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

Elementary School Grading Term Adjustments

The Board of Education is considering a proposal to alter the grading terms in Canyons elementary schools from trimester to quarters. School Performance Director Dr. McKay Robinson told the Board the suggested change emerged from Cabinet-level discussions focusing on how to reduce the workload of CSD elementary-school teachers. Robinson said the switch to quarters would align the grading period with the scheduled no-student day provided to teachers in mid-January to prepare for February Parent-Teacher Conferences and the end of the grading period on Feb. 29. It also would line up the elementary reporting periods with secondary schools, reducing confusion among parents who have children in elementary and secondary schools. Dr. Robinson said a change may result in teachers not having to spend eight hours off contract time to put together reports for students and their families. The Board of Education will continue to study the proposal, which has been requested by the Canyons Education Association. In addition, the Calendar Committee has been tasked with incorporating proposed changes in the drafts of possible future calendars.

Policy Update

A policy governing student overnight educational travel has been revised. Assistant Legal Counsel Jeff Christensen told the Board of Education the update expands the window for student overnight travel applications to 180 days in advance and increases the number of student overnight travel trips per high school from 15 to 20. Christensen said the revision calls for each school to submit a list of eligible groups for travel, clarifies that non-curricular clubs or groups may not engage in student overnight travel, and eliminates the 425-mile radius every other year rule. In addition, according to the new language, each eligible high school group or organization may travel up to the full amount of the travel gross expense cap per student for one year. In the subsequent school year, the student overnight travel cost per student for the high school group or organization must not exceed one-half of the travel gross expense cap, states the new policy. The update also modifies the multi-school exception for student overnight travel from three to two schools and increases the number of students per school from 10 to 20.

March Parent-Teacher Conference Schedule

Business Administrator Leon Wilcox asked the Board of Education to consider altering the calendar slightly to release school roughly 90 minutes early on March 2 at all elementary, middle, high, and special schools, except for Brighton High, which operates on trimesters. This would address the transportation challenges that were faced on the Thursday, Sept. 29 Parent-Teacher Conferences, when elementary schools released school 90 minutes early for the conferences, but high schools, which held the conferences earlier in the week, maintained a regular schedule. That meant that most CSD schools were releasing at approximately the same time, creating major delays for secondary bus routes. Under the proposals, secondary schools would be required to hold their weekly Professional Learning Community meetings. Friday, March 3 would remain a scheduled compensatory day, Wilcox said. The Board of Education will ask the Administration to draft a memo the Board can review and vote on in future meetings.

School Highlights

Alta High Principal Ken Rowley noted the accomplishments of the Hawks in the first few months of the school year. This includes the third-place Sweepstakes honor won at the 2022 Shakespeare Festival at Southern Utah University. Alta High theater students also will present “Addams Family” Nov.  16-21, and the marching band is preparing for the state competition on Nov. 4. Rowley congratulated Alta cross country, girls tennis, and boys golf teams for their seasons. In addition, the Hawk football team will compete in the quarterfinals on Friday in Orem, and the volleyball team plays in the 5A championships on Nov. 1. A night for Latino families in the Alta area drew more than 100 people, he said, and the school’s Digital Citizenship Week led to meaningful conversations about appropriately navigating the Internet. Rowley thanked faculty, staff, students and parents for their work in achieving high scores in the state’s school-grading system.

Administrative Appointments

The Board of Education approved the appointment of Angi Holden as the new Assistant Principal of Glacier Hills Elementary. Holden, an Instructional Supports Specialists in Canyons District, takes the position previously held by Tifny Iacona, who accepted an administrative position in the Granite School District. Holden has a background in special education, specialty classrooms, behavior supports, instructional coaching, and AVID.

Consent Agenda

The Board of Education approved the consent agenda, including minutes of the Oct. 18, 2022 meeting of the Canyons Board of Education; hire and termination reports; purchasing bids; student overnight travel requests; administrative appointment; Sex Education Instruction Committee membership; TSSP amendments for Alta View Elementary and Eastmont Middle; and policies governing breastfeeding and lactation in the workplace and protection of athlete and head injuries.

School-Year Calendar

The Board of Education reviewed proposed calendars for the 2023-2024, 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 academic years. The Board of Education will continue to review revised proposed calendars. Student Engagement Program Administrator Charisse Hilton, chair of the District’s Calendar Committee, believes there’s misunderstanding among teachers about two days of salary included in the current contract, without a requirement to be at school, to acknowledge work done by teachers outside of contract time. President Tingey issued a reminder that Canyons families often use the tentative and proposed calendars to schedule work days and family trips.

Patron Comment

The following patrons addressed the Board during Patron Comment. Recordings of their remarks can be accessed on BoardDocs.

• Rebecca Gilca
• Stacie Petersen
• Megan Jay
• Jessica Smith
• Alicia Cottle
• Holly Marz
• Jessica Anderson

Arts Update

Arts Specialist Sharee Jorgensen provided an update about the state of fine arts in Canyons District, including opportunities to participate in orchestra, band, choir, painting, photography and drawing classes. Milestones for secondary arts opportunities include the creation and launch of three marching bands, the development of a District theater warehouse and instrument database, and the completion of a districtwide elective survey. In elementary, CSD boasts 20 Beverley Taylor Sorensen Arts Specialists who provide services to 24 schools. Eighteen instructional technicians also provide arts instruction at 17 schools in such areas as visual arts, theater, music, and dance. In addition, seven CSD teachers have won Sorenson Legacy Award for Excellence in Arts Education since 2014, Jorgensen said.

Superintendent, Business Administrator Reports

Superintendent Dr. Rick Robins thanked Arts Specialist Sharee Jorgensen, who is retiring at the end of this school year, for her decades of dedicated service to arts instruction and programs. He wished her the best in retirement.

Mr. Leon Wilcox noted Jorgensen’s contributions and urged attendance at elementary and middle school concerts. He asked employees to complete their selections for health insurance during the 2022 Open Enrollment window, which closes on Friday. He updated the Board on the progress of Peruvian Park, which is scheduled to open later this month.

Board of Education Reports

Mr. Mont Millerberg remarked on the high-quality music instruction in CSD schools and also asked for a study-session primer on HB374 to ensure that Canyons is in compliance. He reported on attending the Halloween festivities at Midvalley Elementary, and said he is looking forward to Veterans Day events.

Mrs. Clareen Arnold also asked for a study session discussion on HB374 and encouraged administrators to integrate the arts into the instruction of other subjects.

Mrs. Amanda Oaks said she would like more information about CSD’s compliance with HB374 and asked the Administration to make public which books have been challenged under the current policy. She remarked on attending the Halloween parades at CSD schools. She expressed gratitude for Jorgensen’s contributions and said the Strategic Plan calls for arts integration in the classroom.

Mr. Steve Wrigley reported on touring the new Peruvian Park and participating in Glacier Hills Elementary’s first-ever Halloween parade. He remarked on the Patron Comment discussion regarding library books.

Mrs. Holly Neibaur congratulated Corner Canyon High’s volleyball and crosscountry teams for being named the UIAAA 6A academic state champions. She also noted that members of the cheer squad for being ranked among the best in the country. She urged the District to look at a parent-approval process at library circulation desks.

Mrs. Amber Shill reported on attending the Education Interim committee during which there was a synopsis of HB374. She encouraged the Policy Committee to review whether CSD policy adheres to state law. She attended the South Valley Chamber luncheon and looks forward to continuing work on the Calendar Committee with feedback received during the meeting.

 President Tingey attended the Band Bash at Brighton High and remarked on the learning experience of the students who participate in instrumental music programs and classes. She looks forward to seeing this year’s high school musicals and encouraged the community to get tickets to the productions.