For nearly 60 years, Magna Elementary has been an educational and community hub for a myriad of families living near the foot of the Oquirrh Mountains.

You may already know that Magna students are nicknamed the Bulldogs, or that the school is just a stone’s throw away from Brockbank Junior High and Cyprus High School. Here are some things you may not have known:

Unique rock/growing garden – Every two weeks (weather permitting) Magna students with zero tardy slips are rewarded with a special lunch in the school’s garden with Magna principal Victoria Thomas and Sheldon the turtle.

Brilliant Bulldogs – Each grade level at Magna has its own Brilliant Bulldog requirements – a voluntary academic benchmark program where students can check off certain skills on their way to earning the Brilliant Bulldog Award and special recognition at the end of the school year.

Watch D.O.G.S. – Magna Elementary was the first school in Utah to introduce the Watch D.O.G.S. (Dads Of Great Students) program. The nationwide initiative is designed to encourage fathers to get involved in their child’s school and create positive male role models for students.

Bonus trivia: Utah Copper Company founder Daniel C. Jackling named the area “Magna” after the Latin word meaning “superior.”