Parents, staff and PTA push Provo board to move Timpanogos Elementary to Dixon site over safety and space concerns

Two dozen parents, teachers and community members urged the Provo City School District Board of Education on Tuesday to move Timpanogos Elementary to the district-owned Dixon site, arguing the school’s current location next to a busy multilane road is unsafe and that the aging building lacks adequate playgrounds, instructional space and preschool capacity. Speakers included neighbors, the school’s assistant principal and the PTA president, who all described recurring safety incidents, cramped classrooms and limited special-education spaces. Several asked the board to place a full-size elementary school on the Dixon site and shift any proposed career and technical education (CTE) program to the Timpanogos property. Cynthia Yanez, a Timpanogos parent, told the board the school “is close to a dangerous street” and that families have limited parking and outdoor play space. “We think it's a really good idea to move our Timpanogos school to a bigger place so we can have all the children have better space,” she said. Leanne Parker, assistant principal at Timpanogos Elementary, said the school has the second-highest student population in the district but one of the smallest playgrounds per student. “During recess duty, kids in grades K through 6 all share just two playground structures,” Parker said. She added the cafeteria is cramped, the gym doubles as a lunchroom and the building has repeated heating and cooling failures. Chanel Robinson, PTA president, said the school “was built too small and too cheap to begin with” and said staff have resorted to using closets for instruction. Robinson identified three priorities the PTA supports for a move to Dixon: “safety, space and opportunity.” Some speakers addressed the competing proposal to put a CTE campus on the Dixon site. Jordan Gibby said a CTE campus has better access where public transit and State Street could serve regional students, and he urged thoughtful planning to avoid costly mistakes. He cited online estimates that a new Timpanogos building would cost about $75,000,000 and cautioned that short-term savings can result in higher long-term costs. Several speakers tied the request to broader district planning. During the same meeting the board approved a preliminary bond statement to fund the Tempview rebuild; Business Administrator Devin Daley confirmed part of the bond proceeds were intended to support planning work for the Dixon site, though Daley said final allocations are not yet determined. Board response and next steps: Board President Jennifer Partridge thanked speakers and said the board values public input. Partridge told attendees the topic would be discussed again at a Sept. 19 meeting. She also provided a board email for follow-up comments: boardofeducation@provo.edu. Status: No formal action was taken to relocate Timpanogos at Tuesday’s meeting. The issue remains under study; the board will continue discussions at future meetings and will incorporate staff reports, cost estimates and facility plans before making a decision.