A Valentine from our Founder

Dear Families,

As I write this belated thanks to you for the special meeting we had in December, I am also realizing how appropriate it is that this note will reach you in the month of February, when terms of endearment are exchanged in valentines. My thoughts and feelings are tender as I think about our wonderful school community and I am grateful for the trust that you put in us and for the contributions that you make to the school. It was delightful to be with you in December, even as we worked through a few difficult  issues. I feel that the meeting went well and I’m excited to extend another invitation for all of us to get to know each other even better.

Join us for a Meet and Greet Luncheon with the Board this month on Teacher Workday, Wednesday, February 12th from 12:00 PM -1:00 PM. It has always been my desire to establish and nurture relationships in the school community and now we have an opportunity to do so! As a board, we value your input and all that you do to make this school a beautiful place. As the founder of this school and a fellow parent myself, I will always put the children and their families first. You hold a special place in my heart. 

Truly Yours,

Gail S. Williamsen

February Events

Meet and Greet the Board

On our next Teacher Work Day, Wednesday, February 12th, join us for lunch from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm to meet EA Board members. It’s a great opportunity to ask questions and express your thoughts. Please RSVP HERE by Friday, February 7th.

Parent Teacher Conferences

Parent Teacher Conferences will be on
Thursday, February 13th & Friday, February 14th. During your conference you will meet with your student’s teacher to focus on their successes and educational goals.

Sign up for your time slot by Friday, February 7th.

Congratulations Merit Scholars!

Elizabeth Academy’s Merit Scholarship program is designed to recognize and reward exceptional achievement in three categories: academic effort, citizenship/leadership, and inclusivity. Scholarships of up to $6,000 ($2,000 per category) are available for 4th – 6th grade students and up to $9,000 ($3,000 per category) for 7th – 8th grade students.

The following Elizabeth Academy students have earned Merit Scholarships for the 2025-2026 school year:

Upper Elementary Merit Scholars

Ava Sheridan – Academic Effort, Leadership, Inclusivity Scholarships
Jude O’Leary – Academic Effort, Leadership, Inclusivity Scholarships
Louisa Soisson – Academic Effort, Leadership, Inclusivity Scholarships
Essie Lacy – Academic Effort, Leadership, Inclusivity Scholarships
Nora Welch – Academic Effort, Leadership, Inclusivity Scholarships
Cia O’Leary – Academic Effort and Leadership Scholarships
Remington Dalley – Inclusivity Scholarship
Cyrus Pilcher – Academic Effort Scholarship

Middle School Merit Scholars

Jane Wallingford – Academic Effort, Leadership, Inclusivity Scholarships
AJ Frankel – Academic Effort, Leadership, Inclusivity Scholarships
Josh Hendrix – Academic Effort and Inclusivity Scholarships

Staff Recognition- February 2025

Dani Rehmann- Primary School Campus

Dani is so great with the kids, especially those in the special needs grouping she spends so much of her time with. Cyrus has learned so much from her. Not only is she a great teacher, but she really gets to know the personalities of the kids she works with and creates routines to fit each kiddos needs and personalities. She also recognizes their quirks, speaking of Cyrus specifically here, and works in tandem with the parents to create the best environment for them. A specific example, Cyrus has attached to another child’s snow boots these last two years, and Dani worked with him to find a photo of “black boots” that he loved. She then both created a sign with the photo for him, and sent me the photo. I then used that photo as well as taking him to see boots in stores to find exactly what he wanted. He now has his very own “black boots” that he’s extremely happy with. He couldn’t wait to get to school today to show Dani, Lauren, and Lucas his “black boots”. I really appreciate the effort Dani puts into not only educating Cyrus and his peers, but helping him be his happiest self as well.
– Morgan Pilcher, Lower Elementary Parent

Take the time to recognize a staff member. We know how much they put into their jobs and to the education of the students. You can recognize a teacher, specialist, therapist or administrative staff member. We will do a monthly drawing of those submitted to feature in our newsletter. All who are recognized will be given a copy of these responses as well. Go to the school app to submit recognition for those staff members.

Submit Staff Recognition

Mission in Motion

In an effort to keep our whole school community informed and updated about developments going on at Elizabeth Academy outside of the classroom, we have added this section to our monthly newsletter. Read on to discover what we are doing to innovate and deliver the best inclusive Montessori program possible— one that will be a model of education for others to follow! 

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION TEACHER TRAINING/EA MODEL SCHOOL 

Elizabeth Academy has had a partnership with the University of Utah’s Department of Education and Salt Lake City School District for several years now. Together, we have done a side-by-side research study at Rose Park Elementary, analyzing the efficacy of a Montessori vs a standard pre-school classroom. The outcomes for Montessori were outstanding. The partnership with the U’s Department of Education later developed into a small teacher training project at the University which we are now able to expand as we will be collaborating with other departments (in the therapy services realms) at the U to create an inclusive teacher training program second to none. Elizabeth Academy students at the Lower School (Infant-8th grade) will be the first beneficiaries of this program, as we will be the model operating school practicing an innovative inclusive Montessori program which utilizes collaborative therapy, integrated into our classrooms (and delivered privately too, as needed). We appreciate your patience with us as we adjust to this new system, and we are excited to move forward as we foresee these changes with a university partnership will make a difference in the quality and affordability of our integrated services program at Elizabeth Academy.

COLLEGE & CAREER PREP SCHOOL a PILOT PROJECT – GARFIELD CAMPUS 

Beginning this fall, Elizabeth Academy is creating a pathway for all students to enter college and also find careers. This is a unique program we are incubating, for at least the first two years, at the Garfield campus in anticipation of expansion onto the University of Utah campus (in partnership with their Utah For All initiative). The program caters to students ages 18-30+ who have learning challenges and intellectual disabilities. Academic rigor will not be lost in this program as we recognize that these hard skills are necessary to secure jobs and maintain important life skills. But the cream of the crop will be the sense of community found among friends through the Elizabeth Academy program and the joy of applying these hard and soft skills to the arts, sciences and the school of life! We are excited for prospective students to get a taste of the program this summer when the university hosts a summer camp for students on their campus.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AT ELIZABETH ACADEMY

At Elizabeth Academy, we believe in the continual development and growth of our staff. Throughout the year there are multiple opportunities for professional development by leading others as well as learning from others within our school community.  There are also opportunities to become a part of the larger Montessori community both at the state level as well as nationally.

Pecha Kucha:

Each Thursday a staff member leads a 15 minute learning session.  This runs from 8:00 AM – 8:15 AM and has a specific focus. This year some of the topics have included:  

MMPI (Montessori Medical Partnership for Inclusion): 

Our leadership team (Sofia, Nate, Jessica, and Lindsay) has been participating in professional development beginning June 2024.  This intensive cohort is led by Montessorians, therapists, doctors, and families from around the world to learn more about inclusion and medical history and practices.  When completed we will have had 62 hours of learning. 

UMC (Utah Montessori Council) conference: 

On January 25th, 2025 around 20 of our staff attended a full day of learning. The day began with music and keynote speaker, Dr. Susan Zoll who is an author of Powerful Literacy in the Montessori Classroom: Aligning Reading, Research, and Practices. There were then three time slots throughout the day where EA staff could choose between presenters.  Some of the presenter topics included: Cultivating a Connected Partnership with Parents and Caregivers, Mindful Moments: Practices for Centering, Connection, and Calm, Science of Reading and Montessori Literacy, The Art and Science of Montessori Therapy, Fostering Grace and Courtesy Through Observation, and many many more.

2025 Great Hearts National Symposium for Classical Education Conference: 

Curriculum leaders will go to a nationwide three day conference which focuses on multiple topics of discussion. Some of the topics include great books, curriculum and pedagogy, and school leadership. There are a range of speakers that will share their K-12 teaching experience, knowledge of classical, historical and philosophical studies, math and science, school leaders, public intellectuals, policy experts, authors, and artists. 

AMS Conference (American Montessori Society): 

The Montessori Event continues to be the premier gathering of Montessori professionals worldwide. This event will celebrate The American Montessori Society’s 65th year. The experience features over 200 renowned speakers, 200+ insightful sessions, and an array of captivating special events. Highlights include Spotlight panels, the AMS Legacy of Innovation Hall, and AMS Cares Coaching Corner.

Integrated Services

Integrated Services Updates

Carson Smith Scholarship (CSS) & Carson Smith Opportunity Scholarship (CSOS) Information

Carson Smith Opportunity Scholarship applications will open on February 3rd! This will be the second year of the Carson Smith Opportunity Scholarship! It’s been a learning experience for all! If this is your second year, you need to log into your parent portal to update the financial information and disability verification.  If you have questions, I am more than happy to guide you through the process. You can find more information at https://cfe-fund.org/ or email me at lindsay.baird@elizabethacademy.com. 

If your student is still receiving CSS, I have not heard of any updates. I will keep you in the loop!

Lindsay Baird

SPED Director

Primary School

As we move closer to the end of this year we are excited as our upper elementary and middle school plans start to finalize. We thank all of our staff and parents that have given feedback on the best way to make this change.

Our Upper Elementary, grades 4, 5, and 6, will continue to embody the amazing space next year, focusing on stimulating natural curiosity and personalized curriculum in order to address each child’s needs, abilities, and interests. They will also have more leadership opportunities as we will be expanding their current class council to a full school student council.  The student council will play a role in planning school wide activities, supporting mentoring throughout the school, and modeling at the highest level what an EA student is.  

Middle school-age students are in a phase of valorization, a Montessori term describing an adolescent’s search for personal identity and internalization of core values. Understanding this essential aspect of development is essential in guiding youth to find their sense of purpose in the world. At Elizabeth Academy, we recognize that our students are going through this process and need the guidance of parents and teachers more than ever. They seek to find meaning and connection with parents, teachers, the community, and their peers. Our Middle School is designed to guide adolescents through that process.

Our Middle School consists of a 7th/8th grade cohort. The curriculum rotates in two-year cycles so that subject matter is fresh each year for each student. Core academic subjects are divided into two main branches: Humanities and STEM and subdivided further into Language Arts, Social Studies, Math, and Science, branching out even deeper into more specific academic courses and electives. Beyond that, the core academic courses are interwoven with the arts (visual art, music, dance, theater/film) as well as Electives and Experiential education.

The flexibility within the middle school morning allows us to tailor it for the needs of each individual student.  Whether that students needs therapies, individual support, small group instruction, academic intervention, or enrichment, we will be able to support each of them at the level that they need.  All students will be together after lunch to end the day as a class.

We are excited for next steps with our program and grateful for your trust in us as we take this next step.  With any questions about enrollment please reach out to us!  We look forward to connecting.

Secondary School

Dear Elizabeth Academy Families,

As we move into the second half of the school year, we are both reflecting on the transition of discontinuing the high school program and excited about integrating specialized programming into the Connor Campus. Here are some highlights from this year and upcoming events to look forward to:

Program Highlights:

Microeconomy: Guided by Kat Kirk, Shana Thomas, and April Norby, students have been exploring business fundamentals, customer service, and product creation. On January 25th, students showcased their entrepreneurial skills at the Utah Montessori Council Winter Conference, making significant sales to support our Spring Trips. Their leadership was also recognized within the Montessori community. This class will continue for Upper Elementary and Middle School next year.

Student Council: The Secondary Student Council has made great strides, most notably proposing and instituting the Blue Heron as Elizabeth Academy’s mascot. They’ve also honed leadership and facilitation skills, recently leading a Town Hall meeting to gather student feedback. Next year, Upper Elementary and Middle School students at the Connor Campus will have the opportunity to join Student Council as an enrichment class.

Pancake Breakfast: Secondary students have revived the beloved pancake breakfast at Elizabeth Academy Primary, building leadership and vocational skills through this hands-on tradition.

Spring Trips: Middle and High School students will head to Jackson Hole, Wyoming for programming at the Teton Science School, while students remaining on campus will participate in a week-long Spring Intensive filled with field trips and immersive activities. These experiences are funded through Microeconomy sales and Pancake Breakfast proceeds.

College and Career Week: Students have engaged in workshops on resume writing, mock interviews, and career exploration. This spring, we’ll expand cross-campus activities to bring this tradition to the Connor Campus.

Upcoming Events:

• March 21: Our annual school-wide play, The Wizard of Oz, will bring The Hero’s Journey theme to life, featuring performances from kindergarten through post-secondary students. March 21st happens to also be World Down Syndrome Day- a day we celebrate the diversity of our student body. 
• March 31 – April 4: Spring Break
• April 21-24: College and Career Week
• May 15: Spring Showcase featuring student art, projects, music, theater, and our film festival.
• May 6-9: Spring Trips with 15 students traveling to Jackson Hole and immersive experiences for students on campus (details to follow).
• May 21: High School Graduation at 2 PM, celebrating our five wonderful graduates.
• May 22: Hello Summer Fair
• May 23: Last Day of School
  

This school year, I have enjoyed connecting with many primary parents, both as an administrator and fellow parent. If you have questions or want to learn more about our current secondary program, please visit us—we are proud of our students, staff, and the unique contributions we bring to the Elizabeth Academy community.

I look forward to connecting with you soon!

Kind regards,
Sofia Rigolon

The Blue Heron Takes Flight

In a remarkable display of leadership, collaboration, and inclusion, our Student Council recently brought the school community together to officially adopt “The Blue Heron” as our school mascot. This effort showcased the principles of respect, diligence, and imagination that lie at the heart of our mission.

The process began with a community survey, where students, staff, and families shared their ideas and insights about what best represents our school. Using this feedback, the Student Council crafted a thoughtful proposal that articulated the significance of the blue heron. They then presented their proposal to the Board of Directors, demonstrating professionalism, creativity, and a deep understanding of our school’s mission. Their proposal was unanimously approved, making the blue heron our official symbol.

The blue heron beautifully reflects our mission of “Enlightenment for Everyone” and our vision of creating an inclusive, transformative educational model. Known for its grace, patience, and adaptability, the heron symbolizes the unique strengths of our community. Just as the heron thrives in diverse environments, our school thrives on meeting the individual needs of every child, valuing each student’s journey, and imagining limitless possibilities.

This accomplishment not only highlights the leadership and teamwork of our Student Council but also serves as a reminder of what we can achieve when we work together with respect, purpose, and a shared vision. The blue heron now stands as a proud emblem of our school’s commitment to inclusion, innovation, and enlightenment for life.

EAPO Corner

Campus Conversations

Primary School- Thursday, February 20th, 8:50 AM – 9:50 AM in the Black Box

Secondary School- Wednesday, February 26th, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM in the Life Skills Room

Campus Conversations are monthly meetings hosted by the EAPO. Lasting approximately one hour, Campus Conversations are informal discussions, and are the best way to stay informed about what is happening both on the Primary and Secondary Campuses, and to be in the loop about upcoming events and activities. Light refreshments are served.

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Pizza Wednesdays

DATE

Our next pizza day is on Wednesday, February 26th. Both campuses will participate. To purchase the pizza meal, go to the school store in the app.

Utah Fits All Scholarship Application Update for 2025-2026 

Elizabeth Academy is a qualified provider of the Utah Fits All Scholarship. Nine of our students were awarded the scholarship for the current school year and we encourage all eligible families to apply for 2025-2026!  The application portal window will open on February 3rd. Apply here: https://ufascholarship.com/ 

The Scholarship provides up to $8,000 per eligible student per school year. Parents are given the flexibility to spend scholarship funds in the best interests of their student(s), including on private school tuition and fees, transportation, educational software and hardware, tutoring, physical, occupational, and speech therapy, and after school programs. Eligible students are Utah residents in grades K-12 who are not enrolled in or attending a public school full time and who will not be receiving either the Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarship or the Special Needs Opportunity Scholarship.

The following are the tentative dates for the upcoming year:

• March 3rd, 2025 – The New Applicant application portal opens.
• April 30th, 2025 – Scholarship Awards will be announced for the 2025-26 academic year.

If your student received a scholarship this year and is eligible for renewal, you should see a “Renew” button in your UFA Account.

Waitlisted students must reapply. The data you entered into your application for the 2024-25 school year will need to be reviewed in order for you to apply for the following year. Read more here.

There are two application windows. The second application window includes unawarded siblings of UFA scholarship students

Click here for more information: https://ufascholarship.com/