Note: Recordings and documents for agenda items can be accessed via BoardDocs by clicking on the corresponding agenda items.

Budget Approved

Following a public hearing, the Board unanimously approved a financial plan for Canyons District for fiscal year 2018-2019.  The budget does not include a tax increase. The estimated $500 million budget, which is publicly accessible on the Canyons website, reflects the amount collected in property taxes and the basic state support via the $3,395-per-student Weighted Pupil Unit, the state’s education funding formula. This is an increase of $84 – 2.5 percent – over the 2017-2018 WPU of $3,111 per student. The state also is contributing another 1.5 percent WPU increase in flexible allocation. In addition, the budget includes the Midvale Elementary Comprehensive Restructuring Plan; costs of the negotiated agreements with the Canyons Education Association and the Canyons Education Support Professionals Association. Each full-time teacher will receive at least a $2,235 pay increase, plus a $500 bonus in November. Among other operational costs, the budget includes bond funds to pay for the ongoing construction of the new Brighton and Hillcrest high schools and the major renovation of Alta High. Other remodeling projects will be done, as well, with money from the budget. In addition, the Board unanimously approved a revised budget for fiscal year 2017-2018. 

School Construction

The Board discussed the priority list of schools to be built with proceeds from the $283 million general-obligation bond approved by voters in November. While construction work has already started at Alta, Hillcrest and Brighton high schools, and an architect has been hired to work on designs for the new Union Middle, the Board has yet to decide which elementary school is next in line to be rebuilt. The Administration is recommending a 2019 start-date for construction on a new Midvalley Elementary. As pledged at the time of the passage of the bond, the other elementary schools to be built with 2017 bond money are Peruvian Park Elementary, a new west Draper elementary, and a White City-area school. 

Cottonwood Heights CDA 

The Board heard a request to extend the Canyon Centre Community Development Area agreement into which the District entered in 2012. The redevelopment project to add commercial, residential and parking structures to an area at the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon was delayed due to the recession and a legal challenge. An independent review found the current assessed valuation of the project’s budget to be reasonable. The review also determined that the use of funds would provide a public benefit, and that participation in the tax increment financing proposal is justified. The Board will take up the issue at a future meeting pending further review of a cost-benefit analysis.

Administrative Appointments

The Board of Education approved the following administrative appointments for the 2018-2019 school year: 

• Colleen Smith, currently the Principal at Sprucewood Elementary, has been hired as a CSD Responsive Services Program Administrator. 
• Lori Reynolds, currently an Achievement Coach at East Sandy Elementary, has been hired as Principal at Sprucewood Elementary.
• Sara Allen, currently an Achievement Coach at Midvale Middle, will be an Assistant Principal at Butler Middle. She replaces Kip Carlsen, who has accepted a position in the Granite School District. 

College- and Career-Readiness Counseling Update

CSD School Counseling Specialist Tori Gillett reported on efforts to expand coverage of counseling supports for schools. With legislatively approved grant funding and the reallocation of some existing resources, the Department of Responsive Services has improved counselor-to-student ratios in middle school and hired counselors for elementary schools. Counseling teams also have begun basing their intervention goals on known indicators of student achievement, such as attendance, behavior, and course-understanding. These goals are coordinated with School Improvement Plans.

Walking Route Study

Sandy City notified the District of plans to add two lanes to 9000 South, a main thoroughfare that some Sandy Elementary, Mount Jordan Middle and Jordan High students must cross in order to get to and from school. Work on the road is expected to be completed before the start of the 2018-2019 school year. To aid students in navigating the 9000 South 300 East intersection, the city has decided to hire two additional crossing guards, bringing the total number of crossing guards at that intersection to four. The District asked a civil engineer to conduct a walking route analysis of the intersection, explained Assistant Superintendent Dr. Robert Dowdle. The engineer’s opinion is that, with the addition of two crossing guards, the expansion of 9000 South will not “impact the hazardous scores.” 

Public Comment

Patron Steve Van Maren objected to Information Technology line-items in Capital budget, and encouraged the District to pay for those items out of the General Fund. He also asked the Board to buy school buses with seatbelts. He also asked for more time to review the proposed budget. 

Brighton High teacher Jonnie Knoble thanked the Board for teacher salary increases.  

Recognitions

The following students, faculty and staff were honored for the achievements:

• Midvale Middle’s Abigail Slama-Catron, for being named the state honoree for the Prudential Spirit of the Community Award.
• Hillcrest High’s Kara Komarnitsky and Madeline Martin and Corner Canyon High’s August Burton, for being named National Merit Scholars. 
• Corner Canyon High’s girls track team, the 5A state champions
• Alta High’s boys soccer team, the 5A state champions
• Jordan High’s baseball team, the 5A state champions

Consent Agenda

The Board of Education approved the Consent Agenda, including the minutes from the May 22, 2018 meeting of the Canyons Board of Education; hire and termination reports; purchasing bids; requests for student-overnight travel; May financial reports; administrative appointments; and approval of Community Eligibility Provision for free lunch program at four schools.

Policy Update

The Board of Education approved policies governing Middle School Education Requirements; Sick Leave Benefits and Retirement; sex education instruction; and Human Resource hiring procedures. The Board also approved a modified student-attendance policy.

Board Planning

In the study session, Board President Sherril Taylor asked Board members to provide topics they would like see addressed at an upcoming roundtable.

Pledge of Allegiance

School Performance Director Mike Sirois led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. The reverence was delivered by Assistant Superintendent Dr. Bob Dowdle.

Superintendent, Business Administrator Report

Superintendent Dr. Jim Briscoe congratulated the achievements of the Class of 2018 and thanked the Board members for their addresses at commencement exercises. He thanked Wilcox and Accounting Director Gary Warwood for their work on the proposed and revised budgets for the upcoming and previous school year. He looks forward to attending a Wednesday department meeting for Facilities.

Leon Wilcox reported on bid openings for and progress on the first several projects being completed with funds from the $283 million bond – the remodel of Alta High and rebuilds of Brighton and Hillcrest high schools.

Board Member Reports

Chad Iverson attended the end-of-year band a percussion concert for Indian Hills Middle and Alta High’s and Corner Canyon High’s graduation ceremonies. He also attended the groundbreaking for the renovation of Alta High.

Clareen Arnold also attended the Alta High groundbreaking and says it’s exciting to see we’re moving forward. She commended Business Administrator Leon Wilcox for making the complex task of budgeting look easy. She also attended the Retirees Banquet. She spoke at the Diamond Ridge High graduation ceremony and loved hearing students’ humbling stories. She applauded all the staff members who work hard all summer behind the scenes to clean, fix and prepare schools.

Nancy Tingey agrees graduation is a reward and the groundbreakings are exciting. She was able to attend the Brighton and Jordan High commencement ceremonies. This year, she took special note of the smiles of the graduates as they crossed the stage.

Amber Shill attended the Butler Middle band concert and Hillcrest High International Baccalaureate graduation ceremony. She visited the “Harry Potter”-themed escape room at Eastmont Middle and spoke at the Canyons Transitions Academy and South Park Academy commencement ceremonies. She met with Brighton students regarding the upcoming rebuild. Finally, she commended Business Administrator Leon Wilcox for his work on the budget.

Steve Wrigley thanked the External Relations staff who prepare the Retirees Banquet. He was able to hand a diploma this year to his son at Jordan High’s commencement ceremony. Five of his children have graduated from CSD schools and have thrived from the schooling they’ve received over the years. 

Sherril Taylor is thankful for all those who contribute to CSD’s college- and career-ready mission. He also thanked his fellow Board members for their service and the Communications team for all the extra hours they put in throughout the year.