TAYLORSVILLE, Utah — Calvin Smith Elementary in Taylorsville is soaring to new heights as FOX 13 News' Cool School of the Week!
"Students they come from all around the valley for a fun, engaging education, and our teachers they help our students become their best," said Principal Dr Aaron Wilson. "We're just the coolest school around."
The school's programs include a robust Chinese Dual Language Immersion program, where students, as early as first grade, spend half of their day learning the language. Students showed us what they have learned through a traditional "Lion Dance" and a joke competition in Chinese!
Adding to the school's charm is the principal's unique daily routine. Every day, he dresses up in a different costume to greet students and parents during drop off. "At the beginning of the year I thought I want to be out greeting parents and kids as they get dropped off so why don't I wear a costume for a couple days?," Dr. Wilson explained. "Then it just kept happening and parents are loving it, kids are loving it."
Calvin Smith Elementary also benefits from learning opportunities with the Taylorsville High JROTC program. "We teach them honesty, integrity, personal courage, loyalty, and leadership attributes," said Miss Wold, one Taylorsville High JROTC member.
Students at Calvin Smith Elementary are also musically inclined! Choir students gave us a great winter performance. "The main thing I want them to know though when the leave the class is I want them to love music, I want them to love themselves, and I want them to think I'm a musician," said the choir teacher, Miss Booth.
At the end of the morning, Granite Credit Union surprised Miss Booth with a donation to help with her efforts. "We recognize all of the effort you're doing, the talent the community gets to see because of your efforts," said Granite Credit Union Marketing Director, Spencer Carver.
"I feel supported you have to work really hard to get the arts to move forward, so this is fantastic," Miss Booth said. "I appreciate it."
If you know a Cool School you can email nominations to GoodDayUtah@Fox13Now.com or fill out our nomination form.
