it’s such a great school. All the teachers and staff we’ve had interactions with have been awesome.”

Along with the visit, students were given a pencil pouch, bumper sticker, ball, calendar and a flyer about upcoming school events.

Welcome, class of 2029! May you find success and joy in your new journey at “Good Ole AF High.”

Elizabeth Spencer | American Fork Citizen

Students and staff at American Fork High School are returning to school under new leadership this Fall. The AFHS community recently said goodbye to its principal of six years. Former Principal Peter Glahn is now serving as one of the assistant superintendents for the new Timpanogos School District. Because of the change, Alpine School District has named Wade Lott the new principal at AFHS.

This isn’t the first time Lott has worked at AFHS. “I am super excited to become the principal of American Fork High School. I began my career in education as a teacher and coach over 30 years ago at this very school. I still remember how welcoming the faculty and staff were to me as a new educator. I hope to continue that same welcoming feeling to everyone who walks through the school doors,” shared Lott.

Lott’s educational resume includes 11 years as a teacher at both AFHS and Lehi High School (LHS). Lott also worked as assistant principal for 8 years at Lakeridge Junior High and LHS. AFHS is the third school Lott will serve as principal. Before being hired at AFHS, he spent 14 years as principal at Canyon View Junior High and, most recently, Pleasant Grove Junior High (PGJH).

PGJH attendance secretary Jennifer Camp worked with Lott for four years. “I loved working with him because he sees people for what they are. He trusted that I knew my job and that I would do my job.”

“The biggest thing I loved about him was he was no-nonsense in ‘let’s just do the right thing.’ He was very supportive; there was never a moment that I felt like I couldn’t go to him, and he wouldn’t back me up,” said PGJH school counselor, Esther Shipley.

PGJH Assistant Principal Chelsea Budge shared, “He’s just somebody the faculty loved. They were really devastated when they found out he was moving.” Budge said the faculty is happy for American Fork but “sad for us” about Lott leaving PGJH.

“Mr. Lott is fiercely loyal. In my few years working with him, I could see this rare quality in him. He works hard for his team and is willing to go to bat for each of them,” wrote PGJH Administrative Secretary, Brandie Elliott.

“He saw the value in teachers. I hear teachers say how much they appreciated that he saw them and respected their jobs and who they are as people. He worked so good with the kids,” said Camp.

“He builds connections fast. You know that if you ask for something and you have a valid reason that you need it, he’s going to do whatever he can to get it for you,” said Budge.

Shipley said the kids liked Lott, respected him, and knew that he really cared about them. “He was very good to them, and he made it clear to every student that he just wanted the best thing for them,” added Shipley.

“He is full of kindness and cares about student success,” shared Elliott.

PGJH counselor Nicole Sperry said, “He’s the best. He was so supportive, so kind, just a good man.”

Lott was raised in Lehi and currently resides there as well. “That’s something really endearing, having those Utah roots,” said Budge. Co-workers will remember Lott for his unique farming sayings and phrases that he brought into his educational career. Lott owns property and horses, and fellow employees say his work ethic reflects that.

“Wade is a great addition to AFHS. He is an exceptional leader, and AFHS will benefit from his service here!” shared AFHS Administrative Secretary, Mary Scharman.

“Having a healthy culture where students can thrive and employees who love to come to work each day is very important to me as the principal. I feel the only reason I have this job is to help facilitate these two things,” shared Lott.

His predecessor felt similar before leaving AFHS. “My success has been because of the people I work with,” shared Glahn. “It already had a good culture when I got here. I don’t want to claim any of that.”

“I have a great deal of trust in those I work with and try to empower them to be innovative and make classes engaging for students. Most of all, I want students to graduate from American Fork High feeling confident and prepared for the life ahead of them,” added Lott.

Budge saw that commitment firsthand to students at PGJH, saying, “Wade really cares about every single student.”

“American Fork High has such a great tradition and history as a school community, and the fact that I get to be a part of that twice during my career is truly amazing,” shared Lott.

“AFHS is getting the best of the best,” concluded Shipley of Lott’s new position at the school.

STAFF WRITER | American Fork Citizen

Two new schools serving students with disabilities have opened at the former Sharon Elementary School in Orem.

Alpine School District held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday, Aug. 17, for Silver Peak School and the Timpanogos Transition and Education Center. The renovated facility is located at 525 N. 400 East within the boundaries of the future Timpanogos School District.

Silver Peak will serve students with severe disabilities in grades pre-K through 12. Principal Dan Heaps said students will have access to teachers and therapists who can address their individual needs.

“Every child deserves an education built around who they are, not in spite of it,” Heaps said.
The Timpanogos Transition and Education Center, or TTEC, will serve students ages 18 to 22. Its programs will focus on life skills, recreation and preparation for greater independence within the community.

TTEC Principal Melanie Adams said the school will provide individualized support as students prepare for life after school.

“This new facility will give us an even better opportunity to support our adult students right in their communities,” Adams said.

Both schools will begin serving students during the 2026-27 school year.

Elizabeth Spencer | American Fork Citizen

We may be experiencing higher-than-normal temperatures this summer, but the American Fork High School Marching Band continues to keep the beat regardless of the heat. The band recently participated in back-to-back summer camps with the Steel Days Parade sandwiched in between.

The most recent camp took the band down to Gunnison Valley High School (GVHS). For the past five years, students and dozens of parent volunteers have descended upon GVHS to use all of its indoor and outdoor facilities. The marching band’s focus is preparing their show for competition season.

“There is something about having a really long day together and then having to live with one another for several days that you create memories in a way that you can’t duplicate. They’re somewhere where they have to try and live with one another; they have to overcome trials and difficulties,” said AFHS Band Director Orien Landis. “I think that, in general, it provides a lot of opportunities for the students to get some really amazing camaraderie that we can’t duplicate back in American Fork.”

During COVID, the band didn’t leave AFHS for their annual away camp. Allison Dean, AFHS Band Administrative Assistant, said because they stayed home that year, staff knew something was missing: the camaraderie. “The students had a good experience, but they didn’t quite have the opportunity to bond in the same way,” shared Landis.

Each morning, the band is startled awake by the drum line or a section of brass. Breakfast for the crew of over 180 kids and dozens of volunteers begins as early as 4 a.m. The kitchen is full of parents preparing meals with almost as much energy as the kids on the band field.

AFHS band traditional favorite recipes include sunshine lemon cake and fruit cups made with pudding and cream. Since massive quantities of food are needed to keep the kids marching, volunteers spend days shopping Costco, Sam’s Club and Walmart.

The band goes through 180 gallons of Gatorade during camp and 500 pounds of ice daily. Other large quantities of food include 53 gallons of white and chocolate milk, over 30 loaves of French Bread, 70 pounds of hamburger, 150 pounds of smoked pork, 250 hamburger patties, hundreds of eggs, 21 cake mixes, and 65 bags of marshmallows for Rice Krispies treats.

Each meal prep takes a dozen volunteers, with twenty parents in place to serve up food when the dinner bell rings. Robyn Oler oversees the kitchen and cafeteria.

“I love serving the kids food; they work so hard, and they come in, and they’ve been outside in the hot sun. They’re tired, they’re spent, and we give them a home-cooked meal that has been made with so much love,” said Oler.

Oler loves seeing their smiling faces and recognizes how relieved kids are to get a break. She says the kids are always excited to get food and they are always so grateful. “I love seeing them all sitting together and socializing and getting to take a little bit of a break before they have to go back out.”

One tradition that students love in the cafeteria is the late-night treats. “I love that one too, because the whole day is over. They’ve finished a really long day, and they go shower, and they come in, and it’s the last thing they do before they go to bed,” said Oler. “Seeing them just be able to take a load off and have a really yummy, home-cooked treat is worth the effort.”

“Our parents are amazing. They are willing to do anything,” commented Dean on the huge group of volunteers that make the Gunnison trip successful.

“These are all volunteers that are here because they love these kids,” added Oler.

Former AFHS Booster President, Brooke Fuller, said her favorite thing is seeing the kids. “They just work so hard, and they have such good attitudes.” She said Gunnison takes students out of their comfort zone and “puts them in a situation where they’re all together all the time and have to learn to be a team. They have to work together.”

By the time the marching band left Gunnison, they had completed almost two-thirds of the show. “I can’t decide whether the students are achieving much better this year than they have in years past, or if the design team has put together a design that’s just a little bit more fluid, so the students can achieve it while still having the demand on them,” Landis said, in general, the students are accomplishing what is being asked of them at a higher level this year.

“In the course of three days, I watch them become a very strong unified unit that they will use to carry them through the whole season,” added Oler.

In November, the marching band is heading to Indianapolis to compete at Grand Nationals, so the staff knew this year’s show needed emotional depth. Landis says they often talk to students about what it takes to reach a level where they could be considered a finalist band at Grand Nats, but it’s never the focus.

“The focus is always just to give your best, to figure out what that is and try and achieve that, not just by the end of the season but starting now,” said Landis. “We would love to be a band that would be considered for finals at Grands Nationals. We think that if the students put their best effort in every day, then there’s a really great chance for us to do that.”

Those best efforts are seen during band camp in Gunnison. “The thing we love about coming to Gunnison is the people,” said Dean.

“I do love coming down here. There’s a special spirit in Gunnison, and I think part of that comes from how supportive the city is,” said Oler.

One of those supporters includes the local movie theater. The night before packing up to go home, students get to enjoy a movie together at the Casino Star Movie Theater. The show house is the longest-running operating theater this side of the Mississippi, having opened in 1913.

“I value excellence. I really do, and if somebody tries to seek excellence in something, we want to support that,” said Lori Nay of hosting the band annually. Nay is the Executive Director of the Casino Star Theater Foundation and former Mayor of Gunnison.

Dean doesn’t have children in the band program anymore, but she stays for the students. “What I love is watching the kids learn, and you can see it happen. It’s not just band stuff they learn. We are teaching them life skills,” she said.

“It is such a unifying experience. I see that, over the course of a few days, these kids bond, and I love watching them love and support each other and hype each other up. It just gives me so much faith and pride in this upcoming generation. They are changing the world, and I love getting to see that at this level,” said Oler.

Megan Wallgren | American Fork Citizen

Important changes to Alpine School District’s technology systems for the 2026-27 school year will affect the way parents access their students’ information and pay fees. There will also be a change to the way secondary students access district Chromebooks.

The district’s new student information system, Skyward Qmlativ, also known as “Skyward Q,” went live July 27. It replaces the old version of Skyward that Alpine School District has used for the last 18 years.

Darren Draper, Alpine School District Administrator of Technology and Digital Innovation, said the transition is designed to provide a more modern system while also preparing the district for its upcoming reconfiguration.

“Qmlativ is Skyward’s current-generation platform and provides a more modern and intuitive experience than the system we have used for the past 18 years,” Draper said. “It also gives us a more sustainable platform moving forward, with improved access to accurate and timely student information and a system that can continue to evolve as Skyward develops new functionality.”

While the new system may take some adjustment for families and employees who have used the previous platform for years, Draper said the district expects the change to provide long-term benefits.

“There will certainly be an adjustment period for families and employees who have used the previous version for many years, but we believe the long-term experience will be an improvement,” he said.

Parents can use their existing Skyward username and password to access Skyward Q. Parents who use the Skyward mobile app will need to delete and reinstall the app so it connects to the new system.

The district is asking parents to log in and complete the Annual Student Information Update for each student as soon as possible.

As part of the update, parents will also review and acknowledge the district’s Acceptable Use Policy. That acknowledgment must be completed before a student’s district technology accounts, including Google and Chromebook access, are fully reactivated.

“Probably the most important thing we would ask parents to do right now is log in to the new Skyward Q system and complete the Annual Student Information Update and Acceptable Use Policy for each of their students before school begins,” Draper said. “This will ensure that their students can log in to the various technology systems their teachers will ask them to use during the first weeks of school.”

Alpine School District is scheduled to transition to three independent school districts beginning in July 2027. As part of that process, each new district will need its own student information system. Draper said the district determined that moving to Skyward Qmlativ during the 2026-27 school year would give staff time to learn and establish the new system before the three districts begin operating independently.

“In many cases, the changes are actually happening because we are preparing for the district reconfiguration,” Draper said.

Rather than carrying the older Skyward system into the reconfiguration, the district decided to make the transition while its existing teams and expertise are still together.

“This gives the three new districts a much stronger starting point,” Draper said.

Families will also see a change in how they pay school fees this year. Alpine is moving from MySchoolFees to SchoolCash Online for the 2026-27 school year. The change comes after MySchoolFees discontinued the district’s previous payment platform. “MySchoolFees was discontinued, so a replacement was necessary regardless of the reconfiguration,” Draper said.

Draper said families should receive an email invitation from SchoolCash Online with instructions for creating an account. Parents can then associate their students with the account. Families who do not receive an invitation can contact the front office of the school their students attend.

Depending on the school, some course-related fees may appear at different times as schools complete the process of setting them up.

Another technology change students and families may notice this year involves the way secondary students access their district Chromebooks.

Alpine is transitioning from Clever to ClassLink as a single sign-on ed tech integration platform. Students will continue using the same district username and password, but the login screen and application dashboard will look different.

The district is also continuing to expand resources for parents concerning student technology use. These resources include information about internet filtering, monitoring, digital citizenship, and tools parents can use to understand better and manage their children’s school technology experience. The resources are available through Alpine School District’s “Navigating Technology: Partnering with Parents” page.

Draper encouraged parents to review the district’s technology resources and complete the required Skyward information update before classes begin.