On May 11, Highland principal Jeremy Chatterton was back fist-bumping students on their way to class. It had been three weeks since students had received their morning greeting.
Chatterton was and continues to be under investigation by the SLCSD for undisclosed reasons but was allowed to return to work despite the case not being fully resolved. Because the investigation is ongoing and involves personal information, no public information is allowed until a resolution is reached.
But that didn’t stop Chatterton from smiling as he talked about his return to Highland.
“I really missed being able to be part of the connection and see people and I am excited to be back and finish the year strong,” Chatterton said.
While he was away, the rest of the Highland administration took over the jobs that normally fell to Chatterton, including financial decisions that usually went to the principal.
“There is a lot of purchasing that goes on near the end of the year,” Highland assistant principal Kim Parkinson said. “So, we had to jump in and say, ‘okay, here is the final decision.’”
Now that Chatterton is back, he hopes to get right back into it and make up for lost time. While he was gone, many spring sports and programs wrapped up their year with final events.
“I’m sad that I had to miss a lot of spring sports, senior nights, and different events like that,” Chatterton said.
His attendance and support at students’ events does not go unnoticed. The Highland community felt his absence, and many did everything they could to bring him back.
Highland teachers and community members sent letters to the SLCSD and the Salt Lake School Board in protest of his administrative leave, while also expressing hope that he would return to lead the school. In a more public protest, some teachers wore “Free Jeremy” shirts, while Highland science teacher Caleigh Oliver had a calendar adding up the “days without Chatterton.”
The calendar now says ‘0’.
“Chatterton has built the Ram Fam, and he has created a unified family here,” Oliver said.
Teachers were not the only ones standing up to support their principal. Highland junior Sam Archibald started a petition upon hearing about Chatterton’s situation in hopes of showing the district the immense impact that he has had on the school and students.
Before Chatterton returned, nearly 430 people had signed the petition.
“I started this petition because we need Chatterton back; without him, Highland feels empty,” Archibald said.
Chatterton felt extremely humbled by the response and was grateful for his community and their kindness. He appeared energized while being interviewed, especially after what amounted to be three weeks off with pay.
“I tried to stay on somewhat of a routine,” Chatterton said. “I hit a bucket of balls, went fishing and just tried to keep myself busy.”
Chatterton started at Highland over the summer of 2020. His first year at Highland was like no other, being almost entirely online due to COVID.
Over the years, he has had many goals, but a primary objective was to make sure students felt noticed and supported. Chatterton supports students by attending games and events and puts in effort to create genuine connections with students, illustrated by the fist bumps before school.
“[His fist bumps] are a great way to start off the day and something to smile about in the morning,” Archibald said.
Students wait to hear the announcements signed off with Chatterton’s famous catch phrase. “Be where you are supposed to be, do what you are supposed to do, be kind. Go Rams!”
Under Chatterton, the school has seen significant improvements in standardized test scores. There has been growth in all 9th and 10th grade ASPIRE test categories, the highest being a 22% increase from 2022 in math proficiency among 9th graders. Along with similar outcomes for 10th graders ASPIRE scores, Highland has experienced an overall growth in its students’ ACT scores as well. Multiple teachers agree that much of this is due to Chatterton empowering teachers to do what they know is best for students.
“Chatterton is amazing. Most administrators micromanage but he always says, ‘I hire people who are qualified and follow their expertise,’” Oliver said.
With an investigation still ongoing, it is not yet clear if Chatterton will be at Highland next year, but students and faculty alike are hopeful that he will be back for 2026 and beyond.
“[When he came back], instantly the clouds went away and the birds were chirping again,” Parkinson said. “He keeps things calm and reminds us that this isn’t the end of the world.”
