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

School Construction and Improvement Projects

A public hearing was held to gather public input on the authorization to issue $50 million to complete improvement projects at Jordan High, Eastmont Middle, Corner Canyon High, and Hillcrest High. Patron Steve Van Maren spoke during the hearing. A recording of his input can be accessed on BoardDocs. To fund the payments, CSD will need to generate new tax revenues. The expected increase on the average-priced home in CSD, will be about $40 a year. Business Administrator Leon Wilcox said bond-rating company Moody’s expressed some concern about the plan to use the General Fund balance to complete capital projects.  Still, he said, it did not appear as if Moody’s would downgrade CSD’s top credit rating.  The exact amount the District will issue to complete the project will be determined when CSD issues the Notice of Bond Sale on March 28, Wilcox said. The District is creating a 15-year repayment plan to keep the annual interest and principal payment at about $4.6 million. Wilcox said the $21 million project at Jordan High includes a fieldhouse, black box theater, restroom and locker room upgrades, auditorium improvements, a softball press box and additional parking. The $13 million project at Eastmont includes a new roof, groundwater resolution, elevator replacement, classroom and restroom upgrades, and a new gym floor. Corner Canyon’s $12.9 million project includes a security vestibule, turf baseball infield and softball field, a drainage system for soccer fields and turf main soccer fields, and a fieldhouse. The $4.7 million Hillcrest project will expand the track at the football stadium from six to eight lanes and pay for turf replacement.

In Memoriam,  Mid-Term Vacancy Replacement Process

Mont L. Millerberg’s legacy was celebrated by the Canyons Board of Education and Administration. Millerberg, the Vice President of the Board, died Friday, Feb. 23 after suffering a debilitating stroke. Millerberg’s contributions to the growth of Canyons started in 2008 when he was elected to the inaugural Board of Education. He was re-elected in 2016 and again in 2020 and had filed to run for another four-year term. He also was instrumental in establishing the Canyons Education Foundation, which raises private funds to support the District’s academic goals. During his time on the Board of Education, Canyons rebuilt Hillcrest High, Union Middle, Midvale Middle, Midvale Elementary, and Midvalley Elementary. Nearly 35 percent of all bond money spent by Canyons since 2010 has been in Midvale area schools. A memorial fund in Mont’s name has been set up by the Canyons Education Foundation. All funds raised will go toward fulfilling his legacy of dedicated service to the students and schools. The District is following state law to fill the mid-term vacancy created with Millerberg’s passing, said President Amber Shill. The state requires the Board to appoint a successor in 45 days from the death. Public interviews of qualified applicants will be Tuesday, March 19, she said. The successful candidate will take the Oath of Office Tuesday, March 26. 

Administrative Appointments

The Canyons Board of Education and Administration are pleased to announce the following administrative appointments for the 2024-2025 school year. The appointments are effective July 1, 2024. 

Angi Holden, the Principal of Bella Vista Elementary, was appointed Principal of Union Middle. She replaces Brenda McCann, who is succeeding Greg Leavitt as Hillcrest High’s Principal following Leavitt’s retirement. 

Areli Nevarez Gonzalez, a Dual Immersion specialist, was appointed Assistant Principal at Hillcrest High. She replaces Ari Tavo.

Tavo will serve as an assistant principal at Midvale Middle. She replaces Courtney Long who was appointed Midvale Middle’s Principal following Mindy Robison’s promotion to School Performance Director.

Barbra Winder, the Assistant Principal at Midvalley Elementary, is promoted to Principal at Bella Vista Elementary. She replaces Angi Holden.

Janae Powell, a behavior specialist at Silver Mesa Elementary, will be the Assistant Principal at East Midvale Elementary, replacing Elenoa Pua.  

Pua is promoted to Principal of Sandy Elementary, replacing Shawn Walker.

Walker will be Principal of Canyon View Elementary, replacing Kierstin Draper. 

Draper was appointed Principal of Crescent Elementary. She replaces a long-term substitute administrator.

Amy Sandgren, an instructional coach at Midvale Elementary, will serve as the Assistant Principal at Midvalley Elementary. She replaces Barbra Winder.

Jeff Nalwalker, the Principal at Butler Elementary, will be the Principal of Quail Hollow, replacing Shad DeMill. 

DeMill will be the Principal of Lone Peak Elementary, replacing Tracy Stacy. 

Stacy will serve as the Principal of Butler Elementary, replacing Jeff Nalwalker. 

Rebecca Bass, an MTSS specialist, was appointed as an assistant principal at Corner Canyon High. She replaces Dave Barrett.

Barrett will serve as an assistant principal at Jordan High. He replaces Roberto Jimenez who is retiring at the end of the school year. 

Celeste King, an instructional coach at Hillcrest High, will be an assistant principal at Brighton High. She replaces Jodi Roberts who is retiring at the end of the school year. 

Legislative Update

Utah lawmakers voted to allocate a 5 percent increase — 3.8 percent inflation in 1.2 percent additional — in the Weighted Pupil Unit, the funding formula for Utah public education. The new WPU total, which will be $4,494 for the coming school year, was one of the outcomes of the 2024 General Session of the Utah Legislature, according to External Relations Director Charlie Evans. During the session, lawmakers also passed bills that prohibit K-12 students from using a sex-designated restroom that does not match their biological sex and call on Utah schools to display the Ten Commandments and the Magna Carta. Evans, CSD’s main representative on Capitol Hill during the legislative session, noted the security-related legislation, including the bills that will enhance penalties for making a threat against a school, require school-based armed guardians, and provide incentives for educators to carrying a firearm on school grounds, among other safety issues. The legislature also passed legislation requiring districts to provide merit pay to teachers, he said. A ballot question that will posed to the public in November would, if approved, remove protection of a long-standing dedicated revenue source for public education. It would allow income tax revenues to be used on any state program or project after minimal funding for public education. Evans said Canyons has opposed this proposition from its inception. In all, 940 bills were introduced during the 2024 session. Of the 591 bills approved during the session, 121 were education-related in some way. By comparison, during the 2009 session, the year Canyons was founded, legislators debated 85 education-related bills.

Special Education Proposal

A proposal to geographically align the enrollment of Essential Elements Curriculum (EEC) special education students was presented to the Board of Education. Special Education Director Nate Edvalson said the proposal would bring students closer to their homes and boundary schools. Edvalson noted federal law requires special education placements to be as close as home as possible. Edvalson also noted the students who would be assigned to Title I schools would receive the benefits of the extra Title I supports. The time students spend on buses also could be reduced, he said. Edvalson will provide the Board with a proposal to financially address the needs at schools where the ECC students will attend classes. 

School Fees

The Board of Education approved a proposed fee schedule for the 2024-2025 school year. Feedback on the schedule, which is available on the CSD website, has been received by the public since Monday, Feb. 12. Utah lawmakers gave $35 million to school districts to cover student fees over a three year period, starting in 2026, when registration fees will be curtailed by law. Accounting Director Danny Davis said Canyons, which currently receives $1 million in fees to off-set costs, will likely receive $500,000 per year in state funding. CSD has been seeking public input on the proposed fee schedule for the coming year. 

Kindergarten Schedule

The Board of Education is considering an 2024-2025 academic-calendar change to allow kindergarten students to attend half-days the first week of school. During that week, teachers would be asked to hold appointments with students and their parents in the afternoon. A full-day schedule would resume the second week of school, if the proposal is approved.

LAND Trust and TSSP

School Performance Director Alice Meridith presented the final reports and updates of the LAND Trust and TSSP for 2022-2023. All schools reported their goals and whether they met their targets. The Board accepted the reports. 

Policy Review

The Board of Education is considering updates to the policies governing military leave, the provisional status of administrative personnel, and the termination of employment.

School Highlights

Altara Elementary Principal Julie Fielding noted the “extra-mile efforts” made every day by teachers, staff, and parents. Fielding said the Kittyhawks are focused on kindness this year and children are lauded for being seen doing acts of kindness. As a Spanish-English Dual Language Immersion school, she said, all students, even those not in DLI, are introduced to least one Spanish word per week. 

Canyons Strong Student Recognitions

Alta High’s Instrumental Music Council addressed the Board of Education about the completion of the $4 million Alta Music Hall.  Alta Instrumental Music Director Caleb Shabestari showed a plaque that will be placed in the Music Hall to thank the Board for its contributions. 

The following were recognized for their achievements:

• Hillcrest and Alta Robotics students won awards at the Regional Robotics Competition. The Huskies won the Team Spirit Award and the Hawks earned the Team Sustainability Award. Hillcrest’s Senya Walker was awarded as a FIRST Dean’s List Finalist.
• At the 4A state swim meet, Jordan High’s Robert Barton won the 200-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly. Barton also was part of the team that won the 200-yard medley relay. The championship-winning team included Barton, Will Coccimiglio, Nick Nigbur, and Owen Hirschi. Jordan High finished fourth among all 4A teams.
• Brighton High’s boys swim team finished in second place in 5A.  Bengal Drake Doyle earned individual titles in the 200 free and 50 free events. Luan Barnard also earned a first-place finish in the 100 backstroke.
• Corner Canyon’s Unified Special Olympics team won awards at the 6A boys state swim meet. Charger Jordan Barlow took first place in the Unified Mixed 50 free. He was joined on the podium at Brigham Young University by Jadon Medina who earned third place. The Chargers also shared with Herriman the first-place trophy in the Unified mixed 100 freestyle relay.
• Canyons boys and girls wrestlers won state championships. Chargers Mana Fager and Kaydon Williams are state 6A individual champions in the 190- and 285-pound divisions, respectively.   Hillcrest’s girls wrestling team had two state title winners — sister Eva and Eliza Zimmerman, who both won back-to-back in their weight divisions. Jordan High’s Taylor Hilton captured the gold in 155 pounds and Clarion Fager from Corner Canyon took the 6A first place in 170.
• Corner Canyon boys hoops players Isaac Neibaur and Derelle Desire were named to the 6A All-Tournament Team. In 5A, Alta’s Jaxon Johnson and Carter Doleac were named to the All-Tournament Team.
• Alta High’s student government received the George Washington Medal of Honor for the quality of the school’s Veterans Day assembly. 

Patron Comment

The following patron addressed the Board during Patron Comment. Recordings of the patron’s remarks can be accessed on BoardDocs.

• Jen Archuleta
• Ali Weaver

Consent Agenda

The Board of Education approved the Consent Agenda, including the minutes for the Feb. 20, 2024 meeting of the Canyons Board of Education; hire and termination reports; purchasing bids; student overnight travel; administrative appointments, and sale of property. 

Board of Education Member Reports

Mrs. Karen Pedersen thanked presenters for providing information to the Board and said she appreciated the robust dialogue among Board members

Mrs. Nancy Tingey reported on attending the Middle School History Day Fair and watching the CSDtv broadcast of the CSD Dance Concert.

Mr. Andrew Edtl urged District 1 residents to apply to complete Mr. Millerberg’s term on the Board.

President Shill reported on attending Listening Tour stops and other school activities.