Five schools within the Alpine School District have earned the 2025–2027 National PTA School of Excellence designation, according to a notice from ASD Communications. These schools represent half of the ten total honorees recognized across the entire state of Utah.
The five recognized schools are Central Elementary School, Fox Hollow Elementary School, Oak Canyon Junior High School, Orchard Elementary School, and Saratoga Shores Elementary School. The National PTA School of Excellence program recognizes PTAs that build strong family-school partnerships through a data-driven, five-step process. Out of 321 schools nationwide, these five schools represent half of Utah's total honorees.
Utah PTA President Julie Cluff stated that the program is designed to help PTAs connect their communities to their schools by working around National Standards for Family-School Partnerships. These standards include welcoming, improving communication, and helping parents learn to advocate. While the designation lasts for two years, schools can reapply annually to set new goals.
Orchard Elementary School recently held a community celebration to unveil its official national banner. Orchard PTA President Stephanie Savage noted that the school focused on communication to create a sense of belonging for families. To achieve their goals, Orchard's PTA launched eight new student clubs, connected over half the school on a parent communication app, doubled total PTA membership, and achieved 100% faculty participation.
Alpine School District Associate Superintendent Eric Woodhouse, who served as principal at the first Utah school to earn the designation 15 years ago, said strong parent partnerships increase the social capital of a school community. He noted that the value of the program lies in building the relationships, trust, and shared commitment necessary for lasting school improvement.
