Park City third-grade educators recognized for state-leading literacy success.

PARK CITY, Utah — Park City School District ranks first among Utah’s public school districts for the percentage of third-grade students reading on grade level, according to the Utah State Board of Education’s 2025 Reading on Grade Level report. The district achieved a 69 percent reading proficiency rate, compared with the statewide average of 48.7 percent.

Park City educators were invited to the Utah State Capitol to be recognized for their outstanding achievement in literacy instruction. Several third-grade teachers were honored for having 70 percent or higher of their students reading on grade level.

Those recognized included:

• Rachel Hibbard | Jeremy Ranch Elementary
• Heloise Munoz | Jeremy Ranch Elementary
• Elizabeth Hensler | Jeremy Ranch Elementary
• Jill Thompson | McPolin Elementary
• Heather Iverson | McPolin Elementary
• Vicky Rudolph | McPolin Elementary
• Noemi Bonilla | McPolin Elementary
• Michele Owen | Trailside Elementary 
• Sherry Johnson | Trailside Elementary
• Nina Silitch | Trailside Elementary
• Tricia Perkins | Parley’s Park Elementary
• Kathleen Tarmina | Parley’s Park Elementary
• Jennifer Shane | Parley’s Park Elementary
• Raysha Carrasco | Parley’s Park Elementary

The state report shows Park City’s continued growth in literacy over the past three years, climbing from 57.8 percent in 2023 to 64.8 percent in 2024, and now reaching 69 percent in 2025,  the highest percentage among Utah’s traditional public school districts

While some charter schools across Utah reported higher individual percentages, Park City School District leads all public school systems statewide, setting the benchmark for districtwide reading achievement.

District leaders attribute the success to targeted reading interventions, strong instructional practices, the adoption of a new literacy curriculum, and ongoing collaboration among teachers through professional learning communities.

“Our educators exemplify what’s possible when excellence in teaching is rooted in authentic relationships with students,” said Park City School District Superintendent Lyndsay Huntsman. “Their focus on early literacy lays the groundwork for lifelong learning.” 

The Utah State Board of Education defines reading on grade level as scoring above benchmark on the end-of-year reading assessment and obtaining a composite score of 405 or higher on the end-of-year Acadience Reading assessment.