Nov. 6, 2007

Administrative Appointment
      The Board appointed Hal Sanderson, Ph.D., as the District’s new Data Analysis and Utilization Specialist.  He is currently a specialist in the Assessment and Accountability Department at the Utah State Office of Education. 

Land Purchased
     The Board approved the purchase of 23 acres of land for $4.6 million at approximately 12200 S. 5600 West in Herriman for a future middle school. 

Boundary Change Approved
      The Board approved proposed boundary changes for Bell View and Crescent Elementary Schools. The existing east/west boundary between the two schools along the UTA Railroad will change to a new boundary along State Street.  

Boundary Proposal    
      The Board reviewed proposed boundaries for the new elementary school in West Jordan.  The new boundaries will include students from Oakcrest, Hayden Peak, and Mountain Shadows Elementary Schools.  The new school is currently under construction at approximately 6100 W. 7000 South in West Jordan.  The Board will vote on the recommendations at its Nov. 20 meeting.  The boundary recommendation is available on the District Web site at www.jordandistrict.org.

• Patron Comments
• Brad Price of West Jordan commended the boundary committee for the new West Jordan area elementary school.  He said the members did an excellent job of involving the public in the process.  He supports the committee’s recommendation and feels it addresses safety concerns and students attending the school nearest them.
  
• Scott Simmons of West Jordan said the majority of those attending the open house favor the committee’s recommendation.  He enouraged the Board to adopt the recommendation.
  
• Jalene Foisy of West Jordan represented 92 people who favor the committee’s boundary proposal.  She said the committee worked hard to represent everyone impacted by the changes. 
  
• J.R. Moore of West Jordan said he and 113 others are advocates of the recommended boundary proposal because it addresses the issues of safety of students and school proximity. 
  
• Kit Erickson of West Jordan said his primary concern is safety and he feels the boundary recommendation meets that concern.
  
• Lezlie Harper, a Bingham High School English teacher and technology specialist, expressed frustration at the lack of support for technology in high schools.  She requested additional local school funding for technology, higher salaries for technicians, and slowing the pace of transitioning to the Skyward system. She suggested additional pieces of Skyward be introduced more slowly or postponed until the current pieces are working properly and users are comfortable using the new system.

Resolution    
      In honor of Education Support Professionals Day on Nov. 14, the Board expressed appreciation for the service of its classified employees.

• Board Comments
• Sherril Taylor thanked the West Jordan patrons for attending the meeting and expressing their support for the boundary recommendation. 
  
• Ellen Wallace also thanked the patrons for sharing their insights about the proposed boundaries.  She reported on her attendance at the Board’s Five-Star banquet and the Utah Education Association’s annual dinner where teachers Joan McLaughlin and Jeffrey Bossard were honored with Excellence in Teaching Awards.  She congratulated them on their awards.
  
• Peggy Jo Kennett reported on her attendance at the Five-Star banquet and Riverside Elementary’s School Community Council meeting.  She noted Riverside appealed its Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status because two students with disabilities were ill and could not pass the test.  Mrs. Kennett stressed the importance of schools looking at individual students and disaggregating AYP data to find out why they are not making AYP. 
  
• Kim Horiuchi attended the Milken Family Foundation National Educator Awards ceremony at Butler Middle School honoring Jennifer Van Haaften.  She congratulated Mrs. Van Haaften and expressed her appreciation for the good work being done by all the teachers at Butler Middle School.  Mrs. Horiuchi also thanked the Office of Communications for organizing the Five-Star banquet and congratulated this year’s winners.

Oakcrest Elementary
      Principal Norman Emerson said Oakcrest Elementary’s main focus is literacy and the school offers two reading tutoring programs for students who need extra help.  Students have set a goal this year to read 3,960,000 minutes.  The school has strong involvement and support from parents who assist with activities that promote learning and academic improvement.  Mr. Emerson said the sixth-grade classes are housed at nearby Sunset Ridge Middle School this year and students are having a positive experience there.

Closed, Study Sessions
      The Board met in closed session prior to the regular meeting to discuss personnel and property.  During study session the Board reviewed boundaries for the new Eastlake Elementary School in South Jordan, and heard a presentation from the gifted and talented committee.

 — Melinda R. Colton, Reporting

Board of Education
J. Dale Christensen, Ed.D., President
Tracy Scott Cowdell, J.D., Vice President
Randy S. Brinkerhoff, Member
Kim Murphy Horiuchi, Member
Peggy Jo Kennett, Member
Sherril H. Taylor, Member
Ellen S. Wallace, Member

Barry L. Newbold, Ed.D., Superintendent
D. Burke Jolley, Deputy Superintendent for Business Services

Past Issues of Memorandum