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

Partnership With U.S. Navy

Jordan High may be next in line to launch a U.S. Navy National Defense Cadet Corps program. Principal Dr. Bruce Eschler said JHS’s Navy cadet corps program, if approved by the Board of Education, would be the only one of its kind at a comprehensive high school at the south end of the Salt Lake Valley. Dr. Eschler said the initiative would not only benefit students in Canyons but also help Jordan High recruit students from neighboring districts. Eschler said the Navy program would continue the rich tradition of military service and patriotic pride among Beetdiggers. Jordan graduates, such as Don Lind, who was a Naval aviator before becoming a space-shuttle astronaut, have served in and served in all branches of the military from World War II until now. Dr. Eschler said students, parents, staff, and alumni have responded favorably to the proposal of bringing this opportunity for CSD students to learn the basic elements of and need for a robust national security force. It also creates a pathway to a career in the military. Cadets in the corps who enlist after high school in an active or reserve capacity can receive an increased pay grade, he said. Pending Board of Education approval of the proposal, work would begin on implementing the cadet-corps program at Jordan for the 2024-2025 school year. Eschler aims to grow the JHS cadet corps to support more than 100 cadets over a three-year period. The Board will continue to review the proposal. 

Strategic Indicator and Goals

Academic achievement, as a core tenet of the Canyons, continues to be a prime focus of the District, especially as CSD puts into place initiatives coming from the Strategic Plan. Superintendent Dr. Rick Robins said mathematics and literacy rates of the youngest students — kindergarten through third grades — are a target in newly proposed goals for CSD schools. In every early-learning grade, Dr. Robins said, teachers will be challenged to increase the number of students who are meeting benchmark standards in reading and numeracy. Goals also are being suggested for math, science, and reading RISE scores for fifth- and eighth-grade students. Under the new proposal, CSD will aim to inspire at least a 2 percent growth in students proving proficiency in the three subjects. The plan also seeks to seriously reduce the number of students who are chronically absent, which drastically impacts achievement levels and graduation rates. The proposed goal is to cut chronic absences by 5 percent.  Under the academic-achievement proposal, which the Board will continue to review, school communities would be challenged to cut the number of failing grades for middle and high school students by 5 percent and to increase the graduation rate to 100 percent. The proposal also calls for high school students to voluntarily participate in the writing section of the ACT. Dr. Robins also briefly presented information about CSD’s tenets of innovation, customer service, community engagement and fiscal accountability, as well as the four focus areas of the Strategic Plan. Those include “High-Quality Learning,” “Access and Opportunity,” “Operating Systems” and “Human-Centered Supports.”

Differentiated Diploma Revisions

The Board of Education is evaluating proposed changes to the unique-to-CSD Honors or Advanced Diploma qualifications. Changes include increasing the grade-point average and requiring a specific level of attendance. Instructional Supports Director Dr. Amber Roderick-Landward presented a proposal to remove the ACT benchmark requirement. Instead, she said, students seeking a CSD differentiated diploma would only be required to participate on the college-entrance exam. Other proposed changes include, for the Advanced Diploma, removing the World Language requirement and adding 1.0 credits in math, science or a Career and Technical Education concentrator. For the Honors Diploma, she said, proposed changes include adding 1.0 advanced/lab-based science course and add a CTE concentrator or World Language. The changes would be for the Class of 2028.  Students who have already entered high school would follow the current pathways. 

Nutrition Services Update

A salary boost given to Education Support Professionals for the 2023-2024 school year is credited for the uptick in the number of applicants for workers in Canyons District’s Nutrition Services Department. Director Sebasthian Varas said the department seeks just 26 people to fill all of the positions in the department — a vast difference from previous years when school cafeterias were operating with minimal staff. The approximate number of positions that went unfilled last year was 40, said Varas, who added that orange chicken, pizza, and macaroni and cheese are among the favorite lunchtime menu items in Canyons schools. For breakfast, he noted, students enjoy fresh baked cinnamon rolls, pancakes, and breakfast pizza. Adhering to HB222, CSD provides “Breakfast in Class” programs for the schools that have more than 30 percent of students who qualify for free- and reduced-price meals. This includes East Midvale, Midvalley, Copperview, and Sandy elementary schools. Midvale Elementary, he said, offers “second-chance” breakfast instead of breakfast in the classroom. Varas said Bella Vista, Crescent, Draper, East Sandy, and Glacier Hills elementary schools; Eastmont, Midvale, Mount Jordan, and Union middle schools; and Hillcrest High, per Utah law, will need to implement alternate breakfast models by the end of the school year. Canyons also provides such services as the summer-meal program, a fresh fruit and vegetable program, and a snack program. In the 2022-2023 school year, 23 percent of CSD students qualified for free meals and 5.5 percent qualified for reduced-price meals. This year, 23 percent of CSD students qualify for free and 4.3 percent qualify for reduced-price meals. Varas also told the Board that the Community Eligibility Provision is a non-pricing meal service option for schools allowing to serve breakfast and lunch at no cost to all enrolled students without collecting household income applications. Instead, schools that adopt CEP are reimbursed using a formula based on the percentage of students categorically eligible for free meals based on their participation in such programs as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. This year, he said, Copperview, Midvale, East Midvale, and Midvalley elementary schools and Midvale Middle participate on this program. Faculty and staff can eat at CSD cafeterias, he said. The cost of lunch for an adult is $5 and the cost of breakfast is $3. Varas said the department would like to work with schools to find ways to reduce food waste. Many students, he said, don’t take the time to eat before rushing outside to play at lunchtime recess. CSD continues to wait for health department approval to cook and serve food at the new Union Middle. Sack lunches will be provided until the kitchen is completed at the newly rebuilt school. Varas said cafeteria workers distributed 795 lunches and 639 breakfasts during the first couple of weeks of school while students were learning in remote-learning status

CTA Name and Facility Change

A Canyons program that aids adult special education students to prepare them with work and life skills will be re-named the Life Skills Academy. The program has previously been called the Canyons Transition Academy. In addition to the name change, the Board of Education approved the program’s move from the basement of the District Offices to the old Crescent View Middle building. 

Canyons Strong Employee Recognitions

The following employees were recognized by the Board of Education:

• Midvale Middle teacher Max Eddington for being named a finalist in the 2024 Utah Teacher of the Year selection process.
• Brighton High teacher Joel Hockin for being named the 2023 Outstanding Chemistry Science Educator by the Utah Science Teachers Association
• Brighton High teacher Haley Eveland for being named the 2023 High School Rookie Science Teacher of the Year by the Utah Science Teachers Association.
• Union Middle’s Jessica Clark for being named the 2023 Rookie Middle School Science Teacher of the Year by the Utah Science Teachers Association.
• East Midvale Elementary teacher Fatai Tuifua, who was chosen to be a Hope Street Group Utah Teacher Fellow.
• CSD’s IT Department in honor of National IT Professionals Day
• CSD Special Education Program Administrator Linda Hall for strengthening the Unified Sports-Special Olympics program in Canyons District.

Consent Agenda

The Board of Education approved the Consent Agenda, including the approval of the minutes for the Sept. 5, 2023 meeting of the Board; hire and termination reports; purchasing bids; student-overnight travel requests; August financial reports; SCC exemption for Goldminer’s Daughter and Canyons Transition Academy; a 2023-2024 schedule for meetings of the Board; and updates to Brighton High’s calendar. 

USBA Leadership Academy and Annual Conference

The Board discussed the upcoming USBA conference and topics of interest presented at the academy.

School Highlights

Bella Vista Principal Angi Holden said the elementary school’s mission is to provide a respectful, safe, and kind learning environment. Holden said the school’s academic goals include continued growth in reading, early literacy, and mathematics. Among other PBIS-related initiatives, Holden said, Bella Vista faculty and staff also reinforce positive behaviors with a “Tiger Tuesday” incentive drawing. Bella Vista also has a 70 percent attendance goal. A trophy is given weekly to the class with the best attendance. Bella Vista also has strong community support, evidenced by a recent donation to pay off all of last year’s lunch balances. The school, which has a Beverley Taylor Sorensen Arts Teacher, also is focusing on STEM- and STEAM-related projects, including an art show at the Whitmore Library. 

Patron Comment

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

• Jen Stark, teacher, Midvalley Elementary

Policy Update

The Board approved updates to policies governing special education-related services and the requirements of special-education students to receive a completion certificate. 

Superintendent, Business Administrator Reports

Superintendent Robins remarked on the success of the Unified Sports-Special Olympics regional soccer tournament at Hillcrest High. He noted the attendance of Mr. Mont Millerberg and Ms. Karen Pedersen at the awards ceremony. 

Business Administrator Leon Wilcox thanked Risk Management Coordinator Ryan Jakeman for spearheading the applications for $4.7 million in school safety grants.  He also expressed appreciation for Nutrition Services Director Sebasthian Varas. 

Board of Education Members Reports

Mr. Andrew Edtl remarked on Homecoming activities, U.S. Navy Capt. David G. Lang’s visit to Canyons schools, and Edtl’s recent visits to Canyons schools.

Ms. Amanda Oaks reported on attending Corner Canyon and Alta Homecoming events, tennis matches, the Canyoneering Academy, School Community Council trainings, and Sprucewood Elementary’s “Waffle Wednesday.” She also remarked on the improvements to Sprucewood’s library, funded by the Board of Education. 

Mr. Mont Millerberg reported on attending USBA’s Leadership Academy, the Unified Sports-Special Olympics soccer tournament at Hillcrest High, the Canyons Education Foundation’s support of the Unified program, and the Foundation’s annual golf tournament scheduled for Thursday. He thanked Midvalley Elementary teacher Jen Stark for presenting information during Patron Comment. 

Ms. Nancy Tingey thanked Canyons’ IT professionals for arranging for her remote attendance to Board meeting, encouraged Board members to attend the Foundation’s golf tournament and remarked on Canyoneering Academy and last week’s meeting of the Arts Consortium. She mentioned her work with volunteers at local elementary schools. 

Ms. Karen Pedersen recounted visits with librarians who are delighted with their new libraries and collections. She also lauded Brighton and Jordan high school students who performed and volunteered at elementary schools in their feeder areas. 

President Shill said she visited schools with Dr. Robins, attended a Homecoming tailgating party for the Brighton faculty, and announced the launch of CSD middle-school Unified Sports programs.