| Sept.
28, 2004
Facilities Planning
The Board of Education approved phase two of the facilities planning process
and directed the Administration to move to phase three of the process as it
relates to the Northeast Area and activities in other areas of the District.
The Board approved the following:
• Northeast Area: Close one elementary school;
realign boundaries to accommodate one school closure; determine a timeline for
school closure; retain all schools on a traditional calendar; and review the
need to renovate or replace Butler Middle School as part of the next bond election.
The Board noted the capital savings from the school closure will remain in the
Northeast Area.
• Northwest Area: Transition three-track, year-round calendars to traditional
schedules unless they are needed for short-term housing needs in the area; boundary
changes should be considered to increase enrollment at neighboring schools to
relieve expected growth at Heartland Elementary; develop plans to rebuild Heartland
and consider placing it on a year-round calendar to accommodate anticipated growth;
evaluate placement of special programs; transition elementary schools to traditional
calendars as soon as feasible; review the need to renovate or replace West Jordan
Middle and West Jordan Elementary schools as part of the next bond election.
• East Central Area: Evaluate boundaries of Bell View and Edgemont Elementary
Schools to determine the possibility of housing some students at other schools
closer to the neighborhoods of the families; review the need to renovate, replace
or close school(s), make boundary changes, or form magnet programs in schools
with steadily declining resident enrollment and the FCI (condition of the facility)
is above 85 percent.
• North Central Area: Develop plans to rebuild Midvale Elementary as a means
to house students coming from new developments as part of the next bond election;
review the need to renovate or replace Midvalley Elementary as part of the next
bond election.
• Southeast Area: Transition year-round elementary schools to traditional
calendars as soon as feasible.
Sale of Bonds
The Board of Education approved a resolution
confirming the sale and authorizing the issuance of $15 million
in general obligation school building bonds. The Board
accepted a bid from J.P. Morgan Securities, Inc., at
an interest rate of 3.53 percent. Dustin Matsumori, one
of the District’s financial advisers, said the
interest rate is the second lowest the District has ever
received. He commended the District’s excellent
bond ratings that allowed it to get such a favorable
rate.
Board Comments
• Ellen Wallace said the school closure process has been a long one and
she is grateful for the guiding statements that have been established. She commended
the teachers at Jordan Hills Elementary for the way they handled a recent crisis.
• Jane Callister expressed appreciation to the area executive directors
for their efforts with the facilities planning. She also thanked the District
crisis counselors for their efforts with students during a recent bus accident.
• President Peggy Jo Kennett thanked those
who served on the District Facilities Planning Committee. She said the Board
has received a few comments since its last meeting and she believes the community
is in agreement with what the Board has approved. She reported on her attendance
at the Westvale Elementary School Community Council meeting. She said the teachers
appreciate the reading specialist at Westvale and they plan to use District specialists
for teacher training this year.
• Randy Brinkerhoff commended Superintendent
Newbold for an editorial he wrote for the Fall 2004 issue of the Kappa Delta
Pi Record. The article expresses the Superintendent's concerns about the No Child
Left Behind legislation. Mr. Brinkerhoff also noted comments from Superintendent
Newbold and President Kennett are central to an article titled "Dealing with
Decline" in the September
2004 American School Board Journal.
Celebrating Bingham High
Principal Tom Hicks shared Bingham High’s
recent successes. Mr. Hicks reviewed the school's academic programs, concurrent
and/or Advanced Placement classes, Stanford Achievement Test and Utah Basic
School Competency Test scores, honor programs and extracurricular activities.
Bingham High, established in 1908, has 2,178 students.
Closed, Study Sessions
The Board met in closed session prior to the
regular meeting to discuss property and personnel. The Board also met in study
session prior to the regular meeting to discuss facilities planning and recommended
dates for dedication of four new schools. Representatives from the Jordan Education
Association also presented "Building
Utah’s Economy for All of Us."
– Melinda R. Colton, Reporting
Board
of Education
Peggy Jo Kennett, President
Ellen S. Wallace, Vice President
Randy S. Brinkerhoff, Member
Jane C. Callister, Member
J. Dale Christensen, Ed.D., Member
Ann C. Forbush, Member
Lynette Phillips, Member
Barry L. Newbold, Ed.D., Superintendent
D. Burke Jolley, Deputy Superintendent for Business Services
Past
Issues of Memorandum
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