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

Employment Contracts Approved for 2019-2020

The Canyons Board of Education approved the contract with the Canyons Education Association for the 2019-2020 school year. The contract includes a $7,665 increase for every licensed employee in the Canyons District. This also results in the beginning-teacher’s annual salary being raised to $50,000. The District seeks to fund this 14.2 percent increase in salary costs with a tax increase equating to $139 on the average-priced home in the Canyons District. A Truth-in-Taxation hearing regarding the certified rate will be held in August. If the Board does not approve the proposed tax increase, which would generate $13.6 million, the CEA and CSD have agreed to continue negotiations. Under the terms of the contract, every teacher who works directly with students in an academic role will receive a $500 stipend from the Teacher and Student Success Act. Licensed employees who don’t qualify to receive the funds from TSSA will receive the stipend from District funds. Regarding health insurance, both the CEA and the District agree to recommendations by the CSD insurance committee. The premiums for all plans will increase 3 percent. The employee premiums will remain at the current level for the non-buy up plans. The District will cover the full premium increase less the employee’s premiums, thus absorbing the full increase. The District premium on the buy-up plans will be equivalent to the contribution on the base plans. Employees who elect this coverage will cover the difference. Because Education Support Professional and administrative employees are receiving a substantially less compensation package for the 2019-20 school year, negotiation preference will be given to those groups for the 2020-21 school year. The Board also approved contracts for the coming school year with Canyons administrators. For administrators, the District will fund increment steps for eligible employees and a 3 percent COLA to the base of the administrative salary schedule. The District also will fund a 1.25 percent stipend for the 59 administrators on the top step during the 2018-2019 school year. A salary-schedule review also will be conducted to ensure Canyons’ schedule is similar to those of neighboring districts. 

Proposed Budget

Nearly 62 percent of Canyons District’s proposed budget for 2019-2020 will be dedicated to paying for student instruction, Business Administrator Leon Wilcox told the Board of Education.  The proposed budget includes the $19.6 million cost of the proposed salary boost for Canyons teachers. The increase, which represents a double-digit percentage bump for CSD licensed personnel, will be funded largely with money generated by a $12 monthly tax increase on the average-priced home in Canyons District. Of the $19.6 million required for the salary increase, $13.6 million will come from the change in the certified rate, which largely allows the District to  capture inflation but will require a Truth-in-Taxation hearing in August. The remainder will come from attrition, cost-cutting, allocations from the Utah Legislature and new property-tax growth. The salary addresses the national teacher shortage, caused largely by low wages, according to recent reports. It also may attract the 14,000 women and men who are licensed to teach in Utah but are not in the classroom. Also included in the budget are cost-of-living increases for CSD administrators and Education Support Professionals, to be funded with money from the Utah legislature. Other budget highlights include funds for ongoing construction and additional Responsive Services staff members for mental-health supports. 

Social-Emotional Learning Curriculum

The Board of Education approved the implementation of “Second Step,” a social-emotional learning curriculum. This will be put into place over the next three years, said BJ Weller, Director of Responsive Services. The program helps students as young as 5 years old manage emotions, solve problems in a positive way, and demonstrate empathy.  The curriculum is aligned to standards as established by the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL), satisfies character-education and bullying-prevention requirements, and creates common social emotional language in the schools. 

School Fee Policy

The Board of Education will continue review policies governing school fees, fines and waivers; school schedule changes, and the parameters for the TSSA allocations.

Health Data Review

As part of a data review by the Human Sexuality Committee, Instructional Supports Administrator Jesse Henefer reviewed such Salt Lake County health data as teen pregnancy, sexually-transmitted infection, and child sex abuse rates.  The Board also was given a report on the student pornography-related complaints in the District.

Immunization

The Board of Education reviewed the District’s policies governing immunizations for students and employees. The information was presented by Assistant Legal Counsel Jeff Christensen and school nurse Sally Goodger.

Pledge of Allegiance, Inspirational Thought

Sandy Elementary Students in a Cub Scout Troop posted the American and the Utah flags. In recognition of Teacher Appreciation Day, Sandy Principal McKay Robinson spoke about the powerful impact teachers have in the lives of children. Every child deserve a champion who believes in their talents, skills and potential, he said. Last year, Sandy Elementary’s achievement scores increased in all three subject areas and the school’s overall percentage growth was higher than district and state scores.  A attendance-encouragement program also proved successful, he said, and fewer students are truant.

Patron Comments

• French-English Dual Language Teacher Gretchen Givone expressed thanks to the Board for the proposed salary increase for Canyons educators.
• Cottonwood Heights-area students and Butler Elementary teacher Annelise Slater spoke to the Board about discontinuing the use of Styrofoam lunch trays in Canyons District cafeterias. The students said it would be an environmentally conscious move on behalf of the District.
• CEA President Erika Bradshaw expressed thanks to the Board for considering a salary increase for teachers. She said the compensation package will attract and retain the highest-quality classroom teachers, which in turn will benefit students. 
• Teacher Anna McNamer, who also is a resident of the District, thanked the Board for considering a salary increase for Canyons teachers.
• Amy Olson thanked the Board for the proposed salary increase for Canyons teachers.  
• Albion Middle teacher Mary Simao invited the Board to attend a 5K to support Girls on the Run, an international non-profit that encourages preteen girls to engage in activities, such as running, that support physical, emotional and social well-being.  Albion’s chapter is one of the largest in Utah. 
• Patron Betty Shaw congratulated the Board for the achievements of the District in the past 10 years.  She said she “was thrilled” when she heard about the proposal to increase salaries for teachers in Canyons District.
• Patron Steve Van Maren would like the Board to consider increasing increment levels on the salary schedule so as to retain teachers. 

Consent Agenda

The Board of Education approved the Consent Agenda, including the minutes from the Board of Education meeting on April 23, 2019;  hire and termination reports; purchasing bids; student overnight travel, 2019-2010 LAND Trust packets. 

Policy Updates

The Board of Education approved updates to policies governing student-data governance, and school admission of homeless children and youth and unaccompanied minors. The Board also voted for updates to policies governing open enrollment, school admissions and school moratoriums; parent and family engagement in education; and student educational travel. 

Recognitions

The following students, faculty and staff were recognized by the Board for their achievements:

• Melissa Crandall, Union Middle School teacher, Utah History Teacher of the Year 
• Traci Raymond, Alta High, Beverly Taylor Sorenson Legacy Award Winner
• Danna Caldwell, Raschell Davis, Lisa Hubbard, Zackery Nesi, Gregory Platner, all from East Midvale Elementary; and Madaline Chilcutt, Debra Delliskave, John Henrichsen, Bethanne Lenhart, from Midvale Middle, who have been named Effective Teachers in High-Poverty School.

Career and Technical Education Competition Winners

• Grace Cuttle, Haylie Heale, Alta High, first place in the DECA competition’s Sports and Entertainment Marketing Operations Research category.
• Tiffany Brailow and Lauren Wilson, Corner Canyon High, first place in the DECA competition’s Start-up Business Plan category.
• Kyla White, Alta High, first place in the DECA competition’s Restaurant and Food Service Management category. 
• Emily Zhang, Hillcrest High, first place in the Future Business Leaders of America state competition in the Health Care Administration category.
• Rishab Balakrishnan, Justin Dong, Hillcrest, first place in the Future Business Leaders of America state competition in the Management Decision Making category.
• Eric Yu, Hillcrest High, two first place awards in the Future Business Leaders of America state competition in the Network Design and Networking Concepts categories.
• Madilyn Wallace, Hillcrest,  first place in the Future Business Leaders of America state competition in the Virtual Business Finance Challenge Spring category. 
• Meereaore Birima, Hillcrest High, first place at the Family Career and Community Leaders of America state competition in the Advocacy category.
• Lindsay Bruner, Hillcrest High,  first place at the Family Career and Community Leaders of America state competition in the Recycle and Redesign category. 
• Luke Kim, Hillcrest High, first place at the HOSA state competition on a Knowledge Test in the Transcultural Healthcare category.
• Annabelle Warner, CTEC, first place at the HOSA state competition in the Physical Therapy category.
• Warren McCarthy, Hillcrest High, first place at the HOSA state competition on a Knowledge Test in the Nutrition category. 
• Noah Porter, CTEC, first place at the SkillsUSA Utah Championship in the Job Skill Demonstration category.
• Rachel Lancaster, CTEC, first place at the SkillsUSA Utah Championship in the Prepared Speech category.

Superintendent, Business Administrator Reports

Superintendent Briscoe thanked the Board members for the civility they show to each other and the public when discussing monumental issues such as the salary increase for CSD teachers. He also lauded the passage of the proposal to start the social-emotional learning curriculum. 

Mr. Wilcox thanked the negotiating team for working hard on the contracts with licensed personnel, administrators and Education Support Professionals.

Board Reports

Mrs. Clareen Arnold reflected on the transparency of the deliberations of the salary increase.  She also said the new salary schedule will help teachers, who often work two or three jobs to make ends meet. She thanked fellow Board members for expressing dissenting opinions, even when it’s not popular. 

Mr. Steve Wrigley reported on Special Education Sports Day at Jordan High.

Mrs. Amber Shill reported on Canyon View Elementary’s cultural night and the trustee meeting of the Utah High School Activities Association.

Mrs. Amanda Oaks attended the luncheon in celebration of National School Nursing Day and the Middle School Honors Band, Orchestra and Choir Concert.

Mr. Mont Millerberg attended the CSD Warehouse’s Cinco de Mayo celebration and the Copperview Elementary School Community Council meeting.

President Nancy Tingey attended Canyons View’s cultural night and the Union Middle production of “Addams Family.