Description of School
Wasatch Junior High is located in the Millcreek area of Salt Lake City, Utah. The total
population is 33,557 with 24,924 households with 2.5 persons per household. 82% were living
in the same house for a year or over, 10% were foreign born persons and 13% speak a
language other than English in the home. 94% of persons 25 years or older are high school
graduates or hold higher degrees. There are 3,698 Veterans. There are 26,204 housing units
with a home ownership rate of 63.7%. The median value of owner-occupied housing units is
$273,000. The median household income is $59,174 and 11% are persons below poverty level.
The racial makeup is 87% Caucasian, 8% Hispanic, 4% Asian, 2% African American, 1% Native
American, .6% Pacific Islander. This information was taken from the government census.
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/4950150,00
Wasatch Junior High serves approximately 890 students in grades 7-9. The daily schedule is a
7 period day with a built in intervention/enrichment time weekly. The racial makeup of Wasatch
is similar to the community, but varies slightly: 83% Caucasian, 10% Asian, 4% Hispanic, 1%
Native American, .5% African American and .5% Pacific Islander.
Wasatch is unique in that about 65% of our students come from outside of our school
boundaries. With only one full elementary as a feeder school, enrollment is always a concern.
Students come from great distances to come to Wasatch. They have come from as far as
Morgan, Park City, Provo and Ogden for the strong music, drama and TSA programs as well as
attending one of the highest academically performing schools in the state of Utah. Wasatch
declines very few open enrollment permits so generally those who apply to attend Wasatch get
in unless a program of the school as a whole is full. We do have things to work on though.
While the Wasatch staff does a terrific job at moving proficient students to above proficient and
pushing the above proficient students to greater heights, we struggle moving the below
proficient students to proficient.
A changing of the guard is full swing at Wasatch. Many of the teachers who have taught here
their whole career have retired. Less than half of the current teachers were here for the last
accreditation in 2012. 14 of the 38 teachers have been teaching for 16 or more years. The
other 24 teachers have 10 or fewer years of teaching experience. This creates interesting
conversations concerning standards based grading and data driven instruction.
This year Wasatch will be preparing for a grade reconfiguration for the 2017-18 school year.
The 9th grade will be moving up to Skyline High School and the 6th grade will be moving into
Wasatch making us a 6-8 school. As we bring on the 6th graders our school will function
differently than in the past use many of the middle school philosophies and strategies. The
possibilities are endless and exciting for Wasatch’s future. We will continue to be a high
performing school where people come from great distances to attend.