The City of Millcreek on Thursday, Sept. 10, posted a historical retrospective on William Penn Elementary, sharing vintage photographs and asking alumni to recall their years at the Granite School District school.

The school's founding date depends on the source. The city's post states William Penn "first opened in 1925." The district's own website and a June 2025 Millcreek Journal report both place the opening in 1924.

The city's post also noted the original building was replaced after earthquake damage in 1952, with former student and architect Whitney Biggar designing the 1955 replacement. The district's website states that building was demolished after the 2003 school year, and the current school opened in 2004.

William Penn, at 1670 East Siggard Drive, serves about 560 students in grades K-5, according to the district. It runs a Spanish Dual Language Immersion program that arrived after the Granite School District Board of Education voted unanimously in December 2022 to close Millcreek Elementary and move its DLI program to William Penn, as KSL reported.

"We have evolved from being strictly a community school and adapting to be more inclusive by creating a Spanish Dual Language Immersion Program," Brett Bawden, who was principal at the time, told the Millcreek Journal in June 2025.

The Spanish DLI program's first-grade classes for the 2026-2027 school year are full. Families can join the waitlist by calling 385-646-4960.