Dragon Fire News September 8, 2026

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 

Culture Club 

Mondays during lunch recess I host an optional activity for students in grades 4 – 6.  We do crafts, learn dances, try food, hear stories, and enjoy learning about different cultures. If you do not want your child to participate in culture club, please let me know.  

 

I welcome parents to join us for culture club as well. If you would like to be involved sometime, either by supporting a planned activity or facilitating your own, I would love to have you!  You can contact me on Parent Square or through email.  

Groups 

I am currently putting together groups for students who are having trouble getting to school and for social skill development. If you are interested in having your child participate, please let me know. 

 

As always, please reach out if you have any questions or concerns. 

Warmly, 

Lindsay Verhaaren 

(lindsay.verhaaren@slcschools.org) 

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.)