Naming Rights

The Board of Education accepted a $500,000 donation from Jordan High alumnus and Utah businessman Dan Jorgensen. The money will be used to help fund the installation of a new football stadium and turf at Jordan High. In recognition of the gift, and in alignment with Canyons District policy, the Board approved renaming the Beetdiggers’ football field in honor of Dan Jorgensen’s father who was also a proud Jordan graduate. After the gift is given to the Canyons Education Foundation, the field will be named the Henry C. Jorgensen Field. In addition, Jordan’s small theatre will bear a plaque memorializing Dan Jorgensen’s grandmother, Anna Berg Jorgensen. On top of the half-million-dollar gift, Dan Jorgensen has pledged to fund two endowments for Jordan High. The first will recognize excellence in teaching, and the second will fund up to six college scholarships for Jordan High graduates. 

School Improvements

Canyons Business Administrator Leon Wilcox updated the Board on progress with lease-revenue bond projects. Work to rebuild Hillcrest High’s running track to bring it up to competition standards will begin mid-November and is expected to be completed in July 2025. Work also is underway on a new security vestibule is at Corner Canyon High, and this coming spring will mark the start of work on the school’s soccer, baseball, and softball fields, as well as construction of a field house. Eastmont Middle’s new roof is substantially complete and other upgrades are underway, Wilcox said. Based on a needs assessment, the Administration also has prioritized small capital upgrades at the following schools: Quail Hollow Elementary, Sandy Elementary, Copperview Elementary, East Midvale Elementary, Lone Peak Elementary, Altara Elementary, Albion Middle, Granite Elementary, the District’s warehouse, and Indian Hills Middle.

Strategic Plan

The subcommittee studying operating systems announced that CSD has requested the .gov website domain to comply with state legislation. The domain name assigned to CSD is “CanyonsSchoolsUT.gov.” Wilcox reported that CSD is prepared to migrate, in adherence with the current language in SB98, but the subcommittee recommends waiting until after the upcoming legislative session when the bill’s language could be clarified. Also, Wilcox said, state officials anticipate .edu to soon be made available to school districts. The committee also has been studying enrollment and growth trends in Canyons schools. Issues related to class sizes also have been a major focus of attention by the subcommittee. Proposed solutions to address inequity in class sizes include increasing high school staffing ratio; establishing a small, traveling group of ESP employees to provide support mainly during the reading and math blocks; no longer requiring two classes per grade; establishing a procedure for obligatory transfers; and assigning District license employees, including curriculum specialists, as temporary teachers to address large class sizes. The issues will continue to be studied and reviewed by the Board and subcommittee.

School Highlights

Quail Hollow Principal Jeff Nalwalker remarked on his school’s tradition of holding a Veterans Day ceremony to honor the men and women in our community who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Nalwalker, who served in the Utah Army National Guard and was deployed to Afghanistan, noted the importance of teaching our students the importance of liberty, freedom, and service. Nalwalker, in his first year of also heralded the work of Behavior Specialists who work in the Academic Behavior Support classrooms at Quail Hollow Elementary. He said the relatively new team has contributed so much to the school community and the operations of the unit.

Policy Updates

The Board of Education approved updates to policies governing ethical and conduct guideline for members of the Board; the Board Audit Committee; Tax Increment Financing Agreements; a Drug-Free Workplace; and School Community Councils. 

Calendars

The Board of Education considered the calendars for the 2025-2026 school year.  Members of the Board also continues for review proposed calendars for the 2026-2027 school year and the tentative 2027-2028 school year. 

Canyons Strong Recognitions

The following were recognized for their achievements:

• Employees who are veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces.
• Entrada Adult High School, recipient of the Utah State Board of Education “GOAT” award.
• UVAC technicians Dan Hughes and Micheal Murphy for responding so quickly to reports of a malfunctioning heating system at Butler Elementary.
• The 18 CSD teachers who received a total of $90,000 in Innovation Grants from the Canyons Education Foundation.
• Corner Canyon High’s back-to-back victory at the 6A boys golf tournament.
• Alta High’s first-place percussion trophy at the state marching band competition. Overall, Alta’s marching band won third place, Brighton took fourth, and Hillcrest won fifth in its classification.

Consent Agenda

The Board of Education approved the Consent Agenda, including the minutes for the Oct. 15 meeting of the Board; the hire and termination report; student overnight travel requests; purchasing bids; October financial reports; LEA-specific licenses and endorsements; Memorandum of Understanding between CSD and Alpine for Suncrest busing; and the donation to Jordan High for the football stadium.

Superintendent, Business Administrator Reports

Purchasing Director Gary Hansen has announced his retirement, said Business Administrator Leon Wilcox.

Board of Education Reports

Mrs. Nancy Tingey reported on attending Quail Hollow’s inspirational Veterans Day assembly, Dr. Robins’ Listening Tour stops, the Titan Awards of the South Valley Chamber of Commerce, and Granite Elementary’s Wellness Night. She also congratulated the Brighton High girls soccer team for winning second place in the 5A tournament.

Mr. Andrew Edlt congratulated the Board members-elect, Jackson Lewis and Katie Dahle. He also reported on attending several CSD Veterans Day events. He thanked the music teachers for leading the choirs that performed for the Veterans Day activities.

Mrs. Amanda Oaks congratulated Lewis and Dahle for being elected to the Board of Education. She also noted Kris Millerberg’s dedication to completing the term of the seat to which she was appointed after the death of her husband, Mont, who passed away in February. Oaks noted the quality of CSD’s Veterans Day activities, including the award-winning assembly at Alta High. 

Mrs. Kris Millerberg lauded parent engagement in CSD, such as the volunteers who organize Halloween events. She noted the success of the LifeSkills Academy Boutique, the delivery of Innovation Grants to dedicated teachers, and stops on the Superintendent Listening Tour. She also thanked Development Officer Denise Haycock for her dedication to making connections and raising private funds for the Canyons Education Foundation. 

Mrs. Karen Pedersen reported on attending the Apex and Titan awards, several Veterans Day activities, and said she plans to attend a dinner and musical-performance show at Jordan High for senior citizens. In this month of Thanksgiving, she thanked all CSD employees, especially those who directly impact student learning, for their hard work and commitment.

President Shill reported on shadowing a student at Brighton High throughout the school day to learn what life is like for students. Among the things she learned: The student was on her Chromebook for about 20 minutes — no more — during the day. The Student Advisory Council met today to talk about such issues as student travel and Artificial Intelligence.  She congratulated the girls’ soccer team for taking second place in 5A, the football team for making it to the 5A semifinals, and the marching band for taking fourth place at the state contest.