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Industry focus groups back maker-style innovation center for Canyons; board agrees to study AVID districtwide
Summary
A set of six focus groups with business leaders recommended maker spaces, presentation rooms, interview labs and industry partnerships for a proposed Canyons innovation center. The board directed staff to continue industry engagement and to study district-wide adoption of AVID as a vehicle to implement the district's Portrait of a Canyon Scholar.
SANDY, Utah — After six industry focus groups and interviews conducted at the district's request, business leaders recommended that the proposed Canyons innovation center prioritize hands-on maker space, flexible presentation and collaboration rooms, and programs that teach presentation, teamwork and business fundamentals.
Pat Jones, a consultant with extensive experience in qualitative research, told the board the focus groups produced consistent results: businesses want young people who can communicate, problem-solve, work on teams, present ideas and understand basic business and financial concepts. Jones said participants repeatedly asked for "safe places to fail" where students can tinker, iterate and learn from setbacks.
Design and program recommendations from industry leaders (summary): - Space and design: bright, flexible, modern workspaces with maker labs, trades and technical bays, interview/collaboration rooms (small through large), presentation stages and areas sized to host fairs and public showcases with the ability to reconfigure as industry needs change. - Skills focus: sustained practice in written and oral communication, portfolio presentation, teamwork, project-based problem solving, data literacy, applied math and entrepreneurship/financial literacy. - Staff and partnership model: ongoing industry advisory groups, regular externships/ internships, and industry-supported professional learning for teachers so staff remain current with workplace practices. Business participants emphasized that teachers and staff benefit from exposure to current industry methods. - Small-business participation: focus-group participants urged multiple pathways for company involvement (large enterprise sponsorship vs. small-business use of space); staff noted small firms may lack bandwidth to provide ongoing on-site staff but can participate in other roles.
Why it matters: The district is considering an innovation center as part of larger strategic and facilities planning. Focus-group input provides a user-driven blueprint for facility design, curricular partnerships and business engagement, and the board emphasized a short window of opportunity to get design and partnerships right.
Next steps and governance: District staff and the superintendent recommended continued industry engagement and formation of an ongoing advisory group composed of business leaders and educators. The board agreed to add an Innovation Center committee to help steward design decisions, partnership structures and potential requests for proposals (RFPs) for industry and construction partners.
AVID and district learning models: In a linked discussion of high-quality learning, the board's High Quality Learning committee recommended studying a district-wide adoption of AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) as a coherent implementation framework to advance communication, inquiry and college-and-career readiness across K-12.
Staff notes and preliminary cost estimates (staff-provided): - AVID has an annual membership fee (staff cited an estimated figure of about $35,100 per year as a planning figure); there is also a one-time instructional package estimate of $100,000 for startup resources across the district. Professional learning and implementation coaching are additional costs and would be part of a detailed proposal. - Staff recommended contracting AVID consultants to develop an implementation plan that would cover role alignment, professional learning, timelines and a proposed budget. Staff said they would bring a full proposal back to the board (staff suggested a proposal by fall 2025 to allow time for planning and budgeting).
Board reaction: Members praised the focus-group work and asked staff to share raw notes and drawings from the industry sessions. Several board members said they would like a standing advisory mechanism so industry partners could contribute without overcommitting smaller companies.
What was not decided: No contract awards or final budget approvals were made. The board requested staff to return with a recommended governance plan for the Innovation Center, a proposed AVID implementation plan developed with a consultant, and refined cost estimates before any formal commitments.
Speakers quoted and roles are listed in the article's speaker roster.
