The Salt Lake Arts Academy Governing Board is delighted to announce that Deborah Candler will take the helm of SLArts as Principal / CAO beginning this summer.
Deborah comes to SLArts from Wasatch Elementary School in Salt Lake City, where she has served as Principal for the last six years. At Wasatch Deborah has cultivated and nurtured the school-wide arts program, supported a diverse range of learners and collaborated with Teachers and Parents to create a welcoming, thriving school community. Before leading Wasatch, Deborah was Assistant Principal at Rose Park and Newman Elementary in the Salt Lake District. She has been a classroom Teacher at the Open Classroom, Hawthorne Elementary, and was the Neighborhood ELP teacher at Mountain View Elementary.
Deborah says, “I am passionate about the arts and excited to be a part of a thriving and creative school community.” She loves live music, a broad range of outdoor activities, and her plants. Deborah wants SLArts students and parents to know that she understands how difficult this past year has been for our students and families and is excited to help restore our sense of belonging in the coming year. Deborah grew up on a cattle ranch in Florida and found her way to Utah during one of her many cross-country adventures in her VW van. She has one child who is a Community Health Educator for Planned Parenthood.
Later in the Spring we will be welcoming Deborah to campus for various opportunities to meet students, parents and faculty – we will announce them soon!
We are excited for new leadership as we enter our “new normal” this fall, and beyond.