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Dr. Brian McGill is the new Director of Student Services in Canyons School District.  The current principal of Alta High was chosen for the post after a competitive selection process.

The Board of Education approved Dr. McGill’s appointment on Tuesday, Nov. 30.  He will start work in the new role in mid-January, which gives him time to coordinate a seamless transition with new principal Ken Rowley, now an Assistant Principal at Corner Canyon High.

Dr. McGill will lead the Canyons District department that was created to provide a system of support for students, including counseling, health and nursing services, school psychology, and behavior interventions, among other areas. Current Responsive Services Department administrator BJ Weller will assist Dr. McGill in planning and executing the department’s mission.

McGill also will serve in Superintendent Dr. Rick Robins’ leadership Cabinet.

In addition to experience as a high school administrator, Dr. McGill, the 2021 Utah High School Principal of the Year, has a doctorate of education and policy, a master’s of educational counseling, and a master’s of mental health counseling. He also has a bachelor’s of science in psychology.

Before arriving in Canyons District to be among the first administrators at Corner Canyon High, McGill has served as principal and Chief Executive Officer of the Academy for Math, Engineering, and Science Early College High School; the Assistant Principal of Elk Ridge Middle School; and as a school counselor and Administrative Intern at Riverton High School.  In addition, he was the Manager of College Access and Outreach for the Utah System of Higher Education. He also was a guidance counselor at the middle and high school level.

He was the recipient of the first-ever SafeUT Champion Award in 2017. SafeUT is the mobile phone app that gives suicidal, depressed, or anxious students access to licensed clinicians at the University of Utah.

With the spirit of gratitude and giving that accompanies the holiday season, an abundance of food, clothing, and gifts are being gathered and given by students, families, and local organizations across Canyons School District.

The heartfelt donations and deliveries recall a Brian Tracy recommendation: “Always give without remembering and always receive without forgetting.”

Seventy percent of CSD schools are participating in organized charitable efforts to help families in need, Make-A-Wish children, victims of abuse, and more. Participation in philanthropic events District-wide is up more than 10 percent from 2020.

The Draper Park Middle School “Latinos in Action” club is one of many great examples. They recently planned and promoted a clothing drive to benefit people assisted by The Road Home, and, wow, did the Vikings’ efforts pay off in a big way.

After gathering oodles of donations at school, the students loaded dozens of bags into Principal Chip Watts’ truck for the special and large delivery. The truck’s big 8-foot-long bed and backseat were bursting at the seams with clothing, shoes, and other items.

“We didn’t think it was actually going to be this successful,” DPMS student/Latinos in Action club president Alex Robichaux said. “We thought we were going to get a few boxes and that would be good enough, but having a truckload is really cool.”

In addition to students’ charitable efforts, Vivint, Midvale’s Rotary Club (“Operation Santa”), Saint James Episcopal, and Hope Church are among local organizations that are providing gifts and meals in the community.

We extend our thanks to the following schools and all other thoughtful people for their philanthropy:

Altara: Accepting donations of new clothing — including new coats, socks, gloves, scarves, and beanies — through Dec. 17.

Alta View: A Holiday Support donation drive to assist families in need.

Bell View: Staff will provide supplies for a Thanksgiving meal for a few families.

Brookwood: Faculty and staff are pooling resources to provide a local family with Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings, giving Walmart gift cards for Christmas shopping for five children, and collecting much-needed household items and bedroom decor to help them at home in their temporary living situation.

Butler: Annual Giving Hearts campaign takes place in February.

Crescent: Staff purchased an item a child needs — to be wrapped and presented to parents — as part of their Holiday Assistance program.

East Sandy: Doing a food drive for the Utah Food Bank.

Granite: Student Council organized a food drive for the Utah Food Bank (from Nov. 30-Dec. 15).

Lone Peak: Planning a PTA charitable drive for spring. Earlier this year, they did a PTA food drive to benefit the community.

Oakdale: Hosting a food drive for the Utah Food Bank.

Park Lane: Collecting items to help The Road Home, with a focus on obtaining gift cards for teens.

Silver Mesa: Combined Hats on Friday with a can food drive, a program that allows students to wear a hat if they donate a can of food. This will go all school year. The school has already filled up 2.5 barrels of cans.

Sprucewood: Participating in a Sub for Santa event.

Sunrise: Students’ families participated in a Utah Food Bank food drive, sending cans and non-perishable food and/or monetary donations directly to the food bank. Also doing a Sub for Santa drive.

Willow Canyon: Working on winter kits for refugees. Students are donating socks, hats, and gloves for the kits.

Albion Middle: Recently concluded the Jonah Glenn Memorial Coat Drive. The school will also do its annual cereal drive.

Butler Middle: Teaming up with the National Junior Honor Society to gather items for hygiene kits. Each grade is collecting specific items. Drive begins after the Thanksgiving recess.

Draper Park Middle: Latinos in Action club just wrapped up a clothing drive for The Road Home. In addition, the National Junior Honor Society will sponsor a cereal drive.

Eastmont Middle: Conducting a food drive through the end of November.

Indian Hills Middle: Recently held a food drive and will work to assist Make-A-Wish in February.

Mount Jordan Middle: Collecting donations — food and money — for charity from Nov. 8-Dec. 13. The school is stacking items in big windows on the southwest corner, with hopes of filling the space with food.

Union Middle: Providing some Thanksgiving meals.

Alta High: Make-A-Wish fundraiser, collecting Hawk Stash donations, holding a HOSA blood drive, and doing the We Help Two sock donation drive.

Brighton High: Participating in a Make-A-Wish fundraiser.

Corner Canyon High: Campaign to assist Primary Children’s Hospital runs until Dec. 17.

Hillcrest High: Running a campaign to benefit the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN), which helps survivors of sexual violence.

Jordan High: Donations to help the Mascot Miracles Foundation brighten the lives of kids — and their families — who are dealing with serious challenges.

Jordan Valley School: Providing Holiday Assistance aid to the community.