Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, parents/guardians who choose to enroll their child in half-day kindergarten will be responsible for providing transportation after their child is dismissed from class at noon.
Half-day kindergarten students can still ride the bus to school in the morning but must be picked up by a parent/guardian, or another individual designated by their parent/guardian after the students are dismissed from class at noon.
At present, there are fewer than 60 total students enrolled in half-day kindergarten district wide. The state will no longer compensate districts for transporting students who attend half-day kindergarten. The district will continue to offer half-day kindergarten only in the morning.
Students who are enrolled in full-day kindergarten will not experience any changes in transportation options provided by the district next year.
All students in grades K-12 will begin the 2024-2025 school year on the same day, Wednesday, Aug. 21, due to a change in state law. This is different from previous years when kindergartners started school one week later than students in grades 1-12. Students enrolled at Central Cove Preschool will start the 2024-2025 school year on Wednesday, Sept. 4.
A full list of Kindergarten Roundup dates for Uintah School District elementary schools can be found at
https://bit.ly/KindergartenRoundup24_25.
The Return of Peanut Butter
The Uintah School District is no longer ordering Wowbutter sandwiches. Starting the week after Spring Break, we will begin serving peanut butter and jelly Uncrustables in some of our schools as an alternative at breakfast and lunch. As schools run out of Wowbutter sandwiches, they will switch to peanut butter and jelly Uncrustables.
For now, Uncrustables will be the only item served that contains peanut butter. The district may eventually introduce other prepackaged, clearly labeled foods that contain peanut butter. Kitchen staff will not make food that contains peanut butter. Individual schools may choose to have a peanut-free table in their cafeteria.
It is important to note that our schools have never been a peanut-free environment. Kitchen staff and school nurses are trained to recognize the signs of an allergic reaction. They have access to EpiPens and are trained in their use.
If your child is allergic to peanuts or other allergens, please make sure you have notified their school, and that the allergy is recorded in Aspire.
Mr. Uintah & Miss Uintah Competition
Tickets are on sale for the annual Mr. Uintah and Miss Uintah Competition. The competition is Wednesday, March 27, in the Uintah High Auditorium. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Contestants take the stage at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 for students and $8 for adults. To buy your tickets online, visit
https://bit.ly/MrUintah_MissUintah_2024. Tickets will also be sold at the door.
Spring Break Starts March 29
Spring Break begins Friday, March 29. Students return to class on Monday, April 8. Schools will be closed during the break. The district office will be closed April 4 and April 5. There won’t be a Weekly District Update on March 29 or April 5.
Uintah FFA Sees Success at State
The Uintah High FFA Chapter had an impressive showing at the Utah FFA Association State Convention in Logan last week, which was attended by more than 2,000 FFA members from across Utah. The chapter received the Utah Superior Chapter Rating. Uintah's Ty Thomas placed 3rd in prepared public speaking out of the 10 other Utah FFA Area winners. He had to prepare, memorize, and present a 6-to-8-minute speech and answer questions from the judges for five minutes afterward.
Uintah FFA members Hadley Cook, Hadlie Horrocks and Kamlyn Williams won Utah FFA State proficiency awards. These awards are based off the individual member’s Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) programs that they have managed the past three to four years. Cook was also the 1st place winner in Agricultural Mechanics Design and Fabrication; Kamlyn Williams was 1st in Agricultural Education; and Hadlie Horrocks brought home 1st in Nursery Operations.
Horrocks was also awarded a Western Ag Credit Scholarship after winning the application and interview process. Uintah FFA member Conner McKee was awarded a Utah FFA Foundation SAE for All Grant of $500 for his SAE program.
Uintah FFA had seven members awarded the Utah FFA State Degree: Hadley Cook, Aubree Harrison, Drew Huber, Kaylee Jo Huber, Taysia Richens, Isabel Owens, and Ty Thomas. This is the second highest degree that can be earned in FFA and is earned by less than 2 percent of all FFA members. To earn this degree takes accurate and consistent record keeping and tremendous dedication and involvement in FFA. The degree recognizes students for their efforts to go above and beyond with their SAE program, FFA leadership, and academics.
The Uintah FFA Chapter was one of fewer than 10 chapters in Utah to earn the 5 Star Chapter Award for its all-around efforts in Growing Leaders, Strengthening Agriculture and Building Communities through their numerous activities and projects.
Lastly, Uintah FFA members attending the convention were there to support Uintah High alum Aysia Massey as she helped conduct the convention and give her retirement remarks as the Utah FFA State Association Reporter.
Celebrations
Congratulations to the Uintah School District middle school students who took part in the Ritchey Science and Engineering Fair over the weekend at Weber State University. Several USD students earned special recognition and placed in their respective categories.
Sophia Hanifin earned the Regeneron International SEF Student Observers Award, which includes an all-expense paid trip to Los Angeles, where she’ll be a non-competing student-observer at the International Science and Engineering Fair. Hanifin and Easton Brunson also won the Young Scientist\Engineer Award, which comes with a $300 cash prize for each winner.
Hanifin, Brunson, Trevor Caldwell, Claire Davies, Melody Liebhardt, Elizabeth Marshall, David Pierce, and Austin Taylor won the Thermo Fisher Junior Innovator Challenge.
Ryker Madson and Bridger Taylor won a Weber State University Spirited Science Student Award. Claire Davies won a U.S. Agency for International Development Award. Porter Barnes won an Office of Naval Research Award. Jakob Raymond finished in 3rd place for the U.S. Air Force Association Award.
In the Botany category, David Pierce placed 1st. Ellie Anderson and Ashlynn Nielson each earned an Excellent rating for their projects. Cambree Peltier earned an Honorable Mention.
In the Chemistry category, Conner Bell, Thurston Black, Branlon Mortenson, and Mason Howard earned honorable mentions for their projects.
In the Earth and Space category, Elizabeth Marshall placed 2nd. In the Energy and Transportation category, Porter Barnes earned an Excellent rating.
In the Engineering and Computer Science category, Claire Davies, and Melody Liebhardt each placed 2nd Place. Denis Avellaneda, Lucas Caldwell, and Rory Harrison each received Excellent ratings for their projects.
In the Environmental Science category, Sophia Hanifin placed 1st. Setareh Almaraz, Treyson Farrer, Haydn Oostveen, Ryker Madson, and Yasmin Vargas each received Excellent ratings for their projects.
In the Math\Physics\Astronomy category, Bridger Taylor received an Excellent rating for his project. Adrian Mayes and Jakob Raymond each earned honorable mentions for their projects.
In the Medical and Health category, Easton Brunson placed 1st. In the Microbiology category, Austin Taylor placed 2nd and Katelyn Sorenson earned an Excellent rating.
In the Social and Behavioral Sciences category, Trevor Caldwell placed 2nd and Arletta Richardson and Ryleigh Slaugh each placed 3rd for their projects. Anna Buhler, Syrus Bullock Alex Davies, Tyler Huber, and Shepard Lyman each earned Excellent ratings for their projects. Tinli Feltch, Lincoln Roberts, and Aaliyah Vaughn each earned honorable mentions.
In the Zoology category, Anna McKee and EmaLee Richens earned Excellent ratings for their projects.
Congratulations to all our student-scientists and their teachers, and everyone who supports science education!
Weekend Events
The Uintah High Softball Team plays the Payson Lions at Payson High today in their first region game of the season. The Uintah High Baseball Team is in Farmington, New Mexico, this weekend playing the Scorpion Invitational. The Uintah High Tennis Team plays in tournament tomorrow in Ogden.
Good luck to all our student-athletes and GO UTES!