Standard 2.4 Positive Relationships

The 2019 SHARP survey taken by PHS students indicated that students at Payson High rated above the state average in four out of five categories under the “Positive School Environment” topic. Of special interest is the fact that 87.3% of students claimed that “There are lots of chances to talk with a teacher one-on-one” and 89.2% of students indicated that “I have lots of chances to be part of class discussions.” Both of these percentages reported higher than the average student among high school students in the state of Utah.

We believe in the power of community and relationships. Another program that we have in place to foster a sense of community among our student body is the One Pride Project. Each of our extra-curricular performing groups was assigned to another group to be their "biggest fans." You can read about the program by clicking on the attached document. The One Pride Project helps all groups to feel supported not only by the adults in the school but also by their classmates.

Payson High School has multiple structures in place to strengthen teacher/student relationships through opportunities for teachers to highlight, reward, and praise students. For example, PHS departments coordinate monthly to discuss and select “students of the month” and organize a lunch for the students to attend with their family and receive praise from their teachers. PHS also has a system in place for teachers to easily send “Positive Postcards” to students and families. The administrative team frequently blocks out time during faculty meetings for teachers to write a “Positive Postcard” to a deserving student.