Elizabeth School District board approves fee changes, adopts phone policy and ratifies schools-open resolution; reviews 2025–26 budget and middle school plan

The Elizabeth School District Board of Education on May 19 approved a package of student fee changes, adopted a revised student cell‑phone policy, ratified a resolution committing to keep schools open and reviewed the district’s draft 2025–26 budget while hearing a presentation on plans for Elizabeth Middle School.

The board voted unanimously, with Directors Fletcher, Olson and Powell recorded as “Aye” on the formal roll calls. Director Callahan and Director Waller were absent.

Tam Smith, introduced by the board as the middle‑school leader who will serve as principal next year, told the board the building’s restart work began with relationship‑building and a professional‑development kickoff April 25. “It’s really exciting because it’s a fresh start for everybody,” Smith said, describing plans to move to a pod‑based configuration (separate grade wings for sixth, seventh and eighth grades), a new bell schedule with two electives, interior painting and low‑cost facility improvements intended to reduce hallway traffic and transition time.

Why it matters: The fee and budget decisions affect family out‑of‑pocket costs for athletics and field trips, and the budget review signals how the district plans to address deferred capital work and technology needs next year.

Budget and capital needs

Justin Henry, identified to the board as the district’s new chief financial officer, and district staff presented a draft 2025–26 budget that they described as “tight.” Henry said the administration plans to put $880,000 into the capital projects fund next year to begin addressing building and infrastructure needs. The draft includes line items the board flagged for follow‑up: a middle‑school gym floor refinishing project with an estimated cost discussed at roughly $39,000, and replacement of end‑of‑life network switches and a firewall in technology that staff estimated at about $50,000 in additional spending.

Henry said the district is working to end the year with a roughly 7% fund balance and the board has a goal of reaching a 10% fund balance within three years. The budget presented is a near‑final draft with additional revisions expected before adoption in June.

Student fees: transportation and field trips

After the budget presentation, the board approved a set of student‑fee changes intended to move some transportation costs out of the general fund and into a transportation fund supported by new fees.

Key fee changes approved (as presented by staff): - Athletics transportation fee: proposed $50 per high‑school athlete who participates on teams that travel; $25 at the middle school for comparable traveling teams. Esports was explicitly excluded because the team does not travel. - Athletic participation fee (middle school): increase from $75 to $100 (staff described $100 as the common fee among neighboring districts). Staff did not say a final change to high‑school athletic participation fees beyond the transportation fee implementation; schools will publish final fee schedules. - Field‑trip fees by distance: up to 25 miles — $10; up to 40 miles — $15; up to 75 miles — $20; up to 100 miles — $30. For trips over 100 miles staff said the district will calculate a custom per‑person cost based on vehicle and driver expenses. Staff emphasized that no student would be excluded from a field trip for inability to pay; the district will cover costs for eligible students.

Board members and staff said the new fees will be set aside for transportation and that historic practice had mixed some transportation costs into the general fund, masking the full cost of athletics and field trips. Staff estimated athletics travel totaled tens of thousands of miles last year; the number cited in the presentation was unclear in the transcript and is recorded here as “not specified” in detailed numeric fields.

Title I waiver and staffing updates

The board approved a Title I schoolwide waiver for Running Creek Elementary, allowing the school to use its federal Title I funds schoolwide so that any student in need can access intervention services rather than limiting services only to students who meet the income‑based eligibility threshold. The waiver, staff said, met federal notification requirements and community outreach rules.

Superintendent‑level staff and the board also reviewed staffing: the district introduced Justin Henry as CFO and said Lehi (Lynae) Pearson will serve as director of special education. The board and staff said the middle school will be nearly fully staffed for the coming year, with two hires reported at a recent job fair and one remaining vacancy the district is actively recruiting for.

Policy and other votes

The board took a series of policy actions at the meeting. Notable actions included: - Adoption (third and final reading) of replacement policy JICJ, student use of cell phones and other personal technology devices. The adopted policy allows secondary students (grades 6–12) to possess devices but requires them to be silent and stored during instructional time and passing periods; staff clarified the policy permits use during lunch periods and at school‑sponsored events outside instructional time. The board directed district leaders to standardize enforcement procedures and return with implementation guidance. - Repeal of the older classified sick bank policy (GDCA) and adoption of a combined replacement policy (GBGH) covering sick leave bank rules for all staff. - First reading of a tobacco/vaping policy (ADC) and of a replacement policy DD (funding proposals, grants and special projects); both were returned for further revision before final reading. Staff said the vaping policy was revised to reflect grant‑driven requirements but that language needed refinement before final adoption.

Public comment and context

During public comment, teachers and parents addressed the proposed cell‑phone policy. Lydia (identified in public comment as a high‑school computer and business teacher) asked the board for “a very firm policy” with clear consequences and consistent enforcement; a parent speaker, Jason Gut, returned to the meeting after a prior discussion to hear counterarguments.

Ratification of schools‑open resolution

The board also ratified a prior resolution to keep schools open and unrestricted unless there is clear evidence of a safety risk. During discussion, members said the measure was intended to reassure families and staff that the district will prioritize in‑person instruction and leave masking and vaccination choices to parents; one speaker referenced language suggested by an outside group and the political debate surrounding those groups during the pandemic.

What’s next

Staff will return with a final 2025–26 budget for adoption in June. The administration said it will produce clearer budget backup documents, refine grants and fee language, and circulate implementation procedures for the phone policy and for charging and accounting of newly collected transportation and field‑trip fees.

Votes at a glance

- Approve agenda (May 19 special meeting): approved (Fletcher: Aye; Olson: Aye; Powell: Aye). - Approve minutes (05/05/2025 and special meeting 05/08/2025): approved (Fletcher: Aye; Olson: Aye; Powell: Aye). - Consent items 8.1–8.5: approved (Fletcher: Aye; Olson: Aye; Powell: Aye). - Student fee changes for 2025–26 (transportation and field‑trip fees; athletic fee adjustments): approved (Fletcher: Aye; Olson: Aye; Powell: Aye). - Title I schoolwide waiver for Running Creek Elementary: approved (Fletcher: Aye; Olson: Aye; Powell: Aye). - Appointment of Jamie Glazebrook as designated election official and intent to participate in coordinated election: approved (Fletcher: Aye; Olson: Aye; Powell: Aye). - Ratification of resolution to keep schools open and unrestricted: ratified (Fletcher: Aye; Olson: Aye; Powell: Aye). - Repeal policy GDCA (classified sick bank): approved (Fletcher: Aye; Olson: Aye; Powell: Aye). - Adopt replacement policy GBGH (sick leave bank) — third and final reading, as amended: approved (Fletcher: Aye; Olson: Aye; Powell: Aye). - Adopt replacement policy JICJ (student use of cell phones and other personal technology devices) — third and final reading, as amended at meeting: approved (Fletcher: Aye; Olson: Aye; Powell: Aye). - First reading: replacement policy DD (funding proposals, grants and special projects): approved for first reading and returned for edits (Fletcher: Aye; Olson: Aye; Powell: Aye). - First reading: replacement policy ADC (tobacco‑free schools / vaping): approved for first reading and returned for edits (Fletcher: Aye; Olson: Aye; Powell: Aye).

Speakers (limited to those quoted or who addressed substantive agenda items)

- Tam Smith — Middle school leader/principal‑designate (presenter) - Justin Henry — Chief financial officer (district staff) - Dan — Staff member (district staff; referred to repeatedly in budget/operations discussion) - Director Fletcher — Board member (voting member) - Director Olson — Board member (voting member) - Director Powell — Board member (voting member) - Jamie Glazebrook — District staff / election official (appointed by board) - Jason Gut — Parent / resident (public comment) - Megan Geck (pronounced Keek) — Teacher, Elizabeth High School (public comment) - Lydia — Teacher, Elizabeth High School (public comment)

Authorities referenced in discussion

- Title I (federal program / grant): referenced in connection with Running Creek Elementary schoolwide waiver (referenced_by: ["Title I waiver for Running Creek Elementary"]). - Replacement policy codes discussed or adopted: GDCA (classified sick bank — repealed), GBGH (replacement sick leave bank — adopted), JICJ (student personal technology devices — adopted), DD (funding proposals/grants — first reading), DDR (old regulation repealed), ADC (tobacco/vaping — first reading). Each is listed as a policy and was referenced during the meeting. - Coordinated election (local/county election process): referenced in the appointment of a designated election official and intent to participate with the county elections office (referenced_by: ["appointment of designated election official; intent to participate in coordinated election"]).

Clarifying details captured from the meeting

- Field trip fee tiers: up to 25 miles $10; up to 40 miles $15; up to 75 miles $20; up to 100 miles $30; trips over 100 miles — custom calculated cost per person (staff provided these tiers in the fee proposal). - Athletics transportation fees proposed: $50 per high‑school participant for traveling teams; $25 at the middle school for traveling teams. Esports exempt because it does not travel. - Middle‑school athletics fee: proposed increase at middle school from $75 to $100. - Capital allocation in draft budget: $880,000 proposed to be placed in capital projects fund for 2025–26 (staff called this “the absolute bare minimum”). - Technology capital needs: replacement of firewall and network switches described as an approximately $50,000 increase in technology spending. - Middle‑school gym floor: staff discussed estimated gym floor refinishing with a figure cited in discussion near $39,000 and said they had quotes under prior estimates; the board indicated the item will return for formal approval. - Staffing notes: two hires from a recent job fair; one math vacancy being pursued; Erin Dilbeck named assistant principal (resident), Lehi (Lynae) Pearson named director of special education.

Proper names (normalized)

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