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

Draper Park Schedule for 2023-2024

Draper Park Middle School will move to a new school-day schedule in the 2023-2024 school year. The Board of Education voted unanimously on the proposal to move from the current six-period day, which was put into place at the school in 2013, to a seven-period school-day schedule.  Four other CSD middle schools — Union, Midvale, Butler, and Albion— have a six-period day. Eastmont, Mount Jordan and Indian Hills use a seven-day period schedule, which expands a student’s opportunities for electives but reduces the amount of instructional and intervention time in each class.  However, some DPMS parents and students have continued to ask for a schedule that would give them more options to take core and elective classes. In the vote, the Board directed the school’s administration to immediately begin planning for the schedule change and make a recommendation for the kind of seven-period day best addresses the needs of the community.

Budget Hearing

The Board of Education approved a revised budget for 2021-2022 and adopted a tentative $347 million budget for the 2022-2023 school year.  The budget, which does not call for a tax increase, was presented by Business Administrator Leon Wilcox during a state-required budget hearing. No patrons provided comment during the hearing. The tentative budget includes a legislatively approved 6 percent increase in the weighted pupil unit, the funding mechanism of Utah’s state government;  increases in Teacher and Student Success Act (TSSA) and Land Trust funding; and funding for students who face obstacles to learning. The costs of the employment contracts for licensed employees, Education Support Professionals, and administrators are included in the tentative budget. Contract negotiations resulted in cost-of-living increases, adjustments to the salary schedules for specific jobs in hopes of attracting and retaining employees, plus other benefits for eligible employees. Canyons will continue through Fiscal Year 2024 to receive a share of Utah’s allotment of federally appropriated Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funding, which will primarily be used to pay for additional teaching positions to support struggling students. ESSER funds will also be used to support our summer youth academy, the purchase of curriculum, and to support Canyons Online, the year-old remote-learning school. The budget also funds 32 hours of professional development for CSD educators and additional full-day kindergarten classes. Canyons recently received unexpected news of a $2.2 million decrease in Title I funding as the result of a decrease in Utah’s child poverty rate. The District Administration is reviewing options for managing that loss of funding. School rebuilds and other capital improvements are among some of the projected expenditures in the budget. The budget establishes a debt rate to generate revenue to satisfy CSD’s construction debt, which was assumed through voter-approved bonds to pay for new and improved schools. The new Glacier Hills building, which will house a combined Edgemont and Bell View school communities, is scheduled to open in August. The rebuild of Peruvian Park has been slowed by the nationwide supply chain shortage, but is still expected to be completed in September. The construction of the new Union Middle is scheduled to be completed in August 2023.  In addition, this year, the debt that Canyons inherited from its predecessor — Jordan School District — will be paid in full.  It will no longer appear on property tax statements. As a result of increased assessed valuation of property in Canyons District, the certified tax rate is expected to go down for the majority of Canyons residents. The certified tax rate, calculated by the Utah State Tax Commission, should be completed later in June.

Roundtable Discussion

The Administration provided updates to the Board of Education on plans to meet the objectives of the newly created and approved Canyons District Strategic Plan, which focuses on high-quality learning opportunities, access and opportunity, human-centered supports, and operating systems. Initial steps CSD is making toward addressing the four focus areas were presented by Superintendent Dr. Rick Robins, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Bob Dowdle, State and Federal Programs Director Wendy Dau, and Business Administrator Leon Wilcox. Among the topics discussed by the Board members included issues related to student achievement, enrollment, funding, CSD’s organizational structure, funding and staffing, magnet programs in CSD schools, and the feedback they are receiving from their constituents about the state of education in Canyons District. The Board also discussed their hopes for a more robust employee-training program, enhanced school safety and security, and strengthened communication channels for employees and the community.

Recognitions

The following were recognized for their achievements:

• Corner Canyon High boys lacrosse team for winning the 6A state Utah High School Activities Association championship. CCHS defended its title.
• Corner Canyon High’s boys track-and-field team for winning the state title for the third year in a row. Alta High’s Elyse Jessen also won the 800 meter event in the 5A division.
• Alta High’s soccer team for winning the 5A state trophy.
• Brighton High tennis players for winning individual 5A state championships at state tournament.  The team finished in second place.
• Forty-one student-athletes for earning UHSAA Academic All-State honors in spring sports.
• CSD’s Instructional Supports Department and CSD schools for being named a “Common Sense District” for teaching digital citizenship and promoting engagement for online safety through the community.

Patron Comment

The following addressed the Board of Education during the Patron Comment portion of the meeting.  Recordings of their recordings can be accessed at BoardDocs.

• CEA Board member Mindy Timothy
• Parent Brad Hamilton
• Judy Rohner
• Parent Katie Atkinson

Consent Agenda

The Board of Education approved the Consent Agenda, including the minutes from the Board’s meetings on May 17, 2022 and May 24, 2022; purchasing bids; student overnight travel requests; and hire and termination reports.

Superintendent, Business Administrator Reports

Superintendent Dr. Rick Robins thanked CSD’s finance team, including Mr. Wilcox and Accounting Director Gary Warwood, for preparing the District’s budget and the Board for the conversation about the Strategic Plan.

Mr. Wilcox thanked the finance team for developing the budget, expressed appreciation for the in-depth discussion about the Strategic Plan, and noted the end of the payments on the old Jordan District debt, which was assigned to CSD by legal arbitration at the founding of the District.

Board of Education Reports

Ms. Amber Shill said she enjoyed the Class of 2022 commencement exercises, Brighton High’s band performance, the state 5A tennis championships, and the lacrosse finals, among other year-end events.

Ms. Holly Neibaur talked about the upcoming districtwide bus-route study and the Board’s discussion the Strategic Plan, the Draper Park school-day schedule, and course offerings for students. She also thanked teachers who have positively impacted the lives of her children and their friends and noted the high level of parent engagement in CSD.

Mr. Steve Wrigley remarked on the District’s goals and initiatives related to the Strategic Plan.

Ms. Amanda Oaks recognized the efforts of high school principals for planning and executing commencement rites, She thanked District Administrators for their presentations during the roundtable discussion and Board meeting.

Mrs. Clareen Arnold said she was impressed by Diamond Ridge High graduates who spoke at the school’s commencement rites. She noted the speakers who gave their addresses in two languages. She plans to attend Entrada Adult High School’s graduation ceremony.

Mr. Mont Millerberg reported on attending field day at Midvalley Elementary and recognized President Nancy Tingey for attending so many District events, including Jordan Valley’s completion ceremony. He reported on attending Hillcrest High’s graduation rites and Midvale Middle’s IB Middle Years Programme end-of-year ceremony.

President Nancy Tingey reflected on the recent violence at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, and how, especially as the country reels in the aftermath of the tragedy, this year’s graduates lifted her spirits and hope for the future.