Board Meeting 10/21/2025

001the meeting of the Canyon's Board of Education. Today is October 21st, 2025, and we're meeting at the district office located at 9361 South 300 East in San Diego. And the first item on the agenda is the proposed calendars for the 2025 through 2027 school year and temped with approval of 2027 28 and school and this is first reading and Steve Diamond director of human resources will lead us in this discussion. It's kind of scary when you're talking about the 28 29 calendar >> because I still remember when it was we were turning 20 or 2000 >> like oh everything's going to crash and it's gone by really really fast. Um so pursuant to district policy there's a calendar committee that has created underneath the board's direction and there's also the exhibits the exhibit from the

002policy that helps drive how we create the calendars and that's just a quick picture of that and we may want to look at that in the future and that's going to be one of our recommendations to do some updates to it. So for this meeting we by policy we have to present three different calendars. The final calendar for next year and you you approve the 2627 last year that has to have a firm start and end date. So we also have a proposed calendar for the 2728 that we'll look at and we that is we have to have a finalized start and end date for this coming school year as well as the tenative that's a little bit out as part of the guidelines. It talks about if there needs to be any variances to

003the guidelines and there's three on the calendars that we show this year. the 28 29 we start on the second Monday in August rather than the third Monday because August starts on Tuesday and so if we don't start then then it pushes into winter recess um just causes we either then have to go after Memorial Day. So that's one of the variances. Uh kindergarten on the guidelines it talks about four days that changed last year underneath uh USB board rule. So it's three days. So a change there. And then on it's also the variance to last year we approved four days of professional development converting instructional days but the guidelines say two but based upon what the board did last year we moved that forward onto the calendars for the next three years. So, the

004first one, and I did send you PDFs full-size because it gets kind of a little hard to see these, but we start with school. The teachers come back on August the 10th, which is pretty much what we generally do. Then, August the 17th starting for school. Kindergarten starts on the 19th. Parent teacher conferences, the three days that we we piloted a few years ago, got feedback and continued doing that. One of the questions that I had was talk to me about the rotation of there is a rotation so that each level has a different start. So uh parent teacher conferences will be the middle school on the 21st and 22nd. Then high schools the 22nd 23rd and parent teacher conference were elementary it would be the 21st and 23rd. when you go down to the

005next one, that just flips, rotates up, and then the following calendars do the same thing. There's always a rotation so that there's an equal opportunity for each of those different calendars. Um, we have the four PD days. They're tagged on to uh for in September. It's against parent teacher conferences on October 26th. That is right after the end of a quarter. We also have it in February right against I think it's Martin Luther King President's Day parent and teacher conferences. We have the one in March which is right after the end of third quarter a full week for spring recess that we traditionally have always well haven't always done that but that's what we've done the last several years also the day right before Thanksgiving. Um, it used to be that we only had Thanksgiving

006and and the Thursday, Friday, we added the Wednesday before and parents and uh families and educators greatly appreciated it for travel. >> And it also I think we have higher attendance by doing that than if we would go all the way to that time. So this is the final for the K12. We're at 2627. Bryon working with their SEC and their administration. They've have a couple things. They did move. Originally, we had parent teacher conferences the first week of October, they tagged it on to the 24th. So, it's the Thursday where everybody else is doing parent teacher conferences. they have rather than a compensatory day, they have a professional development day because you need the additional time to be able to get the two compensatory days which are in uh November as well as in

007February 25th right there. It's very hard to see, but their commit or their community council, their BLT worked together, taking the calendar that we presented and tried to modify things. There are four days though that don't match up with the K12. They're highlighted in red. So, we tried to get everything to line up the best we could, but it makes sense how they've placed those dates. So November the 13th, October 26th, April 23rd, and there's and September 28th are the four days that don't align to the other calendar, but it works best for Brighton High School and their community and their staff. 20 the proposed calendar for 2728. And when we approve this or any modification of it, it's solidifying the start of the school year and the end of the school year so we

008can do uh Tom can make arrangements for locations for uh graduations. That's why it's it has to be finalized. anything in that can shift around after the fact. But for this year when we approve the proposed that's the reason why everything pretty much mimics very similar to the previous calendar. Uh once again ending graduation on the 24th of May and the last day of school on the 25th. Brian High School once again took that and merged worked at that all together to try to get those days. There are once again four that are line up perfectly. 28 29 this is where we had to do the one shift. Um and this is where it's a little bit different. So you'll notice for in for winter recess, we come to school on the 18th and the

00919th, but then we're off all the way through to January 2nd and come back on the 3. What the issue was we have to if we January 1 be back on the second, it actually pushed graduation to the Thursday the 23rd, the 25th. people were concerned about it going up against Memorial Day and what that would do for families. Uh the other piece was trying to keep the guidelines say anywhere between 8 and 11 days for winter recess and at least one uh over one weekend. So we keep that. We also felt that we had a better chance of kids coming to school on the 18th and the 19th >> than if we had shifted the 20th over into January on the third and then only having two days on the back end of of

010a week was what the thought process was on that. But that does still keep graduation on the Wednesday, last day of school on the 24th. So it gives families a little bit more time. Friday, same thing uh with the based upon the original calendar days. The board or the committee, there are several things that have come to the committee looking for us to look at. Um, I've had the opportunity to go to two two high school SEC's where they wanted to know more about the process of the creation of the calendars and what the guidelines were. And so we went through some of those things that came out was a suggestion of having a sixth a day bday schedule. Look a little bit of that. having the end of sec first semester end prior to

011winter recess. Also scheduling of professional development days to try to put them on not against another day off. Two different viewpoints. Parents really loved it because it created a 4-day weekend. Um some teachers felt like they wanted to be able to take that and when it's a professional development day, you can't do that. But that's something that could also be addressed in policy to look to see what we could do that direction. And then to do a survey a survey from the board regarding these ideas. So and I did send to you sorry it was late today this morning where we sent you a draft of what the survey could possibly look like. What are the pros? What are the cons for each of those? seeking input from parents, from uh high school students because

012that's who these things really would impact as well as teachers and administration and staff. So the first one is a fixed a day bday schedule. Um so A days would be Mondays and Wednesdays. B days would be Tuesdays and Thursdays and then you rotate on Fridays. And if Monday's off then, which would be an A day, then that's what you'd make the Friday. Um, works most of the time. It can there's some a few pieces where you can end up with like three A days in a row or three B days in a row, but >> So, Steve, I remember I got some feedback on that. was that and I think it was mostly like AP teachers in the district that because of Mondays or I can't remember exactly but they didn't like I mean

013it does something to lessen I think it lessens the number of days aligned to the college calendar or >> can testing I can't I don't it's been a while since >> that issue cames that I've heard is that when you're looking at the f so Mondays you have more Mondays that are off and And then Fridays tend to have there's more assemblies, uh, football games, those things. So they felt like they were losing time >> and but that is one of the concerns. But on the flip side, other people liked the the concept because it aligned more to for concurrent enrollment in universities >> could have been the opposite. >> There's arguments for both sides. >> I just I just remember some emails around that issue. So >> and so or continue with the rotating

014a day. Now there are different districts. So Granite District does the fixed 8day B day. Alpine district does the rotating. Um Alpine also does the ending of first semester before winter recess as does Davis and Granite. So and there's positives and negatives. Um, talking to Alpine District, they actually saw an increase in their grades by ending before Christmas because everybody pushed hard and then I talked to some of my neighbor kids here uh over the weekend and just said, "K, because I live in Utah County, what what do you think?" And the comment was, "I love that when I'm done at Christmas or winter recess, I get to have winter recess. I don't worry about homework and trying to get a paper done. So, but there's pros and cons for everything you do. There's a

015positive and a negative. The other piece, end of first semester, same thing. Some of the ways it either means we have a shorter significantly shorter first semester. People, some people said that's okay. Um, especially if you have a year-long class because it's just going to transition over. Where the impact comes is for semesterized classes as well as there's only two courses that are on the quarter which is driver's education and it it's not PE it's like a financial literacy I think is what it was >> was what Tom had told me. So but then you adjust and you make some changes. So the other things that you could do, Alpine District takes the teacher compensatory day after parent teacher conferences and they move that to the day before Thanksgiving and then they take their professional

016development day and put it at the end after parent teacher conferences similar to what Brighton does at the end of their first. So it's an idea something that's out there. They've been doing that since my kids were in elementary school and has been off or we continue existing semester ending the second week of January. >> Oh, please. >> Yeah. I just a couple questions on this one. Uh they're already off the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, right? >> So, if you know if we were to address this, would that not be Wednesday? Would it actually be Tuesday or would they lose a day off that they already have? Now >> I think what you do is you then shift everything on the backside. So first semester games a day where and then you just do a couple

017other shifts on the backside. It may be a longer winter recess. Um I wouldn't do it in the goal is to get first semester as many days as we can get it. You could start three days earlier. Um, but then I have real concerns with that because then that pushes when everybody comes back, it takes our secretaries who are on a current pay schedule, pay frequency, and it pushes them even further back into July for the ones who are in our school, our 206 day calendar. >> The heat in our buildings too at that point. >> Yeah. >> And so then to clarify on that, so the starting three days earlier extend winter break. Is that what it does? Or where does it where those three days go to? >> Or you shift the end

018of the school and move it up. >> Okay. >> So, because we also need uh our facilities folks are concerned because it's like, okay, we need as much time between when school gets out to when school starts to be able to get all the projects done. And so, that was a concern about starting anything earlier, but it would do some shifting. But it all comes down to options. I mean, every choice you make, we can do this and it'd be beneficial, but it may have a side effect that we don't really care about. So, uh, Tom was, well, we could just do have a shorter first semester. That's I think why we need to basically survey folks. Are you okay with doing something like this? And what are the the benefits? >> Mrs. D. Yeah.

019>> So, Granite has done that for years that every year they send out a survey and the majority always come back. We would rather start, you know, they all say we want to start after Labor Day, but when you show them the calendar, they would rather start earlier to be out by Memorial Day and to finish before the Christmas break. So I think that's probably what we'll find, but I think it's a good idea so people feel like they've have input and then you can show the data and say well this community, you know, you can even do it by high schools and see what the data is. So I think that's a great idea. >> Um can I just add that if we move the last week of school um up a week, it's

020going to make graduation happen on state championship. >> It's true. >> So we got to be aware of that. Yeah, that's an issue because >> get really upset and go to the news. >> Well, with Alpine District, there were kids who chose to go play and not go to graduation, >> which is really that's hard. >> Yeah, it's hard. So, I just want let's not forget about that. >> On the side, >> yeah, >> we had Corner Canyon lacrosse kids roll graduation a few years ago. >> My kids played lacrosse. So >> that's when you start hoping that they don't win that game so they can go to graduation for their siblings so that they can be >> Yeah. So, the other thing, professional development. Um, do we schedule the professional development against a holiday

021like what we've currently done to provide a 4-day break for families or do we separate those professional developments days and add one into March where there's nothing um and do some breakups. Um, so that's something that you have really two different opinions. You have families who really like this and I think some of our teachers like this, but then others don't. So I think it's just getting the feedback to be able to make an informed decision for the future. >> Have we looked at uh absenteeism around the holidays? Because that's what I wonder. It's like, you know, if you have an extra day, are we seeing people, it's a three-day holiday, so they take five. Um, are we seeing more absenteeism? I don't know. That might be something to ask, you know, building principles if

022it's a trend they've noticed or anything. >> I don't, but I'm sure that we can get pull that data to see where we are because the days that I would be more interested in are Thanksgiving week where you just have the two days because that was the concern when we shifted to the two day because we'd always we always had gone off three days was the shortest that we would get and so it would be interesting. I'll see if I can pull that for you. And then also just for to review the calendar guidelines to see are there is there anything else that we'd like to modify or change. So I think we do need to address the first day of school will be the second or preferably third just put it there so we

023don't have to do a variance. kindergarten, just make it so that it now matches board rule. And then the four days, if that's what we're doing to be able to just codify that so that moving forward as the calendar committee works that they can move forward and and plan on that. Any questions before I want to address just one other little thing. Any other questions for >> um just on the four days of professional development. So two were originally done in 2023 >> 23 24 year >> 23 24 and then I went back and listened to um they were there were two discussions one on April the 1st of 2025 and then it was uh on part of the consent agenda on April 15th of expanding it from 2 to 4 and they were listed

024as professional development days to try to get uh be able to use that. So what the current guidelines that I believe school performance has put out is that they're supposed to be on those days four hours of focused professional learning, twohour team collaboration, one and a half hours for learning application planning and I think it depends upon which school and how you how principles interpret how much flexibility you have on those. and then a half an hour for lunch. So that's the current uh guidelines that school performance has put out about those four days. >> So I'm going to address that as soon as Are you done? Steve. >> Okay. >> So um so I know there's been some confusion around exactly what Steve was just saying. So I I gave you a packet to

025look at this. Um again, just to Steve's point, history on it. Um Leon and I actually think this goes back probably precoid when uh this bill was first introduced and then it was amended Jefferson Moss amended it in 2022 to the four 30 four days or 32 hours uh in the and you have a copy of the the bill and the law itself. Uh it does say in the bill that it can be professional development and or planning time or preparation time. So it can be uh either or. And in 2023, just to give everybody some history on this, because we've been trying to sort through, you know, how this came about and what we actually did. Um, at the time, you remember, uh, we we were looking at the disparities in preparation time. We

026were also reducing the report, uh, card in elementaryaries from four to three. the day in January or the report card in January already had one planning day assigned to it. So genesis of this then turned because we were asking why did we go with two hours uh PD and six hours of planning time and I think that's where that the genesis for that came from was to match that up with the the report cards and that was the plan uh that's what we have done uh in 23 24 and then 24 25 and then in as Steve said in 25 Uh the board approved April of 25, the board approved the additional two days making that four. Um and in the spring then of 25 school performance ISD and teachers uh uh requested that we

027look at increasing PD and I've I've shared the reasons for that. um everything, you know, all the reasons stated, attendance, behavior, academic performance, intervention, multilingual learners, all of those things. And on top of that, the need to train a third of our teachers are in year 1 through three. Another third are in year four through seven. So, so we have a a pretty uh inexperienced staff that we really want to try to lift. But having said that, I I think being more balanced and and recognizing and and trusting our principles and our teachers to utilize the time with the flexibility uh that's needed. And so um I I think the balance to that and we actually have a day coming up or this coming Monday is one of those days as noted. But um I

028think for this year where we've committed to the four hours of PD and principles of planned and all those things are already underway, it'd be you know really difficult to just upend that. But I I would recommend and in the packet you can see that I would recommend we revise that to up to four hours not a hard fast. So, it's more of a window of time and then our principles can obviously, you know, and you guys know this, having a meeting just to have a meeting is not not what I think any of us support. But if but if it's necessary and the principal in alignment with our goals as a district need those four hours, then fine. But if they don't need the four hours, you know, please don't have a meeting just

029to have a meeting. Get cut it short and and give our teachers that time. And then the second half of the day in my mind instead of being you know more prescriptive what I would like to do to demonstrate that trust is just say you know that 3.5 hours of collaboration planning and application uh be decided as a grade level team or content team. If they feel like hey we need to collaborate and do some work together great. If you feel like you need that time uh to prep then then so be it. And then um and then in a future board meeting, you know, maybe in the spring when we we get through the session, uh we look at our needs again for next year. Um this is not a negotiated item. This is

030something that I think one very grateful that our legislature passed this because you think about the cost of having having to add four days to the calendar on top of what we already have that that would be astronomical, right? So um but it is replacing instructional days. So I think being very thoughtful um and uh intentional about how we go about that I I think that's so so um I think in a future board meeting um school performance McKay can come back uh after we collaborate more with our teachers and kind of understand what our needs are. Um I to me this is something that you know probably should be more flexible yeartoear based on the needs that that we have in recognizing uh you know the balance in trying to provide the best training

031and professional development we can but recognizing that our teachers carry a heavy load and and that time is is really valuable to them. So um you have a copy of the law. I also just put in there, just for your own reference, a copy of the two um slides from those slide decks in January of 23 and April of 25. So you can see the language that's there. Then you also have a copy of what Steve shared uh with you with this year's professional learning plan. And I I want to just say too, I you know, I don't know where the breakdown was. I I feel like for whatever reason, we didn't communicate it well enough. uh to our teachers and staff. I I'm pretty certain our principles had a pretty good handle on it.

032Um but you know that ultimately that rests on my shoulder so and no and no one else. So we'll we'll work on that. But um then you can also see at the very last um sheet there. I just included my recommendations in red for revision for this year. So any questions? Miss, >> I appreciate that you're looking at and willing to modify what's going on this year. And I I'd like to recognize the fact that we're trying to meet two really important needs that the teachers have asked for. They need independence to be able to create and plan and implement the things that they're being asked for. So, if they have the professional development, they can go back and actually try and implement that or previous requests. But we have also the need for um

033professional development. So instead of having to get substitutes and stagger days and have to go to the district and spend an entire day, this is more efficient because you have your entire staff all in one place all at one time and you can you can do that development. I appreciate the fact that he has said that pre uh principles I think things need need to be more individualized than they have been presented where principles know the needs of their own staffs. If your staff is a lot of younger, newer teachers, then maybe that's what you're you're going to head for and maybe you excuse some of the more experienced teachers from some of that if it's something that they are they they know that they know. Um or if the whole school has decided, and

034I would recommend principles talk to their staffs in faculty meetings saying, "We have a professional development day coming up and I'd like to be able to help you with something that's one of your needs. What is that key thing that you want? We know that you want behavior stuff. The ISD, I think, is kind of guessing what they've been hearing from, you know, taking what they've been hearing and trying to implement it. So, I'll give them kudos for trying to figure out a really easy, you know, a better way to get that information to you. So, we've got to get this thing to work out. So, traditionally, historically, and I know because I've lived it, we've only ever had two hours of professional development on that day. And we don't expect not to have any.

035I don't think that's an expectation from teachers. The emails I've received, they've all mentioned that. I have not had any teachers say, "Oh, we don't want to have any professional development." Um, I think saying a min the minimum would be two and if the faculty sees that there's a need that the principal can expand it, but it has to be an agreement for that site. I don't think we have to have one-sizefits-all for the entire district. So, that's why I like him saying window. I like the wording of that so that principles can talk with their faculties and say, "Hey, we're going to have this time. What is it we're going to discuss and how much time do you think we need?" And then the balance of the time. We always have a meal together.

036So, that part's fun. It could be a breakfast or lunch, whatever. That's that's up to the schools. But I think we need to trust our principles to know their staffs well enough that they can decide how much prep they have to have. I don't even care if ISC says, "Okay, choose from these categories." So they give direction say which one of these do you feel like we need the most right now and then the bulk of the time the rest of the time should be the teachers and we used to get together on our own we didn't have to have a scheduled meeting if the fac if our team needed to get together we pop together got it done half hour out and for we say I'll go take care of this part of the

037prep prep for what we're working on the science thing that we're doing I'll go do this prep that's done internally and that's letting the teachers be teachers being the professionals. So, I think we need to honor the professionalism of our principles. We need to honor the professionalism of our teachers and we're trying to meet the needs. You can't It's hard to say you don't have to have any prep when we've asked for more prep because of the circumstances that we find ourselves in right now. We have more special ed students. We have more ESL students. We have higher needs in behavior. And those weren't always the case. So, at this point, that's probably an area that does need to be supported. But to mandate all but two hours of the day is ridiculous. I can't

038listen for four hours and be effective. So, possibly they do a main kickoff on that day and then later on in later faculty meetings, they have little highlights along the way. There are ways that the schools can work it out so they get that training. I think they just wanted to make it easier so we didn't have to have days off. All those substitutes, um, different grades all gone at the same time. You know what I mean? I understand their thinking, but it's always traditionally been a chance for teachers to wrap up for conferences, get prepared for conferences, get your mind on conferences. And if that's been set already for you, then good for you. You've done it on your own time. So now you're going to be able to go and work on something

039that you need to actually implement for those individual needs that your students have. So I appreciate that he's he's willing to that the district is willing to look at that. Um and I I want to emphasize for principles that it's window not mandates and I don't believe in anything in the afternoon. I really really don't. They used to sit outside and and check to see if we were showing up. They were so afraid that we weren't going to show up for those days. We'd just take the day off. I don't know who they Well, I do know who they were, but anyway, those persons, nobody checks on you and nor should they. If I need that time, I need that time. If there's an extenduating circumstance, they talk to their principal. That's all there needs

040to be. And we just need to trust the people that that we're working with. So, >> okay. Thank you. >> Thank you, Karen. This is I just wanted to first thank Dr. Robbins for his explanation and thoroughess of going through legislation and I'm I was a big proponent of giving these extra four days in the calendar to our teachers. I am very grateful for the revisions that have been provided. We have been getting emails and I I agree. I think it's really important that we trust our teachers as professionals and our administrators. And I I think the more we can do that way um the better. I think this is a great thing. I think it's great for the teachers to be able to better meet meet the needs of their students and I just

041think this is all very good news. So it's great for me. Thanks. >> Thank you, Mrs. Dolly. Um along those same lines, I appreciate you adding that flexibility and because understanding that our elementary schools and our high schools have very different needs when it comes to PD and also to provide some more flexibility for principles because you know brand new teachers need have different needs than a teacher that's been teaching for 15 years. And for them to be able to have that flexibility that maybe that PD doesn't apply to them, but maybe they can go work on something else that is more applicable to what they need the training on to become a better expert teacher. Um, and so I I appreciate that and and allowing this process we have now that allows for teachers

042to get their 20 hours of required PD a year um that they have to have for their relicens and you really can get it on non- studentent days. I think that's excellent that we're building some of that in but finding more flexibility, finding a little bit better balance here between our PD and our teacher directed time. Any other comments for Okay, I do have a comment because I remember where this whole idea came from and it was high quality learning and it was because teachers needed more professional development. That is where the idea came from and we had just given teachers all that time for elementary school learning and I like I wouldn't have voted for that if it wasn't for the professional development. I'm just saying and that's where it came from. That's the

043history of this. But I am grateful for this. I think it's good to have flexibility, but I don't want to be like, "Oh, you have to do all PD." And now we don't have to do any like there needs to be like something in the middle. And I also agree with what um Katie said that maybe we need to look at it um by level like elementary school, middle, and high school because I do think there's different needs and so maybe that's just something we can >> take. It's tough too because the the disparity in prep time and schedules are so different, you know, I mean, it's an age-old argument, right? Like between all the levels. So, just trying to strike that that balance. Um, and at at the same time recognizing that I think

044that's the culture of trust that we we want in our district, but also being accountable to our systems that have made Canyon successful from the beginning. So, I know. I mean, we've had the discussion and it was our teachers going to be better teachers if we give them these days. So, I want that to happen, right? I mean, that's why we're doing it. So, um, but I am in favor of this and I I think it's great for us to trust our principles and yeah, they can modify it how they feel like their faculty needs. But maybe it's also according to like do you have a bunch of really young teachers or do you not, you know? So, maybe that's a totally different um type of skill teacher. But I also know teachers I mean

045what you guys told us was teachers were asking for more PD on behaviors on all these other issues that we're having. So >> So if if you're okay with it, I'll have May you like ASAP since this would impact Mondays and then um we'll start talking about the process getting more input thinking about next year. >> And I do think know the problem is communication. So let's just make sure I mean let's make sure every teacher knows this. >> No 100% >> because I feel like there was some confusion >> usually really good at communication. >> No, it's this has nothing to do with that communications group. This is this is this is me and us. >> It's okay. It's okay. I I think we're at a good spot now. So >> I have a

046calendar question not related to this. Um, we were, at least I was emailed, and I'm sure all of us were about the the conflict with caucuses on March 17th. >> Oh, yes. >> I've never heard a decision a decision. >> So, I'm asking what are we doing with that? Because it was saying that they weren't they were that the mandate was is that we couldn't even have teams practicing >> outside. That is a problem. >> I >> And we had board meeting, right? >> We have a board meeting. >> We're not doing It's the 11th. It's the 11th. >> We don't have >> actually don't know what >> we've been a little distracted. >> I have no idea what we're doing. >> I'll find out. >> Talk to Tom and work on it. >> I

047know they were working on it, but I I don't know. Just >> had a recent one, but it was only a week or so ago. >> On the 17th say, >> November 4th. >> No, no, no. This is Marchus. >> March. I'm just curious. March 17th. There was an email circulating about it to move it and I think everyone was >> it was a comment. I don't know that it was a >> we do all commented but I never >> to move it. So are we moving it to March 10th the week before? Um, can everyone look at their calendar right now since we're talking >> currently we have 3,7 >> why don't we move it to Why don't we have it? >> We just not have the 17. >> Why don't we just cut

048it and have two >> because three in a month is kind of >> That's not usual. >> We were having three. >> We're having three because of what? Spring break in April. Okay. Okay. >> Okay. Why? Yeah. Why don't we just cut the 17th for now? >> That means we'd have board meeting the third and the 31st. >> And then when's teacher of the year >> should we do the 3rd and the 24th, guys? >> When's teacher of the year, but I can do. >> Okay. So, teacher of the year is April 7th. So, what if we just add a board meeting? >> No. Isn't that spring, right? >> Yeah, that's spring. Oh, it is. So then when is the 14th? >> 14th. >> 21st which is teacher. >> May 21st is teacher of the

049year. >> Okay. Also our board meeting already. >> 21st. >> Okay. >> So if we wanted to in April, if we want to cut the third in March, couldn't we do the 14th or the 28th for board meeting of April? >> That's why we have three is because April 21st one is not a public meeting. >> March 24th. comment >> to get rid of the 31st because then they're a little bit closer. >> March 3rd and March 24th. >> Yeah. >> Okay. But one concern I have is if we're just doing two in March and then our only April board meeting is teacher of the year feels like we need >> then we should we switch April to the second and fourth. >> I just feel like then we probably do need the board meeting

050in April because how are we going to get through everything we need to get through? would have our meeting April 28th and I just think we're going to be hardressed to be able to do all the things we need to do without any board meeting after March 24th till May. We will have business meeting of the year application usually meet. >> We meet before study. >> That is true. We do. We do study. >> I would say let's move it to the 24th and then we'll see how it goes from there. >> So >> we can always add another >> 24th. We can always add another one. >> Okay. So, we're gonna do the 3rd and the 24th. Is that what you said? >> Yeah. Can you change that? >> I will take care of

051that. >> Okay. Thanks for bringing that up. >> Okay. Let's Thank you, Mr. Diamond. Thank you very much. And then on to um item B, strategic plan focus report, human center support, Dr. Brian McIll. And we will have a we have a time certain at 6:30 to have student advisory council. Just everyone be aware >> be done in five minutes. Okay. >> We can I know we can push policy if we need. >> Yep. One thing >> if I go as fast as Steve and Jeff who caught me in the hallway and said, "Did you get the memo that presentation's five minutes?" They really had me going. I was like, "Seriously?" Like, "Yeah, five minutes." I'm not gonna do five minutes, but I'm also not gonna do 35 minutes. Somewhere in between. Um, >> that's

052great. >> I appreciate the opportunity to be able to to provide an update. Um, as you guys know, this is something I'm very passionate about, not only professionally, uh, but also personally, just helping individuals with their health, wellness, their general welfare. Um, I thought it would be kind of fun to not advance the slide this >> for you. Hang on. Try now. Um, so I wanted to take an opportunity and really kind of hit rewind and backtrack a little bit uh to spring of 2022 and this is when the strategic plan had just been rolled out and created um and we as a a cabinet had a round table and I remember Rick sitting in with Rick I believe Wendy a couple others in Steve Diamond's office and that far left column those are the

053goals that we identified earlier really early on as to how we were going to meet the needs of the human centered support priority indicators. Uh first of those being, you know, creating a tier one life skills curriculum which we now know is Thrive Time. We're in our second year of implementation. Um so we really fasttracked that and we're really proud of the collaboration and and the product that we've created as a result. Um, rows two and three, as you'll see here on the next slide, we kind of condense those into one, uh, which is creating a behavioral plan for, uh, students as well as training for teachers, um, and ESPs, uh, which we've done a significant number of trainings, not only for administrators, coaches, wellness staff, but we've really increased a lot of the training

054for our ESP employees as it relates to behaviors, which makes great sense when you have recess aids and you have behavior aids and you have pair of professionals in school and hall monitors or school safety advocates. Um so my team has kind of stepped up. We we weren't asked to but it's something that we've decided that we were going to do and that's train people up and you'll see some of the positive results uh from that uh in the presentation. Um the last two rows there. So increase employee wellness uh which I'll highlight some of the things that we've been able to accomplish there and then the last uh indicator being student wellness and our continuum of levels of behavior which we completely revamped and updated for this year. Um we've had tremendous success with

055it. So I wanted to just kind of paint you know a broad-based picture of where we were three years ago, where we're at now. Uh and then the slides moving forward will kind of highlight and demonstrate some of those positive effects that we've seen from those five indicators uh that we developed. Like I said, we consolidated row two and three into the uh district behavioral support plan. But this is our framework basically that we follow. Um so each of our agenda items every month to keep things streamlined and focused. It's really helped us make sure that what we're speaking to meets the needs of the four priority indicators that we developed as a committee early on. Underneath those are each of the different data elements. Um we're pretty data heavy committee. I know uh Amber,

056Jackson, Karen, Andrew have all had an opportunity to serve on the committee at one point or another and you guys know that I we go through a lot of data um which is great. But those are the measurements and indicators with each of those which I'll be referencing in here tonight. So again, just a snapshot uh on Thrive Time and the timeline there. Really proud of this. Um we developed a team early on with about 25 to 30 of our teachers and wellness staff in creating the curriculum. And as you guys know, we held a lot of parent nights. I had a lot of parent feedback. Um, I personally went through every single one of the parent feedbacks to make sure that we were making the right edits, the right language changes, uh, etc. that

057were recommended. Um, we did continue development that second year. We piloted lessons, got board adoption. Last year was our first full year of implementation. Again, K8. This year, second full year of implementation. And one of the things I wanted to highlight that we're pretty excited about is uh Ally Teller, who is one of our specialists. She oversees elementary wellness staff positions. she uh has is coordinated with some of our elementary schools and created a pre-post assessment benchmark so we can actually assess the standards for each of the units in thrive time assessing kids confidence uh in the subject material up front and then what they learned as a result. One of the interesting things in looking through that data, which I'll share at our next HTS group, is our third and fourth graders at every

058elementary school, we had about six or seven that we piloted it with, their data was significantly lower than our first, second, and fifth. And the more I started thinking about that, we had this monumental thing happened five years ago, uh, the pandemic. and these were the the grades that would have been impacted in terms of that first socialization in a school and the fact that that was delayed over time. So, it's really interesting to see that same result across all schools and different communities. Uh it's pretty telling, right, in terms of the impact that it's had. Um and then next year we'll be in our third year of implementation. Uh and next year we'll be able to do that pre-post assessment across all schools to where we can actually provide assessment benchmark data to every

059school and provide a customized school summary analysis as it relates to Thrive Cut. So to see where we were three years ago uh you know and as I jump back oops uh to this slide here as you look at the timeline that we instituted for ourselves to finish everything we've either met or exceeded those timelines. Um so again that's why I'm I'm pretty excited to be able to present this information to you tonight. U I'm a very competitive individual by nature much like Rick. Um, and so it's kind of fun to to set goals, meet those goals, and continue to to maintain. Yeah. Katie. >> Um, Dr. Miguel, is there plans for any like high school level implementation or are we only planning to do K8? Uh, I asked this because we had a great

060conversation with student advisory council this week about this portrait of a Canyon Scholar because a lot of these soft skills that we're already seeing in Thrive Time. if there was a way, you know, we talked about sort of developing portfolios and and and learning more about these skills. These kids are really interested in it. They don't want it to necessarily be some award or anything, but something that's sort of embedded in the curriculum, something teachers are talking to, and it seemed like this could be potentially, you know, continuing sort of this Thrive Time curriculum into the high school, but focusing more on our portrait of a canyon, those soft skills that are then going to translate into the business world in >> careers. And now that we have that portrait of a scholar defined, um

061it would be a great opportunity to be able to look at customizing some for our high schools. It was a huge undertaking um creating this and starting from the ground up. I can remember Dr. Dattle in one meeting saying you need need to devote 100% of your time to this. Um that's kind of hard to do when you know you have the job that we have uh and the needs. But uh with high schools having a forum through advisory um I think having some sort of consistent tier one curriculum source that we can teach the students uh would be a huge benefit. Um because right now each of the high schools is just kind of doing their own thing. >> We we did some work with leadership academy you know over the last couple of

062years with sunlight work I thought had some impact but it was a little more hit and miss. So I think to your point K something that's a little more functional embedded um but high schools are so vers it's it's hard to get your head around what we actually remember at the very beginning of right at the start of the pandemic we were looking at some type of high school program but then >> connect >> second steps hit and >> so then that kind of it just stopped and then the pandmic We never got back to it, but but we need to. So, >> and we do have a couple of programs that we work with at the secondary level. Uh, ripple effects is one of those. Uh, Third Millennium is another, and they offer modules

063and classes that kids can do and a variety of relationship topics as it relates to life skills and learning. Um, so potentially that might be something that we could maybe take a look at collectively. I would just add to just as a next frontier uh initiative. Susan had some legislators had their ear and they were asking her like about mental health and what would be something that they could do or we could do to truly impact that. And I think a a major goal for us would be to get our counselor student ratio down. I mean, and I know that's like we're talking huge amounts of money, but when you think about all of these topics and the fact that for most high school kids, you're lucky to see a counselor. I mean, think about

064your own kids, maybe two, three the most. So, when it comes to responsive services and really helping students through these issues, I mean, it's mostly college and career preparation. and we're going to talk about your grades, your track, and and you get whatever 30 minutes and then you're out the door because there's a line of kids. But I, you know, when it comes to school safety, how we've really rejected that conversation, but we've gone to guardians and hardening our schools and glass and which I get that's all important, but this piece is just as important. So I think thinking about big picture, you know, if you want to go to a place where I don't think any other district's really taken that on, but setting an initiative that hey, in five years or whatever incrementally,

065we want to reduce that ratio to even it's embarrassing, but 250, I mean, you know, would be amazing. So, >> yeah. And and to that point, um, and we'll kind of speak to that and funding, uh, but I've been asking Charlie and Susan, um, USB recommended that I present before, uh, school safety and security committee, legislators, and our, uh, Chief P Chief Pennington. Um, so I would love to have an opportunity to be able to present what we've done with prevention and the results that we've seen. Um, which I'll I'll dive into here as well. So, we'll see what comes of that. Um, so again, just highlighting some of the the great uh steps that we've taken and the successes that we've seen. Uh, I know that board member Edel was one that really uh

066priorit wanted us to prioritize expanding child care across the district for Canyon's employees. Uh, I was the beneficiary of that. I got to, you know, feed my daughter and rock her during my lunch break at Riverton High School as a counselor and coach. And she and I have a very tight bond and I know a lot of that is probably attributed back to that uh early stage development and the bonding that we had together. So Steve took this and ran with it and within a pretty short span of time over the last two years we've expanded space, we've expanded schools. Uh and the numbers currently right now is we just looked at a couple weeks ago. We had 86 that are taking advantage of it and then split across our three best schools. Well, employee

067benefits um increasing personal day use. And then something I'm really excited about uh HR alongside Rob Richardson who works in insurance and student wellness. We evaluated a number of different employee assistance program um entities and we finally have settled on Mellan Health and I'm pretty excited about what they offer. And the great thing about it is it's about a third of the cost of what we were paying. So we're getting a more expansive service, more robust opportunities for employees, which in turn is going to be higher engagement of employees. Um so pretty excited about that moving forward. So we don't lose anything in terms of what we're offering currently. We're just adding to it. So, uh, tella health, as you guys know, we've expanded that out. We did a pilot last year at 17 schools.

068We're now in all of our schools. All of our nurses are helping streamline that and students and staff can take advantage of that. Um, as we talk about the wellness clinic, tellahalth has been a great bridge and will continue to be a great bridge uh, until we, you know, get over that that hurdle in terms of what we ought to do there. I know it's in long range planning uh committee's hands. Uh maternity and paternity leave uh increased uh our appreciation looking at staff surveys which is one of the things we took take a look at every year. We've seen an increase in administrators and licensed staff. um Karen has brought up and these these last couple of meetings we're looking at uh putting more emphasis on our ESP employees and what we can do

069to really help raise um you know recognition and appreciation uh for the work that they do. And so uh HR is going to be soliciting feedback from all of our ASPs regarding the February 13th training. So they're actually customizing that based on the feedback from our ASP employees which we haven't done in the past. So, pretty excited about that. Um, and then also looking at building a plan for job position analysis because it's been some time since we've done that. And then elementary planning time, which we're all aware of. Um, I just put a screenshot up here of Mellan Health. Um, I know this is going back a couple years ago, President Shiel in one of our meetings. Uh I think you had uh interviewed uh principal nwalker and he and you asked him what's

070the one thing the educators or staff could use in schools to help them with their wellness and it was this life coaching health coaching element right so one of the really exciting things about this as you look down here at the bottom they do have well-being coaching uh that is written into the the product services um again counseling still offered um but I'm really excited about the emotional well-being app um which there's some pretty amazing tools that I think a lot of our employees uh will be able to take advantage of and really just improve their health and wellness and do a lot of accountability stuff just you know through their own reflection of their own health. So uh anyway pretty excited about that. Um some successes we've seen with student wellness again tellaalth um

071our mental health screening nights we are serving between about 150 to 200 students each year about 50 to 60% of those are identified as on the higher risk range so we're able to get them established with a school-based mental health uh therapist as well as coordinating support services back at the school for those students. So that's been monumental. Um, one of the really cool things, and this is kind of a rarity across our state and nation, but Canyon School District over the last two years, and this is speaking to what Rick spoke to in terms of our wellness personnel and schools and the staffing and the funding uh, ratios that we've created, we've seen a 7 to 8% reduction of student self-reporting on sharps and the climate survey with anxiety and depression rates. And when

072I say 7 to 8%, that's from last year to this year and seven to eight% from the year prior to last year. So that's that's highly highly significant, especially provided the mental health uh climate that we're seeing with our youth and young adults. um school wellness personnel. Again, to to Rick's point, uh one of the things that, you know, I've had some early conversations with Leon here this year is just looking at our staffing uh funding, and we spoke to this in our last meeting. Um, we have about a third of all of our schoolbased wellness personnel, so counselors, social workers, sites on soft funds. Um, and with enrollment dipping, grants not being offered, grants being reduced, TSSP, land trust being capped or being reduced or both dependent upon enrollment at the school. Um, I

073have had some conversations with some elementary principles uh that are concerned that they're not going to be able to provide that match funding um because they're having to use it for FTE features, reducing class size, that sort of a thing. They just have other priorities, right? Um so that's something that we I feel that we need to take a look at. We have some neighboring districts that do fund the full-time counselor, social worker at the elementary level. Um so that would be my other concern is if we start splitting wellness staff that are providing direct services to students and families that we may lose out on some of the high quality uh students that are coming out of our programs um if they had to work at two schools, you know, part time at each.

074So, just something to consider there. And like I said, I'm hoping to be able to advocate with our legislature both as the USSDA president this year, uh as well as representing Canyons on some of our findings. Um we're continuing with our schoolbased mental health partnerships. So, Canyon's district has partnerships with Hopeful Beginnings, uh, Project Connections, Odyssey House, and Multicultural Counseling Center. Uh, so they're in all of our schools, and students are able to take advantage of those resources. And this has really helped us because with the addition of House Bill 281 this year, what it requires school districts to do is separate out school counseling versus mental health therapy. Um so when we refer out through parent approval um the students can actually be seen by a therapist that can concentrate more on that restricted

075service side because we don't participate on that restricted service side um with our staff. So that that's why that partnership is is um >> that's new this year. >> Yeah. This went into effect this year. >> Yep. >> Um >> which has been kind of a hard conversation. I mean, I think our counselor is just trying to understand like what what is my role? What can I say or not say? >> It really doesn't change. It really doesn't change what they're doing. Um, the restricted services is a mental health diagnosis, which our people shouldn't be doing. Uh, and it's also writing a treatment of care plan that's based on the mental health needs of that student. Uh we do a lot of skills-based development, skills groups, uh executive functioning, things like that, but none of

076our staff are diving into, oh yeah, you have a diagnosis of major depression, and here's the treatment plan we're putting in place. We're going to progress monitor you. So, it's really allowed us to kind of separate those two out. So, I think it's made for a cleaner >> better clarity there. >> Yeah. Cleaner track for both sides. >> Um so, again, that's why that partnership and having those important canons. And then the last two. Um also very excited about both of those. Uh as you guys know, we added a youth academy unit. Um out here we're just starting our third year and this is for more significant safe school infractions by students. Uh we have middle school and high school housed right here on site. In fact, I just came from an orientation meeting right

077before I came here with a student and parent. So we're bringing a student in from Jordan High. Um we've seen tremendous success uh with that model. provides a very intimate environment and it's allowed us to expand our continuum of learning. Uh we had youth academy in the school-based setting but we didn't really have like a safe schools unit for some of the more significant infractions and this allows students to still get their education um have that intimate environment get the support needed from their counselor on site who's available uh during the day. And then lastly, um, little drum roll here. Uh, 60% reduction in our safe school year ago and now. >> So awesome. >> And you might be asking how and why. I think it's a multitude of reasons. I think Thrive Time having

078a full year under our belt has helped. I think having Nicole on staff to be a consult, a coach, and a mentor to all of our um administrators across the district. Um as they do a call consult plan, she's walking them through different alternatives that maybe would have in the past come through DCMT, but they're figuring out other avenues and opportunities to work with kids and support them at school. Um so that's been she's been a tremendous um impact positive impact to our team and to the district as a whole. She's doing a really really nice job. So >> I would just add to Brian the shift in ISD with our coaches. I know Amber you guys have worked together to just do a lot to really help pivot some of their focus you know

079yes instruction is really the core of what they do but also supporting behavior intervention I think and they've been I think that's been big too. So >> so >> that's awesome. >> Um and to Rick's point it up and put the ball in the tea. Um we have spent the last couple of years doing extensive and I mean extensive training on behavior across the board and that's been a collaborative of of ISD of SPED SPD our team all collectively working together. Last Thursday and Friday we had safe and civil schools come in. They did a two-day workshop focused on early stage interventions in the classroom. uh we trained our administrators, our wellness staff at the elementary level and all of our instructional coaches. So, and and really kind of the first time in our history,

080the coaches are now taking on that ownership piece of yes, we're helping teachers with academics, we're also helping them with behavioral strategies in class and building capacity. Um, and it's important and critical that we do that, especially as we're seeing enrollment drop. more of us have got to build more capacity from the bottom up and across in order for us to carry this weight and to truly make a positive impact and difference. Um you can see the various you know training um modalities that we've offered and the different topics across the board. Uh and this is all leading to us building a tiered behavioral continuum uh which Amber and I have been working on. We've got a draft that we're running through KMTSS leadership team. Um, and we're really excited about this. What it's going

081to do is identify the tier, the intervention, the support, the documentation, and then the role and responsibility for which department, which team, which specialist is responsible. So, it provides a clear path for the school to be like, okay, we're here with this student. We should reach out to so and so. So, anyway, that's the end product we're hoping to have done by the end of this year. And then the last couple slides again, more more fun. Uh, you know, we do our Red Shoes Living Awards. We try to do them on every Friday. There's some Fridays here and there that we're not able to hit just because of other conflicts with meetings and whatnot. Um, but this has been really fun for us to do. And it really been a great way for us to

082um really bring human center supports into practice and application. And I kid you not, every award we've given this year, the employee has been in tears of joy. And we are trying to recognize all staff, licensed DSPs. So um you can see Angie Floyd down there at Sandy Elementary uh at their schoolwide assembly in luau. Um she's their lunch cafeteria manager. Um and she does some pretty creative like art design work with the food. uh as the kids come through the food line, she knows every kid by name. >> So, being able to recognize folks like that in our schools that are really making a significant impact. Um and all we're doing is providing them a certificate and a little red converse keychain that's like, you know, two bucks. But it's it's not that. It's

083the fact that it's like, you know what, somebody has seen me, somebody hears me, somebody values the work that I'm doing, and somebody actually invests some time to come out and recognize me in front of my, you know, our our student community like in her case. Um, and then just a couple other pictures there. Uh, Jillian Batty is a reading interventionist at Glacier Hills. Um, our social worker and, uh, school psych at Union. uh were in the EEC class there, awarded it to them in front of their their students. And then uh Jason Long at Jordan High, one of our assistant principles. He's he's a a stalworth when it comes to working with our youth academy students. Um Jason has really made sure week by week that he's keeping a relationship and conversation and we'll

084come out and visit our student academy. We wanted to recognize him for the great modeling efforts that he's doing building relationships across the board. And of course, you know, Lonnie Maine, the author of Red Shoes Living, which President Schill went to school with Lonnie and he had kids that came through Ala. So, kind of a fun uh Canyons connection. Uh and then lastly, just to close things up, I don't know if if you guys had an opportunity to go to Midvall last week, uh but their champions over challenges was very powerful, uh very moving. Um I love these kind of activities uh for our students and for our school communities. Uh because you know teaching academics and content is important but I think just as important if not more important is teaching kids uh about

085you know the world right the challenges that other kids are going through. How do we establish resilience? How do how do we encourage one another at school? How do we build community? Um, and so Courtney had called me about a month ago and he said, "Hey, I've got this idea that I want to run by it." So we spent some time on the phone. By the time we got done, I'm like, "Courtney," I'm like, "What you're doing," and is basically tying it directly into Thrive Time with our two units, building resilience and serving your community. And he's like, "Oh, you're right." You know, so because he was kind of worried like, "How do I tie this in to, you know, to school?" And I'm like, "It's easy way to tie it in." But, uh, if

086you didn't get a chance, uh, they basically had a forum set up with the lights off. All of the kids and the school used invisible ink and wrote a challenge that they're currently going through. Um, and then the blue lights picked it up so you could actually read them as you went through. Obviously, no names associated with any of them. And then as you come out of that, um, and and I'm telling you, like it was moving reading some of these kids, uh, challenges that they're going through. And uh Courtney's like, "Hey, you might want to take some Kleenex." And I was like, "Yeah, okay, whatever." Grabbed a couple. And about halfway through, I was like, it was powerful, you know, seeing what these kids are having to endure every day. The fact that they're

087showing up and the fact that they're going to school with some of the challenges they have is pretty amazing. Um, and then down there at the bottom, um, I loved some of these quotes that the students put together, words of encouragement for other students. The one that really kind of caught my attention was this one here. Dude, I know how you feel, man, but you are gonna get through it, man. I swear you're gonna do it. I believe in you, man. That's middle school like, you know, piece right there. So, um, but you know, reading some of the others, you can see the words of encouragement that kids created for one another. Uh, so the students went through with their teachers and then they got to see the words of encouragement and then they tied

088it into an ELA lesson where they did a self-reflection on what they observed and what they learned and ways that they can build resilience uh with not only their challenges but maybe helping others with the challenges that they're going through. So anyway, again that's HS and practice right there. >> That's all we got questions. >> Thank you questions. Mrs. Sniper, >> first off, thank you so much. I love this whole presentation and all the hard work and I'm really excited about that's amazing the drop in office referrals and I am actually hearing from elementary schools that had really difficult challenges last year and what a difference it's been to bring in those assistant principles and the training they're getting. And I actually also just want to applaud you in building capacity from the ground up

089and that our our teacher coaches are now also focused on behaviors, not just academics. I think that's a total game changer and I think we can see that reflection of that in the data that you just showed us. But anyway, just so grateful for all your work and I know that this is an area in our schools that has grown exponentially. Um we've seen that right since co just behavior issues and you know changing populations and dynamics and um so anyway this is amazing super cool thing >> it's been interesting as our enrollment is dipping our needs are rising and so as you look at our end of year data for the last three years our service visits from counselors social workers and psyches are actually up by about 34,000 vit visits >> from last

090year to this year from the year prior to last year So enrollment may be dipping a little bit, but the needs of our kids have never been higher than that. >> Great. Any other comments, please? I just want to say I also love it too and I love how you have that chart with like these are your goals. This is the time for like it's just really clear what your committee's been working on and I love it and I know you're making a difference. >> It's been a it's been a fun collaborative effort. I know Steve and I work, you know, side by side as he provides a lot of the employee wellness data and I look at the student wellness data and we usually try to convene before we have our meetings. Um, but

091it's taken all of our district departments in a collaborative effort across the board to really roll out most of these these priority indicators. So, >> thank you. >> Thanks so much. >> Okay, we are gonna we're gonna keep going Jeff right now. I guess there was a miscommunication to the student advisory council on a lady for one that's possibly coming. So, let's just keep going for now. >> Just let me relax and then >> she's got a lot of donuts you got to eat tonight. >> Everyone likes donuts. >> Anyway, this is our policy update and Jeff Christens in this discussion. >> Well, if they all show up in the next five minutes, maybe I'll be done in five. So, >> perfect. sure that it's not going to do this thing again. >> That's what

092the memo said. >> Five five minutes. You got it. So, um, what I thought I'd do for just a moment is I got to go back the other direction. Let's see. >> So, now I'm clear at the end. Any questions? >> Second. >> Jeff, you're pulling a Tom Shirley. >> It's short and sweet. So, what I'm going to do is take just a minute and give you fiveear status update. If you see this first slide, I'm only going to talk about the first three policy sections. You can see the others below. I believe it when it was Andrew came on the policy committee was when we kind of started back at the beginning. My recollection is correct. So, what I wanted to show you is over the last year and a couple months, we've brought

09331 policies to the board. So, we're constantly looking and going through different sections as as the policy committee meets. We're always addressing issues that are either forwarded to us or legislation, but that's significant given the time the board meets twice a month. So, you you know, I'm always here, which you know, job security. But the policy committee is consistently moving through those. But, I wanted to show you in the in the areas that are important, board policies. You can see we've been through all of these. So, I like that kind of green check on the side. So, we've been through all of the board policies where where you see PCR fall. That means we met and reviewed it, but didn't make any recommendations to changes for that policy. So, it's had a review. Uh, so

094we've been through the board. We've also been through all the financial policies and then uh we've been through all of the general policies. We have one uh we didn't get through data governance. You can see the little blue arrow. But right now, our IT staff is heavily working on a change from our Skyward system finance to Q. So, we'll get that one. But just so you know, the policy committee is moving forward um through those sections. So, the next one wants to go the wrong way. Wants to start over again. So, do you have any questions? No. We want to go back to where we were previously. So we moved into the HR section. So we've divided this up into essentially two um groups of policies to present. Um so there's about 10 here all

095for first reading. Um these are edits that were recommended by the policy committee and through our HR um team. Uh employee conduct and professionalism. Um you're all aware we have the guardian program where we now will have um individuals carrying firearms um as they're designated as school guardians. So we need to make an adjustment in the policy to identify that um well I'm going down to the third bullet um where if you have a weapon or a firearm as an employee unless you're acting as a school guardian we still have concealed carry. So, in Utah, we're a state where you can get a concealed weapons permit and you can have that on campus provided it's concealed. Um, if you do so, we make clear in our policy that you do so as a personal choice.

096It isn't related to any job function other than now the school guardian. So, we're updating our language to state that unless you're a school guardian, if you get a concealed weapons permit, you're doing solely you're doing it solely in your personal choice, your own decision, and it doesn't have to do with your employment as the district. A couple of other minor updates. Um, we've always had in our policy that relationships between prof or teachers, staff, and students should be professional and appropriate. We've just added some language to also make that the same language between employees. And then um we've also just added an exception for we do have situations where an educator may drive alone with their own student or be in a carpool situation and we're just clarifying that. So we do recommend that

097they not be in a alone in a vehicle with a student but we have exceptions where it's a parent. >> Sorry Jeff just to clarify that's just for when they're acting as a parent. Yeah. When they're acted as a parent. >> Yeah. >> So, that's our employee conduct and professionalism. Um, in the employee criminal background check policy, um, all of that still is is good language with um, the state requirements. We did add language that any felony conviction of an individual will render them ineligible for volunteer services, prospective employment or result employment termination. So um when we have those situations um of felony convictions, we don't want them working with students or volunteering. Uh also we're going to verify your FBA your FBI criminal background check upon hire or rehire. And then we've added the

098relevant um definitions at the beginning of the policy. We just did a little bit of restructuring. Uh employee health and information. Uh this is just a minor update. Uh Salt Lake County health regulation requires that all employees maintain a personal record of immunization. So the district does not maintain any employees health immunization information. In the event of an outbreak, it'll be the responsibility of the employee to bring their records forward. And so in the Salt Lake County health regulation, they lay out that everybody needs to maintain proof of their own um immunization information. In the event of an outbreak, if they don't have that information, then employees would be um required to use their available leave. If they don't have leave, then they may not be able to come to they could have potential employment

099consequences. And that's the county. That's not school district that comes in. >> Yeah, >> I've seen that. >> It's the department of health. >> Yeah, they come in and quarantine you whoever for 21 days. >> Okay. >> Um in our hiring personnel policy, just a couple of minor updates. We're just adding some designate language where it was appropriate. And then we've removed some language regarding part-time position and hiring of relatives. When the district during COVID, we were trying to hire a great deal. We added some exceptions for hiring of part-time employees which we've since removed. Uh in our substitute substitute staff employment policy, we're removing some language regard regarding internal management of substitute teachers. We had inherited just some language that dealt with how many tiers we could have for substitutes and their qualifications. We

100don't need that in board policy. So we're just pulling that back into departmental methods. uh technology resources. This is for employees. I know we addressed the student one in one of our more recent meetings. Again, in a similar um fashion, we're removing any language that implies a contract when someone becomes an employee. So, um you're you're subject to the district policies as an employee. You don't have to agree to them. You're subject to them. So, remove that language. Um, professional development conferences uh has been reviewing the policy just for alignment with practice. Um, professional development conferences are reviewed and approved by the assistant superintendent and our business administrator. Um, cabinet in under Dr. Robbins has a different format, different me um comprised of different members and so those professional development conferences aren't brought forward cabinet.

101are just addressed by our senior staff. And then uh jury duty. Um we have language again we just inherited this language that if you were subject to jury duty um you required to uh essentially pay um removing that language requiring that essentially that be deducted from your pay or reimbursement. So the $1850 that you get for jury service, we're just allowing them to maintain that rather than reimburse. It actually cost more to do that reimbursement than it was >> very nice. >> Uh then this is a new policy which we're which we need uh based on state statute. As you remember, there was the salary um supplements for teachers that has come in legislation the last few years that has been conducted by USB. That's now been shifted to the district. And one in doing

102that, they require that we have a policy. So, in accordance with that, we've adopted a policy that lays out how we address salary supplements for highly needed educators. So, real quick on that, when that changed, there were there were some districts that took that a little bit different. Um, we held to the positions that were already identified, I think, Leon. Correct. So, >> it expanded a little bit. >> Yeah. But the teachers that were benefiting from that salary supplement still get it because my worry I mean that's in the thousands of dollars that that would definitely impact mortgages and car payments and but but it does allow the district flexibility in the future if the district you know if there were greater needs that that you could shift that but I didn't think changing it

103right now just the way it is that it I think it's still meeting the needs that we have. So we love Uh then the last one in this group is again it's just a clean up immunization of students. Um this was brought forward by our nursing services. Uh there's an alignment where we've when a student um comes to school and they don't provide their immunization paperwork. There's a time period at which they can be conditionally enrolled until they complete it. That's 21 days and you continue to seek to have them provide that enrollment information. That's been changed in the board rule. 30 days. You continue to keep working to try to provide that information. So, we're just updating that. Those are all pretty straightforward updates in our HR section and I can answer any questions,

104but these will be for second reading next time. >> Okay. Are there any questions for >> Okay. Thank you. Um Oh, wait. I do have I have something. >> So, um Katie and I met with a board member and Granite School District has a policy on what they do with land and I actually I don't I personally think it's a good idea because a lot of the questions we're getting with closing elementary schools is people are worried about what we're going to do with those land. So, I don't know. I did get a copy of it and I'll send it to you. I don't know if you guys are interested, but maybe you can just talk about it for the policy committee. >> Yeah, we can have it. be great. >> We add that to

105the November. >> That would be great. >> And thanks. That's a lot of work. So, thank you so much. >> Yeah, we can depending on the we can review it. We have a policy committee meeting. I sent an invitation today. We were a little slow and me sending it out because I wasn't sure of some other meetings, but we'll add that >> the agenda just add it to that group. Yeah, >> I like that. >> I think it might be good because then people, you know, we can say, "Hey, we have a policy. This is what we do." >> I think that's very smart. Thanks for bringing that to us. >> Thank you. Thank you, Jeff. >> Okay, now we are going to go on to introduction of the student advisory council and I'll turn

106the time over to Dr. Tom, director of high schools. >> Thank you. So, not not to offend anyone, but we put the invitation out to the student advisory group optional attendance and we got one. >> But I am appreciative that >> donuts. Yeah. Yeah. You can get 25 donuts. >> Alex is a gold star. >> But uh I would like to introduce him. Uh his name is Alex Kofed. He's from Brighton. Um I hate to put him on the spot, but we have already had one meeting um last week and maybe give him a chance to give his thoughts about that and maybe mention Phils about the process. Is that too putting you on the spot too much? >> Um well, what do you want me to focus on? >> What do you think of

107the whole experience? Oh, it was awesome. It was really cool. >> Yeah. Um, without getting into specifics, I'd say it was really cool just being able to like voice my opinion to see like um all the other people that were around when I talk about like this guy's perspective over here and like this girl's perspective over here and like how they feel differently about the policies that we're trying to um um discuss and like getting to voice my own personal opinion was really cool because um I got to find um common ground with other people like hey this is how we agree. um we have to push things forward I hope >> rightward and get to um a cool understanding where the students are and where um you know administration is. So it was it

108was so cool and we talked about the um how to how to become a better student with soft skills. It was it was really cool. It was awesome. >> We really appreciate your leadership just being part of that group. So >> yeah, it's an honor. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. Thank you so much for being here and I feel like you should get some extra credit or >> right and I'll see what I can do. >> Um I just wanted a a little editorial comment. I thought the discussion was very high level by the students. I was very impressed with their insights, with their honesty, with their willingness to share their heartfelt opinions and I I'm excited about our discussions for the rest of the year. which is also great. >> And ju

109and just know like the board members, we all love to be at student advisory council and we like kind of not that we fight over it, but we do try to like get in there first to get to be able to come. So, we really do value your opinions and so this is father Rob. I forgot to introduce Rob. >> Okay. I'm just a driver >> photos. >> And also, I mean, I think you guys met Brody. Brody's here again. He is from the USB Student Advisor Council. >> Oh, him being here as well. >> He gets extra donuts, too. >> Yeah. And I will just say we can have some donuts and just we will record them business meeting at seven so we can have a little Thank you. Thanks everyone. Okay, welcome to

110the meeting of the Canyon's Board of Education. Today is October 21st, 2025, and we're meeting at the district office located at 9361 South 300 East in Sandy, Utah. The first item on the agenda is to approve the agenda for tonight. So, I will now take a motion. I will make a motion to approve the agenda for tonight, October 21st. >> Okay. Thank you. Is there a second to that motion? >> I'll second. >> Okay. Is there any discussion to the motion? >> Okay. Seeing none, I'll call for a vote. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Okay. That motion passes unanimously. Okay. Okay, the next item on the agenda is the pledge of allegiance and that will be given by Mount Jordan Middle School principal Ryan Durant. And then after that, we

111will hear school highlights about Mount Jordan. There we go. Please repeat after me. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Good evening, members of the board and everyone here. Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you tonight. I'd like to take a few minutes to share how things are going at Mount Jordan Middle School, focusing on three key areas. Our students, our staff, and our systems. First, our students at Mount Jordan. We're proud of the many opportunities students have to grow both academically and personally. Leadership is a major focus for us over at Mount Jordan. Students start stepping into important roles through student council, AVID council, and our PTSA leadership

112council. This year, our student council also attended the emerging leaders conference, helping them build capacity and bring back new energy and ideas to our school. Through PTSA, students engage in service that connect them to the broader community. And our afterchool program continues to provide valuable space for connections, exploration, and relationship building with peers and staff. We're also seeing some strong academic growth. Last year, 41% of our multilingual learners students made one level or more of growth, which is a a direct reflection of the hard work of both students and teachers. These gains paired with enrichment and leadership opportunities show that our students are growing in every dimension. Secondly, our staff are deeply committed to supporting student success. They continue to collaborate, innovate, and care deeply even in the face of daily challenges. We're focused on

113creating a professional environment where teachers feel supported and empowered to take risks and try to new strategies. The dedication of our educators is at the core of the progress we're making and we're proud of the efforts to meet the needs of every student. Finally, our systems. We've made intentional efforts this year to strengthen the systems that support learning. One key area of growth has been our work with professional learning communities. We've established a guiding coalition to help shape the direction of our PC's and we're seeing strong momentum across our teams. There's a shared commitment to collaboration reflection and using data to improve instruction and outcomes. We're also proud to be an AVID school and this year we made a focused effort to bring AVID back to the forefront of our culture. We begin we began

114with organization ensuring students are set up for success and we're now building on that foundation using worker strategies and fostering a a collegegoing environment across the school. The goal is not only college awareness but cultivating skills and mindsets that support long long-term success. Mountain Jordan Middle School is growing stronger every day with students stepping up, staff staying committed, and systems becoming more focused and aligned. Thank you for your continued support and for partnering partnering with us to create a school and community where everyone s feels seen, valued, and heard. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. We love to hear about our schools and we we really appreciate um your staff and all they do for students. So, please pass on our gratitude to them. Okay. The next item on the agenda is the Canyons um

115strong employee recognitions and that will be led by Jeff Haney, director of communications and Kirsten Stewart, associate director of communications. Thank you, President Schill, for this time to recognize the achievements of employees in Canyon's district who have gone above and beyond in their drive to make sure Canyons is known as the district of champions, the district of innovation, and the district of excellence. This week is America safe schools week. And so it this is an initiative by the National School Safety Center to promote safety and security in schools across the country. and school safety has always been a topic of of uh discussion and action in the canyons district. Now, some of the measures that we put into place are pretty obvious, such as the security cameras or when students do emergency preparedness drills or

116the security vestibules in in the front of the schools that require people to check in in the office before they can get access to hallways. But two Canyons district employees sometimes are always behind the scenes. They aren't always easy to spot, but they certainly are key in our efforts to make sure our schools are as safe as possible. Those are our risk managers, Ryan Jakeman and Bob Martin, and they truly help us become canyon strong. They work in tandem with the local law enforcement partners and and whenever there's an incident that requires a leaison there our boots on the ground so they can report back what's happening on the scene and they are on call 24/7 whenever something happens on one of our campuses they get the phone call and then they dispatch information to

117us so we can create a plan to respond. They truly make our school safer than they already are. Ryan and Bob are at the forefront of all of our security measures and we appreciate all they do for our students and employees. Our next honores have a whole month dedicated to celebrating their commitment to the highest standards of educational excellence. Canyon's district thanks the women and the men who have dedicated their hearts and minds to building a better tomorrow in our schools. And those are our principles. This is in honor of National Principal Month. So, we ask you, have you thanked a principal today? If you haven't, we'd love to see you go up and give a fist bump or a high five to one of our amazing principles. They truly are fantastic. They the serving

118as a principal in a Canyon's district school is not easy. It's an onthe-clock job. They're always on 247, 365. and we are in awe of how well well our canyons leaders oversee their school communities. So, a big thanks to all of our principles and later this month, the board of education will be providing a small token of appreciation to all of our principles for National Principal Month. Now, one of those principles that we honored just recently is Shelley Karen. And on Tuesday night, we gave her the Apex Award for School Administrator of the Year. So, in this national uh principal month, it seemed a fitting time to mention that Miss Karen, a former hoops coach who now is the clutch shop principal at Indian Hills. She received that Apex award. It was the 16th annual

119ceremony that we held at Butler Middle last week. Now, for Shelley, school leadership isn't about calling plays from the sidelines. It's about getting on the court with her team. Now, it's possible this ethos developed in her early days as a basketball coach, but whatever the origins, it has transformed the culture at Indian Hills Middle School. And as the principal, she has made it a mission to make the school a place where students and teachers feel valued and connected. The effort has paid off in rising test scores and student engagement. She's the Apex award winner this year for school administrator of the year and in principal national principal month we congratulate her for this award. The Apex awards are the highest awards given by the board and the administration in Canyon's district and the winners are

120chosen after a public nomination process. The auditorium at Butler Middle was filled with supporters for Karen and other winners. Posters of all the winners have been placed in board chambers for our meeting tonight. So you can see who all 11 winners are, but they are our teacher of the year was Midvil Elementary's Lucia de la Cruz Rodriguez. The district administrators of the year, assistant accounting director Shaolo and associate director of communications Kirsten Stewart. Student Support Services Professional of the Year, Canyons Education Foundation Development Officer, Denise Hock. Education Support Professionals of the Year, East Midville Head Secretary Charlotte Graham, who has been there for 47 years, and Corner Canyon's head secretary Kathy Hilton, who's been there at Corner Canyon since day one. Our community partner of the year is Jordan High's benefactor Dan Jorgensson and elected

121official of the year, Draper Mayor Troy Walker. Our volunteer of the year, Eastmon's Trevan Cole, our legacy award winner, Nancy Tingi. So, congratulations to all of the winners. They certainly make us Canyon strong. Now, this week's focus on safety extends to our transportation department. It's National School Bus Safety Week and Canyons joins districts across the nation in recognizing the vital role that our bus drivers play in keeping students safe every day. In Canyon's district, our bus drivers do phenomenal work in making sure that students get to school and home safely. Our transportation professionals are trained to uphold the highest standards of care, attentiveness, and professionalism on every route. We also want to give a big shout out to Carl Banks, the shop foreman, and Troy Shipley, the shop lead. Both Carl and Troy have been

122instrumental in making sure our fleet is safer and more reliable. In past years, our transportation director, Jeremy Wardle, tells me, we've had to replace or rebuild up to five engines a year. But this last year, as a result of Carl and Troy's preventative maintenance program, we didn't have to replace a single engine. Also, with our most recent inspections by the Utah Highway Patrol, we only had four out of 38 buses inspected that had even minor issues. And it's thanks to our folks in the shop. Transportation Director Jeremy Wle credits all of this to Carl and Troy, their leadership, and their hard work. Now, we also want to give a Canyon Strong recognition to driver Jeff Deal. This was a Canyon Strong nomination we received from one of the school administrators who was on a bus

123with Jeff recently from Silver Mesa. The administrator said, "Today, one of the students he drives was having a challenging day, and I had the opportunity to ride the bus home with him. Jeff was so kind with all of the students. He showed my students so much dignity and respect. I believe his approach to the students on his route was 100% authentic, not just for show because the principal was on the bus. It was beautiful to observe. Additionally, he graciously agreed to drive me back to the school after the route ended so I wouldn't need to arrange for a ride. I was so impressed. Please pass on my gratitude to him. He's a great asset to the Canyons District community. Jeff De, thank you so much for going above and beyond. You are recognized by one

124of the Canyons district principles. Tomorrow, we've lined up a news crew from Fox 13 to talk to Jeremy about our bus drivers and how they focus on safety for school bus safety week. We are sure that he will represent Canyons well in this story that will air on uh the nightly news. Our next Canyon Strong honore is the instructional support department's digital teaching and learning specialist, Emma Moss. Emma was a finalist in the Women's Tech Council's Women Tech Awards. This is an impressive group of women who have brought technology innovations to our state. Emma was one of 21 finalists for this award. We congratulate her for her hard work, especially in what she's doing in AI and instruction with AI in canyons and around the state. Now, we're headed into fall recess in just a

125few days, and the Friday night lights will shine bright on the Alta Hawks, who will face my alma mater, the Roy High Royals on Friday. This the first uh game in the postseason. So, good luck to the Hawks. We also have amazing athletes competing in 4A, 5A, and 6A cross country races in the volleyball tournament starting on October 27th. The curtains also are about to go up on the fall theater productions. Ala is doing Hades Town. Brighton and Jordan are both doing Cinderella. Corner Canyon will present Mary Poppins and Hillrest Fall Musical is Wendy and Peter Pan. The dates and times of the show will be on the district website in the coming days. We wish break a leg to the casts and the crews of the upcoming productions, but not to our student athletes

126who are headed into the postseason. We wish them good luck and we also say we believe in you because you are Canyon strong and you make us Canyons proud. President Sheil, thank you so much for this time. We turn the time back to you. >> Okay. Thank you so much. We love hearing about um how our employees are getting rewarded, rewarded, and excelling in what they do. So, we have now come to the patron comment portion of our meeting. The board often designates time in meetings to listen to the patrons of the district. Patron comment time is limited to residents and taxpayers of Kenyon's district. students and parents of students and current employees of the district. Patrons may provide board members with written documents and these documents must be submitted to the board secretary. She's

127right over there um at the meeting or emailed to the office of public communications by noon the day following the board meeting tonight. Because we want to give everyone a chance to speak, we will give individuals two minutes and those representing a group will be given three minutes. Comments made during patron comment time are part of the public record. It is the board's practice to listen and take notes during patron comments. The board of education does not discuss matters that are not on the meeting's agenda, nor engage in public comment on individual students to protect their privacy or employee issues. If a patron wants to comment on a district employees character, professional competence, or mental or physical health, the board requests that those comments be submitted to the board in writing. However, if the patron

128determines to verbally comment on those personal issues, the comments need to be civil and refrain from personal attacks, insults, and defamatory or slanderous comments about an individual. The board of education values input on all sides of issues. To maintain decorum and respect, we ask that those in attendance refrain from applause and other types of demonstrations during the patron comment time as well as throughout the meeting. So, I'm going to call um two names at a time just so you you know you're going to be up next. And um please correct me. Please say your name and correct it if I say it wrong when you come up. And I need to put on my glasses so I can see. Um, okay. First is going to be Adriana Velisquez and she's representing a group. Then Jared

129Herbert. Okay. Do I have to push this? Okay. My name is Adriana Velasquez. I teach third grade at Granite Elementary and I'm also the parent of a child who is on the autism spectrum. When my son had to change campuses, the transition was deeply emotional for both of us. It took months before he felt comfortable in his new surroundings and even longer for me to stop worrying about his safety, whether he felt understood, and whether he was truly seen. That experience showed me how deeply change affects children like him. At Granite, I have seen what stability and belonging make possible. Our essential elementary curriculum students have gained confidence because they are surrounded by familiar faces, predictable routines, and genuine friendships. Those outcomes are not accidental. For 15 years, our staff, students, and families have worked

130together to build a culture of care and connection, a community. Every day, I watch GenEd students invite their EEC classmates to sit with them at lunch. I see peers give up recess to volunteer in the EEC classrooms, learn to communicate with non-verbal classmates, and choose kindness again and again. I watch EEC students take the stage in our Schoolhouse Rock program, performing proudly alongside their peers with roles that matter and are celebrated. Recreating a community or inclusion program like this anywhere else is possible, but it will take a very long time. Building what we have at Granite required time, consistency, and trust. You can feel that the moment you walk in. This is not merely a program. It is a community. Mr. Wilcox has reminded us how important it is to keep communities together. The original

131proposal made it clear that Parklane would retain 100% of its gened community and Granite's gen ed community would be divided. Our EEC program would remain intact. I am deeply saddened that the district is now considering removing our EEC program. Doing so would unravel years of relationship building and the safe, inclusive environment our students depend on. I respectfully ask you to reconsider and preserve the EEC program so that this community built on trust, care, and shared pride can continue to thrive. I understand this is a difficult decision and I recognize that change can bring meaningful benefits. I am hopeful about the opportunity to work with a larger team and would welcome reduced workload. Every day I tell my third graders that they can do hard things. I hold myself to the same standard and will meet

132this change with dignity and grace. Please remember that Granite has done sustained careful work to make inclusion real. Please do not dismantle what has taken years to grow. These students and their families have found a place where they belong and they deserve to keep it. Thank you for your time and for listening to those of us who live this every day as educators and as parents. >> Okay. Thank you Jared Herbert Benalage Reed. Hello dear board dear members of the board. This boundary study has placed a significant emotional burden on our communities. It's created anxiety, disrupted families, and shown and shown unnecessary division, especially between Parklane and Granite. Neither community wants their school to close, and public input has made that overwhelmingly evident. There is strong, consistent support to keep both schools open. So, the

133question we should all be asking is how can we make that happen? How can we keep both schools open? because that's what our communities are asking for and that's what this that's what the goal should be. Is it truly impossible to keep both Park Lane and Granite open? But if you've reached the conclusion that one school must be closed and you're committed to making a decision based on facts, logic, and long-term impact, then let's look at the evidence. Which school is in better physical condition according to the district's FCI Park Lane? Which school is centrally located, preserves neighborhood integrity, and is 100% walkable for students in boundary? Park Lane. Which school strengthens feeder alignments with Eastmon and Jordan? Park Lane. Which school will require fewer buses? Park Lane. Which school has a higher service rate?

134The percentage of neighborhood students who actually attend district schools? Park Lane. Which school has safe walking routes with sidewalks? Park Lane. Which school has higher en enrollment? Park Lane. Which school has higher test scores? Park Lane. Which neighborhood has more affordable housing likely to attract and retain younger families? Park Lane. Based on these facts and the district's own stated goals, which school is the obvious choice to remain open? Park Lane. In conclusion, if both schools can be kept open, keep them open. If not, all that all the data, planning priorities, and community impact clearly favor Parklane. Unless there is compelling evidence we have not seen, any decision to close Parklane will appear to ignore the facts, a failure to follow the evidence and will raise serious concerns about the transparency and integrity of this process.

135Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you, Talmage Reed, and then Sarah Hamill. Um, hi. My name is Tal Madrid. I'm a freshman beat digger at Jordan High. I'm proud to be a second generation beatd digger. My mom went to Park Lane, East Mountain, Jordan. And one of my great-grandfathers graduated in Jordan's very first class in 1907. A 100 years later, in 2007, my mom graduated from Jordan. And now here I am starting my journey as a bee digger. My path to Jordan has been a little different. I started at Park Lane, then Eastmont, then Albian. Most of my peer peers continued on to Brian, but I chose to came to come back to Jordan because I heard such great things about the baseball program and Coach F. Being part of basketball and baseball this year has

136already given me a strong sense of community and belonging. But when I first stepped on the Jordan's baseball field, I was honestly disappointed. I've played on a lot of fields with my club team and I've never seen a high school field in such bad condition. Recently at practice, we even found a dead cat in the opposing team's dugout. That's not something any player should ever experience. Jordan baseball is one of the best programs in the valley. Players come from all over to be part of it. None of us are asking for anything extravagant. We just need a safe, well-kept field that matches the pride we feel in being beaters. Thank you for your time and supporting Jordan High. >> Okay, thank you Sarah Hamill and then Emily Hansen. >> Hello, my name is Sarah Hamill.

137I'm a fifth grade general education teacher at Parklane. As teachers, we understand the need to combine these schools. We're happy to join with Granite, the Granite community, and I'm confident that this new community will be as strong as ever. I have been with the district since the beginning. There is something special happening in the Parklane ACC. We are closing the gap for many of our ACC students. A lot of careful planning and trust is needed to make this happen. It is beautiful to be able to provide a student with exactly what they need to thrive. We can weave students in and out of general education classrooms like mine when it makes sense. I've never experienced this level of true individualized instruction at any other school. Moving this ACC to a new school would mean starting

138all over to close that gap. On another note, I love managing behavior on a bus. Said no teacher ever. Um I would like to advocate for a walking school. This board has backed a whole child fl framework that supports behavior, social emotional needs and remains and removes barriers to learning. The social emotional needs of children today are more important than ever. It has been proven repeatedly that three things improve social emotional health. Exercise, relationships, and being outside. I'm asking you to make the least number of students ride on a bus. There are so many problems on buses from a teacher's perspective. I have taught at schools with buses and problems from the bus come into classrooms and affect learning. Please help us minimize this. It never gets old watching students walk and ride bikes to

139school. They build relationships with their family and friends. These positive interactions make them emotionally healthy and ready to be at school. >> Okay, thank you. Um Emily Hansen and then Juliet Palmer. My oldest child is currently in fifth grade at Parkland Elementary. Over the summer, she started asking me which middle school she'll be attending next year, Eastmont or Albian. Since then, she has frequently come home from school with updates about which middle school her peers are choosing. These kids are already feeling a division and anticipating the loss of some of their classmates next year. From talking to friends with older kids, this debate of Eastmont versus Albian has been a real source of angst among Parklane fifth graders for several years now. In the board meeting on September 2nd, we heard board member Lewis speak

140of his own experience and how hard it was to be a student at a split elementary school. So many of the boundary adjustments you've proposed across the district are to align middle school and high school feeders. And yet, the proposal to combine Parklane and Granite would create a school that splits right down the middle. So much of the focus has been on which building to keep, but I'm concerned that regardless of which building is kept, such a school will never feel unified. I'm concerned the division of Eastmont versus Albian families will be felt from the earliest grades. I'm concerned the proposed split school sets our communities up for perpetual angst and division. There are other solutions. Please allow me to suggest two options for your consideration. Option one, consolidate Granite with Quail Hollow rather than

141Parklane. Quail Hollow is our other neighboring low enrollment school. Quail Hollow feeds into Albian and Granite feeds into Albian. A split elementary wouldn't be needed. Option two, consolidate Parklane and Granite, but have the new combined school feed into one middle school in its entirety. Given the overenrollment at Albian and the underenrollment at Eastmont, middle school boundary adjustments seem needed. Keep in mind that in 5 years, today's second graders will be seventh graders. It would be traumatic for the same kids uprooted in elementary school to be uprooted again in middle school. If you decide to adjust middle school boundaries or close a middle school, then it would be heartbreaking to see our communities pitted against each other again. For the sake of our kids, I ask you to take a step back and carefully review middle

142school boundaries and enrollments. Please show us your long-range plan for middle schools before making any decisions about our elementary schools. Thank you. >> Okay, thank you. Uh, next is Juliet Palmer and then JR McKe. >> Good evening. My name is Juliet Palmer and I serve as a speech language pathologist at Granite Elementary and I work direct uh directly with students in the essential elements curriculum, also known as the EEC. I want to speak briefly about what makes the EEC placement so critical and why moving it would not be uh a legit school decision but an educational and legal one. The EEC program serves students with the most significant communication and developmental needs in our district aside from Jordan Valley. These are not students who can be transferred from one building to another without consequence and

143their success depends on stability, predictability, and integration with familiar peers. All of which granite provides. Under the individuals with disabilities education act and section 504 of the rehabilitation act, a student's placement must be determined by their individual education program team and based on the least restrictive envir environment, the setting where they can learn alongside their peers to the greatest extent possible. At Granite, our EEC students spend up to half their day in the gened classrooms. And that is what inclusion looks like when it works. Relocating the program would alter the environment and reduce those opportunities, which under IDEIDA would constitute a change of placement, requiring formal IEP review and prior written notice for every affected student beyond compliance. This is about preserving a program that fulfills the law's intent, not just access to education, but

144access to belonging that can't be replicated in a new building. It has taken years of collaboration, training, and trust between teachers, families, and students to build what exists at Granite today. Granite Elementary is ADA compliant, inclusive, and effective. To remove these students from an environment where their rights, access, and progress are protected would be a mistake legally, ethically, and educationally. I urge the board to do what is lawful, and to do what is right. keep Granite open and keep the EEC program at Granite Elementary with the community that already includes every child every day. Thanks. >> Okay, thank you. Um, now we have J.R. McKe and Emily Wright will be next. >> Thank you. Um, my son Max McKe is a sophomore at Jordan High School and is on the baseball team with these incredible

145young men to my left. Um he is a transfer student and came to Jordan specifically to play for coach Fe um and to play with a group of boys who have embraced him uh so quickly and so well and the the needs that I found in uh coming from our old school by comparison were great when it came to uh to the facilities. the the new fieldhouse is going to be amazing and none of these boys can wait uh to to be able to work out there. However, the outdoor facilities that they're dealing with currently are in need of much help. Um we know of tragedies that happened last year around the school, not on the school property, but uh stadium lights the baseball field that had been on may have prevented something like that

146from happening. Uh we know that the warning track is the only warning is to not get near it. Otherwise, you may lose a shoe in the bog that it is. But the uh opportunity to correct this, especially as they now ascend to the highest level of play that Utah offers at 6A for uh for this school of this size to be playing 6A baseball is a big deal. and the opportunities that uh coach Fe and the other coaches are providing these boys to play beyond high school to uh have grades to play. I know specifically of one player who I think every one of these boys has probably and if they know they they know who I'm talking about I don't need to pull his name but they are making sure that his grades are

147where they are and he's going to have an opportunity to play at the next level because of that because of the camaraderie that they have and having this team uh in a facility that is going to be to match the level of play that they have and the opportunity that they have is so important and I just want to be here to uh express my my love for these boys, even though I don't know them all too well yet, but the way that they've embraced my son has been bar none. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you, Emily Wright and then Monica Colog. I can't quite read that, so correct me. Correct me when you get up here. >> All right, ladies and gentlemen of the board, thank you for this opportunity to address you. My

148name is Emily Wright. My son Henry is a six-year-old boy with Down syndrome. He's non-verbal and he is fed via GT Tube. He attends Taylor Schwab's first grade class, his her EEC class at Granite Elementary. I acknowledge that you as the board have the un enviable task of addressing the boundary changes for the school district. While no one wants to see their own school closed, I also acknowledge that we have many great schools in Canyon School District. My four older children attended Willow Canyon. We have dear friends at Parklane and other elementary schools. Whatever decision is made, I commit to unity and friendipping. My purpose in coming today is simply to advocate for long-term consistent placement for our EEC students. Should Granite's EEC be moved to a different school. This will be Henry's fourth school.

149I would love to see a scenario in which our EEC children can attend all of their elementary years in one inclusive school in which they can develop deep friendships with their peers, aids, and top-notch teachers. and that they will then be able to move on to middle school and high school with these same peers to please look at the middle school and high school trajectory for them. To this point, Henry has never been able to attend a school with his siblings or with his neighborhood friends. Being able to at least have a consistent peer group at school would be invaluable. As with all children, but especially with special needs children, consistency is key to development. to learn to speak, to eat, to play with friends takes herculean effort on Henry's part. Never mind whatever energy

150and focus it takes to adapt to new environments, new routines, and new faces. Henry is now in Taylor's class for his second year. His progress, though small, is profound. The consistent love and education he has received from this teacher has had immeasurable impact on his overall overall well-being. Take for example last year, Henry, who has heart and lung disease, was hospitalized twice. Once in the ICU. During his hospitalization, Henry's oxygen levels simply would not improve enough for him to be sent home. His teacher came to visit and sit by his bedside, something she has done for many other students. Upon seeing Taylor, medical staff noted the jump in Henry's vital statistics. He improved quickly and was soon released. I cannot emphasize enough how consistency in his life helps him, and I ask that you just

151look into the future. Let the EEC kids be in one school to go to the next school with their peers and onward. Thank you. Okay, thank you, Monica. And then Ian Buchanan. >> Monica Kelmeies, but that's all right. No worries. That was a first, though. I'd never heard that one before. Um, I'm a mother of four and a current crossing guard at Parkland Elementary. My youngest is in fourth grade, so this decision of which school should remain open doesn't affect me for very long, especially considering I will likely stop being a crossing guard once all my children have moved on from Parklane. I love Parklane and I love Granite. My best friends children attend Granite and some of my favorite teachers, staff, and students are at Parklane. I hope to point out some reasons that

152combining with Granite would be awesome, but also while using the Parklane building would be beneficial. There's currently a community being bus to Granite that could send their kids walking to Park Lane because of its central location. There are sidewalks and crosswalks for those students, eliminating the need for that bus. Not only that, but there are other families that permit to Granite that could send their kids walking if we use Parklane building. Parklane is a walking friendly school. If the Granite building is used, the Parklane students would need four additional buses to get there, increasing the amount of buses by almost double, thus increasing costs by an estimated 48,000 per year per bus. Granted, already buses a good portion of their students. They can easily be busted to Park Lane with minimal impact while also saving

153money that could be allocated to other important programs either at Parklane or other schools in the district. But it's not only about the cost, it's about the people. As a crossing guard, I get a front row seat to the benefit of children walking and riding their bikes or scooters. I see parents get out and meet each other, talking as they walk. I see people interacting more because they are walking. Obviously, there are those that will be driven and bus regardless, but I do believe there is a great benefit for the community to have the opportunity to walk to school each day. You won't be on the school board forever, and we won't have kids in elementary school forever. Let's make a decision that is better for the next generation of our neighborhood community and choose

154the more centrally located school that will have significantly higher numbers of walking students and parents. In the end, I know the decision you have is a difficult one. There are so many of us on both sides. We all want what is comfortable and familiar, but it is my hope that whatever is decided that regardless of the outcome as parents and community members, we will be supportive for the sake of our children. >> Okay. Thank you, Ian Buchanan and then Morgan Heckin. >> My name is Ian Buchanan and I'm a freshman at Jordan High School. I first want to say thank you to the board for all the improvements made to our school. I'm especially excited for the new fieldhouse. I've been practicing and working out with the baseball team since the beginning of school, and

155I can't wait to be an official part of the team. One of the main positions I play is the outfield. In the outfield, there is a dirt patch called the warning track. It is there to warn players who are running backwards to track a flyball when they're approaching the fence. In our field, the warning track is swamped and is nothing more than a muddy mess. When we run into the swamped area, our baseballs get water logged and muddy and our cleats are so muddy for the and wet for the rest of the practice. There is always a chance of us slipping the mud and getting injured. We also have a problem with our second base. It recently got pulled out and we've been using a little plastic base instead of a regular base. It kind

156of moves which makes playing hard. We need actual bases for our field. We'd also love to have lights on our field. We practice in the heat and we could start practicing later if we had lights on our field. It would be very nice since daylight savings is coming. We can't practice that late because it'll get dark because of daylight savings. Thank you for listening and considering these updates to our field to make it safer. >> Okay, thank you. Next is Morgan Hecking and then Taylor Hecking. Hi, my name is Morgan Hecking and I am an EEC teacher for fourth and fifth graders at Granite Elementary. I want to thank you all for your time and efforts as we all work together to resolve this as a community. I had the privilege of attending Granite Elementary

157myself as a student. This school changed my life because of the EEC buddy program. I learned from my friends at the Granite that people with disabilities are my classmates and friends gave me the invaluable lesson of how to interact with EEC peers. Going to this school is what inspired me to become an EEC teacher myself. Now I have had the incredible and full circle experience of now helping to teach inclusion to our students and I learned daily from our children what true inclusion looks like. Many of my students have been in the class with their gened peers for most of their time at the school and have carefully crafted these beautiful relationships that they rely so strongly on. These relationships are the product of effort from our EEC students, GenEd students, GenEd teachers, admin, and

158our EEC staff. If you divide our population, these children will lose their connection to each other. Additionally, if Granite is closed, our students will become guests in a school that does not have the necessary accommodations that they require and deserve. Granite Elementary has a beautifully designed sensory room that helps our EEC students to regulate on the daily. Granite Elementary has a regular, excuse me, Granite Elementary has a playground with inclusive equipment and fences for safety that allow our EEC students to attend recess with their general ed peers. Granite Elementary has an EEC designated restroom that is designed to provide privacy and support when helping our children use the restroom. Granite Elementary has a safe and accessible parking lot that allows our EEC students to get on and off the buses safely and quickly. I implore

159you to listen to reason and recognize the many benefits of keeping Grand Elementary open and allowing our EEC department to stay where it is. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um Taylor and then Jessica Smith. >> Dear board members and community, my name is Taylor Hcking and I am your K1 EEC teacher at Granite Elementary. Today, I'm asking you to keep Granite's EEC students with their peers. In my classroom, I teach 13 incredible students. One spends the entire day in GenEd inclusion. Um, 10 are non-verbal and communicate with iPads. Nine wear diapers and are changed multiple times a day. Two have seizures and one is fed through a G ttube. They are the most vulnerable population in our district. students who deserve stability, safety, and inclusion. EEC students learn through the essential elements curriculum, not the

160general education curriculum like their ACC peers, meaning they will receive an alternate diploma or certificate of completion where again their ACC peers will receive a diploma. when we um Granite is the only K1 EEC program in the district where students are accessing inclusion for two hours and 15 minutes of their day. In other areas, they say K1 is too hard for inclusion. My love for the program began when I was 17, caring for a Granite student named Tyler. Years later, when Tyler was nearing his end of life, he told me, "He's a granite grizzly. take him home. That's what this school gives our kids a home. Granite fosters a community where students with disabilities not just tolerated, they are cherished. where general education students grow up believing in inclusion, empathy, and friendship. As you make

161this difficult decision between two amazing communities, I hope you find one that brings our communities together while still protecting our most vulnerable students, our EEC students. Thank you for your time and energy. >> Okay, thank you. The next person is Jessica Smith and then Peter Archinbalt. Hi, thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback in these meetings. My name is Jessica Smith. I am a proud parent of students at Parklane, Eastmont, and Jordan High School. Tonight, I would like to address the impact that moving Park Lane into the Granite Building will have on the feeder school system. One of Parklane's pillars of success is parent investment. Many programs have been started and maintained for multiple years through different parents because a parent thought it was important and started it. Things like choir, orchestra, STEM night,

162and girls on the run are a few. Obviously, we wouldn't be where we are without our amazing teachers and staff as well. But I bring this up because of how critical parent investment is in our boundary schools, Eastmont and Jordan. Eastmont and Jordan are fantastic schools. My children are having excellent experiences all around academically, especially in their Spanish classes, socially, and in sports and other extracurriculars. These schools aren't without flaws, but the possibilities are exciting, and we need continued support. My daughter is part of the girls varsity basketball team, and they are back-to-back region champs. Its success comes largely from the Jacobson family that started a Banton program and he is now the head coach at Jordan. The majority of players from those region champs were Parklane and Willow Canyon students. I have personally started

163or been part of three uh additional sport feeder programs. It takes a lot of work and parent investment. These things just don't happen naturally at Jordan all the time. We are growing and proving every year and in every way. But in order to thrive, we need help and we need more of our invested community to stay at Eastmont and Jordan. A few years ago, it was uncommon for a Parkland student to choose a different middle school than Eastmont. However, each year, more and more students are choosing to permit into different middle schools. That's very alarming, but you can see the trend at Jordan as well. It was a 6A school just a few years ago, and now we are 4A, while every other high school's enrollment is much higher. Having this combined into the Granite

164Elementary building, a location that is already naturally affiliated in a boundary for the Albian and Brighton, could be fatal to Eastmont and Jordan. Taking a poll of families in our area that have chosen to go out of boundaries for middle school and high school have said that one of the top reasons is because of their friendships. Naturally, as we combine school, their friendships will have an opportunity to expand. Then breaking up those friendships to try and go to two different middle schools will be difficult. I speak today as a reminder to continue looking at the long-term goals for high school and feeder school alignment and opt to gradually transition Granite boundaries into Eastmont and Jordan. Granite and Parklane are powerhouse schools with unique strengths. I am so excited to see what we can do together.

165You can't you don't have to look much further than this room to understand the power that our invested communities have. It's pretty remarkable what we can and will do together. The situation is hard and we understand that sacrifices will have to be made from every school community. But I'm hopeful and ask that we can find a way to align our feeder schools in a way that will continue to bolster Eastmont and Jordan and not continue continue to diminish its already decreasing enrollment rates. Thanks. >> Okay. Thank you, Peter. And then Taylor Bhow. Hello, my name is Peter Arshambo. It's okay. Nobody gets that right. Um, so I'm a citizen of uh Sandy and my son Luke goes to Jordan High School and he like Ian, he's um going to be hopefully um trying out for

166the baseball team who's been working out with the baseball team. Um I'm also vice president of the u Southeast Valley uh baseball association. It's a nonprofit that serves uh Sandy youth with both uh recreational baseball opportunities as well as competitive AAA. Um and I know all of you are aware of the field conditions, so I won't go very deep into what makes it um important that we consider some improvements. Drainage is a problem. Creates an unsafe environment. the lights. Um, these, you know, having the kids hang out at a baseball field when, you know, it's dark out and playing baseball is a pretty awesome thing. And, you know, I know for my son, he comes home. Um, and, you know, sometimes we have to drag him off the field because he's having a great time

167with his peers, with the coaching staff. Coach F, uh, Coach Fe does an amazing job. Um, and you know, we've heard about uh the fact that there are players getting developed to play at the higher level, but he's also building community. He's building future leaders. He's building um uh character into these boys. And I think that is an incredibly valuable resource for this community. So again, I ask that, you know, we we consider a a field improvement project uh to go along with the amazing fieldhouse that's being constructed. Thank you, Taylor Barha and then Don Sudbury. Hello. Um I'm probably not going to speak on an is like an issue that you haven't heard already, but to share my own perspective. Um and it's about just the importance of walkable schools. Um and it actually

168comes from um the meeting uh a couple month a couple meetings ago. It was right after the Charlie Kirk shooting which we know is really impactful to our community and pretty emotionally um you know just caused us all to feel a lot of just like emotional intensity and I think all of you who were here spoke to that issue but Jackson your comments um actually really stood out to me. You spoke um just about what it's like to grow up in a generation that's just sort of chronically online and um not socially connected with our communities. Um it prompted me to reread a book that came out last year by the social psychologist Jonathan Height who talks about um the you know rising prevalence of anxiety disorders in our children and adolescence and young adults.

169I'm a licensed clinical social worker and I specialize in anxiety disorder. So none of that was particularly revoly to me. But what I really appreciated about his book was that he didn't just like state a problem. Um he actually had some really great real actionable solutions. Two full chapters of them. Um one chapter fully for like what parents can do right now and another chapter fully for like what schools and school administrators and teachers can do for our kids right now. And he even went as far as to like divide solutions into age groups. It's it was really lovely and you know as an academic myself I just really appreciated that wasn't just like stating a problem but actually talking about solutions and one of the solutions that came up consistent consistently was the importance

170of walkable schools and how important that is to communities and facilitating social connection that's been on my mind a lot lately because of the discussion about our students being chronically online and um has been consistently studied and corroborated by lots of public health agencies including the NIH and CDC social psychologist advocate groups and things like that. Um, and I recognize that not everyone has that opportunity. Um, I I I hear all of these um parents, you know, at Granite whose kids don't have the opportunity to walk to school. One of my friends, Don, is about to speak and his kids don't have that opportunity. I recognize it's a privilege and I still think it's an important consideration when you're kind of going through this process. So, thank you. >> Okay. Thank you, Don Sudbury, and

171then Ashley Brown. Um, I come representing my two kids that are in the EEC program at Granite. Um, and we've heard a lot of feel-good stories and I don't know how much weight they actually have on everybody. Um, because I think priorities, everybody has their own priorities and their own problems. Um, so as I've been thinking about this more, we've talked about the culture of EEC. We've talked about the culture of the ACC program at Parklane. We talked about the culture of both schools. They're both very successful and very important to their communities. Somebody mentioned this at the meeting at Granite the other last week. We really can't find a way to keep the schools open. You guys talk about when like we have class sizes. That's never been an issue in the past that

172you've actually addressed, but that's a selling point right now. Um you talked about when we have a budget, we don't make more budget. We don't add more debt until we pay off the debt. Why are we transferring two special ed programs when we don't have programs in place to actually make sure they're successful? They take years to develop and now we're just going to move it and call it successful. No. When we talk about budgets, you say it costs $1.2 million to keep these schools open. You're spending close to $18 million on Corner Canyon High School in the last four years. Sorry guys, I'm a student. I went to Jordan. But $3.6 6 million to keep three schools open to give us another year to actually figure something out doesn't seem that hard to do.

173Making this decision so quickly for $1.2 million, I don't know. Seems questionable to me. Um, it's not about who's better, Granite or Park Lane. Which program is better? They're different. They both need to stay open. >> Okay. Thank you, Ashley Brown and Julie Greenfield. Hi everyone. My son Maddox is a third grader at Granite's EEC program. When he his friends at Granite affectionately call him Maddie, which isn't something I ever thought that I would be able to say. When he started at Granite, it was his fifth sped placement in Canyon School District. and we have lived across the street from Parklane for nearly a decade. I did not think I would ever be able to say that my child had friends, but at Granite, he does. The EEC kids at Granite are the heart of

174the Granite community. They are not separate from the school. The GenEd students know about the EEC students at Granite. They know how to interact, play, and include their EEC buddies, something most adults go to college many years for, and some seem to never master. Maddox is not only recognized by his gened peers, but understood. EEC kids are severe, non-verbal, and have rare genetic conditions, and some even shortened life expecties. Granite kids know that they are valuable, but also fragile, something the adults leading this conversation do not seem to have learned yet. To further agree with Don's point, we need to have a place for these kids to go before we can move them or it can be detrimental to our children. Thank you. >> Okay, thank you. Julie Greenfield, then Giano Lucero. >> Hello, my

175name is Julie Greenfield, mother of a one-year-old who already knows Granite Elementary as his safe place and future school because we play there almost every single day. Our neighborhoods surrounding the school are older, but everything cycles. Young younger families such as mine are starting to move in, and this will continue over the next 10 years. Has this as the Has the Canyon School District considered districts in similar situations? Edgemont and Rock Canyon elementaryaries faced a similar fate in Provo in 2002. But after a hard-fought battle by parents and community members, the schools were saved. And you know what happened? They needed more space in the schools when this when the neighborhoods changed. You need to take account into account the neighborhood flip account effect which wasn't factored into in the boundary study. Have you seen

176the Utah housing study published a couple of days ago? It confirms the population in Utah is growing, not shrinking. Why is there such a discrepancy in your boundary study? Where is the extra tax revenue from increased home values going if not to our schools and our teachers? If Granite Elementary is closed, what will happen to that land? Your website said says there are no plans. We emailed the district last week asking about the possibility of a trust to ensure the land is not sold. Our response was incredibly your response was incredibly patronizing. It said, "Refer back to our to our website." Utah law says it only takes twothirds of the district to sell the land. I hope that's not your intent. 56 people spoke at the granite public meeting last week against closing our neighborhood

177school. No one wants this for our kids or our community other than maybe a developer. After hearing the outpouring of love from the parents and community members, I know Granite is a special place and I hope it stays open as school should be. I'm not losing Samuel's walkable, inclusive school without a fight. Thank you for listening. >> Thank you, Giano. And then Charles Sumner. >> Um, hi, my name is Giani Lucero and I'm a baseball player here at Jordan High School. I want to talk about something that affects all of us on the team, the condition of our baseball field. First off, the mound dirt is uneven, and that's not even just annoying. It's dangerous. Pitchers risk rolling their ankles or resemning track. Honestly, it's so muddy it could double as a swimming pool after

178a rainstorm. The grass patchy, the grass is patchy, uneven, and more weeds than actual turf. You could probably lose a baseball or a small animal in some of those spots. Speaking of a surprise, the catcher area has so many divots it feels like a mini obstacle course and it causes sorenesses and injuries that add up over the season. And as crazy as it sounds, we once even found a dead cat in our visitors dugout. That's when you know the field has seen better days. But jokes aside there, this is more than just about how it looks. It's about uh safety and pride and representing Jordan in the right way. We've got a great team full of talent and dedication and we deserve a field that matches that. We with some real attention and care, we

179can make this field we we can make this field and we are proud to defend every game. Thank you for listening and I really hope we can make the improvements our team and our school deserves. Okay, next is Charles and then Tucker Zwin. >> Um, hello, my name is CJ Sumner. I'm a sophomore here at Jordan High School. I spent last year playing varsity on the baseball team and I came up here today to talk about our field condition and how unacceptable and honestly disappointing they're in. Uh, there's many lips from the grass to the dirt and ups and downs where it's very easy to get injured. Fortunately, last year, I guess summer, very start of summer, I was out practicing. I jumped up for a ball, kind of landed weird on that lip, heard

180a click. One thing led to another, got an MRI, tore my ACL, my meniscus fully, which is not a good thing ever. And I just think it's uh very disappointing how we get this treatment. And I think that we could definitely use better upgrades than a turf field. That's it. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you, Tucker. and then Cody Kemp. >> Um, my name is Tucker. I'm a junior at Jordan High School and I've been playing for I've been playing baseball for 10 years and I've been at Jordan since I was a freshman. Um, I'm proud to represent our school as a baseball player and I want to share some serious safety concerns about our field, specifically the ones that impact me most as a pitcher. I was a varsity pitcher all last year and

181was a big part in our state run. In the bullpens, there's weeds everywhere, broken equipment, uneven ground, trees growing through the fences, and the visitor side doesn't even have a mound or a back stop. Installing a turf pitching mound in the bullpens, and more importantly on the field, would provide a safe, consistent surface for pitchers to reduce the risk of injury. Um, the purpose of a warning track is to give our outfielders a few steps of warning before hitting the fence. But ours is only about half as wide as it should be and it's often flooded or overgrown which makes it dangerous instead of protective defeating its main purpose. This becomes a major injury hazard and especially when players are sprinting full speed towards the fence. These might sound like small things, but this is

182a direct correlation between field conditions affecting player success. When the field conditions are rough, it's hard to focus on improving. Instead of working on your skills, worried about tripping, slipping, or getting hurt. A safe, well-kept field doesn't just prevent injuries. It help us helps us perform better and take more pride in representing our school. I'm asking the board to please take a closer look at Jordan High School's field condition so the safety comes f first for me, my friends, and all student athletes. >> Okay. Thank you. Now, Cody Kemp and then Tegan Kemp. Hi, I'm Cody Camp. Um, I am a senior at Jordan High School. Um, I transferred to Jordan last year because I heard how great the um the the baseball program was and I've learned so far that it's what everyone talks

183about. Um, I've had a lot of fun and I've been accepted pretty fast. And um the only downside to coming to Jordan was the field. And I've gotten injured many times from ground balls moving in directions you you won't can't tell um because of how uneven it is. And um there's also a huge lip at second base that dips down into the grass. and I've rolled my ankle there a couple times and um it's uneven throughout the whole field and it's it um has hurt my feet many like many times um just running um on in the outfield and also at second base the the dirt doesn't hold water very well and it gets really muddy there and it's doesn't go away for a couple days and uh thank you for your time. >> Thank

184you, Tegan. And then Sarah, I'm going to let you say your last name. >> Oh. Um um I'm Tegan Kemp and uh I'm a freshman for uh Jordan High School. Um I heard of the program through uh just like my dad and then Cody who just spoke and uh I was really excited. Um, well, I'm still excited to be able to play on play there. Um, just the the one downside is just the field. Um, so I'm an outfielder and uh just the grass in general um in the outfield. um you're all you're going for a ball that's just a routine play and all of a sudden it can uh hop up and hit you straight in the face maybe causing you to break a nose or worse. Um and uh I just want to

185and it's super hard to ma maintain. Um even today uh during practice it's overgrown. Um it slows the ball down and make makes it way more difficult to play on that field. Um, and just with turf, it'll cause it'll make it so um we don't have to take the time to mow the grass um every week and it'll just be way easier to um play there. So, um thank you for your time and appreciate you guys. >> Okay, thank you Sarah and then Brock Smith. Um, I first want to say I'm proud of these boys for advocating for um themselves. So, thank you for being here. Uh, my name is Sarah Zman and I'm a proud parent of a Jordan High School baseball player. Tucker with the big hair is um mine. Um, my family

186is not a resident of Canyon School District. One of the main reasons we permit is because of the pride I have in my alma mater, Jordan High School. I wanted my kids to attend dances in the same gym I did and watch and play on the same fields. I dated a couple Jordan baseball players as well back in the day, so I was at the field often. I know what that field can and should look like. I've seen what this program can be at its best. We've always taken pride in our school and our athletes. This baseball program has produced all-star players year after year. In fact, under coach Fe, Jordan has produced 50 to 60 collegiate players in the last 10 years alone. But the current condition of the baseball field doesn't reflect that

187all-star pride. And more importantly, it doesn't provide a safe environment for our students and my son. You just heard him and his peers speak about all the issues they face on the field every day. As a parent sitting in the stands, it's hard to focus on cheering when you're holding your breath, hoping no one twists an ankle on the uneven field or crashes into the fence because the warning track doesn't do its job. The concerns voiced here tonight are not about appearances. It's about safety, responsibility, and preserving a space that should be a source of school spirit and community pride. The high school is approaching 30 years old, and it's time to reinvest in the spaces that directly impact our athletes well-being. The fieldhouse is a great and appreciated start. They can't play their best

188when they're focused on avoiding hazards on the field. A well-maintained field sets a tone of excellence and tells our kids that their effort is valued. Jordan High School baseball players are out there representing their school and your school district with dedication and heart. They deserve a field that's safe and worthy of that effort. I truly hope the board will make that a priority. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you, Brock Smith. And then Jason Maldonado. Um, hi. My name is Brock Smith and I'm a sophomore at Jordan High. Um, I'm here today to advocate for the Jordan baseball field. Um, I chose to play baseball for Jordan High because of the great program and the other boys around me. I also chose to play because of the great culture there. Um, as a first baseman, my

189biggest frustration is the grass and how bumpy it is. Also, where the grass ends at first base is a big drop off to the dirt below where multiple people have gotten injured and especially the first baseman. We also have weeds all over the field and and especially in the infield. Um our opposing bullpen is also covered in weeds and is completely unplayable. Um please consider fixing our field and uh thank you. >> Okay, thank you Jason and then Robin Grass. >> How you guys doing? I'm Jason Maldonado. Uh the reason why I came here is uh you guys all know Kian Hamilton, my son, was killed after a football game at Jordan High School. There is a huge void in lighting at the high school that creates a guaranteed risk. Um, we have so many

190people come watch the football games over there uh when football season's in and we need to address it like it can't wait for two years. It's like something that has to be done. My son already lost his life. I believe there was lighting. Who knows? It could have detourred kids cuz they picked that area to go fight. At the end of the day, if something happens, we need to make sure that cameras can pick up who does who does what. So, we're not having to search cell phones and uh the school knows exactly what what's going on. It's only going to help law enforcement. It's going to help our schools and it's going to help our community feel safe when they come to our school. uh with the shootings that are going on daily now,

191we can't wait for something to happen again before we say, "Hey, let's do something right like this is a problem. It needs to be addressed." I I know you guys know what the fields and all that bringing kids to sports does for our kids, but the lighting is very important for our kids' safety. I guess uh we haven't had an update and I would like if we can if you guys whenever you talk about it if you can update us again through emails I think that was beneficial that will stop us from having to come back here again and repeating everything right if we can just get an update. These shirts are in memory of my son. Um, it's a big deal and we can't just uh think it ain't going to happen again. Things

192are getting worse. They're not getting better. So, uh, we can do our part, right? Um, I think a lot of things uh, money doesn't fall off trees, but before we put any $50 million into the eBay building, it needs to be redirected in the schools that we have here. Um, I'm sure the eBay building would be a great thing, but right now it doesn't seem like it's the best place for our money to go. My taxes go up every year. There's no reason why we can't focus on safety. Let's get our schools safe before we move on. Let's get our schools safe before we go build an eBay building. We don't even know if it's going to work. That's a it's a good thought, but right now this work on our school safety. Thank you

193guys. >> Okay, thank you Robin Grass then Laura Anderson. My name is Robin Grass and I'm a parent of three students at Parklane Elementary and I know there's currently a traffic analysis study happening around Parklane and Granite Elementary School as part of the boundary study and I was just curious if winter road conditions are being considered in this study. Um, some parents I've talked to at Parklane have spoken to people who work for the city that say some of the roads have higher priority than other roads when it comes to plowing and if those who are doing the study are looking into when certain roads would be plowed and how that might affect late start or snow days and also how the canyon traffic might impact um parents and the extra buses if they're going

194to Granite Elementary School getting to the school um the ski traffic that often backs up the roads. So, just curious if that's included in the traffic analysis study and if it's not, I think it should be something that is included. Thank you. >> Okay, thank you. Um, next is Laura Anderson and then Evan Anderson. >> Hi, I'm Laura Anderson and I have two kids soon to be three at Willow Canyon. You know that other school that's also severely being affected and never being talked about, that's us. Um, but the writing is on the wall and seems very clear that the absolute best thing you could do to our area is to split Park Lane, send half to Granite and half to us, the ECC unit stays. And we create two thriving communities instead of one

195that's thriving with 600 students and leaving Willow Canyon for death. That's exactly how it feels to us. And in a few short years, you're going to build a mega school and move us all there anyway. And it sounds like you're using park lanes for that. It just doesn't sound like it's the best idea. This would also create a walkable community for the most people who come to Willow Canyon from Parklane would be able to walk. They'd also be able to walk to Granite. And we know that is very important to the Parkland community. Um we've been told that this was the most logical and the first thing that was brought to the board, but it never made it off the table because of a very um adamant member who did not want that proposal. When

196tons of people see that is the best solution. So we ask that you look at that. But let me just remind you, your website has four purposes in doing this. None of them meet Willow Canyon's needs. To keep classes size small and maintain access to academic opportunities. When enrollment drops too low to particular school, it becomes harder to offer the full range of academic programs, extracurricular activities, and services that families expect and students deserve. So, everybody else deserves that acceptable canyon. Got it. Number two, the goal is to have enough students at each school, preferably three to four classes to optimize class sizes and give parents choice of class assignments and programs. Again, for everybody except Willow Canyon, we get to got it. Um, the goal of the study is to take thoughtful and forward-looking

197steps to addressing population shifts before they create unintended equity issues. But created already has happened. If you're taking 600 to Granite Park Lane and leaving us with 300, you created that inequity for us. Thanks for nothing actually. Um and Kenyons is committed to being a good steward of public relations and um using taxpayers money properly, building the multif million dollar school. It would be completely unnecessary if we had two thriving schools that could fluctuate up and down. So I just want to say please remember us as Willow Canyon. Making us a magnet school is not going to work. That takes years to get brought to fruition. And as Leon is going to present in a little bit, having 12 teachers is not the goal yet. That's where you have left us. So, please remember us

198and everybody here, please remember us. We're great. We want you all to come with us. We'll accept anybody. So, thank you. [Applause] >> Okay. Evan Anderson and then Julia Sorenson. My name is Evan Anderson and I am a student at Willow Canyon Elementary. I am in fifth grade and I have been learning how to write persuasive essays. I'd like to read one of my essays to you tonight. First of all, I heard my mom talking about how they are dividing the students in our area. She said that there are about 300 students at Willow Canyon and three and 300 students at Park Lane and 300 students at Granite Elementary. I know that they have been talking about closing one of our schools in our area. It looks like we're about to we're there are about

199900 students who need to be divided into two schools. 900 divided by two equals 450. However, I heard that the board thinks that the best way to split 900 students into two is giving one school 600 students and leaving our school with 300. This is not fair for three reasons. Number one, Willow Canyon has been ranked in the top 10 schools for the past several years. We are currently rated number seven out of all the schools in Utah. It's the only school in Canyons that is in the top 10. Number two, having more students give gives me and my friends the opportunity to make more friends. It it also gives us more teachers at our at the school so we can get to know more people and learn different things. Number three, if our school

200gets too small, we will have to close. Oh, anyway, my friends and I have been worried all year hearing that our school might might close. I don't want my siblings to have to have this same worry for the next several years. In conclusion, Willow Canyon is the greatest elementary in the world. I want as many other kids to be able to have the same great experience that I have at Willow Canyon. Thank you. [Applause] >> Thank you. So, right now is Julia and then Jeff with starting with an F. I'm not even going to attempt that last name. >> Sorry, that persuasive essay is going to be very hard to follow. Um, I should go back to fifth grade, but my name is Julia Sorenson and I currently still have students at Brighton High School,

201Albia Middle School, and two in fourth grade at Granite Elementary. We love all three schools. I would first like to address the discussion regarding possible changes to our feeder boundaries. There has been talk of shifting our area to Eastmon and Jordan, which would be an untenable situ solution. Our neighborhood has attended Bright Alban and Brighton for more than 50 years. They are an integral part of our community and are also significantly closer to us geographically. I understand there are enrollment challenges at both Eastmon and Jordan. However, moving a small number of students from Tiny Granite Elementary will not solve these these issues. Currently, 186 students are permitting out of Eastmont and 459 out of Jordan. Efforts should focus on bringing those students back and making those schools more attractive for families to permit into. things

202like fixing Jordan's baseball field rather than redrawing boundaries that disrupt long-standing community connections and make our families travel two to three times further. In that same vein, I would like to express my opposition to the proposed Granite Parklane combination. A significant number of Parklane students already permit into Albian, and that number will likely increase if the two schools are combined. A much better move would be to combine Park Lane with Willow Canyon and create a stronger elementary school feeder for Eastmont. Granite could be combined under with underenrolled Quail Hollow so our students are in a better sol are in a better situation going into Albian. Please prioritize keeping our feeder schools aligned. Thank you. >> Okay, thank you Jeff and then Tristan Farington. Jeff Frick. I'm a proud parent of two Parklane Panthers. Um here

203today to support keeping Park Lane um open as the host school. Um I also recognize the difficult decision the board is facing. Both communities are deeply passionate about their schools and regardless of the outcome will need to come together afterwards. Um I can accept any decision that's supported by logical, datadriven and unbiased explanation. That said, I believe uh you should keep Park Lane open for several reasons. Um first, a growing uh population of students, influx of new families, evident by our in increased uh kindergarten enrollment, and this trend is likely to continue as the homes in our neighborhoods remain more affordable than those further east. I also have a we also have a strong PTA and exceptional community involvement. um our families show up, volunteer and fund raise and we will welcome um the combination

204of granite uh with open arms when um our location I think is another advantage. Um secluded, safe and away from busy streets. Um safer to walk, safer for drop off and pickup and easier to walk to. Um also just want to speak a little on the um the feeder patterns. Um, research consistently shows that schools are more desirable when students experience stability, belonging, and continuity in their peer groups. When elementary schools are split up multiple to multiple junior highs, those relationships are disrupted, weakening school culture and increasing transfer requests. If the true district truly wants to strengthen East and Jordan, the focus should be on creating continuity in academic, social connections, and geography so families feel confident choosing and staying within their boundary schools. not here to fight against any other communities. Um heard a

205lot of great things tonight, a lot of passion um from all directions. Um just want uh to stand up for responsible data driven decision- making and um you know ultimately after being here kind of if there's any way to keep them all keep us both open that would be best. Thanks. >> Okay. Thank you Tristan. Hi, my name is Tristan Fairington and I am a proud parking panther. I grew up in these boundaries. I walked to school every day, rain, shine, or snow. I went to Eastmont for middle school and graduated as a proud Beat Digger at Jordan High School. I married my husband, also a former Parkling Panther, and we moved back to this area, um, this amazing community, to build our family. We now have five children, ages five and under, all of

206which we have intended to send to Parklane starting next year. And I know we are not the only families like this out there. Parklane is a school that families come back to. This is a community that families want to be a part of and will continue to grow as a result. Not only that, but Parklane is a school that teachers come to and stay. Teachers like Miss Rasen, who was my second grade teacher 25 years ago, and my husband's second grade teacher 27 years ago, only just retired in 2020. Other teachers like Miss Johnson, Mrs. Bowman, Miss Barney, and our beloved Mrs. Homer. teachers who were at Parklane when I attended all stayed well over a decade plus and most until they retired. But that's not just with the general education teachers that come and

207stay at Parklane. In the ACC sped program, four out of the five teachers have been at Parklane from six years all the way up to 18 and still counting, providing a low teacher turnover rate and better stability for students. Parklane isn't just a school. It's a true community. one that can provide the stability necessary for not just students with special educ in the within the special education programs but also for the general education classrooms as well. It is a community where families come back to and teachers come to stay. So please help us not just keep our community together but welcome even more even more with the students and families from Granite. Thank you so much for your time. Okay, that ends our patron comment time and I want to thank everyone for being here

208and this um is really important for us to hear from you and is part of the process and it will help us make better decisions. So, thank you. Um we're going to now go on to item eight, which is the consent agenda. So, I will now take a motion and please read every item individually. >> I move to approve the consent agenda. Item A, approval of minutes for October 7th, 2025. Item B, approval of hire and termination reports. Item C, approval of purchasing bids. Item D, approval of September financial reports. Item E, approval of land trust TSSP amendment for Midell Elementary. Item F, approval of land trust TSSP amendment for Draper Park Middle. Item G, approval of land trust TSSP amendment for Granite Elementary. >> Okay. Thank you. Is there a second to that motion?

209>> I'll second that. >> Okay. Thank you. Is there any discussion to the motion? Okay. I will now call for a vote. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Okay. That motion passes unanimously. We're now on to um item nine, new business and long range planning committee proposal regarding school boundaries and school consolidations and closures update. And Leon Wilcox, business administrator, will present this. Thank you, President Schill, and thank you, Derek, for putting up that presentation. I know he's still sporting his Utah colors even after Saturday night. Uh, as you know, we had our two of our uh public hearings last week, one at Granite, one at Bella of Vista. Those presentations are out on our diligent if people would like to go see those. uh not so not going to really

210recap anything that happened there in the presentations, but just give a quick couple quick highlights as we're in the middle of these public hearings. Again, this presentation is going to be quite short. Just a really quick update here. Oops. Is that going? >> I'm gonna grab one. >> I uh what we you know we've been experiencing this uh elementary decline for quite some time. So what you know we've last since we've been in this process we've pretty much just put up the last seven years from n 2019 to 2020. So but I wanted to go back and just show where we were starting in 20134. That's a key year for us because that is the year of the grade reconfiguration where sixth graders moved up to middle schools ninth graders up to high schools. And

211so you can see where our bound our enrollment was that first year of the reconfiguration just under 155 dropped down about 100 students and came up about 60 70 students but then starting a gradual decrease that has just gotten greater and greater over time uh to the point where we're about uh students this year and you can see our projectors that we've shown uh several meetings going out. We expect those to continue to decline. We know birth rate housing prices. We won't go into everything there, but in your folder and out on diligent, I put this sheet. It's also we put it out there at the public hearings. We went over this by schools a little bit last time. I'm not going to do that, but I just wanted to go on the the back

212page, if you will, page two, just to show you where our our numbers are looking at are looking. You know, we're about 1,800 kindergarteners right now. You know, uh that's down about 150 from a year ago. Again, all those reasons why CO now starts to play a role into it and impacts there. Uh you can see where our you know our grade 1 2 and three you know they're around 22 2300 but you compare those to the grade 12 you know 9th 10th 11th graders that are up there in the 27 to 2900 range you know you're looking at six 700 per you know students less and you know as they start progressing through the system there. So also I like to look at the bottom box and that is comparing advancing by grade. So

213you know I compare last year's kindergarteners to this year's first graders, last year's first graders to this year's second graders. You can see, you know, we did go up. So we got about 41 more, I would say, coming back, you know, uh who are now in first grade who were not in kindergarten last year. And you can see those numbers going down. We always have a big big jump in uh in from uh eighth graders to ninth graders because that's down in uh mainly in Draper with the two charter schools there, Channing and Summit Hall stopping at eth grade and then they come the students go to Corner Canyon. That's been a longstanding trend there. So just to put that out there of you know where we see our trends going with our enrollments as

214well. Uh as as has been mentioned, you know, one of the processes that we look at is maintaining that optimal school size. You know, we've always said we want at least three grades per three classes per grade, preferably four. If you had three, you'd have roughly 425 students, but it could go from 400 to 450 in that range. And we look at, you know, that would be 18 teachers. And you know, we want to balance class sizes. That gives us a better opportunity to do that. offer some special programs programs whether it be choir, art, STEM or more, you know, brain booster offerings as well as more uh support services. And you can see those schools off to the the right there where we have less than 18 teachers. These would be our general ed

215teachers. This to not count those who work in our units. Uh and you can see those with an asterisk there. we are supplementing because they are you know with some district funds out of our cushion uh to you know try to keep the class sizes more manageable there. So, and we do know that some schools do use their TSSP funds to fund some teachers as well, but you know, that's actually dropping because, you know, just because they don't have as many students and so it's harder for them to fill, you know, to use those funds for FTEES where they want to use them for, you know, uh, intervention services. So, you can see that's the issue there with schools. That's why we don't feel like this is just a one-time issue, but it's an ongoing

216issue that we have to look at at this process going forward. Uh, as I said, we've had our well, I'll just hit to that uh where we've, you know, started this process with our independent demar stud demographic study, but again, it goes back beyond that because we saw this decreasing enrollment coming. you can see the meetings and the and the that we've had with our meeting with also our faculty and our SEC's PTAs. Uh just update on the special program placements. Our special ed department still working on that. We are looking at move having an ABS unit in the south part of the district. Not sure exactly what school. Right now our two ABS units feed into Mount Jordan and then into East M. So we into the same high school feeder. So we're looking

217to break those up. We'll still keep one in that feeder, but you know, probably start two more, maybe one on the north side as well. We're also looking at the preschool placements, looking at maybe Altera because that seems to be a lot of the area where we're getting the preschool applications from. And then uh this is the last slide but again we appreciate all those who attended the two hearings last week. You can see those numbers there numbers of comments we've got in the email on the portal. Uh again just to remind that next of course with fall break this week we will not have any hearings but next a week from today at uh Park Lane our uh we'll start at 6 with our open house then at 6:30 with the hearing itself. Then

218two nights later on the 30th, we'll be here for all those other boundaries, not any school closure, but all those other half a dozen or so other school boundary recommendations that we have out there. And so we'll have that public hearing here that night. And then you can also see our upcoming board meetings as we look to see where we want to go with the process. So that's all I have. Again, pretty short tonight, but uh any questions or comments? >> Okay, board. Are there any questions or comments? Um, Mrs. Nyar. >> Um, first off, I really appreciate all the community members that came out to theformational meetings and spoke. I especially really um was touched by uh some kids comments. uh thought it was pretty amazing and I think that just goes to show

219what a wonderful job um parents and teachers are doing to help these kids become uh community leaders and articulate. I was I was pretty um I just I was so impressed and and excited for every child that came up and spoke. I was very um also I just want to give my heartfelt thank you to all the teachers the teachers that have come to the meetings to give input. I recognize I see you I hear you. I think it is amazing what's happening at that ACC um class in Parklane where they are closing the gap. I was very moved by the comments about the EC. Uh in your slides we talked about how we're going to be getting input from our special ed department. That's something I'm very um excited to have that uh given

220to us. I think that input input's just crucial and that we're providing good pathways for those children, our most vulnerable population, that we have a good plan moving forward in a good five-year plan. Um I appreciate all the parents that have come and spoke as well. Thank you so much. I feel um very again um I what's the word I'm trying to look for? I um it's exciting to hear how much you love your schools. It's exciting to hear what a community we've built. That is awesome. And um there's some things that have really resonated with me. I've taken a lot of notes. Um, one is, um, a strong desire to make sure that feeder patterns are clean. Uh, growing up, I grew up in the Granite School District and I was one of those

221schools that our middle school actually went to like three different high schools and that was pretty difficult. So, um, in fact, I remember my sophomore year, it was sophomores that went into high school. My sophomore year, anyone who ran for student government from my middle school did not get in because we did not have enough people that even knew who we were. So, it was a very small population. But then by the next year, um these kids were able to be elected because, you know, people got to know us. But it's hard to go and be the minority into a high school. Um especially when you go into kind of that little fish, big pond mentality. So, I think it's a great idea to look at um with the elementary school trying to make sure

222that those patterns, those feeder patterns are clean and as much as we can with the middle school. I know that um all our board members are cognizant of this as well. I want to give a big thank you to the long range planning committee. You have worked tirelessly. Um I've called with questions. You've answered my questions. We've talked a lot and I really appreciate all of your diligence. Um I funny there was a mom that just spoke about uh Willow Canyon and Park Lane and Granite and Quail Hollow. So obviously I I'm I I don't serve on the long range planning committee. So, I'm not privy to all of the um everything that they they look through and I know that they're all researchers and they've they're in it to their elbows, but that is

223something I looked at today. Um I think that when we look at even that last slide about how many teachers uh the schools that need the most support probably to sustain programs and population are Park Lane, Bella Vista, Willow Canyon, Granite, and Sprucewood. So I think um as we move forward, I hope that I it resonated with me that mom that was here from Willow Canyon like don't forget us. I think that um I I look forward to looking at um taking a um taking this one step at a time and keep exploring and keep researching. Another comment we heard a lot that I wrote down is can we slow down the process a little bit. I'm not saying we can or we can't, but I think that that's something we need to look at.

224I appreciate that demographic study that was done. There was some parents that were suggesting could we have another one done that might be something we want to explore um simply because I think we are in a little bit of a changing market and and you know that was done a few years ago and um I think we can't be too careful with this um process going forward. I know everyone thinks the same thing, but I just wanted to share my thoughts on it and um look forward to coming up with solutions where we partner with parents and families and your communities to get to something everyone can live with and try to keep kids together as much as possible and especially those vulnerable populations to be able to stay with their their gened kids as

225much as possible. So that's it. >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Edel. >> So, I want to thank all the parents who have spoken tonight, but also uh at our two public hearings. Uh what I heard for two and a half hours at our public hearings was how amazing your schools are. Uh and I mean, no better hard thing to hear, right, than how much people love their schools. Uh and then I do want to say for for those who have put forward ideas, suggestions, hey, have you looked at this? Um I am when when you put those forward. Uh so I want you to know that that you are heard. It's it's really hard because how this process works generally doesn't have a lot of two-way dialogue. So you you send the information and then

226it kind of goes into a void. I want you to know that it's not a void. Um, and I also know that my fellow board members are also looking and also discussing. Um, and I wish I could share just like all of my thoughts with you, not just tell you what I'm thinking. I I could just take my thoughts and give it to you so that so that you could understand. Um, and maybe in the future that'll be possible. But for today, I just want you to know that we are listening. We are looking at things um and working to make the best decision that we can. So, I do appreciate the input that everyone is providing because I think it's been invaluable. I also want to compliment the very civil discord that um that

227people have had. uh for the the vast majority of people, you guys have been just the most amazing, fantastic, nice people out there. Um especially with something that's so difficult and so emotional. Uh and then for those who have been less than civil, especially when targeting kids um or uh targeting others with kind of pettiness, you know who you are, that needs to stop. uh it has no place in this civil discourse and um you should really kind of take a look around you because because the rest of your peers are are being really fantastic people. Um, so the last thing I want to mention to uh colleague just referenced it and it's been referenced a couple other times is uh the importance of feeder integrities and whole system health. Uh I know that I've

228had some angry looks at me about when I discuss the whole system health. Um but know that the whole of the system is important. um the district is big, but that doesn't mean that um that it can absorb anything that happens to it, right? Uh and that's a a bigger broader discussion that I'm happy to have with anyone and I've had with a number of people. Um but just know as well that that's one of my priorities and something that we look at um is is whole system health. And while I understand that most people don't look that far, um, and that's not a critique. That's how it is in life, right? Um, just like I don't look at the whole state's um, educational system and how that's going. I look at canyons, right? Um,

229when I was a parent um, and our schools were merging and I looked at at my own community in my own school. Um, but that is a consideration that that we as a board have to take. Um, and so sometimes too when we're going in certain directions, it may not make sense. Um but oftentimes that's because of the whole system health and I think each and every one of us would be happy to discuss that um as well. But again, thank you so much for your continued input. Um this this might sound crazy. I actually am looking forward to the next hearings um because uh each of them has produced some really great information and I actually do have notes on every single um person who has who has provided comments. um whether it's the

230people tonight or whether it's um Lai at the granite meeting um or uh at the Bella Vista meeting we have um Rachel who's going to be president in the future. Uh so I I really appreciate you. >> Okay, thank you. Um Mrs. Person and Mrs. Dolly >> push the button. Um, I just wanted to mention that we can't really tell you any updates and progress until we've heard all the input. We have two more input meetings. Then we meet the very next day on Halloween. Trick-or- treat. Uh, we we are going to meet and then we lay out all the possibilities in the committee and then we debate back and forth all the facts and supportive information that you have given. Um, both the pros and the cons. Um and then we can we are

231tentatively planning on if we can narrow it down to what we really what we think will be the ultimate best situation for the district uh and for our students and for our teachers and communities. um it won't match everybody's expectations, but we're um tenatively planning on November 11th being able to tell you our conclusions of your input. Does that make sense? It I don't know if that's going to be a final decision, but we can tell you where we're at. It's preemptive to say much now because we need to give that opportunity to all the communities so that they all have an opportunity to share what they what they feel and we have had some very excellent excellent ideas put forth and we appreciate your giving your reasoning for that. It's it's been super helpful.

232We've had a lot of discussions. And so when we finish with these next two, then literally the very next day, we're going to meet as an entire committee, not just a little mini one, but an entire committee and and hash that out. You know, what are the pros? What are the cons? So, we really can't tell you much until November as far as conclusions. What are we learning? What are we thinking? Where are we leaning? Because what we say today may change and should. to be very honest, everything we're hearing, one night you're leaning one way, one night you're another way. You know what I mean? It needs to be weighed and balanced fairly for everyone. So, I appreciate that you come out and give us this information. I appreciate the support that we've had

233at our open meetings. Um, some of you we've heard from a couple times and I appreciate that because that reaffirms how important that information is for you. Um, we've had emails and all those facts have really come in and we're listing them down. So, I think we're getting pretty close to being solid on the opinions one way or the other, but we're not done. Who knows, someone may come up with this uh idea or a point of view that we have not heard yet. So, thank you. This was the part that you really wanted, which is public input, and we appreciate it because we have never claimed to be the experts. We really aren't. We just have to be the coordinators. Somebody's got to do it, right? Somebody has to. So, we appreciate you. So,

234I just wanted to let you know that that's kind of where we're at right now. And that very soon, next month, which is only two weeks away, which is so sad to think. Already we're in November. Can you believe that? We're practically at Halloween and then we're in November. Um that then we'll do that. If we tell you in November, then we still have another month to to to refine. Does that make sense? So, you'll still have time for input. Okay? So, I just wanted to share that with you um as a member of that committee. Um kind of where we're going as far as that goes and and how much we appreciate the input that you've been giving us. It's been very very helpful, very useful. Thank you. >> Okay. I I just want

235to clarify one thing. When Karen is saying the committee's meeting, it's the long range planning committee. So, it's not the board, it's not all of us, it's just a portion of us with a bunch of administrators anyway. So, when you see us discuss, it's board meeting like Yeah. So, >> see, they won't hear it as a whole board until the 11th. >> Yes. >> They won't they won't hear it either until the 11th. Does that make sense? Thank you for clarifying. I meant the committee. I'm just so we because we're on >> they just kept saying committee and I want to make sure >> I know I'm on the committee. So anyway, they don't the whole board doesn't necessarily hear all of the debate because we have to narrow it down so it doesn't turn

236into a two and a half hour meeting telling them. So anyway, >> okay, thank you Mrs. Dolly. >> Thank you. Thank you for being here tonight and for being at our open houses and our other previous board meetings. We appreciate you being engaged in this process and helping us make better decisions based on the feedback you're providing. You've built amazing school communities and that shows by your engagement and that helps our students to be successful and you know as we've as we've talked about all these schools are top schools in our state because of our amazing teachers and families that um support our teachers in what they're doing. We want you to know we don't take this process lightly. We know you have these amazing communities, but we want these amazing communities to continue long

237into the future. And in this declining school enrollment environment, we have to combine schools so they can maintain these healthy communities and healthy school populations. There was a recent NPR podcast talking about this is a this is actually a nationwide issue of closing schools and they talk about these schools going into a death spiral. As the number of students decrease, you have fewer programs, you have fewer supports, more students leave. It just continues to create an even worse problem. And so we're trying to uh be a little bit proactive in that process and and continue to maintain strong schools uh throughout the future and for many years to come. Even just this last year in the district, we've lost over 500 elementary schools from 500 elementary students from last year to th this year. That's

238an entire school, elementary school of students that we have lost in one year. This is the this is the real situation that we're in and that we're seeing across the district. These schools that we're looking at are some of the more hardest hit ones currently. And this so this is a going to be an ongoing process for a couple of years as we've talked about. This this is just round one. So as we're looking at stuff, we also are looking at the long range. How do the changes we make now impact, you know, going down to seven years so that we're not moving kids again and again? We've heard about this needing to have that consistency and that stability. So we're really trying to take all those into play. And so maybe something doesn't make

239sense this first round and it will come out, you know, make sense as we as things go further down, but we can't announce plans for the later rounds until we actually open the study for those areas and really start diving into the data for those specific areas. But just know that all of your feedback is received. Those 585 emails and portal messages, we are reading every single one of them. We may may not be able to respond individually to all of them, but we are reading them. All of the proposals that have come up, particularly for this uh Lone Peak, Granite, Park Lane, Whirl Canyon area that we're looking at, every single one of those proposals, I have written all of those proposals down that people have come to and we're looking at the pros

240and cons of all of those options. So, we're hearing you, we're listening to you, and we're taking those things into account. I want to say I'm uh particularly impressed with the students that have uh stood up to present their comments, not only tonight, but in some of our open houses. That's a scary thing for a fifth grader to stand up and to share and to speak in front of a a board of scary adults. Uh so I'm super impressed for them to to stand up and to speak, particularly those that are speaking on behalf of their EEC buddies that don't have a voice and to share the voice that that they would want them to have and that they feel they have. So, thank you and thank you for being here. >> Okay. Thank you.

241Um, I would just like to add that we really do read your emails and I personally have learned a lot from these hearings and even from what you guys have said in board meeting. Um, there's some things I think that we didn't even think about. So anyway, it really is important and we do value you guys um sending us emails and I I do read them all and I will tell you if you don't have an answer yet, we're working on it. It's I mean it's like hundreds of emails you guys and you know I spend hours every day on it. So eventually you will get an answer back. Don't don't fret. And if you don't send another one anyway. Um, but I am working on that and I just really appreciate how respectful everyone

242is and um, it's it's really not an easy situation and believe me, we we wish we weren't in this situation. Um, but we really feel like we need to do this and do what's best for students and teachers and um, for our schools. and all of our schools are amazing and um we all do love hearing how much you guys love your schools and um we will do our best in this situation. It's it's really hard but we will do our best um and it's all it's all part of the process. So just continue with your advocacy and giving us your ideas because it's really helpful. Okay, I think oh Jackson Mr. Lewis would like to say something. >> Uh just something real quick to add. Uh just to kind of bounce off what the

243other board members have said, we really really are taking every piece of information into consideration here. We are receiving hundreds if not I mean look up there. Bella Vista had 225 attendees. Granite almost 400 and almost uh 600 online questions. The amount of emails we're receiving is very comparable. If you haven't received a response, just know that your email has been read. trust and believe we have read your emails. We I have a notebook in here that I've already I've already finished a notebook from this uh boundary study and I'm on a second notebook full of notes. Um and we truly do need your partnership here on this board. We can only make a decision in order for that decision to work for your kids. We need your input and your information. Uh we require

244your input. No decision that can be made here is going to be good unless we have the input from the teachers that are teaching the EEC and the ACC program. No decision that we're going to make is going to work for these kids, unless we hear directly from them because they're the people that are going to be impacted by this decision. So, please, please, please keep showing up to these board meetings. your voices, your your your opinions are incredibly valuable and no decision is going to be made without those opinions at the center of our decision. So, please, please, please just keep showing up. I know that there at some points it can feel like you're speaking to a brick wall. You are not there. Like Karen said, there is she Karen is completely right

245uh in that every meeting and hearing we we leave, we have a different perspective, a different idea in mind. Every night changes are our our opinions. So please, no set decision has been made. No decision will be made for a good long time. Keep getting your information out there over and over and over again until you feel like until you're seeing our conversations change based on what you have given to us. So please please don't stop interacting with us. >> Okay, thank you. Um I think that is the end of new business and we can move on to staff comments and we'll start with Superintendent Robbins. >> Thank you, President. Uh just to echo everything that's been said and thank everybody for being here tonight and hope everybody has a great rest of their evening.

246>> Okay. Thank you. Um Mr. Wilcox, business administrator report. >> Yeah, thank you again, President Shill. Just a couple things. Appreciate all the I think most of them have gone, but uh all the Jordan High uh baseball team and players that came. We were looking at a a two-year plan. wanted to do uh something this upcoming season. You know, obviously winter coming upon us. It's going to and then baseball actually starts early March. So, that's hard, you know, to get much done. But looking at widing, we've heard about the uh warning track. It is an issue. Warning track should be 16 feet. This is only eight. So, it's looking to expand that. And then we also heard some things about the infield about sprinklers and looking to adjust those as well. Uh the second year

247would probably be a a turf an overhaul of the whole thing with a turf field. Uh it would be turf on the infield, but then we'd make a uh improve the outfield as well. So it wouldn't be a whole turf, but just in the infield. So that's where we're looking at long term over the next two years with that. So, uh, we'll try to keep, you know, uh, Kelsey and the team informed of that. Uh, also just want to thank all our insurance department and all our employees open enrollment. Uh, getting some 2,800 people to complete their online open enrollment. Appreciated that. And also our it is they're going through our new software update called Q. Uh, so it's a whole new system coming online uh, starting next week with us. So we're actually in

248a holding pattern where we're without a financial system for two weeks as we transition over in this process. But appreciate everybody's work with that. So that's all I have for tonight. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. We'll now have board comments and we'll start with Mrs. Nybar. >> Okay. I wanted to spend my closing comments also addressing um Jordan High School even though they're not here. Uh, I'm u very much in favor of those improvements for the field. I think it's super important to invest in our high schools and our athletes. And I really hate to hear about uh athlete injuries um with our students. And uh I also would love to see what we can do. um possibly talk to the principal about any money um possibly the principal can reserve um out of

249their equipment budget and then pair some with ours maybe from our capital funds budget to go ahead and get lights as well. I'd be really in favor of that and would love to make sure that Jordan feels very supported and um and um I I probably the very best part of my week was going to those community input meetings. Uh had a special experience of meeting that cute girl and I can't remember her name. Was it Rachel? It was Rachel. Okay. Um, I had to leave a little early. I had to go pick up my seven-year-old and um, she came and and met me and gave me a copy of her speech and I was so excited. Um, got a picture with her. And as I was walking out, I thought, she looked so familiar.

250Why do I know her? And then I realized that she was our previous assistant superintendent's granddaughter. Bob Dole's granddaughter. >> Molly. I thought it was Molly because Rachel was the one that spoke without the speech. Rachel was Bella Vista and she spoke without a script at all. She had it all memorized. That was Rachel. Molly is the one. Anyway, she's darling. I remember meeting her at his retirement party. I just I was very touched with what she said and I was really excited about every child that came and spoke. What an amazing group of kids. So that's it. Thanks. >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Lewis. Uh, I've already said most of what I wanted to say tonight. Um, I will just say, uh, this last week I had the opportunity, as well as most of

251the board did, uh, to attend the Apex, uh, award night. And I want to give a special shout out to Charlotte Graham at East Midville uh, elementary who has served in that school for 47 years. That's way longer than I've been alive. And I think that is a truly incredible thing. I I I've gotten to know Charlotte over the last year uh on the board and she is one of the most incredible people I've ever met. She is just a light in our community and she won an award this weekend from our district. Uh and it could not be more deserved. I also wanted to mention uh just more people uh Trevan, our amazing lunch volunteer, Nancy, our former board president. Uh Troy Walker, the mayor of Draper, just some incredible people that were honored

252this last week. Every year, Canyons does an incredible honoring of our community, our staff, our people who support us. And uh we just have I'm uh I'm grateful for the community that Canyons has. Uh it's been very evident tonight that we have a very strong community that cares deeply about their uh about their schools, about their kids' educations. And from last week, it's even more evident that that's extremely true. So, thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Edel. Uh Leon, I appreciate the update on the Jordan baseball field and uh I do want to echo as well my support for lighting. I think lighting is not only important for uh safety and security, but it's the fields and and and the school is a community space and I think that lighting helps uh to continue to

253promote and foster that community space. Um, as all of our schools are community spaces and should continue to be so, uh, it's as as we've heard so many positive things about our schools. Um, we really do have truly truly amazing schools. Uh, and I'm so excited about that. Uh, and then I've talked a lot, so I'll be done. >> Okay. Thank you, Mrs. Dolly. >> Thank you. to uh piggyback on Mr. Lewis's comments about Apex award. I also want to call out our Canyons District Foundation that I get to help serve on that they were uh acknowledged in the Apex Awards also. Denise Hock who's the executive director of the Canyons Foundation and then Dan Jorgensson who is a Jordan alum and has been a longtime member of the foundation and has also donated hundreds

254of thousands of dollars to Jordan High School. um they were recognized with Apex awards and we're thankful to our foundation and all the work that they do. Um many community partners serve on that foundation and help raise money for our schools. In fact, next week we're going to go out and deliver $80,000 in grants to teachers. Um so it's amazing and we're grateful for the support of our foundation. We have awesome students in Canyon's district and this last week was just reaffirmed that. Um this morning Amber and I were able to do some interviews with Brighton High students and to just see, you know, the great kids they are and the the goals they have for the future. And then last week was able to participate in our student advisory council where we have uh

255high school kids from each of our high schools in the district come in and we have discussions and we bring things to them for their feedback. been always amazed at their maturity and their knowledge and their critical thinking and the great feedback that they they provide us to help us make better decisions uh for them as students. Thank you. Oh, sorry, one last thing. Call out h uh principles month. Thank you to all of our principles and administrators in the district for all that they do. >> Okay, Mrs. Peterson, >> a lot of you have already said some of the really high great highlights that um I had on my list as well. Um I love the fact that each year that we're able to go to the Apex award night. I don't know if

256you know that Apex the word itself um is highest, right? The peak and this is the highest award that we can give anyone who serves in our district. And it's very difficult to decide each year who deserves that highest of awards. I wish we could line everybody up and give them an award every year because we have such fantastic leadership and educators and support systems for our students. Um, an example of that would be as was mentioned in our recognitions um that the school bus drivers or that um oh I have their names written down but I didn't put it on this paper. Anyway, the preventive maintenance that they're doing and how much money they're saving that that's that's and that's on their decision. That wasn't mandated, that wasn't requested, that wasn't required. That's one

257of the qualities that I really enjoy um experiencing and helping to develop in Canyon's district that employees are empowered to be able to make decisions on their own on how can they contribute and make a difference in our district. That is what we need is we need independence and trust that they're going to be able to do the do their job to their highest ability. So, I'm I'm just so impressed um what that they had done that on their own. Um, I'm always excited when theater season's opening up, so I'll probably be at all of the all of the performances. My grandkids actually fight who gets to go with grandma um each each time I go. Um, my husband gives that spot up. He says he knows the grandkids really really enjoy that. Um, and

258then my last uh comment because I'd already commented about the boundary stuff is um I want the baseball community and all the sports in our district but particularly since Jordan's came out. We have heard them and we have, as you can tell, plans. I wish things would go faster than they do, but it's kind of like driving the Titanic and seeing that that iceberg of a baseball fi field sitting there and being able to turn that boat so that we can get avoid avoid um a collision and be able to repair that before it becomes a you know a bad situation. Unfortunately, we're a Titanic, so it takes just a teeny bit longer to get things in place. But we have heard the community and we are all as a board I I'm pretty sure

259I can speak for the board saying that we all support getting improvements for our baseball teams and we do that for all of our schools. We look at what's the safety needs, what are the concerns, what are the developments and we try very hard to a lot what we can each year to help maintain the the quality of our facilities. So, I I just appreciate just even being a I know this sounds funny, but I I appreciate being on the board. This has been a really great growing experience um over the past couple years and to be able to rub shoulders with you and to hear you and to enjoy learning with you about difficult things in the district and knowing that you're part of the system. It's not just us, it's all of us.

260It's a it's a community. So, uh I so much enjoy being a part of that. I don't necessarily love two and a half hour meetings, but you know, if that's what it takes, that's what it takes, right? Um I re I really I really do appreciate um all that you guys have done as a community. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. So, um, I just want to add my support for Jordan and, um, I really appreciate Leon working on this and I think the lighting will be great. And of course, just kind of like what Karen said, I mean, we do have a budget and we've already allocated our capital money. So, we don't have a lot of money we can put towards it this year, but um but anyway, we have made significant investments

261in Jordan because we do um we do value that school and we want um those students to be proud of their school. So, I'm grateful that we're going to be able to do something there. and we can we make sure that we communicate that to the principal to the baseball coach that he makes sure to tell also the parents and I know we do really like it when students come and speak to us. So that was great to have their team here but but they don't need to keep coming because we're doing we're doing what we can. So, um, also board, it is principles month and I was wondering, Jeff kind of mentioned it in recognitions, but are we are you guys all in favor of doing like a gift to our principles from the

262board? Jeff, do you Oh, Jeff is coming up. He maybe has some ideas. He was going to think of some ideas. >> I was waiting for guidance from President Schill. We brainstormed a little bit today. If you recall, in February, we worked with the board to put together some Valentine's for our principles. So, for the National Principles Month, we were thinking of doing something similar where the board and the administration could deliver a gift special to each one of our principles. Uh, we've got some fun things lined up with the superhero theme. >> Okay. >> Great. I think Yeah, that would be great, Jeff. And then maybe um >> Oh, [Laughter] uh >> oh. Okay, that's great. So maybe if you can just let the board know and then if we want to deliver them

263ourselves, we could do that if we have time. So that would be great. Okay, I think that is all and thank you again all for being here and I will now call the meeting to a close. Thank you.