Dilworth Elementary Dragon Fire News August 31, 2026

The sod has been installed! The students should be able to play on the field by early October.

Recent state legislation, HB 402, prohibits certain synthetic dyes and certain additives in food served in Utah public schools beginning with the 2026–2027 school year.

We are pleased to share that all school breakfasts and lunches served through our school lunch program comply with these requirements.

The legislation also applies to food and candy that may be distributed at school outside of regular meal service, including:

Unless you notify the school otherwise, your student may receive food or candy offered as part of classroom or school-level incentives and rewards.

Resources for Families 

We have many opportunities in the fall to connect families with resources. These include new school clothes, holiday gifts, and backpacks. If you are interested, please fill out this form! 26-27 Family Support Resources – Fill out form 

You can also email me at: lindsay.verhaaren@slcschools.org

September is Suicide Prevention Month. Every parent wants to know how to protect their child. The newsletter linked below is about exactly that: recognizing the signs, knowing what to do, and understanding that a caring conversation can change everything. 

  

When someone feels heard and supported, they are far less alone in their struggles. You don't need to be a therapist to make a difference. You just need to know what to look for and how to show up. 

  

In this newsletter, you'll find the warning signs to watch for, questions worth asking, and simple ways to let your child know they're loved, no matter what they're carrying. 

Suicide Prevention Month Newsletter 

 

Want to go deeper? Parentguidance.org's no-cost course walks you through everything you need to know about suicide prevention, so you feel confident having the hard conversations before they're urgent. 

Take the Course: What Parents Need to Know About Suicide Prevention 

At Dilworth Elementary, the safety and well-being of our students and staff are our highest priorities. As part of the Salt Lake City School District's ongoing commitment to school safety, and to comply with Utah House Bill 44 that took effect in May 2026, our school will have an Armed Security Guard on campus during the school day. 

House Bill 44 requires that all schools in the state have an armed guardian present during the school day. As a district, we have hired some security guards to help us meet this obligation. 

Our Armed Security Guard is a professional, trained by Salt Lake County law enforcement and certified by the state of Utah, whose primary responsibility is to help maintain a safe, welcoming, and secure school environment. They work closely with school administration to support campus safety while building positive relationships with students, staff, and families. 

They can help us in a variety of ways by:

This person is not responsible for student discipline or routine behavior management. They do not question, search, or detain students and do not have access to student educational records. Student behavior and disciplinary decisions continue to be addressed by school administrators. 

Armed Security Guards have no law enforcement authority beyond what is permitted to all private persons under Utah law but may (at the school employed) take actions necessary to prevent or abate an active threat from a person who has committed or is about to commit a forcible felony.

We are committed to creating a school where every child feels safe, supported, and welcomed. The addition of our Armed Security Guard is one more way we are strengthening that commitment. We believe that strong relationships, a positive school culture, and proactive safety measures work together to create the best possible learning environment for our students.

We look forward to partnering with our families to ensure that our school continues to be a place where every child can learn, grow, and thrive.

It is highly recommended to use the church parking lot across the street from the school as we have a very reliable crossing guard to help the students cross the street. Additionally, the South Parking Lot allows kids to safety cross with our Safety Patrol students. For your convenience, we will station Mr. Folsom at the First-Grade back doors until 8:47 am to allow later arrivals to enter the school. He will open the doors for the late students. Please do not drop off students at the front door until after 8:40 am.

There are two ways to deposit money into your child’s account if they will be eating school lunch:  

1) Pay online by creating an account. Follow this link to enroll.  

SchoolCafé - SALT LAKE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT 

2) Pay Hilarie Sant at the Front Office with a check or cash ONLY. We do not accept credit cards. Please bring the exact amount as we do not have change. 

We’ve got some great news: school calendars for the next three school years were just approved at tonight’s Board of Education meeting! School calendars for the following school years are now available on the district website: 

To find the printable calendars in English, click on the “Calendars” tab at the top of the homepage, scroll down to “Printable Calendars,” and click on the year you want to see. (We will have PDFs available soon in other languages spoken by SLCSD families and will send another email once those translations have been uploaded.)