School is in session!
With classes starting Wednesday, the Weilenmann School of Discovery brought families, students, and staff together at Woodward Park City on Saturday for its first-ever Summit Summer Send-Off, a community celebration to close out summer and welcome the year ahead.
Executive Director Scott Stewart, who took the helm just this summer, has been a teacher and leader at Weilenmann since the school first opened in 2010. At the sendoff, he emphasized what the new event meant for the school community.
“What a great moment for the community to have this event where everybody can come together. We want to see everybody, and it doesn’t have to be our school; it’s for all kids to come, all families to come and have a great time,” said Stewart.
Stepping into his new role, he said he is eager to begin the year by focusing on what has always mattered most to him: teachers who inspire students.
“I always describe myself as an English teacher masquerading as the executive director,” Stewart said. “I love teaching, and it’s important to me that we are always inspiring our kids. It’s picking the right teachers, the right personalities, people who really can relate to kids and make a difference in their lives.”
With the school just a short walk from Woodward Park City, the action-sports facility has become a natural extension of Weilenmann’s classrooms and playgrounds. Students often make the trek together after school, learning independence, responsibility and leadership as they navigate the walk as a group. For many, Woodward is where homework gets done, friendships deepen and afternoons are filled with safe, supervised activity.
“Woodward is actually invaluable to what we do at Weilenmann. It complements our program so, so well,” said Principal Elizabeth Phillips. “Our kids get to come here and get creative with their sports and their bodies, and just take who they are as students and build that bridge into who they are as community members and athletes. It’s just an invaluable space for our kids to come and just be awesome humans.”
Beyond being a hangout spot, Woodward is built into the Weilenmann curriculum. The school uses the facility several times a year for its Adventure PE program, giving students the chance to learn skills on trampolines, skate ramps and even the ski slopes in winter.
The sense of familiarity and purpose students feel at Woodward made it an apt venue for their back-to-school celebration, according to Chris Spencer, director of guest experience at Woodward and parent to two Weilenmann students.
“We always want to create a safe space for your kids, yourself, and the whole community,” said Spencer. “It’s been an awesome experience having them as neighbors up the street. We love seeing their kids all the time. The staff is excited for next week to start at about 3 p.m. when it starts to get really loud around here.”
For many parents, the event was a chance to connect before the school year begins on Wednesday. Matt Smith has two children starting at Weilenmann for their first year, going into fourth and sixth grade. Having the chance to attend the event on Saturday and find some familiar faces was a great way to ease the transition into the new school, he said.
“It’s all new for us, and this is a really good way for us to meet people before the year starts,” Smith said.
Though they live in Heber, the Smith family chose Weilenmann for its outdoor emphasis and the tight-knit community they feel it provides, rather than sending their kids into larger public schools closer to home.
For some families, the summer sendoff offered a chance to enjoy Woodward in a way that might not otherwise be accessible.
“We’re not actually Weilenmann parents,” said Marian Cartin. “This was really about it being an affordable night to come and get to be surrounded by other people in the community. I have three kids, and this is really such a treat for them.”
Sarah Smith has had two kids at Weilenmann over the years, though her 15 year old has now graduated from the school. She said they benefited quite a lot from the Woodward connection growing up and learning that kind of creative autonomy that the facility provided. Her daughter, now in fifth grade and who receives special education services at the school, has found consistent support at Weilenmann.
“My daughter’s in special ed, and she’s had a good experience. They’ve just done a really good job with her. We are longtime Weilenmann fans,” said Smith.
Through the Adventure PE program, middle schoolers spend one afternoon each week off campus, trying everything from hiking and snowshoeing to climbing walls, skate parks and trampolines. Woodward is one of the regular stops in the program. Seventh grader Lily Swapp said it’s one of the things she looks forward to most each year.
“I’m really excited for Adventure PE,” she said. “It’s really fun to get out of school and explore and do a lot of new things. Woodward is one of the spots we come back to, and it’s great.”
Foster Maziarz and Lily Swapp have been classmates at Weilenmann since kindergarten. Now entering 7th grade together, both said they’re excited to dive back into a new year. For Maziarz, Adventure PE is also a highlight, but he said he’s ready to reconnect with his teachers, too.
“I really like talking to the teachers because they’re really cool,” said Maziarz.
For Olympic silver medalist and professional mountain biker Haley Batten, who attended Weilenmann from 2010 to 2013, the school’s holistic approach left a lasting mark. She said the culture of encouragement and challenge at Weilenmann taught her how to balance passion, discipline, and resilience — skills she still uses today in both sport and life.
“I really enjoyed my educational experience here, and I think it made me very passionate about education as well,” Batten said. “Weilenmann celebrated learning outside the classroom. It was about knowing you can do hard things, but also, let us help guide you into the things that you are good at and help you thrive there too.”