Teachers, support staff and PEA praise district support during public comment; board responds

More than half a dozen educators and support staff used the Feb. 11 public-comment period to thank the Provo City School Board and district leaders for what they described as strong local support for teachers, students and school services.

Speakers included Kayleen Dewey, a third-grade teacher at Amelia Earhart Elementary, who described a classroom unit on civic education and told the board, “We get to teach our third graders what it means to be in a government by the people and for the people.” Shontay Harrell, a school social worker at Shoreline, said she had worked in other districts and that Provo stands out for having school social workers, crisis supports and close collaboration with district leadership.

Several other teachers echoed those sentiments. Heather Ambler, a Provo High teacher, contrasted teaching conditions in other districts with her experience in Provo and thanked the board for support. Katie Muavesi, a teacher who said she lives in Edgemont and teaches at Timpanogos, described a Hill day in Salt Lake with delegation meetings and said she felt pride in representing Provo teachers to state lawmakers.

Christy Giblin, president of the Provo Education Association, said the district and the union have a cooperative relationship. “We do not have a contentious relationship here between our board and our administration, and we do all work together as a team,” she told the board. Giblin said she values respectful disagreement and praised the board for adding student members.

Board President Jennifer Partridge used the board’s allotted response to thank speakers and to reiterate the board’s commitments. “We love our teachers. We love our support professionals, and we are so grateful for you and your efforts and energies every single day,” Partridge said. She highlighted a district strategic-plan strategy to “work with employee groups to create plans to improve benefits and salaries” and said the board is advocating for employees at the state level.

Multiple public commenters referenced the strain of the current legislative session on educators and described the local relationship between the board, administration and the Provo Education Association as a stabilizing factor. The board’s public remarks emphasized continued partnership, open communication and plans for an employment satisfaction survey to identify improvement areas and reduce turnover.

Public commenters were given the standard three-minute time allotment. The board’s response affirmed ongoing efforts to coordinate with employee groups and to advocate for education funding during the legislative session.