Students go back to school in the Beehive State

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Back to school is here across the Beehive State. With the 2025-2026 school year starting, the principal of Taylorsville High School is welcoming students back into the classroom. 

“I don’t have the jitters as much. I’ve been doing this for a while, but it’s just really exciting to once again see the students in the hallway, see their excitement, and they have their new backpacks and their new clothes, and they’re just excited to be back,” Taylorsville High School Principal Mark Ellermeier said.

For the first time since 1983, Cyprus High School is getting an upgrade. Granite School District Superintendent Ben Horsley says the building is ready for classes, but construction has yet to finish on the school.

The new building broke ground almost four years ago following damage that was done to the school during a 5.7 magnitude earthquake that hit Magna in March 2020. Officials reported an estimated $1 million in damages during the quake.

Cyprus High School was originally built in 1918 and wasn’t rebuilt until 1983. 

“We are opening this brand new school here in magna. This is the new Cyprus High School. This is the largest comprehensive high school in the state of Utah, and as you can see, the sun is brightly shining on this new commons area. The first thing that the sun touches as it comes over the mountains is this beautiful high school and community,” Horsley said.