Back to School Information

White Pine Elementary Parents and Students, August 2026

Welcome back, White Pine Eagles! We hope your summer was filled with fun, adventure, and time with family and friends. It’s hard to believe summer has flown by so quickly, and the start of a brand-new school year is just around the corner!

Our teachers and staff have been busy preparing classrooms, planning exciting learning experiences, and getting everything ready to welcome your children back. We can't wait to see their smiling faces walking through our doors again!

As we get ready for another amazing year together, we wanted to share a few important details to help your family prepare for the first day of school on Tuesday, August 25th. We are looking forward to a year full of learning, growth, friendships, and fun. It's going to be a fantastic year at White Pine Elementary!

Back to School Night: Our Meet the Teacher/Back-to-School Night will be held on Thursday, August 20, from 5:30–7:00 PM, and we can't wait to welcome our White Pine families back!

We'll begin the evening with a brief parent meeting in the gym. Afterward, teachers will be in their classrooms to meet students and families during an open house. This is a great opportunity for students to find their classroom, say hello to their teacher, and start getting excited for the first day of school!

Because many families will be visiting throughout the evening, teachers may not have time for lengthy individual conversations. If you have specific questions or concerns about your child, we encourage you to schedule a separate meeting with the teacher so they can give you the time and attention you deserve.

Stay Connected: Throughout the school year, we'll share important announcements, reminders, and school news through ParentSquare.

To make sure you receive these communications, please log in to PowerSchool and verify that your phone numbers, email addresses, and other contact information are current. Text message notifications are not enabled automatically, so be sure to update your notification preferences if you'd like to receive texts.

Please also take a moment to review and update your emergency contact information so we can reach the right people if needed.

If you haven't yet signed up for ParentSquare, don't worry! We'll send additional information and instructions as we get closer to the start of the school year.

Parent Teacher Association: Be sure to stop by the PTA tables during Back-to-School Night to learn about school T-shirts, the fluoride program, volunteer opportunities, and other ways to get involved.

Our PTA plays a huge role in making White Pine a great place for students, and we need your help! If every family could volunteer for just ONE activity this year, it would make a big difference. Thank you for supporting our White Pine Eagles!

Kindergarten Info: Kindergarten Back-to-School Night will be held on Thursday, August 27, from 5:30–6:30 PM. We can't wait to meet our newest White Pine Eagles and their families!

Kindergarten students will begin school on Tuesday, September 1. We look forward to welcoming them for an exciting first year of learning, growth, and fun!

School Safety is our #1 Priority: Keeping our students and staff safe is always our top priority. Once school begins, all exterior doors will remain locked during the school day. 

If you need to enter the building, please use the call-in system to contact the front office, and a staff member will assist you. Please bring a valid ID with you.

This year, the district is also implementing a new visitor sign-in system, which will require visitors to present identification when entering the school.

Please plan ahead to minimize disruptions for our staff.

We are asking the following: A few things you can do to help us keep our school day running smoothly:

• Please have your child to school on time. The first bell rings at 9:00 AM, and the tardy bell rings at 9:05 AM. At 9:05, our exterior doors will be locked.
• Whenever possible, please schedule routine appointments outside of school hours. We know this isn't always possible, and we appreciate your help when you can.
• Need to check your child out early? Please call the office on your way. We'll do our best to have your child ready when you arrive.
• Early checkouts will end at 3:15 PM. Our office becomes very busy and is short-staffed at the end of the day, so we will no longer check students out after 3:15. Thank you for understanding and helping us make dismissal run smoothly!

School Community Council: White Pine has a wonderful School Community Council, and we are looking for one more parent member to join us this year!

This is a great way to get involved, learn more about our school, and help shape decisions that benefit our students. The council's primary focus is developing our School LAND Trust Plan.

This is a 2-year commitment, with meetings held one afternoon each month at 4:00 PM.

Interested? Contact me at joseph.johnson@ccsdut.org or 435-258-2344. If we have more interested parents than available spots, we will hold an election.

Free and Reduced Lunch: We encourage all families to apply for the Free and Reduced-Price School Lunch Program. Applications can be completed online using the information provided by the district.

All school-aged children in income-eligible households may receive meal benefits regardless of the immigration status of household members. Information provided on the application will not be used for immigration-related purposes.

School and District Policies: Please review the following district policies with your children: Attendance, Dress Code, FERPA, School Safety, School Fees, Harassment and Discrimination, Student Discipline, Technology and Acceptable Use, and Student Cell Phone/Watch (As per policy, students’ Cellular devices, including wearable devices, must be turned off from bell to bell. All communication needs to go through the office.) The Dress Code Policy should also be helpful when shopping for Back-to-School clothes.

DROP-OFF/PICK-UP: Please follow the instructions provided to you at Back-to-School Night. You can also find them on our website. Drop-Off and Pick-Up Guidelines.

look forward to another great year at White Pine Elementary. My door is always open.

Welcome Back to School!

Joseph K. Johnson