Comings and Goings!

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Comings and Goings

Change is always hard and it is especially hard to say bon voyage to a great leader and friend at Salem Hills High School. Mrs. Liz Reynolds Blanton will be leaving Salem Hills to travel to Alabama with her husband Noel this summer for a three year Air Force assignment. Mr. Peery’s response when he heard about her new assignment was a passionate, “Roll Tide.”  We all know she will be very successful there.

Mrs. Blanton served as the Assistant Principal at Salem Hills High for the past three years and also taught special education here for three years when the school opened in 2008.  In that time here, she has become a dear friend to all of us. Students, faculty, and administration will miss her immensely.

In her district bio, Mrs. Blanton said, “I believe that all students can learn. I believe that if we help students to feel safe and confident that they can grow and flourish in our schools. I believe that all students need an advocate.” All of us have witnessed her belief in helping all of the students at SHHS feel belonging and safety. They know she has been their advocate.

We will miss Liz’s outstanding leadership. She is a go-getter and natural leader with tremendous work ethic. No one makes you feel heard and listened to like she does no matter what the discussion is about. She has helped students every day that she has been here.

 “I have had great role models in education my whole life, starting with my own parents and grandparents. I have had many amazing mentors in this district, and I feel immense gratitude for the patience and wisdom of my colleagues,” said Liz. “I am excited about my new adventure!”

We wish her the very best of adventures as she serves students in Alabama and wherever else her pathway takes her.

We have a new assistant principal next year at Salem Hills High School. Curtis Burton is a familiar face here and we are excited to have him come back to our school. Curtis served as a Dean of Students here just 4 years ago. Mr. Burton has been serving as the Assistant Principal at Spanish Fork High for the past three years.   

Curtis earned his bachelor’s degree in History and English from University of Utah and his master’s degree in Education Administration from Southern Utah University. He taught English, yearbook, and supervised the student council at Payson Junior High for 11 years. He also taught at Spanish Fork High for two years.

In a Nebo District news article, Mr. Burton stated, “I believe that everyone can learn; and that as an educator, it’s my duty to find what works best for different individual students, which can be challenging for an administrator that has 1,400 plus students in a school. But that’s what makes this job so rewarding, helping these young men and women find their personal path to success and helping them stay on it. It’s the best job in the world!”

An administrator said, “Curtis has done a fantastic job. He works well with students. They respect him and still have fun with him. He has had to deal with difficult situations with students and parents, and he performs well under pressure.”

Curtis loves to spend time supporting his kids in their various activities which have included football, basketball, baseball, track and field, cheerleading, musical theater, and dance just to name a few. He personally loves to golf and stay active physically with running and weight training. Curtis enjoys reading, theater, and playing the guitar. He loves supporting his alma mater’s, the University of Utah’s, athletic teams with his family. Curtis is married to Jill, and they have three children.

“I appreciate my parents and all the teachers and coaches in my life who’ve taught me how to deal with the various situations I’ve encountered,” stated Curtis. “There’s one quote that I’ve always loved and tried to live by that comes from the former great football coach, Vince Lombardi, which reads, ‘There is only one way to succeed at anything and that is to give it everything!’”

We are excited to welcome Curtis Burton to our school. Curtis will be a wonderful addition to our team. We look forward to deepening our friendships with him.

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