Board Briefs

The Davis School District Board of Education unanimously approved changes to 4I-202 School Library Media Centers during its business meeting. The updates were based on feedback since Sensitive Materials policy was implemented in Sept. 2022 and further discussed during Board Workshop on August 15.

Key changes involve:

1. Establishing two different review committees – a specialized committee and a standard committee.

The specialized committee:

• Will be made up of seven voting members and will meet monthly.

• Its members will serve for a minimum of one full school year.
  

• Will receive targeted training on the “bright line” rule and identify if the book has “pornographic or indecent material.”
  

• Will ideally complete reviews within 30 days of the review request.

• Will be made up of seven voting members.

• Will meet as necessary throughout a school year.

• Will be disbanded at the end of the school year.

• There is no limit to the number of standard committees during a school year.

• Once a book is placed under further review, a standard committee will then review the book for all definitions of sensitive material defined in Utah Code which were not already considered by the previous committee.

• This will include “consideration of any serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value of the material as a whole for minors.”

• Will receive training on all aspects of sensitive materials review to make their designations.

2. Creation of third designation option

• The specialized committee will have three designations as part of their review. They can vote to retain the book, remove the book or place the book under further review by a standard committee.
• The standard committee will have 3 designations as part of their review. They can vote to remove, retain or place the book under “parent permission required.”

3. Anonymity, review requests and reporting

• Identity of all persons requesting reviews and appeals will not be disclosed to the public but the facilitator will retain access in order to verify standing and communicate timelines and decisions.
• Committee members’ identities will not be disclosed to the public.
• Both the vote results of the committees and written statements of rationale for individual committee member’s decisions will be posted online within 10 school days of the decision.

The complete revised policy is effective immediately and can be read in full at https://bit.ly/3EtaTUy.

New student board members, Brieanna Mason and Joshua Barrera, were sworn in at the beginning of the board meeting.

Mason was described by Woods Cross High School Principal Deanne Kapetanov as an all-around great student that has danced for 14 years and played the flute for 4 years. She also maintains a 4.0 grade point average and wants to attend the University of Utah to study pharmaceuticals.

Barrera was described by Clearfield High School Principal as a wonderful student and "as nice of a person as you'd ever hope to meet." Barrera is a member of National Honor Society, takes AP and CE classes and is a student leader in Latinos in Action and wants to attend the University of Utah.

"Always feel free to give your input because the work we do is for you [students]," School Board Vice President Brigit Gerrard said as she welcomed them and thanked them for serving on the board.

The Farmington High School Chamber Choir sang "Red, White, and Blue" which was arranged by Derric Johnson as a special tribute to those who serve our country.

The choir is working this year toward traveling to Washington DC to perform at several national monuments and memorials this March.

The choir is under the direction of Choir Director Becca Rhodes.

The board recognized two teachers for receiving the Apple Distinguished Educator (ADE) designation in the class of 2023.

Amber Heguy is a 5th grade teacher at Sunburst Elementary and Cole Mason is a 4th grade teacher at Snow Horse Elementary.

The Apple Distinguished Educator program recognizes K-12 educators who are pioneering the use of technology to "transform teaching and learning in powerful ways," according to the Apple K-12 website.

Heguy and Mason were recognized at the ADE Institute in Dallas, Texas this past summer.

The board approved a public hearing regarding the north-end boundary study involving nine elementary schools and five junior high schools. The hearing will be held on October 17 at 6 p.m. at Syracuse High School. This will be an opportunity for the public to provide feedback on the boundary study.

The board unanimously approved a request to adopt the Early intervention Software Program (EISP) and the Online Courseware adoptions as presented by Teaching and Learning Director Belinda Kuck.

The selected EISP programs are Lexia Core5, Houghton-Mifflin Amira, and Curriculum Associates iReady. Use of each program will be made as a school-based decision. These programs provide an intervention reading program to K-3 that is school selected computer-based program.

The awarded online courseware is Edgenuity. The program provides an intervention for students who have lost credit toward graduation and will focus on core courses of math, science, English and history as well as a few electives.

The board awarded the bid for Phase II of Bountiful High’s stadium remodel to Hughes General Contractors for a guaranteed maximum price of $10.3 million.

The project continues the work to remodel the stadium and includes replacing the existing running track and visitor bleachers, installing artificial turf on the baseball and softball fields and building a new entrance with a ticket booth, concession stand, restrooms, storage space and team rooms. The construction will begin immediately and is expected to be finished by August 2024.