Expanding Educational Focus

Evolving to Meet the Needs of Students Today, and in the Future

Tooele County, located just 30 miles west of Salt Lake City, is one of Utah’s fastest-growing regions. Known as a bedroom community for the state’s capital, the area has experienced steady increases in population, prompting the Tooele County School District (TCSD) to expand and evolve its educational offerings. Encompassing 200 miles, the district operates 27 schools and serves a diverse population, upholding a strong commitment to equipping students for life after graduation.

Superintendent, Dr. Mark Ernst, conveys, “We want our students, when they leave us, to have the knowledge, skills, and dispositions they need for whatever’s next in their life. We start that process in kindergarten and all through high school, hoping that we graduate good citizens and good people ready to go into college or the workforce.”

Meeting the Needs of a Growing Community

With growth comes opportunity, and TCSD is responding by constructing two new schools, set to welcome students in August of 2025. As part of the planning stages, a committee of curriculum experts and district administrators was formed, visiting schools across the state to create a vision for what the future of Tooele County School District buildings should look like. “Some of the things that we really liked were the collaborative environments of the other schools,” details Michael Garcia, Building Official and Construction Coordinator. He shares that the new buildings will offer gathering areas for students and educators, noting, “That will encourage cross pollination between classrooms, between departments, between the faculty and staff.”

At the new high school, for example, classrooms have been designed with flexibility in mind, and teachers will have individual offices designed to support a model where educators bring their expertise to the students, instead of having a fixed classroom for varying class sizes.

The building will include spaces that can accommodate smaller AP classes, and larger rooms for classes of 40 or more. A similar approach is taken at the junior high, where teachers have access to pods that will allow them to focus more on student interaction. “The schools definitely look a little bit different, and our community is excited for them,” he acknowledges. “It’s not the traditional four walls, kids up front. It’s meant to be flexible, adaptable, both for today and in the future.”

Another notable innovation in these new buildings is the use of steel stud framing, which not only allows for easier modifications, but also paves the way for more efficient power and data distribution. “A lot of the buildings we had before were load bearing masonry, which is very hard to get back into, very hard to adapt, hard to add power,” Garcia expands. “This makes it very easy in 15/20 years, to come in and do a major remodel or move a wall. So, we were thinking of the problems we ran into in buildings today and trying to find ways to avoid the same problems for the people following us.”

Along with new construction, the district is focusing on improvements to existing buildings, ensuring optimal learning environments. “We’re really investing in our HVAC systems,” Ian Silva, Director of Operations shares, “Our school years start when it’s hot here in Utah, and we go through the winter months when it gets really cold and then back into heat. We’ve seen a big impact on our students when the classrooms are cold or hot, and so we’ve been investing a lot into those systems, so classrooms are a more ideal temperature and learning environment.”

A plan is also underway to anticipate future expansion needs. “We are a growing district, and that means more facilities. So, we’ve been investing for about the last year into a master plan to give us a forecast for the next 5,10,15 years. This will help to see what this growth is going to look like in our county, and what it’s going to take to provide a good educational outcome for our students,” Silva asserts. “Right now,  the biggest focus for us is what our current schools need to keep them operational, but also what new facilities we are going to need to keep up with the growth and the future of education.”

 A Strong Foundation and Beyond

From early education to career readiness, TCSD is fully committed to student success. Early academics are a primary focus, and the district aims to have 75% of K-3 students performing at grade level in reading and math by the end of third grade. In line with this goal, class sizes are intentionally kept smaller to enhance individualized instruction and foundational skill-building.

Technology also plays a role in TCSD’s approach, and students have access to Chromebooks, as well as interactive short throw projectors as part of the classroom experience. Dr. Cody Reutzel, Executive Director of Teaching and Learning, explains that a district-wide AI platform is also being initiated, to teach students how to use the technology responsibly. “That’s not something that we’re trying to avoid, we’re actually embracing it. We are supporting our teachers in setting parameters for how to use those tools in schools. We’ve also adopted School AI as a district wide AI platform that’s safe for students to use in appropriate ways,” he maintains

CTE and Career Readiness

Career, and technical education (CTE) is another growing priority in the district. Through partnerships with Tooele Technical College and Utah State University, students can gain college credits while still in high school. To support career readiness, the district offers pathways in a variety of specialties, including health sciences, engineering and technology, computer science and information technology, with specific courses in engineering, mechanical design, biotechnology, medical forensics, and manufacturing. As for hands-on opportunities, Reutzel says, “Our private industry partners are critical. Those partnerships really provide students the opportunity to get out and get some experience in industry that we are not able to provide in the public sector. So those partners are really important.”

While STEM and career-focused education are priorities, TCSD also cultivates a well-rounded student experience through strong arts and athletic programs. The district offers fine arts education from elementary through high school, including choir, band, visual arts, and media arts. “We have all of your traditional stuff,” describes Dr. Ernst. “We teach kids how to throw clay on the pottery wheel. But then also we have computer aided art, and  for those kids who are interested in AG mechanics, building trailers and different things like that, we have those programs as well. We have really robust fine arts programs throughout our schools.”

Supporting Educators for Long-Term Success

Key to the district’s mission is ensuring educators have the tools they need to succeed. Ernst imparts, “We have an instructional framework that we want them to follow and we’re working on different aspects of a curriculum model. It will be a common formative assessment in a curriculum that they can get through in a timely manner and is relevant to the student. Each of those things helps to lay a foundation today for future success for our school district.”

Recognizing that teacher development is essential to student achievement, Tooele County Schools has also implemented a mentoring and coaching system. New teachers receive support from both building-based and district-level mentors, along with instructional coaching to refine their classroom strategies. “Of course, our principals do a good job of getting into the classroom and helping teachers with classroom management and different teaching strategies to make sure that they are comfortable in what they’re presenting to our students,” he adds.

 Looking Ahead

As Tooele County School District moves forward, Dr. Ernst identifies four key areas of concentration- boosting literacy and math proficiency in early grades, raising graduation rates above 90%, eliminating school subgroups that require additional state intervention, and bolstering support for teachers to excel in their roles. He also stresses the value of lifelong learning for both educators and students, summarizing, “I think that we are all lifelong learners. It looks different for each person, but I believe that we are better humans when we continue to learn and make ourselves better as we grow.”

AT A GLANCE

Who: Tooele County School District
What: A thriving school district in one of Utah’s fastest growing regions
Where: Tooele County, Utah
Website: www.tooeleschools.org