Board Report for January 21, 2025
The Board of Education met on Tuesday, January 21, 2025. You can watch the whole meeting on our YouTube channel, or click on each heading to jump straight to that report.
- The board welcomed Greg Planter as the new Assistant Principal at Whittier Elementary.
- They also recognized Erin Capra, a teacher at West High School, who was recently named Utah’s Outstanding High School Biology Teacher. Congratulations to Ms. Capra!
Board Member Reports on USBA State Conference
Board members shared highlights from the recent Utah School Boards Association (USBA) conference. Topics included student councils, legislative updates, special education, district budgets, and more.
Board Meeting Structure Changes
Starting in February, the board will hold two business meetings each month. Study sessions, if needed, will take place earlier in the day on regular board meeting days. These changes were put in place to make board meetings more effective.
The board reviewed and approved a list of committee assignments. These assignments cover committees within and outside the district and will last for two years.
Board members are reviewing the board meeting schedules for the rest of this year and next year. Possible changes to the 2025-26 calendar include:
- Moving the first meeting in November to avoid Election Day.
- Adjusting the first July meeting so it doesn’t come so close to the July 4th holiday.
The board is also working on scheduling its annual retreat.
The Extended Learning Programs Department has improved assessments and services to better identify and support gifted students. As a result, enrollment in AAMP (part-time gifted and talented program) and Magnet Gifted and Talented (full-time) programs for underserved students has increased.
The Magnet Gifted and Talented program at Edison Elementary will be expanded to include 6th grade students, even though Edison is a K-5 school. This change will help smooth the transition to middle school Magnet Gifted and Talented programs for Edison K-5 Magnet students.
District Department Reorganization Proposal
Superintendent Grant shared potential ideas for reorganizing the district office departments and based her work on the following principles:
- a core focus on teaching and learning;
- equity is a shared responsibility; and
- accountability, support, and trust.
Dr. Grant recommended rearranging departments and changing some leadership roles to streamline getting support directly to our schools and embedding the work of equity into every office and classroom.
The board will discuss these proposed changes in a future meeting.