• Principal: Kathe Riding
• Address: 3505 W. 7800 South,
  West Jordan, UT 84088
• Phone: 801-280-3279 Fax: 801-302-4911
• Mascot: Astros
• School Colors: Red, White & Blue
• Home Page: http://schools.jordandistrict.org/columbia
• View boundary description
• View student achievement

Columbia Elementary is located in a rapidly growing area of West Jordan City. The school community is comprised of suburban and rural areas with a high number of modern, middle-income homes. Columbia’s teachers are committed to academic excellence. Their goal is to provide a caring learning environment where students can thrive and perform to their highest level of ability. Students are taught self-respect and respect for the rights and property of others as well as responsibility for their own behavior. The teachers encourage active parent participation in all aspects of education.

• Columbia serves 750 students from kindergarten through sixth grade on a year-round schedule. Students are registered on one of four attendance tracks and are typically in school for 45 days followed by 15 days of vacation. The school closes for a common vacation during July.
• The school opened in 1984 and was rebuilt in 2004.
• The school day begins at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 3:55 p.m. except on Fridays when students are excused at 1:55 p.m. to allow teachers time for planning.
• The teacher/pupil ratio is 1 to 22.50 in first grade, 1 to 22.80 in second grade, 1 to 24.30 in third grade, and 1 to 26.40 in grades four, five and six. The actual class sizes vary.
• Columbia has an excellent, well-trained staff. Each teacher is state certified. All staff members are formally evaluated on a regular basis.
• The curriculum meets or exceeds all District and state requirements. Columbia uses the Houghton Mifflin Reading Program and the Scott Foresman Math Program.
• Special services are available to students who have learning disabilities, speech or language difficulty, guidance needs, or who do not speak English at home.
• Computers and software are available for student use.
• Columbia enjoys the services of a supportive PTA and School Community Council.
• A hot lunch program is provided for students.
• Bus service is provided for students who live 1-1/2 miles or more from school.
• Visitors and school volunteers are always welcome at Columbia and asked to check in at the office upon arrival.
• Collectively, our faculty has nearly 400 years of teaching experience.
• Our teachers voluntarily spend hundreds of hours each year in graduate level college courses and in-service training to improve and enrich classroom teaching.
• Columbia was named in honor of the space shuttle and has an unusual collection of NASA memorabilia.

Criterion Referenced Tests (CRT)
The Core Criterion Referenced Tests (CRTs) are administered at the end of each school year to help assess how well students have mastered the standards and objectives set forth in the State of Utah Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science core curricula.   Student achievement is reported as the percent of students reaching “proficient” by earning a Level 3 or Level 4 performance on the Core CRT.

Direct Writing Assessment (DWA)
The Direct Writing Assessment (DWA) is designed to assess the writing skills of in February and March each year. Before the 2009-10 school year, 6th and 9th grade students were tested. Currently, 5th and 8th grade students are tested.  The following six components of writing are assessed: ideas & content, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions.

* Each year the direct writing prompt changes, therefore caution should be used in making year to year conclusions.

Begin at D&RGW Railroad and 7800 S.; east along 7800 S. (south side) to 2700 W.; south along 2700 W. (west side) to the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad; west along the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (north side) to the Utah-Salt Lake Canal; north along the Utah-Salt Lake Canal (east side) to 8100 S.; west along 8100 S. (north side) to the Bangerter Hwy.; south along Bangerter Hwy. (west side) to the Old Bingham Hwy.; southwest along the Old Bingham Hwy. (north side) to the D&RGW Railroad; north along the D&RGW Railroad (east side) to 7800 S.

View West Jordan area elementary boundary map