John Wallwork on Education & Skyridge High School | Roots & Branches of Lehi

An in-depth interview with John Wallwork, principal of Skyridge High School in Lehi, Utah. Explore education leadership, student life, teacher collaboration, and what makes Lehi's schools special.

John Wallwork on Education & Skyridge High School | Roots & Branches of Lehi

An in-depth interview with John Wallwork, principal of Skyridge High School in Lehi, Utah. Explore education leadership, student life, teacher collaboration, and what makes Lehi's schools special.

John Wallwork on Education, Leadership, and Life at Skyridge High School

On This Page

Sponsored By
Resource for Listeners

Who Is John Wallwork, and Why Does His Story Matter to Lehi?

Watch the Full Interview

Episode Overview

Guest Name

Role in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Host

Primary Topics Discussed

Resource for Listeners

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

From Auckland to Lehi: A Principal's Journey Home

Leading Washington's Largest High School

The Grocery Store Thank-You

From "No Factory" to Grace and Empathy

"Third Base Kids" in Lehi

Teacher Collaboration: The Anti-Lottery

Plumbers, Electricians, and College Graduates

Historical Insights About Lehi

Community and Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Related Lehi Topics

Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive

Full Transcript

John Wallwork Skyridge High School Principal Lehi Utah Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast

Quick Links
Contact

An in-depth conversation with Skyridge High School Principal John Wallwork about his journey from New Zealand to Lehi, leading one of Utah's largest high schools, and why strong families and great teachers make this community special.

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah.

Every homeowner starts somewhere.

Some people are just beginning to dream. Others are getting financially ready. Some are already touring homes. Wherever you are in the process, this simple tool helps you understand your next best step. Take the Homebuyer Journey Quiz to see where you are — and where to go from here.

In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding sits down with John Wallwork , principal of Skyridge High School, to explore his journey in education and his experience becoming part of the Lehi, Utah community. Originally from New Zealand and raised across multiple regions, John brings a broad perspective shaped by years of teaching and school leadership in diverse environments. His decision to move to Lehi was rooted in family, but his impact has quickly extended into the heart of one of Utah's fastest-growing cities.

John shares what makes Lehi unique—particularly its strong families, supportive community, and high expectations for students. Through stories of leadership, school growth, and student success, he offers a compelling look at modern education in Lehi. From navigating post-COVID challenges to fostering collaboration among teachers and expanding opportunities for students, this conversation highlights the evolving role of schools in shaping both individuals and the broader community.

For anyone interested in Lehi, Utah schools , Skyridge High School , Alpine School District , or how a principal views the intersection of family, community, and education, this interview provides invaluable context. Whether you are a parent, educator, student, or simply someone who cares about the future of Lehi, John Wallwork's perspective helps explain why this community produces such strong outcomes—and what challenges remain as the city continues to grow.

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on <a href="https: <a href="https:

John Wallwork

Principal of Skyridge High School

2000s–2020s (focus on last 4–10 years in Lehi)

Ryan Harding

Every homeowner starts somewhere. Whether you are just beginning to dream, getting financially ready, or already touring homes — this simple tool helps you understand your next best step.

John describes growing up internationally—born in Auckland, New Zealand, then living in Samoa with his grandparents, followed by time in Hawaii, before settling in Washington State for most of his childhood. He moved to Lehi four years ago not because of the job alone, but because his two oldest children had started families in Utah. With six children and nearly 30 years of marriage, John and his wife wanted to be closer to their grandchildren. The job at Skyridge simply made the move possible.

Before arriving at Skyridge, John served as principal of the largest high school in the state of Washington for about eight years. Prior to that, he was a middle school principal for two years and an assistant principal for three years. Everything before administration was in the classroom, where he taught Spanish and social studies. His first year of teaching was in Las Vegas, with additional experience in Wyoming and Washington. That classroom foundation shaped his belief that administrators impact systems, but teachers impact lives directly.

A meaningful part of John's career comes from running into former students in the community who thank him years later—or even apologize for how they behaved in high school. He has always lived in the communities where he worked, believing that being accessible matters. As he tells Ryan, "I'd rather relax on my couch two minutes later than in a car thirty minutes." These encounters remind him that students remember how they were treated long after they forget specific rules.

John shares how COVID changed his approach to leadership. Before the pandemic, he admits principal offices can become "no factories" focused on liability and rules. COVID taught him that families everywhere were struggling, and that kids needed more grace, flexibility, and understanding. He now believes it is often easier to say no, but far more important to listen, understand context, and find ways to support students through difficult moments.

John explains the concept of "third base kids" in Lehi—students who benefit from strong family support, involved parents, and abundant resources. Unlike the high-poverty schools he led in Washington, where students often battled just to graduate, many Skyridge students arrive at third base with high expectations already in place. This creates a different but equally important challenge: helping high-achieving students manage pressure, anxiety, and mental health when they face their first academic setback.

Stories of teacher collaboration at Skyridge highlight how shared practices improve outcomes for all students. John is passionate about creating a "professional learning community" where English teachers (and all departments) depend on one another. They teach the same standards, assess the same skills, and share data openly. "It shouldn't be a lottery," John says. "Every student deserves the same experience." If one teacher's students excel at a standard, that teacher shares the strategy—and colleagues adopt it. "If you're not using what works best for students, that's malpractice."

John discusses the cultural shift away from viewing four-year college as the only valid path. Skyridge emphasizes excellence, integrity, and hard work as universal values that serve students whether they enter trades, apprenticeships, military service, or university. He notes that the world needs plumbers and electricians just as much as college graduates, and that the best advice for any student is simple: get good at something. "The world will pay you for it."

This interview offers valuable perspective on how Lehi's rapid growth and demographic character shape its educational landscape. Here are key historical and community insights from Principal Wallwork's perspective:

Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values and challenges facing Lehi as its schools grow and evolve:

This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history, education, and community:

To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record:

Ryan Harding: Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi, the podcast where we get to know the faces, stories, and lives that make up our community. I'm Ryan Harding, and I started this podcast as a way for us all to connect with the people we live alongside. Growing up in a small town, I learned that connections go beyond blood. They're built through shared experiences, friendships, and the moments we celebrate together. Each week, we'll sit down with someone new from Lehi to share their unique story, their passions, and what they love most about living here. So whether you've been here for years or just arrived, join us as we deepen our roots and reach out to our branches one story at a time.

Welcome John Wallwork to the Roots and Branches of Lehi podcast. Happy to have you here and get to know you a little bit better. Get to know Skyridge and get to know all these things about you.

John Wallwork: So happy to be here, Ryan.

Ryan: Yeah, I'm glad you're here. So tell me where you're from. Are you originally from Lehi? Where'd you grow up?

John: Yeah, so sure. So I was born in Auckland, New Zealand, if you could tell from my accent. But lived there a short time and then I went to Samoa, lived with my grandparents for a year or two while my parents got a divorce and kind of got established. Lived in Hawaii for a couple years and then most of my life I was raised in Washington State. And then we just moved here to Lehi four years ago. This is my fourth year. So in Skyridge. Yeah. Rather recent then. Yeah. So is that what got you here then was that that job? Well, the job made it possible for us to move here. So, we've got six kids. My wife and I have been married for almost 30 years. Our two oldest live here in Utah, and it just got to that time where they were getting married and starting to have kids, and we just wanted to be closer to them. So, the job certainly made it possible to move here.

Ryan: Okay. And have you always been in education?

John: Yeah, always. I graduated from BYU Hawaii. The beaches at BYU Hawaii are a little bit more than Provo could offer. Anyway, I started out as a teacher. I taught Spanish and social studies. My first year in Vegas, taught a little bit in Washington State. Taught a little bit in Wyoming. But yeah, all of it's been in education as a teacher or administrator.

Ryan: And so how long have you been a principal then? Four years or—

John: Yeah, so this is my fourth year as a principal here. Before I moved here, I was a principal of a high school, the largest high school in the state of Washington for about eight years. And then I was a principal of a middle school before that for two years, assistant principal at a high school for three years, and then everything before that was in the classroom.

Ryan: Okay. And now tell me then since you've had experience both in and outside of Utah, tell me how it was to do a high school eight years in Washington and stuff like that. Any differences, similar? I mean, kids are kids, but I'm assuming culturally there's different things.

John: Yeah, definitely. I think probably the biggest difference, Ryan, is so this is the first place where really poverty is not a real issue. Here's the first place where there's also not a lot of diversity. So, I've come from places where usually it's a high poverty, high diverse, but here in Lehi, there's not a lot—I'm not saying it doesn't exist, but there's just not a lot of that here in Lehi, which which is good, too, right? But like you said, yeah, kids are kids. Yeah. Just different challenges, different problems.

Ryan: Do any other differences or any other things from that time?

John: You know, the probably the other big difference I always tell people is, you know, Washington was a the union, the teacher union was pretty strong. So, as an administrator, you kind of had to navigate that. You always had to take that in consideration. You always—it seemed like it was hard to make decisions. You really had to have the union backing on hirings and initiatives. And just here in Utah, you don't have that challenge. We've got a great relationship with our union, but they just—there's it's just not that intense. Like I think two years before I moved here, our school district went on a strike. And so anyway, so that that's probably another difference just the kind of the watchful eye of the union and kind of their hands and kind of all the decisions that schools make.

Ryan: Does that make it harder to fire people and stuff like that?

John: Yeah. No, it certainly the union does certainly add an aspect when it comes to hiring and firing and pushing through maybe initiatives that you want your school to adopt or change. So there is that aspect there. So yeah, it makes it a little tougher.

Ryan: Well, so going back to you and kind of your beginnings here, why education? Why did you choose education? You know, you're smart guy. I'm guessing you could have gone a lot of different directions.

John: You know, I'm not as smart as you might think I am, Ryan. But thank you. I think for me just initially to go in education to be a teacher and a coach because that's kind of what motivated me, just the impact that teachers and coaches can have on kids. I think that was really the kind of initiated this whole career. Just wanted to make a difference in the kids in kids' lives. And as administration goes, you mean you still have an impact, but as an administrator, it's not necessarily like maybe that direct impact that a classroom teacher can have, but it's more an impact you have on systems and processes and practices and policies and so which you hope would impact kids as well.

Ryan: Well, so speak to that then for a minute. Any memorable moments where you're, you know, hey, I'm really glad we started that program or did this or anything like that?

John: Yeah. I think if I look back on my career, I think the times that that are really really rewarding and this I'm not bragging or anything. I'm not saying this happens like every single day of my life, but it's it's those times where you see a kid or a family in a grocery store, at Walmart, or at a restaurant, out in the community, because I've always lived in the community where I worked. Like I really believe in that. I don't people say like, "Yeah, I want to live outside of the community. I like to drive and I listen, I'd rather relax on my couch 2 minutes later than than in a car 30 minutes." So, I've always lived in a community where I worked and when you do that, you certainly there's just been so many experiences where you run into people that you've had an impact on and they come up and thank you or apologize and say, "Sorry, man. I was such a good dude. I didn't agree with, you know," like those experiences there that I've had numerous times because I've always lived in the community. Those have been the rewarding opportunities and experiences that I've had. Just to see people go to their weddings, see them grow, having their kids come to the school where you're at. Just all of those experiences have been really, really impactful.

I don't know if anyone's ever come up to me and said, "Hey, that rule that you made in high school really changed my life." I don't know about that, but just I think kids recognize when they they're treated nice and fair and and given opportunities when maybe maybe they don't think they deserve it, but they but they get them. So anyway.

Ryan: So tell me about your leadership style, I guess, with you know, cuz because obviously as a principal, you're both in charge of the kids and really the teachers too then, right? So tell me how, you know, how would you define your leadership style and how has that changed or evolved over time?

John: Yeah. No, it's good. I think one of the things about because I was a principal before COVID and now after COVID and I think one of the areas where I've grown as a principal as an administrator is I think COVID one thing that that it really taught me is we really just need to be more empathetic and more flexible and understanding and give more grace to kids and families. And I think sometimes as a principal our offices are are no factories like nope liability da da da can't do this I don't want to do that my unintended consequences all of that. I think it becomes a no factory and it's a lot easier sometimes to just say no of course but I think what COVID did for me at least personally is you know we've got kids even even whether you're in high poverty areas or not you've got kids and families is having some rough times and hard times with things and and so just giving kids more grace and more empathy and being more flexible. I think is one thing that my leadership style has grown and progressed.

Ryan: So talk to me about about Skyridge. So Skyridge is a fast growing high school. How have you dealt with all the growth? Are you adding a lot of classes and teachers and stuff like that?

John: You bet. Yeah, that's a good question. So, Skyridge, this is so this is going to be next year is going to be our 10th year that we've been open as a school. And as you may know, the first four years we had 9th graders in the building. And so, the school was up above through 35, you know, mid 30,000. After Viewpoint was built, that took the ninth graders out of our building. So, now we're just sophomores through juniors, 10th through 12th grade. and we've been fluctuating in the years I've been here. So, right now we're a little above 2500. Okay. And that number seemed to be about 2400 when I got here. So, I think one of the things that this district does well is just it's it really builds buildings. It kind of watches that because I I don't think they want their schools too big. And so by building viewpoint, by adjusting boundaries, by building new schools, it kind of relieves the pressure of the growth. So we've kind of been around that mid 2000s for for the past few years.

But but it's manageable. I mean the high school I came from was a 9 through 12 and we were about 32, 3,300 and that becomes it just becomes a city, right? You just it's hard to manage. It's hard to be everywhere. You got to delegate a lot and you don't quite get down. But but anyway, this Skyridge's size right now, obviously, we're one of the larger 6A schools, but I feel like it's pretty manageable. I've got five assistants. They're really good. We get out and we see kids. We're in the hallways and classrooms. So, I think it's manageable. Anything larger than that, it might get a little tougher.

Ryan: And so how does it compare to those other 6A schools? And you know I haven't been this is the only school I've been to in Utah. So I don't know all the other schools. I think the big challenge that schools have there's a lot of challenges that come with poverty. So there's a lot of big schools in the Salt Lake Granite districts that, you know, are experiencing high poverty and with poverty come a lot of different challenges. So in that regard, we're we're pretty well off. I mean, we've got a great supportive community here. I mean, a lot of my kids come from two parent homes and have high expectations. And so I don't necessarily have to battle too much with the these kids want to graduate and go to college. You don't have to convince them of that.

When there's poverty, there's just there's a lot of challenges. I mean, that's still your job, but it becomes a challenge when you're when they're battling those obstacles and barriers in in their world. Because I'm guessing you're saying, you know, college is not really something they're thinking about. They're just trying to graduate. Just having worked with in high poverty areas, I think they're battling a couple things. One, they don't have a history of college in their family, right? a lot of first-time college goers, attenders in a lot of these parts—first-time high school graduates. And so you're kind of trying to break this cycle and you're trying to instill new goals and high achievement in these kids. And so that certainly comes with a lot of challenges here in Lehi and at Skyridge especially. I mean, there's just I haven't had so many conferences with moms and dads. Usually where I come from they're with grandma or aunt or you know and so that right there is it changes the game for a kid. If a kid comes from a really supportive home that has a lot of resources and has some high expectations because we've gone to college you're going to go to you know what I mean? So so that that probably is a huge difference for Skyridge. They're we're really blessed in that way.

Ryan: Well I guess yeah shows the importance of a family right. So then my guess is you don't have some of those big problems like you're saying. Yeah. But my guess is you're not problem free. So then tell me what are some of the problems that that a school like Skyridge deals with?

John: That's a good good question. Following with that same theme, I think one of the and you've probably seen this in this community where now you have you do have a lot of challenges when it comes to maybe the expectations are too high. Maybe there's too much pressure in succeeding and getting straight A's and a 4.0 and going to the college, you know, like. So, sometimes those pressures and expectations can cause some anxiety and some mental health and some depression when maybe you don't reach, you know, when you get your first C and you've always got A's and so that that certainly adds it's a different problem, but it certainly is a challenge that you're going to have to confront and deal with and and be really supportive with those kids and and those families.

Ryan: Do you have much problems with discipline or with that kind of part? Do you deal with that much?

John: Not a not not a terrible amount of discipline at Skyridge. I mean, I've been there for four years. I think maybe we've had two fights. You know, vaping is kind of a growing trend that kids are dabbling with, but other than that, Ryan, when it comes to kids misbehaving, disrupting the classroom and having to be removed and given school consequence, there's not a lot of that at at Skyridge. Okay, that's awesome. Good. No, it is. It's great. It lets us as administrators kind of focus on learning and and so that that certainly is a benefit.

Ryan: So I guess speak to that as far as any kind of traditions, you know, the school is still relatively new, right? You've been there for any traditions or things that you guys are kind of focused on, you know, because you don't have to worry about the discipline part.

John: Yeah. It's funny when you ask that, Ryan. Sometimes like I've like I said I've been at schools where there's there's real high poverty and with that comes a lot of challenges and I just remember like one fight could take your whole day. You got to cancel your classroom observation you got to cancel that meeting. So it seems like when you have less discipline it's really an administrator's dream because then you're focusing on all the things. But then I always tell people too though, part of the challenge for me and I don't know how this is going to come out. I share this with a lot of people, but sometimes in those high poverty areas when you're dealing with a lot of serious behavior things and sometimes you feel needed. Like if I don't do if I don't change certain practices and policies that might have be unfair for kids, like they're not going to make it. Like if I don't reach out to an immigration lawyer in town that I know to help this family they're done. Sure. Right. Sure. And so sometimes an administrator in those schools, you really feel like, man, I am really needed. I need I'm making a difference. And not that I don't experience that here because there are opportunities. There's just different ones. But sometimes whatever Mr. Wallwork does or doesn't do, that kid's going to be successful because they come from a great home and supportive parents and they have resources.

In education sometimes we call those third base kids, right? Like they don't they're not trying to just get on base. They're they're already at third base and they're ready to come home because of all the stuff that they have. And so sometimes that is a challenge, at least for me, in transitioning here to to Lehi and to Skyridge is trying to make myself feel like, okay, I'm I really need to do some things to make an impact on kids. And so, it's a little harder, but still there's certain opportunities for for that. But it does allow you to focus. So, one of the things at Skyridge we're focusing on is collaboration. Like really really taking advantage of a team of teachers having an impact on the school as opposed to I'm a traditional teacher who I'm going to just do it the way I always done it and I'm going to go in my classroom and teach shut the door. So we're really focused on people collaborating creating a true professional learning community so if we're English teachers then we're going to be dependent on each other because we're going to teach the same things, the same standards because kids deserve the same experience. Like it shouldn't be a lottery. Like if I take Mr. Ryan, man, it's going to be awesome. But hey, nobody wants to take Wall. Yeah. So, we're going to really collaborate to provide a great experience for all kids no matter what.

But then we're also going to teach things the same way. Not the same way necessarily, but we're going to teach the same standards. We're going to assess the same because we're going to share data on that. And I'm going to say, "Ryan, your kids knocked out of the park on standard 1.2." My kids didn't do well. How did you teach that? And you're going to tell me how to teach that? Sure. And I'm going to say, "Gosh, I need to try that." Because if I don't try that, that's malpractice on my part. Right. If I'm not practicing those strategies that yield the best results, then I'm in essence I'm committing malpractice to my students. So, we're really focused at Skyridge on that. Just collaborating like that. As opposed to everybody just you're independent conscious. Just teach what you want. Sure. And do what you do in your classroom and shut the door. And we're trying to get away from that.

Ryan: Which I love that you're doing that. I mean, that's any business, any organization knows that councils and working together is always going to be better, right? None of us as smart as some of us are, we're smarter together, right? And so that makes a lot of sense. That's good that you're doing that.

John Wallwork on Education & Skyridge High School | Roots & Branches of Lehi