[{"_1":2,"_114":-5,"_115":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,85,94,104],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6653133,"mediaKeyId","2485489-35819a7d9076462ab4da4a2780bbe409","parentId",2485489,"title","Finance committee raises district lunch per diem to $19; breakfast and dinner rates noted","audioSeconds",184,"startMs",3881000,"endMs",4065000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2485489-35819a7d9076462ab4da4a2780bbe409&start=3881&end=4065","thumbnailUrl","https://d352y6ypj4mjo3.cloudfront.net/AudioPlaceholder.png","articleUrl","/articles/6653133/Utah/Finance-committee-raises-district-lunch-per-diem-to-19-breakfast-and-dinner-rates-noted","mediaUrl","author","Washington County School District","date","2025-03-03T00:00:00Z","article","The board’s finance committee reported March 3 that it adjusted the district per-diem amounts used for travel and meal reimbursement. The committee raised the lunch per-diem from $15 to $19 to better reflect local costs; breakfast remained at $13 and dinner at $26.

The committee explained it had evaluated federal and state per-diem schedules and decided a break from the federal allocations was necessary because the federal system assigns different rates by city and can produce inconsistent results. The committee said principals and staff welcomed the lunch-rate increase, and noted the district retains higher rates for certain high-cost cities in the federal schedule.

Why it matters: per-diem policy affects reimbursements for staff travel, professional development and events and may change out-of-pocket exposure for employees who pay for their own meals while traveling on district business.

Additional details: the finance committee oversees the per-diem rule; staff will communicate updated per-diem amounts to administrators and travelers.","mediaType","Audio","parentTitle","Working Session – 3/3/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The board’s finance committee reported March 3 that it raised the district lunch per diem to $19 (up from $15) and reviewed continental per-diem guidance for travel and conferences.","taxTitle","Washington County School District, Utah School Boards, Utah","taxId",65999,"location","Utah","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":50,"_51":82,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":83,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":84,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6653138,"District pauses switch to proposed A/B calendar after principal and teacher feedback",293,1251000,1544000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2485489-35819a7d9076462ab4da4a2780bbe409&start=1251&end=1544","/articles/6653138/Utah/District-pauses-switch-to-proposed-AB-calendar-after-principal-and-teacher-feedback","Washington County School District staff told the board March 3 the district will pause a proposed change to the A/B bell schedule and continue with the existing schedule next year while staff gather additional feedback.

District staff had proposed A days on Monday and Wednesday and B days on Tuesday and Thursday with alternating Fridays. Staff said the proposal was intended to help with concurrent-enrollment scheduling and to support students who have internships, externships or work commitments. Principals at high schools initially responded positively, but staff said follow-up conversations with middle- and intermediate-school faculty produced concerns about instructional continuity when holidays and alternate Fridays create extended gaps between same-day classes.

As a result, staff recommended keeping the current A/B arrangement next year and returning to the proposal after more study to determine its impacts across grades and schedules. Staff told the board they will continue to gather principal and teacher input and revisit the issue when they have “a more compelling why” for the change that outweighs classroom continuity concerns.

Why it matters: a districtwide bell schedule affects course sequencing, concurrent-enrollment opportunities and families’ childcare arrangements; changes can create operational complexity and require buy-in from teachers and principals.

Additional details: staff said the schedule was appealing to some high school programs (CTE and concurrent enrollment) and to parents, but that smaller schools and singleton specialist teachers reported the proposal caused difficult scheduling gaps for lab-based and shared resources.","The district put on hold a proposed change to an A/B schedule (A days Monday/Wednesday, B days Tuesday/Thursday with alternating Fridays) after principals and teachers raised continuity concerns, especially for middle and intermediate schools.",{"_33":86,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":87,"_41":88,"_43":89,"_45":89,"_47":90,"_49":50,"_51":91,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":92,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":93,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6653142,"Board pauses math curriculum adoption; teacher review and March 17 PD planned",0,4717000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2485489-35819a7d9076462ab4da4a2780bbe409&start=4717&end=4717","/articles/6653142/Utah/Board-pauses-math-curriculum-adoption-teacher-review-and-March-17-PD-planned","Washington County School District staff told the board March 3 that the district would slow the math curriculum adoption process to allow teachers more time to review the finalist materials and to provide feedback before a final board decision.

Staff said the adoption committee had evaluated submissions under a published rubric and that Illustrative Mathematics (published via Kiddom) ranked highest in that process. The district also reviewed i-Ready (Curriculum Associates) during the procurement process, but staff said that because the RFP evaluation had produced a recommended winner, any decision to delay or select an alternative would require restarting procurement or extending the district’s existing contract for another year.

To gather more input, staff scheduled a March 17 professional-development day session at Coral Cliffs so teachers could review curriculum materials directly and complete rubrics to provide structured feedback. Staff said an April board meeting would be the deadline if the board wanted a decision in time for training and rollout next school year; if the board defers adoption beyond this spring, the district would need to extend its current “My Math” materials contract for one additional year and restart the adoption timeline later.

Staff emphasized professional development and teacher training as critical to any adoption decision, and board members raised concerns that implementing a new math program would require significant teacher training and time for principals and teachers to adjust. The superintendent said the district could postpone adoption for another year if feedback suggested timing was not right.

Why it matters: curriculum adoption affects classroom instruction, professional development plans and purchasing commitments. The board’s decision window affects whether the district can implement new curriculum with adequate teacher training for the next school year.

Additional details: Illustrative Mathematics (Kiddom) was the committee’s selection; staff will present materials to teachers on March 17 and expects to return to the board in April if a decision is to be made for next-year rollout. Procurement guidance cited in the discussion indicates a need to follow the district’s RFP process if the board chooses to change the committee’s recommendation.","The district postponed a final decision on a new K–12 math curriculum after board members and staff raised concerns and requested more teacher review; staff outlined a March 17 professional-development session and described procurement implications tied to the prior RFP selection process.",{"_33":95,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":96,"_41":97,"_43":98,"_45":99,"_47":100,"_49":50,"_51":101,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":102,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":103,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6653148,"Board hears enrollment trends showing lower kindergarten enrollment and uneven growth; staffing and boundaries discussed",995,1997000,2992000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2485489-35819a7d9076462ab4da4a2780bbe409&start=1997&end=2992","/articles/6653148/Utah/Board-hears-enrollment-trends-showing-lower-kindergarten-enrollment-and-uneven-growth-staffing-and-boundaries-discussed","District staffing and enrollment leaders reviewed detailed enrollment counts and projections March 3, telling the board the district has grown by roughly 58 students between the Oct. 1 official count and an update through early February but faces a persistent gap between larger upper-grade cohorts and smaller incoming kindergarten classes.

Staff described examples from multiple elementary boundaries where kindergarten counts lag fifth grade and said that pattern is the key driver of the district’s downward enrollment pressure. They reported different local trends: some schools such as Legacy and Riverside were increasing, while others including Coral Canyon, Coral Cliffs, Crimson View and Little Valley were showing declines tied to long-running neighborhood buildouts or stalled housing starts.

District staff said they had been able to place most affected employees districtwide: temporary positions were not renewed in some schools and five permanent employees were moved into open roles. Two language-teacher positions (Mandarin/Chinese) remained to be filled. Staff emphasized that principals used enrollment projections to guide hiring and to smooth the staffing transition without district-wide layoffs.

Board members and staff discussed longer-term implications including the potential need for boundary adjustments in areas with clustered declines, the role of charter school movement at specific grade transitions (noting charter enrollment trends affect middle and high school counts differently), and transportation and facilities trade-offs if boundaries or new construction are required. Staff said principals were using school-level funding flexibly — including TSSA allocations — to help maintain parity across sites.

Why it matters: enrollment trends drive staffing, facilities planning and budgets. The board was told that pockets of growth in some neighborhoods and declines in others create inequities in school sizes and staffing needs, and that the district may need boundary or capacity changes if the trend persists.

Additional details: staff noted some kindergarten shortfalls are part of a broader statewide and national pattern of lower birth cohorts and that planning assumptions project a potential rebound in about five years. District officials also noted online-course enrollments and their staffing implications: part-time online enrollments have grown and affect how full-time equivalencies are calculated for staffing.","District staff presented enrollment data showing pockets of growth and decline across elementary and secondary schools, discussed staffing moves to absorb enrollment changes and warned that continued trends may require boundary shifts or additional facilities planning.",{"_33":105,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":106,"_41":107,"_43":108,"_45":109,"_47":110,"_49":50,"_51":111,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":112,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":113,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6653151,"District schedules grand opening for first teen center at Dixie High; five centers planned",364,881000,1245000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2485489-35819a7d9076462ab4da4a2780bbe409&start=881&end=1245","/articles/6653151/Utah/District-schedules-grand-opening-for-first-teen-center-at-Dixie-High-five-centers-planned","Washington County School District officials announced a grand opening for the district’s first teen center at Dixie High School on April 2 at 3:30 p.m. and said the site will be the first of five teen centers planned across the district.

The superintendent summarized the program as a set of services for students experiencing housing instability or hardship, including laundry, showers, a place to study, a small food pantry and a supply of clothing. District staff said the centers aim to reduce barriers so students “feel like their peers” and can continue attending school and coursework.

District staff said the initial teen-center grant funded five centers at Dixie, Snow Canyon, Pine View (cone site), Desert Hills and Hurricane, with Mill Creek added as an additional site when bids came in higher than anticipated. They said the district and individual schools have committed additional funds and that schools have agreed to take on some staffing responsibilities. The district plans a soft opening for students at Dixie the week before the April 2 event so students can see and use the space before the public celebration.

Funding for ongoing operations was described as primarily donations supplemented by grants. The superintendent said a named individual (Brian Donald) will lead grant-writing efforts and that a significant portion of staffing costs will be covered by that individual’s funding commitments; volunteers and support from local nonprofit groups — notably the Assistance League, which is winding down locally — were also cited as part of the sustainability plan. District staff said they will invite significant donors to the opening and that media will be invited to the first site.

School-based logistics include limited staffed hours rather than 24-hour access; staff described arrangements such as counselors taking shifts before and after school or schools freeing an aide for set hours. Where possible, sites will have an exterior entrance to allow students discreet access; Dixie High’s space will not have an exterior entrance but is described as suitable for the program.

Board members asked about long-term funding and security. District staff reiterated the donation-and-grant model, confirmed cameras and adult supervision would be used, and said the Assistance League and other partners would serve on advisory committees. Staff also said a design firm donated design work for the first site.

Why it matters: school-based teen centers provide wraparound services intended to keep students engaged in school who are otherwise at risk of absenteeism or disengagement due to basic needs. The district’s plan spreads those services across multiple high schools rather than creating a single centralized facility.

Additional details: staff said five teen centers were funded initially by a grant and that the district added one more site when bids exceeded initial estimates; the district will continue fundraising and pursue identified grants to cover operating costs.","Washington County School District announced a grand opening April 2 for its first teen center at Dixie High School and described plans for five teen centers, funding sources and staffing arrangements during the March 3 working session.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Finance committee raises district lunch per diem to $19; breakfast and dinner rates noted

District pauses switch to proposed A/B calendar after principal and teacher feedback

Board pauses math curriculum adoption; teacher review and March 17 PD planned

Board hears enrollment trends showing lower kindergarten enrollment and uneven growth; staffing and boundaries discussed

District schedules grand opening for first teen center at Dixie High; five centers planned