We Are the Glendale Chain. Every Lynx Matters.

Dear Glendale Families and Community Members,

Welcome to the 2026–2027 school year!

There is truly no community I would rather have the opportunity to serve and collaborate with than Glendale. The depth of knowledge, history, commitment, and passion for students within this community is evident in our conversations, our partnerships, and the way people show up for our young people every day. I am honored to be part of Glendale Middle School and the greater Glendale community.

As we begin a new year, we have several school-wide priorities that we want our families and community partners to know about—and, more importantly, to be part of. Our success has never been the result of one person, one program, or one initiative. It happens when we work together.

Every Day Matters: Attendance

Our first priority is simple: we need our students at school.

Learning is sequential. I sometimes think of it like watching a movie. If you miss several scenes, you may still understand pieces of the story, but it becomes much harder to put the entire plot together. Learning works the same way. When students miss days of instruction, they miss pieces of learning that connect to what comes next, and those missing pieces can quickly become gaps.

We understand that students get sick and families experience emergencies. Those things happen. Otherwise, we need our Lynx at Glendale.

And we are going to have some fun with this! Throughout the year, students can expect attendance challenges, games, incentives, celebrations, and recognition. But underneath all of that is an important message we hope our entire community will reinforce: Every Day Matters. Every Day is an Opportunity for Learning—Academically and Socially.

Let's do this together.

If something is making it difficult for your child to attend school regularly, please reach out. We want to problem-solve alongside you. Your student's counselor is a great place to begin:

Zoe Buroojy: Last Names A–G

Charlotte Hibbert: Last Names H–O

Kristi Van Epps: Last Names P–Z

Every Student a Reader: Building Literacy Together

Our second major focus is literacy.

Reading isn't something that happens only in English Language Arts. Literacy is essential everywhere. At Glendale, students read to understand life stories and historical events. They read to make sense of mathematical situations and scientific ideas. They read to explore careers and college opportunities. They read instructions, arguments, primary sources, articles, poetry, and novels. And sometimes, we get to read simply because a great book is fun.

That is part of what can make middle school learning so joyful.

We also have important work ahead of us. Approximately 38% of students enter Glendale reading three or more grade levels below their current grade. We are committed to closing that gap.

We will provide additional opportunities for students who need them, including reading and language-development classes. At the same time, our entire professional teaching community will work collectively to strengthen literacy across every content area. Reading belongs everywhere, and every Glendale educator has a role in helping students become stronger readers, thinkers, speakers, and learners.

This is the work we will do together. Please encourage your student(s) to read at home each night for 20 minutes. This is the recommended time length for increased vocabulary exposure and academic stamina as well as increased literacy skills overall.

Safe, Healthy and Ready to Learn

Our third focus is continuing to strengthen our collective approach to student behavior, safety, and well-being.

We have already seen what is possible when we align our efforts.

Last year, through targeted behavioral and safety work and the collective efforts of educators, administrators, staff, students, and families, fighting on our campus decreased by approximately 70%. That is something worth celebrating—and something we must continue building upon.

We also have challenges that require the same level of partnership.

Last year, Glendale staff collected hundreds of vapes from students. Administrators, hall monitors, teachers, and other staff spent significant amounts of time identifying vaping, responding to incidents, contacting families, and supporting students. Vaping is becoming far too common and far too accepted among young people.

We need your partnership to change that.

Our students deserve to be healthy, safe, and ready to learn. As a community, we need to send a consistent message that vaping is harmful and is not acceptable at Glendale.

More broadly, we believe that alignment matters. Whether we are responding to a behavioral concern, examining student learning data, identifying an intervention, or developing a support plan, our best work happens when school staff, students, families, and community partners work together.

More Opportunities for Glendale Students!

There is also so much to celebrate as we begin this year.

Through the work and advocacy of Glendale educators, our School Community Council, the Salt Lake Education Foundation, the Salt Lake City School District School Board, and many community partners, we continue to expand opportunities for our students.

This year, Glendale students will have access to an increasingly rich middle school experience. We provide after-school programming for both academic and social enrichment, along with coaches and mentors who support physical development, teamwork, leadership, and character through sports and activities.

We are expanding Spanish language opportunities to students beyond our Dual Language Immersion program, reinforcing our belief that multilingualism is an asset that opens doors to future education and career opportunities.

We are also adding Health Careers courses to our College and Career Readiness offerings and expanding fitness opportunities.

These additions join an already impressive range of opportunities for students, including Ceramics, Dual Language Immersion, Art, Band, Orchestra, Mariachi, Study Skills, Film and Literature, Coding, and more.

Our students deserve opportunities to discover what they love, what they are good at, and who they might someday become.

It Takes a Community

One of Glendale's greatest strengths is that our students are surrounded by people and organizations invested in their success.

We are grateful for partnerships with organizations including The Beverly Taylor Sorenson Arts in Education Team, Utah Board of Education’s I-3 Grant, Youth Teaching Youth, Promising Youth, Central 9th Youth Coalition, Promise South Salt Lake/United Way, the Ron McBride Foundation, Salt Lake Community Education Foundation, and more.

Our Glendale-Mountain View Campus Community Learning Center provides incredible programming and resources for families, including access to vision and dental services, food pantry, family programming, and other supports.

Our core of educators is dedicated to bringing joy to learning while challenging and supporting students academically. Our coaches, counselors, paraprofessionals, interventionists, and support staff work every day to ensure students have what they need to succeed. And our front office team—proudly including people who are themselves Glendale graduates—is ready to welcome and assist our families.

This is what makes Glendale special.

We Are the Glendale Chain

Finally, I want to introduce our theme for the 2026–2027 school year.

Did you know that a group of lynx can be called a chain?

There could not be a more fitting image for Glendale.

Our community builds our chain. Each link—and each Lynx—is an important part of our success.

A parent partnering with a teacher is a link.

A teacher mentoring a student is a link.

An after-school club helping a student discover a new passion is a link.

A counselor helping a family overcome a barrier to attendance is a link.

A coach teaching perseverance is a link.

A student welcoming or mentoring another student is a link.

A community organization providing resources to a family is a link.

And a student showing up each morning, ready to learn and contribute, is a link.

None of these pieces stand alone. They connect. They strengthen one another. And when one link needs support, the rest of the chain is there to help.

That is Glendale.

I am incredibly proud of the people I work alongside each day who show up ready to support our students and our future Glendale leaders. I am equally grateful for the families and community members who trust us, challenge us, partner with us, and contribute to this remarkable community.

There is important work ahead of us this year. There is also tremendous joy ahead of us.

We are Glendale.

We are the Glendale Chain.

Every Lynx Matters.

Here's to an incredible 2026–2027 school year!

With Glendale Pride,

Dr. Ashley McKinney

Principal

Glendale Middle School

Home of the Mighty Lynx