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White City as well as a Draper elementary, remodel Alta High and has already added a classroom wing and expanded the cafeteria at Corner Canyon High.

He supports students’ academic achievements as their test scores are “well above state average,” with state year-end testing and as more students are graduating, Wilcox said.

“Canyons School District as a whole…we were at 83, 84% graduation rate…now, we’re almost 90% districtwide, which is a massive, huge increase in graduation rate, which we are all really proud of,” Briscoe said, adding that graduates of Diamond Ridge High, which was started under his tenure, have contributed to that increase.

He also has talked with students individually, getting to know and help them. Sandy Elementary Principal Christie Webb remembers Briscoe visiting at her former school when a student was in the office after making a poor decision.

“He helped the student understand the poor choice that was made and realize a different decision should be made,” she said. “He is great with kids and he likes kids. He’s been wonderful, supportive of teachers and administration, respectful of parents, and communicates well our wants and needs to the Board. He always thinks through his decision process and looks for the impact of what his decisions are and communicates that.”

Another thing Webb and others have appreciated is Briscoe’s leadership in developing a responsive services department that can provide social and emotional wellness resources and curriculum to students and educators.

“He also put a full-time counselor or psychologist in each elementary school and said to let him know if more help is needed,” Webb said.

The past two years, Briscoe has supported the Board’s push to increase teachers’ salaries, which when announced last year at the teacher-of-theyear ceremony, was met with standing applause.

Tingey said she appreciates Briscoe’s weekly district updates he delivers to the Board.

“He’s got a humble confidence,” Tingey said. “He approaches the duties and challenges, drawing on his experience, not only his, but of others and the skills and talents of others. He understands the teamwork. He’s a hard worker. He’s always thinking and analyzing; he’s quick to jump and help wherever help is needed. He’s always calm, and even when, and especially when, things don’t go as planned, he will take the time to work through the issues.”

That calm leadership was apparent especially in his final few months during the COVID-19 pandemic, Wilcox said.

“Two weeks before school was closed, he was already thinking about so many issues from lunches to making sure there was a platform for student learning from hot spots to grading, and of course, graduation and year-end events,” Wilcox said. “He was thinking of every possible contingency out there and brought in principals and others, and asked them, ‘what am I missing?’ He wanted to know how else he could support them to keep the education and learning for students going.”

While Briscoe is retiring, he doesn’t want the attention focused on him. The inside joke is that he shut down the schools to avoid having a retirement gala.

“I have received calls and emails from principals, teachers and parents thanking me for my service,” Briscoe said. “I’m a superintendent and one person in the organization, and I appreciate some of the kind words of what people have said, but it’s a result of a lot of hard work from our school board, our parents, our teachers, our principals and our central office administrators. In a district this size you can’t really accomplish anything yourself and you can only do it when everyone feels part of the team.”

That includes Briscoe, himself, who has been known to grab an orange flag to cross schoolchildren so the Midvale Elementary principal could attend a meeting, Wilcox said.

“Jim’s that kind of guy who steps up and does that kind of thing. He does anything to help out,” he said

“He’s out there talking to the coach, the drama adviser, the PTA and SCC. He’s in the schools reading to kids and eating lunch with them, being at their events and cheering them on at the game as he listens to the band. He brings everyone together, working together for the common good. He’s been a great boss, but a better friend, and that’s how everyone sees him, as a friend.” l

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Canyons School District Superintendent Jim Briscoe is known to help wherever help is needed, including with Midvale Elementary students. (Photo courtesy of Canyons School District)

10970 S 700 E Sandy, Utah 84070