About Us

Granite Park Junior High serves a richly diverse population of students from over 40 countries, speaking over 60 languages. As an AVID National Demonstration Site of Distinction, we stand as the only school in the State of Utah to earn this distinction, demonstrating our school prepares students for the rigors of college. As a staff, we accomplish our mission statement of “Helping Students to Dream of College and Beyond” by embedding research-proven practices into each classroom, including Cornell Notes.

Our school strives to meet students where they are at academically, helping each student to achieve at least a year and a half of growth each school year. Students receive caring advisory teachers with who they see each day. At Granite Park, we create a safe, welcoming atmosphere for all students. Furthermore, students are rewarded for exemplary behavior, grades, and attendance through weekly student highlights, quarterly recognition assemblies, and other activities. Daily recognition of student efforts are facilitated through Grizz bucks: our school currency that is redeemable at a school store for prizes during lunches.

In addition to our school’s National Site of Distinction for AVID, Granite Park and its students have received numerous accolades. For the past several years, Granite Park’s MESA program has been a district, state, or national champion or runner up. Each year, teachers and administrators are acknowledged by private or governmental groups with Teacher- or Administrator-of-the-Year awards, noting the excellence our staff provides for students. In recent years, these accolades, efforts and positive culture garnered attention from state politicians. Senators, the Lieutenant Governor, and the Governor himself visited our school.

We have numerous community partners who join with us in meeting the needs of students, helping them reach their goals. These partnerships make our school stronger and benefit our students with empowering experiences. These include our partnerships with United Way, Promise South Salt Lake, Promise Refugee Youth, The University of Utah Reading Clinic, Big Brothers Big Sisters, The Tumani Center, Latinos in Action, WeCAN, AVID, The Granite Education Foundation, and AmeriCorps.

Instruction and programming is student-centered, providing differentiation according to student needs, with a central focus on improving literacy skills and proficiency. Teachers are trained weekly on strategies to enhance student learning. In addition, teachers collaborate over student growth and performance often, discussing ways we can improve our practice to help each students reach their potential.

Granite Park Junior High School has a robust After School and Summer School program. During the school year, all students receive a free breakfast in their classroom to start the day, as well as free lunch. If students attend our free After School program, they also get an after school snack and dinner before being bused home. During the After School program, students engage in tutoring and other homework help, followed up by numerous options of enrichment activities. We acknowledge our partner Promise South Salt Lake as being integral to the high level of functioning of our wonderful After School and Summer School programming.

We desire to provide students with engaging instruction, opportunities to thrive, and opportunities to develop leadership abilities. We value our students as our greatest assets. It is our students that inspire us as educators to be our best selves, to sharpen our skills, and improve our practice so that we can help them meet their goals of college and beyond. We look forward to seeing your son or daughter attend Granite Park Junior High School.

Chris Griffiths, Principal

Granite Park Jr. High School