Jan. 26, 2021 Board Meeting Summary

Celebrating Schools
Molly Barton, Student Body Officer, Hidden Valley Middle School, praised school staff and custodians for their hard work opening a brand new school with 776 students during a pandemic. She said students come to school every day excited to learn because of amazing teachers and programs at Hidden Valley Middle. Molly said students are very proud of the service work they do raising money for events like “Christmas for Kids,” which directly benefits Jordan School District students in need over the holidays. She said students also helped community members raise $10,000 in food and clothing to benefit families in the Bluffdale area. Molly said it is fun to watch the school grow and expand and students cannot wait to see what the future will bring for others at Hidden Valley Middle.

Superintendent’s Recognition
Dr. Anthony Godfrey, Superintendent of Schools, recognized school nurses. He said we simply could not take care of our students, teachers and staff without their hard work and dedication, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Superintendent Godfrey expressed his sincere gratitude for school nurses, calling them indispensable. People attending the Board meeting showed their appreciation by giving school nurses a standing ovation.

• Patron Comments
• Rachelle Maynard, Mountain Ridge High School Nutrition Manager, thanked the Board for their efforts to keep people throughout the District employed during the pandemic. She shared with the Board the many challenges of running a school cafeteria during COVID-19, but Ms. Maynard said despite those challenges she is grateful to have a job.
• A number of parents emailed comments asking the Board to consider allowing overnight travel for athletic teams and other groups who want to participate in spring competitions. Some said allowing overnight travel and participation in spring competitions would give students a sense of normalcy again. Many parents said they support overnight travel because students have adapted to COVID-19 safety precautions and would follow those precautions.
• Some parents emailed comments expressing concern over allowing overnight travel saying it is premature to do so when most sporting events haven’t been open to spectators. Others said there should be more consideration given to parents who may be struggling during the pandemic and cannot afford to pay for overnight travel for their students.

• Board Comments
• Tracy Miller was invited to observe the State Board of Education’s school counseling review and said she was very impressed with our school counselors and their positive approach to helping students. She reported that all secondary schools passed the review. Ms. Miller attended the Riverton High School band and orchestra concert and applauded students on their marvelous performance despite a power outage at the time. She also reported on the Facilities Committee which talked about the naming of the new elementary school in Daybreak Village 8 and reminded patrons that the Board approved construction of a new elementary school in Herriman.
• Marilyn Richards reported on the Government Relations Committee which met with the Utah Taxpayers Association to talk about equalization. She also reported on the UHSAA which discussed allowing spectators to once again attend athletic events.
• Jen Atwood congratulated West Jordan High School for being recognized by the State Board of Education as a Utah High School of Excellence. She reported that the Community Relations Committee met with Educational Support Professionals.
• Darrell Robinson thanked all schools for their hard work during the pandemic. He recognized REAL Salt Lake Academy for providing opportunities to students in STEM and helping one student begin his professional soccer career by signing a contract with REAL Salt Lake at the age of 16. Mr. Robinson reported on the Innovations Committee which discussed the IB Program about to open at West Jordan High School. The committee also discussed the structure of schools and if the District should consider building high schools that include 9th grade students.

Closed, Study Session
In closed session, Board members discussed personnel, property, potential litigation, and negotiations. In open session, the Board received an update on a plan to help students recover from failing grades and reviewed the 2020-21 fee schedule. They discussed how long to continue restrictions on student overnight travel and field trips. The Board discussed the process for naming the new elementary school in South Jordan and new online schools and possible changes to pandemic protocols. They reviewed committee assignments, received an update on pandemic response and talked about Board compliance with Open Meeting Law training.

– Sandy Riesgraf, Director of Communications