SALT LAKE COUNTY, Utah — The Canyons School District is welcoming a whole group of new teachers this year from all over the world as they prepare to head back into the classrooms.
Not only are there 250 new teachers starting at the Canyons School District this year but for many of them, this is their first job out of college. The biggest draw for them to move to Utah, is the outdoors.
There are teachers moving from Iowa, Michigan, Oregon and other states across the country.
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“Teachers from all across the world coming to Canyons School District to give the best possible education for the kids in our community,” said Jeff Haney, Spokesperson for Canyons School District
There are many reasons that the new teachers have chosen to work here in Utah, but the main reason seems to be the lifestyle in the beehive state.
“I mean you’ve looked around, you see how it is, it’s so awesome being this close to Solitude and Brighton, I live down in Draper, it’s also awesome just being like so close to Canyonlands and Moab,” said RJ Green, a science teacher at Corner Canyon High School.
Not only did RJ green move here for the mountains, but so did Amelia VanderVelde and John and Amanda Biggerstaff.
“Definitely the skiing is probably the number one reason,” said Amelia VanderVelde, a fourth grade teacher at East Midvale.
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“We’re really excited to be in such a wonderful place,” said Amanda Biggerstaff, a second grade teacher at Brookwood Elementary.
And while the beauty of the mountains is what drew them here, they’re all hoping to stay and make a difference in the community.
“Every child can learn and I want to make sure that, that is apparent, whether they have special needs or they don’t, that there is always a way to learn,” said John Biggerstaff, teacher at Granite Elementary.
“I kind of view myself as like a farmer of brains, if you will, and just seeing them grow and develop, and grow into good people it’s just one of the most rewarding parts of education,” said Green.
Canyons School District says anytime they have new teachers come into the district, especially from outside of Utah, it’s a good thing.
“Our students really respond well to those teachers who come from other places because they have all of these really great stories about what it was like to grow up and go to school in other parts of the country and even other parts of the world,” said Haney.
Over the next few weeks teachers will spend time in training, getting their classrooms put together, and preparing to meet their new students. The school year starts on August 16 for the Canyons School District.
