Washington County School Board approves multiple policies, an elementary boundary change and several property sales

The Washington County School District Board of Education on June 9 approved a package of policy updates, a small elementary boundary change and the sale of four district-owned properties.

Board members approved four policy revisions and one new policy after brief presentations and limited discussion. The board also adopted an elementary-boundary adjustment between Horizon Elementary School and Washington Elementary School, approved three property sales and accepted a sale with a 10-year restrictive covenant on a fourth parcel.

HR Director Darren Thomas summarized the district's implementation plan for the state'created SHINE teacher salary supplement, a new program the district must administer after the 2024 legislative change. "Essentially, we've taken the legislation, turned it into a policy," Darren Thomas said, describing the district's process for certifying eligible educators and running an online application. He told the board the district was certified to receive roughly $1.28 million for the program and that the number of eligible teachers in recent years has been about 220, with a large share in special education. The board approved Policy 19-30 to implement the SHINE salary supplement; district staff will open an online application window on July 1 for about six weeks.

The board approved Policy 3330 (Food Service: Purpose and General Policy) to clarify custodial and food-service cleaning responsibilities, moving explicit responsibility for dining-room cleaning to custodial staff. "We want to make sure that we're crystal clear that the custodian is the one who needs to be in charge of cleaning, not the kitchen ladies," Darren Thomas said during the discussion. Policy 36-20 (Campus Management) was updated to add intermediate schools to the district's semi-closed campus designation. Policy 36-35 (Student Overnight Activities) was amended to restrict district-authorized overnight student travel to grades 9 through 12, removing the prior allowance for some eighth-grade overnight travel.

The board approved a consent agenda that included the May 12 minutes, the financial report, personnel and license items, and changes to school TSA plans (Middle Dixie and Snow Canyon), and the board also approved executive-staff compensation as part of that consent vote.

On boundaries, district staff described a proposed change that would move a small new subdivision north of the Virgin River to Telegraph Drive (including homes east of Florence Drive and the new street Desert Cactus) from Horizon Elementary's attendance area to Washington Elementary's boundary. District staff said about 20 newly constructed homes are in the affected area, that the area is within about a mile of Washington Elementary and that one child from the area will be in kindergarten next year; letters were mailed to homeowners and the district held a public meeting at Washington Elementary. No members of the public spoke during the second hearing. The board approved the boundary change as presented.

District staff member Brent Bills presented four property-sale recommendations. Two parcels on East White Horse Drive (2436 and 2432 E. White Horse Drive) were offered for sale to support the CTE program relocation; the board approved those sales as presented. The board approved a full-value offer on the former Southwest Heights preschool building at 16th South and 300 West in St. George.

For the district's former JROTC building across from Dixie High School, the board approved a sale conditioned on a restrictive covenant recorded at closing that would bar the property from use as a school for children ages 6 through 17 for at least 10 years. Brent Bills described the proposed covenant, saying it would "restrict the property from use as a school for ages 6 through 17" and that the restriction would "expire no earlier than 10 years from the date of sale." The board approved the sale with that addendum.

Votes at a glance - Consent agenda (May 12 minutes; financial report; personnel and LA-specific license items; Middle Dixie and Snow Canyon TSA plan changes; executive staff compensation): Motion approved (mover: Member Staley; second: Member Cox). - Policy 3330 (Food service duty/cleaning responsibility): Motion approved (mover: Member Sigmiller; second: Member Simmons). Change clarifies custodial responsibility for dining-room cleaning. - Policy 19-30 (SHINE salary supplement / highly needed educators): Motion approved (mover: Member Staley; second: Member Cox). District certified to receive approximately $1.28 million; online applications open July 1 for six weeks; per-teacher awards depend on full-time-equivalent assignment and endorsements. - Policy 36-20 (Campus management): Motion approved (mover: Member Cox; second: Member Wade). Intermediate schools added to semi-closed campus rules. - Policy 36-35 (Student overnight activities): Motion approved (mover: Member Segg Miller; second: Member Gunn). Overnight district-sponsored travel limited to grades 9'12. - Elementary boundary change (Horizon Elementary to Washington Elementary, affected area north of the Virgin River to Telegraph Drive, including Desert Cactus street and roughly 20 new homes): Motion approved (mover: Member Staley; second: Member Simmons). No public comments recorded at the second hearing; district held three meetings on the proposal. - Property sales: Two parcels at 2436 and 2432 E. White Horse Drive recommended for sale and approved (mover: Member Simmons; second: Member Cox). Former Southwest Heights preschool building (16th South & 300 West, St. George) approved for sale (mover: Member Sigmiller; second: Member Gunn). Former JROTC building across from Dixie High School approved for sale with a recorded restrictive covenant barring K'12 school use for at least 10 years (mover: Member Wade; second: Member Gunn).

Meeting context and next steps The board took these votes during a regularly scheduled open meeting that began with the pledge of allegiance and moved through hearings, consent and action items. District staff will implement the SHINE application process beginning July 1 and will proceed with the recorded-sale transactions after required closing steps. The district said it had notified affected homeowners about the boundary change and will proceed with implementing the new elementary attendance boundary for the coming school year.

The board adjourned after a brief superintendent's report and remarks recognizing departing Member Nanette Simmons.