By Julie Slama | [email protected]

The first time Bryan Rudes walked in the doors of East Sandy Elementary was after it was announced he would become the school’s new principal.

“Being an elementary school, it will have different challenges versus a middle school, so I look forward to the new experiences that way,” he said about the first time working at an elementary school. “It gives me a kind of broader perspective of all levels.”

Rudes, who has his master’s degree in education and his administrative endorsement from Utah State University, comes from being an assistant principal for the past five years at Midvale Middle, where he was known to wear plaid shirts and the faculty and staff dressed like him for a fond farewell on “Bryan Rudes Day.”

He said outgoing principal, Angela Wilkinson, was “a huge help” in the transition, orienting him to the school and its population, introducing him to faculty and staff, as well as the school groups. She is now Sunrise Elementary’s principal.

“The school itself is already on a great path. I think just by expanding on what we’ve been doing, looking at our social-emotional supports we have—making sure that every kid comes to school feeling that they’re loved, feeling that they have a connection with somebody in the building— and as a district whole and as a school, continuing with our blending learning model with a 1:1 (student to device ratio) that we have now. That doesn’t mean, making sure kids are on technology 24-7, it’s just using technology to enhance what we’re already doing with the kids,” said the former Albion teacher who not only taught woodworking, but also robotics and technology and would like to introduce a maker space at the school. “I’ll be around the kids. I love getting out there and playing basketball, playing four square and all that stuff is right up my alley. I love being in the classroom. My No. 1 priority is to make sure the kids feel comfortable and just building relationships with them.”

Rudes and Wilkinson are just two of several administrative appointments the Canyons Board of Education approved for the 2021-22 school year.

Other appointments include:

• Texas educator Divya Nagpal comes to Canyons District as Midvale Middle’s assistant principal, replacing Bryan Rudes. 

• Elenoa Pua, who has been a charter school principal, will be East Midvale Elementary’s assistant principal, replacing Danya Bodell.

• Michelle Shimmin becomes the administrator of Canyons Online.

• Michelle Snarr, who has been Edgemont Elementary principal, is now Willow Canyon Elementary principal, succeeding the retiring Marilyn Williams. 

• Elcena Saline, who has been Sandy Elementary assistant principal, replaces Snarr as principal at Edgemont. Anne Hansen now is Sandy Elementary’s assistant principal, taking Saline’s vacant position.

• Doug Hallenbeck is CTEC’s principal, after serving as its assistant principal. It relieves Janet Goble, CTEC’s director, of the dual role of principal and director.

• Margaret Swanicke, who has served as Sunrise Elementary’s principal, now is Midvalley Elementary’s principal, replacing Tamra Baker, who is appointed Bell View Elementary’s principal.

 • Wendy Dau, who has been Jordan High’s principal, is the Federal and State Programs in the Equity, Inclusion and Student Services director. She replaced the retiring Karen Sterling. Corner Canyon High Assistant Principal Bruce Eschler succeeds Dau as Principal of Jordan High. Juab School District’s Ken Rowley will replace Eschler at Corner Canyon.

• Chanci Loran, who has been Bell View Elementary’s principal, will become an Equity, Inclusion, and Student Services administrator. She replaces Colleen Smith, who will become Copperview Elementary’s principal after Jeri Rigby retired. 

• Mary Simao, who has been a Jordan High intern administrator now takes on the role of assistant principal at Jordan High.

• Jared Tucker, who served in the district’s responsive services department, now is an Alta High assistant principal, succeeding Garry True, who has retired.

• Former Alta High Assistant Principal Kelcey Kemp now serves in that role at Jordan High, replacing the retiring Jana Crist. Union Middle Assistant Principal Shelly Karren is replacing Kemp at Alta. Midvale Elementary Assistant Principal Ashley McKinney is replacing Karren and Copperview’s Carolee Mackay now is the Midvale Elementary assistant principal.

• Hillcrest teacher specialist Ari Tavo now is the high school’s assistant principal.

• Draper Park Middle Assistant Principal Jodi Roberts will move to Brighton High as assistant principal as Mark Mitchell will move to Draper Park Middle in the same position.

• Karlie Aardema, who has worked in the instructional supports department, now is Indian Hills Middle’s assistant principal, replacing Halley Nelson. Nelson is now Butler Middle’s assistant principal, replacing Sara Allen, who transferred to Ridgecrest Elementary as an assistant principal. 

• Genny Poll, of the responsive services department, now is Butler Middle’s assistant principal, replacing Dan Ashbridge, who is now Midvalley Elementary’s assistant principal.

•Kalisi Uluave, from the Salt Lake School District, now is an Alta High assistant principal, replacing Kelli Miller, who left the district. 

•Amanda Parker, from the Jordan School District, is Albion Middle School’s assistant principal, replacing Sandy LeCheminant who has become an achievement coach.