Note: Recordings and documents for agenda items can be accessed via Diligent by clicking on the corresponding agenda items.
SHARP Survey
Self-reported substance use is declining among Canyons District students, according to the annual Student Health and Risk Prevention Survey. In a presentation to the Board of Education about the SHARP Survey, Student Wellness Services Director Dr. Brian McGill said the rates of students using substances is lower than state and national averages. From 2021 to 2025, the number of students who report using alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes, and vapes have gone down across grade levels, McGill said. On the upswing: Use of nicotine pouches by teens in CSD schools. McGill noted that student mental health shows significant improvement since 2021. Fewer students report depression, anxiety, and thoughts of suicide. While CSD students are more likely to reach out to trusted adults for help, McGill said, Canyons students are report feeling more isolated compared to their peers statewide. According to survey data, overall school climate perceptions are positive. Most students report feeling safe at school, have forged positive relationships with teachers, and view schoolwork as the bridge to success in the future, according to the survey. McGill pointed out data related to screen time and digital wellness: Half of CSD students report that screen time at home is an issue. Fifty percent say that parents enforce screen time rules. Some 96.2 percent of CSD students use cell phones, and 46.3 percent check their phones every 15 minutes. The survey also revealed that 58.7 percent of students report that screen time gets in the way of sleep. High school students indicate in the opt-in survey, which was submitted by 5,439 students, that they don’t feel like they get enough sleep. Sixth- to 10th-grade students in CSD are below the state average in sleeping eight hours a night. McGill told the Board that Canyons receives $8 million to $10 million in grants using SHARP data.
Sale of Property
The Board of Education approved the sale of the old Crescent View Middle campus, 11150 Vista Way, for $17 million to Sandy City. This starts a nine-month due diligence period, said Business Administrator Leon Wilcox. The closing deadline is three months after the end of the due diligence period. The District will be able to lease back the building from the time of closing until June 30, 2027 for Life Skills Academy, which is housed at the building, to finish the 2026-2027 school year.
Legislative Update
The Board of Education heard a presentation about the education-related bills that have either been past or are being debated in the final days of the 2026 General Session of the Utah Legislature. Business Administrator Leon Wilcox told the Board that CSD’s legislative-affairs team will staying on top of the pertinent proposed bills until the end of the session on Friday. CSD employees and patrons can keep abreast of education-related bills by signing up to receiving Canyons’ bill tracker, which is sent by RSS feed from the CSD website.
Bell Schedule
The Administration proposes to keep the 2025-2026 bell schedule the same for the coming school year. Board member Holly Neibaur urged the Administration to examine the possibility of changing the start-end times at Willow Springs Elementary. Parents in that school community say the school’s 3:45 p.m. end-of-the-day release time is too late to accommodate appointments with doctors or dentists before 5 p.m. Parents also are checking their children out early to make it to after-school activities such as soccer and dance. This is the first reading for the proposed 2026-2027 bell schedule. The proposed schedule for the coming year will be discussed in future Board meetings.
School Highlights
Canyon View Principal Shawn Walker praised a “Harry Potter”-themed literacy initiative that last year inspired students to read some 1.7 million minutes, becoming one of the top-performing schools in the country in the literacy-promotion effort. This year. Walker said, students aim to read 2 million minutes. While the Hogwarts-style decorations are delightful, they are more than just for fun, Walker said. They reflect the community’s investment in the school’s success. Students excel in core subjects as well as enrichment such as orchestra, choir, drama, math club, and maker spaces, among others. Walker said the faculty is dedicated to increasing student achievement by collaborating and adjusting instruction if needed.
Patron Comment
The following patrons addressed the Board during Patron Comment. Recordings of the remarks can be accessed on Diligent.
- Brittney Jarrett
- Lacey Haycock
- Lane Vamianakis
Recognitions
The following were recognized for their achievements:
- School Resource Officers and police agencies that provide services to Canyons communities.
- High Schools Director Dr. Tom Sherwood for receiving the Distinguished Service Award from the Utah High School Activities Association.
- Weber State University football head coach Eric Kjar, the former nine-year coach of the state championship-winning Corner Canyon football team, for being honored with the Legacy of Excellence Award, the first given in CSD.
- Kjar’s honor was presented at CCHS’s first-ever jersey retirement ceremony for former Chargers who play in the NFL. The school retired the jerseys of Jaxson Dart, Jackson Powers-Johnson, and Zach Wilson.
- Entrada Adult High School Administrator Mark Mataya for being named the State Advocate for Adult Education Fellow for Utah.
- Canyons’ social workers for National School Social Worker Appreciation Week.
- CSD’s Speech Language Pathologist mentor team for presenting at the Utah Speech-Language-Hearing Association Conference.
- Alta High soccer coach Makenzie Hyer for being named the soccer Coach of the Year by the National Federation of High Schools.
Consent Agenda
The Board of Education approved the Consent Agenda, including the minutes of the Board of Education meeting on Feb. 17, 2026; hire and termination reports; purchasing bids; LEA-specific licenses and endorsements; and Land TRUST/TSSP for Lone Peak Elementary.
The Board of Education approved the fee schedule for the 2026-2027 school year. The schedule cover the fees for all schools in Canyons District, including the Canyons Technical Education Center. Fees for elementary students to participate in orchestra and band will remain the same, said Business Administrator Leon Wilcox. At the middle-school level, the maximum amount that any student would have to pay, regardless of participation level, will remain $500. Class fees remain $35. At the high-school level, the maximum amount that any student will have to pay is $6,000. Wilcox said no student has reached that amount yet in the 2025-2026 school year. Class fees will stay $35 but parking permits can now cost $20. The parking-permit increase may increase a high school’s revenue up to $7,000, and that money will be used for minor repairs and graffiti removal. Extracurricular fees will increase $10 and will generate $10,000 to $18,000 per school, which will cover custodial overtime for weekend and nighttime activities. The now-approved fee schedule was sent to parents several times and posted on school website for public review before the Board considered the schedule for adoption. Per state law, schools cannot charge fees for classes that are required for graduation.
Sale of Property
The Board of Education voted to sell the old Crescent View Middle campus, 11150 Vista Way, for $17 million to Sandy City. This starts a nine-month due diligence period, said Business Administrator Leon Wilcox. The closing deadline is three months after the end of the due diligence period. The District will be able to lease back the building from the time of closing until June 30, 2027, for Life Skills Academy, which is housed at the building to finish the 2026-2027 school year at the site.
Staff Reports
Superintendent Dr. Rick Robins was excused from the meeting.
Business Administrator Leon Wilcox thanked teachers for planning student-data reviews for Parent-Teacher Conferences.
Board Member Reports
Mrs. Karen Pedersen lauded volunteers for their work in our schools. She thanked the community for the feedback on the Boundary and Enrollment Study proposals made by the Long-Range Planning Committee, which also is reviewing boundaries to strengthen feeder systems. Ideas to attract students through programs or activities also are being explored.
Mrs. Katie Dahle thanked CSD’s legislative-affairs team for representing Canyons District’s interests during the session. She also thanked teachers for their dedication and professionalism.
Mr. Jackson Lewis reported on attending Hillcrest’s “Phantom of the Opera.” He also thanked CSD’s legislative-affairs team at the Capitol.
Ms. Holly Neibaur noted the work done by personnel and Board members to advocate for public education and CSD on Capitol Hill during the legislative session. She thanked a fourth-grade teachers at Willow Springs for teaching students how to prepare a Power Point presentation for their parents to see during Parent-Teacher Conference. She also noted Corner Canyon’s jersey retirement ceremony for the NFL’s Jaxson Dart, Jackson Powers Johnson and Zach Wilson. She also recounted the positive reviews of Hillcrest’s “Phantom of the Opera.” She urged the Board to start a subcommittee in the Strategic-Plan focus area of “High Quality Learning.” She also thanked Wilcox, Assistant Superintendent Dr. McKay Robinson and General Counsel Dan Harper for their leadership.
President Shill thanked the CSD legislative affairs team, mentioned the school counselors and social workers to aid the mental health and academic advising in our schools, expressed appreciation for the input received by parents who comment via email on the proposals of the Long-Range Planning Committee. She also thanked SCC members and reported on attending Hillcrest’s production of “Phantom of the Opera.”
