Board Report - June 18, 2024
The Board of Education of Salt Lake City School District met on Tuesday, June 18, 2024. You can watch the entire meeting on our YouTube channel.
Swearing In
The district’s Business Administrator, Alan Kearsley, signed a new two-year contract (July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2026) and was sworn into office by Salt Lake County Clerk Lannie K. Chapman. The role of the business administrator is to oversee business and financial practices for the district. Mr. Kearsley has served in this role since 2020.
Initial Bond Survey Report from Y2 Analytics
A few months ago, the district hired Y2 Analytics (Y2) to survey likely voters in Salt Lake City about the possibility of bonding to rebuild two high schools and support other capital projects. A bond can only be used for capital projects (projects related to buildings and facilities), not for things like teacher salaries, classroom materials, or other educational expenses.
The survey found most respondents would support a potential bond, with a proposal for a $750 million bond receiving the most support. This bond could pay to rebuild West High School and Highland High School, to build a field house at East High School, and to pay for energy sustainability upgrades throughout the district. Survey participants expressed a desire to provide an equitable education for students across the district and for the district to be a visible flagship for public education in Utah. The board will discuss the possibility of bonding to pay for school construction projects in a future meeting.
You can watch the entire report on our YouTube channel.
Rosslyn Heights Field Update
The district is building athletic fields on the old Rosslyn Heights Elementary property. In the process of demolition and design, we’ve discovered unforeseen items that need to be addressed, including fixing existing infrastructure issues underground, adjusting design elements to better use the property layout, and adding an additional structure due to grade changes. The changes are pushing costs up, but despite this, board members agreed the project will be beneficial for both students and the community and directed the district to move forward.
You can watch the entire update on our YouTube channel.
Strategic Plan Update, Review, and Revision
The district’s Strategic Plan for Student Achievement focuses on meeting students' academic, social, emotional, and physical needs. It includes goals and objectives under four pillars:
- educational equity, access, and student support;
- student achievement preK-12/transition;
- family-school and community partnerships and communication; and
- learning environments, stewardship, and sustainability
The plan is a working document that has undergone recent updates. Key changes include revised implementation dates, clarified goals and metrics, and the elimination of redundant steps to reduce the workload for teachers. The leaders of the four pillars reviewed the changes in the plan and helped answer questions from the board.
You can watch the update on our YouTube channel.
Board Policy B-2: School Board Meetings
The board policy subcommittee made changes to Board Policy B-2: School Board Meetings and its administrative procedures to accommodate changes in state law. Board members agreed to place the updated documents on the consent agenda for the next board meeting.
Action Items
The board took action on the following:
- Board Policy G-20: Bullying, Cyber-bullying, Hazing, Abusive Conduct, and Retaliation Prohibited was revised to align with changes in state law. The board approved the changes to this policy.
- Proposed changes were also made to Board Policy G-24: Inclusive Working and Learning Environments. The board directed the policy subcommittee to review the proposed revisions to this policy and determine whether any updated legislative guidance might impact the recommended changes.