Having almost completed their first school year in a new facility, students and staff at Hartvigsen decided to commemorate their new building’s inaugural year with a bit of fanfare.

In a symbolic celebration of collaboration and friendship, Hartvigsen students joined their peers from Taylorsville High and Plymouth Elementary in a Unity Walk that led participants around the three schools.

Following the Unity Walk, attendees gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially dedicate the new structure. Afterward, everyone squeezed inside the main lobby to listen to the Taylorsville High junior choir and hear some final remarks from administrators.

Originally opened in 1972 at 350 E. 3605 South, Hartvigsen School has been serving students with moderate to severe physical, mental and intellectual disabilities for more than 40 years. As part of the voter-approved 2009 bond, Granite School District rebuilt the facility to effectively meet the needs of students who require services beyond general education.

The new facility is 30,000 square-feet larger than its predecessor, and is equipped with enhanced technologies that allow for improved physical and occupational therapies in addition to everyday learning.

“The hallways are wide and the atmosphere is so bright,” said one mother of a Hartvigsen student. “It just makes us happy every time we come here.”